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Kakkar M, Patil JM, Trivedi V, Yadav A, Saha RK, Rao S, Vazhayil V, Pandya HJ, Mahadevan A, Shekhar H, Mercado-Shekhar KP. Hermite-scan imaging for differentiating glioblastoma from normal brain: Simulations and ex vivo studies for applications in intra-operative tumor identificationa). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:3833-3841. [PMID: 38109407 DOI: 10.1121/10.0023952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Hermite-scan (H-scan) imaging is a tissue characterization technique based on the analysis of raw ultrasound radio frequency (RF) echoes. It matches the RF echoes to Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials of various orders to extract information related to scatterer diameter. It provides a color map of large and small scatterers in the red and blue H-scan image channels, respectively. H-scan has been previously reported for characterizing breast, pancreatic, and thyroid tumors. The present work evaluated H-scan imaging to differentiate glioblastoma tumors from normal brain tissue ex vivo. First, we conducted 2-D numerical simulations using the k-wave toolbox to assess the performance of parameters derived from H-scan images of acoustic scatterers (15-150 μm diameters) and concentrations (0.2%-1% w/v). We found that the parameter intensity-weighted percentage of red (IWPR) was sensitive to changes in scatterer diameters independent of concentration. Next, we assessed the feasibility of using the IWPR parameter for differentiating glioblastoma and normal brain tissues (n = 11 samples per group). The IWPR parameter estimates for normal tissue (44.1% ± 1.4%) were significantly different (p < 0.0001) from those for glioblastoma (36.2% ± 0.65%). These findings advance the development of H-scan imaging for potential use in differentiating glioblastoma tumors from normal brain tissue during resection surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manik Kakkar
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Jagruti M Patil
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Vishwas Trivedi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Anushka Yadav
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Ratan K Saha
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211015, India
| | - Shilpa Rao
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka 560029, India
| | - Vikas Vazhayil
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka 560029, India
| | - Hardik J Pandya
- Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Anita Mahadevan
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka 560029, India
| | - Himanshu Shekhar
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Karla P Mercado-Shekhar
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
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Tai H, Margolis R, Li J, Hoyt K. H-Scan Ultrasound Monitoring of Breast Cancer Response to Chemotherapy and Validation With Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2023; 42:1297-1306. [PMID: 36468546 DOI: 10.1002/jum.16143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES H-scan ultrasound (US) imaging is a novel tissue characterization technique to detect apoptosis-induced changes in cancer cells after the initiation of effective drug treatment. The objective of the proposed research was to assess the sensitivity of 3-dimensional (3D) H-scan US technique for monitoring the response of breast cancer-bearing animals to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and correlate results to diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) measurements of programmed cancer cell death. METHODS Experimental studies used female mice (N = 18) implanted with human breast cancer cells. Animals underwent H-scan US and DW-MRI imaging on days 0, 1, 3, 7, and 10. After imaging at day 0, breast tumor-bearing nude mice were treated biweekly with an apoptosis-inducing drug. Texture analysis of H-scan US images explored spatial relationships between local US scattering. At day 10, H-scan measurements were compared with DW-MRI-derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and histological findings. RESULTS H-scan US imaging of low and high dose cisplatin-treated cancer-bearing animals revealed changes in image intensity suggesting a progressive decrease in aggregate US scatterer size that was not observed in control animals. Longitudinal trends discovered in H-scan US result matched with texture analysis and DW-MRI (P < .01). Further, analysis of the H-scan US image intensity and corresponding DW-MRI-derived ADC values revealed a strong linear correlation (R2 = .93, P < .001). These changes were due to cancer cell apoptotic activity and consider as early detectable biomarker during treatment. CONCLUSIONS The 3D H-scan technique holds promise for assisting clinicians in monitoring the early response of breast cancer tumor to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adding value to traditional diagnostic ultrasound examinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Tai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan Margolis
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Junjie Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
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Li S, Zhou Z, Wu S, Wu W. Ultrasound Homodyned-K Contrast-Weighted Summation Parametric Imaging Based on H-scan for Detecting Microwave Ablation Zones. ULTRASONIC IMAGING 2023; 45:119-135. [PMID: 36995065 DOI: 10.1177/01617346231162928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The homodyned-K (HK) distribution is a generalized model of envelope statistics whose parameters α (the clustering parameter) and k (the coherent-to-diffuse signal ratio) can be used to monitor the thermal lesions. In this study, we proposed an ultrasound HK contrast-weighted summation (CWS) parametric imaging algorithm based on the H-scan technique and investigated the optimal window side length (WSL) of the HK parameters estimated by the XU estimator (an estimation method based on the first moment of the intensity and two log-moments, which was used in the proposed algorithm) through phantom simulations. H-scan diversified ultrasonic backscattered