Ultrasonic Measurement Of Silicon-Growth Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyser, Richard C.

1988-01-01

Position of interface between silicon melt and growing ribbon of silicon measured with aid of reflected ultrasound, according to proposal. Reflections reveal characteristics of ribbon and melt. Ultrasound pulses travel through rods to silicon ribbon growing by dendritic-web process. Rods return reflections of pulses to sonic transducers. Isolate transducers thermally, but not acoustically, from hot silicon melt.

Ultrasound Biomicroscopy in Small Animal Research: Applications in Molecular and Preclinical Imaging

PubMed Central

Greco, A.; Mancini, M.; Gargiulo, S.; Gramanzini, M.; Claudio, P. P.; Brunetti, A.; Salvatore, M.

2012-01-01

Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) is a noninvasive multimodality technique that allows high-resolution imaging in mice. It is affordable, widely available, and portable. When it is coupled to Doppler ultrasound with color and power Doppler, it can be used to quantify blood flow and to image microcirculation as well as the response of tumor blood supply to cancer therapy. Target contrast ultrasound combines ultrasound with novel molecular targeted contrast agent to assess biological processes at molecular level. UBM is useful to investigate the growth and differentiation of tumors as well as to detect early molecular expression of cancer-related biomarkers in vivo and to monitor the effects of cancer therapies. It can be also used to visualize the embryological development of mice in uterus or to examine their cardiovascular development. The availability of real-time imaging of mice anatomy allows performing aspiration procedures under ultrasound guidance as well as the microinjection of cells, viruses, or other agents into precise locations. This paper will describe some basic principles of high-resolution imaging equipment, and the most important applications in molecular and preclinical imaging in small animal research. PMID:22163379

Spatial-temporal ultrasound imaging of residual cavitation bubbles around a fluid-tissue interface in histotripsy.

PubMed

Hu, Hong; Xu, Shanshan; Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Runna; Wang, Supin; Wan, Mingxi

2015-05-01

Cavitation is considered as the primary mechanism of soft tissue fragmentation (histotripsy) by pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound. The residual cavitation bubbles have a dual influence on the histotripsy pulses: these serve as nuclei for easy generation of new cavitation, and act as strong scatterers causing energy "shadowing." To monitor the residual cavitation bubbles in histotripsy, an ultrafast active cavitation imaging method with relatively high signal-to-noise ratio and good spatial-temporal resolution was proposed in this paper, which combined plane wave transmission, minimum variance beamforming, and coherence factor weighting. The spatial-temporal evolutions of residual cavitation bubbles around a fluid-tissue interface in histotripsy under pulse duration (PD) of 10-40 μs and pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 0.67-2 kHz were monitored by this method. The integrated bubble area curves inside the tissue interface were acquired from the bubble image sequence, and the formation process of histotripsy damage was estimated. It was observed that the histotripsy efficiency decreased with both longer PDs and higher PRFs. A direct relationship with a coefficient of 1.0365 between histotripsy lesion area and inner residual bubble area was found. These results can assist in monitoring and optimization of the histotripsy treatment further.

Ultrasound-assisted advanced oxidation processes for water decontamination.

PubMed

Ince, Nilsun H

2018-01-01

The study reflects a part of my experience in sonochemistry and ultrasound-assisted advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) acquired during the last fifteen years with my research team. The data discussed were selected from studies with azo dyes, endocrine disrupting compounds and analgesic/anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, which are all classified as "hazardous" or "emerging" contaminants. The research focused on their treatability by ultrasound (US) and AOPs with emphasis on the mineralization of organic carbon. Some of the highlights as pointed out in the manuscript are: i) ultrasound is capable of partially or completely oxidizing the above contaminant groups if the operating conditions are properly selected and optimized, but incapable of mineralizing them; ii) the mechanism of degradation in homogeneous solutions is OH-mediated oxidation in the bulk solution or at the bubble-liquid interface, depending on the molecular properties of the contaminant, the applied frequency and pH; iii) US-assisted AOPs such as ozonation, UV/peroxide, Fenton and UV/Fenton are substantially more effective than ultrasound alone, particularly for the mineralization process; iv) catalytic processes involving TiO 2 , alumina and zero-valent iron and assisted by ultrasound are promising options not only for the destruction of the parent compounds, but also for the mineralization of their oxidation byproducts. The degradation reactions in heterogeneous solutions take place mostly at the catalyst surface despite the high-water solubility of the compounds; v) sonolytic modification of the above catalysts to reduce their particle size (to nano-levels) or to decorate the surface with metallic nanoparticles increases the catalytic activity under sonolysis, photolysis and both, and improves the stability of the catalyst. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Human Research Facility Ultrasound With the ISS Video System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melton, Shannon; Sargsyan, Ashot

2003-01-01

Most medical equipment on the International Space Station (ISS) is manifested as part of the U.S. or the Russian medical hardware systems. However, certain medical hardware is also available as part of the Human Research Facility. The HRF and the JSC Medical Operations Branch established a Memorandum of Agreement for joint use of certain medical hardware, including the HRF ultrasound system, the only diagnostic imaging device currently manifested to fly on ISS. The outcome of a medical contingency may be changed drastically, or an unnecessary evacuation may be prevented, if clinical decisions are supported by timely and objective diagnostic information. In many higher-probability medical scenarios, diagnostic ultrasound is a first-choice modality or provides significant diagnostic information. Accordingly, the Clinical Care Capability Development Project is evaluating the HRF ultrasound system for its utility in relevant clinical situations on board ISS. For effective management of these ultrasound-supported ISS medical scenarios, the resulting data should be available for viewing and interpretation on the ground, and bidirectional voice communication should be readily available to allow ground experts (sonographers, physicians) to provide guidance to the Crew Medical Officer. It may also be vitally important to have the capability of real-time guidance via video uplink to the CMO-operator during an exam to facilitate the diagnosis in a timely fashion. In this document, we strove to verify that the HRF ultrasound video output is compatible with the ISS video system, identify ISS video system field rates and resolutions that are acceptable for varying clinical scenaiios, and evaluate the HRF ultrasound video with a commercial, off-the-shelf video converter, and compare it with the ISS video system.

Research the mobile phone operation interfaces for vision-impairment.

PubMed

Yao, Yen-Ting; Leung, Cherng-Yee

2012-01-01

Due to the vision-impaired users commonly having difficulty with mobile-phone function operations and adaption any manufacturer's user interface design, the goals for this research are established for evaluating how to improve for them the function operation convenience and user interfaces of either mobile phones or electronic appliances in the market currently. After applying collecting back 30 effective questionnaires from 30 vision-impairment, the comments have been concluded from this research include: (1) All mobile phone manufactures commonly ignorant of the vision-impairment difficulty with operating mobile phone user interfaces; (2) The vision-impairment preferential with audio alert signals; (3) The vision-impairment incapable of mobile-phone procurement independently unless with assistance from others; (4) Preferential with adding touch-usage interface design by the vision-impairment; in contrast with the least requirement for such functions as braille, enlarging keystroke size and diversifying-function control panel. With exploring the vision-impairment's necessary improvements and obstacles for mobile phone interface operation, this research is established with goals for offering reference possibly applied in electronic appliance design and . Hopefully, the analysis results of this research could be used as data references for designing electronic and high-tech products and promoting more usage convenience for those vision-impaired.

Therapeutic Ultrasound Research And Development From An Industrial And Commercial Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seip, Ralf

2009-04-01

The objective of this paper is to share the challenges and opportunities as viewed from an industrial and commercial perspective that one encounters when performing therapeutic ultrasound research, development, manufacturing, and sales activities. Research in therapeutic ultrasound has become an active field in the last decade, spurred by technological advances in the areas of transducer materials, control electronics, treatment monitoring techniques, an ever increasing number of clinical applications, and private and governmental funding opportunities. The development of devices and methods utilizing therapeutic ultrasound to cure or manage disease is being pursued by startup companies and large established companies alike, driven by the promise of profiting at many levels from this new and disruptive technology. Widespread penetration within the clinical community remains elusive, with current approaches focusing on very specific applications and niche markets. Challenges include difficulties in securing capital to develop the technology and undertake costly clinical trials, a regulatory landscape that varies from country to country, resistance from established practitioners, and difficulties in assembling a team with the right mix of technological savvy and business expertise. Success is possible and increasing, however, as evidenced by several companies, initiatives, and products with measurable benefits to the patient, clinician, and companies alike.

Indigenous Research: Three Researchers Reflect on Their Experiences at the Interface

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minniecon, Deanne; Franks, Naomi; Heffernan, Maree

2007-01-01

Utilising Nakata's (2007) description of the "cultural interface", two Indigenous researchers and one non-Indigenous researcher examine their development of Indigenous research in and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities conducted from within an institution of higher education. The authors reflect on their experiences in…

[Research on Shielding of Emboli with the Phase-Controlled Ultrasound].

PubMed

Liu, Chuang; Bai, Jingfeng

2016-01-01

The postoperative neurological complications is associated with intraoperative cerebral emboli, which results from extracorporeal circulation and operation. It can effectively reduce the incidence of neurological complications with ultrasonic radiation. In fluids, a particle will change it's motion trail when it is acted by the radiation force generated by the ultrasound. This article mainly discuss how to shielding emboli with ultrasound. The equipment can transmit phased ultrasonic signals, which is designed on a FPGA development board. The board can generate a square wave, which is converted into a sine wave through a power amplifier. In addition, the control software has been developed on Qt development environment. The result indicates it's feasible to shielding emboli with ultrasonic radiation force. This article builds a strong foundation for the future research.

Ultrasound Imaging System Video

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

In this video, astronaut Peggy Whitson uses the Human Research Facility (HRF) Ultrasound Imaging System in the Destiny Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) to image her own heart. The Ultrasound Imaging System provides three-dimension image enlargement of the heart and other organs, muscles, and blood vessels. It is capable of high resolution imaging in a wide range of applications, both research and diagnostic, such as Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), abdominal, vascular, gynecological, muscle, tendon, and transcranial ultrasound.

Towards a Reduced-Wire Interface for CMUT-Based Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging Systems

PubMed Central

Lim, Jaemyung; Tekes, Coskun; Degertekin, F. Levent; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2016-01-01

Having intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging capability on guide wires used in cardiovascular interventions may eliminate the need for separate IVUS catheters and expand the use of IVUS in a larger portion of the vasculature. High frequency capacitive micro machined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays should be integrated with interface electronics and placed on the guide wire for this purpose. Besides small size, this system-on-a-chip (SoC) front-end should connect to the back-end imaging system with a minimum number of wires to preserve the critical mechanical properties of the guide wire. We present a 40 MHz CMUT array interface SoC, which will eventually use only two wires for power delivery and transmits image data using a combination of analog-to-time conversion (ATC) and an impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) wireless link. The proof-of-concept prototype ASIC consumes only 52.8 mW and occupies 4.07 mm2 in a 0.35-μm standard CMOS process. A rectifier and regulator power the rest of the SoC at 3.3 V from a 10 MHz power carrier that is supplied through a 2.4 m micro-coax cable with an overall efficiency of 49.1%. Echo signals from an 8-element CMUT array are amplified by a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) array and down-converted to baseband by quadrature sampling using a 40 MHz clock, derived from the power carrier. The ATC generates pulse-width-modulated (PWM) samples at 2 × 10 MS/s with 6 bit resolution, while the entire system achieved 5.1 ENOB. Preliminary images from the prototype system are presented, and alternative data transmission and possible future directions towards practical implementation are discussed. PMID:27662686

Towards a Reduced-Wire Interface for CMUT-Based Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging Systems.

PubMed

Lim, Jaemyung; Tekes, Coskun; Degertekin, F Levent; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2017-04-01

Having intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging capability on guide wires used in cardiovascular interventions may eliminate the need for separate IVUS catheters and expand the use of IVUS in a larger portion of the vasculature. High frequency capacitive micro machined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays should be integrated with interface electronics and placed on the guide wire for this purpose. Besides small size, this system-on-a-chip (SoC) front-end should connect to the back-end imaging system with a minimum number of wires to preserve the critical mechanical properties of the guide wire. We present a 40 MHz CMUT array interface SoC, which will eventually use only two wires for power delivery and transmits image data using a combination of analog-to-time conversion (ATC) and an impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) wireless link. The proof-of-concept prototype ASIC consumes only 52.8 mW and occupies 4.07 [Formula: see text] in a 0.35- [Formula: see text] standard CMOS process. A rectifier and regulator power the rest of the SoC at 3.3 V from a 10 MHz power carrier that is supplied through a 2.4 m micro-coax cable with an overall efficiency of 49.1%. Echo signals from an 8-element CMUT array are amplified by a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) array and down-converted to baseband by quadrature sampling using a 40 MHz clock, derived from the power carrier. The ATC generates pulse-width-modulated (PWM) samples at 2 × 10 MS/s with 6 bit resolution, while the entire system achieved 5.1 ENOB. Preliminary images from the prototype system are presented, and alternative data transmission and possible future directions towards practical implementation are discussed.

Basic research needs and opportunities on interfaces in solar materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Czanderna, A. W.; Gottschall, R. J.

1981-04-01

The workshop on research needs and recommended research programs on interfaces in solar energy conversion devices was held June 30-July 3, 1980. The papers deal mainly with solid-solid, solid-liquid, and solid-gas interfaces, sometimes involving multilayer solid-solid interfaces. They deal mainly with instrumental techniques of studying these interfaces so they can be optimized, so they can be fabricated with quality control and so changes with time can be forecast. The latter is required because a long lifetime (20 yrs is suggested) is necessary for economic reasons. Fifteen papers have been entered individually into EDB and ERA. (LTN)

Ultrasound in Space Medicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dulchavsky, Scott A.; Sargsyan, A.E.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in microgravity environments. The goals of research in ultrasound usage in space environments are: (1) Determine accuracy of ultrasound in novel clinical conditions. (2) Determine optimal training methodologies, (3) Determine microgravity associated changes and (4) Develop intuitive ultrasound catalog to enhance autonomous medical care. Also uses of Ultrasound technology in terrestrial applications are reviewed.

Pulse-encoded ultrasound imaging of the vitreous with an annular array.

PubMed

Silverman, Ronald H; Ketterling, Jeffrey A; Mamou, Jonathan; Lloyd, Harriet O; Filoux, Erwan; Coleman, D Jackson

2012-01-01

The vitreous body is nearly transparent both optically and ultrasonically. Conventional 10- to 12-MHz diagnostic ultrasound can detect vitreous inhomogeneities at high gain settings, but has limited resolution and sensitivity, especially outside the fixed focal zone near the retina. To improve visualization of faint intravitreal fluid/gel interfaces, the authors fabricated a spherically curved 20-MHz five-element annular array ultrasound transducer, implemented a synthetic-focusing algorithm to extend the depth-of-field, and used a pulse-encoding strategy to increase sensitivity. The authors evaluated a human subject with a recent posterior vitreous detachment and compared the annular array with conventional 10-MHz ultrasound and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. With synthetic focusing and chirp pulse-encoding, the array allowed visualization of the formed and fluid components of the vitreous with improved sensitivity and resolution compared with the conventional B-scan. Although optical coherence tomography allowed assessment of the posterior vitreoretinal interface, the ultrasound array allowed evaluation of the entire vitreous body. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Characterization of enzymatically induced degradation of articular cartilage using high frequency ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Töyräs, J.; Rieppo, J.; Nieminen, M. T.; Helminen, H. J.; Jurvelin, J. S.

1999-11-01

Ultrasound may provide a quantitative technique for the characterization of cartilage changes typical of early osteoarthrosis. In this study, specific changes in bovine articular cartilage were induced using collagenase and chondroitinase ABC, enzymes that selectively degrade collagen fibril network and digest proteoglycans, respectively. Changes in cartilage structure and properties were quantified using high frequency ultrasound, microscopic analyses and mechanical indentation tests. The ultrasound reflection coefficient of the physiological saline-cartilage interface (R1) decreased significantly (-96.4%, p<0.01) in the collagenase digested cartilage compared to controls. Also a significantly lower ultrasound velocity (-6.2%, p<0.01) was revealed after collagenase digestion. After chondroitinase ABC digestion, a new acoustic interface at the depth of the enzyme penetration front was detected. Cartilage thickness, as determined with ultrasound, showed a high, linear correlation (R = 0.943, n = 60, average difference 0.073 mm (4.0%)) with the thickness measured by the needle-probe method. Both enzymes induced a significant decrease in the Young's modulus of cartilage (p<0.01). Our results indicate that high frequency ultrasound provides a sensitive technique for the analysis of cartilage structure and properties. Possibly ultrasound may be utilized in vivo as a quantitative probe during arthroscopy.

Surface and interface sciences of Li-ion batteries. -Research progress in electrode-electrolyte interface-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minato, Taketoshi; Abe, Takeshi

2017-12-01

The application potential of Li-ion batteries is growing as demand increases in different fields at various stages in energy systems, in addition to their conventional role as power sources for portable devices. In particular, applications in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage are increasing for Li-ion batteries. For these applications, improvements in battery performance are necessary. The Li-ion battery produces and stores electric power from the electrochemical redox reactions between the electrode materials. The interface between the electrodes and electrolyte strongly affects the battery performance because the charge transfer causing the electrode redox reaction begins at this interface. Understanding of the surface structure, electronic structure, and chemical reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface is necessary to improve battery performance. However, the interface is located between the electrode and electrolyte materials, hindering the experimental analysis of the interface; thus, the physical properties and chemical processes have remained poorly understood until recently. Investigations of the physical properties and chemical processes at the interface have been performed using advanced surface science techniques. In this review, current knowledge and future research prospects regarding the electrode-electrolyte interface are described for the further development of Li-ion batteries.

Applications of airborne ultrasound in human-computer interaction.

PubMed

Dahl, Tobias; Ealo, Joao L; Bang, Hans J; Holm, Sverre; Khuri-Yakub, Pierre

2014-09-01

Airborne ultrasound is a rapidly developing subfield within human-computer interaction (HCI). Touchless ultrasonic interfaces and pen tracking systems are part of recent trends in HCI and are gaining industry momentum. This paper aims to provide the background and overview necessary to understand the capabilities of ultrasound and its potential future in human-computer interaction. The latest developments on the ultrasound transducer side are presented, focusing on capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducers, or CMUTs. Their introduction is an important step toward providing real, low-cost multi-sensor array and beam-forming options. We also provide a unified mathematical framework for understanding and analyzing algorithms used for ultrasound detection and tracking for some of the most relevant applications. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Portable ultrasound in disaster triage: a focused review.

PubMed

Wydo, S M; Seamon, M J; Melanson, S W; Thomas, P; Bahner, D P; Stawicki, S P

2016-04-01

Ultrasound technology has become ubiquitous in modern medicine. Its applications span the assessment of life-threatening trauma or hemodynamic conditions, to elective procedures such as image-guided peripheral nerve blocks. Sonographers have utilized ultrasound techniques in the pre-hospital setting, emergency departments, operating rooms, intensive care units, outpatient clinics, as well as during mass casualty and disaster management. Currently available ultrasound devices are more affordable, portable, and feature user-friendly interfaces, making them well suited for use in the demanding situation of a mass casualty incident (MCI) or disaster triage. We have reviewed the existing literature regarding the application of sonology in MCI and disaster scenarios, focusing on the most promising and practical ultrasound-based paradigms applicable in these settings.

Mobile tele-echography: user interface design.

PubMed

Cañero, Cristina; Thomos, Nikolaos; Triantafyllidis, George A; Litos, George C; Strintzis, Michael Gerassimos

2005-03-01

Ultrasound imaging allows the evaluation of the degree of emergency of a patient. However, in some instances, a well-trained sonographer is unavailable to perform such echography. To cope with this issue, the Mobile Tele-Echography Using an Ultralight Robot (OTELO) project aims to develop a fully integrated end-to-end mobile tele-echography system using an ultralight remote-controlled robot for population groups that are not served locally by medical experts. This paper focuses on the user interface of the OTELO system, consisting of the following parts: an ultrasound video transmission system providing real-time images of the scanned area, an audio/video conference to communicate with the paramedical assistant and with the patient, and a virtual-reality environment, providing visual and haptic feedback to the expert, while capturing the expert's hand movements. These movements are reproduced by the robot at the patient site while holding the ultrasound probe against the patient skin. In addition, the user interface includes an image processing facility for enhancing the received images and the possibility to include them into a database.

Site-specific ultrasound reflection properties and superficial collagen content of bovine knee articular cartilage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laasanen, Mikko S.; Saarakkala, Simo; Töyräs, Juha; Rieppo, Jarno; Jurvelin, Jukka S.

2005-07-01

Previous quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging studies have demonstrated that the ultrasound reflection measurement of articular cartilage surface sensitively detects degradation of the collagen network, whereas digestion of cartilage proteoglycans has no significant effect on the ultrasound reflection. In this study, the first aim was to characterize the ability of quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging to detect site-specific differences in ultrasound reflection and backscattering properties of cartilage surface and cartilage-bone interface at visually healthy bovine knee (n = 30). As a second aim, we studied factors controlling ultrasound reflection properties of an intact cartilage surface. The ultrasound reflection coefficient was determined in time (R) and frequency domains (IRC) at medial femoral condyle, lateral patello-femoral groove, medial tibial plateau and patella using a 20 MHz ultrasound imaging instrument. Furthermore, cartilage surface roughness was quantified by calculating the ultrasound roughness index (URI). The superficial collagen content of the cartilage was determined using a FT-IRIS-technique. A significant site-dependent variation was shown in cartilage thickness, ultrasound reflection parameters, URI and superficial collagen content. As compared to R and IRC, URI was a more sensitive parameter in detecting differences between the measurement sites. Ultrasound reflection parameters were not significantly related to superficial collagen content, whereas the correlation between R and URI was high. Ultrasound reflection at the cartilage-bone interface showed insignificant site-dependent variation. The current results suggest that ultrasound reflection from the intact cartilage surface is mainly dependent on the cartilage surface roughness and the collagen content has a less significant role.

Effects of ultrasound and ultrasound contrast agent on vascular tissue

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Ultrasound (US) imaging can be enhanced using gas-filled microbubble contrast agents. Strong echo signals are induced at the tissue-gas interface following microbubble collapse. Applications include assessment of ventricular function and virtual histology. Aim While ultrasound and US contrast agents are widely used, their impact on the physiological response of vascular tissue to vasoactive agents has not been investigated in detail. Methods and results In the present study, rat dorsal aortas were treated with US via a clinical imaging transducer in the presence or absence of the US contrast agent, Optison. Aortas treated with both US and Optison were unable to contract in response to phenylephrine or to relax in the presence of acetylcholine. Histology of the arteries was unremarkable. When the treated aortas were stained for endothelial markers, a distinct loss of endothelium was observed. Importantly, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end-labeling (TUNEL) staining of treated aortas demonstrated incipient apoptosis in the endothelium. Conclusions Taken together, these ex vivo results suggest that the combination of US and Optison may alter arterial integrity and promote vascular injury; however, the in vivo interaction of Optison and ultrasound remains an open question. PMID:22805356

Clinical phase I/II research on ultrasound thermo-chemotherapy in oral and maxillofacial-head and neck carcinoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Guofeng; Ren, Guoxin; Guo, Wei; Chen, Yazhu

2012-11-01

The principle of a ultrasound thermo-chemotherapy instrument and the clinical phase I/II research on short-term and long-term therapeutic effect and main side-effect of ultrasound hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy in oral and maxillofacial-head & neck carcinoma by the instrument will be presented in this paper.

Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound: Are Current Safety Guidelines Appropriate?

PubMed

Lalzad, Assema; Wong, Flora; Schneider, Michal

2017-03-01

Ultrasound can lead to thermal and mechanical effects in interrogated tissues. We reviewed the literature to explore the evidence on ultrasound heating on fetal and neonatal neural tissue. The results of animal studies have suggested that ultrasound exposure of the fetal or neonatal brain may lead to a significant temperature elevation at the bone-brain interface above current recommended safety thresholds. Temperature increases between 4.3 and 5.6°C have been recorded. Such temperature elevations can potentially affect neuronal structure and function and may also affect behavioral and cognitive function, such as memory and learning. However, the majority of these studies were carried out more than 25 y ago using non-diagnostic equipment with power outputs much lower than those of modern machines. New studies to address the safety issues of cranial ultrasound are imperative to provide current clinical guidelines and safety recommendations. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound - Aided ejection in micro injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masato, D.; Sorgato, M.; Lucchetta, G.

2018-05-01

In this work, an ultrasound-aided ejection system was designed and tested for different polymers (PS, COC and POM) and mold topographies. The proposed solution aims at reducing the ejection friction by decreasing the adhesion component of the frictional force, which is controlled by the contact area developed during the filling stage of the injection molding process. The experimental results indicate a positive effect of ultrasound vibration on the friction force values, with a maximum reduction of 16. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the ultrasound effect is strictly related to both polymer selection and mold roughness. The combined effect on the ejection force of mold surface roughness, melt viscosity during filling and polymer elastic modulus at ejection was modeled to the experimental data, in order to demonstrate that the effect of ultrasound vibration on the ejection friction reduction is due to the heating of the contact interface and the consequent reduction of the polymer elastic modulus.

Economical Sponge Phantom for Teaching, Understanding, and Researching A- and B-Line Reverberation Artifacts in Lung Ultrasound.

PubMed

Blüthgen, Christian; Sanabria, Sergio; Frauenfelder, Thomas; Klingmüller, Volker; Rominger, Marga

2017-10-01

This project evaluated a low-cost sponge phantom setup for its capability to teach and study A- and B-line reverberation artifacts known from lung ultrasound and to numerically simulate sound wave interaction with the phantom using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model. Both A- and B-line artifacts were reproducible on B-mode ultrasound imaging as well as in the FDTD-based simulation. The phantom was found to be an easy-to-set up and economical tool for understanding, teaching, and researching A- and B-line artifacts occurring in lung ultrasound. The FDTD method-based simulation was able to reproduce the artifacts and provides intuitive insight into the underlying physics. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Ultrasound contrast agent fabricated from microbubbles containing instant adhesives, and its ultrasound imaging ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makuta, T.; Tamakawa, Y.

2012-04-01

Non-invasive surgery techniques and drug delivery system with acoustic characteristics of ultrasound contrast agent have been studied intensively in recent years. Ultrasound contrast agent collapses easily under the blood circulating and the ultrasound irradiating because it is just a stabilized bubble without solid-shell by surface adsorption of surfactant or lipid. For improving the imaging stability, we proposed the fabrication method of the hollow microcapsule with polymer shell, which can be fabricated just blowing vapor of commonly-used instant adhesive (Cyanoacrylate monomer) into water as microbubbles. Therefore, the cyanoacrylate vapor contained inside microbubble initiates polymerization on the gasliquid interface soon after microbubbles are generated in water. Consequently, hollow microspheres coated by cyanoacrylate thin film are generated. In this report, we revealed that diameter distributions of microbubbles and microcapsules were approximately same and most of them were less than 10 μm, that is, smaller than blood capillary. In addition, we also revealed that hollow microcapsules enhanced the acoustic signal especially in the harmonic contrast imaging and were broken or agglomerated under the ultrasound field. As for the yield of hollow microcapsules, we revealed that sodium dodecyl sulfate addition to water phase instead of deoxycolic acid made the fabrication yield increased.

The finite element method for micro-scale modeling of ultrasound propagation in cancellous bone.

PubMed

Vafaeian, B; El-Rich, M; El-Bialy, T; Adeeb, S

2014-08-01

Quantitative ultrasound for bone assessment is based on the correlations between ultrasonic parameters and the properties (mechanical and physical) of cancellous bone. To elucidate the correlations, understanding the physics of ultrasound in cancellous bone is demanded. Micro-scale modeling of ultrasound propagation in cancellous bone using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been so far utilized as one of the approaches in this regard. However, the FDTD method accompanies two disadvantages: staircase sampling of cancellous bone by finite difference grids leads to generation of wave artifacts at the solid-fluid interface inside the bone; additionally, this method cannot explicitly satisfy the needed perfect-slip conditions at the interface. To overcome these disadvantages, the finite element method (FEM) is proposed in this study. Three-dimensional finite element models of six water-saturated cancellous bone samples with different bone volume were created. The values of speed of sound (SOS) and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) were calculated through the finite element simulations of ultrasound propagation in each sample. Comparing the results with other experimental and simulation studies demonstrated the capabilities of the FEM for micro-scale modeling of ultrasound in water-saturated cancellous bone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a portable therapeutic and high intensity ultrasound system for military, medical, and research use

PubMed Central

Lewis, George K.; Olbricht, William L.

2008-01-01

We have developed a portable high power ultrasound system with a very low output impedance amplifier circuit (less than 0.3 Ω) that can transfer more than 90% of the energy from a battery supply to the ultrasound transducer. The system can deliver therapeutic acoustical energy waves at lower voltages than those in conventional ultrasound systems because energy losses owing to a mismatched impedance are eliminated. The system can produce acoustic power outputs over the therapeutic range (greater then 50 W) from a PZT-4, 1.54 MHz, and 0.75 in diameter piezoelectric ceramic. It is lightweight, portable, and powered by a rechargeable battery. The portable therapeutic ultrasound unit has the potential to replace “plug-in” medical systems and rf amplifiers used in research. The system is capable of field service on its internal battery, making it especially useful for military, ambulatory, and remote medical applications. PMID:19045903

A review of research into the uses of low level ultrasound in cancer therapy.

PubMed

Yu, Tinghe; Wang, Zhibiao; Mason, Timothy J

2004-04-01

The use of low power ultrasound in therapeutic medicine is a developing field and this review will concentrate on the applications of this technology in cancer therapy. The effects of low power ultrasound have been evaluated in terms of the biological changes induced in the structure and function of tissue. The main fields of study have been in sonodynamic therapy, improving chemotherapy, gene therapy and apoptosis therapy. The range of ultrasonic power levels that can be effectively employed in therapy appears to be narrow and this may have hindered past research in the applications in cancer treatment.

Ultrasound elastography assessment of bone/soft tissue interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmar, Biren J.; Yang, Xu; Chaudhry, Anuj; Shafeeq Shajudeen, Peer; Nair, Sanjay P.; Weiner, Bradley K.; Tasciotti, Ennio; Krouskop, Thomas A.; Righetti, Raffaella

2016-01-01

We report on the use of elastographic imaging techniques to assess the bone/soft tissue interface, a region that has not been previously investigated but may provide important information about fracture and bone healing. The performance of axial strain elastograms and axial shear strain elastograms at the bone/soft tissue interface was studied ex vivo on intact and fractured canine and ovine tibias. Selected ex vivo results were corroborated on intact sheep tibias in vivo. The elastography results were statistically analyzed using elastographic image quality tools. The results of this study demonstrate distinct patterns in the distribution of the normalized local axial strains and axial shear strains at the bone/soft tissue interface with respect to the background soft tissue. They also show that the relative strength and distribution of the elastographic parameters change in the presence of a fracture and depend on the degree of misalignment between the fracture fragments. Thus, elastographic imaging modalities might be used in the future to obtain information regarding the integrity of bones and to assess the severity of fractures, alignment of bone fragments as well as to follow bone healing.

Interactive multimedia for prenatal ultrasound training.

PubMed

Lee, W; Ault, H; Kirk, J S; Comstock, C H

1995-01-01

This demonstration project examines the utility of interactive multimedia for prenatal ultrasound training. A laser-disc library was linked to a three-dimensional (3-D) heart model and other computer-based training materials through interactive multimedia. A testing module presented ultrasound anomalies and related questions to house-staff physicians through the image library. Users were asked to evaluate these training materials on the basis of perceived instructional value, question content, subjects covered, graphics interface, and ease of use; users were also asked for their comments. House-staff physicians indicated that they consider interactive multimedia to be a helpful adjunct to their core fetal imaging rotation. During a 9-month period, 16 house-staff physicians correctly diagnosed 78 +/- 4% of unknown cases presented through the testing module. The 3-D heart model was also perceived to be a useful teaching aid for spatial orientation skills. Our findings suggest that interactive multimedia and volume visualization models can be used to supplement traditional prenatal ultrasound training. The system provides a broad exposure to ultrasound anomalies, increases opportunities for postnatal correlation, emphasizes motion video for ultrasound training, encourages development of independent diagnostic ability, and helps physicians understand anatomic orientation. We hypothesize that interactive multimedia-based tutorials provide a better overall training experience for house-staff physicians. However, these supplementary methods will require formal evaluation of effectiveness to better understand their potential educational impact.

Surface waves on floating liquids induced by ultrasound field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, D. L.; Xie, W. J.; Yan, N.; Wei, B.

2013-01-01

We demonstrate a kind of wave pattern on the surface of floating liquids in a modulated ultrasound field. The waves are related to the liquid/solid phase transformation process. The nucleation sites of the eutectics locate at the center of these waves, and the eutectic growth direction is parallel to the propagation direction of the waves. It is revealed that such wave phenomenon can be ascribed to the interaction between ultrasound and eutectic growth at the liquid/solid interface. This result may provide a potential method for fabricating wave patterned surfaces on eutectic alloys.

Skin temperature increase mediated by wearable, long duration, low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Matthew D.; Huang, Wenyi; Ghanem, Angi; Guo, Yuan; Lewis, George K.

2017-03-01

One of the safety concerns with the delivery of therapeutic ultrasound is overheating of the transducer-skin interface due to poor or improper coupling. The objective of this research was to define a model that could be used to calculate the heating in the skin as a result of a novel, wearable long-duration ultrasound device. This model was used to determine that the maximum heating in the skin remained below the minimum threshold necessary to cause thermal injury over multiple hours of use. In addition to this model data, a human clinical study used wire thermocouples on the skin surface to measure heating characteristics during treatment with the sustained ultrasound system. Parametric analysis of the model determined that the maximum temperature increase is at the surface of the skin ranged from 40-41.8° C when perfusion was taken into account. The clinical data agreed well with the model predictions. The average steady state temperature observed across all 44 subjects was 40°C. The maximum temperature observed was less than 44° C, which is clinically safe for over 5 hours of human skin contact. The resultant clinical temperature data paired well with the model data suggesting the model can be used for future transducer and ultrasound system design simulation. As a result, the device was validated for thermal safety for typical users and use conditions.

Ultrasound power deposition model for the chest wall.

PubMed

Moros, E G; Fan, X; Straube, W L

1999-10-01

An ultrasound power deposition model for the chest wall was developed based on secondary-source and plane-wave theories. The anatomic model consisted of a muscle-ribs-lung volume, accounted for wave reflection and refraction at muscle-rib and muscle-lung interfaces, and computed power deposition due to the propagation of both reflected and transmitted waves. Lung tissue was assumed to be air-equivalent. The parts of the theory and numerical program dealing with reflection were experimentally evaluated by comparing simulations with acoustic field measurements using several pertinent reflecting materials. Satisfactory agreement was found. A series of simulations were performed to study the influence of angle of incidence of the beam, frequency, and thickness of muscle tissue overlying the ribs on power deposition distributions that may be expected during superficial ultrasound (US) hyperthermia of chest wall recurrences. Both reflection at major interfaces and attenuation in bone were the determining factors affecting power deposition, the dominance of one vs. the other depending on the angle of incidence of the beam. Sufficient energy is reflected by these interfaces to suggest that improvements in thermal doses to overlying tissues are possible with adequate manipulation of the sound field (advances in ultrasonic heating devices) and prospective treatment planning.

ISS Material Science Research Rack HWIL Interface Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Philip J.; Ballard, Gary H.; Crumbley, Robert T. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper, the first Material Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) interface simulation is described. Dynamic Concepts developed this HWIL simulation system with funding and management provided by the Flight Software group (ED14) of NASA-MSFC's Avionics Department. The HWIL system has been used both as a flight software development environment and as a software qualification tool. To fulfill these roles, the HWIL simulator accurately models the system dynamics of many MSRR-1 subsystems and emulates most of the internal interface signals. The modeled subsystems include the Experiment Modules, the Thermal Environment Control System, the Vacuum Access System, the Solid State Power Controller Module, and the Active Rack Isolation Systems. The emulated signals reside on three separate MIL-STD-1553B digital communication buses, the ISS Medium Rate Data Link, and several analog controller and sensor signals. To enhance the range of testing, it was necessary to simulate several off-nominal conditions that may occur in the interfacing subsystems.

Ultrasound imaging of the mouse pancreatic duct using lipid microbubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, B.; McKeown, K. R.; Skovan, B.; Ogram, E.; Ingram, P.; Ignatenko, N.; Paine-Murrieta, G.; Witte, R.; Matsunaga, T. O.

2012-03-01

Research requiring the murine pancreatic duct to be imaged is often challenging due to the difficulty in selectively cannulating the pancreatic duct. We have successfully catheterized the pancreatic duct through the common bile duct in severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice and imaged the pancreatic duct with gas filled lipid microbubbles that increase ultrasound imaging sensitivity due to exquisite scattering at the gas/liquid interface. A SCID mouse was euthanized by CO2, a midline abdominal incision made, the common bile duct cut at its midpoint, a 2 cm, 32 gauge tip catheter was inserted about 1 mm into the duct and tied with suture. The duodenum and pancreas were excised, removed in toto, embedded in agar and an infusion pump was used to instill normal saline or lipid-coated microbubbles (10 million / ml) into the duct. B-mode images before and after infusion of the duct with microbubbles imaged the entire pancreatic duct (~ 1 cm) with high contrast. The microbubbles were cavitated by high mechanical index (HMI) ultrasound for imaging to be repeated. Our technique of catheterization and using lipid microbubbles as a contrast agent may provide an effective, affordable technique of imaging the murine pancreatic duct; cavitation with HMI ultrasound would enable repeated imaging to be performed and clustering of targeted microbubbles to receptors on ductal cells would allow pathology to be localized accurately. This research was supported by the Experimental Mouse Shared Service of the AZ Cancer Center (Grant Number P30CA023074, NIH/NCI and the GI SPORE (NIH/NCI P50 CA95060).

Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Trend in Health Care.

PubMed

Buerger, Anita M; Clark, Kevin R

2017-11-01

To discuss the current and growing use of point-of-care (POC) ultrasound in the management and care of patients. Several electronic research databases were searched to find articles that emphasized the use of POC ultrasound by health care providers who manage and treat critically ill or injured patients. Thirty-five relevant peer-reviewed journal articles were selected for this literature review. Common themes identified in the literature included the use of POC ultrasound in emergency medicine, military medicine, and remote care; comparison of POC ultrasound to other medical imaging modalities; investigation of the education and training required for nonimaging health care professionals who perform POC ultrasound in their practices; and discussion of the financial implications and limitations of POC ultrasound. POC ultrasound provides clinicians with real-time information to better manage and treat critically ill or injured patients in emergency medicine, military medicine, and remote care. In addition to providing immediate bedside diagnostic information, use of POC ultrasound has increased because of concerns regarding radiation protection. Finally, the expansion of POC ultrasound to other specialty areas requires nonimaging health care professionals to perform bedside ultrasound examinations and interpret the resulting images. Because POC ultrasound is user-dependent, adequate training is essential for all who perform and interpret the examinations. Research involving POC ultrasound will continue as innovations and confidence in ultrasound applications advance. Future research should continue to examine the broad use of POC ultrasound in patient care and management. ©2017 American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

[Polymeric drug carriers activated by ultrasounds energy].

PubMed

Kik, Krzysztof; Lwow, Felicja; Szmigiero, Leszek

2007-01-01

In the last two decades an extensive research on the employment of ultrasounds in anticancer therapy has been noticed. So far ultrasounds have been widely used in medicine for diagnostic purposes (ultrasonography), but their great therapeutic potential and the development of polymer based antineoplastic drug carriers have persuaded many investigators to start research on the employment of ultrasounds in anticancer therapy. A new therapeutic concept based on the controlled drug's molecules release from their transporting polymer carriers has been proposed. Cavitation, a phenomenon characteristic for the action of ultrasounds, is used to destroy polymeric drug carriers and for drug release in target sites. The sonodynamic therapy (SDT) which utilizes ultrasonic waves for "acoustic drug activation" leading to the enhancement of cytotoxic activity of some drugs has also been developed. Furthermore, a long standing research on ultrasounds resulted in a new concept based on hyperthermia. This method of cancer treatment does not require any chemotherapeutic agent to be applied.

Clinical experience with real-time ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chimiak, William J.; Wolfman, Neil T.; Covitz, Wesley

1995-05-01

After testing the extended multimedia interface (EMMI) product which is an asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) user to network interface (UNI) of AT&T at the Society for Computer Applications in Radiology conference in Winston-Salem, the Department of Radiology together with AT&T are implementing a tele-ultrasound system to combine real- time ultrasound with the static imaging features of more traditional digital ultrasound systems. Our current ultrasound system archives digital images to an optical disk system. Static images are sent using our digital radiology systems. This could be transferring images from one digital imaging and communications (DICOM)-compliant machine to another, or the current image transfer methodologies. The prototype of a live ultrasound system using the EMMI demonstrated the feasibility of doing live ultrasound. We now are developing the scenarios using a mix of the two methodologies. Utilizing EMMI technology, radiologists at the BGSM review at a workstation both static images and real-time scanning done by a technologist on patients at a remote site in order to render on-line primary diagnosis. Our goal is to test the feasibility of operating an ultrasound laboratory at a remote site utilizing a trained technologist without the necessity of having a full-time radiologist at that site. Initial plans are for a radiologist to review an initial set of static images on a patient taken by the technologist. If further scanning is required, the EMMI is used to transmit real-time imaging and audio using the audio input of a standard microphone system and the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) output of the ultrasound equipment from the remote site to the radiologist in the department review station. The EMMI digitally encodes this data and places it in an ATM format. This ATM data stream goes to the GCNS2000 and then to the other EMMI where the ATM data stream is decoded into the live studies and voice communication which are then

Ultrasonic fluid densitometer having liquid/wedge and gas/wedge interfaces

DOEpatents

Greenwood, Margaret S.

2000-01-01

The present invention is an ultrasonic liquid densitometer that uses a material wedge having two sections, one with a liquid/wedge interface and another with a gas/wedge interface. It is preferred that the wedge have an acoustic impedance that is near the acoustic impedance of the liquid, specifically less than a factor of 11 greater than the acoustic impedance of the liquid. Ultrasonic signals are internally reflected within the material wedge. Density of a liquid is determined by immersing the wedge into the liquid and measuring reflections of ultrasound at the liquid/wedge interface and at the gas/wedge interface.

Neuromuscular ultrasound of cranial nerves.

PubMed

Tawfik, Eman A; Walker, Francis O; Cartwright, Michael S

2015-04-01

Ultrasound of cranial nerves is a novel subdomain of neuromuscular ultrasound (NMUS) which may provide additional value in the assessment of cranial nerves in different neuromuscular disorders. Whilst NMUS of peripheral nerves has been studied, NMUS of cranial nerves is considered in its initial stage of research, thus, there is a need to summarize the research results achieved to date. Detailed scanning protocols, which assist in mastery of the techniques, are briefly mentioned in the few reference textbooks available in the field. This review article focuses on ultrasound scanning techniques of the 4 accessible cranial nerves: optic, facial, vagus and spinal accessory nerves. The relevant literatures and potential future applications are discussed.

Fiber-Optic Ultrasound Sensors for Smart Structures Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-25

Introduction 1 1.1 Objectives 1 1.2 Relevance to Air Force 1 1.3 Fiber Optics Ultrasound Sensors 2 2. Research Accomplishments 2 2.1 Fabry - Perot ...fiber-optic ultrasound receivers: - Fabry - Perot (FOFP) sensors, - Sagnac Ultrasound Sensor (SUS), and - Bragg-Grating Ultrasound (BGU) sensors. We...ultrasound receivers with excellent normal-incidence response can be configured as local ( Fabry - Perot ) or non-local (Sagnac) sensors. The Sagnac

Recent advances in ultrasound-triggered therapy.

PubMed

Yang, Chaopin; Li, Yue; Du, Meng; Chen, Zhiyi

2018-04-27

As a non-invasive and real-time diagnostic technique, ultrasound has provided a novel strategy for targeted treatment. With the rapid development of ultrasonic technique and ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs), spatiotemporally controllable application of ultrasound with or without UCAs makes it possible for site-specific delivery of therapeutic agents and targeted modulation with minimal side effects, which indicated a promising therapy in clinical use. This review will describe the main mechanism of targeted therapy induced by ultrasound briefly, then focus on the current application of ultrasound mediated targeted therapy in various fields including tumour, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system, skeletal muscle system diseases and stem cells therapy. In addition, ongoing challenges of ultrasound-mediated targeted therapy for further research and its clinical use are reviewed.

Medical ultrasound education for bioengineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaezy, Shahram

2005-04-01

The widespread adoption of ultrasound technologies in medicine has necessitated the development of educational programs to address the growing demand for trained expertise in both academia and industry. The demand has been especially great in the field of therapeutic ultrasound that has experienced a significant level of research and development activities in the past decade. The applications cover a wide range including cancer treatment, hemorrhage control, cardiac ablation, gene therapy, and cosmetic surgery. A comprehensive educational program in ultrasound is well suited for bioengineering departments at colleges and universities. Our educational program for students in Bioengineering at the University of Washington includes a year-long coursework covering theory and practice of ultrasound, conducting research projects, attending and presenting at weekly seminars on literature survey, presentations at scientific meetings, and attending specialized workshops offered by various institutions for specific topics. An important aspect of this training is its multi-disciplinary approach, encompassing science, engineering, and medicine. The students are required to build teams with expertise in these disciplines. Our experience shows that these students are well prepared for careers in academia, conducting cutting edge research, as well as industry, being involved in the transformation of research end-products to commercially viable technology.

Ultrasound pregnancy

MedlinePlus

Pregnancy sonogram; Obstetric ultrasonography; Obstetric sonogram; Ultrasound - pregnancy; IUGR - ultrasound; Intrauterine growth - ultrasound; Polyhydramnios - ultrasound; Oligohydramnios - ultrasound; Placenta previa - ultrasound; Multiple pregnancy - ultrasound; ...

A reduced-order, single-bubble cavitation model with applications to therapeutic ultrasound

PubMed Central

Kreider, Wayne; Crum, Lawrence A.; Bailey, Michael R.; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A.

2011-01-01

Cavitation often occurs in therapeutic applications of medical ultrasound such as shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Because cavitation bubbles can affect an intended treatment, it is important to understand the dynamics of bubbles in this context. The relevant context includes very high acoustic pressures and frequencies as well as elevated temperatures. Relative to much of the prior research on cavitation and bubble dynamics, such conditions are unique. To address the relevant physics, a reduced-order model of a single, spherical bubble is proposed that incorporates phase change at the liquid-gas interface as well as heat and mass transport in both phases. Based on the energy lost during the inertial collapse and rebound of a millimeter-sized bubble, experimental observations were used to tune and test model predictions. In addition, benchmarks from the published literature were used to assess various aspects of model performance. Benchmark comparisons demonstrate that the model captures the basic physics of phase change and diffusive transport, while it is quantitatively sensitive to specific model assumptions and implementation details. Given its performance and numerical stability, the model can be used to explore bubble behaviors across a broad parameter space relevant to therapeutic ultrasound. PMID:22088026

A reduced-order, single-bubble cavitation model with applications to therapeutic ultrasound.

PubMed

Kreider, Wayne; Crum, Lawrence A; Bailey, Michael R; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A

2011-11-01

Cavitation often occurs in therapeutic applications of medical ultrasound such as shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Because cavitation bubbles can affect an intended treatment, it is important to understand the dynamics of bubbles in this context. The relevant context includes very high acoustic pressures and frequencies as well as elevated temperatures. Relative to much of the prior research on cavitation and bubble dynamics, such conditions are unique. To address the relevant physics, a reduced-order model of a single, spherical bubble is proposed that incorporates phase change at the liquid-gas interface as well as heat and mass transport in both phases. Based on the energy lost during the inertial collapse and rebound of a millimeter-sized bubble, experimental observations were used to tune and test model predictions. In addition, benchmarks from the published literature were used to assess various aspects of model performance. Benchmark comparisons demonstrate that the model captures the basic physics of phase change and diffusive transport, while it is quantitatively sensitive to specific model assumptions and implementation details. Given its performance and numerical stability, the model can be used to explore bubble behaviors across a broad parameter space relevant to therapeutic ultrasound.

Time-resolved nanoseconds dynamics of ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles manipulated and controlled by optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garbin, Valeria; Cojoc, Dan; Ferrari, Enrico; Di Fabrizio, Enzo; Overvelde, Marlies L. J.; Versluis, Michel; van der Meer, Sander M.; de Jong, Nico; Lohse, Detlef

2006-08-01

Optical tweezers enable non-destructive, contact-free manipulation of ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) microbubbles, which are used in medical imaging for enhancing the echogenicity of the blood pool and to quantify organ perfusion. The understanding of the fundamental dynamics of ultrasound-driven contrast agent microbubbles is a first step for exploiting their acoustical properties and to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this respect, optical tweezers can be used to study UCA microbubbles under controlled and repeatable conditions, by positioning them away from interfaces and from neighboring bubbles. In addition, a high-speed imaging system is required to record the dynamics of UCA microbubbles in ultrasound, as their oscillations occur on the nanoseconds timescale. In this work, we demonstrate the use of an optical tweezers system combined with a high-speed camera capable of 128-frame recordings at up to 25 million frames per second (Mfps), for the study of individual UCA microbubble dynamics as a function of the distance from solid interfaces.

Time-resolved flowmetering of gas-liquid two-phase pipe flow by ultrasound pulse Doppler method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murai, Yuichi; Tasaka, Yuji; Takeda, Yasushi

2012-03-01

Ultrasound pulse Doppler method is applied for componential volumetric flow rate measurement in multiphase pipe flow consisted of gas and liquid phases. The flowmetering is realized with integration of measured velocity profile over the cross section of the pipe within liquid phase. Spatio-temporal position of interface is detected also with the same ultrasound pulse, which further gives cross sectional void fraction. A series of experimental demonstration was shown by applying this principle of measurement to air-water two-phase flow in a horizontal tube of 40 mm in diameter, of which void fraction ranges from 0 to 90% at superficial velocity from 0 to 15 m/s. The measurement accuracy is verified with a volumetric type flowmeter. We also analyze the accuracy of area integration of liquid velocity distribution for many different patterns of ultrasound measurement lines assigned on the cross section of the tube. The present method is also identified to be pulsation sensor of flow rate that fluctuates with complex gas-liquid interface behavior.

Use of Research Interfaces for Psychophysical Studies With Cochlear-Implant Users

PubMed Central

Goupell, Matthew J.; Kan, Alan; Landsberger, David M.

2017-01-01

A growing number of laboratories are using research interfaces to conduct experiments with cochlear-implant (CI) users. Because these interfaces bypass a subject’s clinical sound processor, several concerns exist regarding safety and stimulation levels. Here we suggest best-practice approaches for how to safely and ethically perform this type of research and highlight areas of limited knowledge where further research is needed to help clarify safety limits. The article is designed to provide an introductory level of technical detail about the devices and the effects of electrical stimulation on perception and neurophysiology. From this, we summarize what should be the best practices in the field, based on the literature and our experience. Findings from the review of the literature suggest that there are three main safety concerns: (a) to prevent biological or neural damage, (b) to avoid presentation of uncomfortably loud sounds, and (c) to ensure that subjects have control over stimulus presentation. Researchers must pay close attention to the software–hardware interface to ensure that the three main safety concerns are closely monitored. An important area for future research will be the determination of the amount of biological damage that can occur from electrical stimulation from a CI placed in the cochlea, not in direct contact with neural tissue. As technology used in research with CIs evolve, some of these approaches may change. However, the three main safety principles outlined here are not anticipated to undergo change with technological advances. PMID:29113579

Transvaginal ultrasound

MedlinePlus

Endovaginal ultrasound; Ultrasound - transvaginal; Fibroids - transvaginal ultrasound; Vaginal bleeding - transvaginal ultrasound; Uterine bleeding - transvaginal ultrasound; Menstrual bleeding - transvaginal ultrasound; ...

Enhanced ultrasound for advanced diagnostics, ultrasound tomography for volume limb imaging and prosthetic fitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Brian W.

2016-04-01

Ultrasound imaging methods hold the potential to deliver low-cost, high-resolution, operator-independent and nonionizing imaging systems - such systems couple appropriate algorithms with imaging devices and techniques. The increasing demands on general practitioners motivate us to develop more usable and productive diagnostic imaging equipment. Ultrasound, specifically freehand ultrasound, is a low cost and safe medical imaging technique. It doesn't expose a patient to ionizing radiation. Its safety and versatility make it very well suited for the increasing demands on general practitioners, or for providing improved medical care in rural regions or the developing world. However it typically suffers from sonographer variability; we will discuss techniques to address user variability. We also discuss our work to combine cylindrical scanning systems with state of the art inversion algorithms to deliver ultrasound systems for imaging and quantifying limbs in 3-D in vivo. Such systems have the potential to track the progression of limb health at a low cost and without radiation exposure, as well as, improve prosthetic socket fitting. Current methods of prosthetic socket fabrication remain subjective and ineffective at creating an interface to the human body that is both comfortable and functional. Though there has been recent success using methods like magnetic resonance imaging and biomechanical modeling, a low-cost, streamlined, and quantitative process for prosthetic cup design and fabrication has not been fully demonstrated. Medical ultrasonography may inform the design process of prosthetic sockets in a more objective manner. This keynote talk presents the results of progress in this area.

Ultrasonic atomization of tissue and its role in tissue fractionation by high intensity focused ultrasound

PubMed Central

Simon, Julianna C.; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A.; Khokhlova, Vera A.; Wang, Yak-Nam; Crum, Lawrence A.; Bailey, Michael R.

2012-01-01

Atomization and fountain formation is a well-known phenomenon that occurs when a focused ultrasound wave in liquid encounters an air interface. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been shown to fractionate tissue into submicron-size fragments in a process termed boiling histotripsy, wherein the focused ultrasound wave superheats the tissue at the focus, producing a millimetre-size boiling or vapour bubble in several milliseconds. Yet the question of how this millimetre-size boiling bubble creates submicron-size tissue fragments remains. The hypothesis of this work is that tissue can behave as a liquid such that it forms a fountain and atomization within the vapour bubble produced in boiling histotripsy. We describe an experiment, in which a 2-MHz HIFU transducer (maximum in situ intensity of 24,000 W/cm2) was aligned with an air-tissue interface meant to simulate the boiling bubble. Atomization and fountain formation were observed with high-speed photography and resulted in tissue erosion. Histological examination of the atomized tissue showed whole and fragmented cells and nuclei. Air-liquid interfaces were also filmed. Our conclusion was that HIFU can fountain and atomize tissue. Although this process does not entirely mimic what was observed in liquids, it does explain many aspects of tissue fractionation in boiling histotripsy. PMID:23159812

Ultrasound

MedlinePlus

... community Home > Pregnancy > Prenatal care > Ultrasound during pregnancy Ultrasound during pregnancy E-mail to a friend Please ... you. What are some reasons for having an ultrasound? Your provider uses ultrasound to do several things, ...

