For various soft tissues (e.g., liver, breast, etc.), we are developing the ultrasonic strain measurement-based mechanical properties (shear modulus, visco-shear modulus, etc.) reconstruction/imaging technique. To clarify the limitation of our quantitative reconstruction/imaging technique as a diagnostic tool for differentiating malignancies, together with improving the spatial resolution and the dynamic range we are collecting the clinical reconstruction image data. Furthermore, we are applying our technique as a monitoring technique for the effectiveness of chemical therapy (e.g., anticancer drug, ethanol, etc.), thermal therapy (e.g., micro, and rf electromagnetic wave, HIFU, LASER, etc.), and cryotherapy. As soft tissues are deformed in 3-D space due to externally situated quasi-static and/or low frequency mechanical sources, multidimensional signal processing improves strain measurement accuracy and reduces inhomogeneity-dependent modulus reconstruction artifacts. These have been verified by us through simulations and phantom/animal in vitro experiments. Briefly, here we discuss the limitations of low dimensional signal processing. Moreover, we exhibit the superiority both on differential diagnosis for these human in vivo malignancies and monitoring for these therapies of our quasi-real time imaging (using conventional US equipment) to conventional B-mode imaging. Our technique is available as a clinical visualization technique both for diagnosis and treatment, and monitored mechanical properties data can also be effectively utilized as the measure for controlling the therapy, i.e., the exposure energy, the foci, the exposure interval, etc. In the near future, suitable combination of various simple and low-invasive therapy techniques with our imaging technique will open up a new clinical style allowing diagnosis and the subsequently immediate treatment. This must substantially reduce the total medical expenses.

Date Published: 10 June 2003
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 4954, Thermal Treatment of Tissue: Energy Delivery and Assessment II, (10 June 2003); doi: 10.1117/12.497643

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4954:
Thermal Treatment of Tissue: Energy Delivery and Assessment II
Thomas P. Ryan, Editor(s)