signals into low- and high-frequency passbands. After envelope detection and HK parameter estimation for each frequency band, the α and k parametric maps were obtained, respectively. According to the contrast between the target region and background, the (α or k) parametric maps of the dual-frequency band were weighted and summed, and then the CWS images were yielded by pseudo-color imaging. The proposed HK CWS parametric imaging algorithm was used to detect the microwave ablation coagulation zones of porcine liver ex vivo under different powers and treatment durations. The performance of the proposed algorithm was compared with that of the conventional HK parametric imaging and frequency diversity and compounding Nakagami imaging algorithms. For two-dimensional HK parametric imaging, it was found that a WSL equal to 4 pulse lengths of the transducer was sufficient for estimating the α and k parameters in terms of both parameter estimation stability and parametric imaging resolution. The HK CWS parametric imaging provided an improved contrast-to-noise ratio over conventional HK parametric imaging, and the HK αcws parametric imaging achieved the best accuracy and Dice score of coagulation zone detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuhuang Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shuicai Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Khairalseed M, Hoyt K. High-Resolution Ultrasound Characterization of Local Scattering in Cancer Tissue. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2023; 49:951-960. [PMID: 36681609 PMCID: PMC9974749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) has afforded an approach to tissue characterization for more than a decade. The challenge is to reveal hidden patterns in the US data that describe tissue function and pathology that cannot be seen in conventional US images. Our group has developed a high-resolution analysis technique for tissue characterization termed H-scan US, an imaging method used to interpret the relative size of acoustic scatterers. In the present study, the objective was to compare local H-scan US image intensity with registered histologic measurements made directly at the cellular level. Human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB 231, American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, VA, USA) were orthotopically implanted into female mice (N = 5). Tumors were allowed to grow for approximately 4 wk before the study started. In vivo imaging of tumor tissue was performed using a US system (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc., Kirkland, WA, USA) equipped with a broadband capacitive micromachined ultrasonic linear array transducer (Kolo Medical, San Jose, CA, USA). A 15-MHz center frequency was used for plane wave imaging with five angles for spatial compounding. H-scan US image reconstruction involved use of parallel convolution filters to measure the relative strength of backscattered US signals. Color codes were applied to filter outputs to form the final H-scan US image display. For histologic processing, US imaging cross-sections were carefully marked on the tumor surface, and tumors were excised and sliced along the same plane. By use of optical microscopy, whole tumor tissue sections were scanned and digitized after nuclear staining. US images were interpolated to have the same number of pixels as the histology images and then spatially aligned. Each nucleus from the histologic sections was automatically segmented using custom MATLAB software (The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA). Nuclear size and spacing from the histology images were then compared with local H-scan US image features. Overall, local H-scan US image intensity exhibited a significant correlation with both cancer cell nuclear size (R2 > 0.27, p < 0.001) and the inverse relationship with nuclear spacing (R2 > 0.17, p < 0.001).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA.
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Khairalseed M, Hoyt K. Generalized mathematical framework for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging with pulse inversion spectral deconvolution. ULTRASONICS 2023; 129:106913. [PMID: 36528905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A generalized mathematical framework for performing contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging is introduced. Termed pulse inversion spectral deconvolution (PISD), this CEUS approach is founded on Gaussian derivative functions (GDFs). PISD pulses are used to form two inverted pulse sequences, which are then used to filter backscattered ultrasound (US) data for isolation of the nonlinear (NL) microbubble (MB) signal component. An US scanner equipped with a linear array transducer was used for data acquisition. With a vascular flow phantom perfused with MBs, data was collected using PISD and NL-based CEUS imaging. The role of wide-beam transmit aperture size (32 or 64 elements) was also evaluated using an US pulse frequency of 6.25 MHz. Image enhancement was quantified by a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Preliminary in vivo data was collected in the hindlimb and kidney of healthy rats. Overall, in vitro wide-beam CEUS imaging using an aperture size of 64 elements yielded improved CNR values. Specifically, PISD-based CEUS imaging produced CNR values of 37.3 dB. For comparison, CNR values obtained using B-mode US or NL approaches were 2.1 and 12.1 dB, respectively. In vivo results demonstrated that PISD-based CEUS imaging improved vascular visualization compared to the NL imaging strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
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Tai H, Basavarajappa L, Hoyt K. 3-D H-scan ultrasound imaging of relative scatterer size using a matrix array transducer and sparse random aperture compounding. Comput Biol Med 2022; 151:106316. [PMID: 36442278 PMCID: PMC9749370 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