Emerging Non-Cancer Applications of Therapeutic Ultrasound

PubMed Central

O’Reilly, Meaghan A.; Hynynen, Kullervo

2015-01-01

Ultrasound therapy has been investigated for over half a century. Ultrasound can act on tissue through a variety of mechanisms, including thermal, shockwave and cavitation mechanisms, and through these can elicit different responses. Ultrasound therapy can provide a non-invasive or minimally invasive treatment option, and ultrasound technology has advanced to the point where devices can be developed to investigate a wide range of applications. This review focuses on non-cancer, clinical applications of therapeutic ultrasound, with an emphasis on treatments that have recently reached clinical investigations, and preclinical research programs that have great potential to impact patient care. PMID:25792225

Effects of pulsed ultrasound on the adsorption of n-alkyl anionic surfactants at the gas/solution interface of cavitation bubbles.

PubMed

Yang, Limei; Sostaric, Joe Z; Rathman, James F; Kuppusamy, Periannan; Weavers, Linda K

2007-02-15

Sonolysis of argon-saturated aqueous solutions of the nonvolatile surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium 1-pentanesulfonate (SPSo) was investigated at three ultrasonic frequencies under both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed ultrasound. Secondary carbon-centered radicals were detected by spin trapping using 3,5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulfonic acid (DBNBS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Following sonolysis, -*CH- radicals were observed for both surfactants under both sonication modes. Under CW at 354 kHz, the maximum plateau -*CH- radical yield was higher for SPSo than for SDS, indicating that SDS, which is more surface active under equilibrium conditions, accumulates at the gas/solution interface of cavitation bubbles to a lesser degree, compared with the less surface active surfactant, SPSo. However, after sonolysis (354 kHz) under pulsed ultrasound with a pulse length of 100 ms and an interval of 500 ms, the -*CH- radical yield at the plateau concentrations was higher for SDS than for SPSo due to increased amounts of SDS accumulation on the bubble surfaces. In contrast to the findings following sonolysis at 354 kHz, sonolysis of aqueous surfactant solutions at 620 kHz and 803 kHz showed a higher -*CH- radical yield for SDS compared with SPSo under CW but lower -*CH- radical yield with increasing pulsing interval, indicating a frequency dependence on accumulation. Results indicate that pulsing the ultrasonic wave has a significant effect on the relative adsorption ability of n-alkyl surfactants at the gas/solution surface of cavitation bubbles.

Machine Learning in Ultrasound Computer-Aided Diagnostic Systems: A Survey

PubMed Central

Zhang, Fan; Li, Xuelong

2018-01-01

The ultrasound imaging is one of the most common schemes to detect diseases in the clinical practice. There are many advantages of ultrasound imaging such as safety, convenience, and low cost. However, reading ultrasound imaging is not easy. To support the diagnosis of clinicians and reduce the load of doctors, many ultrasound computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems are proposed. In recent years, the success of deep learning in the image classification and segmentation led to more and more scholars realizing the potential of performance improvement brought by utilizing the deep learning in the ultrasound CAD system. This paper summarized the research which focuses on the ultrasound CAD system utilizing machine learning technology in recent years. This study divided the ultrasound CAD system into two categories. One is the traditional ultrasound CAD system which employed the manmade feature and the other is the deep learning ultrasound CAD system. The major feature and the classifier employed by the traditional ultrasound CAD system are introduced. As for the deep learning ultrasound CAD, newest applications are summarized. This paper will be useful for researchers who focus on the ultrasound CAD system. PMID:29687000

Machine Learning in Ultrasound Computer-Aided Diagnostic Systems: A Survey.

PubMed

Huang, Qinghua; Zhang, Fan; Li, Xuelong

2018-01-01

The ultrasound imaging is one of the most common schemes to detect diseases in the clinical practice. There are many advantages of ultrasound imaging such as safety, convenience, and low cost. However, reading ultrasound imaging is not easy. To support the diagnosis of clinicians and reduce the load of doctors, many ultrasound computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems are proposed. In recent years, the success of deep learning in the image classification and segmentation led to more and more scholars realizing the potential of performance improvement brought by utilizing the deep learning in the ultrasound CAD system. This paper summarized the research which focuses on the ultrasound CAD system utilizing machine learning technology in recent years. This study divided the ultrasound CAD system into two categories. One is the traditional ultrasound CAD system which employed the manmade feature and the other is the deep learning ultrasound CAD system. The major feature and the classifier employed by the traditional ultrasound CAD system are introduced. As for the deep learning ultrasound CAD, newest applications are summarized. This paper will be useful for researchers who focus on the ultrasound CAD system.

Real-time needle guidance with photoacoustic and laser-generated ultrasound probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colchester, Richard J.; Mosse, Charles A.; Nikitichev, Daniil I.; Zhang, Edward Z.; West, Simeon; Beard, Paul C.; Papakonstantinou, Ioannis; Desjardins, Adrien E.

2015-03-01

Detection of tissue structures such as nerves and blood vessels is of critical importance during many needle-based minimally invasive procedures. For instance, unintentional injections into arteries can lead to strokes or cardiotoxicity during interventional pain management procedures that involve injections in the vicinity of nerves. Reliable detection with current external imaging systems remains elusive. Optical generation and reception of ultrasound allow for depth-resolved sensing and they can be performed with optical fibers that are positioned within needles used in clinical practice. The needle probe developed in this study comprised separate optical fibers for generating and receiving ultrasound. Photoacoustic generation of ultrasound was performed on the distal end face of an optical fiber by coating it with an optically absorbing material. Ultrasound reception was performed using a high-finesse Fabry-Pérot cavity. The sensor data was displayed as an M-mode image with a real-time interface. Imaging was performed on a biological tissue phantom.

Ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging studies of microstructure fragmentation in solidification under ultrasound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Bing; Tan, Dongyue; Lee, Tung Lik

Ultrasound processing of metal alloys is an environmental friendly and promising green technology for liquid metal degassing and microstructural refinement. However many fundamental issues in this field are still not fully understood, because of the difficulties in direct observation of the dynamic behaviours caused by ultrasound inside liquid metal and semisolid metals during the solidification processes. In this paper, we report a systematic study using the ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging (up to 271,554 frame per second) technique available at the Advanced Photon Source, USA and Diamond Light Source, UK to investigate the dynamic interactions between the ultrasonic bubbles/acoustic flow andmore » the solidifying phases in a Bi-8%Zn alloy. The experimental results were complimented by numerical modelling. The chaotic bubble implosion and dynamic bubble oscillations were revealed in-situ for the first time in liquid metal and semisolid metal. The fragmentation of the solidifying Zn phases and breaking up of the liquid-solid interface by ultrasonic bubbles and enhanced acoustic flow were clearly demonstrated and agreed very well with the theoretical calculations. The research provides unambiguous experimental evidence and robust theoretical interpretation in elucidating the dominant mechanisms of microstructure fragmentation and refinement in solidification under ultrasound.« less

Ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging studies of microstructure fragmentation in solidification under ultrasound

DOE PAGES

Wang, Bing; Tan, Dongyue; Lee, Tung Lik; ...

2017-11-03

Ultrasound processing of metal alloys is an environmental friendly and promising green technology for liquid metal degassing and microstructural refinement. However many fundamental issues in this field are still not fully understood, because of the difficulties in direct observation of the dynamic behaviours caused by ultrasound inside liquid metal and semisolid metals during the solidification processes. In this paper, we report a systematic study using the ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging (up to 271,554 frame per second) technique available at the Advanced Photon Source, USA and Diamond Light Source, UK to investigate the dynamic interactions between the ultrasonic bubbles/acoustic flow andmore » the solidifying phases in a Bi-8%Zn alloy. The experimental results were complimented by numerical modelling. The chaotic bubble implosion and dynamic bubble oscillations were revealed in-situ for the first time in liquid metal and semisolid metal. The fragmentation of the solidifying Zn phases and breaking up of the liquid-solid interface by ultrasonic bubbles and enhanced acoustic flow were clearly demonstrated and agreed very well with the theoretical calculations. The research provides unambiguous experimental evidence and robust theoretical interpretation in elucidating the dominant mechanisms of microstructure fragmentation and refinement in solidification under ultrasound.« less

System for robot-assisted real-time laparoscopic ultrasound elastography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billings, Seth; Deshmukh, Nishikant; Kang, Hyun Jae; Taylor, Russell; Boctor, Emad M.

2012-02-01

Surgical robots provide many advantages for surgery, including minimal invasiveness, precise motion, high dexterity, and crisp stereovision. One limitation of current robotic procedures, compared to open surgery, is the loss of haptic information for such purposes as palpation, which can be very important in minimally invasive tumor resection. Numerous studies have reported the use of real-time ultrasound elastography, in conjunction with conventional B-mode ultrasound, to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. Several groups (including our own) have reported integration of ultrasound with the da Vinci robot, and ultrasound elastography is a very promising image guidance method for robotassisted procedures that will further enable the role of robots in interventions where precise knowledge of sub-surface anatomical features is crucial. We present a novel robot-assisted real-time ultrasound elastography system for minimally invasive robot-assisted interventions. Our system combines a da Vinci surgical robot with a non-clinical experimental software interface, a robotically articulated laparoscopic ultrasound probe, and our GPU-based elastography system. Elasticity and B-mode ultrasound images are displayed as picture-in-picture overlays in the da Vinci console. Our system minimizes dependence on human performance factors by incorporating computer-assisted motion control that automatically generates the tissue palpation required for elastography imaging, while leaving high-level control in the hands of the user. In addition to ensuring consistent strain imaging, the elastography assistance mode avoids the cognitive burden of tedious manual palpation. Preliminary tests of the system with an elasticity phantom demonstrate the ability to differentiate simulated lesions of varied stiffness and to clearly delineate lesion boundaries.

Establishing intensivist-driven ultrasound at the PICU bedside--it's about time*.

PubMed

Su, Erik; Pustavoitau, Aliaksei; Hirshberg, Elliotte L; Nishisaki, Akira; Conlon, Thomas; Kantor, David B; Weber, Mark D; Godshall, Aaron J; Burzynski, Jeffrey H; Thompson, Ann E

2014-09-01

To discuss pediatric intensivist-driven ultrasound and the exigent need for research and practice definitions pertaining to its implementation within pediatric critical care, specifically addressing issues in ultrasound-guided vascular access and intensivist-driven echocardiography. Intensivist-driven ultrasound improves procedure safety and reduces time to diagnosis in clinical ultrasound applications, as demonstrated primarily in adult patients. Translating these applications to the PICU requires thoughtful integration of the technology into practice and would best be informed by dedicated ultrasound research in critically ill children.

Ergonomics in ultrasound equipment: productivity and patient throughput.

PubMed

Atjak, A; Gattinella, J A

1989-01-01

The important issues to consider when purchasing ultrasound equipment are: image quality, speed of interface, controls that are obvious, quick or slow configuring, a narrow or wide triangle of interest, fast or slow function shift capability, the amount of layering, color that is muted or not muted, whether the controls are back lit, easily managed cables and probes, and whether the machine is pleasant to operate and easy to learn. All these factors will provide you with some idea of a system's productivity and assist the buyer in making a purchasing decision. Consider these points as a checklist when shopping for an ultrasound system, especially when the radiology manager is concerned about throughput and the bottom line as well as diagnostic information quality.

Duplex ultrasound

MedlinePlus

Vascular ultrasound; Peripheral vascular ultrasound ... A duplex ultrasound combines: Traditional ultrasound: This uses sound waves that bounce off blood vessels to create pictures. Doppler ultrasound: This ...

Why we should care about soft tissue interfaces when applying ultrasonic diathermy: an experimental and computer simulation study.

PubMed

Omena, Thaís Pionório; Fontes-Pereira, Aldo José; Costa, Rejane Medeiros; Simões, Ricardo Jorge; von Krüger, Marco Antônio; Pereira, Wagner Coelho de Albuquerque

2017-01-01

One goal of therapeutic ultrasound is enabling heat generation in tissue. Ultrasound application protocols typically neglect these processes of absorption and backscatter/reflection at the skin/fat, fat/muscle, and muscle/bone interfaces. The aim of this study was to investigate the heating process at interfaces close to the transducer and the bone with the aid of computer simulation and tissue-mimicking materials (phantoms). The experimental setup consists of physiotherapeutic ultrasound equipment for irradiation, two layers of soft tissue-mimicking material, and one with and one without an additional layer of bone-mimicking material. Thermocouple monitoring is used in both cases. A computational model is used with the experimental parameters in a COMSOL® software platform. The experimental results show significant temperature rise (42 °C) at 10 mm depth, regardless of bone layer presence, diverging 3 °C from the simulated values. The probable causes are thermocouple and transducer heating and interface reverberations. There was no statistical difference in the experimental results with and without the cortical bone for the central thermocouple of the first interface [ t (38) = -1.52; 95% CI = -0.85, 0.12; p  = 14]. Temperature rise (>6 °C) close to the bone layer was lower than predicted (>21 °C), possibly because without the bone layer, thermocouples at 30 mm make contact with the water bath and convection intensifies heat loss; this factor was omitted in the simulation model. This work suggests that more attention should be given to soft tissue layer interfaces in ultrasound therapeutic procedures even in the absence of a close bone layer.

Accuracy of ultrasound in antenatal diagnosis of placental attachment disorders.

PubMed

Pilloni, E; Alemanno, M G; Gaglioti, P; Sciarrone, A; Garofalo, A; Biolcati, M; Botta, G; Viora, E; Todros, T

2016-03-01

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of placenta accreta and its variants, and to assess the impact of prenatal diagnosis in our population. A total of 314 women with placenta previa were enrolled prospectively and underwent transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examinations. An ultrasound diagnosis (grayscale and color/power Doppler) of placental attachment disorder (PAD) was based on the detection of at least two of the following ('two-criteria system'): loss/irregularity of the retroplacental clear zone, thinning/interruption of the uterine serosa-bladder wall interface, turbulent placental lacunae with high velocity flow, myometrial thickness < 1 mm, increased vascularity of the uterine serosa-bladder wall interface, loss of vascular arch parallel to the basal plate and/or irregular intraplacental vascularization. Definitive diagnosis was made at delivery by Cesarean section. Maternal outcome in cases diagnosed antenatally was compared with that in cases diagnosed at delivery. There were 37/314 cases of PAD (29 anterior and eight posterior). The two-criteria system identified 30 cases of placenta accreta, providing a sensitivity of 81.1% and specificity of 98.9%. When anterior and posterior placentae were considered separately, the detection rates of PAD were 89.7 and 50.0%, respectIvely. Maternal outcome was better in women with prenatal diagnosis of PAD, as seen by less blood loss and shorter hospitalization. Our data confirmed that grayscale and color Doppler ultrasound have good performance in the diagnosis of PAD and that prenatal diagnosis improves maternal outcome. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rapid Diagnosis of an Ulnar Fracture with Portable Hand-Held Ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, Andrew W.; Brown, Ross; Diebel, Lawrence N.; Nicolaou, Savvas; Marshburn, Tom; Dulchavsky, Scott A.

2002-01-01

Orthopedic fractures are a common injury in operational activities, injuries that often occur in isolated or hostile environments. Clinical ultrasound devices have become more user friendly and lighter allowing them to be easily transported with forward medical teams. The bone-soft tissue interface has a very large acoustic impedance, with a high reflectance that can be used to visualize breaks in contour including fractures. Herein reported is a case of an ulnar fracture that was quickly visualized in the early phase of a multi-system trauma resuscitation with a hand-held ultrasound device. The implications for operational medicine are discussed.

[Evidence of lacrimal plugs via high resolution ultrasound].

PubMed

Tost, Frank H W; Darman, Jacques

2003-07-01

The practical value of high-frequency ultrasound (transducer frequency of 20 MHz) for studying lacrimal plugs positioned into canaliculi was proved. Twelve patients with twenty intracanalicular plugs and two punctum plugs were examined via high-frequency B-scan ultrasonography using 20 MHz transducer (model I3 Sacramento, USA). Detection and localisation of the intracanalicular plugs was made by a 20 MHz sector scanner. The ultrasound examinations were performed 1 - 24 month after the placement of lacrimal plugs. After patient's head positioning, the high-frequency ultrasound investigation was done via immersion fluid (2 % methylcellulose). All patients with dry eye treated by lacrimal plug implant showed echographic structure in the lacrimal canaliculus. In transversal echograms it was possible to image both canaliculi together when the lids were half-closed. Contrary to the normal state, it was not necessary to inject viscous fluid into the canaliculus. High-resolution ultrasound was able to differentiate the normal canaliculus from the findings after plug placement. The echograms can vary from one plug type to another. Highly reflective structures were found after the placement of silicone intracanalicular plugs, e. g. HERRICK-Plug. In contrast, the ultrasonic image taken through acrylic polymer intracanalicular plugs showed homogeneous small reflective inner structure, e. g. SMART-Plug. However, smooth and flat acoustic interface between acrylic polymer plug and the lacrimal canaliculus produced strong echoes. 20 MHz ultrasound seems to be well suited for the detection and localisation of intracanalicular plugs. By use of 20 MHz ultrasound scans it is possible to get high-quality images of the intracanalicular plug and around lacrimal canaliculus. Compared with UBM, the depth of penetration is much higher with negligible resolution. On the whole, we believe that 20 MHz ultrasound can become a useful tool for evaluating the placement of intracanalicular plugs

Intracardiac ultrasound scanner using a micromachine (MEMS) actuator.

PubMed

Zara, J M; Bobbio, S M; Goodwin-Johansson, S; Smith, S W

2000-01-01

Catheter-based intracardiac ultrasound offers the potential for improved guidance of interventional cardiac procedures. The objective of this research is the development of catheter-based mechanical sector scanners incorporating high frequency ultrasound transducers operating at frequencies up to 20 MHz. The authors' current transducer assembly consists of a single 1.75 mm by 1.75 mm, 20 MHz, PZT element mounted on a 2 mm by 2 mm square, 75 mum thick polyimide table that pivots on 3-mum thick gold plated polyimide hinges. The hinges also serve as the electrical connections to the transducer. This table-mounted transducer is tilted using a miniature linear actuator to produce a sector scan. This linear actuator is an integrated force array (IFA), which is an example of a micromachine, i.e., a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). The IFA is a thin (2.2 mum) polyimide membrane, which consists of a network of hundreds of thousands of micron scale deformable capacitors made from pairs of metallized polyimide plates. IFAs contract with an applied voltage of 30-120 V and have been shown to produce strains as large as 20% and forces of up to 8 dynes. The prototype transducer and actuator assembly was fabricated and interfaced with a GagePCI analog to digital conversion board digitizing 12 bit samples at a rate of 100 MSamples/second housed in a personal computer to create a single channel ultrasound scanner. The deflection of the table transducer in a low viscosity insulating fluid (HFE 7100, 3M) is up to +/-10 degrees at scan rates of 10-60 Hz. Software has been developed to produce real-time sector scans on the PC monitor.

Ecological research and environmental management: We need different interfaces based on different knowledge types.

PubMed

Gosselin, Frédéric; Cordonnier, Thomas; Bilger, Isabelle; Jappiot, Marielle; Chauvin, Christophe; Gosselin, Marion

2018-04-25

The role of ecological science in environmental management has been discussed by many authors who recognize that there is a persistent gap between ecological science and environmental management. Here we develop theory through different perspectives based on knowledge types, research categories and research-management interface types, which we combine into a common framework. To draw out insights for bridging this gap, we build our case by:We point out the complementarities as well as the specificities and limitations of the different types of ecological research, ecological knowledge and research-management interfaces, which is of major importance for environmental management and research policies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research of Ultrasound-Mediated Transdermal Drug Delivery System Using Cymbal-Type Piezoelectric Composite Transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huan, Huiting; Gao, Chunming; Liu, Lixian; Sun, Qiming; Zhao, Binxing; Yan, Laijun

2015-06-01

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) implemented by especially low-frequency ultrasound is generally known as sonophoresis or phonophoresis which has drawn considerable wide attention. However, TDD has not yet achieved its full potential as an alternative to conventional drug delivery methods due to its bulky instruments. In this paper, a cymbal-type piezoelectric composite transducer (CPCT) which has advantages over a traditional ultrasound generator in weight, flexibility, and power consumption, is used as a substitute ultrasonicator to realize TDD. First, theoretical research on a CPCT based on the finite element analysis was carried out according to which a series of applicable CPCTs with bandwidths of 20 kHz to 100 kHz were elaborated. Second, a TDD experimental setup was built with previously fabricated CPCTs aimed at the administration of glucose. Finally, the TDD performance of glucose molecule transport in porcine skin was measured in vitro by quantifying the concentration of glucose, and the time variation curves were subsequently obtained. During the experiment, the driving wave form, frequency, and power consumption of the transducers were selected as the main elements which determined the efficacy of glucose delivery. The results indicate that the effectiveness of the CPCT-based delivery is constrained more by the frequency and intensity of ultrasound rather than the driving waveform. The light-weight, flexibility, and low-power consumption of a CPCT can potentially achieve effective TDD.

Mechanisms for Induction of Pulmonary Capillary Hemorrhage by Diagnostic Ultrasound: Review and Consideration of Acoustical Radiation Surface Pressure.

PubMed

Miller, Douglas L

2016-12-01

Diagnostic ultrasound can induce pulmonary capillary hemorrhage (PCH) in rats and other mammals. This phenomenon represents the only clearly demonstrated biological effect of (non-contrast enhanced) diagnostic ultrasound and thus presents a uniquely important safety issue. However, the physical mechanism responsible for PCH remains uncertain more than 25 y after its discovery. Experimental research has indicated that neither heating nor acoustic cavitation, the predominant mechanisms for bioeffects of ultrasound, is responsible for PCH. Furthermore, proposed theoretical mechanisms based on gas-body activation, on alveolar resonance and on impulsive generation of liquid droplets all appear unlikely to be responsible for PCH, owing to unrealistic model assumptions. Here, a simple model based on the acoustical radiation surface pressure (ARSP) at a tissue-air interface is hypothesized as the mechanism for PCH. The ARSP model seems to explain some features of PCH, including the approximate frequency independence of PCH thresholds and the dependence of thresholds on biological factors. However, ARSP evaluated for experimental threshold conditions appear to be too weak to fully account for stress failure of pulmonary capillaries, gauging by known stresses for injurious physiologic conditions. Furthermore, consideration of bulk properties of lung tissue suggests substantial transmission of ultrasound through the pleura, with reduced ARSP and potential involvement of additional mechanisms within the pulmonary interior. Although these recent findings advance our knowledge, only a full understanding of PCH mechanisms will allow development of science-based safety assurance for pulmonary ultrasound. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WE-H-209-01: Advances in Ultrasound Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hynynen, K.

Focused ultrasound has been shown to be the only method that allows noninvasive thermal coagulation of tissues and recently this potential has been explored for image-guided drug delivery. In this presentation, the advances in ultrasound phased array technology for energy delivery, exposure monitoring and control will be discussed. Experimental results from novel multi-frequency transmit/receive arrays will be presented. In addition, the feasibility of fully electronically focused and steered high power arrays with many thousands of transducer elements will be discussed. Finally, some of the recent clinical and preclinical results for the treatment of brain disease will be reviewed. Learning Objectives:more » Introduce FUS therapy principles and modern techniques Discuss use of FUS for drug delivery Cover the technology required to deliver FUS and monitor therapy Present clinical examples of the uses of these techniques This research was supported by funding from The Canada Research Chair Program, Grants from CIHR and NIH (no. EB003268).; K. Hynynen, Canada Foundation for Innovation; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation; Canada Research Chair Program; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Ontario Research Fund; National Institutes of Health; Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute; The Weston Brain Institute; Harmonic Medical; Focused Ultrasound Instruments.« less

High-Frequency Focused Water-Coupled Ultrasound Used for Three-Dimensional Surface Depression Profiling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Don J.; Whalen, Mike F.; Hendricks, J. Lynne; Bodis, James R.

2001-01-01

To interface with other solids, many surfaces are engineered via methods such as plating, coating, and machining to produce a functional surface ensuring successful end products. In addition, subsurface properties such as hardness, residual stress, deformation, chemical composition, and microstructure are often linked to surface characteristics. Surface topography, therefore, contains the signatures of the surface and possibly links to volumetric properties, and as a result serves as a vital link between surface design, manufacturing, and performance. Hence, surface topography can be used to diagnose, monitor, and control fabrication methods. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, the measurement of surface topography is important in developing high-temperature structural materials and for profiling the surface changes of materials during microgravity combustion experiments. A prior study demonstrated that focused air-coupled ultrasound at 1 MHz could profile surfaces with a 25-m depth resolution and a 400-m lateral resolution over a 1.4-mm depth range. In this work, we address the question of whether higher frequency focused water-coupled ultrasound can improve on these specifications. To this end, we employed 10- and 25-MHz focused ultrasonic transducers in the water-coupled mode. The surface profile results seen in this investigation for 25-MHz water-coupled ultrasound, in comparison to those for 1-MHz air-coupled ultrasound, represent an 8 times improvement in depth resolution (3 vs. 25 m seen in practice), an improvement of at least 2 times in lateral resolution (180 vs. 400 m calculated and observed in practice), and an improvement in vertical depth range of 4 times (calculated).

Ultrasound

MedlinePlus

Ultrasound is a type of imaging. It uses high-frequency sound waves to look at organs and ... liver, and other organs. During pregnancy, doctors use ultrasound to view the fetus. Unlike x-rays, ultrasound ...

Real-Time Classification of Hand Motions Using Ultrasound Imaging of Forearm Muscles.

PubMed

Akhlaghi, Nima; Baker, Clayton A; Lahlou, Mohamed; Zafar, Hozaifah; Murthy, Karthik G; Rangwala, Huzefa S; Kosecka, Jana; Joiner, Wilsaan M; Pancrazio, Joseph J; Sikdar, Siddhartha

2016-08-01

Surface electromyography (sEMG) has been the predominant method for sensing electrical activity for a number of applications involving muscle-computer interfaces, including myoelectric control of prostheses and rehabilitation robots. Ultrasound imaging for sensing mechanical deformation of functional muscle compartments can overcome several limitations of sEMG, including the inability to differentiate between deep contiguous muscle compartments, low signal-to-noise ratio, and lack of a robust graded signal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of real-time graded control using a computationally efficient method to differentiate between complex hand motions based on ultrasound imaging of forearm muscles. Dynamic ultrasound images of the forearm muscles were obtained from six able-bodied volunteers and analyzed to map muscle activity based on the deformation of the contracting muscles during different hand motions. Each participant performed 15 different hand motions, including digit flexion, different grips (i.e., power grasp and pinch grip), and grips in combination with wrist pronation. During the training phase, we generated a database of activity patterns corresponding to different hand motions for each participant. During the testing phase, novel activity patterns were classified using a nearest neighbor classification algorithm based on that database. The average classification accuracy was 91%. Real-time image-based control of a virtual hand showed an average classification accuracy of 92%. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using ultrasound imaging as a robust muscle-computer interface. Potential clinical applications include control of multiarticulated prosthetic hands, stroke rehabilitation, and fundamental investigations of motor control and biomechanics.

Image-guided endobronchial ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, William E.; Zang, Xiaonan; Cheirsilp, Ronnarit; Byrnes, Patrick; Kuhlengel, Trevor; Bascom, Rebecca; Toth, Jennifer

2016-03-01

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is now recommended as a standard procedure for in vivo verification of extraluminal diagnostic sites during cancer-staging bronchoscopy. Yet, physicians vary considerably in their skills at using EBUS effectively. Regarding existing bronchoscopy guidance systems, studies have shown their effectiveness in the lung-cancer management process. With such a system, a patient's X-ray computed tomography (CT) scan is used to plan a procedure to regions of interest (ROIs). This plan is then used during follow-on guided bronchoscopy. Recent clinical guidelines for lung cancer, however, also dictate using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for identifying suspicious ROIs and aiding in the cancer-staging process. While researchers have attempted to use guided bronchoscopy systems in tandem with PET imaging and EBUS, no true EBUS-centric guidance system exists. We now propose a full multimodal image-based methodology for guiding EBUS. The complete methodology involves two components: 1) a procedure planning protocol that gives bronchoscope movements appropriate for live EBUS positioning; and 2) a guidance strategy and associated system graphical user interface (GUI) designed for image-guided EBUS. We present results demonstrating the operation of the system.

MO-AB-210-00: Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging Quality Control and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy Hands-On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant

Mechanisms for Induction of Pulmonary Capillary Hemorrhage by Diagnostic Ultrasound: Review and Consideration of Acoustical Radiation Surface Pressure

PubMed Central

Miller, Douglas L.

2016-01-01

Diagnostic ultrasound can induce pulmonary capillary hemorrhage (PCH) in rats and other mammals. This phenomenon represents the only clearly demonstrated biological effect of (non-contrast enhanced) diagnostic ultrasound and thus presents a uniquely important safety issue. However, the physical mechanism responsible for PCH remains uncertain more than 25 y after its discovery. Experimental research has indicated that neither heating nor acoustic cavitation, the predominant mechanisms for bioeffects of ultrasound, is responsible for PCH. Furthermore, proposed theoretical mechanisms based on gas body activation, on alveolar resonance and on impulsive generation of liquid droplets all appear unlikely to be responsible for PCH, owing to unrealistic model assumptions. Here, a simple model based on the acoustic radiation surface pressure (ARSP) at a tissue-air interface is hypothesized as the mechanism for PCH. The ARSP model seems to explain some features of PCH, including the approximate frequency independence of PCH thresholds, and the dependence of thresholds on biological factors. However, ARSP evaluated for experimental threshold conditions appear to be too weak to fully account for stress failure of pulmonary capillaries, gauging by known stresses for injurious physiological conditions. Furthermore, consideration of bulk properties of lung tissue suggests substantial transmission of ultrasound through the pleura, with reduced ARSP and potential involvement of additional mechanisms within the pulmonary interior. Although these recent findings advance our knowledge, only a full understanding of PCH mechanisms will allow development of science-based safety assurance for pulmonary ultrasound. PMID:27649878

Ultrasound

MedlinePlus Videos and Cool Tools

Ultrasound is a useful procedure for monitoring the baby's development in the uterus. Ultrasound uses inaudible sound waves to produce a two- ... sound waves and appear dark or black. An ultrasound can supply vital information about a mother's pregnancy ...

Differences in Multi-Modal Ultrasound Imaging between Triple Negative and Non-Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Li, Ziyao; Tian, Jiawei; Wang, Xiaowei; Wang, Ying; Wang, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Lei; Jing, Hui; Wu, Tong

2016-04-01

The objective of this study was to identify multi-modal ultrasound imaging parameters that could potentially help to differentiate between triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC. Conventional ultrasonography, ultrasound strain elastography and 3-D ultrasound (3-D-US) findings from 50 TNBC and 179 non-TNBC patients were retrospectively reviewed. Immunohistochemical examination was used as the reference gold standard for cancer subtyping. Different ultrasound modalities were initially analyzed to define TNBC-related features. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was applied to TNBC-related features to establish models for predicting TNBC. TNBCs often presented as micro-lobulated, markedly hypo-echoic masses with an abrupt interface (p = 0.015, 0.0015 and 0.004, compared with non-TNBCs, respectively) on conventional ultrasound, and showed a diminished retraction pattern phenomenon in the coronal plane (p = 0.035) on 3-D-US. Our findings suggest that B-mode ultrasound and 3-D-US in multi-modality ultrasonography could be a useful non-invasive technique for differentiating TNBCs from non-TNBCs. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound and the IRB

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Melissa A.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to assist researchers in writing their research protocols and subject consent forms so that both the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and subjects are assured of the minimal risk associated with diagnostic B-scan ultrasound as it is used in speech research. There have been numerous epidemiological studies on fetal…

Hyperthermia in bone generated with MR imaging-controlled focused ultrasound: control strategies and drug delivery.

PubMed

Staruch, Robert; Chopra, Rajiv; Hynynen, Kullervo

2012-04-01

To evaluate the feasibility of achieving image-guided drug delivery in bone by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-controlled focused ultrasound hyperthermia and temperature-sensitive liposomes. Experiments were approved by the institutional animal care committee. Hyperthermia (43°C, 20 minutes) was generated in 10-mm-diameter regions at a muscle-bone interface in nine rabbit thighs by using focused ultrasound under closed-loop temperature control with MR thermometry. Thermosensitive liposomal doxorubicin was administered systemically during heating. Heating uniformity and drug delivery were evaluated for control strategies with the temperature control image centered 10 mm (four rabbits) or 0 mm (five rabbits) from the bone. Simulations estimated temperature elevations in bone. Drug delivery was quantified by using the fluorescence of doxorubicin extracted from bone marrow and muscle and was compared between treated and untreated thighs by using the one-sided Wilcoxon signed rank test. With ultrasound focus and MR temperature control plane 0 mm and 10 mm from the bone interface, average target region temperatures were 43.1°C and 43.3°C, respectively; numerically estimated bone temperatures were 46.8°C and 78.1°C. The 10-mm offset resulted in thermal ablation; numerically estimated muscle temperature was 66.1°C at the bone interface. Significant increases in doxorubicin concentration occurred in heated versus unheated marrow (8.2-fold, P = .002) and muscle (16.8-fold, P = .002). Enhancement occurred for 0- and 10-mm offsets, which suggests localized drug delivery in bone is possible with both hyperthermia and thermal ablation. MR imaging-controlled focused ultrasound can achieve localized hyperthermia in bone for image-guided drug delivery in bone with temperature-sensitive drug carriers. © RSNA, 2012.

Virtual Guidance Ultrasound: A Tool to Obtain Diagnostic Ultrasound for Remote Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caine,Timothy L.; Martin David S.; Matz, Timothy; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Stenger, Michael B.; Platts, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Astronauts currently acquire ultrasound images on the International Space Station with the assistance of real-time remote guidance from an ultrasound expert in Mission Control. Remote guidance will not be feasible when significant communication delays exist during exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit. For example, there may be as much as a 20- minute delay in communications between the Earth and Mars. Virtual-guidance, a pre-recorded audio-visual tutorial viewed in real-time, is a viable modality for minimally trained scanners to obtain diagnostically-adequate images of clinically relevant anatomical structures in an autonomous manner. METHODS: Inexperienced ultrasound operators were recruited to perform carotid artery (n = 10) and ophthalmic (n = 9) ultrasound examinations using virtual guidance as their only instructional tool. In the carotid group, each each untrained operator acquired two-dimensional, pulsed, and color Doppler of the carotid artery. In the ophthalmic group, operators acquired representative images of the anterior chamber of the eye, retina, optic nerve, and nerve sheath. Ultrasound image quality was evaluated by independent imaging experts. RESULTS: Eight of the 10 carotid studies were judged to be diagnostically adequate. With one exception the quality of all the ophthalmic images were adequate to excellent. CONCLUSION: Diagnostically-adequate carotid and ophthalmic ultrasound examinations can be obtained by untrained operators with instruction only from an audio/video tutorial viewed in real time while scanning. This form of quick-response-guidance, can be developed for other ultrasound examinations, represents an opportunity to acquire important medical and scientific information for NASA flight surgeons and researchers when trained medical personnel are not present. Further, virtual guidance will allow untrained personnel to autonomously obtain important medical information in remote locations on Earth where communication is

Development of a control algorithm for the ultrasound scanning robot (NCCUSR) using ultrasound image and force feedback.

PubMed

Kim, Yeoun Jae; Seo, Jong Hyun; Kim, Hong Rae; Kim, Kwang Gi

2017-06-01

Clinicians who frequently perform ultrasound scanning procedures often suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, arthritis, and myalgias. To minimize their occurrence and to assist clinicians, ultrasound scanning robots have been developed worldwide. Although, to date, there is still no commercially available ultrasound scanning robot, many control methods have been suggested and researched. These control algorithms are either image based or force based. If the ultrasound scanning robot control algorithm was a combination of the two algorithms, it could benefit from the advantage of each one. However, there are no existing control methods for ultrasound scanning robots that combine force control and image analysis. Therefore, in this work, a control algorithm is developed for an ultrasound scanning robot using force feedback and ultrasound image analysis. A manipulator-type ultrasound scanning robot named 'NCCUSR' is developed and a control algorithm for this robot is suggested and verified. First, conventional hybrid position-force control is implemented for the robot and the hybrid position-force control algorithm is combined with ultrasound image analysis to fully control the robot. The control method is verified using a thyroid phantom. It was found that the proposed algorithm can be applied to control the ultrasound scanning robot and experimental outcomes suggest that the images acquired using the proposed control method can yield a rating score that is equivalent to images acquired directly by the clinicians. The proposed control method can be applied to control the ultrasound scanning robot. However, more work must be completed to verify the proposed control method in order to become clinically feasible. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

TU-EF-210-04: AAPM Task Groups in Interventional Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farahani, K.

The use of therapeutic ultrasound to provide targeted therapy is an active research area that has a broad application scope. The invited talks in this session will address currently implemented strategies and protocols for both hyperthermia and ablation applications using therapeutic ultrasound. The role of both ultrasound and MRI in the monitoring and assessment of these therapies will be explored in both pre-clinical and clinical applications. Katherine Ferrara: High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, Drug Delivery, and Immunotherapy Rajiv Chopra: Translating Localized Doxorubicin Delivery to Pediatric Oncology using MRI-guided HIFU Elisa Konofagou: Real-time Ablation Monitoring and Lesion Quantification using Harmonic Motion Imagingmore » Keyvan Farahani: AAPM Task Groups in Interventional Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy Learning Objectives: Understand the role of ultrasound in localized drug delivery and the effects of immunotherapy when used in conjunction with ultrasound therapy. Understand potential targeted drug delivery clinical applications including pediatric oncology. Understand the technical requirements for performing targeted drug delivery. Understand how radiation-force approaches can be used to both monitor and assess high intensity focused ultrasound ablation therapy. Understand the role of AAPM task groups in ultrasound imaging and therapies. Chopra: Funding from Cancer Prevention and Research Initiative of Texas (CPRIT), Award R1308 Evelyn and M.R. Hudson Foundation; Research Support from Research Contract with Philips Healthcare; COI are Co-founder of FUS Instruments Inc Ferrara: Supported by NIH, UCDavis and California (CIRM and BHCE) Farahani: In-kind research support from Philips Healthcare.« less

Effect of bone-soft tissue friction on ultrasound axial shear strain elastography.

PubMed

Tang, Songyuan; Chaudhry, Anuj; Kim, Namhee; Reddy, J N; Righetti, Raffaella

2017-07-12

Bone-soft tissue friction is an important factor affecting several musculoskeletal disorders, frictional syndromes and the ability of a bone fracture to heal. However, this parameter is difficult to determine using non-invasive imaging modalities, especially in clinical settings. Ultrasound axial shear strain elastography is a non-invasive imaging modality that has been used in the recent past to estimate the bonding between different tissue layers. As most elastography methods, axial shear strain elastography is primarily used in soft tissues. More recently, this technique has been proposed to assess the bone-soft tissue interface. In this paper, we investigate the effect of a variation in bone-soft tissue friction coefficient in the resulting axial shear strain elastograms. Finite element poroelastic models of bone specimens exhibiting different bone-soft tissue friction coefficients were created and mechanically analyzed. These models were then imported to an ultrasound elastography simulation module to assess the presence of axial shear strain patterns. In vitro experiments were performed to corroborate selected simulation results. The results of this study show that the normalized axial shear strain estimated at the bone-soft tissue interface is statistically correlated to the bone-soft tissue coefficient of friction. This information may prove useful to better interpret ultrasound elastography results obtained in bone-related applications and, possibly, monitor bone healing.

Effect of bone-soft tissue friction on ultrasound axial shear strain elastography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Songyuan; Chaudhry, Anuj; Kim, Namhee; Reddy, J. N.; Righetti, Raffaella

2017-08-01

Bone-soft tissue friction is an important factor affecting several musculoskeletal disorders, frictional syndromes and the ability of a bone fracture to heal. However, this parameter is difficult to determine using non-invasive imaging modalities, especially in clinical settings. Ultrasound axial shear strain elastography is a non-invasive imaging modality that has been used in the recent past to estimate the bonding between different tissue layers. As most elastography methods, axial shear strain elastography is primarily used in soft tissues. More recently, this technique has been proposed to assess the bone-soft tissue interface. In this paper, we investigate the effect of a variation in bone-soft tissue friction coefficient in the resulting axial shear strain elastograms. Finite element poroelastic models of bone specimens exhibiting different bone-soft tissue friction coefficients were created and mechanically analyzed. These models were then imported to an ultrasound elastography simulation module to assess the presence of axial shear strain patterns. In vitro experiments were performed to corroborate selected simulation results. The results of this study show that the normalized axial shear strain estimated at the bone-soft tissue interface is statistically correlated to the bone-soft tissue coefficient of friction. This information may prove useful to better interpret ultrasound elastography results obtained in bone-related applications and, possibly, monitor bone healing.

Ultrasound in the Diagnosis & Management of Pleural Effusions

PubMed Central

Soni, Nilam J.; Franco, Ricardo; Velez, Maria I.; Schnobrich, Daniel; Dancel, Ria; Restrepo, Marcos I.; Mayo, Paul H.

2015-01-01

We review the literature on the use of point-of-care ultrasound to evaluate and manage pleural effusions. Point-of-care ultrasound is more sensitive than physical exam and chest radiography to detect and characterize pleural fluid, and avoids many negative aspects of computerized tomography (CT). Additionally, point-of-care ultrasound can be used to assess pleural fluid volume and character, revealing possible underlying pathologies and guiding management. Thoracentesis performed with ultrasound guidance has lower risk of pneumothorax and bleeding complications. Future research should focus on the clinical-effectiveness of point-of-care ultrasound in the routine management of pleural effusions and how new technologies may expand its clinical utility. PMID:26218493

User Interface Developed for Controls/CFD Interdisciplinary Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center, in conjunction with the University of Akron, is developing analytical methods and software tools to create a cross-discipline "bridge" between controls and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technologies. Traditionally, the controls analyst has used simulations based on large lumping techniques to generate low-order linear models convenient for designing propulsion system controls. For complex, high-speed vehicles such as the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT), simulations based on CFD methods are required to capture the relevant flow physics. The use of CFD should also help reduce the development time and costs associated with experimentally tuning the control system. The initial application for this research is the High Speed Civil Transport inlet control problem. A major aspect of this research is the development of a controls/CFD interface for non-CFD experts, to facilitate the interactive operation of CFD simulations and the extraction of reduced-order, time-accurate models from CFD results. A distributed computing approach for implementing the interface is being explored. Software being developed as part of the Integrated CFD and Experiments (ICE) project provides the basis for the operating environment, including run-time displays and information (data base) management. Message-passing software is used to communicate between the ICE system and the CFD simulation, which can reside on distributed, parallel computing systems. Initially, the one-dimensional Large-Perturbation Inlet (LAPIN) code is being used to simulate a High Speed Civil Transport type inlet. LAPIN can model real supersonic inlet features, including bleeds, bypasses, and variable geometry, such as translating or variable-ramp-angle centerbodies. Work is in progress to use parallel versions of the multidimensional NPARC code.

Improving brain computer interface research through user involvement - The transformative potential of integrating civil society organisations in research projects

PubMed Central

Wakunuma, Kutoma; Rainey, Stephen; Hansen, Christian

2017-01-01

Research on Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) often aims to provide solutions for vulnerable populations, such as individuals with diseases, conditions or disabilities that keep them from using traditional interfaces. Such research thereby contributes to the public good. This contribution to the public good corresponds to a broader drive of research and funding policy that focuses on promoting beneficial societal impact. One way of achieving this is to engage with the public. In practical terms this can be done by integrating civil society organisations (CSOs) in research. The open question at the heart of this paper is whether and how such CSO integration can transform the research and contribute to the public good. To answer this question the paper describes five detailed qualitative case studies of research projects including CSOs. The paper finds that transformative impact of CSO integration is possible but by no means assured. It provides recommendations on how transformative impact can be promoted. PMID:28207882

Ethics in published brain-computer interface research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Specker Sullivan, L.; Illes, J.

2018-02-01

Objective. Sophisticated signal processing has opened the doors to more research with human subjects than ever before. The increase in the use of human subjects in research comes with a need for increased human subjects protections. Approach. We quantified the presence or absence of ethics language in published reports of brain-computer interface (BCI) studies that involved human subjects and qualitatively characterized ethics statements. Main results. Reports of BCI studies with human subjects that are published in neural engineering and engineering journals are anchored in the rationale of technological improvement. Ethics language is markedly absent, omitted from 31% of studies published in neural engineering journals and 59% of studies in biomedical engineering journals. Significance. As the integration of technological tools with the capacities of the mind deepens, explicit attention to ethical issues will ensure that broad human benefit is embraced and not eclipsed by technological exclusiveness.

Ultrasonic transmission at solid-liquid interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wadley, Haydn N. G.; Queheillalt, Douglas T.; Lu, Yichi

1996-11-01

New non-invasive solid-liquid interface sensing technologies are a key element in the development of improved Bridman growth techniques for synthesizing single crystal semiconductor materials. Laser generated and optically detect ultrasonic techniques have the potential to satisfy this need. Using an anisotropic 3D ray tracing methodology combined with elastic constant data measured near the melting point, ultrasonic propagation in cylindrical single crystal bodies containing either a convex, flat, or concave solid-liquid interface has been simulated. Ray paths, wavefronts and the time-of-flight (TOF) of rays that travel from a source to an arbitrarily positioned receiver have all been calculated. Experimentally measured TOF data have been collected using laser generated, optically detected ultrasound on model systems with independently known interface shapes. Both numerically simulated and experimental data have shown that the solidification region can be easily identified from transmission TOF measurements because the velocity of the liquid is much smaller than that of the solid. Since convex and concave solid-liquid interfaces result in distinctively different TOF data profiles, the interface shape can also be readily determined from the TOF data. When TOF data collected in the diametral plane is used in conjunction with a nonlinear least squares algorithm, the interface geometry has been successfully reconstructed and ultrasonic velocities of both the solid and liquid obtained with reconstruction errors less than 5 percent.

Non-invasive transmission of sensorimotor information in humans using an EEG/focused ultrasound brain-to-brain interface

PubMed Central

Lee, Wonhye; Kim, Suji; Kim, Byeongnam; Lee, Chungki; Chung, Yong An; Kim, Laehyun; Yoo, Seung-Schik

2017-01-01

We present non-invasive means that detect unilateral hand motor brain activity from one individual and subsequently stimulate the somatosensory area of another individual, thus, enabling the remote hemispheric link between each brain hemisphere in humans. Healthy participants were paired as a sender and a receiver. A sender performed a motor imagery task of either right or left hand, and associated changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) mu rhythm (8–10 Hz) originating from either hemisphere were programmed to move a computer cursor to a target that appeared in either left or right of the computer screen. When the cursor reaches its target, the outcome was transmitted to another computer over the internet, and actuated the focused ultrasound (FUS) devices that selectively and non-invasively stimulated either the right or left hand somatosensory area of the receiver. Small FUS transducers effectively allowed for the independent administration of stimulatory ultrasonic waves to somatosensory areas. The stimulation elicited unilateral tactile sensation of the hand from the receiver, thus establishing the hemispheric brain-to-brain interface (BBI). Although there was a degree of variability in task accuracy, six pairs of volunteers performed the BBI task in high accuracy, transferring approximately eight commands per minute. Linkage between the hemispheric brain activities among individuals suggests the possibility for expansion of the information bandwidth in the context of BBI. PMID:28598972

Results of vardenafil mediated power Doppler ultrasound, contrast enhanced ultrasound and systematic random biopsies to detect prostate cancer.

PubMed

Morelli, Girolamo; Pagni, Riccardo; Mariani, Chiara; Minervini, Riccardo; Morelli, Andrea; Gori, Francesco; Ferdeghini, Ezio Maria; Paterni, Marco; Mauro, Eva; Guidi, Elisa; Armillotta, Nicola; Canale, Domenico; Vitti, Paolo; Caramella, Davide; Minervini, Andrea

2011-06-01

We evaluated the ability of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor vardenafil to increase prostate microcirculation during power Doppler ultrasound. We also evaluated the results of contrast and vardenafil enhanced targeted biopsies compared to those of standard 12-core random biopsies to detect cancer. Between May 2008 and January 2010, 150 consecutive patients with prostate specific antigen more than 4 ng/ml at first diagnosis with negative digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound, and no clinical history of prostatitis underwent contrast enhanced power Doppler ultrasound (bolus injection of 2.4 ml SonoVue® contrast agent), followed by vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound (1 hour after oral administration of vardenafil 20 mg). All patients underwent standard 12-core transrectal ultrasound guided random prostate biopsy plus 1 further sampling from each suspected hypervascular lesion detected by contrast and vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound. Prostate cancer was detected in 44 patients (29.3%). Contrast and vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound detected suspicious, contrast enhanced and vardenafil enhanced areas in 112 (74.6%) and 110 patients (73.3%), and was diagnostic for cancer in 32 (28.5%) and 42 (38%), respectively. Analysis of standard technique, and contrast and vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound findings by biopsy core showed significantly higher detection using vardenafil vs contrast enhanced power Doppler ultrasound and standard technique (41.2% vs 22.7% and 8.1%, p <0.005 and <0.001, respectively). The detection rate of standard plus contrast or vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound was 10% and 11.7% (p not significant). Vardenafil enhanced power Doppler ultrasound enables excellent visualization of the microvasculature associated with cancer and can improve the detection rate compared to contrast enhanced power Doppler ultrasound and the random technique. Copyright © 2011 American Urological

MATLAB/Simulink Pulse-Echo Ultrasound System Simulator Based on Experimentally Validated Models.

PubMed

Kim, Taehoon; Shin, Sangmin; Lee, Hyongmin; Lee, Hyunsook; Kim, Heewon; Shin, Eunhee; Kim, Suhwan

2016-02-01

A flexible clinical ultrasound system must operate with different transducers, which have characteristic impulse responses and widely varying impedances. The impulse response determines the shape of the high-voltage pulse that is transmitted and the specifications of the front-end electronics that receive the echo; the impedance determines the specification of the matching network through which the transducer is connected. System-level optimization of these subsystems requires accurate modeling of pulse-echo (two-way) response, which in turn demands a unified simulation of the ultrasonics and electronics. In this paper, this is realized by combining MATLAB/Simulink models of the high-voltage transmitter, the transmission interface, the acoustic subsystem which includes wave propagation and reflection, the receiving interface, and the front-end receiver. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our simulator, the models are experimentally validated by comparing the simulation results with the measured data from a commercial ultrasound system. This simulator could be used to quickly provide system-level feedback for an optimized tuning of electronic design parameters.

PLUS: open-source toolkit for ultrasound-guided intervention systems.

PubMed

Lasso, Andras; Heffter, Tamas; Rankin, Adam; Pinter, Csaba; Ungi, Tamas; Fichtinger, Gabor

2014-10-01

A variety of advanced image analysis methods have been under the development for ultrasound-guided interventions. Unfortunately, the transition from an image analysis algorithm to clinical feasibility trials as part of an intervention system requires integration of many components, such as imaging and tracking devices, data processing algorithms, and visualization software. The objective of our paper is to provide a freely available open-source software platform-PLUS: Public software Library for Ultrasound-to facilitate rapid prototyping of ultrasound-guided intervention systems for translational clinical research. PLUS provides a variety of methods for interventional tool pose and ultrasound image acquisition from a wide range of tracking and imaging devices, spatial and temporal calibration, volume reconstruction, simulated image generation, and recording and live streaming of the acquired data. This paper introduces PLUS, explains its functionality and architecture, and presents typical uses and performance in ultrasound-guided intervention systems. PLUS fulfills the essential requirements for the development of ultrasound-guided intervention systems and it aspires to become a widely used translational research prototyping platform. PLUS is freely available as open source software under BSD license and can be downloaded from http://www.plustoolkit.org.

GPU-Based Simulation of Ultrasound Imaging Artifacts for Cryosurgery Training.

PubMed

Keelan, Robert; Shimada, Kenji; Rabin, Yoed

2017-02-01

This study presents an efficient computational technique for the simulation of ultrasound imaging artifacts associated with cryosurgery based on nonlinear ray tracing. This study is part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, with prostate cryosurgery as a development model. The capability of performing virtual cryosurgical procedures on a variety of test cases is essential for effective surgical training. Simulated ultrasound imaging artifacts include reverberation and reflection of the cryoprobes in the unfrozen tissue, reflections caused by the freezing front, shadowing caused by the frozen region, and tissue property changes in repeated freeze-thaw cycles procedures. The simulated artifacts appear to preserve the key features observed in a clinical setting. This study displays an example of how training may benefit from toggling between the undisturbed ultrasound image, the simulated temperature field, the simulated imaging artifacts, and an augmented hybrid presentation of the temperature field superimposed on the ultrasound image. The proposed method is demonstrated on a graphic processing unit at 100 frames per second, on a mid-range personal workstation, at two orders of magnitude faster than a typical cryoprocedure. This performance is based on computation with C++ accelerated massive parallelism and its interoperability with the DirectX-rendering application programming interface.

GPU-Based Simulation of Ultrasound Imaging Artifacts for Cryosurgery Training

PubMed Central

Keelan, Robert; Shimada, Kenji

2016-01-01

This study presents an efficient computational technique for the simulation of ultrasound imaging artifacts associated with cryosurgery based on nonlinear ray tracing. This study is part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, with prostate cryosurgery as a development model. The capability of performing virtual cryosurgical procedures on a variety of test cases is essential for effective surgical training. Simulated ultrasound imaging artifacts include reverberation and reflection of the cryoprobes in the unfrozen tissue, reflections caused by the freezing front, shadowing caused by the frozen region, and tissue property changes in repeated freeze–thaw cycles procedures. The simulated artifacts appear to preserve the key features observed in a clinical setting. This study displays an example of how training may benefit from toggling between the undisturbed ultrasound image, the simulated temperature field, the simulated imaging artifacts, and an augmented hybrid presentation of the temperature field superimposed on the ultrasound image. The proposed method is demonstrated on a graphic processing unit at 100 frames per second, on a mid-range personal workstation, at two orders of magnitude faster than a typical cryoprocedure. This performance is based on computation with C++ accelerated massive parallelism and its interoperability with the DirectX-rendering application programming interface. PMID:26818026

Alternative Ultrasound Gel for a Sustainable Ultrasound Program: Application of Human Centered Design.

