Inadequate visualization of ultrasonic images leads to increased exam time, decreased patient throughput, diminished quality or indeterminate diagnosis, or referral of the patient to other imaging procedures. Alternative imaging methods generally increase costs and/or expose the patient to invasive or potentially hazardous imaging procedures. In this application, we propose a new ultrasonic imaging method, called Short-Lag Spatial Coherence (SLSC) imaging, that demonstrates the ability to greatly suppress acoustical clutter and significantly improve ultrasonic imaging quality. We present preliminary data demonstrating the success of this technique in human livers and hearts. We propose to build real-time SLSC imaging systems and analyze them in key tasks in echocardiography. In addition, we propose to build the mathematical framework to describe this imaging technique and to develop advanced SLSC imaging methods. We propose clinical studies in stress echocardiography to evaluate the potential of this technique in visualizing endocardial borders in difficult-to-image patients.

Public Health Relevance

Poor image quality in ultrasonic imaging is detrimental to diagnosing heart problems in patients. We have developed a new imaging method that reduces image noise. We propose to evaluate these techniques in human studies to determine the potential of this method in detecting the heart walls in the presence of noise.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EB013661-03
Application #
8606213
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Liu, Christina
Project Start
2012-04-01
Project End
2014-07-31
Budget Start
2014-02-01
Budget End
2014-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Biomed Engr/Col Engr/Engr Sta
DUNS #
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Hyun, Dongwoon; Abou-Elkacem, Lotfi; Perez, Valerie A et al. (2018) Improved Sensitivity in Ultrasound Molecular Imaging With Coherence-Based Beamforming. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 37:241-250
Hyun, Dongwoon; Crowley, Anna Lisa C; Dahl, Jeremy J (2017) Efficient Strategies for Estimating the Spatial Coherence of Backscatter. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 64:500-513
Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A; Dahl, Jeremy J; Trahey, Gregg E (2015) Resolution and brightness characteristics of short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) images. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 62:1265-76
Kakkad, Vaibhav; Dahl, Jeremy; Ellestad, Sarah et al. (2015) In vivo application of short-lag spatial coherence and harmonic spatial coherence imaging in fetal ultrasound. Ultrason Imaging 37:101-16
Li, You Leo; Dahl, Jeremy J (2015) Coherent flow power Doppler (CFPD): flow detection using spatial coherence beamforming. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 62:1022-35
Pinton, Gianmarco; Trahey, Gregg; Dahl, Jeremy (2014) Spatial coherence in human tissue: implications for imaging and measurement. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 61:1976-87
Hyun, Dongwoon; Trahey, Gregg E; Jakovljevic, Marko et al. (2014) Short-lag spatial coherence imaging on matrix arrays, part 1: Beamforming methods and simulation studies. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 61:1101-12
Jakovljevic, Marko; Byram, Brett C; Hyun, Dongwoon et al. (2014) Short-lag spatial coherence imaging on matrix arrays, part II: Phantom and in vivo experiments. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 61:1113-22
Dahl, Jeremy J; Sheth, Niral M (2014) Reverberation clutter from subcutaneous tissue layers: simulation and in vivo demonstrations. Ultrasound Med Biol 40:714-26
Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A; Goswami, Robi; Kisslo, Joseph A et al. (2013) Short-lag spatial coherence imaging of cardiac ultrasound data: initial clinical results. Ultrasound Med Biol 39:1861-74

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