The goal of this work is to develop a new theoretical framework for modeling ultrasound images. The hypothesis to be tested is that the rf echo follows an alpha-stable distribution with alpha less or equal to two. This distribution has never been used in modeling the ultrasound rf echo. The Gaussian model, which has been used widely, is a special case of the alpha-stable model with alpha=2. The validity of the model will be tested based on clinical ultrasound images of the breast and phantom data. Based on the alpha-stable model parameters novel tissue characterization features will be devised. The new model will be compared to the K- distribution, which has been proposed for the envelope of the rf echo, strengths and weaknesses of each model will be identified, and their roles in tissue characterization will be compared. Potential improvements in tumor detection by combining the features derived from the two models will also be investigated. Since, in theory, alpha-stable processes with alpha<2 do not have finite moments of order greater or equal to 2, conventional second or high-order statistics-based tools cannot be employed in processing. New methods to model such processes will be developed and applied on image distortion estimation and deconvolution, targeting image resolution enhancement.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
2P01CA052823-07A1
Application #
6102622
Study Section
Project Start
1998-08-20
Project End
1999-05-31
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Drexel University
Department
Type
DUNS #
061197161
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Wheatley, Margaret A; Forsberg, Flemming; Oum, Kelleny et al. (2006) Comparison of in vitro and in vivo acoustic response of a novel 50:50 PLGA contrast agent. Ultrasonics 44:360-7
Wheatley, Margaret A; Forsberg, Flemming; Dube, Neal et al. (2006) Surfactant-stabilized contrast agent on the nanoscale for diagnostic ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound Med Biol 32:83-93
Mogatadakala, Kishore V; Donohue, Kevin D; Piccoli, Catherine W et al. (2006) Detection of breast lesion regions in ultrasound images using wavelets and order statistics. Med Phys 33:840-9
Shankar, P M; Piccoli, C W; Reid, J M et al. (2005) Application of the compound probability density function for characterization of breast masses in ultrasound B scans. Phys Med Biol 50:2241-8
Forsberg, Flemming; Lathia, Justin D; Merton, Daniel A et al. (2004) Effect of shell type on the in vivo backscatter from polymer-encapsulated microbubbles. Ultrasound Med Biol 30:1281-7
El-Sherif, Dalia M; Lathia, Justin D; Le, Ngocyen T et al. (2004) Ultrasound degradation of novel polymer contrast agents. J Biomed Mater Res A 68:71-8
Alacam, Burak; Yazici, Birsen; Bilgutay, Nihat et al. (2004) Breast tissue characterization using FARMA modeling of ultrasonic RF echo. Ultrasound Med Biol 30:1397-407
Lathia, Justin D; Leodore, Lauren; Wheatley, Margaret A (2004) Polymeric contrast agent with targeting potential. Ultrasonics 42:763-8
Oeffinger, Brian E; Wheatley, Margaret A (2004) Development and characterization of a nano-scale contrast agent. Ultrasonics 42:343-7
Shankar, P Mohana; Dumane, Vishruta A; Piccoli, Catherine W et al. (2003) Computer-aided classification of breast masses in ultrasonic B-scans using a multiparameter approach. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 50:1002-9

Showing the most recent 10 out of 44 publications