PubMed

Salmon, Margaret; Salmon, Christian; Bissinger, Alexa; Muller, Mundenga Mutendi; Gebreyesus, Alegnta; Geremew, Haimanot; Wendel, Sarah K; Wendell, Sarah; Azaza, Aklilu; Salumu, Maurice; Benfield, Nerys

2015-01-01

This paper describes design of a low cost, ultrasound gel from local products applying aspects of Human Centered Design methodology. A multidisciplinary team worked with clinicians who use ultrasound where commercial gel is cost prohibitive and scarce. The team followed the format outlined in the Ideo Took Kit. Research began by defining the challenge "how to create locally available alternative ultrasound gel for a low-resourced environment? The "End-Users," were identified as clinicians who use ultrasound in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia. An expert group was identified and queried for possible alternatives to commercial gel. Responses included shampoo, oils, water and cornstarch. Cornstarch, while a reasonable solution, was either not available or too expensive. We then sought deeper knowledge of locally sources materials from local experts, market vendors, to develop a similar product. Suggested solutions gleaned from these interviews were collected and used to create ultrasound gel accounting for cost, image quality, manufacturing capability. Initial prototypes used cassava root flour from Great Lakes Region (DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania) and West Africa, and bula from Ethiopia. Prototypes were tested in the field and resulting images evaluated by our user group. A final prototype was then selected. Cassava and bula at a 32 part water, 8 part flour and 4 part salt, heated, mixed then cooled was the product design of choice.

Dynamic consent: a patient interface for twenty-first century research networks

PubMed Central

Kaye, Jane; Whitley, Edgar A; Lund, David; Morrison, Michael; Teare, Harriet; Melham, Karen

2015-01-01

Biomedical research is being transformed through the application of information technologies that allow ever greater amounts of data to be shared on an unprecedented scale. However, the methods for involving participants have not kept pace with changes in research capability. In an era when information is shared digitally at the global level, mechanisms of informed consent remain static, paper-based and organised around national boundaries and legal frameworks. Dynamic consent (DC) is both a specific project and a wider concept that offers a new approach to consent; one designed to meet the needs of the twenty-first century research landscape. At the heart of DC is a personalised, digital communication interface that connects researchers and participants, placing participants at the heart of decision making. The interface facilitates two-way communication to stimulate a more engaged, informed and scientifically literate participant population where individuals can tailor and manage their own consent preferences. The technical architecture of DC includes components that can securely encrypt sensitive data and allow participant consent preferences to travel with their data and samples when they are shared with third parties. In addition to improving transparency and public trust, this system benefits researchers by streamlining recruitment and enabling more efficient participant recontact. DC has mainly been developed in biobanking contexts, but it also has potential application in other domains for a variety of purposes. PMID:24801761

Multiparametric ultrasound in the detection of prostate cancer: a systematic review.

PubMed

Postema, Arnoud; Mischi, Massimo; de la Rosette, Jean; Wijkstra, Hessel

2015-11-01

To investigate the advances and clinical results of the different ultrasound modalities and the progress in combining them into multiparametric UltraSound (mpUS). A systematic literature search on mpUS and the different ultrasound modalities included: greyscale ultrasound, computerized transrectal ultrasound, Doppler and power Doppler techniques, dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound and (shear wave) elastography. Limited research available on combining ultrasound modalities has presented improvement in diagnostic performance. The data of two studies suggest that even adding a lower performing ultrasound modality to a better performing modality using crude methods can already improve the sensitivity by 13-51 %. The different modalities detect different tumours. No study has tried to combine ultrasound modalities employing a system similar to the PIRADS system used for mpMRI or more advanced classifying algorithms. Available evidence confirms that combining different ultrasound modalities significantly improves diagnostic performance.

Picture perfect: benefits and risk of fetal 3D ultrasound.

PubMed

Wiseman, Claudia S; Kiehl, Ermalynn M

2007-01-01

The purpose of this literature review was to survey available information and research related to routine three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound technology in obstetrics, with an emphasis on current medical uses, safety, and availability issues. Several data bases, including Cochrane, WHO, NIH, CINALH, Blackwell Synergy, ERIC, PubMed, and Medline, were used along with information from Internet search engines. Although fetal 3D ultrasound is used in both medical and commercial settings, recent studies focus on its possible uses rather than the more difficult issues of safety and commercial applications. Professional organizations associated with ultrasound technology support limiting ultrasounds in pregnancy to medically necessary events, whereas commercial venues use "direct to consumer" marketing to promote this technology as a way to "see" the baby before it is born. How safe is routine or frequent use of 3D ultrasound? Further research is needed to address these important questions.

[Development of studies on bioeffects of ultrasound-acupuncture therapy and its underlying mechanism].

PubMed

Yang, Yu-Hua; Zhang, Di; Sa, Zhe-Yan; Huang, Meng; Ding, Guang-Hong

2012-08-01

The so-called ultrasound acupuncture is a therapeutic approach for clinical problems and health care by applying the ultrasound energy to the acupoints of the human body directly or indirectly. It has been applied in clinic for about 30 years since 1980s. In the present paper, the authors review the development of both experimental and clinical researches in the past 30 years. Its clinical application includes allergic rhinitis, local pain, mastitis, angina pectoris of coronary heart disease, stroke, etc. Regarding the researches on the underlying mechanism of ultrasound and ultrasound acupuncture, the authors make a summary from 1) bioeffects (thermal and nonthermal effects) of ultrasound intervention; 2) cell lysis and nonlysis effects of ultrasound intervention; and 3) effects of ultrasound acupuncture on the degranulation of mast cells. Based on the idea that "inflammatory reaction caused by mast cell degranulation is one of the initial factors of acupuncture for inducing therapeutic effects", bioeffects including cellular changes, especially mast cell degranulation caused by ultrasound stimulation, are thought to be the main possible mechanisms underlying the favorable efficacy of ultrasound acupuncture intervention. However, the ultrasound metrology and the specific superiority of ultrasound acupuncture remain unknown up to now.

Robot-assisted ultrasound imaging: overview and development of a parallel telerobotic system.

PubMed

Monfaredi, Reza; Wilson, Emmanuel; Azizi Koutenaei, Bamshad; Labrecque, Brendan; Leroy, Kristen; Goldie, James; Louis, Eric; Swerdlow, Daniel; Cleary, Kevin

2015-02-01

Ultrasound imaging is frequently used in medicine. The quality of ultrasound images is often dependent on the skill of the sonographer. Several researchers have proposed robotic systems to aid in ultrasound image acquisition. In this paper we first provide a short overview of robot-assisted ultrasound imaging (US). We categorize robot-assisted US imaging systems into three approaches: autonomous US imaging, teleoperated US imaging, and human-robot cooperation. For each approach several systems are introduced and briefly discussed. We then describe a compact six degree of freedom parallel mechanism telerobotic system for ultrasound imaging developed by our research team. The long-term goal of this work is to enable remote ultrasound scanning through teleoperation. This parallel mechanism allows for both translation and rotation of an ultrasound probe mounted on the top plate along with force control. Our experimental results confirmed good mechanical system performance with a positioning error of < 1 mm. Phantom experiments by a radiologist showed promising results with good image quality.

Ultrasound - Breast

MedlinePlus

... the patient. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of ... perform an ultrasound-guided biopsy . Because ultrasound provides real-time images, it is often used to guide biopsy ...

Obstetric Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Nicholson, Stuart F.; Nimrod, Carl A.

1988-01-01

This article addresses the current indications for an obstetric ultrasound and describes the findings that it is reasonable to expect when reading an ultrasound report. The authors discuss several common obstetrical problems focussing the attention on the usefulness of the imaging information. Finally, they provide a glimpse into the future direction of obstetric ultrasound by discussing vaginal scanning, Doppler assessment of fetal blood flow, and routine ultrasound in pregnancy. PMID:21253229

Enzymolysis kinetics and structural characteristics of rice protein with energy-gathered ultrasound and ultrasound assisted alkali pretreatments.

PubMed

Li, Suyun; Yang, Xue; Zhang, Yanyan; Ma, Haile; Qu, Wenjuan; Ye, Xiaofei; Muatasim, Rahma; Oladejo, Ayobami Olayemi

2016-07-01

This research investigated the structural characteristics and enzymolysis kinetics of rice protein which was pretreated by energy-gathered ultrasound and ultrasound assisted alkali. The structural characteristics of rice protein before and after the pretreatment were performed with surface hydrophobicity and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). There was an increase in the intensity of fluorescence spectrum and changes in functional groups after the pretreatment on rice protein compared with the control (without ultrasound and ultrasound assisted alkali processed), thus significantly enhancing efficiency of the enzymatic hydrolysis. A simplified kinetic equation for the enzymolysis model with the impeded reaction of enzyme was deduced to successfully describe the enzymatic hydrolysis of rice protein by different pretreatments. The initial observed rate constants (Kin,0) as well as ineffective coefficients (kimp) were proposed and obtained based on the experimental observation. The results showed that the parameter of kin,0 increased after ultrasound and ultrasound assisted alkali pretreatments, which proved the effects of the pretreatments on the substrate enhancing the enzymolysis process and had relation to the structure changes of the pretreatments on the substrate. Furthermore, the applicability of the simplified model was demonstrated by the enzymatic hydrolysis process for other materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound in athletes: emerging techniques in point-of-care practice.

PubMed

Yim, Eugene S; Corrado, Gianmichel

2012-01-01

Ultrasound offers sports medicine clinicians the potential to diagnose, treat, and manage a broad spectrum of conditions afflicting athletes. This review article highlights applications of ultrasound that hold promise as point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutic tools that can be used directly by clinicians to direct real-time management of athletes. Point-of-care ultrasound has been examined most in the context of musculoskeletal disorders in athletes, with attention given to Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, hip and thigh pathology, elbow tendinopathy, wrist pathology, and shoulder pain. More research has focused on therapeutic applications than diagnostic, but initial evidence has been generated in both. Preliminary evidence has been published also on abdominal ultrasound for splenic enlargement in mononucleosis, cardiopulmonary processes and hydration status, deep vein thrombosis, and bone mineral density. Further research will be required to validate these applications and to explore further applications of portable ultrasound that can be used in the care of athletes.

A brief history of ultrasound in rheumatology: where we were.

PubMed

Grassi, Walter; Filippucci, Emilio

2014-01-01

Ultrasonography in the '70s was a well-known and widely used method within several medical specialties but not in rheumatology. Initial development of the field was led by radiologists who mainly investigated the potential of ultrasound in the assessment of large joints. In the late '80s, the first studies supporting the role of ultrasound in the detection of soft tissue changes and bone erosions in the hands of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were published. In the '90s, the dramatic improvement of spatial resolution due to the new generation high frequency probes opened up new avenues for the exploration of otherwise undetectable anatomical details. Ultrasound research during this period was enhanced by the growing use of colour Doppler and power Doppler and by the first prototypes of three dimensional ultrasound. Over the last 10 years, the buzz words in ultrasound research in rheumatology have been standardisation, early diagnosis and therapy monitoring.

Towards Wearable A-Mode Ultrasound Sensing for Real-Time Finger Motion Recognition.

PubMed

Yang, Xingchen; Sun, Xueli; Zhou, Dalin; Li, Yuefeng; Liu, Honghai

2018-06-01

It is evident that surface electromyography (sEMG) based human-machine interfaces (HMI) have inherent difficulty in predicting dexterous musculoskeletal movements such as finger motions. This paper is an attempt to investigate a plausible alternative to sEMG, ultrasound-driven HMI, for dexterous motion recognition due to its characteristic of detecting morphological changes of deep muscles and tendons. A multi-channel A-mode ultrasound lightweight device is adopted to evaluate the performance of finger motion recognition; an experiment is designed for both widely acceptable offline and online algorithms with eight able-bodied subjects employed. The experiment result presents that the offline recognition accuracy is up to 98.83% ± 0.79%. The real-time motion completion rate is 95.4% ± 8.7% and online motion selection time is 0.243 ± 0.127 s. The outcomes confirm the feasibility of A-mode ultrasound based wearable HMI and its prosperous applications in prosthetic devices, virtual reality, and remote manipulation.

Studies on the foundation and development of diagnostic ultrasound

PubMed Central

Wagai, Toshio

2007-01-01

In recent years, various types of diagnostic imaging methods, such as CT, MRI, PET and Ultrasound, have been developed rapidly and become indispensable as clinical diagnostic tools. Among these imaging modalities, CT, MRI and PET all apply electromagnetic waves like radiation rays. In contrast, an ultrasound imaging method uses a completely different mechanical pressure wave: “sound”. Ultrasound has various features, including inaudible sound at very high frequencies, which allows its use in medical diagnoses. That is, ultrasound techniques can be applied in transmission, reflection and Doppler methods. Moreover, the sharp directivity of an ultrasound beam can also improve image resolution. Another big advantage of diagnostic ultrasound is that it does not harm the human body or cause any pain to patients. Given these various advantages, diagnostic ultrasound has recently been widely used in diagnosing cancer and cardiovascular disease and scanning fetuses (Fig. 1) as well as routine clinical examinations in hospitals. In this paper, I outline my almost 50-year history of diagnostic ultrasound research, particularly that performed at the early stage from 1950–56. PMID:24367150

Musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology in Korea: targeted ultrasound initiative survey.

PubMed

Kang, Taeyoung; Wakefield, Richard J; Emery, Paul

2016-04-01

In collaboration with the Targeted Ultrasound Initiative (TUI), to conduct the first study in Korea to investigate current practices in ultrasound use among Korean rheumatologists. We translated the TUI Global Survey into Korean and added questions to better understand the specific challenges facing rheumatologists in Korea. To target as many rheumatologists in Korea as possible, we created an on-line version of this survey, which was conducted from March to April 2013. Rheumatologists are in charge of ultrasound in many Korean hospitals. Rheumatologists in hospitals and private clinics use ultrasound to examine between one and five patients daily; they use ultrasound for diagnosis more than monitoring and receive compensation of about US$30-50 per patient. There are marked differences in the rates of ultrasound usage between rheumatologists who work in private practice compared with tertiary hospitals. Korean rheumatologists not currently using ultrasound in their practice appear eager to do so. This survey provides important insights into the current status of ultrasound in rheumatology in Korea and highlights several priorities; specifically, greater provision of formal training, standardization of reporting and accrual of greater experience among ultrasound users. If these needs are addressed, all rheumatology departments in Korea are likely to use ultrasound or have access to it in the future. © 2014 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Visualizing ultrasound through computational modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, Theresa W.

2004-01-01

The Doppler Ultrasound Hematocrit Project (DHP) hopes to find non-invasive methods of determining a person s blood characteristics. Because of the limits of microgravity and the space travel environment, it is important to find non-invasive methods of evaluating the health of persons in space. Presently, there is no well developed method of determining blood composition non-invasively. This projects hopes to use ultrasound and Doppler signals to evaluate the characteristic of hematocrit, the percentage by volume of red blood cells within whole blood. These non-invasive techniques may also be developed to be used on earth for trauma patients where invasive measure might be detrimental. Computational modeling is a useful tool for collecting preliminary information and predictions for the laboratory research. We hope to find and develop a computer program that will be able to simulate the ultrasound signals the project will work with. Simulated models of test conditions will more easily show what might be expected from laboratory results thus help the research group make informed decisions before and during experimentation. There are several existing Matlab based computer programs available, designed to interpret and simulate ultrasound signals. These programs will be evaluated to find which is best suited for the project needs. The criteria of evaluation that will be used are 1) the program must be able to specify transducer properties and specify transmitting and receiving signals, 2) the program must be able to simulate ultrasound signals through different attenuating mediums, 3) the program must be able to process moving targets in order to simulate the Doppler effects that are associated with blood flow, 4) the program should be user friendly and adaptable to various models. After a computer program is chosen, two simulation models will be constructed. These models will simulate and interpret an RF data signal and a Doppler signal.

Philosophical Challenges for Researchers at the Interface between Neuroscience and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard-Jones, Paul

2008-01-01

This article examines how discussions around the new interdisciplinary research area combining neuroscience and education have brought into sharp relief differences in the philosophies of learning in these two areas. It considers the difficulties faced by those working at the interface between these two areas and, in particular, it focuses on the…

Cavitation and contrast: the use of bubbles in ultrasound imaging and therapy.

PubMed

Stride, E P; Coussios, C C

2010-01-01

Microbubbles and cavitation are playing an increasingly significant role in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications of ultrasound. Microbubble ultrasound contrast agents have been in clinical use now for more than two decades, stimulating the development of a range of new contrast-specific imaging techniques which offer substantial benefits in echocardiography, microcirculatory imaging, and more recently, quantitative and molecular imaging. In drug delivery and gene therapy, microbubbles are being investigated/developed as vehicles which can be loaded with the required therapeutic agent, traced to the target site using diagnostic ultrasound, and then destroyed with ultrasound of higher intensity energy burst to release the material locally, thus avoiding side effects associated with systemic administration, e.g. of toxic chemotherapy. It has moreover been shown that the motion of the microbubbles increases the permeability of both individual cell membranes and the endothelium, thus enhancing therapeutic uptake, and can locally increase the activity of drugs by enhancing their transport across biologically inaccessible interfaces such as blood clots or solid tumours. In high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgery and lithotripsy, controlled cavitation is being investigated as a means of increasing the speed and efficacy of the treatment. The aim of this paper is both to describe the key features of the physical behaviour of acoustically driven bubbles which underlie their effectiveness in biomedical applications and to review the current state of the art.

Increased Anatomical Specificity of Neuromodulation via Modulated Focused Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Mehić, Edin; Xu, Julia M.; Caler, Connor J.; Coulson, Nathaniel K.; Moritz, Chet T.; Mourad, Pierre D.

2014-01-01

Transcranial ultrasound can alter brain function transiently and nondestructively, offering a new tool to study brain function now and inform future therapies. Previous research on neuromodulation implemented pulsed low-frequency (250–700 kHz) ultrasound with spatial peak temporal average intensities (ISPTA) of 0.1–10 W/cm2. That work used transducers that either insonified relatively large volumes of mouse brain (several mL) with relatively low-frequency ultrasound and produced bilateral motor responses, or relatively small volumes of brain (on the order of 0.06 mL) with relatively high-frequency ultrasound that produced unilateral motor responses. This study seeks to increase anatomical specificity to neuromodulation with modulated focused ultrasound (mFU). Here, ‘modulated’ means modifying a focused 2-MHz carrier signal dynamically with a 500-kHz signal as in vibro-acoustography, thereby creating a low-frequency but small volume (approximately 0.015 mL) source of neuromodulation. Application of transcranial mFU to lightly anesthetized mice produced various motor movements with high spatial selectivity (on the order of 1 mm) that scaled with the temporal average ultrasound intensity. Alone, mFU and focused ultrasound (FUS) each induced motor activity, including unilateral motions, though anatomical location and type of motion varied. Future work should include larger animal models to determine the relative efficacy of mFU versus FUS. Other studies should determine the biophysical processes through which they act. Also of interest is exploration of the potential research and clinical applications for targeted, transcranial neuromodulation created by modulated focused ultrasound, especially mFU’s ability to produce compact sources of ultrasound at the very low frequencies (10–100s of Hertz) that are commensurate with the natural frequencies of the brain. PMID:24504255

Integrated medical school ultrasound: development of an ultrasound vertical curriculum.

PubMed

Bahner, David P; Adkins, Eric J; Hughes, Daralee; Barrie, Michael; Boulger, Creagh T; Royall, Nelson A

2013-07-02

Physician-performed focused ultrasonography is a rapidly growing field with numerous clinical applications. Focused ultrasound is a clinically useful tool with relevant applications across most specialties. Ultrasound technology has outpaced the education, necessitating an early introduction to the technology within the medical education system. There are many challenges to integrating ultrasound into medical education including identifying appropriately trained faculty, access to adequate resources, and appropriate integration into existing medical education curricula. As focused ultrasonography increasingly penetrates academic and community practices, access to ultrasound equipment and trained faculty is improving. However, there has remained the major challenge of determining at which level is integrating ultrasound training within the medical training paradigm most appropriate. The Ohio State University College of Medicine has developed a novel vertical curriculum for focused ultrasonography which is concordant with the 4-year medical school curriculum. Given current evidenced-based practices, a curriculum was developed which provides medical students an exposure in focused ultrasonography. The curriculum utilizes focused ultrasonography as a teaching aid for students to gain a more thorough understanding of basic and clinical science within the medical school curriculum. The objectives of the course are to develop student understanding in indications for use, acquisition of images, interpretation of an ultrasound examination, and appropriate decision-making of ultrasound findings. Preliminary data indicate that a vertical ultrasound curriculum is a feasible and effective means of teaching focused ultrasonography. The foreseeable limitations include faculty skill level and training, initial cost of equipment, and incorporating additional information into an already saturated medical school curriculum. Focused ultrasonography is an evolving concept in medicine

[Apple-Macintosh compatible software for documentation, management and evaluation of ultrasound findings in obstetrics].

PubMed

Kurmanavicius, J; Huch, R; Huch, A

1993-02-01

The advantage of using a computer to automate routine calculations and print out charts of the obstetrical ultrasound examination is obvious. This report describes a software designed to simplify the documentation and analysis of ultrasound data in obstetrics. The system is easy to use, even for persons with little computer knowledge. The programme was written in FoxBase+/Mac (Fox Software, Inc., USA). FoxBase+/Mac takes full advantage of the easy-to-learn, easy-to-use Macintosh interface and is also very fast. Another advantage of this software is that it can be used in teaching. Non-experienced examinators can double-check the correctness of their scanning planes by observing the ultrasound pictures with the markers indicating the right measurement sites and the lists of standard values of biometrical parameters for the corresponding gestational age on the screen. In routine obstetrical ultrasound examinations it takes less than 5 min to enter the foetal biometry data and print out reports. These reports are informative and easy to interpret.

Transdisciplinary research in theatrical literature through technological integration and interfacing information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pop, P. P.; Pop-Vădean, A.; Barz, C.; Latinovic, T.

2016-08-01

This paper aims to address more confident mathematical laws to explain a literary phenomenon. For this we studied the play "O scrisoare pierduta (Lost Letter)" written by Ion Luca Caragiale, in order to establish some connection between the characters but also to show certain aspects hidden by the author under the personality of the characters. We use transdisciplinary research to get from measurements and calculations results who will demonstrate objective of the proposed research. The challenge is to find those favorite characters by the author. Information and communications technology is a tool for research that will integrate this knowledge for modeling and interfacing.

Combined Ultrasound and MR Imaging to Guide Focused Ultrasound Therapies in the Brain

PubMed Central

Arvanitis, Costas D.; Livingstone, Margaret S.; McDannold, Nathan

2013-01-01

Purpose Several emerging therapies with potential for use in the brain harness effects produced by acoustic cavitation – the interaction between ultrasound and microbubbles either generated during sonication or introduced into the vasculature. Systems developed for transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thermal ablation can enable their clinical translation, but methods for real-time monitoring and control are currently lacking. Acoustic emissions produced during sonication can provide information about the location, strength, and type of the microbubble oscillations within the ultrasound field, and they can be mapped in real-time using passive imaging approaches. Here, we tested whether such mapping can be achieved transcranially within a clinical brain MRgFUS system. Materials and Methods We integrated an ultrasound imaging array into the hemisphere transducer of the MRgFUS device. Passive cavitation maps were obtained during sonications combined with a circulating microbubble agent at 20 targets in the cingulate cortex in three macaques. The maps were compared with MRI-evident tissue effects. Results The system successfully mapped microbubble activity during both stable and inertial cavitation, which was correlated with MRI-evident transient blood-brain barrier disruption and vascular damage, respectively. The location of this activity was coincident with the resulting tissue changes within the expected resolution limits of the system. Conclusion While preliminary, these data clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that is possible to construct maps of stable and inertial cavitation transcranially, in a large animal model, and under clinically relevant conditions. Further, these results suggest that this hybrid ultrasound/MRI approach can provide comprehensive guidance for targeted drug delivery via blood-brain barrier disruption and other emerging ultrasound treatments, facilitating their clinical translation. We anticipate it will also prove to

Combined ultrasound and MR imaging to guide focused ultrasound therapies in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvanitis, Costas D.; Livingstone, Margaret S.; McDannold, Nathan

2013-07-01

Several emerging therapies with potential for use in the brain, harness effects produced by acoustic cavitation—the interaction between ultrasound and microbubbles either generated during sonication or introduced into the vasculature. Systems developed for transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thermal ablation can enable their clinical translation, but methods for real-time monitoring and control are currently lacking. Acoustic emissions produced during sonication can provide information about the location, strength and type of the microbubble oscillations within the ultrasound field, and they can be mapped in real-time using passive imaging approaches. Here, we tested whether such mapping can be achieved transcranially within a clinical brain MRgFUS system. We integrated an ultrasound imaging array into the hemisphere transducer of the MRgFUS device. Passive cavitation maps were obtained during sonications combined with a circulating microbubble agent at 20 targets in the cingulate cortex in three macaques. The maps were compared with MRI-evident tissue effects. The system successfully mapped microbubble activity during both stable and inertial cavitation, which was correlated with MRI-evident transient blood-brain barrier disruption and vascular damage, respectively. The location of this activity was coincident with the resulting tissue changes within the expected resolution limits of the system. While preliminary, these data clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that it is possible to construct maps of stable and inertial cavitation transcranially, in a large animal model, and under clinically relevant conditions. Further, these results suggest that this hybrid ultrasound/MRI approach can provide comprehensive guidance for targeted drug delivery via blood-brain barrier disruption and other emerging ultrasound treatments, facilitating their clinical translation. We anticipate that it will also prove to be an important research tool that will

Transient thermal driven bubble's surface and its potential ultrasound-induced damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Movahed, Pooya; Freund, Jonathan B.

2017-11-01

Ultrasound-induced bubble activity in soft tissues is well-known to be a potential injury mechanism in therapeutic ultrasound treatments. We consider damage by transient thermal effects, including a hypothetical mechanism based on transient thermal phenomena, including viscous dissipation. A spherically symmetric compressible Navier-Stokes discretization is developed to solve the full governing equations, both inside and outside of the bubble, without the usual simplifications in the Rayleigh-Plesset bubble dynamics approach. Equations are solved in the Lagrangian framework, which provides a sharp and accurate representation of the interface as well as the viscous dissipation and thermal transport effects, which preclude reduction to the usual Rayleigh-Plesset ordinary differential equation. This method is used to study transient thermal effects at different frequencies and pressure amplitudes relevant to therapeutic ultrasound treatments. High temperatures achieved in the surrounding medium during the violent bubble collapse phase due to the viscous dissipation in the surrounding medium and thermal conduction from the bubble are expected to cause damage. This work was supported by NIH NIDDK Grant P01-DK043881.

Tissue Bioeffects during Ultrasound-mediated Drug Delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Jonathan

Ultrasound has been developed as both a valuable diagnostic tool and a potent promoter of beneficial tissue bioeffects for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Vascular effects can be mediated by mechanical oscillations of circulating microbubbles, or ultrasound contrast agents, which may also encapsulate and shield a therapeutic agent in the bloodstream. Oscillating microbubbles can create stresses directly on nearby tissue or induce fluid effects that effect drug penetration into vascular tissue, lyse thrombi, or direct drugs to optimal locations for delivery. These investigations have spurred continued research into alternative therapeutic applications, such as bioactive gas delivery. This dissertation addresses a fundamental hypothesis in biomedical ultrasound: ultrasound-mediated drug delivery is capable of increasing the penetration of drugs across different physiologic barriers within the cardiovascular system, such as the vascular endothelium, blood clots, and smooth muscle cells.

Computer model for harmonic ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Li, Y; Zagzebski, J A

2000-01-01

Harmonic ultrasound imaging has received great attention from ultrasound scanner manufacturers and researchers. In this paper, we present a computer model that can generate realistic harmonic images. In this model, the incident ultrasound is modeled after the "KZK" equation, and the echo signal is modeled using linear propagation theory because the echo signal is much weaker than the incident pulse. Both time domain and frequency domain numerical solutions to the "KZK" equation were studied. Realistic harmonic images of spherical lesion phantoms were generated for scans by a circular transducer. This model can be a very useful tool for studying the harmonic buildup and dissipation processes in a nonlinear medium, and it can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics related to B-mode harmonic imaging.

Computer model for harmonic ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Li, Y; Zagzebski, J A

2000-01-01

Harmonic ultrasound imaging has received great attention from ultrasound scanner manufacturers and researchers. Here, the authors present a computer model that can generate realistic harmonic images. In this model, the incident ultrasound is modeled after the "KZK" equation, and the echo signal is modeled using linear propagation theory because the echo signal is much weaker than the incident pulse. Both time domain and frequency domain numerical solutions to the "KZK" equation were studied. Realistic harmonic images of spherical lesion phantoms were generated for scans by a circular transducer. This model can be a very useful tool for studying the harmonic buildup and dissipation processes in a nonlinear medium, and it can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics related to B-mode harmonic imaging.

Ultrasound in Arthritis.

PubMed

Sudoł-Szopińska, Iwona; Schueller-Weidekamm, Claudia; Plagou, Athena; Teh, James

2017-09-01

Ultrasound is currently performed in everyday rheumatologic practice. It is used for early diagnosis, to monitor treatment results, and to diagnose remission. The spectrum of pathologies seen in arthritis with ultrasound includes early inflammatory features and associated complications. This article discusses the spectrum of ultrasound features of arthritides seen in rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue diseases in adults, such as Sjögren syndrome, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ultrasound findings in spondyloarthritis, osteoarthritis, and crystal-induced diseases are presented. Ultrasound-guided interventions in patients with arthritis are listed, and the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound and other imaging modalities in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Ohrndorf, Sarah; Werner, Stephanie G; Finzel, Stephanie; Backhaus, Marina

2013-05-01

This review refers to the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both in clinical practice and research. Furthermore, other novel sensitive imaging modalities (high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography and fluorescence optical imaging) are introduced in this article. Recently published ultrasound studies presented power Doppler activity by ultrasound highly predictive for later radiographic erosions in patients with RA. Another study presented synovitis detected by ultrasound being predictive of subsequent structural radiographic destruction irrespective of the ultrasound modality (grayscale ultrasound/power Doppler ultrasound). Further studies are currently under way which prove ultrasound findings as imaging biomarkers in the destructive process of RA. Other introduced novel imaging modalities are in the validation process to prove their impact and significance in inflammatory joint diseases. The introduced imaging modalities show different sensitivities and specificities as well as strength and weakness belonging to the assessment of inflammation, differentiation of the involved structures and radiological progression. The review tries to give an answer regarding how to best integrate them into daily clinical practice with the aim to improve the diagnostic algorithms, the daily patient care and, furthermore, the disease's outcome.

Ultrasound applicability in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology.

PubMed

Barberena, Luciana da Silva; Brasil, Brunah de Castro; Melo, Roberta Michelon; Mezzomo, Carolina Lisbôa; Mota, Helena Bolli; Keske-Soares, Márcia

2014-01-01

To present recent studies that used the ultrasound in the fields of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, which evidence possibilities of the applicability of this technique in different subareas. A bibliographic research was carried out in the PubMed database, using the keywords "ultrasonic," "speech," "phonetics," "Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences," "voice," "deglutition," and "myofunctional therapy," comprising some areas of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Sciences. The keywords "ultrasound," "ultrasonography," "swallow," "orofacial myofunctional therapy," and "orofacial myology" were also used in the search. Studies in humans from the past 5 years were selected. In the preselection, duplicated studies, articles not fully available, and those that did not present direct relation between ultrasound and Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Sciences were discarded. The data were analyzed descriptively and classified subareas of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Sciences. The following items were considered: purposes, participants, procedures, and results. We selected 12 articles for ultrasound versus speech/phonetics subarea, 5 for ultrasound versus voice, 1 for ultrasound versus muscles of mastication, and 10 for ultrasound versus swallow. Studies relating "ultrasound" and "Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Sciences" in the past 5 years were not found. Different studies on the use of ultrasound in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Sciences were found. Each of them, according to its purpose, confirms new possibilities of the use of this instrument in the several subareas, aiming at a more accurate diagnosis and new evaluative and therapeutic possibilities.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Tumor Therapy System and Its Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Fucheng; He, Ye; Li, Rui

2007-05-01

At the end of last century, a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) tumor therapy system was successfully developed and manufactured in China, which has been already applied to clinical therapy. This article aims to discuss the HIFU therapy system and its application. Detailed research includes the following: power amplifiers for high-power ultrasound, ultrasound transducers with large apertures, accurate 3-D mechanical drives, a software control system (both high-voltage control and low-voltage control), and the B-mode ultrasonic diagnostic equipment used for treatment monitoring. Research on the dosage of ultrasound required for tumour therapy in multiple human cases has made it possible to relate a dosage formula, presented in this paper, to other significant parameters such as the volume of thermal tumor solidification, the acoustic intensity (I), and the ultrasound emission time (tn). Moreover, the HIFU therapy system can be applied to the clinical treatment of both benign and malignant tumors in the pelvic and abdominal cavity, such as uterine fibroids, liver cancer and pancreatic carcinoma.

Smart Ultrasound Remote Guidance Experiment (SURGE) Preliminary Findings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurst, Victor; Dulchavsky, Scott; Garcia, Kathleen; Sargsyan, Ashot; Ebert, Doug

2009-01-01

To date, diagnostic quality ultrasound images were obtained aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using the ultrasound of the Human Research Facility (HRF) rack in the Laboratory module. Through the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) and the Braslet-M Occlusion Cuffs (BRASLET SDTO) studies, non-expert ultrasound operators aboard the ISS have performed cardiac, thoracic, abdominal, vascular, ocular, and musculoskeletal ultrasound assessments using remote guidance from ground-based ultrasound experts. With exploration class missions to the lunar and Martian surfaces on the horizon, crew medical officers will necessarily need to operate with greater autonomy given communication delays (round trip times of up to 5 seconds for the Moon and 90 minutes for Mars) and longer periods of communication blackouts (due to orbital constraints of communication assets). The SURGE project explored the feasibility and training requirements of having non-expert ultrasound operators perform autonomous ultrasound assessments in a simulated exploration mission outpost. The project aimed to identify experience, training, and human factors requirements for crew medical officers to perform autonomous ultrasonography. All of these aims pertained to the following risks from the NASA Bioastronautics Road Map: 1) Risk 18: Major Illness and Trauna; 2) Risk 20) Ambulatory Care; 3) Risk 22: Medical Informatics, Technologies, and Support Systems; and 4) Risk 23: Medical Skill Training and Maintenance.

MELTS_Excel: A Microsoft Excel-based MELTS interface for research and teaching of magma properties and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gualda, Guilherme A. R.; Ghiorso, Mark S.

2015-01-01

thermodynamic modeling software MELTS is a powerful tool for investigating crystallization and melting in natural magmatic systems. Rhyolite-MELTS is a recalibration of MELTS that better captures the evolution of silicic magmas in the upper crust. The current interface of rhyolite-MELTS, while flexible, can be somewhat cumbersome for the novice. We present a new interface that uses web services consumed by a VBA backend in Microsoft Excel©. The interface is contained within a macro-enabled workbook, where the user can insert the model input information and initiate computations that are executed on a central server at OFM Research. Results of simple calculations are shown immediately within the interface itself. It is also possible to combine a sequence of calculations into an evolutionary path; the user can input starting and ending temperatures and pressures, temperature and pressure steps, and the prevailing oxidation conditions. The program shows partial updates at every step of the computations; at the conclusion of the calculations, a series of data sheets and diagrams are created in a separate workbook, which can be saved independently of the interface. Additionally, the user can specify a grid of temperatures and pressures and calculate a phase diagram showing the conditions at which different phases are present. The interface can be used to apply the rhyolite-MELTS geobarometer. We demonstrate applications of the interface using an example early-erupted Bishop Tuff composition. The interface is simple to use and flexible, but it requires an internet connection. The interface is distributed for free from http://melts.ofm-research.org.

Ultrasound elastography: the new frontier in direct measurement of muscle stiffness.

PubMed

Brandenburg, Joline E; Eby, Sarah F; Song, Pengfei; Zhao, Heng; Brault, Jeffrey S; Chen, Shigao; An, Kai-Nan

2014-11-01

The use of brightness-mode ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound in physical medicine and rehabilitation has increased dramatically. The continuing evolution of ultrasound technology has also produced ultrasound elastography, a cutting-edge technology that can directly measure the mechanical properties of tissue, including muscle stiffness. Its real-time and direct measurements of muscle stiffness can aid the diagnosis and rehabilitation of acute musculoskeletal injuries and chronic myofascial pain. It can also help monitor outcomes of interventions affecting muscle in neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diseases, and it can better inform the functional prognosis. This technology has implications for even broader use of ultrasound in physical medicine and rehabilitation practice, but more knowledge about its uses and limitations is essential to its appropriate clinical implementation. In this review, we describe different ultrasound elastography techniques for studying muscle stiffness, including strain elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, and shear-wave elastography. We discuss the basic principles of these techniques, including the strengths and limitations of their measurement capabilities. We review the current muscle research, discuss physiatric clinical applications of these techniques, and note directions for future research. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound Elastography: The New Frontier in Direct Measurement of Muscle Stiffness

PubMed Central

Brandenburg, Joline E.; Eby, Sarah F.; Song, Pengfei; Zhao, Heng; Brault, Jeffrey S.; Chen, Shigao; An, Kai-Nan

2014-01-01

The use of brightness-mode ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound in physical medicine and rehabilitation has increased dramatically. The continuing evolution of ultrasound technology has also produced ultrasound elastography, a cutting-edge technology that can directly measure the mechanical properties of tissue, including muscle stiffness. Its real-time and direct measurements of muscle stiffness can aid the diagnosis and rehabilitation of acute musculoskeletal injuries and chronic myofascial pain. It can also help monitor outcomes of interventions affecting muscle in neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diseases, and it can better inform the functional prognosis. This technology has implications for even broader use of ultrasound in physical medicine and rehabilitation practice, but more knowledge about its uses and limitations is essential to its appropriate clinical implementation. In this review, we describe different ultrasound elastography techniques for studying muscle stiffness, including strain elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, and shear-wave elastography. We discuss the basic principles of these techniques, including the strengths and limitations of their measurement capabilities. We review the current muscle research, discuss physiatric clinical applications of these techniques, and note directions for future research. PMID:25064780

Development and implementation of ultrasound picture archiving and communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinberg, Wolfram S.; Tessler, Franklin N.; Grant, Edward G.; Kangarloo, Hooshang; Huang, H. K.

1990-08-01

The Department of Radiological Sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine is developing an archiving and communication system (PACS) for digitized ultrasound images. In its final stage the system will involve the acquisition and archiving of ultrasound studies from four different locations including the Center for Health Sciences, the Department for Mental Health and the Outpatient Radiology and Endoscopy Departments with a total of 200-250 patient studies per week. The concept comprises two stages of image manipulation for each ultrasound work area. The first station is located close to the examination site and accomodates the acquisition of digital images from up to five ultrasound devices and provides for instantaneous display and primary viewing and image selection. Completed patient studies are transferred to a main workstation for secondary review, further analysis and comparison studies. The review station has an on-line storage capacity of 10,000 images with a resolution of 512x512 8 bit data to allow for immediate retrieval of active patient studies of up to two weeks. The main work stations are connected through the general network and use one central archive for long term storage and a film printer for hardcopy output. First phase development efforts concentrate on the implementation and testing of a system at one location consisting of a number of ultrasound units with video digitizer and network interfaces and a microcomputer workstation as host for the display station with two color monitors, each allowing simultaneous display of four 512x512 images. The discussion emphasizes functionality, performance and acceptance of the system in the clinical environment.

Plastic deformation and wave formation on the interface of metals welded by ultrasound-assisted explosive welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuz'min, E. V.; Kuz'min, S. V.; Lysak, V. I.; Lata, A. N.

2017-10-01

This paper presents the influence of the effect of ultrasound on the wave formation and plastic deformation in the metals welded by ultrasound-assisted explosive welding. It has been established that the influence of high-frequency acoustic waves on the metal leads to a reduction of the dynamic yield stress, which in turn leads to changes in the properties of the surface layers of metal and in the conditions of bonding between the collided plates upon explosive welding. It has been shown that the changes in the length and amplitude of waves that arise in the weld joint upon the explosive welding with the simultaneous action of ultrasonic vibrations is connected with a decrease in the magnitude of the deforming pulse and time of action of the compressive stresses that exceed the dynamic yield stress behind the point of contact.

FPGA-Based Reconfigurable Processor for Ultrafast Interlaced Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging

PubMed Central

Alqasemi, Umar; Li, Hai; Aguirre, Andrés; Zhu, Quing

2016-01-01

In this paper, we report, to the best of our knowledge, a unique field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based reconfigurable processor for real-time interlaced co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging and its application in imaging tumor dynamic response. The FPGA is used to control, acquire, store, delay-and-sum, and transfer the data for real-time co-registered imaging. The FPGA controls the ultrasound transmission and ultrasound and photoacoustic data acquisition process of a customized 16-channel module that contains all of the necessary analog and digital circuits. The 16-channel module is one of multiple modules plugged into a motherboard; their beamformed outputs are made available for a digital signal processor (DSP) to access using an external memory interface (EMIF). The FPGA performs a key role through ultrafast reconfiguration and adaptation of its structure to allow real-time switching between the two imaging modes, including transmission control, laser synchronization, internal memory structure, beamforming, and EMIF structure and memory size. It performs another role by parallel accessing of internal memories and multi-thread processing to reduce the transfer of data and the processing load on the DSP. Furthermore, because the laser will be pulsing even during ultrasound pulse-echo acquisition, the FPGA ensures that the laser pulses are far enough from the pulse-echo acquisitions by appropriate time-division multiplexing (TDM). A co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system consisting of four FPGA modules (64-channels) is constructed, and its performance is demonstrated using phantom targets and in vivo mouse tumor models. PMID:22828830

FPGA-based reconfigurable processor for ultrafast interlaced ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Alqasemi, Umar; Li, Hai; Aguirre, Andrés; Zhu, Quing

2012-07-01

In this paper, we report, to the best of our knowledge, a unique field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based reconfigurable processor for real-time interlaced co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging and its application in imaging tumor dynamic response. The FPGA is used to control, acquire, store, delay-and-sum, and transfer the data for real-time co-registered imaging. The FPGA controls the ultrasound transmission and ultrasound and photoacoustic data acquisition process of a customized 16-channel module that contains all of the necessary analog and digital circuits. The 16-channel module is one of multiple modules plugged into a motherboard; their beamformed outputs are made available for a digital signal processor (DSP) to access using an external memory interface (EMIF). The FPGA performs a key role through ultrafast reconfiguration and adaptation of its structure to allow real-time switching between the two imaging modes, including transmission control, laser synchronization, internal memory structure, beamforming, and EMIF structure and memory size. It performs another role by parallel accessing of internal memories and multi-thread processing to reduce the transfer of data and the processing load on the DSP. Furthermore, because the laser will be pulsing even during ultrasound pulse-echo acquisition, the FPGA ensures that the laser pulses are far enough from the pulse-echo acquisitions by appropriate time-division multiplexing (TDM). A co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system consisting of four FPGA modules (64-channels) is constructed, and its performance is demonstrated using phantom targets and in vivo mouse tumor models.

Using low-frequency ultrasound to improve the optical clearing of porcine skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Huiqing; Guo, Zhouyi; Wei, Huajiang; Zhang, Zude; Zeng, Changchun; Zhai, Juan; He, Yonghong

2008-12-01

The glycerol used as an enhancer for tissue optical clearing technique has been researched. However, using it and a physical way of ultrasound enhance optical clearing of tissue reported a few. We researched that the ultrasound whether can improve the optical clearing of dealt with 80% glycerol tissue. The fresh porcine skins divided into four groups. The first group was not dealt with by ultrasound and 80% glycerol, the second group was dealt with by only ultrasound, the third group was dealt with by 80% glycerol and no by ultrasound, and the fourth group was dealt with by both 80% glycerol and ultrasound. And we measured changes in optical scattering of the porcine skins under treatment with OCT. From the OCT images show that the fourth group changed very faster than the other's during the 0~15 min. And it can be clearly seen that there is a significant improvement in the light penetration depth and imaging contrast in a shorter time. It is possible that the low-frequency ultrasound can make disordering of the stratum corneum lipids of the porcine skin (because the cavitation has happened), and improve the speed of 80% glycerol through the stratum corneum of skin. These results proved that using 80% glycerol with the ultrasound can better improve the optical clearing of tissue.

CISUS: an integrated 3D ultrasound system for IGT using a modular tracking API

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boctor, Emad M.; Viswanathan, Anand; Pieper, Steve; Choti, Michael A.; Taylor, Russell H.; Kikinis, Ron; Fichtinger, Gabor

2004-05-01

Ultrasound has become popular in clinical/surgical applications, both as the primary image guidance modality and also in conjunction with other modalities like CT or MRI. Three dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) systems have also demonstrated usefulness in image-guided therapy (IGT). At the same time, however, current lack of open-source and open-architecture multi-modal medical visualization systems prevents 3DUS from fulfilling its potential. Several stand-alone 3DUS systems, like Stradx or In-Vivo exist today. Although these systems have been found to be useful in real clinical setting, it is difficult to augment their functionality and integrate them in versatile IGT systems. To address these limitations, a robotic/freehand 3DUS open environment (CISUS) is being integrated into the 3D Slicer, an open-source research tool developed for medical image analysis and surgical planning. In addition, the system capitalizes on generic application programming interfaces (APIs) for tracking devices and robotic control. The resulting platform-independent open-source system may serve as a valuable tool to the image guided surgery community. Other researchers could straightforwardly integrate the generic CISUS system along with other functionalities (i.e. dual view visualization, registration, real-time tracking, segmentation, etc) to rapidly create their medical/surgical applications. Our current driving clinical application is robotically assisted and freehand 3DUS-guided liver ablation, which is fully being integrated under the CISUS-3D Slicer. Initial functionality and pre-clinical feasibility are demonstrated on phantom and ex-vivo animal models.

WE-H-209-00: Carson/Zagzebski Distinguished Lectureship: Image Guided Ultrasound Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

Focused ultrasound has been shown to be the only method that allows noninvasive thermal coagulation of tissues and recently this potential has been explored for image-guided drug delivery. In this presentation, the advances in ultrasound phased array technology for energy delivery, exposure monitoring and control will be discussed. Experimental results from novel multi-frequency transmit/receive arrays will be presented. In addition, the feasibility of fully electronically focused and steered high power arrays with many thousands of transducer elements will be discussed. Finally, some of the recent clinical and preclinical results for the treatment of brain disease will be reviewed. Learning Objectives:more » Introduce FUS therapy principles and modern techniques Discuss use of FUS for drug delivery Cover the technology required to deliver FUS and monitor therapy Present clinical examples of the uses of these techniques This research was supported by funding from The Canada Research Chair Program, Grants from CIHR and NIH (no. EB003268).; K. Hynynen, Canada Foundation for Innovation; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation; Canada Research Chair Program; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Ontario Research Fund; National Institutes of Health; Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute; The Weston Brain Institute; Harmonic Medical; Focused Ultrasound Instruments.« less

Basic concepts and development of an all-purpose computer interface for ROC/FROC observer study.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Junji; Fukuoka, Daisuke; Hara, Takeshi; Abe, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

In this study, we initially investigated various aspects of requirements for a computer interface employed in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and free-response ROC (FROC) observer studies which involve digital images and ratings obtained by observers (radiologists). Secondly, by taking into account these aspects, an all-purpose computer interface utilized for these observer performance studies was developed. Basically, the observer studies can be classified into three paradigms, such as one rating for one case without an identification of a signal location, one rating for one case with an identification of a signal location, and multiple ratings for one case with identification of signal locations. For these paradigms, display modes on the computer interface can be used for single/multiple views of a static image, continuous viewing with cascade images (i.e., CT, MRI), and dynamic viewing of movies (i.e., DSA, ultrasound). Various functions on these display modes, which include windowing (contrast/level), magnifications, and annotations, are needed to be selected by an experimenter corresponding to the purpose of the research. In addition, the rules of judgment for distinguishing between true positives and false positives are an important factor for estimating diagnostic accuracy in an observer study. We developed a computer interface which runs on a Windows operating system by taking into account all aspects required for various observer studies. This computer interface requires experimenters to have sufficient knowledge about ROC/FROC observer studies, but allows its use for any purpose of the observer studies. This computer interface will be distributed publicly in the near future.

Optimizing sonication protocols for transthoracic focused ultrasound surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, J.; Volovick, A.; Cao, R.; Nabi, G.; Cochran, S.; Melzer, A.; Huang, Z.

2012-11-01

During transthoracic focused ultrasound surgery (TFUS), the intervening ribs absorb and reflect the majority of the ultrasound energy excited by an acoustic source, resulting in pain, bone injuries and insufficient energy delivered to the target organs of liver, kidney, and pancreas. Localized hot spots may also exist at the interfaces between the ribs and soft tissue and in the highly absorptive regions such as the skin and connective tissue. The aims of this study were to clarify the effects of focal beam distortion and frequency-dependent rib heating in TFUS and to propose possible techniques to reduce the side-effects of rib heating and increase ultrasound efficacy. Frequency-dependent heating at the target and the ribs were estimated using finite element analysis (PZFlex, Weidlinger Associates Inc, USA) along with experimental verification on a range of different phantoms. The ratio of ultrasonic power density at the target and the ribs, the time-varying spatial distribution of temperature, and the ablated focus of each sonication were taken as key indicators to determine the optimal operating frequency. Comparison with a patient specific model was also made. TFUS seems to be useful to treat tumours that are small and near the surface of the abdominal organs. For targets deep inside these organs, severe attenuation of energy occurs, suggesting that purely ultrasound thermal ablation with advanced heating patterns will have limited effects in improving the treatment efficacy. Results demonstrate that the optimal ultrasound frequency is around 0.8 MHz for the configurations considered, but this may shift to higher frequencies with changes in the axial and lateral positions of the tumours relative to the ribs. To date, we have elucidated the most important effects and correlated these with idealised anatomical geometry. The changes in frequency and other techniques such as selection of excited element patterns in FUS arrays had some effect. However, more advanced

Enabling the mission through trans-atlantic remote mentored musculoskeletal ultrasound: case report of a portable hand-carried tele-ultrasound system for medical relief missions.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Andrew W; Blaivas, Michael; Sargsyan, Ashot E; McBeth, Paul B; Patel, Chirag; Xiao, Zhengwen; Pian, Linping; Panebianco, Nova; Hamilton, Douglas R; Ball, Chad G; Dulchavsky, Scott A

2013-07-01

Modern medical practice has become extremely dependent upon diagnostic imaging technologies to confirm the results of clinical examination and to guide the response to therapies. Of the various diagnostic imaging techniques, ultrasound is the most portable modality and one that is repeatable, dynamic, relatively cheap, and safe as long as the imaging provided is accurately interpreted. It is, however, the most user-dependent, a characteristic that has prompted the development of remote guidance techniques, wherein remote experts guide distant users through the use of information technologies. Medical mission work often brings specialist physicians to less developed locations, where they wish to provide the highest levels of care but are often bereft of diagnostic imaging resources on which they depend. Furthermore, if these personnel become ill or injured, their own care received may not be to the standard they have left at home. We herein report the utilization of a compact hand-carried remote tele-ultrasound system that allowed real-time diagnosis and follow-up of an acutely torn adductor muscle by a team of ultrasonographers, surgeons, and physicians. The patient was one of the mission surgeons who was guided to self-image. The virtual network of supporting experts was located across North America, whereas the patient was in Lome, Togo, West Africa. The system consisted of a hand-carried ultrasound, the output of which was digitized and streamed to the experts within standard voice-over-Internet-protocol software with an embedded simultaneous videocamera image of the ultrasonographer's hands using a customized graphical user interface. The practical concept of a virtual tele-ultrasound support network was illustrated through the clinical guidance of multiple physicians, including National Aeronautics and Space Administration Medical Operations remote guiders, Olympic team-associated surgeons, and ultrasound-focused emergentologists.

Simulation of ultrasound propagation in bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Jonathan J.; Luo, Gangming; Siffert, Robert S.

2004-10-01

Ultrasound has been proposed as a means to noninvasively assess bone and, particularly, bone strength and fracture risk, as for example in osteoporosis. Because strength is a function of both mineral density and architecture, ultrasound has the potential to provide more accurate measurement of bone integrity than, for example, with x-ray absorptiometric methods. Although some of this potential has already been realized-a number of clinical devices are presently available-there is still much that is unknown regarding the interaction of ultrasound with bone. Because of the inherent complexity of the propagation medium, few analytic solutions exist with practical application. For this reason, ultrasound simulation techniques have been developed and applied to a number of different problems of interest in ultrasonic bone assessment. Both 2D and 3D simulation results will be presented, including the effects of architecture and density on the received waveform, propagation effects of both cortical and trabecular bone, and the relative contributions of scattering and absorption to attenuation in trabecular bone. The results of these simulation studies should lead to improved understanding and ultimately to more effective clinical devices for ultrasound bone assessment. [This work was supported by The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and by SBIR Grant No. 1R43RR16750 from the National Center for Research Resources of the NIH.

MLESAC Based Localization of Needle Insertion Using 2D Ultrasound Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Fei; Gao, Dedong; Wang, Shan; Zhanwen, A.

2018-04-01

In the 2D ultrasound image of ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle insertions, it is difficult to determine the positions of needle axis and tip because of the existence of artifacts and other noises. In this work the speckle is regarded as the noise of an ultrasound image, and a novel algorithm is presented to detect the needle in a 2D ultrasound image. Firstly, the wavelet soft thresholding technique based on BayesShrink rule is used to denoise the speckle of ultrasound image. Secondly, we add Otsu’s thresholding method and morphologic operations to pre-process the ultrasound image. Finally, the localization of the needle is identified and positioned in the 2D ultrasound image based on the maximum likelihood estimation sample consensus (MLESAC) algorithm. The experimental results show that it is valid for estimating the position of needle axis and tip in the ultrasound images with the proposed algorithm. The research work is hopeful to be used in the path planning and robot-assisted needle insertion procedures.

Characterization of Contrast Agent Microbubbles for Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy Research.

PubMed

Mulvana, Helen; Browning, Richard J; Luan, Ying; de Jong, Nico; Tang, Meng-Xing; Eckersley, Robert J; Stride, Eleanor

2017-01-01

The high efficiency with which gas microbubbles can scatter ultrasound compared with the surrounding blood pool or tissues has led to their widespread employment as contrast agents in ultrasound imaging. In recent years, their applications have been extended to include super-resolution imaging and the stimulation of localized bio-effects for therapy. The growing exploitation of contrast agents in ultrasound and in particular these recent developments have amplified the need to characterize and fully understand microbubble behavior. The aim in doing so is to more fully exploit their utility for both diagnostic imaging and potential future therapeutic applications. This paper presents the key characteristics of microbubbles that determine their efficacy in diagnostic and therapeutic applications and the corresponding techniques for their measurement. In each case, we have presented information regarding the methods available and their respective strengths and limitations, with the aim of presenting information relevant to the selection of appropriate characterization methods. First, we examine methods for determining the physical properties of microbubble suspensions and then techniques for acoustic characterization of both suspensions and single microbubbles. The next section covers characterization of microbubbles as therapeutic agents, including as drug carriers for which detailed understanding of their surface characteristics and drug loading capacity is required. Finally, we discuss the attempts that have been made to allow comparison across the methods employed by various groups to characterize and describe their microbubble suspensions and promote wider discussion and comparison of microbubble behavior.