H-scan ultrasound (US) is a high-resolution imaging technique for soft tissue characterization. By acquiring data in volume space, H-scan US can provide insight into subtle tissue changes or heterogenous patterns that might be missed using traditional cross-sectional US imaging approaches. In this study, we introduce a 3-dimensional (3-D) H-scan US imaging technology for voxel-level tissue characterization in simulation and experimentation. Using a matrix array transducer, H-scan US imaging was developed to evaluate the relative size of US scattering aggregates in volume space. Experimental data was acquired using a programmable US system (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc, Kirkland, WA) equipped with a 1024-element (32 × 32) matrix array transducer (Vermon Inc, Tours, France). Imaging was performed using the full array in transmission. Radiofrequency (RF) data sequences were collected using a sparse random aperture compounding technique with 6 different data compounding approaches. Plane wave imaging at five angles was performed at a center frequency of 8 MHz. Scan conversion and attenuation correction were applied. To generate the 3-D H-scan US images, a convolution filter bank (N = 256) was then used to process the RF data sequences and measure the spectral content of the backscattered US signals before volume reconstruction. Preliminary experimental studies were conducted using homogeneous phantom materials embedded with spherical US scatterers of varying diameter, i.e., 27 to 45, 63 to 75, or 106-126 μm. Both simulated and experimental results revealed that 3-D H-scan US images have a low spatial variance when tested with homogeneous phantom materials. Furthermore, H-scan US is considerably more sensitive than traditional B-mode US imaging for differentiating US scatterers of varying size (p = 0.001 and p = 0.93, respectively). Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of 3-D H-scan US imaging using a matrix array transducer for tissue characterization in volume space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Tai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Lokesh Basavarajappa
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
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Basavarajappa L, Hoyt K. Photoacoustic graphic equalization and application in characterization of red blood cell aggregates. PHOTOACOUSTICS 2022; 26:100365. [PMID: 35592591 PMCID: PMC9111976 DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2022.100365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A photoacoustic (PA) graphic equalization (PAGE) algorithm was developed to characterize the relative size of optical absorbing aggregates. This technique divides the PA signal into frequency bands related to different-sized optical absorbers. Simulations of a material containing optical absorbing microparticles of varying size were used to assess PAGE performance. Experiments were performed on phantom materials containing microspheres of varying size and concentration. Additional experiments were performed using tubes with fresh clotting blood. PA data was obtained using a Vevo LAZR-X system (FUJIFILM VisualSonics Inc). PAGE imaging of phantoms with varying-sized optical absorbers found a 1.5-fold difference in mean image intensity (p < 0.001). Conversely, PA images from these same materials exhibited no intensity changes (p = 0.68). PAGE imaging results from clotting blood exhibited differences for clot sizes in the range 0.30-0.64 mm (p < 0.001). In summary, PAGE imaging can distinguish optical absorbing aggregates of varying size.
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Basavarajappa L, Baek J, Reddy S, Song J, Tai H, Rijal G, Parker KJ, Hoyt K. Multiparametric ultrasound imaging for the assessment of normal versus steatotic livers. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2655. [PMID: 33514796 PMCID: PMC7846566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82153-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver disease is increasing in prevalence across the globe. We present here a multiparametric ultrasound (mpUS) imaging approach for assessing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD). This study was performed using rats (N = 21) that were fed either a control or methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet. A mpUS imaging approach that includes H-scan ultrasound (US), shear wave elastography, and contrast-enhanced US measurements were then performed at 0 (baseline), 2, and 6 weeks. Thereafter, animals were euthanized and livers excised for histological processing. A support vector machine (SVM) was used to find a decision plane that classifies normal and fatty liver conditions. In vivo mpUS results from control and MCD diet fed animals reveal that all mpUS measures were different at week 6 (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the H-scan US data contributed the highest percentage to the classification among the mpUS measurements. The SVM resulted in 100% accuracy for classification of normal and high fat livers and 92% accuracy for classification of normal, low fat, and high fat livers. Histology findings found considerable steatosis in the MCD diet fed animals. This study suggests that mpUS examinations have the potential to provide a comprehensive estimation of the main components of early stage NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokesh Basavarajappa
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 13.929, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Jihye Baek
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Shreya Reddy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 13.929, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Jane Song
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 13.929, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Haowei Tai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Girdhari Rijal
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Tarleton State University, Forth Worth, TX, USA
