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A method for nonlinear imaging of ultrasound contrast agents at high frequencies

A contrast agent, non-linear technology, applied in the direction of re-radiation of sound waves, ultrasonic/sonic/infrasonic diagnosis, application, etc., can solve the problems of image quality reduction and limitation

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-05-16
VISUALSONICS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These properties lead to large variations in the depth-dependent acoustic pressure, leading to large variations in the excitation and detection of microbubbles, which degrade image quality outside of this fixed focus
A single-part converter must also be mechanically scanned, which limits the ability to send multiple bursts along a single image line while maintaining real-time frame rates

Method used

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  • A method for nonlinear imaging of ultrasound contrast agents at high frequencies
  • A method for nonlinear imaging of ultrasound contrast agents at high frequencies
  • A method for nonlinear imaging of ultrasound contrast agents at high frequencies

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment 1

[0107] Example 1. Figure 4 Data collected with a 21 MHz linear array (MS-250, VisualSonics, Toronto) at a transmission frequency of 24 MHz is shown. The array was connected to a VisualSonics Vevo 2100 micro-ultrasound imaging system. The system is capable of beamforming 64 channels of data. The resulting sums from the 64 channels can be digitally recorded in baseband quadrature phase difference and downloaded from the system for processing and analysis. The data come from MicroMarker (VisualSonics, Toronto) high-frequency contrast agent flowing through the tissue-mimicking medium, using phase inversion or amplitude adjustment. image 3 is a frequency plot of the received ultrasound echoes, all plots refer to raw raw data (not shown). Such as Figure 4 As shown, both phase rotation and amplitude adjustment detect nonlinear subharmonic energy at 12 MHz. In the case of amplitude adjustment, additional nonlinear energy is detected at the fundamental frequency (24 MHz). Furt...

Embodiment 2

[0109] Example 2. Administration of a Single 50-μl Pellet (1.2 x 10 7 air bubbles per bolus), and were imaged at 18 MHz using a Vevo 2100 ultrasound imaging platform (VisualSonics) with amplitude tuning. The nonlinear contrast agent signal (right) and the B-mode image (left) are displayed simultaneously on the Image 6 . The sequence of images shows the enhancement of contrast provided by the bolus over time. The scan plane was oriented from the back of the mouse through the long section of the kidney.

Embodiment approach

[0111] Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0112] Any method described herein should in no way be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in any particular order, unless expressly stated otherwise. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite the order in which the steps should be followed, or where there is no specific statement in either the claims or the specification that the steps are to be limited to a particular order, no order is indicated in any respect. This includes any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including: the logical content for the arrangement of steps or operational flow; ordinary meaning derived from grammatical structure or punctuation; and the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.

[0113] Various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention by those skilled in th...

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Abstract

This invention employs multiple ultrasound pulse firings of either alternating phase and / or amplitude to detect nonlinear fundamental and subharmonic signals from microbubble contrast agents within living tissue, at high frequencies (=>15 MHz), e.g., with a linear array transducer. It can be shown that the contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) decreases with increasing ultrasound frequency because of nonlinear ultrasound propagation in tissue. However, using the subharmonic signal in addition to the nonlinear fundamental harmonic component, rather than the conventional second harmonic used at lower frequencies, provides appreciable signal strength to overcome the limitations of nonlinear tissue propagation; Additionally, the method provides for the ability to switch, at some desired frequency above 20 MHz, into a purely alternating phase inversion acquisition, in combination with bandpass filtering of the subharmonic frequency band, minimizing the losses in CTR as the frequency increases.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims priority to US Provisional Application No. 61 / 170,451, filed April 17, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference. technical field [0003] The invention relates to the field of nonlinear ultrasound imaging. Background technique [0004] Understanding blood flow patterns in the microcirculation is a powerful tool for evaluating differences between normal and pathological tissues. In addition to visualizing and quantifying blood flow in the microcirculation, targeting microvesicles to cellular receptors and detecting them with ultrasound can provide valuable insights into the molecular state of small animal models of human disease. Microbubble contrast agents have been used in ultrasound imaging as a means of enhancing visualization of blood flow relative to surrounding tissue beyond the sensitivity of power and color Doppler imaging. These micron-sized particles (~1-10 μm, on the order o...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): A61B8/00
CPCA61B8/13G01S7/52039A61B8/14A61B8/543G01S15/8956G01S7/52038A61B8/481G01S15/108A61B8/06G01S15/8959
Inventor 安德鲁·尼德雷斯詹姆斯·I·梅希德西蒙·希尔森
Owner VISUALSONICS
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