Sterile working in ultrasonography: the use of dedicated ultrasound covers and sterile ultrasound gel.

PubMed

Marhofer, Peter; Fritsch, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Ultrasound is currently an important tool for diagnostic and interventional procedures. Ultrasound imaging provides significant advantages as compared to other imaging methods. The widespread use of ultrasound also carries the risk of drawbacks such as cross-infections. A large body of literature reports this possibly life-threatening side effect and specific patient populations are particularly at risk (e.g., neonates). Various methods of ultrasound probe disinfection are described; however, none of the mechanical or chemical probe disinfection procedures is optimal and, in particular, disinfection with high concentration of alcohol might be associated with ultrasound probe damage. The preparation of ultrasound probes with dedicated probe covers is a useful alternative for sterile working conditions. One ultrasound probe cover discussed in this paper is directly glued on to the ultrasound probe without the use of ultrasound coupling gel. By the use of sterile ultrasound coupling gel at the outer surface, additional effects on aseptic working conditions can be obtained.

Design of an ergonomic ultrasound system: accommodation of user anthropometrics.

PubMed

Park, Sung; Yim, Jinho; Lee, Goeun

2012-01-01

Long-term use of medical imaging devices requires significant improvements to the user experience. One factor that impact upon such experience is whether the device is ergonomically built, ecologically designed, and leverages the current medical practice. In this research, we took a holistic and systematic approach to design an effective and biomechanically-fit ultrasound system. Research methods from behavior science (e.g., contextual inquiry, pseudo experiments) had been adopted to involve the users (sonographers) early in the design process. The end results - product design guideline for a cart type ultrasound system and control panel layout - were reviewed by the users and adjusted so that the design is within the range of an acceptable learning curve while maintaining innovativeness, a differentiated value over competitor's ultrasound devices.

ACR/NEMA Digital Image Interface Standard (An Illustrated Protocol Overview)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, G. Robert

1985-09-01

The American College of Radiologists (ACR) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have sponsored a joint standards committee mandated to develop a universal interface standard for the transfer of radiology images among a variety of PACS imaging devicesl. The resulting standard interface conforms to the ISO/OSI standard reference model for network protocol layering. The standard interface specifies the lower layers of the reference model (Physical, Data Link, Transport and Session) and implies a requirement of the Network Layer should a requirement for a network exist. The message content has been considered and a flexible message and image format specified. The following Imaging Equipment modalities are supported by the standard interface... CT Computed Tomograpy DS Digital Subtraction NM Nuclear Medicine US Ultrasound MR Magnetic Resonance DR Digital Radiology The following data types are standardized over the transmission interface media.... IMAGE DATA DIGITIZED VOICE HEADER DATA RAW DATA TEXT REPORTS GRAPHICS OTHERS This paper consists of text supporting the illustrated protocol data flow. Each layer will be individually treated. Particular emphasis will be given to the Data Link layer (Frames) and the Transport layer (Packets). The discussion utilizes a finite state sequential machine model for the protocol layers.

Survey of ultrasound practice amongst podiatrists in the UK.

PubMed

Siddle, Heidi J; Patience, Aimie; Coughtrey, James; Mooney, Jean; Fox, Martin; Cherry, Lindsey

2018-01-01

Ultrasound in podiatry practice encompasses musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, vascular hand-held Doppler ultrasound and therapeutic ultrasound. Sonography practice is not regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), with no requirement to hold a formal qualification. The College of Podiatry does not currently define ultrasound training and competencies.This study aimed to determine the current use of ultrasound, training received and mentorship received and/or provided by podiatrists using ultrasound. A quantitative study utilising a cross-sectional, on-line, single-event survey was undertaken within the UK. Completed surveys were received from 284 podiatrists; 173 (70%) use ultrasound as part of their general practice, 139 (49%) for musculoskeletal problems, 131 (46%) for vascular assessment and 39 (14%) to support their surgical practice. Almost a quarter ( n  = 62) worked for more than one organisation; 202 (71%) were employed by the NHS and/or private sector ( n  = 118, 41%).Nearly all (93%) respondents report using a hand-held vascular Doppler in their daily practice; 216 (82%) to support decisions regarding treatment options, 102 (39%) to provide diagnostic reports for other health professionals, and 34 (13%) to guide nerve blocks.Ultrasound imaging was used by 104 (37%) respondents primarily to aid clinical decision making ( n  = 81) and guide interventions (steroid injections n  = 67; nerve blocks n  = 39). Ninety-three percent stated they use ultrasound imaging to treat their own patients, while others scan at the request of other podiatrists ( n  = 28) or health professionals ( n  = 18). Few use ultrasound imaging for research ( n  = 7) or education ( n  = 2).Only 32 (11%) respondents ( n  = 20 private sector) use therapeutic ultrasound to treat patients presenting with musculoskeletal complaints, namely tendon pathologies.Few respondents (18%) had completed formal post-graduate CASE (Consortium

The growth of oscillating bubbles in an ultrasound field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Risa; Yamashita, Tatsuya; Ando, Keita

2017-11-01

From our recent experiments to test particle removal by underwater ultrasound, dissolved gas supersaturation is found to play an important role in physical cleaning; cavitation bubble nucleation can be triggered easily by weak ultrasound under the supersaturation and mild motion of the bubbles contributes to efficient cleaning without erosion. The state of gas bubble nuclei in water is critical to the determination of a cavitation inception threshold. Under ultrasound forcing, the size of bubble nuclei is varied by the transfer of dissolved gas (i.e., rectified diffusion); the growth rate will be promoted by the supersaturation and is thus expected to contribute to cavitation activity enhancement. In the present work, we experimentally study rectified diffusion for bubbles attached at glass surfaces in an ultrasound field. We will present the evolution of bubble nuclei sizes with varying parameters such as dissolved oxygen supersaturation, and ultrasound intensity and frequency. the Research Grant of Keio Leading-edge Laboratory of Science & Technology.

Endoscopic ultrasound

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007646.htm Endoscopic ultrasound To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Endoscopic ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is ...

Integrating Ultrasound Teaching into Preclinical Problem-based Learning

PubMed Central

Tshibwabwa, Eli Tumba; Cannon, Jenifer; Rice, James; Kawooya, Michael G; Sanii, Reza; Mallin, Robert

2016-01-01

Objectives: The aim is to provide students in the preclinical with ultrasound image interpretation skills. Research question: Are students in smaller groups with access to a combination of lectures and hands-on patient contact most likely to have better ultrasound image interpretation skills, than students in larger groups with only interactive didactic lectures? Methodology: First-year students at the preclinical Program of the College of Medicine, participated in two 2-h introductory interactive ultrasound sessions. The study comprised two cohorts: 2012/2013 students, who were offered large group teaching (LGT) sessions (control group), and 2013/2014 students, who received the intervention in small group learning problem-based learning (PBL) sessions (experimental group). The overall learning objectives were identical for both groups. The success of the module was evaluated using pre- and post-tests as well as students’ feedback. Results: The students in the experimental group showed significantly higher scores in interpretations of images than those in the control group. The experimental group showed achievement of learning outcomes along with higher levels of satisfaction with the module compared to the latter. Conclusion: Posttest knowledge of the basics of ultrasound improved significantly over the pretest in the experimental group. In addition, students’ overall satisfaction of the ultrasound module was shown to be higher for the PBL compared to the LGT groups. Small groups in an interactive and PBL setting along with opportunities for hands-on practice and simultaneous visualization of findings on a high definition screen should enhance preclinical student learning of the basics of ultrasound. Despite the potential of ultrasound as a clinical, teaching and learning tool for students in the preclinical years, standardized recommendations have yet to be created regarding its integration into the curricula within academic institutions and clinical medicine

Thermal contribution of compact bone to intervening tissue-like media exposed to planar ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moros, Eduardo G.; Novak, Petr; Straube, William L.; Kolluri, Prashant; Yablonskiy, Dmitriy A.; Myerson, Robert J.

2004-03-01

The presence of bone in the ultrasound beam path raises concerns, both in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, because significant temperature elevations may be induced at nearby soft tissue-bone interfaces due the facts that ultrasound is (i) highly absorbed in bone and (ii) reflected at soft tissue-bone interfaces in various degrees depending on angle of incidence. Consequently, in ultrasonic thermal therapy, the presence of bone in the ultrasound beam path is considered a major disadvantage and it is usually avoided. However, based on clinical experience and previous theoretical studies, we hypothesized that the presence of bone in superficial unfocused ultrasound hyperthermia can actually be exploited to induce more uniform and enhanced (with respect to the no-bone situation) temperature distributions in superficial target volumes. In particular, we hypothesize that the presence of underlying bone in superficial target volume enhances temperature elevation not only by additional direct power deposition from acoustic reflection, but also from thermal diffusion from the underlying bone. Here we report laboratory results that corroborate previous computational studies and strengthen the above-stated hypothesis. Three different temperature measurement techniques, namely, thermometric (using fibre-optic temperature probes), thermographic (using an infrared camera) and magnetic resonance imaging (using proton resonance frequency shifts), were used in high-power short-exposure, and in low-power extended-exposure, experiments using a 19 mm diameter planar transducer operating at 1.0 and 3.3 MHz (frequencies of clinical relevance). The measurements were performed on three technique-specific phantoms (with and without bone inclusions) and experimental set-ups that resembled possible superficial ultrasound hyperthermia clinical situations. Results from all three techniques were in general agreement and clearly showed that significantly higher heating rates (greater

[Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in animal models].

PubMed

Paprottka, P M; Zengel, P; Ingrisch, M; Cyran, C C; Eichhorn, M; Reiser, M F; Nikolaou, K; Clevert, D-A

2011-06-01

In the past the detection of tumor perfusion was achieved solely via invasive procedures, such as intravital microscopy or with the help of costly modalities, such as multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) or the combined use of positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT). Ultrasound offers the non-invasive display of organs without usage of ionizing radiation and it is widely available. However, colour-coded ultrasound and power Doppler do not allow the detection of tumor microcirculation. The introduction of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as well as new high-frequency ultrasound probes made it possible to detect and quantify tumor microcirculation with high resolution. CEUS has been used clinically on human beings for more than 10 years. During the last years different tumor models in experimental animals were used for the establishment of this new technique, e.g. in rats, hamsters and mice. CEUS allows the detection of functional parameters, such as the angiogenetic metabolic status of tissue pretreatment and posttreatment. Further research is required to solve the problems of absolute quantification of these perfusion parameters to allow the comparison of CEUS with other modalities (e.g. MRT and CT).

Preparing the "New" Biologist of the Future: Student Research at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Sarah I.; Bishop, Pamela; Lenhart, Suzanne

2010-01-01

We describe a unique Research Experience for Undergraduates and Research Experience for Veterinary students summer program at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program focused on interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and mathematics.…

Airborne non-contact and contact broadband ultrasounds for frequency attenuation profile estimation of cementitious materials.

PubMed

Gosálbez, J; Wright, W M D; Jiang, W; Carrión, A; Genovés, V; Bosch, I

2018-08-01

In this paper, the study of frequency-dependent ultrasonic attenuation in strongly heterogeneous cementitious materials is addressed. To accurately determine the attenuation over a wide frequency range, it is necessary to have suitable excitation techniques. We have analysed two kinds of ultrasound techniques: contact ultrasound and airborne non-contact ultrasound. The mathematical formulation for frequency-dependent attenuation has been established and it has been revealed that each technique may achieve similar results but requires specific different calibration processes. In particular, the airborne non-contact technique suffers high attenuation due to energy losses at the air-material interfaces. Thus, its bandwidth is limited to low frequencies but it does not require physical contact between transducer and specimen. In contrast, the classical contact technique can manage higher frequencies but the measurement depends on the pressure between the transducer and the specimen. Cement specimens have been tested with both techniques and frequency attenuation dependence has been estimated. Similar results were achieved at overlapping bandwidth and it has been demonstrated that the airborne non-contact ultrasound technique could be a viable alternative to the classical contact technique. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple, almost anywhere, with almost anyone: remote low-cost telementored resuscitative lung ultrasound.

PubMed

McBeth, Paul B; Crawford, Innes; Blaivas, Michael; Hamilton, Trevor; Musselwhite, Kimberly; Panebianco, Nova; Melniker, Lawrence; Ball, Chad G; Gargani, Luna; Gherdovich, Carlotta; Kirkpatrick, Andrew W

2011-12-01

Apnea (APN) and pneumothorax (PTX) are common immediately life-threatening conditions. Ultrasound is a portable tool that captures anatomy and physiology as digital information allowing it to be readily transferred by electronic means. Both APN and PTX are simply ruled out by visualizing respiratory motion at the visceral-parietal pleural interface known as lung sliding (LS), corroborated by either the M-mode or color-power Doppler depiction of LS. We thus assessed how economically and practically this information could be obtained remotely over a cellular network. Ultrasound images were obtained on handheld ultrasound machines streamed to a standard free internet service (Skype) using an iPhone. Remote expert sonographers directed remote providers (with variable to no ultrasound experience) to obtain images by viewing the transmitted ultrasound signal and by viewing the remote examiner over a head-mounted webcam. Examinations were conducted between a series of remote sites and a base station. Remote sites included two remote on-mountain sites, a small airplane in flight, and a Calgary household, with base sites located in Pisa, Rome, Philadelphia, and Calgary. In all lung fields (20/20) on all occasions, LS could easily and quickly be seen. LS was easily corroborated and documented through capture of color-power Doppler and M-mode images. Other ultrasound applications such as the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma examination, vascular anatomy, and a fetal wellness assessment were also demonstrated. The emergent exclusion of APN-PTX can be immediately accomplished by a remote expert economically linked to almost any responder over cellular networks. Further work should explore the range of other physiologic functions and anatomy that could be so remotely assessed.

American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

MedlinePlus

... Ultrasound Pediatric Ultrasound Point-of-Care Ultrasound Sonography Therapeutic Ultrasound Ultrasound in Global Health Ultrasound in Medical Education CME Center CME Tracker Annual Convention Journal Tests ...

Creation of a High-fidelity, Low-cost Pediatric Skull Fracture Ultrasound Phantom.

PubMed

Soucy, Zachary P; Mills, Lisa; Rose, John S; Kelley, Kenneth; Ramirez, Francisco; Kuppermann, Nathan

2015-08-01

Over the past decade, point-of-care ultrasound has become a common tool used for both procedures and diagnosis. Developing high-fidelity phantoms is critical for training in new and novel point-of-care ultrasound applications. Detecting skull fractures on ultrasound imaging in the younger-than-2-year-old patient is an emerging area of point-of-care ultrasound research. Identifying a skull fracture on ultrasound imaging in this age group requires knowledge of the appearance and location of sutures to distinguish them from fractures. There are currently no commercially available pediatric skull fracture models. We outline a novel approach to building a cost-effective, simple, high-fidelity pediatric skull fracture phantom to meet a unique training requirement. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Venous catheterization with ultrasound navigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasatkin, A. A., E-mail: ant-kasatkin@yandex.ru; Nigmatullina, A. R.; Urakov, A. L., E-mail: ant-kasatkin@yandex.ru

By ultrasound scanning it was determined that respiratory movements made by chest of healthy and sick person are accompanied by respiratory chest rise of internal jugular veins. During the exhalation of an individual diameter of his veins increases and during the breath it decreases down to the complete disappearing if their lumen. Change of the diameter of internal jugular veins in different phases can influence significantly the results of vein puncture and cauterization in patients. The purpose of this research is development of the method increasing the efficiency and safety of cannulation of internal jugular veins by the ultrasound visualization.more » We suggested the method of catheterization of internal jugular veins by the ultrasound navigation during the execution of which the puncture of venous wall by puncture needle and the following conduction of J-guide is carried out at the moment of patient’s exhalation. This method decreases the risk of complications development during catheterization of internal jugular vein due to exclusion of perforating wound of vein and subjacent tissues and anatomical structures.« less

Venous catheterization with ultrasound navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasatkin, A. A.; Urakov, A. L.; Nigmatullina, A. R.

2015-11-01

By ultrasound scanning it was determined that respiratory movements made by chest of healthy and sick person are accompanied by respiratory chest rise of internal jugular veins. During the exhalation of an individual diameter of his veins increases and during the breath it decreases down to the complete disappearing if their lumen. Change of the diameter of internal jugular veins in different phases can influence significantly the results of vein puncture and cauterization in patients. The purpose of this research is development of the method increasing the efficiency and safety of cannulation of internal jugular veins by the ultrasound visualization. We suggested the method of catheterization of internal jugular veins by the ultrasound navigation during the execution of which the puncture of venous wall by puncture needle and the following conduction of J-guide is carried out at the moment of patient's exhalation. This method decreases the risk of complications development during catheterization of internal jugular vein due to exclusion of perforating wound of vein and subjacent tissues and anatomical structures.

Detection of artery interfaces: a real-time system and its clinical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faita, Francesco; Gemignani, Vincenzo; Bianchini, Elisabetta; Giannarelli, Chiara; Ghiadoni, Lorenzo; Demi, Marcello

2008-03-01

Analyzing the artery mechanics is a crucial issue because of its close relationship with several cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes. Moreover, most of the work can be carried out by analyzing image sequences obtained with ultrasounds, that is with a non-invasive technique which allows a real-time visualization of the observed structures. For this reason, therefore, an accurate temporal localization of the main vessel interfaces becomes a central task for which the manual approach should be avoided since such a method is rather unreliable and time consuming. Real-time automatic systems are advantageously used to automatically locate the arterial interfaces. The automatic measurement reduces the inter/intra-observer variability with respect to the manual measurement which unavoidably depends on the experience of the operator. The real-time visual feedback, moreover, guides physicians when looking for the best position of the ultrasound probe, thus increasing the global robustness of the system. The automatic system which we developed is a stand-alone video processing system which acquires the analog video signal from the ultrasound equipment, performs all the measurements and shows the results in real-time. The localization algorithm of the artery tunics is based on a new mathematical operator (the first order absolute moment) and on a pattern recognition approach. Various clinical applications have been developed on board and validated through a comparison with gold-standard techniques: the assessment of intima-media thickness, the arterial distension, the flow-mediated dilation and the pulse wave velocity. With this paper, the results obtained on clinical trials are presented.

MO-AB-210-03: Workshop [Advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Z.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant

MO-AB-210-02: Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy-Hands On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sammet, S.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant

MO-AB-210-01: Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy-Hands On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Z.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant

Design and validation of an MR-conditional robot for transcranial focused ultrasound surgery in infants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, Karl D., E-mail: karl.price@sickkids.ca

Purpose: Current treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) involves cerebral shunt placement or an invasive brain surgery. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) applied to the brains of pediatric patients presents an opportunity to treat IVH in a noninvasive manner, termed “incision-less surgery.” Current clinical and research focused ultrasound systems lack the capability to perform neonatal transcranial surgeries due to either range of motion or dexterity requirements. A novel robotic system is proposed to position a focused ultrasound transducer accurately above the head of a neonatal patient inside an MRI machine to deliver the therapy. Methods: A clinical Philips Sonalleve MRgFUS systemmore » was expanded to perform transcranial treatment. A five degree-of-freedom MR-conditional robot was designed and manufactured using MR compatible materials. The robot electronics and control were integrated into existing Philips electronics and software interfaces. The user commands the position of the robot with a graphical user interface, and is presented with real-time MR imaging of the patient throughout the surgery. The robot is validated through a series of experiments that characterize accuracy, signal-to-noise ratio degeneration of an MR image as a result of the robot, MR imaging artifacts generated by the robot, and the robot’s ability to operate in a representative surgical environment inside an MR machine. Results: Experimental results show the robot responds reliably within an MR environment, has achieved 0.59 ± 0.25 mm accuracy, does not produce severe MR-imaging artifacts, has a workspace providing sufficient coverage of a neonatal brain, and can manipulate a 5 kg payload. A full system demonstration shows these characteristics apply in an application environment. Conclusions: This paper presents a comprehensive look at the process of designing and validating a new robot from concept to implementation for use in an MR environment

Recent advances in neural dust: towards a neural interface platform.

PubMed

Neely, Ryan M; Piech, David K; Santacruz, Samantha R; Maharbiz, Michel M; Carmena, Jose M

2018-06-01

The neural dust platform uses ultrasonic power and communication to enable a scalable, wireless, and batteryless system for interfacing with the nervous system. Ultrasound offers several advantages over alternative wireless approaches, including a safe method for powering and communicating with sub mm-sized devices implanted deep in tissue. Early studies demonstrated that neural dust motes could wirelessly transmit high-fidelity electrophysiological data in vivo, and that theoretically, this system could be miniaturized well below the mm-scale. Future developments are focused on further minimization of the platform, better encapsulation methods as a path towards truly chronic neural interfaces, improved delivery mechanisms, stimulation capabilities, and finally refinements to enable deployment of neural dust in the central nervous system. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Thesaurus-Enhanced Search Interfaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiri, Ali Asghar; Revie, Crawford; Chowdhury, Gobinda

2002-01-01

Discussion of user interfaces to information retrieval systems focuses on interfaces that incorporate thesauri as part of their searching and browsing facilities. Discusses research literature related to information searching behavior, information retrieval interface evaluation, search term selection, and query expansion; and compares thesaurus…

Aptamer-conjugated nanobubbles for targeted ultrasound molecular imaging.

PubMed

Wang, Chung-Hsin; Huang, Yu-Fen; Yeh, Chih-Kuang

2011-06-07

Targeted ultrasound contrast agents can be prepared by some specific bioconjugation techniques. The biotin-avidin complex is an extremely useful noncovalent binding system, but the system might induce immunogenic side effects in human bodies. Previous proposed covalently conjugated systems suffered from low conjugation efficiency and complex procedures. In this study, we propose a covalently conjugated nanobubble coupling with nucleic acid ligands, aptamers, for providing a higher specific affinity for ultrasound targeting studies. The sgc8c aptamer was linked with nanobubbles through thiol-maleimide coupling chemistry for specific targeting to CCRF-CEM cells. Further improvements to reduce the required time and avoid the degradation of nanobubbles during conjugation procedures were also made. Several investigations were used to discuss the performance and consistency of the prepared nanobubbles, such as size distribution, conjugation efficiency analysis, and flow cytometry assay. Further, we applied our conjugated nanobubbles to ex vivo ultrasound targeted imaging and compared the resulting images with optical images. The results indicated the availability of aptamer-conjugated nanobubbles in targeted ultrasound imaging and the practicability of using a highly sensitive ultrasound system in noninvasive biological research.

Anthropomorphic cardiac ultrasound phantom.

PubMed

Smith, S W; Rinaldi, J E

1989-10-01

A new phantom is described which simulates the human cardiac anatomy for applications in ultrasound imaging, ultrasound Doppler, and color-flow Doppler imaging. The phantom consists of a polymer left ventricle which includes a prosthetic mitral and aortic valve and is connected to a mock circulatory loop. Aerated tap water serves as a blood simulating fluid and ultrasound contrast medium within the circulatory loop. The left ventricle is housed in a Lexan ultrasound visualization chamber which includes ultrasound viewing ports and acoustic absorbers. A piston pump connected to the visualization chamber by a single port pumps degassed water within the chamber which in turn pumps the left ventricle. Real-time ultrasound images and Doppler studies measure flow patterns through the valves and within the left ventricle.

Hot topics in biomedical ultrasound: ultrasound therapy and its integration with ultrasonic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Everbach, E. Carr

2005-09-01

Since the development of biomedical ultrasound imaging from sonar after WWII, there has been a clear divide between ultrasonic imaging and ultrasound therapy. While imaging techniques are designed to cause as little change as possible in the tissues through which ultrasound propagates, ultrasound therapy typically relies upon heating or acoustic cavitation to produce a desirable therapeutic effect. Concerns over the increasingly high acoustic outputs of diagnostic ultrasound scanners prompted the adoption of the Mechanical Index (MI) and Thermal Index (TI) in the early 1990s. Therapeutic applications of ultrasound, meanwhile, have evolved from deep tissue heating in sports medicine to include targeted drug delivery, tumor and plaque ablation, cauterization via high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and accelerated dissolution of blood clots. The integration of ultrasonic imaging and therapy in one device is just beginning, but the promise of improved patient outcomes is balanced by regulatory and practical impediments.

Time-reversal Techniques in Ultrasound-assisted Convection-enhanced Drug Delivery to the Brain: Technology Development and In Vivo Evaluation

PubMed Central

Lewis, George K.; Guarino, Sabrina; Gandhi, Gaurav; Filinger, Laurent; Lewis, George K.; Olbricht, Willam L.; Sarvazyan, Armen

2011-01-01

We describe a drug delivery method that combines Time-Reversal Acoustics (TRA) with Convection-Enhanced Delivery (CED) to improve the delivery of therapeutics to the interstitium of the brain. The Ultrasound-assisted CED approach (UCED) circumvents the blood-brain barrier by infusing compounds through a cannula that is inserted into the brain while simultaneously delivering ultrasound to improve the penetration of pharmaceuticals. CED without ultrasound-assistance has been used to treat a variety of neural disorders, including glioblastoma multiforme, a malignancy that presents a very poor prognosis for patients. We describe a novel system that is used to infuse fluids into the brain parenchyma while simultaneously exposing the tissue to safe levels of 1-MHz, low intensity, ultrasound energy. The system includes a combined infusion needle-hydrophone, a 10-channel ultralow-output impedance amplifier, a broad-band ultrasound resonator, and MatLab®-based TRA control and user-interface. TRA allows easy coupling of ultrasound therapy through the skull without complex phase-correction and array design. The smart targeting UCED system has been tested in vivo and results show it provides 1.5-mm spatial resolution for UCED and improves tracer distribution in the brain over CED alone. PMID:21881622

Ultrasound Assessment of Human Meniscus.

PubMed

Viren, Tuomas; Honkanen, Juuso T; Danso, Elvis K; Rieppo, Lassi; Korhonen, Rami K; Töyräs, Juha

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of ultrasound imaging to quantitative assessment of human meniscus in vitro. Meniscus samples (n = 26) were harvested from 13 knee joints of non-arthritic human cadavers. Subsequently, three locations (anterior, center and posterior) from each meniscus were imaged with two ultrasound transducers (frequencies 9 and 40 MHz), and quantitative ultrasound parameters were determined. Furthermore, partial-least-squares regression analysis was applied for ultrasound signal to determine the relations between ultrasound scattering and meniscus integrity. Significant correlations between measured and predicted meniscus compositions and mechanical properties were obtained (R 2  = 0.38-0.69, p < 0.05). The relationship between conventional ultrasound parameters and integrity of the meniscus was weaker. To conclude, ultrasound imaging exhibited a potential for evaluation of meniscus integrity. Higher ultrasound frequency combined with multivariate analysis of ultrasound backscattering was found to be the most sensitive for evaluation of meniscus integrity. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ocular examination for trauma; clinical ultrasound aboard the International Space Station.

PubMed

Chiao, Leroy; Sharipov, Salizhan; Sargsyan, Ashot E; Melton, Shannon; Hamilton, Douglas R; McFarlin, Kellie; Dulchavsky, Scott A

2005-05-01

Ultrasound imaging is a successful modality in a broad variety of diagnostic applications including trauma. Ultrasound has been shown to be accurate when performed by non-radiologist physicians; recent reports have suggested that non-physicians can perform limited ultrasound examinations. A multipurpose ultrasound system is installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as a component of the Human Research Facility (HRF). This report documents the first ocular ultrasound examination conducted in space, which demonstrated the capability to assess physiologic alterations or pathology including trauma during long-duration space flight. An ISS crewmember with minimal sonography training was remotely guided by an imaging expert from Mission Control Center (MCC) through a comprehensive ultrasound examination of the eye. A multipurpose ultrasound imager was used in conjunction with a space-to-ground video downlink and two-way audio. Reference cards with topological reference points, hardware controls, and target images were used to facilitate the examination. Multiple views of the eye structures were obtained through a closed eyelid. Pupillary response to light was demonstrated by modifying the light exposure of the contralateral eye. A crewmember on the ISS was able to complete a comprehensive ocular examination using B- and M-mode ultrasonography with remote guidance from an expert in the MCC. Multiple anteroposterior, oblique, and coronal views of the eye clearly demonstrated the anatomic structures of both segments of the globe. The iris and pupil were readily visualized with probe manipulation. Pupillary diameter was assessed in real time in B- and M-mode displays. The anatomic detail and fidelity of ultrasound video were excellent and could be used to answer a variety of clinical and space physiologic questions. A comprehensive, high-quality ultrasound examination of the eye was performed with a multipurpose imager aboard the ISS by a non-expert operator using

Ocular examination for trauma; clinical ultrasound aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiao, Leroy; Sharipov, Salizhan; Sargsyan, Ashot E.; Melton, Shannon; Hamilton, Douglas R.; McFarlin, Kellie; Dulchavsky, Scott A.

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound imaging is a successful modality in a broad variety of diagnostic applications including trauma. Ultrasound has been shown to be accurate when performed by non-radiologist physicians; recent reports have suggested that non-physicians can perform limited ultrasound examinations. A multipurpose ultrasound system is installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as a component of the Human Research Facility (HRF). This report documents the first ocular ultrasound examination conducted in space, which demonstrated the capability to assess physiologic alterations or pathology including trauma during long-duration space flight. METHODS: An ISS crewmember with minimal sonography training was remotely guided by an imaging expert from Mission Control Center (MCC) through a comprehensive ultrasound examination of the eye. A multipurpose ultrasound imager was used in conjunction with a space-to-ground video downlink and two-way audio. Reference cards with topological reference points, hardware controls, and target images were used to facilitate the examination. Multiple views of the eye structures were obtained through a closed eyelid. Pupillary response to light was demonstrated by modifying the light exposure of the contralateral eye. RESULTS: A crewmember on the ISS was able to complete a comprehensive ocular examination using B- and M-mode ultrasonography with remote guidance from an expert in the MCC. Multiple anteroposterior, oblique, and coronal views of the eye clearly demonstrated the anatomic structures of both segments of the globe. The iris and pupil were readily visualized with probe manipulation. Pupillary diameter was assessed in real time in B- and M-mode displays. The anatomic detail and fidelity of ultrasound video were excellent and could be used to answer a variety of clinical and space physiologic questions. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive, high-quality ultrasound examination of the eye was performed with a multipurpose imager

Point-of-care ultrasound versus auscultation in determining the position of double-lumen tube

PubMed Central

Hu, Wei-Cai; Xu, Lei; Zhang, Quan; Wei, Li; Zhang, Wei

2018-01-01

Abstract This study was designed to assess the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound in determining the position of double-lumen tubes (DLTs). A total of 103 patients who required DLT intubation were enrolled into the study. After DLTs were tracheal intubated in the supine position, an auscultation researcher and ultrasound researcher were sequentially invited in the operating room to conduct their evaluation of the DLT. After the end of their evaluation, fiberscope researchers (FRs) were invited in the operating room to evaluate the position of DLT using a fiberscope. After the patients were changed to the lateral position, the same evaluation process was repeated. These 3 researchers were blind to each other when they made their conclusions. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were obtained by statistical analysis. When left DLTs (LDLTs) were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (84.2% [72.1%, 92.5%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (59.7% [45.8%, 72.4%]) (P < .01). When right DLTs (RDLTs) were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (89.1% [76.4%, 96.4%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (67.4% [52.0%, 80.5%]) (P < .01). When LDLTs were used in the lateral position, the accuracy of ultrasound (75.4% [62.2%, 85.9%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (54.4% [40.7%, 67.6%]) (P < .05). When RDLT were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (73.9% [58.9%, 85.7%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (47.8% [32.9%, 63.1%]) (P < .05). Assessment via point-of-care ultrasound is superior to auscultation in determining the position of DLTs. PMID:29595696

Point-of-care ultrasound versus auscultation in determining the position of double-lumen tube.

PubMed

Hu, Wei-Cai; Xu, Lei; Zhang, Quan; Wei, Li; Zhang, Wei

2018-03-01

This study was designed to assess the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound in determining the position of double-lumen tubes (DLTs).A total of 103 patients who required DLT intubation were enrolled into the study. After DLTs were tracheal intubated in the supine position, an auscultation researcher and ultrasound researcher were sequentially invited in the operating room to conduct their evaluation of the DLT. After the end of their evaluation, fiberscope researchers (FRs) were invited in the operating room to evaluate the position of DLT using a fiberscope. After the patients were changed to the lateral position, the same evaluation process was repeated. These 3 researchers were blind to each other when they made their conclusions. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were obtained by statistical analysis.When left DLTs (LDLTs) were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (84.2% [72.1%, 92.5%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (59.7% [45.8%, 72.4%]) (P < .01). When right DLTs (RDLTs) were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (89.1% [76.4%, 96.4%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (67.4% [52.0%, 80.5%]) (P < .01). When LDLTs were used in the lateral position, the accuracy of ultrasound (75.4% [62.2%, 85.9%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (54.4% [40.7%, 67.6%]) (P < .05). When RDLT were used, the accuracy of ultrasound (73.9% [58.9%, 85.7%]) was higher than the accuracy of auscultation (47.8% [32.9%, 63.1%]) (P < .05).Assessment via point-of-care ultrasound is superior to auscultation in determining the position of DLTs.

Effects of therapeutic ultrasound on the nucleus and genomic DNA.

PubMed

Furusawa, Yukihiro; Hassan, Mariame A; Zhao, Qing-Li; Ogawa, Ryohei; Tabuchi, Yoshiaki; Kondo, Takashi

2014-11-01

In recent years, data have been accumulating on the ability of ultrasound to affect at a distance inside the cell. Previous conceptions about therapeutic ultrasound were mainly based on compromising membrane permeability and triggering some biochemical reactions. However, it was shown that ultrasound can access deep to the nuclear territory resulting in enhanced macromolecular localization as well as alterations in gene and protein expression. Recently, we have reported on the occurrence of DNA double-strand breaks in different human cell lines exposed to ultrasound in vitro with some insight into the subsequent DNA damage response and repair pathways. The impact of these observed effects again sways between extremes. It could be advantageous if employed in gene therapy, wound and bone fracture-accelerated healing to promote cellular proliferation, or in cancer eradication if the DNA lesions would culminate in cell death. However, it could be a worrying sign if they were penultimate to further cellular adaptations to stresses and thus shaking the safety of ultrasound application in diagnosis and therapy. In this review, an overview of the rationale of therapeutic ultrasound and the salient knowledge on ultrasound-induced effects on the nucleus and genomic DNA will be presented. The implications of the findings will be discussed hopefully to provide guidance to future ultrasound research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A system for real-time measurement of the brachial artery diameter in B-mode ultrasound images.

PubMed

Gemignani, Vincenzo; Faita, Francesco; Ghiadoni, Lorenzo; Poggianti, Elisa; Demi, Marcello

2007-03-01

The measurement of the brachial artery diameter is frequently used in clinical studies for evaluating the flow-mediated dilation and, in conjunction with the blood pressure value, for assessing arterial stiffness. This paper presents a system for computing the brachial artery diameter in real-time by analyzing B-mode ultrasound images. The method is based on a robust edge detection algorithm which is used to automatically locate the two walls of the vessel. The measure of the diameter is obtained with subpixel precision and with a temporal resolution of 25 samples/s, so that the small dilations induced by the cardiac cycle can also be retrieved. The algorithm is implemented on a standalone video processing board which acquires the analog video signal from the ultrasound equipment. Results are shown in real-time on a graphical user interface. The system was tested both on synthetic ultrasound images and in clinical studies of flow-mediated dilation. Accuracy, robustness, and intra/inter observer variability of the method were evaluated.

Crew interface analysis: Selected articles on space human factors research, 1987 - 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagian, Tandi (Compiler)

1993-01-01

As part of the Flight Crew Support Division at NASA, the Crew Interface Analysis Section is dedicated to the study of human factors in the manned space program. It assumes a specialized role that focuses on answering operational questions pertaining to NASA's Space Shuttle and Space Station Freedom Programs. One of the section's key contributions is to provide knowledge and information about human capabilities and limitations that promote optimal spacecraft and habitat design and use to enhance crew safety and productivity. The section provides human factors engineering for the ongoing missions as well as proposed missions that aim to put human settlements on the Moon and Mars. Research providing solutions to operational issues is the primary objective of the Crew Interface Analysis Section. The studies represent such subdisciplines as ergonomics, space habitability, man-computer interaction, and remote operator interaction.

Ultrasound skin tightening.

PubMed

Minkis, Kira; Alam, Murad

2014-01-01

Ultrasound skin tightening is a noninvasive, nonablative method that allows for energy deposition into the deep dermal and subcutaneous tissue while avoiding epidermal heating. Ultrasound coagulation is confined to arrays of 1-mm(3) zones that include the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and connective tissue. This technology gained approval from the Food and Drug Administration as the first energy-based skin "lifting" device, specifically for lifting lax tissue on the neck, submentum, and eyebrows. Ultrasound has the unique advantage of direct visualization of treated structures during treatment. Ultrasound is a safe and efficacious treatment for mild skin tightening and lifting. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Design and Evaluation of a Front-End User Interface for Energy Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgman, Christine L.; And Others

1989-01-01

Reports on the Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Project, which developed software to support end user access to a Department of Energy database based on the skill levels and needs of energy researchers. The discussion covers issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special…

Research on Automatic Ticketing Interface Design of Tianjin South Station under the Background of Aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenghui, Zhao

2018-04-01

Based on the context of increasingly serious aging problem in China, the psychological characteristics of elders in using public self-service facilities and the development status and the future trend of public self-service ticketing service. The approach is analysing physiological and psychological characteristics, education level of the elderly and studying its characteristics of consumer psychology and regional cultural characteristics profoundly before conducting comprehensive analysis and research in combination with the interface features of public self-service ticketing machine. The interface design will be more personalized, intelligent, regional and international. Strategies of caring for the elderly in the regional public self-service facility interface design innovation develops the concept of taking care of the elderly in the entire region as an indispensable people-benefiting optimization system in the modern social services.

Ultrasound: Bladder (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... the computer screen. A technician (sonographer) trained in ultrasound imaging will spread a clear, warm gel on the ... specially trained in reading and interpreting X-ray, ultrasound, and other imaging studies) will interpret the ultrasound results and then ...

Ultrasound: Pelvis (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... the computer screen. A technician (sonographer) trained in ultrasound imaging will spread a clear, warm gel on the ... specially trained in reading and interpreting X-ray, ultrasound, and other imaging studies) will interpret the ultrasound results and then ...

Ultrasound in regional anaesthesia.

PubMed

Griffin, J; Nicholls, B

2010-04-01

Ultrasound guidance is rapidly becoming the gold standard for regional anaesthesia. There is an ever growing weight of evidence, matched with improving technology, to show that the use of ultrasound has significant benefits over conventional techniques, such as nerve stimulation and loss of resistance. The improved safety and efficacy that ultrasound brings to regional anaesthesia will help promote its use and realise the benefits that regional anaesthesia has over general anaesthesia, such as decreased morbidity and mortality, superior postoperative analgesia, cost-effectiveness, decreased postoperative complications and an improved postoperative course. In this review we consider the evidence behind the improved safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia, before discussing its use in pain medicine, paediatrics and in the facilitation of neuraxial blockade. The Achilles' heel of ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia is that anaesthetists are far more familiar with providing general anaesthesia, which in most cases requires skills that are achieved faster and more reliably. To this ends we go on to provide practical advice on ultrasound-guided techniques and the introduction of ultrasound into a department.

Renal denervation by intravascular ultrasound: Preliminary in vivo study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinelnikov, Yegor; McClain, Steve; Zou, Yong; Smith, David; Warnking, Reinhard

2012-10-01

Ultrasound denervation has recently become a subject of intense research in connection with the treatment of complex medical conditions including neurological conditions, development of pain management, reproduction of skin sensation, neuropathic pain and spasticity. The objective of this study is to investigate the use of intravascular ultrasound to produce nerve damage in renal sympathetic nerves without significant injury to the renal artery. This technique may potentially be used to treat various medical conditions, such as hypertension. The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Ultrasound was applied to renal nerves of the swine model for histopathological evaluation. Therapeutic ultrasound energy was delivered circumferentially by an intravascular catheter maneuvered into the renal arteries. Fluoroscopic imaging was conducted pre-and post-ultrasound treatment. Animals were recovered and euthanized up to 30 hours post procedure, followed by necropsy and tissue sample collection. Histopathological examination showed evidence of extensive damage to renal nerves, characterized by nuclear pyknosis, hyalinization of stroma and multifocal hemorrhages, with little or no damage to renal arteries. This study demonstrates the feasibility of intravascular ultrasound as a minimally invasive renal denervation technique. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of this technique and its related clinical significance.

Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging Using Acoustic Backscatter Coefficients.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boote, Evan Jeffery

Current clinical ultrasound scanners render images which have brightness levels related to the degree of backscattered energy from the tissue being imaged. These images offer the interpreter a qualitative impression of the scattering characteristics of the tissue being examined, but due to the complex factors which affect the amplitude and character of the echoed acoustic energy, it is difficult to make quantitative assessments of scattering nature of the tissue, and thus, difficult to make precise diagnosis when subtle disease effects are present. In this dissertation, a method of data reduction for determining acoustic backscatter coefficients is adapted for use in forming quantitative ultrasound images of this parameter. In these images, the brightness level of an individual pixel corresponds to the backscatter coefficient determined for the spatial position represented by that pixel. The data reduction method utilized rigorously accounts for extraneous factors which affect the scattered echo waveform and has been demonstrated to accurately determine backscatter coefficients under a wide range of conditions. The algorithms and procedures used to form backscatter coefficient images are described. These were tested using tissue-mimicking phantoms which have regions of varying scattering levels. Another phantom has a fat-mimicking layer for testing these techniques under more clinically relevant conditions. Backscatter coefficient images were also formed of in vitro human liver tissue. A clinical ultrasound scanner has been adapted for use as a backscatter coefficient imaging platform. The digital interface between the scanner and the computer used for data reduction are described. Initial tests, using phantoms are presented. A study of backscatter coefficient imaging of in vivo liver was performed using several normal, healthy human subjects.

Reusable Rack Interface Controller Common Software for Various Science Research Racks on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, George C.

2003-01-01

The purpose of the EXPRESS (Expedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station) rack project is to provide a set of predefined interfaces for scientific payloads which allow rapid integration into a payload rack on International Space Station (ISS). VxWorks' was selected as the operating system for the rack and payload resource controller, primarily based on the proliferation of VME (Versa Module Eurocard) products. These products provide needed flexibility for future hardware upgrades to meet everchanging science research rack configuration requirements. On the International Space Station, there are multiple science research rack configurations, including: 1) Human Research Facility (HRF); 2) EXPRESS ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System); 3) WORF (Window Observational Research Facility); and 4) HHR (Habitat Holding Rack). The RIC (Rack Interface Controller) connects payloads to the ISS bus architecture for data transfer between the payload and ground control. The RIC is a general purpose embedded computer which supports multiple communication protocols, including fiber optic communication buses, Ethernet buses, EIA-422, Mil-Std-1553 buses, SMPTE (Society Motion Picture Television Engineers)-170M video, and audio interfaces to payloads and the ISS. As a cost saving and software reliability strategy, the Boeing Payload Software Organization developed reusable common software where appropriate. These reusable modules included a set of low-level driver software interfaces to 1553B. RS232, RS422, Ethernet buses, HRDL (High Rate Data Link), video switch functionality, telemetry processing, and executive software hosted on the FUC computer. These drivers formed the basis for software development of the HRF, EXPRESS, EXPRESS ARIS, WORF, and HHR RIC executable modules. The reusable RIC common software has provided extensive benefits, including: 1) Significant reduction in development flow time; 2) Minimal rework and maintenance; 3) Improved reliability; and 4) Overall

Sono-leather technology with ultrasound: a boon for unit operations in leather processing - review of our research work at Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), India.

PubMed

Sivakumar, Venkatasubramanian; Swaminathan, Gopalaraman; Rao, Paruchuri Gangadhar; Ramasami, Thirumalachari

2009-01-01

Ultrasound is a sound wave with a frequency above the human audible range of 16 Hz to 16 kHz. In recent years, numerous unit operations involving physical as well as chemical processes are reported to have been enhanced by ultrasonic irradiation. There have been benefits such as improvement in process efficiency, process time reduction, performing the processes under milder conditions and avoiding the use of some toxic chemicals to achieve cleaner processing. These could be a better way of augmentation for the processes as an advanced technique. The important point here is that ultrasonic irradiation is physical method activation rather than using chemical entities. Detailed studies have been made in the unit operations related to leather such as diffusion rate enhancement through porous leather matrix, cleaning, degreasing, tanning, dyeing, fatliquoring, oil-water emulsification process and solid-liquid tannin extraction from vegetable tanning materials as well as in precipitation reaction in wastewater treatment. The fundamental mechanism involved in these processes is ultrasonic cavitation in liquid media. In addition to this there also exist some process specific mechanisms for the enhancement of the processes. For instance, possible real-time reversible pore-size changes during ultrasound propagation through skin/leather matrix could be a reason for diffusion rate enhancement in leather processing as reported for the first time. Exhaustive scientific research work has been carried out in this area by our group working in Chemical Engineering Division of CLRI and most of these benefits have been proven with publications in valued peer-reviewed international journals. The overall results indicate that about 2-5-fold increase in the process efficiency due to ultrasound under the given process conditions for various unit operations with additional benefits. Scale-up studies are underway for converting these concepts in to a real viable larger scale operation. In

Effect of modulated ultrasound parameters on ultrasound-induced thrombolysis.

PubMed

Soltani, Azita; Volz, Kim R; Hansmann, Doulas R

2008-12-07

The potential of ultrasound to enhance enzyme-mediated thrombolysis by application of constant operating parameters (COP) has been widely demonstrated. In this study, the effect of ultrasound with modulated operating parameters (MOP) on enzyme-mediated thrombolysis was investigated. The MOP protocol was applied to an in vitro model of thrombolysis. The results were compared to a COP with the equivalent soft tissue thermal index (TIS) over the duration of ultrasound exposure of 30 min (p < 0.14). To explore potential differences in the mechanism responsible for ultrasound-induced thrombolysis, a perfusion model was used to measure changes in average fibrin pore size of clot before, after and during exposure to MOP and COP protocols and cavitational activity was monitored in real time for both protocols using a passive cavitation detection system. The relative lysis enhancement by each COP and MOP protocol compared to alteplase alone yielded values of 33.69 +/- 12.09% and 63.89 +/- 15.02% in a thrombolysis model, respectively (p < 0.007). Both COP and MOP protocols caused an equivalent significant increase in average clot pore size of 2.09 x 10(-2) +/- 0.01 microm and 1.99 x 10(-2) +/- 0.004 microm, respectively (p < 0.74). No signatures of inertial or stable cavitation were observed for either acoustic protocol. In conclusion, due to mechanisms other than cavitation, application of ultrasound with modulated operating parameters has the potential to significantly enhance the relative lysis enhancement compared to application of ultrasound with constant operating parameters.

Human Factors Engineering and testing for a wearable, long duration ultrasound system self-applied by an end user.

PubMed

Taggart, Rebecca; Langer, Matthew D; Lewis, George K

2014-01-01

One of the major challenges in the design of a new class of medical device is ensuring that the device will have a safe and effective user interface for the intended users. Human Factors Engineering addresses these concerns through direct study of how a user interacts with newly designed devices with unique features. In this study, a novel long duration, low intensity therapeutic ultrasound device is tested by 20 end users representative of the intended user population. Over 90% of users were able to operate the device successfully. The therapeutic ultrasound device was found to be reasonably safe and effective for the intended users, uses, and use environments.

All-Optical Ultrasound Transducers for High Resolution Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheaff, Clay Smith

High frequency ultrasound (HFUS) has increasingly been used within the past few decades to provide high resolution (< 200 mum) imaging in medical applications such as endoluminal imaging, intravascular imaging, ophthalmology, and dermatology. The optical detection and generation of HFUS using thin films offers numerous advantages over traditional piezoelectric technology. Circumvention of an electronic interface with the device head is one of the most significant given the RF noise, crosstalk, and reduced capacitance that encumbers small-scale electronic transducers. Thin film Fabry-Perot interferometers - also known as etalons - are well suited for HFUS receivers on account of their high sensitivity, wide bandwidth, and ease of fabrication. In addition, thin films can be used to generate HFUS when irradiated with optical pulses - a method referred to as Thermoelastic Ultrasound Generation (TUG). By integrating a polyimide (PI) film for TUG into an etalon receiver, we have created for the first time an all-optical ultrasound transducer that is both thermally stable and capable of forming fully sampled 2-D imaging arrays of arbitrary configuration. Here we report (1) the design and fabrication of PI-etalon transducers; (2) an evaluation of their optical and acoustic performance parameters; (3) the ability to conduct high-resolution imaging with synthetic 2-D arrays of PI-etalon elements; and (4) work towards a fiber optic PI-etalon for in vivo use. Successful development of a fiber optic imager would provide a unique field-of-view thereby exposing an abundance of prospects for minimally-invasive analysis, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.

What is ultrasound?

PubMed

Leighton, Timothy G

2007-01-01

This paper is based on material presented at the start of a Health Protection Agency meeting on ultrasound and infrasound. In answering the question 'what is ultrasound?', it shows that the simple description of a wave which transports mechanical energy through the local vibration of particles at frequencies of 20 kHz or more, with no net transport of the particles themselves, can in every respect be misleading or even incorrect. To explain the complexities responsible for this, the description of ultrasound is first built up from the fundamental properties of these local particle vibrations. This progresses through an exposition of the characteristics of linear waves, in order to explain the propensity for, and properties of, the nonlinear propagation which occurs in many practical ultrasonic fields. Given the Health Protection environment which framed the original presentation, explanation and examples are given of how these complexities affect issues of practical importance. These issues include the measurement and description of fields and exposures, and the ability of ultrasound to affect tissue (through microstreaming, streaming, cavitation, heating, etc.). It is noted that there are two very distinct regimes, in terms of wave characteristics and potential for bioeffect. The first concerns the use of ultrasound in liquids/solids, for measurement or material processing. For biomedical applications (where these two processes are termed diagnosis and therapy, respectively), the issue of hazard has been studied in depth, although this has not been done to such a degree for industrial uses of ultrasound in liquids/solids (sonar, non-destructive testing, ultrasonic processing etc.). However, in the second regime, that of the use of ultrasound in air, although the waves in question tend to be of much lower intensities than those used in liquids/solids, there is a greater mismatch between the extent to which hazard has been studied, and the growth in commercial

A Flexible Annular-Array Imaging Platform for Micro-Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Qiu, Weibao; Yu, Yanyan; Chabok, Hamid Reza; Liu, Cheng; Tsang, Fu Keung; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk; Zheng, Hairong; Sun, Lei

2013-01-01

Micro-ultrasound is an invaluable imaging tool for many clinical and preclinical applications requiring high resolution (approximately several tens of micrometers). Imaging systems for micro-ultrasound, including single-element imaging systems and linear-array imaging systems, have been developed extensively in recent years. Single-element systems are cheaper, but linear-array systems give much better image quality at a higher expense. Annular-array-based systems provide a third alternative, striking a balance between image quality and expense. This paper presents the development of a novel programmable and real-time annular-array imaging platform for micro-ultrasound. It supports multi-channel dynamic beamforming techniques for large-depth-of-field imaging. The major image processing algorithms were achieved by a novel field-programmable gate array technology for high speed and flexibility. Real-time imaging was achieved by fast processing algorithms and high-speed data transfer interface. The platform utilizes a printed circuit board scheme incorporating state-of-the-art electronics for compactness and cost effectiveness. Extensive tests including hardware, algorithms, wire phantom, and tissue mimicking phantom measurements were conducted to demonstrate good performance of the platform. The calculated contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the tissue phantom measurements were higher than 1.2 in the range of 3.8 to 8.7 mm imaging depth. The platform supported more than 25 images per second for real-time image acquisition. The depth-of-field had about 2.5-fold improvement compared to single-element transducer imaging. PMID:23287923

Focused ultrasound as a tool to input sensory information to humans (Review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilov, L. R.; Tsirulnikov, E. M.

2012-01-01

This review is devoted to the analysis of studies and implementations related to the use of focused ultrasound for functional effects on neuroreceptor structures. Special attention was paid to the stimulation of neuroreceptor structures in order to input sensory information to humans. This branch of medical and physiological acoustics appeared in Russia in the early 1970s and was being efficiently developed up to the late 1980s. Then, due to lack of financial support, only individual researchers remained at this field and, as a result, we have no full- fledged theoretical research and practical implementations in this area yet. Many promising possibilities of using functional effects of focused ultrasound in medicine and physiology have remained unimplemented for a long time. However, new interesting ideas and approaches have appeared in recent years. Very recently, very questionable projects have been reported related to the use of ultrasound for targeted functional effects on the human brain performed in some laboratories. In this review, the stages of the development of scientific research devoted to the functional effects of focused ultrasound are described. By activating the neuroreceptor structures of the skin by means pulses of focused ultrasound, one can cause all the sensations perceived by human beings through the skin in everyday life, such as tactile sensations, thermal (heat and cold), tickling, itching, and various types of pain. Stimulation of the ear labyrinth of humans with normal hearing using amplitude-modulated ultrasound causes auditory sensations corresponding to an audio modulating signal (pure tones, music, speech, etc.). Activation of neuroreceptor structures by means of focused ultrasound is used for the diagnosis of various neurological and skin diseases, as well as hearing disorders. It has been shown that the activation is related to the mechanical action of ultrasound, for example, by the radiation force, as well as to the direct

Quantitative Ultrasound Backscatter for Pulsed Cavitational Ultrasound Therapy—Histotripsy

PubMed Central

Wang, Tzu-Yin; Xu, Zhen; Winterroth, Frank; Hall, Timothy L.; Fowlkes, J. Brian; Rothman, Edward D.; Roberts, William W.; Cain, Charles A.

2011-01-01

Histotripsy is a well-controlled ultrasonic tissue ablation technology that mechanically and progressively fractionates tissue structures using cavitation. The fractionated tissue volume can be monitored with ultrasound imaging because a significant ultrasound backscatter reduction occurs. This paper correlates the ultrasound backscatter reduction with the degree of tissue fractionation characterized by the percentage of remaining normal-appearing cell nuclei on histology. Different degrees of tissue fractionation were generated in vitro in freshly excised porcine kidneys by varying the number of therapeutic ultrasound pulses from 100 to 2000 pulses per treatment location. All ultrasound pulses were 15 cycles at 1 MHz delivered at 100 Hz pulse repetition frequency and 19 MPa peak negative pressure. The results showed that the normalized backscatter intensity decreased exponentially with increasing number of pulses. Correspondingly, the percentage of normal appearing nuclei in the treated area decreased exponentially as well. A linear correlation existed between the normalized backscatter intensity and the percentage of normal appearing cell nuclei in the treated region. This suggests that the normalized backscatter intensity may be a potential quantitative real-time feedback parameter for histotripsy-induced tissue fractionation. This quantitative feedback may allow the prediction of local clinical outcomes, i.e., when a tissue volume has been sufficiently treated. PMID:19750596

Quantitative ultrasound backscatter for pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy- histotripsy.