| | - Kevin J Parker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 13.929, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA. .,Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Baek J, Ahmed R, Ye J, Gerber SA, Parker KJ, Doyley MM. H-scan, Shear Wave and Bioluminescent Assessment of the Progression of Pancreatic Cancer Metastases in the Liver. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2020; 46:3369-3378. [PMID: 32907773 PMCID: PMC9066934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The non-invasive quantification of tumor burden and the response to therapies remain an important objective for imaging modalities. To characterize the performance of two newly optimized ultrasound-based analyses, we applied shear wave and H-scan scattering analyses to repeated trans-abdominal ultrasound scans of a murine model of metastatic pancreatic cancer. In addition, bioluminescence measurements were obtained as an alternative reference. The tumor metastases grow aggressively and result in death at approximately 4 wk if untreated, but longer for those treated with chemotherapy. We found that our three imaging methods (shear wave speed, H-scan, bioluminescence) trended toward increasing output measures with time during tumor growth, and these measures were delayed for the group receiving chemotherapy. The relative sensitivity of H-scan tracked closely with bioluminescence measurements, particularly in the early to mid-stages of tumor growth. The correlation between H-scan and bioluminescence was found to be strong, with a Spearman's rank correlation coefficient greater than 0.7 across the entire series. These preliminary results suggest that non-invasive ultrasound imaging analyses are capable of tracking the response of tumor models to therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Baek
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Rifat Ahmed
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Jian Ye
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Scott A Gerber
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Kevin J Parker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
| | - Marvin M Doyley
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
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Tai H, Khairalseed M, Hoyt K. 3-D H-Scan Ultrasound Imaging and Use of a Convolutional Neural Network for Scatterer Size Estimation. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2020; 46:2810-2818. [PMID: 32653207 PMCID: PMC7484237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
H-Scan ultrasound (US) is a new imaging technology that estimates the relative size of acoustic scattering objects and structures. The purpose of this study was to introduce a three-dimensional (3-D) H-scan US imaging approach for scatterer size estimation in volume space. Using a programmable research scanner (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc, Kirkland, WA, USA) equipped with a custom volumetric imaging transducer (4 DL7, Vermon, Tours, France), raw radiofrequency (RF) data was collected for offline processing to generate H-scan US volumes. A deep convolutional neural network (CNN) was modified and used to achieve voxel mapping from the input H-scan US image to underlying scatterer size. Preliminary studies were conducted using homogeneous gelatin-based tissue-mimicking phantom materials embedded with acoustic scatterers of varying size (15 to 250 μm) and concentrations (0.1 to 1%). Two additional phantoms were embedded with 63 or 125 µm-sized microspheres and used to test CNN estimation accuracy. In vitro results indicate that 3-D H-scan US imaging can visualize the spatial distribution of acoustic scatterers of varying size at different concentrations (R2 > 0.85, p < 0.03). The result of scatterer size estimation reveals that a CNN can achieve an average mapping accuracy of 93.3%. Overall, our preliminary in vitro findings reveal that 3-D H-scan US imaging allows the visualization of tissue scatterer patterns and incorporation of a CNN can be used to help estimate size of the acoustic scattering objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Tai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
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Abstract
The H-scan approach ('H' denoting hue, or Hermite) is a recent matched filter methodology that aims to add information to the traditional ultrasound B-scan. The theory is based on the differences in the echoes produced by different classes of reflectors or scatterers. Matched filters can be created for different types of scatterers, whereby the maximum output indicates a match, and color schemes can be used to indicate the class of scatterer responsible for echoes, providing a visual interpretation of the results. However, within the theory of weak scattering from a variety of shapes, small changes in the size of the inhomogeneous objects will create shifts in the scattering transfer function. In this paper, we argue for a general power law transfer function as the canonical model for transfer functions from most normal soft vascularized tissues, at least over some bandpass spectrum illuminated by the incident pulse. In cases where scatterer size and distributions change, this produces a corresponding shift in center frequency, along with time and frequency domain characteristics of echoes, and these are captured by matched filters to distinguish and visualize in color the major characteristics of scattering types. With this general approach, the H-scan matched filters can be set to elicit more fine grain shifts in scattering types, commensurate with more subtle changes in tissue morphology. Compensation for frequency-dependent attenuation is helpful for avoiding beam softening effects with increasing depths. Examples from phantoms and normal and pathological tissues are provided to demonstrate that the H-scan analysis and displays are sensitive to scatterer size and morphology, and can be adapted to conventional imaging systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Parker
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
| | - Jihye Baek
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
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Tai H, Khairalseed M, Hoyt K. Adaptive attenuation correction during H-scan ultrasound imaging using K-means clustering. ULTRASONICS 2020; 102:105987. [PMID: 31477244 PMCID: PMC7036031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2019.105987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
