Ultrasound Imaging of Breast by Use of a Hemispheric Array and Inverse Scattering

使用半球阵列和逆散射对乳房进行超声成像

• 批准号: 8516364
• 负责人: ROBERT C WAAG
• 金额: $ 53.02万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8516364
• 关键词: Achievement; Algorithms; Anatomy; Architecture; Biopsy; Breast; Breast Cancer Detection; Breast Cancer Treatment; Characteristics; Clinical; Collection; Computers; Data; Detection; Development; Diagnosis; Dimensions; Disease; Electronics; Elements; Foundations; Fourier Transform; Frequencies; Image; Image Analysis; Implant; Investigation; Malignant Neoplasms; Mammography; Maps; Measurement; Measures; Methods; Modeling; Monitor; Monitoring for Recurrence; Morphologic artifacts; Motion; Output; Patients; Performance; Physiologic pulse; Process; Property; Recurrence; Research Personnel; Research Project Grants; Residual state; Resolution; Resources; Risk; Schedule; Signal Transduction; Speed; System; Technology; Testing; Three-Dimensional Imaging; Time; Tissues; Transducers; Ultrasonic wave; Ultrasonography; Variant; Weight; attenuation; base; clinical application; computing resources; cost; image reconstruction; improved; in vivo; instrument; malignant breast neoplasm; millimeter; novel; operation; public health relevance; quantitative ultrasound; response; sound; success; system architecture; time interval; transmission process; two-dimensional; volunteer

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this project is to form high-resolution speckle-free quantitative ultrasound images throughout the volume of the breast in vivo by using a hemispheric transducer array for measurements and inverse scattering for image reconstruction. Achievement of this objective will show the clinical feasibility of using non-- ionizing ultrasound imaging to screen for breast cancer without the use of ionizing x-rays and will provide a foundation for risk-free examination of the breast for cancer detection. The proposed methods will overcome x- ray mammography limitations such as low resolution of contrast in dense breasts, compression-induced deformation of anatomy and discomfort in patients, and poor imaging of breasts with implants. Success would ultimately change the way screening for breast cancer is performed and significantly improve detection, diagnosis, and monitoring for recurrence or response to treatment of breast cancer. In the proposed system, ultrasound waves are transmitted into the breast, waves scattered by the breast are received, and the measurements of the scattered waves are stored for subsequent off-line reconstruction of images. The envisioned parallel architecture of the transmit and receive channels associated with each transducer element permits the collection of scattering from the in vivo breast during a short time, e.g., about two seconds, to avoid image-degrading motion artifacts. The planned use of off-line processing by available computing resources for image reconstruction circumvents the need to acquire and configure computer facilities. The hemispheric array is comprised of multiple planar facets so that conventional flat-wafer fabrication technology can be used to implement the array. The system has transmit electronics, receive electronics, and a transmit-receive switch associated with each element. A control unit communicates with the electronics. Image reconstruction begins by using measured pulse waveforms to estimate the gross properties (i.e., contour, average speed of sound, and average slope of attenuation) of the breast. From these properties, background scattering is determined and subtracted from the measured scattering to obtain residual scattering linearly related to tissue variations. The scattering measurements are in the near field but the coefficients of the temporal Fourier transform of the scattered signals emulate far field measurements in local regions that fill a hemisphere of Fourier spatial-- frequency space with components of the spatial Fourier transform of the local tissue variations. These measurements are extrapolated to obtain values of the Fourier spatial-frequency components in the opposite hemisphere. The entire sphere of spatial-frequency components is used to form weighted products of fields that are based on the initial estimate of breast characteristics and are then iteratively refined. The resulting images show sound speed and attenuation slope throughout the breast volume. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The objective of this project is to form significantly improved ultrasonic images throughout the volume of the breast in vivo by using a novel imaging system. Achievement of this objective will show the clinical feasibility of using non-ionizing ultrasound imaging to screen for breast cancer without the use of ionizing x-rays, provide a foundation for risk-free examination of the breast for cancer detection, and overcome x-ray mammography limitations such as low resolution of contrast in dense breast, compression induced deformation of anatomy and discomfort in patients, and poor imaging of breasts with implants. Success would ultimately change the way screening for breast cancer is performed and significantly improve detection, diagnosis, and monitoring for recurrence or response to treatment of breast cancer.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目的是通过使用半球传感器阵列进行测量和逆散射进行图像重建，在体内整个乳房的体积中形成无分辨率的无定量超声图像。实现这一目标将显示使用非电离超声成像筛查乳腺癌的临床可行性，而无需使用电离X射线，并为无风险检查乳腺检查提供了基础。所提出的方法将克服X射线乳房X线摄影限制，例如致密乳房中的对比度低分辨率，压缩诱导的患者解剖结构和不适的变形以及对植入物的乳房的不良成像。成功最终将改变进行乳腺癌的筛查方式，并显着改善检测，诊断和监测对乳腺癌治疗的复发或反应。在提出的系统中，超声波传播到乳房中，接收到乳房散射的波，并将散射波的测量值存储，以进行随后的离线重建图像。与每个换能器元件相关的传输和接收通道的设想平行结构允许在短时间内从体内乳房收集散射，例如，大约两秒钟，以避免图像降级运动伪像。通过可用的计算资源进行图像重建的计划使用离线处理，可以规定获得和配置计算机设施的需求。半球阵列由多个平面面组成，因此可以使用常规的扁平磁力制造技术来实现阵列。该系统具有传输电子设备，接收电子设备以及与每个元素相关的发射接收开关。控制单元与电子设备通信。图像重建是通过使用测量的脉冲波形来估计乳房的总特性（即轮廓，声音的平均速度和平均衰减斜率）开始的。从这些特性中，确定背景散射并从测得的散射中减去，以获得与组织变化线性相关的残留散射。散射测量值在近场中，但是散射信号的时间傅立叶变换的系数模拟了局部区域中的远处测量，这些测量填充了傅立叶空间 - 频率空间的半球，并具有局部组织变化的空间傅立叶变换的频率空间。这些测量值被外推以获得相对半球的傅立叶空间频率成分的值。空间频率成分的整个领域用于形成基于乳房特征的初始估计的田野的加权产品，然后进行迭代精制。所得图像在整个乳房量中显示出音速和衰减斜率。 公共卫生相关性：该项目的目的是通过使用新型成像系统在体内的整个乳房中显着改善超声图像。实现这一目标将显示使用非电离超声成像在不使用电离X射线的情况下筛查乳腺癌的临床可行性，为对乳腺癌的无风险检查提供了基础，并克服了X射线乳腺X线摄影限制，例如在乳房中造成鲜明的对比度低分辨率，乳房与乳房的压缩诱导的乳房和乳房不良症状和不良成像和不良成像和不良成像。成功最终将改变进行乳腺癌的筛查方式，并显着改善检测，诊断和监测对乳腺癌治疗的复发或反应。