PubMed

Wang, Tzu-yin; Xu, Zhen; Winterroth, Frank; Hall, Timothy L; Fowlkes, J Brian; Rothman, Edward D; Roberts, William W; Cain, Charles A

2009-05-01

Histotripsy is a well-controlled ultrasonic tissue ablation technology that mechanically and progressively fractionates tissue structures using cavitation. The fractionated tissue volume can be monitored with ultrasound imaging because a significant ultrasound backscatter reduction occurs.This paper correlates the ultrasound backscatter reduction with the degree of tissue fractionation characterized by the percentage of remaining normal-appearing cell nuclei on histology.Different degrees of tissue fractionation were generated in vitro in freshly excised porcine kidneys by varying the number of therapeutic ultrasound pulses from 100 to 2000 pulses per treatment location. All ultrasound pulses were 15 cycles at 1 MHz delivered at 100 Hz pulse repetition frequency and 19 MPa peak negative pressure. The results showed that the normalized backscatter intensity decreased exponentially with increasing number of pulses. Correspondingly, the percentage of normal appearing nuclei in the treated area decreased exponentially as well. A linear correlation existed between the normalized backscatter intensity and the percentage of normal appearing cell nuclei in the treated region. This suggests that the normalized backscatter intensity may be a potential quantitative real-time feedback parameter for histotripsy-induced tissue fractionation. This quantitative feedback may allow the prediction of local clinical outcomes, i.e., when a tissue volume has been sufficiently treated.

Ultrasound assisted combustion synthesis of TiC in Al-Ti-C system.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiwei; Rakita, Milan; Xu, Wilson; Wang, Xiaoming; Han, Qingyou

2015-11-01

This research investigated the effects of high-intensity ultrasound on the combustion synthesis of TiC particles in Al-Ti-C system. The process involved that high-intensity ultrasound was applied on the surface of a compacted Al-Ti-C pellet directly through a Nb probe during the thermal explosion reaction. By comparing with the sample without ultrasonic treatment, it was found that the thermal explosion reaction for synthesizing TiC phase could take place thoroughly in the ultrasonically treated sample. During the process of synthesizing TiC phase, the dissolution of solid graphite particles into the Al-Ti melt, as well as the nucleation and growth of TiC particles could be promoted effectively due to the effects of ultrasound, leading to an enhancement of the formation of TiC particles. Ultrasound assisted combustion synthesis as a simple and effective approach was proposed for synthesizing materials in this research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of a pocket-size ultrasound device with a premium ultrasound machine: diagnostic value and time required in bedside ultrasound examination.

PubMed

Stock, Konrad Friedrich; Klein, Bettina; Steubl, Dominik; Lersch, Christian; Heemann, Uwe; Wagenpfeil, Stefan; Eyer, Florian; Clevert, Dir-Andre

2015-10-01

Time savings and clinical accuracy of a new miniature ultrasound device was investigated utilizing comparison with conventional high-end ultrasound instruments. Our objective was to determine appropriate usage and limitations of this diagnostic tool in internal medicine. We investigated 28 patients from the internal-medicine department. Patients were examined with the Acuson P10 portable device and a Sonoline Antares instrument in a cross-over design. All investigations were carried out at the bedside; the results were entered on a standardized report form. The time for the ultrasound examination (transfer time, setting up and disassembly, switching on and off, and complete investigation time) was recorded separately. Mean time for overall examination per patient with the portable ultrasound device was shorter (25.0 ± 4.5 min) than with the high-end machine (29.4 ± 4.4 min; p < 0.001). When measuring the size of liver, spleen, and kidneys, the values obtained differed significantly between portable device and the high-end instrument. In our study, we identified 113 pathological ultrasound findings with the high-end ultrasound machine, while 82 pathological findings (73%) were concordantly detected with the portable ultrasound device. The main diagnostic strengths of the portable device were in the detection of ascites (sensitivity 80%), diagnosis of fatty liver, and identification of severe parenchymal liver damage. The clinical utility of portable ultrasound machines is limited. There will be clinical roles for distinct clinical questions such as detection of ascites or pleural effusion when used by experienced examiners. However, sensitivity in detecting multiple pathologies is not comparable to high-end ultrasound machines.

High-Accuracy Ultrasound Contrast Agent Detection Method for Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging Systems.

PubMed

Ito, Koichi; Noro, Kazumasa; Yanagisawa, Yukari; Sakamoto, Maya; Mori, Shiro; Shiga, Kiyoto; Kodama, Tetsuya; Aoki, Takafumi

2015-12-01

An accurate method for detecting contrast agents using diagnostic ultrasound imaging systems is proposed. Contrast agents, such as microbubbles, passing through a blood vessel during ultrasound imaging are detected as blinking signals in the temporal axis, because their intensity value is constantly in motion. Ultrasound contrast agents are detected by evaluating the intensity variation of a pixel in the temporal axis. Conventional methods are based on simple subtraction of ultrasound images to detect ultrasound contrast agents. Even if the subject moves only slightly, a conventional detection method will introduce significant error. In contrast, the proposed technique employs spatiotemporal analysis of the pixel intensity variation over several frames. Experiments visualizing blood vessels in the mouse tail illustrated that the proposed method performs efficiently compared with conventional approaches. We also report that the new technique is useful for observing temporal changes in microvessel density in subiliac lymph nodes containing tumors. The results are compared with those of contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of Neuroprosthetic Interfaces

PubMed Central

Adewole, Dayo O.; Serruya, Mijail D.; Harris, James P.; Burrell, Justin C.; Petrov, Dmitriy; Chen, H. Isaac; Wolf, John A.; Cullen, D. Kacy

2017-01-01

The ideal neuroprosthetic interface permits high-quality neural recording and stimulation of the nervous system while reliably providing clinical benefits over chronic periods. Although current technologies have made notable strides in this direction, significant improvements must be made to better achieve these design goals and satisfy clinical needs. This article provides an overview of the state of neuroprosthetic interfaces, starting with the design and placement of these interfaces before exploring the stimulation and recording platforms yielded from contemporary research. Finally, we outline emerging research trends in an effort to explore the potential next generation of neuroprosthetic interfaces. PMID:27652455

Ultrasound Imaging of DNA-Damage Effects in Live Cultured Cells and in Brain Tissue.

PubMed

Tadayyon, Hadi; Gangeh, Mehrdad J; Vlad, Roxana; Kolios, Michael C; Czarnota, Gregory J

2017-01-01

High-frequency ultrasound (>20 MHz) spectroscopy can be used to detect noninvasively DNA damage in cell samples in vitro, and in live tissue both ex vivo and in vivo. This chapter focuses on the former two aspects. Experimental evidence suggests that morphological changes that occur in cells undergoing apoptosis result in changes in frequency-dependent ultrasound backscatter. With advances in research, ultrasound spectroscopy is advancing the boundaries of fast, label-free, noninvasive DNA damage detection technology with potential use in personalized medicine and early therapy response monitoring. Depending on the desired resolution, parametric ultrasound images can be computed and displayed within minutes to hours after ultrasound examination for cell death.

A comparative sonochemical reaction that is independent of the intensity of ultrasound and the geometry of the exposure apparatus.

PubMed

Sostaric, Joe Z

2008-09-01

Sonolysis of aqueous solutions of n-alkyl anionic surfactants results in the formation of secondary carbon-centered radicals (-*CH-). The yield of -*CH- depends on the bulk surfactant concentration up to a maximum attainable radical yield (the 'plateau yield') where an increasing surfactant concentration (below the critical micelle concentration) no longer affects the -*CH- yield. In an earlier study it was found that the ratio of -*CH- detected following sonolysis of aqueous solutions of sodium pentane sulfonate (SPSo) to that of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (i.e. CH(SPSo)/CH(SDS)) depended on the frequency of sonolysis, but was independent of the ultrasound intensity, at the plateau concentrations [J.Z. Sostaric, P. Riesz, Adsorption of surfactants at the gas/solution interface of cavitation bubbles: an ultrasound intensity-independent frequency effect in sonochemistry, J. Phys. Chem. B 106 (2002) 12537-12548]. In the current study, it was found that the CH(SPSo)/CH(SDS) ratio depended only on the ultrasound frequency and did not depend on the geometry of the ultrasound exposure apparatus considered.

Influence of power ultrasound application on mass transport and microstructure of orange peel during hot air drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortuño, Carmen; Pérez-Munuera, Isabel; Puig, Ana; Riera, Enrique; Garcia-Perez, J. V.

2010-01-01

Power ultrasound application on convective drying of foodstuffs may be considered an emergent technology. This work deals with the influence of power ultrasound on drying of natural materials addressing the kinetic as well as the product's microstructure. Convective drying kinetics of orange peel slabs (thickness 5.95±0.41 mm) were carried out at 40 ∘C and 1 m/s with (US) and without (AIR) power ultrasound application. A diffusion model considering external resistance to mass transfer was considered to describe drying kinetics. Fresh, US and AIR dried samples were analyzed using Cryo-SEM. Results showed that drying kinetics of orange peel were significantly improved by the application of power ultrasound. From modeling, it was observed a significant (p¡0.05) increase in both mass transfer coefficient and effective moisture diffusivity. The effects on mass transfer properties were confirmed from microestructural observations. In the cuticle surface, the pores were obstructed by wax components scattering, which evidence the ultrasonic effects on the interfaces. The cells of the flavedo were compressed and large intercellular air spaces were generated in the albedo facilitating water transfer through it.

[Ultrasound findings in rhabdomyolysis].

PubMed

Carrillo-Esper, Raúl; Galván-Talamantes, Yazmin; Meza-Ayala, Cynthia Margarita; Cruz-Santana, Julio Alberto; Bonilla-Reséndiz, Luis Ignacio

Rhabdomyolysis is defined as skeletal muscle necrosis. Ultrasound assessment has recently become a useful tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of muscle diseases, including rhabdomyolysis. A case is presented on the ultrasound findings in a patient with rhabdomyolysis. To highlight the importance of ultrasound as an essential part in the diagnosis in rhabdomyolysis, to describe the ultrasound findings, and review the literature. A 30 year-old with post-traumatic rhabdomyolysis of both thighs. Ultrasound was performed using a Philips Sparq model with a high-frequency linear transducer (5-10MHz), in low-dimensional scanning mode (2D), in longitudinal and transverse sections at the level of both thighs. The images obtained showed disorganisation of the orientation of the muscle fibres, ground glass image, thickening of the muscular fascia, and the presence of anechoic areas. Ultrasound is a useful tool in the evaluation of rhabdomyolysis. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

A new quality of bone ultrasound research.

PubMed

Gluer, C C

2008-07-01

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) methods have strong power to predict osteoporotic fractures, but they are also very relevant for the assessment of bone quality. A representative sample of recent studies addressing these topics can be found in this special issue. Further pursuit of these methods will establish micro-QUS imaging methods as tools for measuring specific aspects of bone quality. Once this is achieved, we will be able to link such data to the clinical QUS methods used in vivo to determine which aspects of bone quality cause QUS to be a predictor of fracture risk that is independent of bone mineral density (BMD). Potentially this could lead to the development of a new generation of QUS devices for improved and expanded clinical assessment. Good quality of basic science work will thus lead to good quality of clinical patient examinations on the basis of a more detailed assessment of bone quality.

Non-Contact Inspection of Composites Using Air-Coupled Ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, J.; Kommareddy, V.; Liu, Z.; Fei, D.; Hsu, D.

2003-03-01

Conventional ultrasonic tests are conducted using water as a transmitting medium. Water coupled ultrasound cannot be applied to certain water-sensitive or porous materials and is more difficult to use in the field. In contrast, air-coupled ultrasound is non-contact and has clear advantages over water-coupled testing. The technology of air-coupled ultrasound has gained maturity in recent years. Some systems have become commercially available and researchers are pursuing several different modalities of air-coupled transduction. This paper reports our experience of applying air-coupled ultrasound to the inspection of flaws, damage, and normal internal structures of composite parts. Through-transmission C-scans at 400 kHz using a focused receiver has resolution sufficient to image honeycomb cells in the sandwich core. With the transmitter and receiver on the same side of a laminate. Lamb waves were generated and used for the imaging of substructures. Air-coupled scan results are presented for flaw detection and damage in aircraft composite structures.

Medical Ultrasound Imaging.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Stephen

2001-01-01

Explains the basic principles of ultrasound using everyday physics. Topics include the generation of ultrasound, basic interactions with material, and the measurement of blood flow using the Doppler effect. (Author/MM)

Diagnostic ultrasound exposure in man.

PubMed

Gramiak, R

1975-09-01

In his review of the AAPM statement on ultrasound, the author feels that allowing "some" research or demonstration on normal persons in the face of cautionary statements on as yet unknown side effects is an inconsistent position. The use of videotapes and the development of simulators hacked by data banks are offered in place of tissue phantoms.

Estimation of feline renal volume using computed tomography and ultrasound.

PubMed

Tyson, Reid; Logsdon, Stacy A; Werre, Stephen R; Daniel, Gregory B

2013-01-01

Renal volume estimation is an important parameter for clinical evaluation of kidneys and research applications. A time efficient, repeatable, and accurate method for volume estimation is required. The purpose of this study was to describe the accuracy of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) for estimating feline renal volume. Standardized ultrasound and CT scans were acquired for kidneys of 12 cadaver cats, in situ. Ultrasound and CT multiplanar reconstructions were used to record renal length measurements that were then used to calculate volume using the prolate ellipsoid formula for volume estimation. In addition, CT studies were reconstructed at 1 mm, 5 mm, and 1 cm, and transferred to a workstation where the renal volume was calculated using the voxel count method (hand drawn regions of interest). The reference standard kidney volume was then determined ex vivo using water displacement with the Archimedes' principle. Ultrasound measurement of renal length accounted for approximately 87% of the variability in renal volume for the study population. The prolate ellipsoid formula exhibited proportional bias and underestimated renal volume by a median of 18.9%. Computed tomography volume estimates using the voxel count method with hand-traced regions of interest provided the most accurate results, with increasing accuracy for smaller voxel sizes in grossly normal kidneys (-10.1 to 0.6%). Findings from this study supported the use of CT and the voxel count method for estimating feline renal volume in future clinical and research studies. © 2012 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.

Portable Bladder Ultrasound

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Executive Summary Objective The aim of this review was to assess the clinical utility of portable bladder ultrasound. Clinical Need: Target Population and Condition Data from the National Population Health Survey indicate prevalence rates of urinary incontinence are 2.5% in women and 1.4 % in men in the general population. Prevalence of urinary incontinence is higher in women than men and prevalence increases with age. Identified risk factors for urinary incontinence include female gender, increasing age, urinary tract infections (UTI), poor mobility, dementia, smoking, obesity, consuming alcohol and caffeine beverages, physical activity, pregnancy, childbirth, forceps and vacuum-assisted births, episiotomy, abdominal resection for colorectal cancer, and hormone replacement therapy. For the purposes of this review, incontinence populations will be stratified into the following; the elderly, urology patients, postoperative patients, rehabilitation settings, and neurogenic bladder populations. Urinary incontinence is defined as any involuntary leakage of urine. Incontinence can be classified into diagnostic clinical types that are useful in planning evaluation and treatment. The major types of incontinence are stress (physical exertion), urge (overactive bladder), mixed (combined urge and stress urinary incontinence), reflex (neurological impairment of the central nervous system), overflow (leakage due to full bladder), continuous (urinary tract abnormalities), congenital incontinence, and transient incontinence (temporary incontinence). Postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume, which is the amount of urine in the bladder immediately after urination, represents an important component in continence assessment and bladder management to provide quantitative feedback to the patient and continence care team regarding the effectiveness of the voiding technique. Although there is no standardized definition of normal PVR urine volume, measurements greater than 100 mL to 150 m

Knee ultrasound from research to real practice: a systematic literature review of adult knee ultrasound assessment feasibility studies.

PubMed

Peltea, Alexandra; Berghea, Florian; Gudu, Tania; Ionescu, Ruxandra

2016-12-05

To identify and analyse existing data regarding knee ultrasound (US) feasibility in clinical practice. Material and methods: A systematic literature review was performed using the terms: ("knee") AND ("ultrasound" OR "ultrasonography") AND ("feasibility" OR "pilot" OR "proof of concept"). Feasibility studies regarding knee US or US aided maneuver involving knee joint, published during 2005-2015, were selected and evaluated against a complex framework constructed around mandatory key areas for feasibility studies: acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration and expansion. One hundred and fifty-nine publications were identified, of which 9 were included in the final analysis: 6 dealt with the development and implementation of novel US scores, while the rest focused on implementing MSUS in clinical practice, evaluating the usefulness of articular cartilage US assessment and the feasibility of sonography for intra-articular knee injections, respectively. Six studies quantified feasibility as time spent for the evaluation, with only two addressing areassuch as acceptability, implementation and practicality, although none of these systematically assessed all feasibility domains. Knee US feasibility is still poorly addressed; the time required for US assessment is the main area addressed. This information gap should be properly addressed in future works, in order to ensure the right place for this technique.

Ultrasound physics and instrumentation for pathologists.

PubMed

Lieu, David

2010-10-01

Interest in pathologist-performed ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is increasing. Educational courses discuss clinical ultrasound and biopsy techniques but not ultrasound physics and instrumentation. To review modern ultrasound physics and instrumentation to help pathologists understand the basis of modern ultrasound. A review of recent literature and textbooks was performed. Ultrasound physics and instrumentation are the foundations of clinical ultrasound. The key physical principle is the piezoelectric effect. When stimulated by an electric current, certain crystals vibrate and produce ultrasound. A hand-held transducer converts electricity into ultrasound, transmits it into tissue, and listens for reflected ultrasound to return. The returning echoes are converted into electrical signals and used to create a 2-dimensional gray-scale image. Scanning at a high frequency improves axial resolution but has low tissue penetration. Electronic focusing moves the long-axis focus to depth of the object of interest and improves lateral resolution. The short-axis focus in 1-dimensional transducers is fixed, which results in poor elevational resolution away from the focal zone. Using multiple foci improves lateral resolution but degrades temporal resolution. The sonographer can adjust the dynamic range to change contrast and bring out subtle masses. Contrast resolution is limited by processing speed, monitor resolution, and gray-scale perception of the human eye. Ultrasound is an evolving field. New technologies include miniaturization, spatial compound imaging, tissue harmonics, and multidimensional transducers. Clinical cytopathologists who understand ultrasound physics, instrumentation, and clinical ultrasound are ready for the challenges of cytopathologist-performed ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and core-needle biopsy in the 21st century.

Virtual interface environment workstations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, S. S.; Wenzel, E. M.; Coler, C.; Mcgreevy, M. W.

1988-01-01

A head-mounted, wide-angle, stereoscopic display system controlled by operator position, voice and gesture has been developed at NASA's Ames Research Center for use as a multipurpose interface environment. This Virtual Interface Environment Workstation (VIEW) system provides a multisensory, interactive display environment in which a user can virtually explore a 360-degree synthesized or remotely sensed environment and can viscerally interact with its components. Primary applications of the system are in telerobotics, management of large-scale integrated information systems, and human factors research. System configuration, research scenarios, and research directions are described.

WE-A-18C-01: Emerging and Innovative Ultrasound Technology in Diagnosis and Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emelianov, S; Oraevsky, A; Stafford, R

The application of new ultrasound-based technologies in medicine has expanded in recent years. One area of rapid growth has been the combination of ultrasound with other methods of image generation and imaging modalities to produce hybrid approaches for diagnostic imaging and noninvasive therapeutic intervention. The presentations associated with this session will provide an overview of two emerging technologies that are currently being developed and implemented to enhance ultrasound-related diagnostic imaging and therapy: the utilization of optically-induced ultrasound imaging (optoacoustic / photoacoustic imaging) and the use of magnetic resonance imaging to guide the use of high-intensity focused ultrasound for therapeutic applications.more » Learning Objectives: Develop a general understanding of the underlying technologies associated with optoacoustic / photoacoustic tomography and MRguided high-intensity focused ultrasound. Develop an understanding of the current methods of these new ultrasound-based technologies in preclinical research and clinical applications.« less

Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Uterine Fibroids

MedlinePlus

... ultrasound surgery, your doctor may perform a pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan before treatment. Focused ultrasound surgery — also called magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery or focused ultrasound ...

Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for treating uterine arteriovenous malformation.

PubMed

Yan, X; Zhao, C; Tian, C; Wen, S; He, X; Zhou, Y

2017-08-01

To explore HIFU treatment for uterine arteriovenous malformation. A case report. Gynaecological department in a university teaching hospital of China. A patient with uterine arteriovenous malformation. The diagnosis of uterine arteriovenous malformation was made through MRI. Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) ablation was performed. HIFU is effective in treating uterine arteriovenous malformation. The patient had reduction of the lesion volume and obvious symptom relief, without significant adverse effects. HIFU can be used as a new treatment option for uterine arteriovenous malformation. Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation is effective in treating uterine arteriovenous malformation. © 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

New heights in ultrasound: first report of spinal ultrasound from the international space station.

PubMed

Marshburn, Thomas H; Hadfield, Chris A; Sargsyan, Ashot E; Garcia, Kathleen; Ebert, Douglas; Dulchavsky, Scott A

2014-01-01

Changes in the lumbar and sacral spine occur with exposure to microgravity in astronauts; monitoring these alterations without radiographic capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS) requires novel diagnostic solutions to be developed. We evaluated the ability of point-of-care ultrasound, performed by nonexpert-operator astronauts, to provide accurate anatomic information about the spine in long-duration crewmembers in space. Astronauts received brief ultrasound instruction on the ground and performed in-flight cervical and lumbosacral ultrasound examinations using just-in-time training and remote expert tele-ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound examinations on the ISS used a portable ultrasound device with real-time communication/guidance with ground experts in Mission Control. The crewmembers were able to obtain diagnostic-quality examinations of the cervical and lumbar spine that would provide essential information about acute or chronic changes to the spine. Spinal ultrasound provides essential anatomic information in the cervical and lumbosacral spine; this technique may be extensible to point-of-care situations in emergency departments or resource-challenged areas without direct access to additional radiologic capabilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cranial Ultrasound/Head Ultrasound

MedlinePlus

... the patient. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of ... by a computer, which in turn creates a real-time picture on the monitor. One or more frames ...

Mechanism of the protective effects of long chain n-alkyl glucopyranosides against ultrasound-induced cytolysis of HL-60 cells.

PubMed

Cheng, Jason Y; Riesz, Peter

2007-07-01

Recently it has been shown that long chain (C5-C8) n-alkyl glucopyranosides completely inhibit ultrasound-induced cytolysis [J.Z. Sostaric, N. Miyoshi, P. Riesz, W.G. DeGraff, and J.B. Mitchell, Free Radical Biol. Med., 39 (2005) 1539]. This protective effect has possible applications in HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) for tumor treatment, and in ultrasound assisted drug delivery and gene therapy. n-Alkyl glucopyranosides with hexyl (5mM), heptyl (3mM), octyl (2mM) n-alkyl chains protected 100% of HL-60 cells in vitro from 1.057 MHz ultrasound-induced cytolysis under a range of conditions that resulted in 35-100% cytolysis in the absence of glucopyranosides. However the hydrophilic methyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside did not protect cells. The surface active n-alkyl glucopyranosides accumulate at the gas-liquid interface of cavitation bubbles. The OH radicals and H atoms formed in collapsing cavitation bubbles react by H-atom abstraction from either the n-alkyl chain or the glucose moiety of the n-alkyl glucopyranosides. Owing to the high concentration of the long chain surfactants at the gas-liquid interface of cavitation bubbles, the initially formed carbon radicals on the alkyl chains are transferred to the glucose moieties to yield radicals which react with oxygen leading to the formation of hydrogen peroxide. In this work, we find that the sonochemically produced hydrogen peroxide yields from oxygen-saturated solutions of long chain (hexyl, octyl) n-alkyl glucopyranosides at 614 kHz and 1.057 MHz ultrasound increase with increasing n-alkyl glucopyranoside concentration but are independent of concentration for methyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside. These results are consistent with the previously proposed mechanism of sonoprotection [J.Z. Sostaric, N. Miyoshi, P. Riesz, W.G. DeGraff, and J.B. Mitchell, Free Radical Biol. Med., 39 (2005) 1539]. This sequence of events prevents sonodynamic cell killing by initiation of lipid peroxidation chain reactions in cellular

Transvaginal ultrasound (image)

MedlinePlus

Transvaginal ultrasound is a method of imaging the genital tract in females. A hand held probe is inserted directly ... vaginal cavity to scan the pelvic structures, while ultrasound pictures are viewed on a monitor. The test ...

Abdominal ultrasound (image)

MedlinePlus

Abdominal ultrasound is a scanning technique used to image the interior of the abdomen. Like the X-ray, MRI, ... it has its place as a diagnostic tool. Ultrasound scans use high frequency sound waves to produce ...

Ultrasound-guided pleural access.

PubMed

Shojaee, Samira; Argento, A Christine

2014-12-01

Ultrasonography of the thorax has become a more recognized tool in pulmonary medicine, thanks to continuing clinical research that has proven its many valuable roles in the day-to-day management of pulmonary and pleural diseases. Ultrasound examination is a cost-effective imaging modality that permits the pulmonologist to obtain information about the pathologies in the thorax without the risk of exposure to ionizing radiation, providing the examiner with real-time and immediate results. Its ease of use and training along with its portability to the patient's bedside and accurate examination of the pleural space has allowed for safer pleural procedures such as thoracentesis, chest tube placement, tunneled pleural catheter placement, and medical thoracoscopy. In this review, we summarize the technique of chest ultrasonography, compare ultrasound to other frequently used thoracic imaging modalities, and focus on its use in obtaining pleural access while performing invasive pleural procedures. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Ultrasound Image Despeckling Using Stochastic Distance-Based BM3D.

PubMed

Santos, Cid A N; Martins, Diego L N; Mascarenhas, Nelson D A

2017-06-01

Ultrasound image despeckling is an important research field, since it can improve the interpretability of one of the main categories of medical imaging. Many techniques have been tried over the years for ultrasound despeckling, and more recently, a great deal of attention has been focused on patch-based methods, such as non-local means and block-matching collaborative filtering (BM3D). A common idea in these recent methods is the measure of distance between patches, originally proposed as the Euclidean distance, for filtering additive white Gaussian noise. In this paper, we derive new stochastic distances for the Fisher-Tippett distribution, based on well-known statistical divergences, and use them as patch distance measures in a modified version of the BM3D algorithm for despeckling log-compressed ultrasound images. State-of-the-art results in filtering simulated, synthetic, and real ultrasound images confirm the potential of the proposed approach.

Versatile robotic probe calibration for position tracking in ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Bø, Lars Eirik; Hofstad, Erlend Fagertun; Lindseth, Frank; Hernes, Toril A N

2015-05-07

Within the field of ultrasound-guided procedures, there are a number of methods for ultrasound probe calibration. While these methods are usually developed for a specific probe, they are in principle easily adapted to other probes. In practice, however, the adaptation often proves tedious and this is impractical in a research setting, where new probes are tested regularly. Therefore, we developed a method which can be applied to a large variety of probes without adaptation. The method used a robot arm to move a plastic sphere submerged in water through the ultrasound image plane, providing a slow and precise movement. The sphere was then segmented from the recorded ultrasound images using a MATLAB programme and the calibration matrix was computed based on this segmentation in combination with tracking information. The method was tested on three very different probes demonstrating both great versatility and high accuracy.

Versatile robotic probe calibration for position tracking in ultrasound imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eirik Bø, Lars; Fagertun Hofstad, Erlend; Lindseth, Frank; Hernes, Toril A. N.

2015-05-01

Within the field of ultrasound-guided procedures, there are a number of methods for ultrasound probe calibration. While these methods are usually developed for a specific probe, they are in principle easily adapted to other probes. In practice, however, the adaptation often proves tedious and this is impractical in a research setting, where new probes are tested regularly. Therefore, we developed a method which can be applied to a large variety of probes without adaptation. The method used a robot arm to move a plastic sphere submerged in water through the ultrasound image plane, providing a slow and precise movement. The sphere was then segmented from the recorded ultrasound images using a MATLAB programme and the calibration matrix was computed based on this segmentation in combination with tracking information. The method was tested on three very different probes demonstrating both great versatility and high accuracy.

[Abdominal ultrasound course an introduction to the ultrasound technique. Physical basis. Ultrasound language].

PubMed

Segura-Grau, A; Sáez-Fernández, A; Rodríguez-Lorenzo, A; Díaz-Rodríguez, N

2014-01-01

Ultrasound is a non-invasive, accessible, and versatile diagnostic technique that uses high frequency ultrasound waves to define outline the organs of the human body, with no ionising radiation, in real time and with the capacity to visual several planes. The high diagnostic yield of the technique, together with its ease of uses plus the previously mentioned characteristics, has currently made it a routine method in daily medical practice. It is for this reason that the multidisciplinary character of this technique is being strengthened every day. To be able to perform the technique correctly requires knowledge of the physical basis of ultrasound, the method and the equipment, as well as of the human anatomy, in order to have the maximum information possible to avoid diagnostic errors due to poor interpretation or lack of information. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

CT and Ultrasound Guided Stereotactic High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Bradford J.; Yanof, J.; Frenkel, V.; Viswanathan, A.; Dromi, S.; Oh, K.; Kruecker, J.; Bauer, C.; Seip, R.; Kam, A.; Li, K. C. P.

2006-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of CT and B-mode Ultrasound (US) targeted HIFU, a prototype coaxial focused ultrasound transducer was registered and integrated to a CT scanner. CT and diagnostic ultrasound were used for HIFU targeting and monitoring, with the goals of both thermal ablation and non-thermal enhanced drug delivery. A 1 megahertz coaxial ultrasound transducer was custom fabricated and attached to a passive position-sensing arm and an active six degree-of-freedom robotic arm via a CT stereotactic frame. The outer therapeutic transducer with a 10 cm fixed focal zone was coaxially mounted to an inner diagnostic US transducer (2-4 megahertz, Philips Medical Systems). This coaxial US transducer was connected to a modified commercial focused ultrasound generator (Focus Surgery, Indianapolis, IN) with a maximum total acoustic power of 100 watts. This pre-clinical paradigm was tested for ability to heat tissue in phantoms with monitoring and navigation from CT and live US. The feasibility of navigation via image fusion of CT with other modalities such as PET and MRI was demonstrated. Heated water phantoms were tested for correlation between CT numbers and temperature (for ablation monitoring). The prototype transducer and integrated CT/US imaging system enabled simultaneous multimodality imaging and therapy. Pre-clinical phantom models validated the treatment paradigm and demonstrated integrated multimodality guidance and treatment monitoring. Temperature changes during phantom cooling corresponded to CT number changes. Contrast enhanced or non-enhanced CT numbers may potentially be used to monitor thermal ablation with HIFU. Integrated CT, diagnostic US, and therapeutic focused ultrasound bridges a gap between diagnosis and therapy. Preliminary results show that the multimodality system may represent a relatively inexpensive, accessible, and simple method of both targeting and monitoring HIFU effects. Small animal pre-clinical models may be translated to large

Reflection and Transmission of a Focused Finite Amplitude Sound Beam Incident on a Curved Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makin, Inder Raj Singh

Reflection and transmission of a finite amplitude focused sound beam at a weakly curved interface separating two fluid-like media are investigated. The KZK parabolic wave equation, which accounts for thermoviscous absorption, diffraction, and nonlinearity, is used to describe the high intensity focused beam. The first part of the work deals with the quasilinear analysis of a weakly nonlinear beam after its reflection and transmission from a curved interface. A Green's function approach is used to define the field integrals describing the primary and the nonlinearly generated second harmonic beam. Closed-form solutions are obtained for the primary and second harmonic beams when a Gaussian amplitude distribution at the source is assumed. The second part of the research uses a numerical frequency domain solution of the KZK equation for a fully nonlinear analysis of the reflected and transmitted fields. Both piston and Gaussian sources are considered. Harmonic components generated in the medium due to propagation of the focused beam are evaluated, and formation of shocks in the reflected and transmitted beams is investigated. A finite amplitude focused beam is observed to be modified due to reflection and transmission from a curved interface in a manner distinct from that in the case of a small signal beam. Propagation curves, beam patterns, phase plots and time waveforms for various parameters defining the source and media pairs are presented, highlighting the effect of the interface curvature on the reflected and transmitted beams. Relevance of the current work to biomedical applications of ultrasound is discussed.

Articular cartilage degeneration classification by means of high-frequency ultrasound.

PubMed

Männicke, N; Schöne, M; Oelze, M; Raum, K

2014-10-01

To date only single ultrasound parameters were regarded in statistical analyses to characterize osteoarthritic changes in articular cartilage and the potential benefit of using parameter combinations for characterization remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this work was to utilize feature selection and classification of a Mankin subset score (i.e., cartilage surface and cell sub-scores) using ultrasound-based parameter pairs and investigate both classification accuracy and the sensitivity towards different degeneration stages. 40 punch biopsies of human cartilage were previously scanned ex vivo with a 40-MHz transducer. Ultrasound-based surface parameters, as well as backscatter and envelope statistics parameters were available. Logistic regression was performed with each unique US parameter pair as predictor and different degeneration stages as response variables. The best ultrasound-based parameter pair for each Mankin subset score value was assessed by highest classification accuracy and utilized in receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. The classifications discriminating between early degenerations yielded area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of 0.94-0.99 (mean ± SD: 0.97 ± 0.03). In contrast, classifications among higher Mankin subset scores resulted in lower AUC values: 0.75-0.91 (mean ± SD: 0.84 ± 0.08). Variable sensitivities of the different ultrasound features were observed with respect to different degeneration stages. Our results strongly suggest that combinations of high-frequency ultrasound-based parameters exhibit potential to characterize different, particularly very early, degeneration stages of hyaline cartilage. Variable sensitivities towards different degeneration stages suggest that a concurrent estimation of multiple ultrasound-based parameters is diagnostically valuable. In-vivo application of the present findings is conceivable in both minimally invasive arthroscopic ultrasound and high-frequency transcutaneous ultrasound

A motorized ultrasound system for MRI-ultrasound fusion guided prostatectomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifabadi, Reza; Xu, Sheng; Pinto, Peter; Wood, Bradford J.

2016-03-01

Purpose: This study presents MoTRUS, a motorized transrectal ultrasound system, to enable remote navigation of a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe during da Vinci assisted prostatectomy. MoTRUS not only provides a stable platform to the ultrasound probe, but also allows the physician to navigate it remotely while sitting on the da Vinci console. This study also presents phantom feasibility study with the goal being intraoperative MRI-US image fusion capability to bring preoperative MR images to the operating room for the best visualization of the gland, boundaries, nerves, etc. Method: A two degree-of-freedom probe holder is developed to insert and rotate a bi-plane transrectal ultrasound transducer. A custom joystick is made to enable remote navigation of MoTRUS. Safety features have been considered to avoid inadvertent risks (if any) to the patient. Custom design software has been developed to fuse pre-operative MR images to intraoperative ultrasound images acquired by MoTRUS. Results: Remote TRUS probe navigation was evaluated on a patient after taking required consents during prostatectomy using MoTRUS. It took 10 min to setup the system in OR. MoTRUS provided similar capability in addition to remote navigation and stable imaging. No complications were observed. Image fusion was evaluated on a commercial prostate phantom. Electromagnetic tracking was used for the fusion. Conclusions: Motorized navigation of the TRUS probe during prostatectomy is safe and feasible. Remote navigation provides physician with a more precise and easier control of the ultrasound image while removing the burden of manual manipulation of the probe. Image fusion improved visualization of the prostate and boundaries in a phantom study.

Integrated circuits for volumetric ultrasound imaging with 2-D CMUT arrays.

PubMed

Bhuyan, Anshuman; Choe, Jung Woo; Lee, Byung Chul; Wygant, Ira O; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Oralkan, Ömer; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

2013-12-01

Real-time volumetric ultrasound imaging systems require transmit and receive circuitry to generate ultrasound beams and process received echo signals. The complexity of building such a system is high due to requirement of the front-end electronics needing to be very close to the transducer. A large number of elements also need to be interfaced to the back-end system and image processing of a large dataset could affect the imaging volume rate. In this work, we present a 3-D imaging system using capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) technology that addresses many of the challenges in building such a system. We demonstrate two approaches in integrating the transducer and the front-end electronics. The transducer is a 5-MHz CMUT array with an 8 mm × 8 mm aperture size. The aperture consists of 1024 elements (32 × 32) with an element pitch of 250 μm. An integrated circuit (IC) consists of a transmit beamformer and receive circuitry to improve the noise performance of the overall system. The assembly was interfaced with an FPGA and a back-end system (comprising of a data acquisition system and PC). The FPGA provided the digital I/O signals for the IC and the back-end system was used to process the received RF echo data (from the IC) and reconstruct the volume image using a phased array imaging approach. Imaging experiments were performed using wire and spring targets, a ventricle model and a human prostrate. Real-time volumetric images were captured at 5 volumes per second and are presented in this paper.

Elasticity-based three dimensional ultrasound real-time volume rendering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boctor, Emad M.; Matinfar, Mohammad; Ahmad, Omar; Rivaz, Hassan; Choti, Michael; Taylor, Russell H.

2009-02-01

Volumetric ultrasound imaging has not gained wide recognition, despite the availability of real-time 3D ultrasound scanners and the anticipated potential of 3D ultrasound imaging in diagnostic and interventional radiology. Their use, however, has been hindered by the lack of real-time visualization methods that are capable of producing high quality 3D rendering of the target/surface of interest. Volume rendering is a known visualization method, which can display clear surfaces out of the acquired volumetric data, and has an increasing number of applications utilizing CT and MRI data. The key element of any volume rendering pipeline is the ability to classify the target/surface of interest by setting an appropriate opacity function. Practical and successful real-time 3D ultrasound volume rendering can be achieved in Obstetrics and Angio applications where setting these opacity functions can be done rapidly, and reliably. Unfortunately, 3D ultrasound volume rendering of soft tissues is a challenging task due to the presence of significant amount of noise and speckle. Recently, several research groups have shown the feasibility of producing 3D elasticity volume from two consecutive 3D ultrasound scans. This report describes a novel volume rendering pipeline utilizing elasticity information. The basic idea is to compute B-mode voxel opacity from the rapidly calculated strain values, which can also be mixed with conventional gradient based opacity function. We have implemented the volume renderer using GPU unit, which gives an update rate of 40 volume/sec.

Focused ultrasound in ophthalmology

PubMed Central

Silverman, Ronald H

2016-01-01

The use of focused ultrasound to obtain diagnostically significant information about the eye goes back to the 1950s. This review describes the historical and technological development of ophthalmic ultrasound and its clinical application and impact. Ultrasound, like light, can be focused, which is crucial for formation of high-resolution, diagnostically useful images. Focused, single-element, mechanically scanned transducers are most common in ophthalmology. Specially designed transducers have been used to generate focused, high-intensity ultrasound that through thermal effects has been used to treat glaucoma (via ciliodestruction), tumors, and other pathologies. Linear and annular transducer arrays offer synthetic focusing in which precise timing of the excitation of independently addressable array elements allows formation of a converging wavefront to create a focus at one or more programmable depths. Most recently, linear array-based plane-wave ultrasound, in which the array emits an unfocused wavefront and focusing is performed solely on received data, has been demonstrated for imaging ocular anatomy and blood flow. While the history of ophthalmic ultrasound extends back over half-a-century, new and powerful technologic advances continue to be made, offering the prospect of novel diagnostic capabilities. PMID:27757007

Focused ultrasound in ophthalmology.

PubMed

Silverman, Ronald H

2016-01-01

The use of focused ultrasound to obtain diagnostically significant information about the eye goes back to the 1950s. This review describes the historical and technological development of ophthalmic ultrasound and its clinical application and impact. Ultrasound, like light, can be focused, which is crucial for formation of high-resolution, diagnostically useful images. Focused, single-element, mechanically scanned transducers are most common in ophthalmology. Specially designed transducers have been used to generate focused, high-intensity ultrasound that through thermal effects has been used to treat glaucoma (via ciliodestruction), tumors, and other pathologies. Linear and annular transducer arrays offer synthetic focusing in which precise timing of the excitation of independently addressable array elements allows formation of a converging wavefront to create a focus at one or more programmable depths. Most recently, linear array-based plane-wave ultrasound, in which the array emits an unfocused wavefront and focusing is performed solely on received data, has been demonstrated for imaging ocular anatomy and blood flow. While the history of ophthalmic ultrasound extends back over half-a-century, new and powerful technologic advances continue to be made, offering the prospect of novel diagnostic capabilities.

Surface refraction of sound waves affects calibration of three-dimensional ultrasound.

PubMed

Ballhausen, Hendrik; Ballhausen, Bianca Désirée; Lachaine, Martin; Li, Minglun; Parodi, Katia; Belka, Claus; Reiner, Michael

2015-05-27

.12 mm/° were recorded in agreement with the first experiment at about room temperature. The difference to the theoretical expectation of 0.07 mm/° was not significant (p = 0.09). The surface refraction of sound waves my affect the calibration of three-dimensional ultrasound. The temperature dependence of the effect rules out alternative explanations for the observed shifts in calibration. At room temperature and for a structure that is 10 cm below the water-phantom interface, a tilt of the ultrasound probe of 10° may result in a position reading that is off by more than half a millimeter. Such errors are of the order of other relevant errors typically encountered during the calibration of a 3D-US system. Hence, care must be taken not to tilt the ultrasound probe during calibration.

A continuously growing web-based interface structure databank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erwin, N. A.; Wang, E. I.; Osysko, A.; Warner, D. H.

2012-07-01

The macroscopic properties of materials can be significantly influenced by the presence of microscopic interfaces. The complexity of these interfaces coupled with the vast configurational space in which they reside has been a long-standing obstacle to the advancement of true bottom-up material behavior predictions. In this vein, atomistic simulations have proven to be a valuable tool for investigating interface behavior. However, before atomistic simulations can be utilized to model interface behavior, meaningful interface atomic structures must be generated. The generation of structures has historically been carried out disjointly by individual research groups, and thus, has constituted an overlap in effort across the broad research community. To address this overlap and to lower the barrier for new researchers to explore interface modeling, we introduce a web-based interface structure databank (www.isdb.cee.cornell.edu) where users can search, download and share interface structures. The databank is intended to grow via two mechanisms: (1) interface structure donations from individual research groups and (2) an automated structure generation algorithm which continuously creates equilibrium interface structures. In this paper, we describe the databank, the automated interface generation algorithm, and compare a subset of the autonomously generated structures to structures currently available in the literature. To date, the automated generation algorithm has been directed toward aluminum grain boundary structures, which can be compared with experimentally measured population densities of aluminum polycrystals.

Simulation of the ultrasound-induced growth and collapse of a near-wall bubble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Bradley; Becker, Sid

2017-11-01

In this study, we consider the acoustically driven growth and collapse of a cavitation bubble in a fluid medium exposed to an ultrasound field. The bubble dynamics are modelled using a compressible, inviscid, multiphase model. The numerical scheme consists of a conservative interface capturing scheme which uses the fifth-order WENO reconstruction with a maximum-principle-satisfying and positivity-preserving limiter, and the HLLC approximate Riemann flux. To model the ultrasound input, a moving boundary oscillates through a fixed grid of finite-volume cells. The growth phase of the simulation shows the rapid non-spherical growth of the near-wall bubble. Once the bubble reaches its maximum size and the collapse phase begins, the simulation shows the formation of a jet which penetrates the bubble towards the wall at the later stages of the collapse. For a bubble with an initial radius of 50 μ m and an ultrasound pressure amplitude of 200 kPa, the pressure experienced by the wall increased rapidly nearing the end of the collapse, reaching a peak pressure of 13 MPa. This model is an important development in the field as it represents the physics of acoustic cavitation in more detail than before. This work was supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand's Marsden Fund.

Putting ultrasound to use in food processing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ultrasound has been applied to a wide range of food processing operations, both in research laboratories and commercially. This emerging technology has received a good deal of interest due to its green nature and nonthermal benefits, which include increased throughput, reduced cost, improved final ...

Unpowered wireless generation and sensing of ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haiying

2013-04-01

This paper presents a wireless ultrasound pitch-catch system that demonstrates the wireless generation and sensing of ultrasounds based on the principle of frequency conversion. The wireless ultrasound pitch-catch system consists of a wireless interrogator and two wireless ultrasound transducers. The wireless interrogator generates an ultrasound-modulated signal and a carrier signal, both at the microwave frequency, and transmits these two signals to the wireless ultrasound actuator using a pair of antennas. Upon receiving these two signals, the wireless ultrasound actuator recovers the ultrasound excitation signal using a passive mixer and then supplies it to a piezoelectric wafer sensor for ultrasound generation in the structure. For wireless ultrasound sensing, the frequency conversion process is reversed. The ultrasound sensing signal is up-converted to a microwave signal by the wireless ultrasound sensor and is recovered at the wireless interrogator using a homodyne receiver. To differentiate the wireless actuator from the wireless sensor, each wireless transducer is equipped with a narrowband microwave filter so that it only responds to the carrier frequency that matches the filter's operation bandwidth. The principle of operation of the wireless pitch-catch system, the hardware implementation, and the associated data processing algorithm to recover the ultrasound signal from the wirelessly received signal are described. The wirelessly acquired ultrasound signal is compared with those acquired using wired connection in both time and frequency domain.

Augmented Reality Using Transurethral Ultrasound for Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: Preclinical Evaluation.

PubMed

Lanchon, Cecilia; Custillon, Guillaume; Moreau-Gaudry, Alexandre; Descotes, Jean-Luc; Long, Jean-Alexandre; Fiard, Gaelle; Voros, Sandrine

2016-07-01

To guide the surgeon during laparoscopic or robot-assisted radical prostatectomy an innovative laparoscopic/ultrasound fusion platform was developed using a motorized 3-dimensional transurethral ultrasound probe. We present what is to our knowledge the first preclinical evaluation of 3-dimensional prostate visualization using transurethral ultrasound and the preliminary results of this new augmented reality. The transurethral probe and laparoscopic/ultrasound registration were tested on realistic prostate phantoms made of standard polyvinyl chloride. The quality of transurethral ultrasound images and the detection of passive markers placed on the prostate surface were evaluated on 2-dimensional dynamic views and 3-dimensional reconstructions. The feasibility, precision and reproducibility of laparoscopic/transurethral ultrasound registration was then determined using 4, 5, 6 and 7 markers to assess the optimal amount needed. The root mean square error was calculated for each registration and the median root mean square error and IQR were calculated according to the number of markers. The transurethral ultrasound probe was easy to manipulate and the prostatic capsule was well visualized in 2 and 3 dimensions. Passive markers could precisely be localized in the volume. Laparoscopic/transurethral ultrasound registration procedures were performed on 74 phantoms of various sizes and shapes. All were successful. The median root mean square error of 1.1 mm (IQR 0.8-1.4) was significantly associated with the number of landmarks (p = 0.001). The highest accuracy was achieved using 6 markers. However, prostate volume did not affect registration precision. Transurethral ultrasound provided high quality prostate reconstruction and easy marker detection. Laparoscopic/ultrasound registration was successful with acceptable mm precision. Further investigations are necessary to achieve sub mm accuracy and assess feasibility in a human model. Copyright © 2016 American Urological

Advances in ultrasound-targeted microbubble-mediated gene therapy for liver fibrosis.

PubMed

Huang, Cuiyuan; Zhang, Hong; Bai, Ruidan

2017-07-01

Hepatic fibrosis develops as a wound-healing scar in response to acute and chronic liver inflammation and can lead to cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C. The condition arises due to increased synthesis and reduced degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and is a common pathological sequela of chronic liver disease. Excessive deposition of ECM in the liver causes liver dysfunction, ascites, and eventually upper gastrointestinal bleeding as well as a series of complications. However, fibrosis can be reversed before developing into cirrhosis and has thus been the subject of extensive researches particularly at the gene level. Currently, therapeutic genes are imported into the damaged liver to delay or prevent the development of liver fibrosis by regulating the expression of exogenous genes. One technique of gene delivery uses ultrasound targeting of microbubbles combined with therapeutic genes where the time and intensity of the ultrasound can control the release process. Ultrasound irradiation of microbubbles in the vicinity of cells changes the permeability of the cell membrane by its cavitation effect and enhances gene transfection. In this paper, recent progress in the field is reviewed with emphasis on the following aspects: the types of ultrasound microbubbles, the construction of an ultrasound-mediated gene delivery system, the mechanism of ultrasound microbubble-mediated gene transfer and the application of ultrasound microbubbles in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

A Review on Real-Time 3D Ultrasound Imaging Technology

PubMed Central

Zeng, Zhaozheng

2017-01-01

Real-time three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US) has attracted much more attention in medical researches because it provides interactive feedback to help clinicians acquire high-quality images as well as timely spatial information of the scanned area and hence is necessary in intraoperative ultrasound examinations. Plenty of publications have been declared to complete the real-time or near real-time visualization of 3D ultrasound using volumetric probes or the routinely used two-dimensional (2D) probes. So far, a review on how to design an interactive system with appropriate processing algorithms remains missing, resulting in the lack of systematic understanding of the relevant technology. In this article, previous and the latest work on designing a real-time or near real-time 3D ultrasound imaging system are reviewed. Specifically, the data acquisition techniques, reconstruction algorithms, volume rendering methods, and clinical applications are presented. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of state-of-the-art approaches are discussed in detail. PMID:28459067

A Review on Real-Time 3D Ultrasound Imaging Technology.

PubMed

Huang, Qinghua; Zeng, Zhaozheng

2017-01-01

Real-time three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US) has attracted much more attention in medical researches because it provides interactive feedback to help clinicians acquire high-quality images as well as timely spatial information of the scanned area and hence is necessary in intraoperative ultrasound examinations. Plenty of publications have been declared to complete the real-time or near real-time visualization of 3D ultrasound using volumetric probes or the routinely used two-dimensional (2D) probes. So far, a review on how to design an interactive system with appropriate processing algorithms remains missing, resulting in the lack of systematic understanding of the relevant technology. In this article, previous and the latest work on designing a real-time or near real-time 3D ultrasound imaging system are reviewed. Specifically, the data acquisition techniques, reconstruction algorithms, volume rendering methods, and clinical applications are presented. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of state-of-the-art approaches are discussed in detail.

Validation of Greyscale-Based Quantitative Ultrasound in Manual Wheelchair Users

PubMed Central

Collinger, Jennifer L.; Fullerton, Bradley; Impink, Bradley G.; Koontz, Alicia M.; Boninger, Michael L.

2010-01-01

Objective The primary aim of this study is to establish the validity of greyscale-based quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measures of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons. Design Nine QUS measures of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons were computed from ultrasound images collected from sixty-seven manual wheelchair users. Shoulder pathology was measured using questionnaires, physical examination maneuvers, and a clinical ultrasound grading scale. Results Increased age, duration of wheelchair use, and body mass correlated with a darker, more homogenous tendon appearance. Subjects with pain during physical examination tests for biceps tenderness and acromioclavicular joint tenderness exhibited significantly different supraspinatus QUS values. Even when controlling for tendon depth, QUS measures of the biceps tendon differed significantly between subjects with healthy tendons, mild tendinosis, and severe tendinosis. Clinical grading of supraspinatus tendon health was correlated with QUS measures of the supraspinatus tendon. Conclusions Quantitative ultrasound is valid method to quantify tendinopathy and may allow for early detection of tendinosis. Manual wheelchair users are at a high risk for developing shoulder tendon pathology and may benefit from quantitative ultrasound-based research that focuses on identifying interventions designed to reduce this risk. PMID:20407304

Aesthetic ultrasound therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthe, Peter G.; Slayton, Michael H.

2012-10-01

Ultrasound provides key benefits in aesthetic surgery compared to laser and RF based energy sources. We present results of research, development, pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory clearance and commercialization of a revolutionary non-invasive aesthetic ultrasound imaging and therapy system. Clinical applications for this platform include non-invasive face-lifts, brow-lifts, and neck-lifts achieved through fractionated treatment of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) and subcutaneous tissue. Treatment consists of placing a grid of micro-coagulative lesions on the order of 1 mm3 at depths in skin of 1 to 6 mm, source energy levels of 0.1 to 3 J, and spacing on the order of 1.5 mm, from 4 to 10 MHz dual-mode image/treat transducers. System details are described, as well as a regulatory pathway consisting of acoustic and bioheat simulations, source characterization (hydrophone, radiation force, and Schlieren), pre-clinical studies (porcine skin ex vivo, in vivo, and human cadaver), human safety studies (treat and resect) and efficacy trials which culminated in FDA clearance (2009) under a new device classification and world-wide usage. Clinical before and after photographs are presented which validate the clinical approach.

Determining Directions of Ultrasound in Solids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R.; Roth, Don J.

1987-01-01

Ultrasound shadows cast by grooves. Improved method for determining direction of ultrasound in materials is shadow method using Scanning laser acoustic microscopy (SLAM). Direction of ultrasound calculated from dimensions of groove and portion of surface groove shields from ultrasound. Method has variety of applications in nontraditional quality-control applications.

Endobronchial ultrasound elastography: a new method in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration.

PubMed

Jiang, Jun-Hong; Turner, J Francis; Huang, Jian-An

2015-12-01

TBNA through the flexible bronchoscope is a 37-year-old technology that utilizes a TBNA needle to puncture the bronchial wall and obtain specimens of peribronchial and mediastinal lesions through the flexible bronchoscope for the diagnosis of benign and malignant diseases in the mediastinum and lung. Since 2002, the Olympus Company developed the first generation ultrasound equipment for use in the airway, initially utilizing an ultrasound probe introduced through the working channel followed by incoroporation of a fixed linear ultrasound array at the distal tip of the bronchoscope. This new bronchoscope equipped with a convex type ultrasound probe on the tip was subsequently introduced into clinical practice. The convex probe (CP)-EBUS allows real-time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. EBUS-TBNA is a minimally invasive procedure performed under local anesthesia that has been shown to have a high sensitivity and diagnostic yield for lymph node staging of lung cancer. In 10 years of EBUS development, the Olympus Company developed the second generation EBUS bronchoscope (BF-UC260FW) with the ultrasound image processor (EU-M1), and in 2013 introduced a new ultrasound image processor (EU-M2) into clinical practice. FUJI company has also developed a curvilinear array endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscope (EB-530 US) that makes it easier for the operator to master the operation of the ultrasonic bronchoscope. Also, the new thin convex probe endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscope (TCP-EBUS) is able to visualize one to three bifurcations distal to the current CP-EBUS. The emergence of EBUS-TBNA has also been accompanied by innovation in EBUS instruments. EBUS elastography is, then, a new technique for describing the compliance of structures during EBUS, which may be of use in the determination of metastasis to the mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. This article describes these new EBUS

Validation of Ultrasound Imaging to Rule-out Thoracic Trauma on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, Douglas R.; Sargsyan, Ashot E.; Melton, Shannon; Martin, David; Dulchavsky, Scott A.

