Reverberant shear wave field estimation of body properties
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Publication Number
US-12521014-B2
Publication Date
2026-01-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A reverberant shear wave field in an object such as a patient's body or organ causes deformations in one or more selected directions measured with an imaging modality such as ultrasound or MR equipment or other imaging equipment, to estimate displacements in one or more selected directions over time increments and then viscoelastic properties such as stiffness or other parameters of the ROI.
Core Innovation
A method uses a reverberant shear wave field in a body to estimate viscoelastic properties of hidden regions of interest in the body. Plural shear waves are produced at selected frequencies and interact with each other and with structures in the body to produce the reverberant shear wave field. An imaging device images a region of interest in the presence of the reverberant shear wave field and produces an estimate of measured motion of the region of interest in a selected first direction over time.
An image processor receives the selected frequencies and the estimate of measured motion, and processes the inputs with computer algorithms to provide an estimate of one or more viscoelastic properties of the region of interest in the body. The approach includes using autocorrelation of measured displacements together with the selected vibration frequency to estimate shear wavenumber and compute viscoelastic properties, including stiffness. The framework supports optional 2D/3D viscoelastic mapping across additional directions.
The disclosed estimator uses theoretical derivation of the autocorrelation for diffuse reverberant fields, and an estimator based on a second-moment method to estimate an unknown wave number k. A system architecture is described including a vibration source array, controller, imaging system, image processor, and display.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim covers a coordinated method that generates plural shear waves at selected frequencies to form a reverberant shear wave field, images a region of interest to estimate motion in a selected direction, uses computer algorithms with the selected frequencies and motion estimate to estimate viscoelastic properties, displays the estimated viscoelastic properties, and controls production, imaging, processing, and display with a controller. The inventive features are as follows.
Reverberant shear-wave field from plural shear waves at selected frequencies
Actuating a vibration source that produces plural shear waves at selected frequencies that interact with each other and with structures in the body to produce a reverberant shear wave field in the body.
Motion imaging in a selected first direction
Imaging a region of interest in the body in the presence of said reverberant shear wave field with an imaging device and producing an estimate of measured motion of the region of interest in a selected first direction.
Autocorrelation-based viscoelastic estimation from frequencies and motion
Receiving in an image processor the selected frequencies of the shear waves and said estimate of measured motion, and processing the inputs with computer algorithms to provide an estimate of one or more viscoelastic properties of said region of interest in the body.
Controller-coordinated vibration, imaging, processing, and display
Controlling the steps of producing shear waves, imaging, computer processing, and computer display with a controller operatively coupled to said vibration source, said imaging device, said computer display, and said image processor.
Ultrasound time sequence motion acquisition
Further estimating motion by including position in a first selected direction at multiple times and the speed of the change in that position, and configuring an image processor to capture images of a region of interest and calculate one or more estimates based on auto-correlation of the images.
Ultrasound scanner imaging device
Further uses an ultrasound scanner as the imaging device to generate a time sequence of ultrasound images of a region of interest along with an estimate of motion.
Three-dimensional viscoelastic properties mapping
Configures the image processor to generate a three-dimensional map of the viscoelastic properties at multiple points within a region of interest.
The inventive core is the use of a reverberant shear wave field generated by plural shear waves at selected frequencies, followed by imaging to estimate ROI motion in a selected direction and processing based on the selected frequencies and motion estimate, including autocorrelation-based processing, to estimate viscoelastic properties, with controller-coordinated operation and optional 2D/3D mapping.
Stated Advantages
Simplified acquisition using a single velocity component.
Reduced need for boundary condition knowledge and directional verification.
Robustness from natural reverberant fields.
Documented Applications
Estimating viscoelastic properties, including stiffness, of hidden regions of interest in the body using reverberant shear-wave elastography.
Finite-element simulation validation and phantom experiments using gelatin and Zerdine breast phantoms.
Imaging modality support for ultrasound, MRI, x-ray, and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).
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