Ultrafast 3-D Transcutaneous Super Resolution Ultrasound Using Row-Column Array Specific Coherence-Based Beamforming and Rolling Acoustic Sub-aperture Processing: In Vitro, in Rabbit and in Human Study.

Autor:	Hansen-Shearer J; Imperial College London, London, UK., Yan J; Imperial College London, London, UK., Lerendegui M; Imperial College London, London, UK., Huang B; Imperial College London, London, UK., Toulemonde M; Imperial College London, London, UK., Riemer K; Imperial College London, London, UK., Tan Q; Imperial College London, London, UK., Tonko J; University College London, London, UK., Weinberg PD; Imperial College London, London, UK., Dunsby C; Imperial College London, London, UK., Tang MX; Imperial College London, London, UK. Electronic address: mengxing.tang@imperial.ac.uk.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Ultrasound in medicine & biology [Ultrasound Med Biol] 2024 Jul; Vol. 50 (7), pp. 1045-1057. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 May 03.
DOI:	10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2024.03.020
Abstrakt:	Objective: This study aimed to realise 3-D super-resolution ultrasound imaging transcutaneously with a row-column array which has far fewer independent electronic channels and a wider field of view than typical fully addressed 2-D matrix arrays. The in vivo image quality of the row-column array is generally poor, particularly when imaging non-invasively. This study aimed to develop a suite of image formation and post-processing methods to improve image quality and demonstrate the feasibility of ultrasound localisation microscopy using a row-column array, transcutaneously on a rabbit model and in a human. Methods: To achieve this, a processing pipeline was developed which included a new type of rolling window image reconstruction, which integrated a row-column array specific coherence-based beamforming technique with acoustic sub-aperture processing. This and other processing steps reduced the 'secondary' lobe artefacts, and noise and increased the effective frame rate, thereby enabling ultrasound localisation images to be produced. Results: Using an in vitro cross tube, it was found that the procedure reduced the percentage of 'false' locations from ∼26% to ∼15% compared to orthogonal plane wave compounding. Additionally, it was found that the noise could be reduced by ∼7 dB and the effective frame rate was increased to over 4000 fps. In vivo, ultrasound localisation microscopy was used to produce images non-invasively of a rabbit kidney and a human thyroid. Conclusion: It has been demonstrated that the proposed methods using a row-column array can produce large field of view super-resolution microvascular images in vivo and in a human non-invasively. Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no competing interests. (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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