2006-01-01

Introduction: Aboard the International Space Station (ISS) an intra-thoracic injury may be disastrous to the crew member if the diagnosis is missed or even delayed. Pneumothorax and hemothorax commonly seen in trauma patients; the diagnosis is usually confirmed by chest X-ray or computed tomography. In this study, the ability of ultrasound to rule out pneumothorax by the presence "lung sliding" and hemothorax by the absence of pleural fluid was validated. Methods: The research activities were approved by the NASA Johnson Space Center Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects, and the participating crewmembers signed informed consent prior to the activity. ISS crewmembers received 2-hours of "hands on" ultrasound training 8 months prior to the on-orbit ultrasound exam. Baseline ultrasound images of the thorax were acquired on the crewmebers of Increment 8 and 9 prior to launch from Bakonur, Russia. Ultrasound examination of the thorax were performed on crewmembers at 30 day intervals (n=??) throughout their flight. Post flight images were acquired on or about landing day 10. Ultrasound images were acquired using the ISS Health Research Facility ultrasound system and examined by experts on the ground to rule out the presence of pneumothorax and hemothorax. Results: The presence of "lung sliding" which excludes pneumothorax, was seen in all subjects. The absence of pleural fluid, which excludes hemothorax was seen in all subjects. The optimal position between sonographer and patient under microgravity conditions and the amount and type of training for a non-physician crew medical officer for these procedures was also established for this procedure. Conclusion: Ultrasound can be performed on orbit under microgravity condition to rule thoracic trauma, such as pneumothorax and hemothorax.

Design of a microprocessor-based Control, Interface and Monitoring (CIM unit for turbine engine controls research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delaat, J. C.; Soeder, J. F.

1983-01-01

High speed minicomputers were used in the past to implement advanced digital control algorithms for turbine engines. These minicomputers are typically large and expensive. It is desirable for a number of reasons to use microprocessor-based systems for future controls research. They are relatively compact, inexpensive, and are representative of the hardware that would be used for actual engine-mounted controls. The Control, Interface, and Monitoring Unit (CIM) contains a microprocessor-based controls computer, necessary interface hardware and a system to monitor while it is running an engine. It is presently being used to evaluate an advanced turbofan engine control algorithm.

Abdominal ultrasound and medical education.

PubMed

García de Casasola Sánchez, G; Torres Macho, J; Casas Rojo, J M; Cubo Romano, P; Antón Santos, J M; Villena Garrido, V; Diez Lobato, R

2014-04-01

Ultrasound is a very versatile diagnostic modality that permits real-time visualization of multiple internal organs. It is of invaluable help for the physical examination of the patients. To assess if ultrasound can be incorporated into medical education and if the students can perform a basic abdominal ultrasound examination without the necessity of a long period of training. Twelve medical students were trained in basic abdominal ultrasound during a 15-h training program including a 5-h theoretical and practical course and supervised practice in 20 selected patients. Subsequently, we conducted an evaluation test that assessed the ability of students to obtain the ultrasound views and to detect various pathologies in five different patients. The students were able to correctly identify the abdominal views more than 90% of the times. This percentage was only lower (80%) in the right subcostal view to locate the gallbladder. The accuracy or global efficiency of the ultrasound for the diagnosis of relevant pathological findings of the patients was greater than 90% (91.1% gallstones, abdominal aortic aneurysm 100%; splenomegaly 98.3%, ascites 100%; dilated inferior vena cava 100%; acute urinary retention 100%). The ultrasound may be a feasible learning tool in medical education. Ultrasound can help students to improve the physical examination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

[Basics of emergency ultrasound].

PubMed

Schellhaas, S; Breitkreutz, R

2012-09-05

Focused ultrasound is a key methodology of critical care medicine. By referencing few ultrasound differential diagnosis, it is possible to identifying in real-time the reason of the critical state of a patient. Therefore typical focused ultrasound protocols were developed. The well known Focused Assessment with Sonography for trauma (FAST) was incorporated into the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) for shock room. Focused echocardiographic evaluation in life support (FEEL) has been designed to be conformed with the universal Advanced Life Support (ALS) algorithm and to identify treatable conditions such as acute right ventricular pressure overload in pulmonary embolism, hypovolemia, or pericardial effusion/tamponade. Using lung ultrasound one can differentiate pulmonary edema, pleural effusion or pneumothorax.

Ultrasound Contrast Agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cachard, Christian; Basset, Olivier

While the use of contrast agents in other imaging modalities (X ray, MRI, PET, …) has been routinely accepted for many years, the development and commercialization of contrast agents designed specifically for ultrasound imaging has occurred only very recently. As in the other imaging modalities, the injection of contrast agents during an ultrasound examination is intended to facilitate the detection and diagnosis of specific pathologies. Contrast agents efficiency is based on the backscattering of ultrasound by microbubbles. These microparticules are intravenously injected in the blood flow. After an introduction and generalities on ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) the microbubble physics in an acoustic field will be developed. Second, physics characteristics of contrast agents will be compared (bubbles with or without shell, gas nature, size distribution). Influence of acoustic pressure on the behaviour of the microparticules (linear, non linear and destruction) will be discussed. Finally, a review of specific imaging adapted to contrast agent properties as harmonic imaging, pulse inversion imaging will be presented.

Eye and orbit ultrasound

MedlinePlus

Echography - eye orbit; Ultrasound - eye orbit; Ocular ultrasonography; Orbital ultrasonography ... eye is numbed with medicine (anesthetic drops). The ultrasound wand (transducer) is placed against the front surface ...

Designing the Instructional Interface.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohr, L. L.

2000-01-01

Designing the instructional interface is a challenging endeavor requiring knowledge and skills in instructional and visual design, psychology, human-factors, ergonomic research, computer science, and editorial design. This paper describes the instructional interface, the challenges of its development, and an instructional systems approach to its…

[Focused ultrasound therapy: current status and potential applications in neurosurgery].

PubMed

Dervishi, E; Aubry, J-F; Delattre, J-Y; Boch, A-L

2013-12-01

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) therapy is an innovative approach for tissue ablation, based on high intensity focused ultrasound beams. At the focus, HIFU induces a temperature elevation and the tissue can be thermally destroyed. In fact, this approach has been tested in a number of clinical studies for the treatment of several tumors, primarily the prostate, uterine, breast, bone, liver, kidney and pancreas. For transcranial brain therapy, the skull bone is a major limitation, however, new adaptive techniques of phase correction for focusing ultrasound through the skull have recently been implemented by research systems, paving the way for HIFU therapy to become an interesting alternative to brain surgery and radiotherapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Model development, testing and experimentation in a CyberWorkstation for Brain-Machine Interface research.

PubMed

Rattanatamrong, Prapaporn; Matsunaga, Andrea; Raiturkar, Pooja; Mesa, Diego; Zhao, Ming; Mahmoudi, Babak; Digiovanna, Jack; Principe, Jose; Figueiredo, Renato; Sanchez, Justin; Fortes, Jose

2010-01-01

The CyberWorkstation (CW) is an advanced cyber-infrastructure for Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) research. It allows the development, configuration and execution of BMI computational models using high-performance computing resources. The CW's concept is implemented using a software structure in which an "experiment engine" is used to coordinate all software modules needed to capture, communicate and process brain signals and motor-control commands. A generic BMI-model template, which specifies a common interface to the CW's experiment engine, and a common communication protocol enable easy addition, removal or replacement of models without disrupting system operation. This paper reviews the essential components of the CW and shows how templates can facilitate the processes of BMI model development, testing and incorporation into the CW. It also discusses the ongoing work towards making this process infrastructure independent.

Improved heating efficiency with High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound using a new ultrasound source excitation.

PubMed

Bigelow, Timothy A

2009-01-01

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is quickly becoming one of the best methods to thermally ablate tissue noninvasively. Unlike RF or Laser ablation, the tissue can be destroyed without inserting any probes into the body minimizing the risk of secondary complications such as infections. In this study, the heating efficiency of HIFU sources is improved by altering the excitation of the ultrasound source to take advantage of nonlinear propagation. For ultrasound, the phase velocity of the ultrasound wave depends on the amplitude of the wave resulting in the generation of higher harmonics. These higher harmonics are more efficiently converted into heat in the body due to the frequency dependence of the ultrasound absorption in tissue. In our study, the generation of the higher harmonics by nonlinear propagation is enhanced by transmitting an ultrasound wave with both the fundamental and a higher harmonic component included. Computer simulations demonstrated up to a 300% increase in temperature increase compared to transmitting at only the fundamental for the same acoustic power transmitted by the source.

3D optical imagery for motion compensation in a limb ultrasound system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranger, Bryan J.; Feigin, Micha; Zhang, Xiang; Mireault, Al; Raskar, Ramesh; Herr, Hugh M.; Anthony, Brian W.

2016-04-01

Conventional processes for prosthetic socket fabrication are heavily subjective, often resulting in an interface to the human body that is neither comfortable nor completely functional. With nearly 100% of amputees reporting that they experience discomfort with the wearing of their prosthetic limb, designing an effective interface to the body can significantly affect quality of life and future health outcomes. Active research in medical imaging and biomechanical tissue modeling of residual limbs has led to significant advances in computer aided prosthetic socket design, demonstrating an interest in moving toward more quantifiable processes that are still patient-specific. In our work, medical ultrasonography is being pursued to acquire data that may quantify and improve the design process and fabrication of prosthetic sockets while greatly reducing cost compared to an MRI-based framework. This paper presents a prototype limb imaging system that uses a medical ultrasound probe, mounted to a mechanical positioning system and submerged in a water bath. The limb imaging is combined with three-dimensional optical imaging for motion compensation. Images are collected circumferentially around the limb and combined into cross-sectional axial image slices, resulting in a compound image that shows tissue distributions and anatomical boundaries similar to magnetic resonance imaging. In this paper we provide a progress update on our system development, along with preliminary results as we move toward full volumetric imaging of residual limbs for prosthetic socket design. This demonstrates a novel multi-modal approach to residual limb imaging.

High volume ultrasound guided injections at the interface between the patellar tendon and Hoffa's body are effective in chronic patellar tendinopathy: A pilot study.

PubMed

Crisp, Tom; Khan, Faisal; Padhiar, Nat; Morrissey, Dylan; King, John; Jalan, Rosy; Maffulli, Nicola; Frcr, Otto Chan

2008-01-01

To evaluate a novel conservative management modality for patellar tendinopathy. We recruited nine patients with patellar tendinopathy who had failed conservative management and showed evidence of neovascularisation on power Doppler scanning. A high volume ultrasound guided injection at the interface between the patellar tendon and Hoffa's body. The injection contained 10 ml 0.5% Bupivacaine, 25 mg Hydrocortisone, and between 12 and 40 ml normosaline. 100 mm visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain and for function, and Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment - Patellar tendon (VISA-P) questionnaires at an average of 9 months from the injection. All but one patient (whose pain was unchanged) improved (p = 0.028). The mean improvement in function 2 weeks after injection was 58 mm on VAS (interquartile range 27 - 88, p = 0.018). The mean improvement in pain 2 weeks after injection was 56 mm on a VAS scale (interquartile range 32 - 80, p = 0.018). At a mean follow up of 9 months, an improvement of 22 points from a baseline score of 46 on the VISA-P questionnaire (100 being normal) was established. High volume injections to mechanically disrupt the neovascularisation in patellar tendinopathy are helpful in the management of this condition. Controlled trials would be warranted to investigate in a more conclusive fashion this management modality.

WE-B-210-02: The Advent of Ultrafast Imaging in Biomedical Ultrasound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanter, M.

In the last fifteen years, the introduction of plane or diverging wave transmissions rather than line by line scanning focused beams has broken the conventional barriers of ultrasound imaging. By using such large field of view transmissions, the frame rate reaches the theoretical limit of physics dictated by the ultrasound speed and an ultrasonic map can be provided typically in tens of micro-seconds (several thousands of frames per second). Interestingly, this leap in frame rate is not only a technological breakthrough but it permits the advent of completely new ultrasound imaging modes, including shear wave elastography, electromechanical wave imaging, ultrafastmore » doppler, ultrafast contrast imaging, and even functional ultrasound imaging of brain activity (fUltrasound) introducing Ultrasound as an emerging full-fledged neuroimaging modality. At ultrafast frame rates, it becomes possible to track in real time the transient vibrations – known as shear waves – propagating through organs. Such “human body seismology” provides quantitative maps of local tissue stiffness whose added value for diagnosis has been recently demonstrated in many fields of radiology (breast, prostate and liver cancer, cardiovascular imaging, …). Today, Supersonic Imagine company is commercializing the first clinical ultrafast ultrasound scanner, Aixplorer with real time Shear Wave Elastography. This is the first example of an ultrafast Ultrasound approach surpassing the research phase and now widely spread in the clinical medical ultrasound community with an installed base of more than 1000 Aixplorer systems in 54 countries worldwide. For blood flow imaging, ultrafast Doppler permits high-precision characterization of complex vascular and cardiac flows. It also gives ultrasound the ability to detect very subtle blood flow in very small vessels. In the brain, such ultrasensitive Doppler paves the way for fUltrasound (functional ultrasound imaging) of brain activity with

Breast ultrasound tomography with two parallel transducer arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lianjie; Shin, Junseob; Chen, Ting; Lin, Youzuo; Gao, Kai; Intrator, Miranda; Hanson, Kenneth

2016-03-01

Breast ultrasound tomography is an emerging imaging modality to reconstruct the sound speed, density, and ultrasound attenuation of the breast in addition to ultrasound reflection/beamforming images for breast cancer detection and characterization. We recently designed and manufactured a new synthetic-aperture breast ultrasound tomography prototype with two parallel transducer arrays consisting of a total of 768 transducer elements. The transducer arrays are translated vertically to scan the breast in a warm water tank from the chest wall/axillary region to the nipple region to acquire ultrasound transmission and reflection data for whole-breast ultrasound tomography imaging. The distance of these two ultrasound transducer arrays is adjustable for scanning breasts with different sizes. We use our breast ultrasound tomography prototype to acquire phantom and in vivo patient ultrasound data to study its feasibility for breast imaging. We apply our recently developed ultrasound imaging and tomography algorithms to ultrasound data acquired using our breast ultrasound tomography system. Our in vivo patient imaging results demonstrate that our breast ultrasound tomography can detect breast lesions shown on clinical ultrasound and mammographic images.

Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite through Ultrasound and Calcination Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akindoyo, John O.; Beg, M. D. H.; Ghazali, Suriati; Akindoyo, Edward O.; Jeyaratnam, Nitthiyah

2017-05-01

There is a growing demand for hydroxyapatite (HA) especially in medical applications, production of HA which is totally green is however a challenge. In this research, HA was produced from biowaste through ultrasound followed by calcination techniques. Pre-treatment of the biowaste was effectively achieved through the help of ultrasound. After calcination at 950°C, the obtained HA was characterized through Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Spectrum of the produced HA was compared with standard HA index. The spectrum is in agreement with the standard HA as confirmed through FTIR, XRD and TGA result. Furthermore, morphological study of the HA through Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) shows almost uniform spherical shape for the HA as expected. Based on the results obtained herein, combining ultrasound with calcination can help to produce pure HA with potential medical applications without the use of any organic solvent.

Acoustic Radiation Force Elasticity Imaging in Diagnostic Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Doherty, Joshua R.; Trahey, Gregg E.; Nightingale, Kathryn R.; Palmeri, Mark L.

2013-01-01

The development of ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods has been the focus of intense research activity since the mid-1990s. In characterizing the mechanical properties of soft tissues, these techniques image an entirely new subset of tissue properties that cannot be derived with conventional ultrasound techniques. Clinically, tissue elasticity is known to be associated with pathological condition and with the ability to image these features in vivo, elasticity imaging methods may prove to be invaluable tools for the diagnosis and/or monitoring of disease. This review focuses on ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods that generate an acoustic radiation force to induce tissue displacements. These methods can be performed non-invasively during routine exams to provide either qualitative or quantitative metrics of tissue elasticity. A brief overview of soft tissue mechanics relevant to elasticity imaging is provided, including a derivation of acoustic radiation force, and an overview of the various acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging methods. PMID:23549529

Acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging in diagnostic ultrasound.

PubMed

Doherty, Joshua R; Trahey, Gregg E; Nightingale, Kathryn R; Palmeri, Mark L

2013-04-01

The development of ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods has been the focus of intense research activity since the mid-1990s. In characterizing the mechanical properties of soft tissues, these techniques image an entirely new subset of tissue properties that cannot be derived with conventional ultrasound techniques. Clinically, tissue elasticity is known to be associated with pathological condition and with the ability to image these features in vivo; elasticity imaging methods may prove to be invaluable tools for the diagnosis and/or monitoring of disease. This review focuses on ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods that generate an acoustic radiation force to induce tissue displacements. These methods can be performed noninvasively during routine exams to provide either qualitative or quantitative metrics of tissue elasticity. A brief overview of soft tissue mechanics relevant to elasticity imaging is provided, including a derivation of acoustic radiation force, and an overview of the various acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging methods.

Ultrasound-enhanced ocular delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate: an in vivo study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The eye's unique anatomy and its physiological and anatomical barriers can limit effective drug delivery into the eye. Methods An in vivo study was designed to determine the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound application in enhancing drug delivery in a rabbit model. Permeability of a steroid ophthalmic drug, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, was investigated in ultrasound- and sham-treated cases. For this study, an eye cup filled with dexamethasone sodium phosphate was placed on the cornea. Ultrasound was applied at intensity of 0.8 W/cm2 and frequency of 400 or 600 kHz for 5 min. The drug concentration in aqueous humor samples, collected 90 min after the treatment, was determined using chromatography methods. Light microscopy observations were done to determine the structural changes in the cornea as a result of ultrasound application. Results An increase in drug concentration in aqueous humor samples of 2.8 times (p < 0.05) with ultrasound application at 400 kHz and 2.4 times (p < 0.01) with ultrasound application at 600 kHz was observed as compared to sham-treated samples. Histological analysis showed that the structural changes in the corneas exposed to ultrasound predominantly consisted of minor epithelial disorganization. Conclusions Ultrasound application enhanced the delivery of an anti-inflammatory ocular drug, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, through the cornea in vivo. Ultrasound-enhanced ocular drug delivery appears to be a promising area of research with a potential future application in a clinical setting. PMID:24921047

Prostate ultrasound: back in business!

PubMed

Crisan, Nicolae; Andras, Iulia; Radu, Corina; Andras, David; Coman, Radu-Tudor; Tucan, Paul; Pisla, Doina; Crisan, Dana; Coman, Ioan

2017-11-29

The use of grey scale prostate ultrasound decreased after the implementation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis and evaluation of prostate cancer. The new developments, such as multiparametric ultrasound and MRI-ultrasound fusion technology, renewed the interest for this imaging method in the assessment of prostate cancer. The purpose of this paper was to review the current role of prostate ultrasound in the setting of these new applications. A thorough reevaluation of the selection criteria of the patients is required to assess which patients would benefit from multiparametric ultrasound, who wouldbenefit from multiparametric MRI or the combination of both to assist prostate biopsy in order to ensure the balance between overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of prostate cancer.

Use of Ultrasound Elastography in the Assessment of the Musculoskeletal System.

PubMed

Paluch, Łukasz; Nawrocka-Laskus, Ewa; Wieczorek, Janusz; Mruk, Bartosz; Frel, Małgorzata; Walecki, Jerzy

2016-01-01

This article presents possible applications of ultrasound elastography in musculoskeletal imaging based on the available literature, as well as the possibility of extending indications for the use of elastography in the future. Ultrasound elastography (EUS) is a new method that shows structural changes in tissues following application of physical stress. Elastography techniques have been widely used to assess muscles and tendons in vitro since the early parts of the twentieth century. Only recently with the advent of new technology and creation of highly specialized ultrasound devices, has elastography gained widespread use in numerous applications. The authors performed a search of the Medline/PubMed databases for original research and reviewed publications on the application of ultrasound elastography for musculoskeletal imaging. All publications demonstrate possible uses of ultrasound elastography in examinations of the musculoskeletal system. The most widely studied areas include the muscles, tendons and rheumatic diseases. There are also reports on the employment in vessel imaging. The main limitation of elastography as a technique is above all the variability of applied pressure during imaging, which is operator-dependent. It would therefore be reasonable to provide clear guidelines on the technique applied, as well as clear indications for performing the test. It is important to develop methods for creating artifact-free, closed-loop, compression-decompression cycles. The main advantages include cost-effectiveness, short duration of the study, non-invasive nature of the procedure, as well as a potentially broader clinical availability. There are no clear guidelines with regard to indications as well as examination techniques. Ultrasound elastography is a new and still poorly researched method. We conclude, however, that it can be widely used in the examinations of musculoskeletal system. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct large, multi-center studies to

Reflections from the interface between seismological research and earthquake risk reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sargeant, S.

2012-04-01

Scientific understanding of earthquakes and their attendant hazards is vital for the development of effective earthquake risk reduction strategies. Within the global disaster reduction policy framework (the Hyogo Framework for Action, overseen by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction), the anticipated role of science and scientists is clear, with respect to risk assessment, loss estimation, space-based observation, early warning and forecasting. The importance of information sharing and cooperation, cross-disciplinary networks and developing technical and institutional capacity for effective disaster management is also highlighted. In practice, the degree to which seismological information is successfully delivered to and applied by individuals, groups or organisations working to manage or reduce the risk from earthquakes is variable. The challenge for scientists is to provide fit-for-purpose information that can be integrated simply into decision-making and risk reduction activities at all levels of governance and at different geographic scales, often by a non-technical audience (i.e. people without any seismological/earthquake engineering training). The interface between seismological research and earthquake risk reduction (defined here in terms of both the relationship between the science and its application, and the scientist and other risk stakeholders) is complex. This complexity is a function of a range issues that arise relating to communication, multidisciplinary working, politics, organisational practices, inter-organisational collaboration, working practices, sectoral cultures, individual and organisational values, worldviews and expectations. These factors can present significant obstacles to scientific information being incorporated into the decision-making process. The purpose of this paper is to present some personal reflections on the nature of the interface between the worlds of seismological research and risk reduction, and the

WE-G-12A-01: High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Surgery and Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farahani, K; O'Neill, B

More and more emphasis is being made on alternatives to invasive surgery and the use of ionizing radiation to treat various diseases including cancer. Novel screening, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of response to treatment are also hot areas of research and new clinical technologies. Ultrasound(US) has gained traction in all of the aforementioned areas of focus. Especially with recent advances in the use of ultrasound to noninvasively treat various diseases/organ systems. This session will focus on covering MR-guided focused ultrasound and the state of the art clinical applications, and the second speaker will survey the more cutting edge technologies e.g.more » Focused Ultrasound (FUS) mediated drug delivery, principles of cavitation and US guided FUS. Learning Objectives: Fundamental physics and physical limitations of US interaction with tissue and nanoparticles The alteration of tissue transport using focused ultrasound US control of nanoparticle drug carriers for targeted release The basic principles of MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery and therapy the current state of the art clinical applications of MRgFUS requirements for quality assurance and treatment planning.« less

HIFU Monitoring and Control with Dual-Mode Ultrasound Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casper, Andrew Jacob

The biological effects of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) have been known and studied for decades. HIFU has been shown capable of treating a wide variety of diseases and disorders. However, despite its demonstrated potential, HIFU has been slow to gain clinical acceptance. This is due, in part, to the difficulty associated with robustly monitoring and controlling the delivery of the HIFU energy. The non-invasive nature of the surgery makes the assessment of treatment progression difficult, leading to long treatment times and a significant risk of under treatment. This thesis research develops new techniques and systems for robustly monitoring HIFU therapies for the safe and efficacious delivery of the intended treatment. Systems and algorithms were developed for the two most common modes of HIFU delivery systems: single-element and phased array applicators. Delivering HIFU with a single element transducer is a widely used technique in HIFU therapies. The simplicity of a single element offers many benefits in terms of cost and overall system complexity. Typical monitoring schemes rely on an external device (e.g. diagnostic ultrasound or MRI) to assess the progression of therapy. The research presented in this thesis explores using the same element to both deliver and monitor the HIFU therapy. The use of a dual-mode ultrasound transducer (DMUT) required the development of an FPGA based single-channel arbitrary waveform generator and high-speed data acquisition unit. Data collected from initial uncontrolled ablations led to the development of monitoring and control algorithms which were implemented directly on the FPGA. Close integration between the data acquisition and arbitrary waveform units allowed for fast, low latency control over the ablation process. Results are presented that demonstrate control of HIFU therapies over a broad range of intensities and in multiple in vitro tissues. The second area of investigation expands the DMUT research to an

Software-based approach toward vendor independent real-time photoacoustic imaging using ultrasound beamformed data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Huang, Howard; Lei, Chen; Kim, Younsu; Boctor, Emad M.

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging has shown its potential for many clinical applications, but current research and usage of PA imaging are constrained by additional hardware costs to collect channel data, as the PA signals are incorrectly processed in existing clinical ultrasound systems. This problem arises from the fact that ultrasound systems beamform the PA signals as echoes from the ultrasound transducer instead of directly from illuminated sources. Consequently, conventional implementations of PA imaging rely on parallel channel acquisition from research platforms, which are not only slow and expensive, but are also mostly not approved by the FDA for clinical use. In previous studies, we have proposed the synthetic-aperture based photoacoustic re-beamformer (SPARE) that uses ultrasound beamformed radio frequency (RF) data as the input, which is readily available in clinical ultrasound scanners. The goal of this work is to implement the SPARE beamformer in a clinical ultrasound system, and to experimentally demonstrate its real-time visualization. Assuming a high pulsed repetition frequency (PRF) laser is used, a PZT-based pseudo PA source transmission was synchronized with the ultrasound line trigger. As a result, the frame-rate increases when limiting the image field-of-view (FOV), with 50 to 20 frames per second achieved for FOVs from 35 mm to 70 mm depth, respectively. Although in reality the maximum PRF of laser firing limits the PA image frame rate, this result indicates that the developed software is capable of displaying PA images with the maximum possible frame-rate for certain laser system without acquiring channel data.

Design and characterization of a high-power ultrasound driver with ultralow-output impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, George K.; Olbricht, William L.

2009-11-01

We describe a pocket-sized ultrasound driver with an ultralow-output impedance amplifier circuit (less than 0.05 Ω) that can transfer more than 99% of the voltage from a power supply to the ultrasound transducer with minimal reflections. The device produces high-power acoustical energy waves while operating at lower voltages than conventional ultrasound driving systems because energy losses owing to mismatched impedance are minimized. The peak performance of the driver is measured experimentally with a PZT-4, 1.54 MHz, piezoelectric ceramic, and modeled using an adjusted Mason model over a range of transducer resonant frequencies. The ultrasound driver can deliver a 100 Vpp (peak to peak) square-wave signal across 0-8 MHz ultrasound transducers in 5 ms bursts through continuous wave operation, producing acoustic powers exceeding 130 W. Effects of frequency, output impedance of the driver, and input impedance of the transducer on the maximum acoustic output power of piezoelectric transducers are examined. The small size, high power, and efficiency of the ultrasound driver make this technology useful for research, medical, and industrial ultrasonic applications.

Design and characterization of a high-power ultrasound driver with ultralow-output impedance.

PubMed

Lewis, George K; Olbricht, William L

2009-11-01

We describe a pocket-sized ultrasound driver with an ultralow-output impedance amplifier circuit (less than 0.05 ohms) that can transfer more than 99% of the voltage from a power supply to the ultrasound transducer with minimal reflections. The device produces high-power acoustical energy waves while operating at lower voltages than conventional ultrasound driving systems because energy losses owing to mismatched impedance are minimized. The peak performance of the driver is measured experimentally with a PZT-4, 1.54 MHz, piezoelectric ceramic, and modeled using an adjusted Mason model over a range of transducer resonant frequencies. The ultrasound driver can deliver a 100 V(pp) (peak to peak) square-wave signal across 0-8 MHz ultrasound transducers in 5 ms bursts through continuous wave operation, producing acoustic powers exceeding 130 W. Effects of frequency, output impedance of the driver, and input impedance of the transducer on the maximum acoustic output power of piezoelectric transducers are examined. The small size, high power, and efficiency of the ultrasound driver make this technology useful for research, medical, and industrial ultrasonic applications.

Random Sequence for Optimal Low-Power Laser Generated Ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vangi, D.; Virga, A.; Gulino, M. S.

2017-08-01

Low-power laser generated ultrasounds are lately gaining importance in the research world, thanks to the possibility of investigating a mechanical component structural integrity through a non-contact and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) procedure. The ultrasounds are, however, very low in amplitude, making it necessary to use pre-processing and post-processing operations on the signals to detect them. The cross-correlation technique is used in this work, meaning that a random signal must be used as laser input. For this purpose, a highly random and simple-to-create code called T sequence, capable of enhancing the ultrasound detectability, is introduced (not previously available at the state of the art). Several important parameters which characterize the T sequence can influence the process: the number of pulses Npulses , the pulse duration δ and the distance between pulses dpulses . A Finite Element FE model of a 3 mm steel disk has been initially developed to analytically study the longitudinal ultrasound generation mechanism and the obtainable outputs. Later, experimental tests have shown that the T sequence is highly flexible for ultrasound detection purposes, making it optimal to use high Npulses and δ but low dpulses . In the end, apart from describing all phenomena that arise in the low-power laser generation process, the results of this study are also important for setting up an effective NDT procedure using this technology.

Development of a simulated smart pump interface.

PubMed

Elias, Beth L; Moss, Jacqueline A; Shih, Alan; Dillavou, Marcus

2014-01-01

Medical device user interfaces are increasingly complex, resulting in a need for evaluation in clinicallyaccurate settings. Simulation of these interfaces can allow for evaluation, training, and use for research without the risk of harming patients and with a significant cost reduction over using the actual medical devices. This pilot project was phase 1 of a study to define and evaluate a methodology for development of simulated medical device interface technology to be used for education, device development, and research. Digital video and audio recordings of interface interactions were analyzed to develop a model of a smart intravenous medication infusion pump user interface. This model was used to program a high-fidelity simulated smart intravenous medication infusion pump user interface on an inexpensive netbook platform.

Interface of the transport systems research vehicle monochrome display system to the digital autonomous terminal access communication data bus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easley, W. C.; Tanguy, J. S.

1986-01-01

An upgrade of the transport systems research vehicle (TSRV) experimental flight system retained the original monochrome display system. The original host computer was replaced with a Norden 11/70, a new digital autonomous terminal access communication (DATAC) data bus was installed for data transfer between display system and host, while a new data interface method was required. The new display data interface uses four split phase bipolar (SPBP) serial busses. The DATAC bus uses a shared interface ram (SIR) for intermediate storage of its data transfer. A display interface unit (DIU) was designed and configured to read from and write to the SIR to properly convert the data from parallel to SPBP serial and vice versa. It is found that separation of data for use by each SPBP bus and synchronization of data tranfer throughout the entire experimental flight system are major problems which require solution in DIU design. The techniques used to accomplish these new data interface requirements are described.

Modeling analysis on germination and seedling growth using ultrasound seed pretreatment in switchgrass.

PubMed

Wang, Quanzhen; Chen, Guo; Yersaiyiti, Hayixia; Liu, Yuan; Cui, Jian; Wu, Chunhui; Zhang, Yunwei; He, Xueqing

2012-01-01

Switchgrass is a perennial C4 plant with great potential as a bioenergy source and, thus, a high demand for establishment from seed. This research investigated the effects of ultrasound treatment on germination and seedling growth in switchgrass. Using an orthogonal matrix design, conditions for the ultrasound pretreatment in switchgrass seed, including sonication time (factor A), sonication temperature (factor B) and ultrasound output power (factor C), were optimized for germinating and stimulating seedling growth (indicated as plumular and radicular lengths) through modeling analysis. The results indicate that sonication temperature (B) was the most effective factor for germination, whereas output power (C) had the largest effect on seedling growth when ultrasound treatment was used. Combined with the analyses of range, variance and models, the final optimal ultrasonic treatment conditions were sonication for 22.5 min at 39.7°C and at an output power of 348 W, which provided the greatest germination percentage and best seedling growth. For this study, the orthogonal matrix design was an efficient method for optimizing the conditions of ultrasound seed treatment on switchgrass. The electrical conductivity of seed leachates in three experimental groups (control, soaked in water only, and ultrasound treatment) was determined to investigate the effects of ultrasound on seeds and eliminate the effect of water in the ultrasound treatments. The results showed that the electrical conductivity of seed leachates during either ultrasound treatment or water bath treatment was significantly higher than that of the control, and that the ultrasound treatment had positive effects on switchgrass seeds.

Research on respiratory motion correction method based on liver contrast-enhanced ultrasound images of single mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ji; Li, Tao; Zheng, Shiqiang; Li, Yiyong

2015-03-01

To reduce the effects of respiratory motion in the quantitative analysis based on liver contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) image sequencesof single mode. The image gating method and the iterative registration method using model image were adopted to register liver contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequences of single mode. The feasibility of the proposed respiratory motion correction method was explored preliminarily using 10 hepatocellular carcinomas CEUS cases. The positions of the lesions in the time series of 2D ultrasound images after correction were visually evaluated. Before and after correction, the quality of the weighted sum of transit time (WSTT) parametric images were also compared, in terms of the accuracy and spatial resolution. For the corrected and uncorrected sequences, their mean deviation values (mDVs) of time-intensity curve (TIC) fitting derived from CEUS sequences were measured. After the correction, the positions of the lesions in the time series of 2D ultrasound images were almost invariant. In contrast, the lesions in the uncorrected images all shifted noticeably. The quality of the WSTT parametric maps derived from liver CEUS image sequences were improved more greatly. Moreover, the mDVs of TIC fitting derived from CEUS sequences after the correction decreased by an average of 48.48+/-42.15. The proposed correction method could improve the accuracy of quantitative analysis based on liver CEUS image sequences of single mode, which would help in enhancing the differential diagnosis efficiency of liver tumors.

Driving delivery vehicles with ultrasound ☆

PubMed Central

Ferrara, Katherine W.

2009-01-01

Therapeutic applications of ultrasound have been considered for over 40 years, with the mild hyperthermia and associated increases in perfusion produced by ultrasound harnessed in many of the earliest treatments. More recently, new mechanisms for ultrasound-based or ultrasound-enhanced therapies have been described, and there is now great momentum and enthusiasm for the clinical translation of these techniques. This dedicated issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, entitled “Ultrasound for Drug and Gene Delivery,” addresses the mechanisms by which ultrasound can enhance local drug and gene delivery and the applications that have been demonstrated at this time. In this commentary, the identified mechanisms, delivery vehicles, applications and current bottlenecks for translation of these techniques are summarized. PMID:18479775

MR-guided Focused Ultrasound for Uterine Fibroids

MedlinePlus

... Professions Site Index A-Z MR-guided Focused Ultrasound for Uterine Fibroids Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound ( ... are the limitations of MRgFUS? What is Focused Ultrasound of Uterine Fibroids? Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound ( ...

Clinical applications of very high frequency ultrasound in ophthalmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverman, Ronald H.; Coleman, D. Jackson; Reinstein, Dan Z.; Lizzi, Frederic L.

2004-05-01

The eye is ideally suited for diagnostic imaging with very high frequency (>35 MHz) ultrasound (VHFU) because of its peripheral location and cystic structure. VHFU allows high resolution visualization of pathologies affecting the anterior segment of the eye, including tumors, cysts, foreign bodies, and corneal pathologies. We developed a series of prototype instruments suitable for ophthalmic studies using both polymer and lithium niobate transducers, with digitization of radiofrequency echo data at up to 500 MHz. While initially using linear scan geometries, we subsequently developed an arc-shaped scan matched to the curvature of the 0.5-mm-thick cornea to circumvent the effect of specular deflection of the ultrasound beam produced by the corneas curved surface. This technique allowed us to obtain data across the entire cornea and determination of the thickness of each corneal layer, including the epithelium (approximately 50 microns in thickness) and the surgically induced interface produced in LASIK, the most common form of refractive surgery. By scanning in a series of meridians, and applying optimized signal processing strategies (deconvolution, analytic signal envelope determination), corneal pachymetric maps representing the local thickness of each layer can be generated and aid in diagnosis of surgically induced defects or refractive abnormalities.

Ethical analysis of non-medical fetal ultrasound.

PubMed

Leung, John Lai Yin; Pang, Samantha Mei Che

2009-09-01

Obstetric ultrasound is the well-recognized prenatal test used to visualize and determine the condition of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Apart from the clinical application, some businesses have started promoting the use of fetal ultrasound machines for nonmedical reasons. Non-medical fetal ultrasound (also known as 'keepsake' ultrasound) is defined as using ultrasound to view, take a picture, or determine the sex of a fetus without a medical indication. Notwithstanding the guidelines and warnings regarding ultrasound safety issued by governments and professional bodies, the absence of scientifically proven physical harm to fetuses from this procedure seems to provide these businesses with grounds for rapid expansion. However, this argument is too simplistic because current epidemiological evidence is not synchronous with advancing ultrasound technology. As non-medical fetal ultrasound has aroused very significant public attention, a thorough ethical analysis of this topic is essential. Using a multifaceted approach, we analyse the ethical perspective of non-medical fetal ultrasound in terms of the expectant mother, the fetus and health professionals. After applying four major theories of ethics and principles (the precautionary principle; theories of consequentialism and impartiality; duty-based theory; and rights-based theories), we conclude that obstetric ultrasound practice is ethically justifiable only if the indication for its use is based on medical evidence. Non-medical fetal ultrasound can be considered ethically unjustifiable. Nevertheless, the ethical analysis of this issue is time dependent owing to rapid advancements in ultrasound technology and the safety issue. The role of health professionals in ensuring that obstetric ultrasound is an ethically justifiable practice is also discussed.

Neovascularity in patellar tendinopathy and the response to eccentric training: a case report using Power Doppler ultrasound.

PubMed

McCreesh, Karen M; Riley, Sara J; Crotty, James M

2013-12-01

This report describes the case of an amateur soccer player with chronic patellar tendinopathy who underwent ultrasound imaging before and after engaging in an 8-week programme of eccentric exercise. On initial assessment, greyscale ultrasound imaging demonstrated tendon thickening and reduced echogenicity, while Power Doppler imaging demonstrated a large amount of neovascularity. After 8 weeks of an eccentric loading programme, the patient reported significantly improved symptoms and functional scores, while follow-up imaging demonstrated improvement in the echo appearance of the tendon and complete resolution of the neovascularity. The association between neovascularity and symptoms in tendinopathy research is conflicting, with a paucity of research in the area of patellar tendinopathy. While further research is needed to clarify the significance of greyscale and Power Doppler ultrasound changes in relation to symptoms in patellar tendinopathy, ultrasound imaging was shown to be a useful adjunct to diagnosis and outcome assessment in this case. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of laser generated ultrasound with application to defect detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantano, A.; Cerniglia, D.

2008-06-01

Laser generated ultrasound holds substantial promise for use as a tool for defect detection in remote inspection thanks to its ability to produce frequencies in the MHz range, enabling fine spatial resolution of defects. Despite the potential impact of laser generated ultrasound in many areas of science and industry, robust tools for studying the phenomenon are lacking and thus limit the design and optimization of non-destructive testing and evaluation techniques. The laser generated ultrasound propagation in complex structures is an intricate phenomenon and is extremely hard to analyze. Only simple geometries can be studied analytically. Numerical techniques found in the literature have proved to be limited in their applicability, by the frequencies in the MHz range and very short wavelengths. The objective of this research is to prove that by using an explicit integration rule together with diagonal element mass matrices, instead of the almost universally adopted implicit integration rule to integrate the equations of motion in a dynamic analysis, it is possible to efficiently and accurately solve ultrasound wave propagation problems with frequencies in the MHz range travelling in relatively large bodies. Presented results on NDE testing of rails demonstrate that the proposed FE technique can provide a valuable tool for studying the laser generated ultrasound propagation.

Handheld probe for portable high frame photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daoudi, K.; van den Berg, P. J.; Rabot, O.; Kohl, A.; Tisserand, S.; Brands, P.; Steenbergen, W.

2013-03-01

Photoacoustics is a hybrid imaging modality that is based on the detection of acoustic waves generated by absorption of pulsed light by tissue chromophors. In current research, this technique uses large and costly photoacoustic systems with a low frame rate imaging. To open the door for widespread clinical use, a compact, cost effective and fast system is required. In this paper we report on the development of a small compact handset pulsed laser probe which will be connected to a portable ultrasound system for real-time photoacoustic imaging and ultrasound imaging. The probe integrates diode lasers driven by an electrical driver developed for very short high power pulses. It uses specifically developed highly efficient diode stacks with high frequency repetition rate up to 10 kHz, emitting at 800nm wavelength. The emitted beam is collimated and shaped with compact micro optics beam shaping system delivering a homogenized rectangular laser beam intensity distribution. The laser block is integrated with an ultrasound transducer in an ergonomically designed handset probe. This handset is a building block enabling for a low cost high frame rate photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system. The probe was used with a modified ultrasound scanner and was tested by imaging a tissue mimicking phantom.

Despeckle filtering software toolbox for ultrasound imaging of the common carotid artery.

PubMed

Loizou, Christos P; Theofanous, Charoula; Pantziaris, Marios; Kasparis, Takis

2014-04-01

Ultrasound imaging of the common carotid artery (CCA) is a non-invasive tool used in medicine to assess the severity of atherosclerosis and monitor its progression through time. It is also used in border detection and texture characterization of the atherosclerotic carotid plaque in the CCA, the identification and measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) and the lumen diameter that all are very important in the assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Visual perception, however, is hindered by speckle, a multiplicative noise, that degrades the quality of ultrasound B-mode imaging. Noise reduction is therefore essential for improving the visual observation quality or as a pre-processing step for further automated analysis, such as image segmentation of the IMT and the atherosclerotic carotid plaque in ultrasound images. In order to facilitate this preprocessing step, we have developed in MATLAB(®) a unified toolbox that integrates image despeckle filtering (IDF), texture analysis and image quality evaluation techniques to automate the pre-processing and complement the disease evaluation in ultrasound CCA images. The proposed software, is based on a graphical user interface (GUI) and incorporates image normalization, 10 different despeckle filtering techniques (DsFlsmv, DsFwiener, DsFlsminsc, DsFkuwahara, DsFgf, DsFmedian, DsFhmedian, DsFad, DsFnldif, DsFsrad), image intensity normalization, 65 texture features, 15 quantitative image quality metrics and objective image quality evaluation. The software is publicly available in an executable form, which can be downloaded from http://www.cs.ucy.ac.cy/medinfo/. It was validated on 100 ultrasound images of the CCA, by comparing its results with quantitative visual analysis performed by a medical expert. It was observed that the despeckle filters DsFlsmv, and DsFhmedian improved image quality perception (based on the expert's assessment and the image texture and quality metrics). It is anticipated that the

Assistive and Autonomous Breast Ultrasound Screening: Improving PPV and Reducing RSI

DTIC Science & Technology

imaging with quantitative elastography. Major objectives achieved in this period included development of a research platform including a compliant...This report details our first year of research activity on technologies that support sonographer-supervised robotic systems for breast ultrasound

Early Career. Harnessing nanotechnology for fusion plasma-material interface research in an in-situ particle-surface interaction facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allain, Jean Paul

2014-08-08

This project consisted of fundamental and applied research of advanced in-situ particle-beam interactions with surfaces/interfaces to discover novel materials able to tolerate intense conditions at the plasma-material interface (PMI) in future fusion burning plasma devices. The project established a novel facility that is capable of not only characterizing new fusion nanomaterials but, more importantly probing and manipulating materials at the nanoscale while performing subsequent single-effect in-situ testing of their performance under simulated environments in fusion PMI.

Multimodal neuroelectric interface development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trejo, Leonard J.; Wheeler, Kevin R.; Jorgensen, Charles C.; Rosipal, Roman; Clanton, Sam T.; Matthews, Bryan; Hibbs, Andrew D.; Matthews, Robert; Krupka, Michael

2003-01-01

We are developing electromyographic and electroencephalographic methods, which draw control signals for human-computer interfaces from the human nervous system. We have made progress in four areas: 1) real-time pattern recognition algorithms for decoding sequences of forearm muscle activity associated with control gestures; 2) signal-processing strategies for computer interfaces using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals; 3) a flexible computation framework for neuroelectric interface research; and d) noncontact sensors, which measure electromyogram or EEG signals without resistive contact to the body.

Low-level, uniform ultrasound field effects on enzymatic bioprocessing of greige cotton using three fabric weights

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ultrasound-assisted enzymatic bio-processing of greige cotton offers an environmentally friendly alternative approach to conventional alkaline scouring. Our research has found that the introduction of a low energy, uniform ultrasound field into enzyme processing solutions greatly improved enzyme ef...

Pharmacokinetics of quercetin-loaded nanodroplets with ultrasound activation and their use for bioimaging

PubMed Central

Chang, Li-Wen; Hou, Mei-Ling; Hung, Shuo-Hui; Lin, Lie-Chwen; Tsai, Tung-Hu

2015-01-01

Bubble formulations have both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. However, research on nanobubbles/nanodroplets remains in the initial stages. In this study, a nanodroplet formulation was prepared and loaded with a novel class of chemotherapeutic drug, ie, quercetin, to observe its pharmacokinetic properties and ultrasonic bioimaging of specific sites, namely the abdominal vein and bladder. Four parallel groups were designed to investigate the effects of ultrasound and nanodroplets on the pharmacokinetics of quercetin. These groups were quercetin alone, quercetin triggered with ultrasound, quercetin-encapsulated in nanodroplets, and quercetin encapsulated in nanodroplets triggered with ultrasound. Spherical vesicles with a mean diameter of 280 nm were formed, and quercetin was completely encapsulated within. In vivo ultrasonic imaging confirmed that the nanodroplets could be treated by ultrasound. The results indicate that the initial 5-minute serum concentration, area under the concentration–time curve, elimination half-life, and clearance of quercetin were significantly enhanced by nanodroplets with or without ultrasound. PMID:25945049

Patients’ perspectives on the medical primary–secondary care interface: systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research

PubMed Central

Sampson, Rod; Cooper, Jamie; Barbour, Rosaline; Polson, Rob; Wilson, Philip

2015-01-01

Objectives To synthesise the published literature on the patient experience of the medical primary–secondary care interface and to determine priorities for future work in this field aimed at improving clinical outcomes. Design Systematic review and metaethnographic synthesis of primary studies that used qualitative methods to explore patients’ perspectives of the medical primary–secondary care interface. Setting International primary–secondary care interface. Data sources EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus with Full text, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Health Business Elite, Biomedica Reference Collection: Comprehensive Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, eBook Collection, Web of Science Core Collection: Citation Indexes and Social Sciences Citation Index, and grey literature. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were full research papers employing qualitative methodology to explore patients’ perspectives of the medical primary–secondary care interface. Review methods The 7-step metaethnographic approach described by Noblit and Hare, which involves cross-interpretation between studies while preserving the context of the primary data. Results The search identified 690 articles, of which 39 were selected for full-text review. 20 articles were included in the systematic review that encompassed a total of 689 patients from 10 countries. 4 important areas specific to the primary–secondary care interface from the patients’ perspective emerged: barriers to care, communication, coordination, and ‘relationships and personal value’. Conclusions and implications of key findings Patients should be the focus of any transfer of care between primary and secondary systems. From their perspective, areas for improvement may be classified into four domains that should usefully guide future work aimed at improving quality at this important interface. Trial registration number

Overview of ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, William D.; Simpson, Douglas G.; Frizzell, Leon A.; Oelze, Michael L.; Zachary, James F.

2003-10-01

It is well documented that ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage can occur in mice, rats, rabbits, pigs, and monkeys. Our own experimental studies have focused on mice, rats, and pigs as animal models. The characteristics of the lesions produced in mice, rats and pigs were similar to those described in studies by our research group and others, suggesting a common pathogenesis for the initiation and propagation of the lesions at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Five experimental in vivo studies have been conducted to evaluate whether cavitation is responsible for ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage. The studies evaluated the dependencies of hydrostatic pressure, frequency, pulse polarity, contrast agents and lung inflation, and the results of each study appeared inconsistent with the hypothesis that the mechanism for the production of a lung hemorrhage was inertial cavitation. Other dependencies evaluated included beam width, pulse repetition frequency, pulse duration, exposure duration, and animal species and age. The thresholds for producing ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage, in general, were less than the FDA's regulatory limit of a Mechanical Index (MI) of 1.9. Further, the MI does not appear to provide a risk-based index for lung hemorrhage. [Work supported by NIH Grant No. R01EB02641.

Laser Sources for Generation of Ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, James W.

1996-01-01

Two laser systems have been built and used to demonstrate enhancements beyond current technology used for laser-based generation and detection of ultrasound. The first system consisted of ten Nd:YAG laser cavities coupled electronically and optically to permit sequential bursts of up to ten laser pulses directed either at a single point or configured into a phased array of sources. Significant enhancements in overall signal-to-noise ratio for laser ultrasound incorporating this new source system was demonstrated, using it first as a source of narrowband ultrasound and secondly as a phased array source producing large enhanced signal displacements. A second laser system was implemented using ultra fast optical pulses from a Ti:Sapphire laser to study a new method for making laser generated ultrasonic measurements of thin films with thicknesses on the order of hundreds of angstroms. Work by prior investigators showed that such measurements could be made based upon fluctuations in the reflectivity of thin films when they are stressed by an arriving elastic pulse. Research performed using equipment purchased under this program showed that a pulsed interferometric system could be used as well as a piezoreflective detection system to measure pulse arrivals even in thin films with very low piezoreflective coefficients.

Using Power Ultrasound to Accelerate Food Freezing Processes: Effects on Freezing Efficiency and Food Microstructure.

PubMed

Zhang, Peizhi; Zhu, Zhiwei; Sun, Da-Wen

2018-05-31

Freezing is an effective way of food preservation. However, traditional freezing methods have the disadvantages of low freezing efficiency and generation of large ice crystals, leading to possible damage of food quality. Power ultrasound assisted freezing as a novel technique can effectively reduce the adverse effects during freezing process. This paper gives an overview on recent researches of power ultrasound technique to accelerate the food freezing processes and illustrates the main principles of power ultrasound assisted freezing. The effects of power ultrasound on liquid food, model solid food as well as fruit and vegetables are discussed, respectively, from the aspects of increasing freezing rate and improving microstructure. It is shown that ultrasound assisted freezing can effectively improve the freezing efficiency and promote the formation of small and evenly distributed ice crystals, resulting in better food quality. Different inherent properties of food samples affect the effectiveness of ultrasound application and optimum ultrasound parameters depend on the nature of the samples. The application of ultrasound to the food industry is more likely on certain types of food products and more efforts are still needed to realize the industrial translation of laboratory results.

Student teaching and research laboratory focusing on brain-computer interface paradigms--A creative environment for computer science students.

PubMed

Rutkowski, Tomasz M

2015-08-01

This paper presents an applied concept of a brain-computer interface (BCI) student research laboratory (BCI-LAB) at the Life Science Center of TARA, University of Tsukuba, Japan. Several successful case studies of the student projects are reviewed together with the BCI Research Award 2014 winner case. The BCI-LAB design and project-based teaching philosophy is also explained. Future teaching and research directions summarize the review.

Unpowered wireless ultrasound tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahedi, Farshad; Huang, Haiying

2016-04-01

In this paper, an unpowered wireless ultrasound tomography system is presented. The system consists of two subsystems; the wireless interrogation unit (WIU) and three wireless nodes installed on the structure. Each node is designed to work in generation and sensing modes, but operates at a specific microwave frequency. Wireless transmission of the ultrasound signals between the WIU and the wireless nodes is achieved by converting ultrasound signals to microwave signals and vice versa, using a microwave carrier signal. In the generation mode, both a carrier signal and an ultrasound modulated microwave signal are transmitted to the sensor nodes. Only the node whose operating frequency matches the carrier signal will receive these signals and demodulate them to recover the original ultrasound signal. In the sensing mode, a microwave carrier signal with two different frequency components matching the operating frequencies of the sensor nodes is broadcasted by the WIU. The sensor nodes, in turn, receive the corresponding carrier signals, modulate it with the ultrasound sensing signal, and wirelessly transmit the modulated signal back to the WIU. The demodulation of the sensing signals is performed in the WIU using a digital signal processing. Implementing a software receiver significantly reduces the complexity and the cost of the WIU. A wireless ultrasound tomography system is realized by interchanging the carrier frequencies so that the wireless transducers can take turn to serve as the actuator and sensors.

Evaluation of Air Coupled Ultrasound for Composite Aerospace Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tat, H.; Georgeson, G.; Bossi, R.

2009-03-01

Non-contact air coupled ultrasound suffers from the high acoustic impedance mismatch characteristics of air to solid interfaces. Advances in transducer technology, particularly MEMS, have improved the acoustic impedance match at the transmission stage and the signal to noise at the reception stage. Comparisons of through transmission (TTU) scanning of laminate and honeycomb test samples using conventional piezoelectric air coupled transducers, new MEMS air coupled transducers, and standard water coupled inspections have been performed to assess the capability. An additional issue for air coupled UT inspection is the need for a lean implementation for both manufacturing and in-service operations. Concepts and applications utilizing magnetic coupling of transducers have been developed that allows air coupled inspection operations in compact low cost configurations.

Synthetic aperture imaging in ultrasound calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ameri, Golafsoun; Baxter, John S. H.; McLeod, A. Jonathan; Jayaranthe, Uditha L.; Chen, Elvis C. S.; Peters, Terry M.

2014-03-01

Ultrasound calibration allows for ultrasound images to be incorporated into a variety of interventional applica­ tions. Traditional Z- bar calibration procedures rely on wired phantoms with an a priori known geometry. The line fiducials produce small, localized echoes which are then segmented from an array of ultrasound images from different tracked probe positions. In conventional B-mode ultrasound, the wires at greater depths appear blurred and are difficult to segment accurately, limiting the accuracy of ultrasound calibration. This paper presents a novel ultrasound calibration procedure that takes advantage of synthetic aperture imaging to reconstruct high resolution ultrasound images at arbitrary depths. In these images, line fiducials are much more readily and accu­ rately segmented, leading to decreased calibration error. The proposed calibration technique is compared to one based on B-mode ultrasound. The fiducial localization error was improved from 0.21mm in conventional B-mode images to 0.15mm in synthetic aperture images corresponding to an improvement of 29%. This resulted in an overall reduction of calibration error from a target registration error of 2.00mm to 1.78mm, an improvement of 11%. Synthetic aperture images display greatly improved segmentation capabilities due to their improved resolution and interpretability resulting in improved calibration.

