The project ELASTUS aims to develop and investigate innovative ultrasonic strain elastography algorithms for the application of dynamic heterogeneous media for diagnostic applications without requiring the rearrangement of the hardware part of the echoscopes. The main research objective of the project is to investigate the interaction between ultrasonic radio-frequency (RF) waves and inhomogeneous media with internal (endogenous) micromovements (eg. live pulsating biological tissue) and to apply established features in developing algorithms for echography signal processing intended for application as a plug-in in scanners. The raw broadband RF ultrasonic echoscopy signals is used to assess elasticity distribution of non-uniform media (characterized by internal heterogeneous microstructure) with internal micro-movements. Analysis of linear and nonlinear ultrasound interactions with such dynamic media will allow to track, deduct and visualize strain elastography distribution, to be fused with image of structure.
Project funding:
Projects funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), Projects carried out by researchers’ teams
Project results:
Digital dynamic ultrasound 3D model as well as a physical dynamic phantom for simulations and experiments on such a complex environment created . By the use of RF echoscopy signals and 3D technologies for transducer tracking evaluated potential parameters of strain elastography, using internal micro-movements of tissue. A appropriate algorithms developed and tested using simulated signals, phantoms and clinical signals. Possibilities to derive quantitative parameters for tissue characterization disclosed. Algorithms developed are intended for usage in modern echoscopes in the form of plug-ins.
Period of project implementation: 2019-05-20 - 2022-06-30
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
