Ultrasonic Elasticity Imaging of the Breast

描述（由申请人提供）： 我们建议继续和扩展我们当前对弹性成像科学和工程的研究，以改善乳腺癌的诊断和治疗。我们的中心假设是，超声提供了独特的机会，图像的关键结构，功能和组成特性的乳腺组织在体内。细胞和分子生物学的最新进展揭示了组织在肿瘤形成期间改变其结构的机制，并产生了一系列只能在体内评估的新治疗策略。局部血管密度增加、局灶性纤维化和结缔组织增生是肿瘤形成和转移潜能的特异性早期指标，可以使用超声方法进行随访。靶向治疗的发展需要新的成像技术，使研究人员能够在整个疾病进展过程中进行系列研究。将进行体模和患者研究，以验证该方法并发现诊断机会。我们提出了一个计划，以扩大我们的调查组织的弹性，包括成像粘弹性，在体内的方法。该五年计划围绕四个具体目标进行设计：（1）开发新的粘弹性成像技术，（2）通过分析水凝胶测量结果建立组织粘弹性模型，（3）进行II期临床试验，以及（4）研究图像质量特征。其目的是开发新的体内超声成像技术，以在发展早期识别侵袭性乳腺癌的方式描述肿瘤微环境。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose a continuation and expansion of our current investigation into the science and engineering of elasticity imaging for improved breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our central hypothesis is that ultrasound offers unique opportunities to image key structural, functional and compositional properties of breast tissue in vivo. Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology are revealing the mechanisms by which tissues alter their architecture during tumor formation, and have spawned an array of new treatment strategies that can only be evaluated in vivo. Increases in regional vessel density, focal fibrosis, and desmoplasia are specific early indicators of neoplasia and metastatic potential that can be followed using ultrasonic methods. Developments in targeted therapeutics require new imaging techniques that allow investigators to conduct serial studies throughout the progression of disease. Phantom and patient studies will be conducted to validate the approach and discover diagnostic opportunities. We propose a plan to expand our investigation of elastic properties of tissues to include methods for imaging viscoelasticity, in vivo. The five-year plan is designed around four specific aims: (1) develop new viscoelasticity imaging techniques, (2) model viscoelastic properties of tissues from analysis of hydrogel measurements, (3) conduct a Phase II clinical trial, and (4), investigate image quality features. The intent is to develop new in vivo ultrasonic imaging techniques that describe the tumor microenvironment in ways that identify aggressive breast cancers early in development.