Contrast Agent Destruction Assessment for Ultrasound Perfusion Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, incomplete destruction of contrast agents can lead to inaccurate perfusion rate measurements, potentially causing misdiagnosis, as the presence of undestroyed agents can be misinterpreted as tissue response or rapid perfusion, degrading the spatial resolution of vascular architecture images.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for determining the effectiveness of contrast agent destruction using acoustic energy, where undestroyed agent locations are identified and distinguished from tissue or rapid perfusion responses, allowing for accurate imaging by highlighting these areas and adjusting imaging protocols accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If higher power destruction frames are used to clear contrast agents, then the contrast agents are more effectively destroyed, but the risk of incomplete destruction increases leading to inaccurate perfusion measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a preliminary assessment of contrast agent destruction effectiveness by analyzing the baseline frame data before final perfusion measurement. This preliminary action allows the system to identify areas of incomplete destruction and distinguish them from actual perfusion, thereby preventing inaccurate measurements while preserving spatial resolution in the final diagnostic images.
2Measurement precision
If contrast agents are not completely cleared prior to monitoring perfusion, then the perfusion rate measurements become inaccurate, but increasing destruction power may damage tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from baseline frame analysis to determine whether additional destruction is needed. By continuously monitoring the contrast agent signal after initial destruction frames and comparing it against threshold criteria, the system provides feedback that guides whether to administer more destruction energy or proceed to perfusion measurement, thereby preventing both incomplete clearance and excessive tissue damage.
3Ease of operation
If maximum intensity projection is used to display vascular architecture, then the extent of blood flow is visualized, but undestroyed contrast agents degrade the spatial resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and identifies signals from undestroyed contrast agents in the baseline frame, separating them from genuine perfusion signals. By taking out these contaminating signals through threshold-based detection and comparison, the system prevents them from degrading the spatial resolution of the maximum intensity projection images, thereby maintaining both ease of vascular visualization and measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate identification of undestroyed contrast agents, preventing misdiagnosis by clearly differentiating their response from tissue or perfusion, thereby improving the accuracy of vascular architecture imaging and treatment assessment.
Implementation Method 1
Acoustic energy destroys contrast agents within a region
Implementation Method 2
A transmit beamformer is operable to transmit first pulses for destruction of contrast agents and operable to transmit second pulses for imaging contrast agents with minimal destruction
Data Source
AI summary
The effectiveness of contrast agent destruction is determined. Locations of ineffectively destroyed contrast agents are identified. The response from undestroyed contrast agents may be distinguished from response from tissue due to saturation or from rapid perfusion. The locations may be highlighted on resulting images, indicating to the user locations not associated with perfusion. The user may make a diagnosis on perfusion rather than a lack of destruction of contrast agents.