Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Imaging of Cardiac Tissue

描述(申请人提供)：几乎每种形式的心脏疾病都会引起心肌僵硬的改变。目前临床上可行的评估心肌硬度的测量技术要么是有创的，要么是涉及图像衍生的指标。我们提出了一种新的成像方法，称为声辐射力脉冲成像(ARFI)，用于测量心肌组织的机械特性。这项技术使用超声波辐射力来移位组织。然后使用常规超声波来观察组织对力的反应。我们提供的初步数据显示，这项技术在成像正常心肌功能下发生的僵硬变化方面是成功的。我们建议进一步发展ARFI成像技术，然后利用动物模型研究ARFI成像在检测心脏功能异常方面的应用。此外，我们还建议对儿童心脏移植患者进行人类临床研究。这些研究将评估ARFI成像在提供移植排斥反应的早期检测、心力衰竭严重程度分级以及区分收缩和舒张期心力衰竭方面的潜力。公共卫生相关性：心脏疾病通常涉及心脏僵硬的变化。我们开发了一种新的成像方法，可以显示心脏组织的硬度。我们建议进行动物和人体研究，以确定这种方法在可靠地检测和预测心脏病方面的潜力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nearly every form of cardiac disease involves changes to the myocardial stiffness. Current clinically-viable measurement techniques to assess myocardial stiffness are either invasive and/or involve image-derived metrics. We propose the use of a new imaging method, called Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging, in measuring the mechanical properties of myocardial tissue. The technique employs ultrasonic radiation force to displace tissue. Conventional ultrasound is then used to observe the response of the tissue to the force. We present preliminary data showing the success of this technique in imaging the changes in stiffness that occur under normal myocardial function. We propose to further develop the ARFI imaging technique and then investigate the use of ARFI imaging in detecting abnormal heart function using animal models. In addition, we pro- pose human clinical studies with pediatric cardiac transplant patients. These studies will evaluate the potential of ARFI imaging to provide early detection of transplant rejection, in grading the severity of heart failure, and in distinguishing between systolic and diastolic heart failure. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Diseases of the heart often involve changes in the stiffness of the heart. We have developed a new imaging method that displays the stiffness of heart tissue. We propose animal and human studies to determine the potential of this method to reliably detect and predict cardiac diseases.