Holistic ultrasound in trauma: An update.

PubMed

Saranteas, Theodosios; Mavrogenis, Andreas F

2016-10-01

Holistic ultrasound is a total body examination using an ultrasound device aiming to achieve immediate patient care and decision making. In the setting of trauma, it is one of the most fundamental components of care of the injured patients. Ground-breaking imaging software allows physicians to examine various organs thoroughly, recognize imaging signs early, and potentially foresee the onset or the possible outcome of certain types of injuries. Holistic ultrasound can be performed on a routine basis at the bedside of the patients, at admission and during the perioperative period. Trauma care physicians should be aware of the diagnostic and guidance benefits of ultrasound and should receive appropriate training for the optimal management of their patients. In this paper, the findings of holistic ultrasound in trauma patients are presented, with emphasis on the lungs, heart, cerebral circulation, abdomen, and airway. Additionally, the benefits of ultrasound imaging in interventional anaesthesia techniques such as ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks and central vein catheterization are described. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-cost USB interface for operant research using Arduino and Visual Basic.

PubMed

Escobar, Rogelio; Pérez-Herrera, Carlos A

2015-03-01

This note describes the design of a low-cost interface using Arduino microcontroller boards and Visual Basic programming for operant conditioning research. The board executes one program in Arduino programming language that polls the state of the inputs and generates outputs in an operant chamber. This program communicates through a USB port with another program written in Visual Basic 2010 Express Edition running on a laptop, desktop, netbook computer, or even a tablet equipped with Windows operating system. The Visual Basic program controls schedules of reinforcement and records real-time data. A single Arduino board can be used to control a total of 52 inputs/output lines, and multiple Arduino boards can be used to control multiple operant chambers. An external power supply and a series of micro relays are required to control 28-V DC devices commonly used in operant chambers. Instructions for downloading and using the programs to generate simple and concurrent schedules of reinforcement are provided. Testing suggests that the interface is reliable, accurate, and could serve as an inexpensive alternative to commercial equipment. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Towards Dynamic Contrast Specific Ultrasound Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demi, Libertario; van Sloun, Ruud J. G.; Wijkstra, Hessel; Mischi, Massimo

2016-10-01

We report on the first study demonstrating the ability of a recently-developed, contrast-enhanced, ultrasound imaging method, referred to as cumulative phase delay imaging (CPDI), to image and quantify ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) kinetics. Unlike standard ultrasound tomography, which exploits changes in speed of sound and attenuation, CPDI is based on a marker specific to UCAs, thus enabling dynamic contrast-specific ultrasound tomography (DCS-UST). For breast imaging, DCS-UST will lead to a more practical, faster, and less operator-dependent imaging procedure compared to standard echo-contrast, while preserving accurate imaging of contrast kinetics. Moreover, a linear relation between CPD values and ultrasound second-harmonic intensity was measured (coefficient of determination = 0.87). DCS-UST can find clinical applications as a diagnostic method for breast cancer localization, adding important features to multi-parametric ultrasound tomography of the breast.

Towards Dynamic Contrast Specific Ultrasound Tomography.

PubMed

Demi, Libertario; Van Sloun, Ruud J G; Wijkstra, Hessel; Mischi, Massimo

2016-10-05

We report on the first study demonstrating the ability of a recently-developed, contrast-enhanced, ultrasound imaging method, referred to as cumulative phase delay imaging (CPDI), to image and quantify ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) kinetics. Unlike standard ultrasound tomography, which exploits changes in speed of sound and attenuation, CPDI is based on a marker specific to UCAs, thus enabling dynamic contrast-specific ultrasound tomography (DCS-UST). For breast imaging, DCS-UST will lead to a more practical, faster, and less operator-dependent imaging procedure compared to standard echo-contrast, while preserving accurate imaging of contrast kinetics. Moreover, a linear relation between CPD values and ultrasound second-harmonic intensity was measured (coefficient of determination = 0.87). DCS-UST can find clinical applications as a diagnostic method for breast cancer localization, adding important features to multi-parametric ultrasound tomography of the breast.

Towards Dynamic Contrast Specific Ultrasound Tomography

PubMed Central

Demi, Libertario; Van Sloun, Ruud J. G.; Wijkstra, Hessel; Mischi, Massimo

2016-01-01

We report on the first study demonstrating the ability of a recently-developed, contrast-enhanced, ultrasound imaging method, referred to as cumulative phase delay imaging (CPDI), to image and quantify ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) kinetics. Unlike standard ultrasound tomography, which exploits changes in speed of sound and attenuation, CPDI is based on a marker specific to UCAs, thus enabling dynamic contrast-specific ultrasound tomography (DCS-UST). For breast imaging, DCS-UST will lead to a more practical, faster, and less operator-dependent imaging procedure compared to standard echo-contrast, while preserving accurate imaging of contrast kinetics. Moreover, a linear relation between CPD values and ultrasound second-harmonic intensity was measured (coefficient of determination = 0.87). DCS-UST can find clinical applications as a diagnostic method for breast cancer localization, adding important features to multi-parametric ultrasound tomography of the breast. PMID:27703251

SUPRA: open-source software-defined ultrasound processing for real-time applications : A 2D and 3D pipeline from beamforming to B-mode.

PubMed

Göbl, Rüdiger; Navab, Nassir; Hennersperger, Christoph

2018-06-01

Research in ultrasound imaging is limited in reproducibility by two factors: First, many existing ultrasound pipelines are protected by intellectual property, rendering exchange of code difficult. Second, most pipelines are implemented in special hardware, resulting in limited flexibility of implemented processing steps on such platforms. With SUPRA, we propose an open-source pipeline for fully software-defined ultrasound processing for real-time applications to alleviate these problems. Covering all steps from beamforming to output of B-mode images, SUPRA can help improve the reproducibility of results and make modifications to the image acquisition mode accessible to the research community. We evaluate the pipeline qualitatively, quantitatively, and regarding its run time. The pipeline shows image quality comparable to a clinical system and backed by point spread function measurements a comparable resolution. Including all processing stages of a usual ultrasound pipeline, the run-time analysis shows that it can be executed in 2D and 3D on consumer GPUs in real time. Our software ultrasound pipeline opens up the research in image acquisition. Given access to ultrasound data from early stages (raw channel data, radiofrequency data), it simplifies the development in imaging. Furthermore, it tackles the reproducibility of research results, as code can be shared easily and even be executed without dedicated ultrasound hardware.

Craniux: A LabVIEW-Based Modular Software Framework for Brain-Machine Interface Research

PubMed Central

Degenhart, Alan D.; Kelly, John W.; Ashmore, Robin C.; Collinger, Jennifer L.; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C.; Weber, Douglas J.; Wang, Wei

2011-01-01

This paper presents “Craniux,” an open-access, open-source software framework for brain-machine interface (BMI) research. Developed in LabVIEW, a high-level graphical programming environment, Craniux offers both out-of-the-box functionality and a modular BMI software framework that is easily extendable. Specifically, it allows researchers to take advantage of multiple features inherent to the LabVIEW environment for on-the-fly data visualization, parallel processing, multithreading, and data saving. This paper introduces the basic features and system architecture of Craniux and describes the validation of the system under real-time BMI operation using simulated and real electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. Our results indicate that Craniux is able to operate consistently in real time, enabling a seamless work flow to achieve brain control of cursor movement. The Craniux software framework is made available to the scientific research community to provide a LabVIEW-based BMI software platform for future BMI research and development. PMID:21687575

Craniux: a LabVIEW-based modular software framework for brain-machine interface research.

PubMed

Degenhart, Alan D; Kelly, John W; Ashmore, Robin C; Collinger, Jennifer L; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C; Weber, Douglas J; Wang, Wei

2011-01-01

This paper presents "Craniux," an open-access, open-source software framework for brain-machine interface (BMI) research. Developed in LabVIEW, a high-level graphical programming environment, Craniux offers both out-of-the-box functionality and a modular BMI software framework that is easily extendable. Specifically, it allows researchers to take advantage of multiple features inherent to the LabVIEW environment for on-the-fly data visualization, parallel processing, multithreading, and data saving. This paper introduces the basic features and system architecture of Craniux and describes the validation of the system under real-time BMI operation using simulated and real electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. Our results indicate that Craniux is able to operate consistently in real time, enabling a seamless work flow to achieve brain control of cursor movement. The Craniux software framework is made available to the scientific research community to provide a LabVIEW-based BMI software platform for future BMI research and development.

Intra-operative feedback and dynamic compensation for image-guided robotic focal ultrasound surgery.

PubMed

Chauhan, S; Amir, H; Chen, G; Hacker, A; Michel, M S; Koehrmann, K U

2008-11-01

This paper describes a non-invasive remote temperature measurement technique integrated with a biomechatronic surgery system devised in our laboratory and named FUSBOT (Focal Ultrasound Surgery RoBOT). FUSBOTs use High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for ablation of cancers/tumors and targets accessible through various soft-tissue acoustic windows in the human body. The focused ultrasound beam parameters are chosen so that biologically significant temperature rises are achieved only within the focal volume. In this paper, FUSBOT(BS), a customized system for breast surgery, is taken as a representative example to demonstrate the implementation and the results of non-invasive feedback during ablation. An 8-axis PC-based controller controls various sub-sections of the system within a safe constrained work envelope. Temperature is a prime target parameter in ablative procedures, and it is of paramount importance that means should be devised for its measurement and control in order to design optimal dose protocols and judge the efficacy of FUS systems. A customized sensory interface is devised and integrated with FUSBOT(BS), and dedicated software algorithms are embedded for surgical planning based on real-time guidance and feedback. Variations in the physical parameters of the tissue interacting with the incident modality are used as surgical feedback. The use of real-time ultrasound imaging and data processed from various sensors to deduce lesion position and thermal feedback during surgery, as integrated with the robotic system for online surgical planning, is described. Dynamic registration algorithms are developed for compensation and re-registration of the robotic end-effector with respect to the target, and representative empirical outcomes for lesion tracking and online temperature estimation in various biological tissues are presented.

Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blockade.

PubMed

Chin, Ki Jinn; Chan, Vincent

2008-10-01

The use of ultrasound for peripheral nerve blockade is becoming popular. Although the feasibility of ultrasound-guided nerve blockade is now clear, it is uncertain at this time whether it represents the new standard for regional anesthesia in terms of efficacy and safety. The ability to visualize nerve location, needle advancement, needle-nerve interaction, and local anesthetic spread makes ultrasound-guided nerve block an attractive option. Study results indicate that these advantages can improve the ease of block performance, block success rates, and complications. At the same time there is evidence that ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia is a unique skill in its own right, and that proficiency in it requires training and experience. Ultrasound is a valuable tool that is now available to the regional anesthesiologist, and it is fast becoming a standard part of practice. It promises to be of especial value to the less experienced practitioner. Ultrasound does not in itself, however, guarantee the efficacy and safety of peripheral nerve blockade. Proper training in its use is required and we can expect to see the development of formal standards and guidelines in this regard.

Ultrasound of the Brachial Plexus.

PubMed

Griffith, James F

2018-07-01

Examination of the brachial plexus with ultrasound is efficient because it allows many parts of the brachial plexus as well as the surrounding soft tissues to be assessed with high spatial resolution. The key to performing good ultrasound of the brachial plexus is being familiar with the anatomy and the common variants. That makes it possible to concentrate solely on the ultrasound appearances free of simultaneously wondering about the anatomy. Ultrasound of the brachial plexus is particularly good for assessing nerve sheath tumor, perineural fibrosis, metastases, some inflammatory neuropathies, neuralgic amyotrophy, and posttraumatic sequalae. It is limited in the assessment of thoracic outlet syndrome and in the acute/subacute trauma setting. This review addresses the anatomy, ultrasound technique, as well as pathology of the brachial plexus from the cervical foramina to the axilla. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Ultrasound technology: A decision-making tool

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An ultrasound demonstration was conducted for participants (~ 110 people) of the Arkansas Cattle Grower’s Conference, Hope, AR. Evaluation of live animals with ultrasound technology allows beef producers the ability to make selection and management decisions. Specifically, ultrasound at the conclu...

WE-A-210-00: Educational: Diagnostic Ultrasound QA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This presentation will focus on the present role of ultrasound medical physics in clinical practices. The first part of the presentation will provide an overview of ultrasound QC methodologies and testing procedures. A brief review of ultrasound phantoms utilized in these testing procedures will be presented. The second part of the presentation will summarize ultrasound imaging technical standards and professional guidelines by American College of Radiology (ACR), American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The current accreditation requirements by ACR and AIUM for ultrasound practices will be describedmore » and the practical aspects of implementing QC programs to be compliant with these requirements will be discussed. Learning Objectives: Achieve familiarity with common ultrasound QC test methods and ultrasound phantoms. Understand the coverage of the existing testing standards and professional guidelines on diagnostic ultrasound imaging. Learn what a medical physicist needs to know about ultrasound program accreditation and be able to implement ultrasound QC programs accordingly.« less

Low-cost Volumetric Ultrasound by Augmentation of 2D Systems: Design and Prototype.

PubMed

Herickhoff, Carl D; Morgan, Matthew R; Broder, Joshua S; Dahl, Jeremy J

2018-01-01

Conventional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool in the hands of an experienced user, yet 2D ultrasound remains clinically underutilized and inherently incomplete, with output being very operator dependent. Volumetric ultrasound systems can more fully capture a three-dimensional (3D) region of interest, but current 3D systems require specialized transducers, are prohibitively expensive for many clinical departments, and do not register image orientation with respect to the patient; these systems are designed to provide improved workflow rather than operator independence. This work investigates whether it is possible to add volumetric 3D imaging capability to existing 2D ultrasound systems at minimal cost, providing a practical means of reducing operator dependence in ultrasound. In this paper, we present a low-cost method to make 2D ultrasound systems capable of quality volumetric image acquisition: we present the general system design and image acquisition method, including the use of a probe-mounted orientation sensor, a simple probe fixture prototype, and an offline volume reconstruction technique. We demonstrate initial results of the method, implemented using a Verasonics Vantage research scanner.

Feasibility of ultrasound imaging of osteochondral defects in the ankle: a clinical pilot study.

PubMed

Kok, A C; Terra, M P; Muller, S; Askeland, C; van Dijk, C N; Kerkhoffs, G M M J; Tuijthof, G J M

2014-10-01

Talar osteochondral defects (OCDs) are imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). For extensive follow-up, ultrasound might be a fast, non-invasive alternative that images both bone and cartilage. In this study the potential of ultrasound, as compared with CT, in the imaging and grading of OCDs is explored. On the basis of prior CT scans, nine ankles of patients without OCDs and nine ankles of patients with anterocentral OCDs were selected and classified using the Loomer CT classification. A blinded expert skeletal radiologist imaged all ankles with ultrasound and recorded the presence of OCDs. Similarly to CT, ultrasound revealed typical morphologic OCD features, for example, cortex irregularities and loose fragments. Cartilage disruptions, Loomer grades IV (displaced fragment) and V (cyst with fibrous roof), were visible as well. This study encourages further research on the use of ultrasound as a follow-up imaging modality for OCDs located anteriorly or centrally on the talar dome. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MOO in Your Face: Researching, Designing, and Programming a User-Friendly Interface.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haas, Mark; Gardner, Clinton

1999-01-01

Suggests the learning curve of a multi-user, object-oriented domain (MOO) blockades effective use. Discusses use of an IBM/PC-compatible interface that allows developers to modify the interface to provide a sense of presence for the user. Concludes that work in programming a variety of interfaces has led to a more intuitive environment for…

Ultrasound enhances retrovirus-mediated gene transfer.

PubMed

Naka, Toshio; Sakoda, Tsuyoshi; Doi, Takashi; Tsujino, Takeshi; Masuyama, Tohru; Kawashima, Seinosuke; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Ohyanagi, Mitsumasa

2007-01-01

Viral vector systems are efficient for transfection of foreign genes into many tissues. Especially, retrovirus based vectors integrate the transgene into the genome of the target cells, which can sustain long term expression. However, it has been demonstrated that the transduction efficiency using retrovirus is relatively lower than those of other viruses. Ultrasound was recently reported to increase gene expression using plasmid DNA, with or without, a delivery vehicle. However, there are no reports, which show an ultrasound effect to retrovirus-mediated gene transfer efficiency. Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer systems were used for transfection of 293T cells, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs), and rat skeletal muscle myoblasts (L6 cells) with beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) genes. Transduction efficiency and cell viability assay were performed on 293T cells that were exposed to varying durations (5 to 30 seconds) and power levels (1.0 watts/cm(2) to 4.0 watts/cm(2)) of ultrasound after being transduced by a retrovirus. Effects of ultrasound to the retrovirus itself was evaluated by transduction efficiency of 293T cells. After exposure to varying power levels of ultrasound to a retrovirus for 5 seconds, 293T cells were transduced by a retrovirus, and transduction efficiency was evaluated. Below 1.0 watts/cm(2) and 5 seconds exposure, ultrasound showed increased transduction efficiency and no cytotoxicity to 293T cells transduced by a retrovirus. Also, ultrasound showed no toxicity to the virus itself at the same condition. Exposure of 5 seconds at the power of 1.0 watts/cm(2) of an ultrasound resulted in significant increases in retrovirus-mediated gene expression in all four cell types tested in this experiment. Transduction efficiencies by ultrasound were enhanced 6.6-fold, 4.8-fold, 2.3-fold, and 3.2-fold in 293T cells, BAECs, RASMCs, and L6 cells, respectively. Furthermore, beta-Gal activities were also increased

Adaptive Interfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

Project Engineer: Sharon M. Walter/COES/(315) 330-7650 Prime Contractor: lIT Research Institute (IITRI) 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABIUTY STATEMENT 12b...F30602- 87-D-0094. This contract is with IIT Research Institute (IITRI) and is sponsored by the Rome Air Development Center. The work was performed by... Research Institute (IITRI) and Rome Air Development Center (RADC) this Final Report for Project 7288, Adaptive Interfaces, Task A. This report is

Ocular attention-sensing interface system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaklad, Allen; Glenn, Floyd A., III; Iavecchia, Helene P.; Stokes, James M.

1986-01-01

The purpose of the research was to develop an innovative human-computer interface based on eye movement and voice control. By eliminating a manual interface (keyboard, joystick, etc.), OASIS provides a control mechanism that is natural, efficient, accurate, and low in workload.

Gender Differences between Graphical User Interfaces and Command Line Interfaces in Computer Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Dan L.

This study focused primarily on two types of computer interfaces and the differences in academic performance that resulted from their use; it was secondarily designed to examine gender differences that may have existed before and after any change in interface. Much of the basic research in computer use was conducted with command line interface…

Handheld probe integrating laser diode and ultrasound transducer array for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual modality imaging.

PubMed

Daoudi, K; van den Berg, P J; Rabot, O; Kohl, A; Tisserand, S; Brands, P; Steenbergen, W

2014-10-20

Ultrasound and photoacoustics can be utilized as complementary imaging techniques to improve clinical diagnoses. Photoacoustics provides optical contrast and functional information while ultrasound provides structural and anatomical information. As of yet, photoacoustic imaging uses large and expensive systems, which limits their clinical application and makes the combination costly and impracticable. In this work we present and evaluate a compact and ergonomically designed handheld probe, connected to a portable ultrasound system for inexpensive, real-time dual-modality ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging. The probe integrates an ultrasound transducer array and a highly efficient diode stack laser emitting 130 ns pulses at 805 nm wavelength and a pulse energy of 0.56 mJ, with a high pulse repetition frequency of up to 10 kHz. The diodes are driven by a customized laser driver, which can be triggered externally with a high temporal stability necessary to synchronize the ultrasound detection and laser pulsing. The emitted beam is collimated with cylindrical micro-lenses and shaped using a diffractive optical element, delivering a homogenized rectangular light intensity distribution. The system performance was tested in vitro and in vivo by imaging a human finger joint.

Droplets, Bubbles and Ultrasound Interactions.

PubMed

Shpak, Oleksandr; Verweij, Martin; de Jong, Nico; Versluis, Michel

2016-01-01

The interaction of droplets and bubbles with ultrasound has been studied extensively in the last 25 years. Microbubbles are broadly used in diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications, for instance, as ultrasound contrast agents. They have a similar size as red blood cells, and thus are able to circulate within blood vessels. Perfluorocarbon liquid droplets can be a potential new generation of microbubble agents as ultrasound can trigger their conversion into gas bubbles. Prior to activation, they are at least five times smaller in diameter than the resulting bubbles. Together with the violent nature of the phase-transition, the droplets can be used for local drug delivery, embolotherapy, HIFU enhancement and tumor imaging. Here we explain the basics of bubble dynamics, described by the Rayleigh-Plesset equation, bubble resonance frequency, damping and quality factor. We show the elegant calculation of the above characteristics for the case of small amplitude oscillations by linearizing the equations. The effect and importance of a bubble coating and effective surface tension are also discussed. We give the main characteristics of the power spectrum of bubble oscillations. Preceding bubble dynamics, ultrasound propagation is introduced. We explain the speed of sound, nonlinearity and attenuation terms. We examine bubble ultrasound scattering and how it depends on the wave-shape of the incident wave. Finally, we introduce droplet interaction with ultrasound. We elucidate the ultrasound-focusing concept within a droplets sphere, droplet shaking due to media compressibility and droplet phase-conversion dynamics.

Severity of ASD symptoms and their correlation with the presence of copy number variations and exposure to first trimester ultrasound.

PubMed

Webb, Sara Jane; Garrison, Michelle M; Bernier, Raphael; McClintic, Abbi M; King, Bryan H; Mourad, Pierre D

2017-03-01

Current research suggests that incidence and heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms may arise through a variety of exogenous and/or endogenous factors. While subject to routine clinical practice and generally considered safe, there exists speculation, though no human data, that diagnostic ultrasound may also contribute to ASD severity, supported by experimental evidence that exposure to ultrasound early in gestation could perturb brain development and alter behavior. Here we explored a modified triple hit hypothesis [Williams & Casanova, ] to assay for a possible relationship between the severity of ASD symptoms and (1) ultrasound exposure (2) during the first trimester of pregnancy in fetuses with a (3) genetic predisposition to ASD. We did so using retrospective analysis of data from the SSC (Simon's Simplex Collection) autism genetic repository funded by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative. We found that male children with ASD, copy number variations (CNVs), and exposure to first trimester ultrasound had significantly decreased non-verbal IQ and increased repetitive behaviors relative to male children with ASD, with CNVs, and no ultrasound. These data suggest that heterogeneity in ASD symptoms may result, at least in part, from exposure to diagnostic ultrasound during early prenatal development of children with specific genetic vulnerabilities. These results also add weight to on-going concerns expressed by the FDA about non-medical use of diagnostic ultrasound during pregnancy. Autism Res 2017, 10: 472-484. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultrasound-guided synovial biopsy

PubMed Central

Sitt, Jacqueline C M; Wong, Priscilla

2016-01-01

Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of synovium is an increasingly performed procedure with a high diagnostic yield. In this review, we discuss the normal synovium, as well as the indications, technique, tissue handling and clinical applications of ultrasound-guided synovial biopsy. PMID:26581578

Ultrasound: Abdomen (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... the computer screen. A technician (sonographer) trained in ultrasound imaging will spread a clear, warm gel on the skin of the abdomen. This gel helps with the transmission of the sound waves. The ... abdominal ultrasound is painless. Your child may feel a slight ...

Ultrasound: Head (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... the computer screen. A technician (sonographer) trained in ultrasound imaging will spread a clear, warm gel on your child's scalp (over the fontanel). This gel helps with the transmission of the ... Expect The head ultrasound test is painless, though your child may feel ...

Cumulative phase delay imaging - A new contrast enhanced ultrasound modality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demi, Libertario; van Sloun, Ruud J. G.; Wijkstra, Hessel; Mischi, Massimo

2015-10-01

Recently, a new acoustic marker for ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) has been introduced. A cumulative phase delay (CPD) between the second harmonic and fundamental pressure wave field components is in fact observable for ultrasound propagating through UCAs. This phenomenon is absent in the case of tissue nonlinearity and is dependent on insonating pressure and frequency, UCA concentration, and propagation path length through UCAs. In this paper, ultrasound images based on this marker are presented. The ULA-OP research platform, in combination with a LA332 linear array probe (Esaote, Firenze Italy), were used to image a gelatin phantom containing a PVC plate (used as a reflector) and a cylindrical cavity measuring 7 mm in diameter (placed in between the observation point and the PVC plate). The cavity contained a 240 µL/L SonoVueO® UCA concentration. Two insonating frequencies (3 MHz and 2.5 MHz) were used to scan the gelatine phantom. A mechanical index MI = 0.07, measured in water at the cavity location with a HGL-0400 hydrophone (Onda, Sunnyvale, CA), was utilized. Processing the ultrasound signals backscattered from the plate, ultrasound images were generated in a tomographic fashion using the filtered back-projection method. As already observed in previous studies, significantly higher CPD values are measured when imaging at a frequency of 2.5 MHz, as compared to imaging at 3 MHz. In conclusion, these results confirm the applicability of the discussed CPD as a marker for contrast imaging. Comparison with standard contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging modalities will be the focus of future work.

An Exploratory Study of Video Browsing User Interface Designs and Research Methodologies: Effectiveness in Information Seeking Tasks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Tony; Vegh, Sandor; Shneiderman, Ben; Marchionini, Gary

1999-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop research methods to compare the effectiveness of two video browsing interface designs, or surrogates--one static (storyboard) and one dynamic (slide show)--on two distinct information seeking tasks (gist determination and object recognition). (AEF)

Teleneurosonology: a novel application of transcranial and carotid ultrasound.

PubMed

Rubin, Mark N; Barrett, Kevin M; Freeman, W David; Lee Iannotti, Joyce K; Channer, Dwight D; Rabinstein, Alejandro A; Demaerschalk, Bart M

2015-03-01

To demonstrate the technical feasibility of interfacing transcranial Doppler (TCD) and carotid "duplex" ultrasonography (CUS) peripherals with telemedicine end points to provide real-time spectral waveform and duplex imaging data for remote review and interpretation. We performed remote TCD and CUS examinations on a healthy, volunteer employee from our institution without known cerebrovascular disease. The telemedicine end point was stationed in our institution's hospital where the neurosonology examinations took place and the control station was in a dedicated telemedicine room in a separate building. The examinations were performed by a postgraduate level neurohospitalist trainee (M.N.R.) and interpreted by an attending vascular neurologist, both with experience in the performance and interpretation of TCD and CUS. Spectral waveform and duplex ultrasound data were successfully transmitted from TCD and CUS instruments through a telemedicine end point to a remote reviewer at a control station. Image quality was preserved in all cases, and technical failures were not encountered. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the technical feasibility of interfacing TCD and CUS peripherals with a telemedicine end point to provide real-time spectral waveform and duplex imaging data for remote review and interpretation. Medical diagnostic and telemedicine devices should be equipped with interfaces that allow simple transmission of high-quality audio and video information from the medical devices to the telemedicine technology. Further study is encouraged to determine the clinical impact of teleneurosonology. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patients' perspectives on the medical primary-secondary care interface: systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research.

PubMed

Sampson, Rod; Cooper, Jamie; Barbour, Rosaline; Polson, Rob; Wilson, Philip

2015-10-15

To synthesise the published literature on the patient experience of the medical primary-secondary care interface and to determine priorities for future work in this field aimed at improving clinical outcomes. Systematic review and metaethnographic synthesis of primary studies that used qualitative methods to explore patients' perspectives of the medical primary-secondary care interface. International primary-secondary care interface. EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus with Full text, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Health Business Elite, Biomedica Reference Collection: Comprehensive Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, eBook Collection, Web of Science Core Collection: Citation Indexes and Social Sciences Citation Index, and grey literature. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were full research papers employing qualitative methodology to explore patients' perspectives of the medical primary-secondary care interface. The 7-step metaethnographic approach described by Noblit and Hare, which involves cross-interpretation between studies while preserving the context of the primary data. The search identified 690 articles, of which 39 were selected for full-text review. 20 articles were included in the systematic review that encompassed a total of 689 patients from 10 countries. 4 important areas specific to the primary-secondary care interface from the patients' perspective emerged: barriers to care, communication, coordination, and 'relationships and personal value'. Patients should be the focus of any transfer of care between primary and secondary systems. From their perspective, areas for improvement may be classified into four domains that should usefully guide future work aimed at improving quality at this important interface. PROSPERO CRD42014009486. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Contraindications for superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound: do sources agree?

PubMed

Batavia, Mitchell

2004-06-01

To determine the amount of agreement among general rehabilitation sources for both superficial heating and therapeutic ultrasound contraindications. English-language textbook and peer-reviewed journal sources, from January 1992 to July 2002. Searches of computerized databases (HealthSTAR, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase) as well as Library of Congress Online Catalogs, Books in Print, and AcqWeb's Directory of Publishers and Venders. Sources were excluded if they (1) were published before 1992, (2) failed to address general rehabilitation audiences, or (3) were identified as a researcher's related publication with similar information on the topic. Type and number of contraindications, type of audience, year of publication, number of references, rationales, and alternative treatment strategies. Eighteen superficial heat and 20 ultrasound sources identified anywhere from 5 to 22 and 9 to 36 contraindications/precautions, respectively. Agreement among sources was generally high but ranged from 11% to 95%, with lower agreement noted for pregnancy, metal implants, edema, skin integrity, and cognitive/communicative concerns. Seventy-two percent of superficial heat sources and 25% of ultrasound sources failed to reference at least 1 contraindication claim. Agreement among contraindication sources was generally good for both superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound. Sources varied with regard to the number of contraindications, references, and rationales cited. Greater reliance on objective data and standardized classification systems may serve to develop more uniform guidelines for superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound.

Level of In Utero Cocaine Exposure and Neonatal Ultrasound Findings

PubMed Central

Frank, Deborah A.; McCarten, Kathleen M.; Robson, Caroline D.; Mirochnick, Mark; Cabral, Howard; Park, Henry; Zuckerman, Barry

2008-01-01

Objective To assess whether there is an association between the level of in utero cocaine exposure and findings on neonatal cranial ultrasound, controlling for potentially confounding variables. Study Design In a prospective longitudinal study, three cocaine exposure groups were defined by maternal report and infant meconium assay: unexposed, heavier cocaine exposure (>75th percentile self-reported days of use or of meconium benzoylecogonine concentration) or lighter cocaine exposure (all others). Neonatal ultrasounds from 241 well, term infants were read by a single radiologist who was masked to the exposure group. Results Infants with lighter cocaine exposure did not differ from the unexposed infants on any ultrasound findings. After controlling for infant gender, gestational age, and birth weight z scores and for maternal parity, blood pressure in labor, ethnicity, and use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana during pregnancy, the more heavily cocaine-exposed infants were more likely than the unexposed infants to show subependymal hemorrhage in the caudothalamic groove (covariate adjusted odds ratio: 3.88; 95% confidence interval: 1.45, 10.35). Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that ultrasound findings suggestive of vascular injury to the neonatal central nervous system are related to the level of prenatal cocaine exposure. Inconsistency in previous research in identifying an association between prenatal cocaine exposure and neonatal cranial ultrasound findings may reflect failure to consider dose effects. PMID:10545554

Interdisciplinary research and education at the biology-engineering-computer science interface: a perspective.

PubMed

Tadmor, Brigitta; Tidor, Bruce

2005-09-01

Progress in the life sciences, including genome sequencing and high-throughput experimentation, offers an opportunity for understanding biology and medicine from a systems perspective. This 'new view', which complements the more traditional component-based approach, involves the integration of biological research with approaches from engineering disciplines and computer science. The result is more than a new set of technologies. Rather, it promises a fundamental reconceptualization of the life sciences based on the development of quantitative and predictive models to describe crucial processes. To achieve this change, learning communities are being formed at the interface of the life sciences, engineering and computer science. Through these communities, research and education will be integrated across disciplines and the challenges associated with multidisciplinary team-based science will be addressed.

Toward a comprehensive hybrid physical-virtual reality simulator of peripheral anesthesia with ultrasound and neurostimulator guidance.

PubMed

Samosky, Joseph T; Allen, Pete; Boronyak, Steve; Branstetter, Barton; Hein, Steven; Juhas, Mark; Nelson, Douglas A; Orebaugh, Steven; Pinto, Rohan; Smelko, Adam; Thompson, Mitch; Weaver, Robert A

2011-01-01

We are developing a simulator of peripheral nerve block utilizing a mixed-reality approach: the combination of a physical model, an MRI-derived virtual model, mechatronics and spatial tracking. Our design uses tangible (physical) interfaces to simulate surface anatomy, haptic feedback during needle insertion, mechatronic display of muscle twitch corresponding to the specific nerve stimulated, and visual and haptic feedback for the injection syringe. The twitch response is calculated incorporating the sensed output of a real neurostimulator. The virtual model is isomorphic with the physical model and is derived from segmented MRI data. This model provides the subsurface anatomy and, combined with electromagnetic tracking of a sham ultrasound probe and a standard nerve block needle, supports simulated ultrasound display and measurement of needle location and proximity to nerves and vessels. The needle tracking and virtual model also support objective performance metrics of needle targeting technique.

Spinal curvature measurement by tracked ultrasound snapshots.

PubMed

Ungi, Tamas; King, Franklin; Kempston, Michael; Keri, Zsuzsanna; Lasso, Andras; Mousavi, Parvin; Rudan, John; Borschneck, Daniel P; Fichtinger, Gabor

2014-02-01

Monitoring spinal curvature in adolescent kyphoscoliosis requires regular radiographic examinations; however, the applied ionizing radiation increases the risk of cancer. Ultrasound imaging is favored over radiography because it does not emit ionizing radiation. Therefore, we tested an ultrasound system for spinal curvature measurement, with the help of spatial tracking of the ultrasound transducer. Tracked ultrasound was used to localize vertebral transverse processes as landmarks along the spine to measure curvature angles. The method was tested in two scoliotic spine models by localizing the same landmarks using both ultrasound and radiographic imaging and comparing the angles obtained. A close correlation was found between tracked ultrasound and radiographic curvature measurements. Differences between results of the two methods were 1.27 ± 0.84° (average ± SD) in an adult model and 0.96 ± 0.87° in a pediatric model. Our results suggest that tracked ultrasound may become a more tolerable and more accessible alternative to radiographic spine monitoring in adolescent kyphoscoliosis. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-mediated transdermal drug delivery of fluorescent nanoparticles and hyaluronic acid into porcine skin in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huan-Lei; Fan, Peng-Fei; Guo, Xia-Sheng; Tu, Juan; Ma, Yong; Zhang, Dong

2016-12-01

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) can effectively bypass the first-pass effect. In this paper, ultrasound-facilitated TDD on fresh porcine skin was studied under various acoustic parameters, including frequency, amplitude, and exposure time. The delivery of yellow-green fluorescent nanoparticles and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) in the skin samples was observed by laser confocal microscopy and ultraviolet spectrometry, respectively. The results showed that, with the application of ultrasound exposures, the permeability of the skin to these markers (e.g., their penetration depth and concentration) could be raised above its passive diffusion permeability. Moreover, ultrasound-facilitated TDD was also tested with/without the presence of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs). When the ultrasound was applied without UCAs, low ultrasound frequency will give a better drug delivery effect than high frequency, but the penetration depth was less likely to exceed 200 μm. However, with the help of the ultrasound-induced microbubble cavitation effect, both the penetration depth and concentration in the skin were significantly enhanced even more. The best ultrasound-facilitated TDD could be achieved with a drug penetration depth of over 600 μm, and the penetration concentrations of fluorescent nanoparticles and HA increased up to about 4-5 folds. In order to get better understanding of ultrasound-facilitated TDD, scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the surface morphology of skin samples, which showed that the skin structure changed greatly under the treatment of ultrasound and UCA. The present work suggests that, for TDD applications (e.g., nanoparticle drug carriers, transdermal patches and cosmetics), protocols and methods presented in this paper are potentially useful. Project partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81127901, 81227004, 81473692, 81673995, 11374155, 11574156, 11274170, 11274176, 11474001

Ultrasound Fracture Diagnosis in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dulchavsky, Scott A.; Amponsah, David; Sargsyan, Ashot E.; Garcia, Kathleen M.; Hamilton, Douglas R.; vanHolsbeeck, Marnix

2010-01-01

Introduction: This ground-based investigation accumulated high-level clinical evidence on the sensitivity and specificity of point of care ultrasound performed by expert and novice users for the rapid diagnosis of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. We developed preliminary educational methodologies to provide just-in-time training of novice users by creating multi-media training tools and imaging procedures for non expert operators and evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of non-expert performed musculoskeletal ultrasound to diagnose acute injuries in a Level 1 Trauma Center. Methods: Patients with potential MSK injuries were identified in the emergency room. A focused MSK ultrasound was performed by expert operators and compared to standard radiographs. A repeat examination was performed by non-expert operators who received a short, just-in-time multimedia education aid. The sensitivity and specificity of the expert and novice ultrasound examinations were compared to gold standard radiography. Results: Over 800 patients were enrolled in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of expert performed ultrasound exceeded 98% for MSK injuries. Novice operators achieved 97% sensitivity and 99% specificity for targeted examinations with the greatest error in fractures involving the hand and foot. Conclusion: Point of care ultrasound is a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for MSK injury when performed by experts and just-in-time trained novice operators.

WE-AB-206-01: Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zagzebski, J.

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less

The reliability and validity of ultrasound to quantify muscles in older adults: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Scafoglieri, Aldo; Jager‐Wittenaar, Harriët; Hobbelen, Johannes S.M.; van der Schans, Cees P.

2017-01-01

Abstract This review evaluates the reliability and validity of ultrasound to quantify muscles in older adults. The databases PubMed, Cochrane, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were systematically searched for studies. In 17 studies, the reliability (n = 13) and validity (n = 8) of ultrasound to quantify muscles in community‐dwelling older adults (≥60 years) or a clinical population were evaluated. Four out of 13 reliability studies investigated both intra‐rater and inter‐rater reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) scores for reliability ranged from −0.26 to 1.00. The highest ICC scores were found for the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, upper arm anterior, and the trunk (ICC = 0.72 to 1.000). All included validity studies found ICC scores ranging from 0.92 to 0.999. Two studies describing the validity of ultrasound to predict lean body mass showed good validity as compared with dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (r 2 = 0.92 to 0.96). This systematic review shows that ultrasound is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of muscle size in older adults. More high‐quality research is required to confirm these findings in both clinical and healthy populations. Furthermore, ultrasound assessment of small muscles needs further evaluation. Ultrasound to predict lean body mass is feasible; however, future research is required to validate prediction equations in older adults with varying function and health. PMID:28703496

[Application of ultrasound counter currentextraction in patent of traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Miao, Yan-ni; Wu, Bin; Yue, Xue-lian

2015-07-01

The patent information of ultrasound countercurrent extraction used in traditional Chinese medicine was analyzed in this paper by the samples from Derwent World Patent Database (DWPI) and the Chinese Patent Abstracts Database (CNABS). The application of ultrasound countercurrent was discussed with the patent applicant,the amount of the annual distribution, and the pharmaceutical raw materials and other aspects. While the technical parameters published in the patent was deeply analyzed, such as material crushing, extraction solvent, extraction time and temperature, extraction equipment and ultrasonic frequency. Thought above research, various technical parameters of ultrasound countercurrent extraction used in traditional Chinese was summarize. The analysis conclusion of the paper can be used in discovering the technical advantages, optimizing extraction conditions, and providing a reference to extraction technological innovation of traditional Chinese medicine.

Imaging in gynecological disease (9): clinical and ultrasound characteristics of tubal cancer.

PubMed

Ludovisi, M; De Blasis, I; Virgilio, B; Fischerova, D; Franchi, D; Pascual, M A; Savelli, L; Epstein, E; Van Holsbeke, C; Guerriero, S; Czekierdowski, A; Zannoni, G; Scambia, G; Jurkovic, D; Rossi, A; Timmerman, D; Valentin, L; Testa, A C

2014-03-01

To describe clinical history and ultrasound findings in patients with tubal carcinoma. Patients with a histological diagnosis of tubal cancer who had undergone preoperative ultrasound examination were identified from the databases of 13 ultrasound centers. The tumors were described by the principal investigator at each contributing center on the basis of ultrasound images, ultrasound reports and research protocols (when applicable) using the terms and definitions of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) group. In addition, three authors reviewed together all available digital ultrasound images and described them using subjective evaluation of gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound findings. We identified 79 women with a histological diagnosis of primary tubal cancer, 70 of whom (89%) had serous carcinomas and 46 (58%) of whom presented at FIGO stage III. Forty-nine (62%) women were asymptomatic (incidental finding), whilst the remaining 30 complained of abdominal bloating or pain. Fifty-three (67%) tumors were described as solid at ultrasound examination, 14 (18%) as multilocular solid, 10 (13%) as unilocular solid and two (3%) as unilocular. No tumor was described as a multilocular mass. Most tumors (70/79, 89%) were moderately or very well vascularized on color or power Doppler ultrasound. Normal ovarian tissue was identified adjacent to the tumor in 51% (39/77) of cases. Three types of ultrasound appearance were identified as being typical of tubal carcinoma using pattern recognition: a sausage-shaped cystic structure with solid tissue protruding into it like a papillary projection (11/62, 18%); a sausage-shaped cystic structure with a large solid component filling part of the cyst cavity (13/62, 21%); an ovoid or oblong completely solid mass (36/62, 58%). A well vascularized ovoid or sausage-shaped structure, either completely solid or with large solid component(s) in the pelvis, should raise the suspicion of tubal cancer, especially if normal

Direct Digital Demultiplexing of Analog TDM Signals for Cable Reduction in Ultrasound Imaging Catheters

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Thomas M.; Rashid, M. Wasequr; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Cowell, David M. J.; Freear, Steven; Degertekin, F. Levent

2016-01-01

In real-time catheter based 3D ultrasound imaging applications, gathering data from the transducer arrays is difficult as there is a restriction on cable count due to the diameter of the catheter. Although area and power hungry multiplexing circuits integrated at the catheter tip are used in some applications, these are unsuitable for use in small sized catheters for applications like intracardiac imaging. Furthermore, the length requirement for catheters and limited power available to on-chip cable drivers leads to limited signal strength at the receiver end. In this paper an alternative approach using Analog Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) is presented which addresses the cable restrictions of ultrasound catheters. A novel digital demultiplexing technique is also described which allows for a reduction in the number of analog signal processing stages required. The TDM and digital demultiplexing schemes are demonstrated for an intracardiac imaging system that would operate in the 4 MHz to 11 MHz range. A TDM integrated circuit (IC) with 8:1 multiplexer is interfaced with a fast ADC through a micro-coaxial catheter cable bundle, and processed with an FPGA RTL simulation. Input signals to the TDM IC are recovered with −40 dB crosstalk between channels on the same micro-coax, showing the feasibility of this system for ultrasound imaging applications. PMID:27116738

Ultrasound internal tattooing.

PubMed

Couture, Olivier; Faivre, Magalie; Pannacci, Nicolas; Babataheri, Avin; Servois, Vincent; Tabeling, Patrick; Tanter, Mickael

2011-02-01

The ability of remotely tagging tissues in a controlled and three-dimensional manner during preoperative imaging could greatly help surgeons to identify targets for resection. The authors' objective is to selectively and noninvasively deposit markers under image guidance for such internal tattooing. This study describes the production of new ultrasound-inducible droplets carrying large payloads of fluorescent markers and the in vivo proof of concept of their remote and controlled deposition via focused ultrasound. The droplets are monodispersed multiple emulsions produced in a microfluidic system, consisting of aqueous fluorescein in perfluorocarbon in water. Their conversion (either by vaporization or cavitation) is performed remotely using a clinical ultrasonic imaging probe. When submitted to 5 MHz imaging pulses, the droplets vaporize in vitro at 1.4 MPa peak-negative pressure and eject their content. After several seconds, a brightly fluorescent spot (0.5 mm diameter) is observed at the focus of the transducer. Experiments in the chorioallantoique membrane of chicken eggs and chicken embryo demonstrate that the spot is stable and is easily seen by naked eye. These ultrasound-inducible multiple emulsions could be used to deliver large amounts of contrast agents, chemotherapy, and genetic materials in vivo using a conventional ultrasound scanner.

Ultrasound

MedlinePlus

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Role of ultrasound in colorectal diseases.

PubMed

Bor, Renáta; Fábián, Anna; Szepes, Zoltán

2016-11-21

Ultrasound is an undervalued non-invasive examination in the diagnosis of colonic diseases. It has been replaced by the considerably more expensive magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, despite the fact that, as first examination, it can usefully supplement the diagnostic process. Transabdominal ultrasound can provide quick information about bowel status and help in the choice of adequate further examinations and treatment. Ultrasonography, as a screening imaging modality in asymptomatic patients can identify several colonic diseases such as diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer. In addition, it is widely available, cheap, non-invasive technique without the use of ionizing radiation, therefore it is safe to use in childhood or during pregnancy, and can be repeated at any time. New ultrasound techniques such as elastography, contrast enhanced and Doppler ultrasound, mini-probes rectal and transperineal ultrasonography have broadened the indication. It gives an overview of the methodology of various ultrasound examinations, presents the morphology of normal bowel wall and the typical changes in different colonic diseases. We will pay particular attention to rectal and transperineal ultrasound because of their outstanding significance in the diagnosis of rectal and perineal disorders. This article seeks to overview the diagnostic impact and correct indications of bowel ultrasound.

Ultrasound biomicroscopic findings in hallerman-streiff syndrome.

PubMed

Sato, Miho; Terasaki, Hiroko; Amano, Emil; Okamoto, Yoko; Miyake, Yozo

2002-01-01

To demonstrate the usefulness of ultrasound biomicroscopy in detecting the morphological changes in the lens caused by the spontaneous absorption of lens material and to detect fundus abnormalities in a patient with Hallermann-Streiff syndrome. Case report of an infant diagnosed at the age of 2 months as having Hallermann-Streiff syndrome. Spontaneous lens absorption occurred during the course of follow-up and was detected only by ultrasound biomicroscopy after the patient was prepared for cataract surgery. The changes in the anterior chamber depth and lens shapes were documented by ultrasound biomicroscopy. Retinal folds that were barely observable by conventional ophthalmoscopy because of a dense cataract were clearly shown by ultrasound biomicroscopy. Ultrasound biomicroscopy can be used to examine the lenses of eyes that are not observable with conventional optical instruments. Ultrasound biomicroscopy can also be used to study the posterior segment of microphthalmic eyes. We recommend preoperative ultrasound biomicroscopy to prevent unnecessary anesthesia and surgical preparation.

Physics and instrumentation of ultrasound.

PubMed

Lawrence, John P

2007-08-01

A thorough understanding of the physics of ultrasound waves and the instrumentation will provide the user with a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of ultrasound equipment. The ultrasound machine combines two technologies: image production (M-mode and 2-dimensional imaging) with Doppler assessment (continuous and pulse wave as well as color-flow mapping). These distinct technologies have been combined to provide the examiner with the ability to make accurate and comprehensive diagnoses and guide therapeutic intervention.

Ultrasound Molecular Imaging: Moving Towards Clinical Translation

PubMed Central

Abou-Elkacem, Lotfi; Bachawal, Sunitha V.; Willmann, Jürgen K.

2015-01-01

Ultrasound is a widely available, cost-effective, real-time, non-invasive and safe imaging modality widely used in the clinic for anatomical and functional imaging. With the introduction of novel molecularly-targeted ultrasound contrast agents, another dimension of ultrasound has become a reality: diagnosing and monitoring pathological processes at the molecular level. Most commonly used ultrasound molecular imaging contrast agents are micron sized, gas-containing microbubbles functionalized to recognize and attach to molecules expressed on inflamed or angiogenic vascular endothelial cells. There are several potential clinical applications currently being explored including earlier detection, molecular profiling, and monitoring of cancer, as well as visualization of ischemic memory in transient myocardial ischemia, monitoring of disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease, and assessment of arteriosclerosis. Recently, a first clinical grade ultrasound contrast agent (BR55), targeted at a molecule expressed in neoangiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2; VEGFR2) has been introduced and safety and feasibility of VEGFR2-targeted ultrasound imaging is being explored in first inhuman clinical trials in various cancer types. This review describes the design of ultrasound molecular imaging contrast agents, imaging techniques, and potential future clinical applications of ultrasound molecular imaging. PMID:25851932

Frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets (B-lines) using a regionally based lung ultrasound examination named vet BLUE (veterinary bedside lung ultrasound exam) in dogs with radiographically normal lung findings.

PubMed

Lisciandro, Gregory R; Fosgate, Geoffrey T; Fulton, Robert M

2014-01-01

Lung ultrasound is superior to lung auscultation and supine chest radiography for many respiratory conditions in human patients. Ultrasound diagnoses are based on easily learned patterns of sonographic findings and artifacts in standardized images. By applying the wet lung (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines, representing interstitial edema) versus dry lung (A-lines with a glide sign) concept many respiratory conditions can be diagnosed or excluded. The ultrasound probe can be used as a visual stethoscope for the evaluation of human lungs because dry artifacts (A-lines with a glide sign) predominate over wet artifacts (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines). However, the frequency and number of wet lung ultrasound artifacts in dogs with radiographically normal lungs is unknown. Thus, the primary objective was to determine the baseline frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets in dogs without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lung findings using an 8-view novel regionally based lung ultrasound examination called Vet BLUE. Frequency of ultrasound lung rockets were statistically compared based on signalment, body condition score, investigator, and reasons for radiography. Ten left-sided heart failure dogs were similarly enrolled. Overall frequency of ultrasound lung rockets was 11% (95% confidence interval, 6-19%) in dogs without respiratory disease versus 100% (95% confidence interval, 74-100%) in those with left-sided heart failure. The low frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets observed in dogs without respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs suggests that Vet BLUE will be clinically useful for the identification of canine respiratory conditions. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

4D Ultrasound - Medical Devices for Recent Advances on the Etiology of Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Tomasovic, Sanja; Predojevic, Maja

2011-01-01

Children cerebral palsy (CCP) encompasses a group of nonprogessive and noninfectious conditions, which cause light, moderate, and severe deviations in neurological development. Diagnosis of CCP is set mostly by the age of 3 years. The fact that a large number of cerebral damage occurs prenatally and the fact that early intervention in cases of neurological damage is successful, prompted some researchers to explore the possibility of detecting neurologically damaged fetus in the uterus. This research was made possible thanks to the development of two-dimensional ultrasound technology in a real time, which enabled the display of the mobility of the fetus. Advancement of the ultrasound technology has enabled the development of 4D ultrasound where a spontaneous fetal movement can be observed almost in a real time. Estimate of the number and quality of spontaneous fetal movements and stitches on the head, the neurology thumb and a high palate were included in the prenatal neurological screening of the fetus. This raises the question, as to does the fetal behavior reflect, (which was revealed in 2D or 4D ultrasound), fetal neurological development in a manner that will allow the detection of the brain damage. PMID:23407920

Quantitative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Parameters in Crohn Disease: Their Role in Disease Activity Determination With Ultrasound.

PubMed

Medellin-Kowalewski, Alexandra; Wilkens, Rune; Wilson, Alexandra; Ruan, Ji; Wilson, Stephanie R

2016-01-01

The primary objective of our study was to examine the association between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) parameters and established gray-scale ultrasound with color Doppler imaging (CDI) for the determination of disease activity in patients with Crohn disease. Our secondary objective was to develop quantitative time-signal intensity curve thresholds for disease activity. One hundred twenty-seven patients with Crohn disease underwent ultrasound with CDI and CEUS. Reviewers graded wall thickness, inflammatory fat, and mural blood flow as showing remission or inflammation (mild, moderate, or severe). If both gray-scale ultrasound and CDI predicted equal levels of disease activity, the studies were considered concordant. If ultrasound images suggested active disease not supported by CDI findings, the ultrasound results for disease activity were indeterminate. Time-signal intensity curves from CEUS were acquired with calculation of peak enhancement (PE), and AUCs. Interobserver variation and associations between PE and ultrasound parameters were examined. Multiclass ROC analysis was used to develop CEUS thresholds for activity. Ninety-six (76%) studies were concordant, 19 of which showed severe disease, and 31 (24%) studies were indeterminate. Kappa analyses revealed good interobserver agreement on grades for CDI (κ = 0.76) and ultrasound (κ = 0.80) assessments. PE values on CEUS and wall thickness showed good association with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient for the entire population (ρ = 0.62, p < 0.01) and for the concordant group (ρ = 0.70, p < 0.01). Multiclass ROC analyses of the concordant group using wall thickness alone as the reference standard showed cutoff points of 18.2 dB for differentiating mild versus moderate activity (sensitivity, 89.0% and specificity, 87.0%) and 23.0 dB for differentiating moderate versus severe (sensitivity, 90% and specificity, 86.8%). Almost identical cutoff points were observed when using ultrasound global

Elsevier Trophoblast Research Award Lecture: Searching for an early pregnancy 3-D morphometric ultrasound marker to predict fetal growth restriction.

PubMed

Collins, S L; Stevenson, G N; Noble, J A; Impey, L

2013-03-01

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, even in term babies. An effective screening test to identify pregnancies at risk of FGR, leading to increased antenatal surveillance with timely delivery, could decrease perinatal mortality and morbidity. Placental volume, measured with commercially available packages and a novel, semi-automated technique, has been shown to predict small for gestational age babies. Placental morphology measured in 2-D in the second trimester and ex-vivo post delivery, correlates with FGR. This has also been investigated using 2-D estimates of diameter and site of cord insertion obtained using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL) software. Data is presented describing a pilot study of a novel 3-D method for defining compactness of placental shape. We prospectively recruited women with a singleton pregnancy and BMI of <35. A 3-D ultrasound scan was performed between 11 and 13 + 6 weeks' gestation. The placental volume, total placental surface area and the area of the utero-placental interface were calculated using our validated technique. From these we generated dimensionless indices including sphericity (ψ), standardised placental volume (sPlaV) and standardised functional area (sFA) using Buckingham π theorem. The marker for FGR used was small for gestational age, defined as <10th customised birth weight centile (cSGA). Regression analysis examined which of the morphometric indices were independent predictors of cSGA. Data were collected for 143 women, 20 had cSGA babies. Only sPlaV and sFA were significantly correlated to birth weight (p < 0.001). Regression demonstrated all dimensionless indices were inter-dependent co-factors. ROC curves showed no advantage for using sFA over the simpler sPlaV. The generated placental indices are not independent of placental volume this early in gestation. It is hoped that another placental ultrasound marker based on vascularity can improve the

The advantages of the surface Laplacian in brain-computer interface research.

PubMed

McFarland, Dennis J

2015-09-01

Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems frequently use signal processing methods, such as spatial filtering, to enhance performance. The surface Laplacian can reduce spatial noise and aid in identification of sources. In BCI research, these two functions of the surface Laplacian correspond to prediction accuracy and signal orthogonality. In the present study, an off-line analysis of data from a sensorimotor rhythm-based BCI task dissociated these functions of the surface Laplacian by comparing nearest-neighbor and next-nearest neighbor Laplacian algorithms. The nearest-neighbor Laplacian produced signals that were more orthogonal while the next-nearest Laplacian produced signals that resulted in better accuracy. Both prediction and signal identification are important for BCI research. Better prediction of user's intent produces increased speed and accuracy of communication and control. Signal identification is important for ruling out the possibility of control by artifacts. Identifying the nature of the control signal is relevant both to understanding exactly what is being studied and in terms of usability for individuals with limited motor control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cumulative phase delay imaging - A new contrast enhanced ultrasound modality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demi, Libertario, E-mail: l.demi@tue.nl; Sloun, Ruud J. G. van; Mischi, Massimo

Recently, a new acoustic marker for ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) has been introduced. A cumulative phase delay (CPD) between the second harmonic and fundamental pressure wave field components is in fact observable for ultrasound propagating through UCAs. This phenomenon is absent in the case of tissue nonlinearity and is dependent on insonating pressure and frequency, UCA concentration, and propagation path length through UCAs. In this paper, ultrasound images based on this marker are presented. The ULA-OP research platform, in combination with a LA332 linear array probe (Esaote, Firenze Italy), were used to image a gelatin phantom containing a PVC platemore » (used as a reflector) and a cylindrical cavity measuring 7 mm in diameter (placed in between the observation point and the PVC plate). The cavity contained a 240 µL/L SonoVueO{sup ®} UCA concentration. Two insonating frequencies (3 MHz and 2.5 MHz) were used to scan the gelatine phantom. A mechanical index MI = 0.07, measured in water at the cavity location with a HGL-0400 hydrophone (Onda, Sunnyvale, CA), was utilized. Processing the ultrasound signals backscattered from the plate, ultrasound images were generated in a tomographic fashion using the filtered back-projection method. As already observed in previous studies, significantly higher CPD values are measured when imaging at a frequency of 2.5 MHz, as compared to imaging at 3 MHz. In conclusion, these results confirm the applicability of the discussed CPD as a marker for contrast imaging. Comparison with standard contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging modalities will be the focus of future work.« less

[Occupational risk caused by ultrasound in medicine].

PubMed

Magnavita, N; Fileni, A

1994-01-01

Ultrasound (US) is extensively used in the medical field for its therapeutic and diagnostic applications. US units are commonly found in hospitals and clinics of all sizes, and a growing number of medical staff such as doctors and nurses are exposed to hand-transmitted ultrasound waves in their work-place. This review discusses the available information on the occupational risk of the operators using diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound devices. The new occupational groups of medical workers who use ultrasound (diagnostic, surgical, sterilization, and physiotherapeutic) equipment are exposed to contact ultrasound waves. Contact ultrasound -- i.e., no airspace between the energy source and the biological tissue -- is much more hazardous than exposure to airborne ultrasound because air transmits less than one percent of this kind of energy. In spite of being a non-ionizing radiation with an excellent safety record, US is likely to induce some changes in the exposed organ. Recent Russian studies indicate that the hospital workers who have been long exposed to ultrasound at work may develop neurovascular dose-dependent disorders of the peripheral nervous system in the form of the angiodystonic syndrome of vegetative polyneuritis of the hands. In some Scandinavian studies, female physiotherapists (exposed to ultrasound and short waves) exhibit increased rate of spontaneous abortions and congenital malformations, but no definite conclusion can be drawn on the basis of these results alone. Trends in exposure for diagnostic ultrasound equipment over the last two decades show a continuous increase. While there is no reason for alarm, there is a growing need for avoiding unnecessary exposure to medical workers.

[Ultrasound-guided peripheral catheterization].

PubMed

Salleras-Duran, Laia; Fuentes-Pumarola, Concepció

2016-01-01

Peripheral catheterization is a technique that can be difficult in some patients. Some studies have recently described the use of ultrasound to guide the venous catheterization. To describe the success rate, time required, complications of ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheterization. and patients and professionals satisfaction The search was performed in databases (Medline-PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Cuiden Plus) for studies published about ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheterization performed on patients that provided results on the success of the technique, complications, time used, patient satisfaction and the type of professional who performed the technique. A total of 21 studies were included. Most of them get a higher success rate 80% in the catheterization ecoguide and time it is not higher than the traditional technique. The Technical complications analyzed were arterial puncture rates and lower nerve 10%. In all studies measuring and comparing patient satisfaction in the art ecoguide is greater. Various professional groups perform the technique. The use of ultrasound for peripheral pipes has a high success rate, complications are rare and the time used is similar to that of the traditional technique. The technique of inserting catheters through ultrasound may be learned by any professional group performing venipuncture. Finally, it gets underscores the high patient satisfaction with the use of this technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Measurement of tissue viscoelasticity with ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenleaf, J. F.; Alizad, A.

2017-02-01

Tissue properties such as elasticity and viscosity have been shown to be related to such tissue conditions as contraction, edema, fibrosis, and fat content among others. Magnetic Resonance Elastography has shown outstanding ability to measure the elasticity and in some cases the viscosity of tissues, especially in the liver, providing the ability to stage fibrotic liver disease similarly to biopsy. We discuss ultrasound methods of measuring elasticity and viscosity in tissues. Many of these methods are becoming widely available in the extant ultrasound machines distributed throughout the world. Some of the methods to be discussed are in the developmental stage. The advantages of the ultrasound methods are that the imaging instruments are widely available and that many of the viscoelastic measurements can be made during a short addition to the normal ultrasound examination time. In addition, the measurements can be made by ultrasound repetitively and quickly allowing evaluation of dynamic physiologic function in circumstances such as muscle contraction or artery relaxation. Measurement of viscoelastic tissue mechanical properties will become a consistent part of clinical ultrasound examinations in our opinion.

Bifunctional ultraviolet/ultrasound responsive composite TiO2/polyelectrolyte microcapsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Hui; Wen, Dongsheng; Tarakina, Nadezda V.; Liang, Jierong; Bushby, Andy J.; Sukhorukov, Gleb B.

2016-02-01

Designing and fabricating multifunctional microcapsules are of considerable interest in both academic and industrial research aspects. This work reports an innovative approach to fabricate composite capsules with high UV and ultrasound responsive functionalities that can be used as external triggers for controlled release, yet with enhanced mechanical strength that can make them survive in a harsh environment. Needle-like TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were produced in situ into layer-by-layer (LbL) polyelectrolyte (PE) shells through the hydrolysis of titanium butoxide (TIBO). These rigid TiO2 NPs yielded the formed capsules with excellent mechanical strength, showing a free standing structure. A possible mechanism is proposed for the special morphology formation of the TiO2 NPs and their reinforcing effects. Synergistically, their response to UV and ultrasound was visualized via SEM, with the results showing an irreversible shell rapture upon exposure to either UV or ultrasound irradiation. As expected, the release studies revealed that the dextran release from the TiO2/PE capsules was both UV-dependent and ultrasound-dependent. Besides, the biocompatibility of the capsules with the incorporation of amorphous TiO2 NPs was confirmed by an MTT assay experiment. All these pieces of evidence suggested a considerable potential medicinal application of TiO2/PE capsules for controlled drug delivery.Designing and fabricating multifunctional microcapsules are of considerable interest in both academic and industrial research aspects. This work reports an innovative approach to fabricate composite capsules with high UV and ultrasound responsive functionalities that can be used as external triggers for controlled release, yet with enhanced mechanical strength that can make them survive in a harsh environment. Needle-like TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were produced in situ into layer-by-layer (LbL) polyelectrolyte (PE) shells through the hydrolysis of titanium butoxide (TIBO). These

Ultrasound-Guided Single-Injection Infraclavicular Block Versus Ultrasound-Guided Double-Injection Axillary Block: A Noninferiority Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Boivin, Ariane; Nadeau, Marie-Josée; Dion, Nicolas; Lévesque, Simon; Nicole, Pierre C; Turgeon, Alexis F

2016-01-01

Single-injection ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block is a simple, reliable, and effective technique. A simplified double-injection ultrasound-guided axillary block technique with a high success rate recently has been described. It has the advantage of being performed in a superficial and compressible location, with a potentially improved safety profile. However, its effectiveness in comparison with single-injection infraclavicular block has not been established. We hypothesized that the double-injection ultrasound-guided axillary block would show rates of complete sensory block at 30 minutes noninferior to the single-injection ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block. After approval by our research ethics committee and written informed consent, adults undergoing distal upper arm surgery were randomized to either group I, ultrasound-guided single-injection infraclavicular block, or group A, ultrasound-guided double-injection axillary block. In group I, 30 mL of 1.5% mepivacaine was injected posterior to the axillary artery. In group A, 25 mL of 1.5% mepivacaine was injected posteromedial to the axillary artery, after which 5 mL was injected around the musculocutaneous nerve. Primary outcome was the rate of complete sensory block at 30 minutes. Secondary outcomes were the onset of sensory and motor blocks, surgical success rates, performance times, and incidence of complications. All outcomes were assessed by a blinded investigator. The noninferiority of the double-injection ultrasound-guided axillary block was considered if the limits of the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were within a 10% margin of the rate of complete sensory block of the infraclavicular block. At 30 minutes, the rate of complete sensory block was 79% in group A (90% CI, 71%-85%) compared with 91% in group I (90% CI, 85%-95%); the upper limit of CI of group A is thus included in the established noninferiority margin of 10%. The rate of complete sensory block was lower in group A (proportion

Apoptosis Induction in Cancer Cells by Ultrasound Exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Akihiro; Kawai, Kazuaki; Sato, Toshio; Nishimura, Hiroyuki; Kawashima, Norimichi; Takeuchi, Shinichi

2004-05-01

The methods of suppressing cancer cell proliferation by ultrasound exposure were investigated to develop a new minimally invasive cancer treatment. A stainless-steel diaphragm with a bolt-clamped Langevin-type transducer (BLT) was attached to the bottom of a water tank in the ultrasound exposure system used in this study. Cancer cells of a mouse T lymphoma (EL-4) in a flask were exposed to ultrasound under various conditions of exposure time, ultrasound frequency, ultrasound waveform, and so forth. The number of cancer cells exposed to ultrasound decreased during the culturing process. In this study, it was proved by electrophoresis, enzyme activity measurement and morphological observation that cancer cell proliferation can be suppressed by apoptosis induction in cancer cells by ultrasound exposure.

Estimation of liquid volume fraction using ultrasound transit time spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Qahtani, Saeed M.; Langton, Christian M.

2016-12-01

It has recently been proposed that the propagation of an ultrasound wave through complex structures, consisting of two-materials of differing ultrasound velocity, may be considered as an array of parallel ‘sonic rays’, the transit time of each determined by their relative proportion; being a minimum (t min) in entire higher velocity material, and a maximum (t max) in entire lower velocity material. An ultrasound transit time spectrum (UTTS) describes the proportion of sonic rays at an individual transit time. It has previously been demonstrated that the solid volume fraction of a solid:liquid composite, specifically acrylic step-wedges immersed in water, may be reliably estimated from the UTTS. The aim of this research was to investigate the hypothesis that the volume fraction of a two-component liquid mixture, of unequal ultrasound velocity, may also be estimated by UTTS. A through-transmission technique incorporating two 1 MHz ultrasound transducers within a horizontally-aligned cylindrical tube-housing was utilised, the proportion of silicone oil to water being varied from 0% to 100%. The liquid volume fraction was estimated from the UTTS at each composition, the coefficient of determination (R 2%) being 98.9  ±  0.7%. The analysis incorporated a novel signal amplitude normalisation technique to compensate for absorption within the silicone oil. It is therefore envisaged that the parallel sonic ray concept and the derived UTTS may be further applied to the quantification of liquid mixture composition assessment.

Ultrasound of the coracoclavicular ligaments in the acute phase of an acromioclavicular disjonction: Comparison of radiographic, ultrasound and MRI findings.

PubMed

Faruch Bilfeld, Marie; Lapègue, Franck; Chiavassa Gandois, Hélène; Bayol, Marie Aurélie; Bonnevialle, Nicolas; Sans, Nicolas

2017-02-01

Acromioclavicular joint injuries are typically diagnosed by clinical and radiographic assessment with the Rockwood classification, which is crucial for treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to describe how the ultrasound findings of acromioclavicular joint injury compare with radiography and MRI findings. Forty-seven patients with suspected unilateral acromioclavicular joint injury after acute trauma were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients underwent digital radiography, ultrasound and 3T MRI. A modified Rockwood classification was used to evaluate the coracoclavicular ligaments. The classifications of acromioclavicular joint injuries diagnosed with radiography, ultrasound and MRI were compared. MRI was used as the gold standard. The agreement between the ultrasound and MRI findings was very good, with a correlation coefficient of 0.83 (95 % CI: 0.72-0.90; p < 0.0001). Ultrasound detected coracoclavicular ligament injuries with a sensitivity of 88.9 %, specificity of 90.0 %, positive predictive value of 92.3 % and negative predictive value of 85.7 %. The agreement between the ultrasound and radiography findings was poor, with a correlation coefficient of 0.69 (95 % CI: 0.51-0.82; p < 0.0001). Ultrasound is an effective examination for the diagnostic work-up of lesions of the coracoclavicular ligaments in the acute phase of an acromioclavicular injury. • Ultrasound is appropriate for acute acromioclavicular trauma due to its accessibility. • Ultrasound contributes to the diagnostic work-up of acute lesions of the coracoclavicular ligaments. • Ultrasound is appropriate in patients likely to benefit from surgical treatment. • Ultrasound could be a supplement to standard radiography in acute acromioclavicular trauma.

[Assessment of the sonographer's knowledge on the second trimester ultrasound recommendations of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound].

PubMed

Matar, M; Picone, O; Dalmon, C; Ayoubi, J-M

2013-09-01

To evaluate the sonographers' knowledge of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound's recommendations concerning second trimester ultrasound. Anonymous questionnaire was sent by e-mails containing 25 questions about demographic elements, the practice of second trimester ultrasound and the recommendations of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound about second trimester ultrasound. Six hundred and eighty-four responses were obtained. Six hundred and fifty-three upon 684 (95%) of respondents practice second trimester ultrasound and 635 upon 653 (97%) know about the existence of the report of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound. The rates of correct answers concerning recommended biometrical images vary between 97% for the biparietal diameter and head circumference, 98% for abdominal circumference and 100% for the femur length. While for morphological images, rates vary between 52% and 100%. A subgroup analysis (whether the respondents have already read the recommendations or not) showed that those who had read the recommendations have significantly better results than those who did not. Those who have already read the recommendations have better knowledge and global knowledge can be improved. National recommendations serve to promote a policy of quality assurance of ultrasound and may be used in medicolegal issues. The societies that make recommendations should more diffuse their work and practitioners should make effort to pursue the continuing medical education and to implement the recommendations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

40 MHz high-frequency ultrafast ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Chung; Chen, Pei-Yu; Peng, Po-Hsun; Lee, Po-Yang

2017-06-01

Ultrafast high-frame-rate ultrasound imaging based on coherent-plane-wave compounding has been developed for many biomedical applications. Most coherent-plane-wave compounding systems typically operate at 3-15 MHz, and the image resolution for this frequency range is not sufficient for visualizing microstructure tissues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to implement a high-frequency ultrafast ultrasound imaging operating at 40 MHz. The plane-wave compounding imaging and conventional multifocus B-mode imaging were performed using the Field II toolbox of MATLAB in simulation study. In experiments, plane-wave compounding images were obtained from a 256 channel ultrasound research platform with a 40 MHz array transducer. All images were produced by point-spread functions and cyst phantoms. The in vivo experiment was performed from zebrafish. Since high-frequency ultrasound exhibits a lower penetration, chirp excitation was applied to increase the imaging depth in simulation. The simulation results showed that a lateral resolution of up to 66.93 μm and a contrast of up to 56.41 dB were achieved when using 75-angles plane waves in compounding imaging. The experimental results showed that a lateral resolution of up to 74.83 μm and a contrast of up to 44.62 dB were achieved when using 75-angles plane waves in compounding imaging. The dead zone and compounding noise are about 1.2 mm and 2.0 mm in depth for experimental compounding imaging, respectively. The structure of zebrafish heart was observed clearly using plane-wave compounding imaging. The use of fewer than 23 angles for compounding allowed a frame rate higher than 1000 frames per second. However, the compounding imaging exhibits a similar lateral resolution of about 72 μm as the angle of plane wave is higher than 10 angles. This study shows the highest operational frequency for ultrafast high-frame-rate ultrasound imaging. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Ultrasound-guided venous access for pacemakers and defibrillators.

PubMed

Seto, Arnold H; Jolly, Aaron; Salcedo, Jonathan

2013-03-01

Ultrasound guidance is widely recommended to reduce the risk of complications during central venous catheter placement. However, ultrasound guidance is not commonly utilized for implanting leads for cardiac rhythm management devices. We describe our technique of ultrasound-guided pacemaker implantation, including a novel pull-through technique that allows percutaneous guidewire insertion prior to the first incision. We review the literature and recent advances in ultrasound imaging technology that may facilitate the adoption of ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound guidance provides a safe and rapid technique for extrathoracic subclavian or axillary venous lead placement. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Basic physics of ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Aldrich, John E

2007-05-01

The appearance of ultrasound images depends critically on the physical interactions of sound with the tissues in the body. The basic principles of ultrasound imaging and the physical reasons for many common artifacts are described.

Diagnostic and interventional musculoskeletal ultrasound: part 1. Fundamentals.

PubMed

Smith, Jay; Finnoff, Jonathan T

2009-01-01

Musculoskeletal ultrasound involves the use of high-frequency sound waves to image soft tissues and bony structures in the body for the purposes of diagnosing pathology or guiding real-time interventional procedures. Recently, an increasing number of physicians have integrated musculoskeletal ultrasound into their practices to facilitate patient care. Technological advancements, improved portability, and reduced costs continue to drive the proliferation of ultrasound in clinical medicine. This increased interest creates a need for education pertaining to all aspects of musculoskeletal ultrasound. The primary purpose of this article is to review diagnostic ultrasound technology and its potential clinical applications in the evaluation and treatment of patients with neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders. After reviewing this article, physicians should be able to (1) list the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound compared with other available imaging modalities, (2) describe how ultrasound machines produce images using sound waves, (3) discuss the steps necessary to acquire and optimize an ultrasound image, (4) understand the different ultrasound appearances of tendons, nerves, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, and bones, and (5) identify multiple applications for diagnostic and interventional musculoskeletal ultrasound in musculoskeletal practice. Part 1 of this 2-part article reviews the fundamentals of clinical ultrasonographic imaging, including relevant physics, equipment, training, image optimization, and scanning principles for diagnostic and interventional purposes.

A Microsoft Excel interface for rhyolite-MELTS: a tool for research and teaching of magma properties and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gualda, G. A.; Ghiorso, M. S.

2013-12-01

The thermodynamic modeling software MELTS (and its derivatives) is a powerful and much utilized tool for investigating crystallization and melting in natural magmatic systems. Rhyolite-MELTS (Gualda et al. 2012, J. Petrol. 53:875-890) is a recent recalibration of MELTS aimed at better capturing the evolution of magmas present in the upper crust (up to ~400 MPa pressure). Currently, most users of rhyolite-MELTS rely on a graphical user interface (GUI), which can be run on UNIX/LINUX and Mac OS X computers. While the interface is powerful and flexible, it can be somewhat cumbersome for the novice and the output is in the form of text files that need to be processed offline. This situation is probably the main reason why MELTS - despite great potential - has not been used more frequently for teaching purposes. We are currently developing an alternative GUI for rhyolite-MELTS using web services consumed by a VBA backend in Microsoft Excel©. The goal is to create a much more interactive tool, that is easy to use that can be made available to a widespread audience, and that will be useful for both research and teaching. The interface is contained within a macro-enabled workbook, which includes editable cells where the user can insert the model input information. Interface buttons initiate computations that are executed on a central server at OFM Research in Seattle (WA). Results of simple calculations are shown immediately within the interface itself. For instance, a user can very rapidly determine the temperature at which a magma of a given composition is completely molten (i.e. find the liquidus); or determine which phases are present, in what abundances, their compositions, and their physical properties (e.g. density, viscosity) at any given combination of temperature, pressure and oxygen fugacity. We expect that using the interface in this mode will greatly facilitate building intuition about magmas and their properties. It is also possible to combine a sequence of

Ultrasound in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, David S.; South, Donna A.; Garcia, Kathleen M.; Arbeille, Philippe

2003-01-01

Physiology of the human body in space has been a major concern for space-faring nations since the beginning of the space era. Ultrasound (US) is one of the most cost effective and versatile forms of medical imaging. As such, its use in characterizing microgravity-induced changes in physiology is being realized. In addition to the use of US in related ground-based studies, equipment has also been modified to fly in space. This involves alteration to handle the stresses of launch and different power and cooling requirements. Study protocols also have been altered to accommodate the microgravity environment. Ultrasound studies to date have shown a pattern of adaptation to microgravity that includes changes in cardiac chamber sizes and vertebral spacing. Ultrasound has been and will continue to be an important component in the investigation of physiological and, possibly, pathologic changes occurring in space or as a result of spaceflight.

Ultrasound for the Anesthesiologists: Present and Future

PubMed Central

Terkawi, Abdullah S.; Karakitsos, Dimitrios; Elbarbary, Mahmoud; Blaivas, Michael; Durieux, Marcel E.

2013-01-01

Ultrasound is a safe, portable, relatively inexpensive, and easily accessible imaging modality, making it a useful diagnostic and monitoring tool in medicine. Anesthesiologists encounter a variety of emergent situations and may benefit from the application of such a rapid and accurate diagnostic tool in their routine practice. This paper reviews current and potential applications of ultrasound in anesthesiology in order to encourage anesthesiologists to learn and use this useful tool as an adjunct to physical examination. Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blockade and vascular access represent the most popular ultrasound applications in anesthesiology. Ultrasound has recently started to substitute for CT scans and fluoroscopy in many pain treatment procedures. Although the application of airway ultrasound is still limited, it has a promising future. Lung ultrasound is a well-established field in point-of-care medicine, and it could have a great impact if utilized in our ORs, as it may help in rapid and accurate diagnosis in many emergent situations. Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement and transcranial color coded duplex (TCCD) are relatively new neuroimaging modalities, which assess intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow. Gastric ultrasound can be used for assessment of gastric content and diagnosis of full stomach. Focused transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography facilitate the assessment of left and right ventricular function, cardiac valve abnormalities, and volume status as well as guiding cardiac resuscitation. Thus, there are multiple potential areas where ultrasound can play a significant role in guiding otherwise blind and invasive interventions, diagnosing critical conditions, and assessing for possible anatomic variations that may lead to plan modification. We suggest that ultrasound training should be part of any anesthesiology training program curriculum. PMID:24348179

Ultrasound molecular imaging: Moving toward clinical translation.

PubMed

Abou-Elkacem, Lotfi; Bachawal, Sunitha V; Willmann, Jürgen K

2015-09-01

Ultrasound is a widely available, cost-effective, real-time, non-invasive and safe imaging modality widely used in the clinic for anatomical and functional imaging. With the introduction of novel molecularly-targeted ultrasound contrast agents, another dimension of ultrasound has become a reality: diagnosing and monitoring pathological processes at the molecular level. Most commonly used ultrasound molecular imaging contrast agents are micron sized, gas-containing microbubbles functionalized to recognize and attach to molecules expressed on inflamed or angiogenic vascular endothelial cells. There are several potential clinical applications currently being explored including earlier detection, molecular profiling, and monitoring of cancer, as well as visualization of ischemic memory in transient myocardial ischemia, monitoring of disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease, and assessment of arteriosclerosis. Recently, a first clinical grade ultrasound contrast agent (BR55), targeted at a molecule expressed in neoangiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2; VEGFR2) has been introduced and safety and feasibility of VEGFR2-targeted ultrasound imaging is being explored in first inhuman clinical trials in various cancer types. This review describes the design of ultrasound molecular imaging contrast agents, imaging techniques, and potential future clinical applications of ultrasound molecular imaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound of the Thyroid Gland

MedlinePlus

... the patient. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of ... has substantially grown over time Because ultrasound provides real-time images, images that are renewed continuously, it also ...

Ultrasound: biological effects and industrial hygiene concerns.

PubMed

Wiernicki, C; Karoly, W J

1985-09-01

Due to the increased use of high intensity ultrasonic devices, there is now a greater risk of worker exposure to ultrasonic radiation than there was in the past. Exposure to high power ultrasound may produce adverse biological effects. High power ultrasound, characterized by high intensity outputs at frequencies of 20-100 kHz, has a wide range of applications throughout industry. Future applications may involve equipment with higher energy outputs. Contact ultrasound, i.e., no airspace between the energy source and the biological tissue, is significantly more hazardous than exposure to airborne ultrasound because air transmits less than one percent of the energy. This paper discusses biological effects associated with overexposure to ultrasound, exposure standards proposed for airborne and contact ultrasound, industrial hygiene controls that can be employed to minimize exposure, and the instrumentation that is required for evaluating exposures.

Ultrasound

MedlinePlus

... reflect off body structures. A computer receives the waves and uses them to create a picture. Unlike with an x-ray or CT scan, this test does not use ionizing radiation. The test is done in the ultrasound ...

The application of ultrasound and enzymes in textile processing of greige cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Research progress made at the USDA’s Southern Regional Research Center to provide an ultrasound and enzymatic alternative to the current textile processing method of scouring greige cotton textile with caustic chemicals is reported. The review covers early efforts to measure pectin and wax removal ...

Mechanics of ultrasound elastography

PubMed Central

Li, Guo-Yang

2017-01-01

Ultrasound elastography enables in vivo measurement of the mechanical properties of living soft tissues in a non-destructive and non-invasive manner and has attracted considerable interest for clinical use in recent years. Continuum mechanics plays an essential role in understanding and improving ultrasound-based elastography methods and is the main focus of this review. In particular, the mechanics theories involved in both static and dynamic elastography methods are surveyed. They may help understand the challenges in and opportunities for the practical applications of various ultrasound elastography methods to characterize the linear elastic, viscoelastic, anisotropic elastic and hyperelastic properties of both bulk and thin-walled soft materials, especially the in vivo characterization of biological soft tissues. PMID:28413350

Graphical user interface for intraoperative neuroimage updating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rick, Kyle R.; Hartov, Alex; Roberts, David W.; Lunn, Karen E.; Sun, Hai; Paulsen, Keith D.

2003-05-01

Image-guided neurosurgery typically relies on preoperative imaging information that is subject to errors resulting from brain shift and deformation in the OR. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed to facilitate the flow of data from OR to image volume in order to provide the neurosurgeon with updated views concurrent with surgery. Upon acquisition of registration data for patient position in the OR (using fiducial markers), the Matlab GUI displays ultrasound image overlays on patient specific, preoperative MR images. Registration matrices are also applied to patient-specific anatomical models used for image updating. After displaying the re-oriented brain model in OR coordinates and digitizing the edge of the craniotomy, gravitational sagging of the brain is simulated using the finite element method. Based on this model, interpolation to the resolution of the preoperative images is performed and re-displayed to the surgeon during the procedure. These steps were completed within reasonable time limits and the interface was relatively easy to use after a brief training period. The techniques described have been developed and used retrospectively prior to this study. Based on the work described here, these steps can now be accomplished in the operating room and provide near real-time feedback to the surgeon.

Impact of ultrasound video transfer on the practice of ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duerinckx, Andre J.; Hayrapetian, Alek S.; Grant, Edward G.; Valentino, Daniel J.; Rahbar, Darius; Kiszonas, Mike; Franco, Ricky; Melany, Michelle; Narin, Sherelle L.; Ragavendra, Nagesh

1996-05-01

Sonography can be highly dependent on real-time imaging and as such is highly physician intensive. Such situations arise mostly during complicated ultrasound radiology studies or echocardiology examinations. Under those circumstances it would be of benefit to transmit real-time images beyond the immediate area of the ultrasound laboratory when a physician is not on location. We undertook this study to determine if both static and dynamic image transfer to remote locations might be accomplished using an ultrafast ATM network and PACS. Image management of the local image files was performed by a commercial PACS from AGFA corporation. The local network was Ethernet based, and the global network was based on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM, rates up to 100 Mbits/sec). Real-time image transfer involved two teaching hospitals, one of which had 2 separate ultrasound facilities. Radiologists consulted with technologists via telephone while the examinations were being performed. The applications of ATM network providing real time video for ultrasound imaging in a clinical environment and its potential impact on health delivery and clinical teaching. This technology increased technologist and physician productivity due to the elimination of commute time for physicians and waiting time for technologists and patients. Physician confidence in diagnosis increased compared to reviewing static images alone. This system provided instant access for radiologists to real-time scans from remote sites. Image quality and frame rate were equivalent to the original. The system increased productivity by allowing physicians to monitor studies at multiple sites simultaneously.

Pulse Compression Techniques for Laser Generated Ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anastasi, R. F.; Madaras, E. I.

1999-01-01

Laser generated ultrasound for nondestructive evaluation has an optical power density limit due to rapid high heating that causes material damage. This damage threshold limits the generated ultrasound amplitude, which impacts nondestructive evaluation inspection capability. To increase ultrasound signal levels and improve the ultrasound signal-to-noise ratio without exceeding laser power limitations, it is possible to use pulse compression techniques. The approach illustrated here uses a 150mW laser-diode modulated with a pseudo-random sequence and signal correlation. Results demonstrate the successful generation of ultrasonic bulk waves in aluminum and graphite-epoxy composite materials using a modulated low-power laser diode and illustrate ultrasound bandwidth control.

Electronically steerable ultrasound-driven long narrow air stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Keisuke; Qiu, Liwei; Noda, Akihito; Inoue, Seki; Shinoda, Hiroyuki

2017-08-01

Acoustic streaming, which is the unidirectional movement of a medium driven by its internal intense acoustic vibrations, has been known for more than a century. Despite the long history of research, there have been no scientific reports on the creation of long stretching steerable airflows in an open space, generated by ultrasound. Here, we demonstrated the creation of a narrow, straight flow in air to a distance of 400 mm from an ultrasound phased array emitting a Bessel beam. We also demonstrated that the direction of the flow could be controlled by appropriately tuning the wavefronts of the emission from the phased array. Unlike conventional airflows such as those generated by jets or fans, which decelerate and spread out as they travel farther, the flow that we created proceeded while being accelerated by the kinetic energy supplied from the ultrasound beam and keeping the diameter as small as the wavelength. A flow of 3 m/s with a 10 mm diameter extended for several hundreds of millimeters in a room that was large enough to be regarded as an open-boundary environment. These properties of the generated flow will enable fine and rapid control of three-dimensional airflow distributions.

Ultrasound-Assisted Hot Air Drying of Foods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulet, Antonio; Cárcel, Juan Andrés; García-Pérez, José Vicente; Riera, Enrique

This chapter deals with the application of power ultrasound, also named high-intensity ultrasound, in the hot air drying of foods. The aim of ultrasound-assisted drying is to overcome some of the limitations of traditional convective drying systems, especially by increasing drying rate without reducing quality attributes. The effects of ultrasound on drying rate are responsible for some of the phenomena produced in the internal and/or external resistance to mass transfer.

Interference-free ultrasound imaging during HIFU therapy, using software tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaezy, Shahram (Inventor); Held, Robert (Inventor); Sikdar, Siddhartha (Inventor); Managuli, Ravi (Inventor); Zderic, Vesna (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Disclosed herein is a method for obtaining a composite interference-free ultrasound image when non-imaging ultrasound waves would otherwise interfere with ultrasound imaging. A conventional ultrasound imaging system is used to collect frames of ultrasound image data in the presence of non-imaging ultrasound waves, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). The frames are directed to a processor that analyzes the frames to identify portions of the frame that are interference-free. Interference-free portions of a plurality of different ultrasound image frames are combined to generate a single composite interference-free ultrasound image that is displayed to a user. In this approach, a frequency of the non-imaging ultrasound waves is offset relative to a frequency of the ultrasound imaging waves, such that the interference introduced by the non-imaging ultrasound waves appears in a different portion of the frames.

Ultrasound-Guided Renal Access for Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Description of Three Novel Ultrasound-Guided Needle Techniques

PubMed Central

Chu, Carissa; Masic, Selma; Usawachintachit, Manint; Hu, Weiguo; Yang, Wenzeng; Stoller, Marshall; Li, Jianxing

2016-01-01

Abstract Ultrasound-guided renal access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a safe, effective, and low-cost procedure commonly performed worldwide, but a technique underutilized by urologists in the United States. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the practicing urologist with methods for ultrasound guidance for percutaneous renal access. We discuss two alternative techniques for gaining renal access for PCNL under ultrasound guidance. We also describe a novel technique of using the puncture needle to reposition residual stone fragments to avoid additional tract dilation. With appropriate training, ultrasound-guided renal access for PCNL can lead to reduced radiation exposure, accurate renal access, and excellent stone-free success rates and clinical outcomes. PMID:26414304

21 CFR 890.5860 - Ultrasound and muscle stimulator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. 890.5860 Section... Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. (a) Ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions—(1) Identification. An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in...

21 CFR 890.5860 - Ultrasound and muscle stimulator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. 890.5860 Section... Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. (a) Ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions—(1) Identification. An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in...

21 CFR 890.5860 - Ultrasound and muscle stimulator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. 890.5860 Section... Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. (a) Ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions—(1) Identification. An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in...

21 CFR 890.5860 - Ultrasound and muscle stimulator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. 890.5860 Section... Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. (a) Ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions—(1) Identification. An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in...

21 CFR 890.5860 - Ultrasound and muscle stimulator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. 890.5860 Section... Ultrasound and muscle stimulator. (a) Ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions—(1) Identification. An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in...

Computer-Based Tools for Evaluating Graphical User Interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Loretta A.

1997-01-01

The user interface is the component of a software system that connects two very complex system: humans and computers. Each of these two systems impose certain requirements on the final product. The user is the judge of the usability and utility of the system; the computer software and hardware are the tools with which the interface is constructed. Mistakes are sometimes made in designing and developing user interfaces because the designers and developers have limited knowledge about human performance (e.g., problem solving, decision making, planning, and reasoning). Even those trained in user interface design make mistakes because they are unable to address all of the known requirements and constraints on design. Evaluation of the user inter-face is therefore a critical phase of the user interface development process. Evaluation should not be considered the final phase of design; but it should be part of an iterative design cycle with the output of evaluation being feed back into design. The goal of this research was to develop a set of computer-based tools for objectively evaluating graphical user interfaces. The research was organized into three phases. The first phase resulted in the development of an embedded evaluation tool which evaluates the usability of a graphical user interface based on a user's performance. An expert system to assist in the design and evaluation of user interfaces based upon rules and guidelines was developed during the second phase. During the final phase of the research an automatic layout tool to be used in the initial design of graphical inter- faces was developed. The research was coordinated with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Mission Operations Laboratory's efforts in developing onboard payload display specifications for the Space Station.

Comparison of thyroid segmentation techniques for 3D ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wunderling, T.; Golla, B.; Poudel, P.; Arens, C.; Friebe, M.; Hansen, C.

2017-02-01

The segmentation of the thyroid in ultrasound images is a field of active research. The thyroid is a gland of the endocrine system and regulates several body functions. Measuring the volume of the thyroid is regular practice of diagnosing pathological changes. In this work, we compare three approaches for semi-automatic thyroid segmentation in freehand-tracked three-dimensional ultrasound images. The approaches are based on level set, graph cut and feature classification. For validation, sixteen 3D ultrasound records were created with ground truth segmentations, which we make publicly available. The properties analyzed are the Dice coefficient when compared against the ground truth reference and the effort of required interaction. Our results show that in terms of Dice coefficient, all algorithms perform similarly. For interaction, however, each algorithm has advantages over the other. The graph cut-based approach gives the practitioner direct influence on the final segmentation. Level set and feature classifier require less interaction, but offer less control over the result. All three compared methods show promising results for future work and provide several possible extensions.

The effects of temperature and frequencies in ultrasound assisted extraction of phycocyanin from microalgae Spirulina sp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadiyanto, Suttrisnorhadi, Sutanto, Heri; Suzery, Meiny; Soetrisnanto, Danny; Azizah, Nur

2015-12-01

Microalgae Spirulina sp has been identified as source of protein and other high added value compounds. One of the compounds is phycocyanin as also known for antioxidant use. The extraction of this compound by using conventional method (soxhlet extraction) resulted low yield and longer processing time. This research was aimed to extract phycocyanin by using an extraction assisted by ultrasound irradiation. The extraction was performed by using variable of ultrasound frequency and extraction temperature and ethanol was used as a solvent. The result showed that yield of phycocyanin extracted by conventional method was 11.13% while the ultrasound irradiation could increase the yield up to 15.61% at constant frequency of 42 kHz, while the optimum temperature was obtained at 45°C. The analysis of variable interactions showed that both temperature and time has an interaction and temperature was the highest variable in increasing the yield. The conclusion of this research was the ultrasound could improve significantly the efficiency of extraction as well as activity of phycocyanin extracted from microalgae.

The effects of temperature and frequencies in ultrasound assisted extraction of phycocyanin from microalgae Spirulina sp

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hadiyanto,, E-mail: hadiyanto@live.undip.ac.id; Suttrisnorhadi,; Soetrisnanto, Danny

Microalgae Spirulina sp has been identified as source of protein and other high added value compounds. One of the compounds is phycocyanin as also known for antioxidant use. The extraction of this compound by using conventional method (soxhlet extraction) resulted low yield and longer processing time. This research was aimed to extract phycocyanin by using an extraction assisted by ultrasound irradiation. The extraction was performed by using variable of ultrasound frequency and extraction temperature and ethanol was used as a solvent. The result showed that yield of phycocyanin extracted by conventional method was 11.13% while the ultrasound irradiation could increasemore » the yield up to 15.61% at constant frequency of 42 kHz, while the optimum temperature was obtained at 45°C. The analysis of variable interactions showed that both temperature and time has an interaction and temperature was the highest variable in increasing the yield. The conclusion of this research was the ultrasound could improve significantly the efficiency of extraction as well as activity of phycocyanin extracted from microalgae.« less

Ultrasound Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System.

PubMed

Cook, Cristi R

2016-05-01

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a rapidly growing field within veterinary medicine. Ultrasound for musculoskeletal disorders has been commonly used in equine and human medicine and is becoming more commonly performed in small animal patients due to the increase in the recognition of soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound is widely available, cost-effective, but technically difficult to learn. Advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound are the opposite limb is commonly used for comparison to evaluate symmetry of the tendinous structures and the ease of repeat examinations to assess healing. The article discusses the major areas of shoulder, stifle, iliopsoas, gastrocnemius, and musculoskeletal basics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advanced ultrasound applications in the assessment of renal transplants: contrast-enhanced ultrasound, elastography, and B-flow.

PubMed

Morgan, Tara A; Jha, Priyanka; Poder, Liina; Weinstein, Stefanie

2018-04-09

Ultrasound is routinely used as the first imaging exam for evaluation of renal transplants and can identify most major surgical complications and evaluate vascularity with color Doppler. Ultrasound is limited, however, in the detection of parenchymal disease processes and Doppler evaluation is also prone to technical errors. Multiple new ultrasound applications have been developed and are under ongoing investigation which could add additional diagnostic capability to the routine ultrasound exam with minimal additional time, cost, and patient risk. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can be used off-label in the transplant kidney, and can assist in detection of infection, trauma, and vascular complications. CEUS also can demonstrate perfusion of the transplant assessed quantitatively with generation of time-intensity curves. Future directions of CEUS include monitoring treatment response and microbubble targeted medication delivery. Elastography is an ultrasound application that can detect changes in tissue elasticity, which is useful to diagnose diffuse parenchymal disease, such as fibrosis, otherwise unrecognizable with ultrasound. Elastography has been successfully applied in other organs including the liver, thyroid, and breast; however, it is still under development for use in the transplant kidney. Unique properties of the transplant kidney including its heterogeneity, anatomic location, and other technical factors present challenges in the development of reference standard measurements. Lastly, B-flow imaging is a flow application derived from B-mode. This application can show the true lumen size of a vessel which is useful to depict vascular anatomy and bypasses some of the pitfalls of color Doppler such as demonstration of slow flow.

Human performance interfaces in air traffic control.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Hern; Yeh, Chung-Hsing

2010-01-01

This paper examines how human performance factors in air traffic control (ATC) affect each other through their mutual interactions. The paper extends the conceptual SHEL model of ergonomics to describe the ATC system as human performance interfaces in which the air traffic controllers interact with other human performance factors including other controllers, software, hardware, environment, and organisation. New research hypotheses about the relationships between human performance interfaces of the system are developed and tested on data collected from air traffic controllers, using structural equation modelling. The research result suggests that organisation influences play a more significant role than individual differences or peer influences on how the controllers interact with the software, hardware, and environment of the ATC system. There are mutual influences between the controller-software, controller-hardware, controller-environment, and controller-organisation interfaces of the ATC system, with the exception of the controller-controller interface. Research findings of this study provide practical insights in managing human performance interfaces of the ATC system in the face of internal or external change, particularly in understanding its possible consequences in relation to the interactions between human performance factors.

Obstetric and Gynecologic Resident Ultrasound Education Project: Is the Current Level of Gynecologic Ultrasound Training in Canada Meeting the Needs of Residents and Faculty?

PubMed

Green, Jessica; Kahan, Meldon; Wong, Suzanne

2015-09-01

Ultrasound is a critical diagnostic imaging tool in obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn). Obstetric ultrasound is taught during residency, but we suspected a gap in Gyn ultrasound education. Proficiency in Gyn ultrasound allows real-time interpretation and management of pelvic disease and facilitates technical skill development for trainees learning blinded procedures. This study sought to evaluate ultrasound education in Canada's Ob/Gyn residency programs and assess whether residents and physicians perceived a need for a formalized Gyn ultrasound curriculum. We distributed a needs assessment survey to residents enrolled in Canadian Ob/Gyn residency programs and to all obstetrician/gynecologists registered as members of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Residents were asked to specify their current training in ultrasound and to rate the adequacy of their curriculum. All respondents rated the importance of proficiency in pelvic ultrasound for practicing obstetrician/gynecologists as well as the perceived need for formalized ultrasound training in Ob/Gyn residency programs. Eighty-two residents and 233 physicians completed the survey. Extents and types of ultrasound training varied across residency programs. Most residents reported inadequate exposure to Gyn ultrasound, and most residents and physicians agreed that it is important for obstetrician/gynecologists to be proficient in Gyn ultrasound and that the development of a standardized Gyn ultrasound curriculum for residency programs is important. Current ultrasound education in Ob/Gyn varies across Canadian residency programs. Training in Gyn ultrasound is lacking, and both trainees and physicians confirmed the need for a standardized Gyn ultrasound curriculum for residency programs in Canada. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Nonlinear optical microscopy and ultrasound imaging of human cervical structure

PubMed Central

Reusch, Lisa M.; Feltovich, Helen; Carlson, Lindsey C.; Hall, Gunnsteinn; Campagnola, Paul J.; Eliceiri, Kevin W.

2013-01-01

Abstract. The cervix softens and shortens as its collagen microstructure rearranges in preparation for birth, but premature change may lead to premature birth. The global preterm birth rate has not decreased despite decades of research, likely because cervical microstructure is poorly understood. Our group has developed a multilevel approach to evaluating the human cervix. We are developing quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques for noninvasive interrogation of cervical microstructure and corroborating those results with high-resolution images of microstructure from second harmonic generation imaging (SHG) microscopy. We obtain ultrasound measurements from hysterectomy specimens, prepare the tissue for SHG, and stitch together several hundred images to create a comprehensive view of large areas of cervix. The images are analyzed for collagen orientation and alignment with curvelet transform, and registered with QUS data, facilitating multiscale analysis in which the micron-scale SHG images and millimeter-scale ultrasound data interpretation inform each other. This novel combination of modalities allows comprehensive characterization of cervical microstructure in high resolution. Through a detailed comparative study, we demonstrate that SHG imaging both corroborates the quantitative ultrasound measurements and provides further insight. Ultimately, a comprehensive understanding of specific microstructural cervical change in pregnancy should lead to novel approaches to the prevention of preterm birth. PMID:23412434

Nonlinear optical microscopy and ultrasound imaging of human cervical structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reusch, Lisa M.; Feltovich, Helen; Carlson, Lindsey C.; Hall, Gunnsteinn; Campagnola, Paul J.; Eliceiri, Kevin W.; Hall, Timothy J.

2013-03-01

The cervix softens and shortens as its collagen microstructure rearranges in preparation for birth, but premature change may lead to premature birth. The global preterm birth rate has not decreased despite decades of research, likely because cervical microstructure is poorly understood. Our group has developed a multilevel approach to evaluating the human cervix. We are developing quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques for noninvasive interrogation of cervical microstructure and corroborating those results with high-resolution images of microstructure from second harmonic generation imaging (SHG) microscopy. We obtain ultrasound measurements from hysterectomy specimens, prepare the tissue for SHG, and stitch together several hundred images to create a comprehensive view of large areas of cervix. The images are analyzed for collagen orientation and alignment with curvelet transform, and registered with QUS data, facilitating multiscale analysis in which the micron-scale SHG images and millimeter-scale ultrasound data interpretation inform each other. This novel combination of modalities allows comprehensive characterization of cervical microstructure in high resolution. Through a detailed comparative study, we demonstrate that SHG imaging both corroborates the quantitative ultrasound measurements and provides further insight. Ultimately, a comprehensive understanding of specific microstructural cervical change in pregnancy should lead to novel approaches to the prevention of preterm birth.

WE-AB-206-02: ACR Ultrasound Accreditation: Requirements and Pitfalls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walter, J.

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less

Core review: physician-performed ultrasound: the time has come for routine use in acute care medicine.

PubMed

Royse, Colin F; Canty, David J; Faris, John; Haji, Darsim L; Veltman, Michael; Royse, Alistair

2012-11-01

The use of ultrasound in the acute care specialties of anesthesiology, intensive care, emergency medicine, and surgery has evolved from discrete, office-based echocardiographic examinations to the real-time or point-of-care clinical assessment and interventions. "Goal-focused" transthoracic echocardiography is a limited scope (as compared with comprehensive examination) echocardiographic examination, performed by the treating clinician in acute care medical practice, and is aimed at addressing specific clinical concerns. In the future, the practice of surface ultrasound will be integrated into the everyday clinical practice as ultrasound-assisted examination and ultrasound-guided procedures. This evolution should start at the medical student level and be reinforced throughout specialist training. The key to making ultrasound available to every physician is through education programs designed to facilitate uptake, rather than to prevent access to this technology and education by specialist craft groups. There is evidence that diagnosis is improved with ultrasound examination, yet data showing change in management and improvement in patient outcome are few and an important area for future research.

Ultrasound microscope: the new field in ultrasound diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novyc'kyy, Victor V.; Lushchyk, Ulyana B.

2001-06-01

A device which is a new stage in the development of medical equipment has been developed. The device works as an ultrasound microscope in vivo and provides 4 up to 32 colored histological image. It gives possibility to estimate tissue acoustic density with the help of 4 up to 32 gradation coloring different tissues and enables tissue microcirculation visualization. With the help of the device a doctor can objectify fatty hepatitis and cirrhosis, edema of different organs and tissues as well as microcirculation in organs and tissues (e.g. muscles, myocard and bone system). New promising applications of ultrasound systems in diagnostics and for choosing individual treatment tactics, with pathogenesis being taken into account, may be developed with the help of the device.

Medical Imaging with Ultrasound: Some Basic Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosling, R.

1989-01-01

Discussed are medical applications of ultrasound. The physics of the wave nature of ultrasound including its propagation and production, return by the body, spatial and contrast resolution, attenuation, image formation using pulsed echo ultrasound techniques, measurement of velocity and duplex scanning are described. (YP)

Therapeutic ultrasound for acute ankle sprains.

PubMed

van den Bekerom, Michel Pj; van der Windt, Daniëlle Awm; Ter Riet, Gerben; van der Heijden, Geert J; Bouter, Lex M

2011-06-15

Ultrasound is used in the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders, which include acute ankle sprains. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 1999, and previously updated in 2004. To evaluate the effects of ultrasound therapy in the treatment of acute ankle sprains. We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register (September 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to September 2010), EMBASE (1983 to September 2010), CINAHL (1982 to 2004), and PEDro - the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (accessed 01/06/09). We also searched the Cochrane Rehabilitation and Related Therapies Field database, reference lists of articles, and contacted colleagues.The WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform was searched for ongoing trials. Randomised or quasi-randomised trials were included if the following conditions were met: at least one study group was treated with therapeutic ultrasound; participants had acute lateral ankle sprains; and outcome measures included general improvement, pain, swelling, functional disability, or range of motion. Two authors independently performed study selection, and assessed the risk of bias and extracted data. Risk ratios and risk differences together with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences together with 95% confidence intervals for continuous outcome measures. Limited pooling of data was undertaken where there was clinical homogeneity in terms of participants, treatments, outcomes, and follow-up time points. Six trials were included, involving 606 participants. Five trials included comparisons of ultrasound therapy with sham ultrasound; and three trials included single comparisons of ultrasound with three other treatments. The assessment of risk of bias was hampered by poor reporting of trial methods and results. None of the five placebo

The Strength of the Metal. Aluminum Oxide Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepper, S. V.

1984-01-01

The strength of the interface between metals and aluminum oxide is an important factor in the successful operation of devices found throughout modern technology. One finds the interface in machine tools, jet engines, and microelectronic integrated circuits. The strength of the interface, however, should be strong or weak depending on the application. The diverse technological demands have led to some general ideas concerning the origin of the interfacial strength, and have stimulated fundamental research on the problem. Present status of our understanding of the source of the strength of the metal - aluminum oxide interface in terms of interatomic bonds are reviewed. Some future directions for research are suggested.

Fabrication and Characterization of Quinoa Protein Nanoparticle-Stabilized Food-Grade Pickering Emulsions with Ultrasound Treatment: Interfacial Adsorption/Arrangement Properties.

PubMed

Qin, Xin-Sheng; Luo, Zhi-Gang; Peng, Xi-Chun

2018-05-02

The natural quinoa protein isolate (QPI) was largely reflected in the nanoparticle form at pH 7.0 (∼401 nm), and the ultrasound at 20 min progressively improved the contact angle (wettability) and surface hydrophobicity of the nanoparticles. Ultrasound process also modified the type of intraparticle interaction, and the internal forces of sonicated particles were largely maintained by both disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interaction forces. In emulsion system, the ultrasound progressively increased the emulsification efficiency of the QPI nanoparticles, particularly at high protein concentration ( c > 1%, w/ v) and higher emulsion stability against coalescence. As compared with the natural QPI-stabilized emulsions, the 20 min sonicated emulsions exhibited higher packing and adsorption at the protein interface. The microstructure of emulsions that occurs is bridging flocculation of droplets at low c (≤1%, w/ v), while the amount of protein particles could be high enough to cover the droplet surface at high c ( >1%, w/ v) with hexagonal array model arrangement. Thus these results illustrated that both natural and sonicated QPI nanoparticles could be performed as effective food-grade stabilizer for Pickering emulsion; however, the sonicated QPI nanoparticles exhibited much better emulsifying and interfacial properties.

Abdominal ultrasound

MedlinePlus

... inflammation in pancreas) Spleen enlargement ( splenomegaly ) Portal hypertension Liver tumors Obstruction of bile ... Digestive system Kidney anatomy Ultrasound in pregnancy Kidney - blood and urine flow ...

Novel ultrasound method to reposition kidney stones

PubMed Central

Shah, Anup; Owen, Neil R.; Lu, Wei; Cunitz, Bryan W.; Kaczkowski, Peter J.; Harper, Jonathan D.; Bailey, Michael R.; Crum, Lawrence A.

2011-01-01

The success of surgical management of lower pole stones is principally dependent on stone fragmentation and residual stone clearance. Choice of surgical method depends on stone size, yet all methods are subject to post-surgical complications resulting from residual stone fragments. Here we present a novel method and device to reposition kidney stones using ultrasound radiation force delivered by focused ultrasound and guided by ultrasound imaging. The device couples a commercial imaging array with a focused annular array transducer. Feasibility of repositioning stones was investigated by implanting artificial and human stones into a kidney-mimicking phantom that simulated a lower pole and collecting system. During experiment, stones were located by ultrasound imaging and repositioned by delivering short bursts of focused ultrasound. Stone motion was concurrently monitored by fluoroscopy, ultrasound imaging, and video photography, from which displacement and velocity were estimated. Stones were seen to move immediately after delivering focused ultrasound and successfully repositioned from the lower pole to the collecting system. Estimated velocities were on the order of 1 cm/s. This in vitro study demonstrates a promising modality to facilitate spontaneous clearance of kidney stones and increased clearance of residual stone fragments after surgical management. PMID:20967437

The Fluid Interface Reactions Structures and Transport (FIRST) EFRC (A "Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research" contest entry from the 2011 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wesolowski, David J.; FIRST Staff

2011-05-01

'The Fluid Interface Reactions Structures and Transport (FIRST) EFRC' was submitted by FIRST to the 'Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research' video contest at the 2011 Science for Our Nation's Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum. Twenty-six EFRCs created short videos to highlight their mission and their work. FIRST, an EFRC directed by David J. Wesolowski at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a partnership of scientists from nine institutions: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (lead), Argonne National Laboratory, Drexel University, Georgia State University, Northwestern University, Pennsylvania State University, Suffolk University, Vanderbilt University, and University ofmore » Virginia. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science established the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) in 2009. These collaboratively-organized centers conduct fundamental research focused on 'grand challenges' and use-inspired 'basic research needs' recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The overall purpose is to accelerate scientific progress toward meeting the nation's critical energy challenges. The mission of Fluid Interface Reactions, Structures and Transport Center is 'to develop quantitative and predictive models of the unique nanoscale environment at fluid-solid interfaces that will enable transformational advances in electrical energy storage and heterogeneous catalysis for solar fuels.' Research topics are: catalysis (biomass, CO{sub 2}, water), electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, solar fuels, solar electrodes, electrical energy storage, batteries, capacitors, battery electrodes, electrolytes, extreme environment, CO{sub 2} (convert), greenhouse gas, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), interfacial characterization, matter by design, novel materials synthesis, and charge transport.« less

The Fluid Interface Reactions Structures and Transport (FIRST) EFRC (A "Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research" contest entry from the 2011 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum)

ScienceCinema

Wesolowski, David J. (Director, FIRST - Fluid Interface Reactions, Structures, and Transport Center); FIRST Staff