H-scan ultrasound (US) imaging (where the 'H' stands for Hermite) is a novel non-invasive, low cost and real-time technology. Like traditional US, H-scan US suffers from frequency-dependent attenuation that must be corrected to have acceptable image quality for tissue characterization. The goal of this research was to develop a novel attenuation correction method based on adaptive K-means clustering. To properly isolate these signals, a lateral moving window approach applied to adaptively adjust GH filters based on the changing of RF vector spectrums. Then the signal isolated via the same filter will be combined together via overlap-add technology to keep the information loss minimum. Experimental data was collected using a Verasonics 256 US scanner equipped with a L11-4v linear array transducer. In vivo data indicates that H-scan US imaging after adaptive attenuation correction can optimally re-scale the GH kernels and match to the changing spectrum undergoing attenuation (i.e. high frequency shift). This approach produces H-scan US images with more uniform spatial intensity and outperforms global attenuation correction strategies. Overall, this approach will improve the ability of H-scan US imaging to estimate acoustic scatterer size and will improve its clinical use for tissue characterization when imaging complex tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Tai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology and African City of Technology, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Khairalseed M, Javed K, Jashkaran G, Kim JW, Parker KJ, Hoyt K. Monitoring Early Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy Using H-Scan Ultrasound Imaging: Preliminary Preclinical Results. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2019; 38:1259-1268. [PMID: 30280391 PMCID: PMC6445796 DOI: 10.1002/jum.14806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE H-scan imaging is a new ultrasound technique used to visualize the relative size of acoustic scatterers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of H-scan ultrasound imaging for monitoring early tumor response to neoadjuvant treatment using a preclinical breast cancer animal model. METHODS Real-time H-scan ultrasound imaging was implemented on a programmable ultrasound scanner (Vantage 256; Verasonics Inc., Kirkland, WA) equipped with an L11-4v transducer. Bioluminescence and H-scan ultrasound was used to image luciferase-positive breast cancer-bearing mice at baseline and at 24, 48, and 168 hours after administration of a single dose of neoadjuvant (paclitaxel) or sham treatment. Animals were euthanized at 48 or 168 hours, and tumors underwent histologic processing to identify cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. RESULTS Baseline H-scan ultrasound images of control and therapy group tumors were comparable, but the latter exhibited significant changes over the 7-day study (P < .05). At termination, there was a marked difference between the H-scan ultrasound images of control and treated tumors (P < .05). Specifically, H-scan ultrasound images of treated tumors were more blue in hue than images obtained from control tumors. There was a significant linear correlation between the predominance of the blue hue found in the H-scan ultrasound images and intratumoral apoptotic activity (R2 > 0.40, P < .04). CONCLUSION Preliminary preclinical results suggest that H-scan ultrasound imaging is a new and promising tissue characterization modality. H-scan ultrasound imaging may provide prognostic value when monitoring early tumor response to neoadjuvant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Kulsoom Javed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Gadhvi Jashkaran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Jung-Whan Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Kevin J Parker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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14
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Khairalseed M, Brown K, Parker KJ, Hoyt K. Real-time H-scan ultrasound imaging using a Verasonics research scanner. ULTRASONICS 2019; 94:28-36. [PMID: 30606648 PMCID: PMC6467760 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
H-scan ultrasound (US) is a new imaging technique that relies on matching a model that describes US image formation to the mathematics of a class of Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials (GH). In short, H-scan US (where the 'H' denotes Hermite or hue) is a tissue classification technique that images the relative size of acoustic scatterers. Herein, we detail development of a real-time H-scan US imaging technology that was implemented on a programmable US research scanner (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc, Kirkland, WA). This custom US imaging system has a dual display for real-time visualization of both the H-scan and B-scan US images. This MATLAB-based (Mathworks Inc, Natick, MA) system includes a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling the entire US scan sequence including the raw radio frequency (RF) data acquisition parameters, image processing, variable control of a parallel set of convolution filters used to derive the H-scan US signal, and data (cine loop) save. The system-level structure used for software-based image reconstruction and display is detailed. Imaging studies were conducted using a series of homogeneous and heterogeneous tissue-mimicking phantom materials embedded with monodisperse spherical US scatterers of size 15-40 µm in diameter. Relative to H-scan US image measurements from a phantom with 15 µm-sized scatterers, data from phantoms with the 30 and 40 µm-sized scatterers exhibited mean intensity increases of 5.2% and 11.6%, respectively. Overall, real-time H-scan US imaging is a promising approach for visualizing the relative size and distribution of acoustic scattering objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mawia Khairalseed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology and Africa City of Technology, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Katherine Brown
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Kevin J Parker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14611, USA
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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15
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Ge GR, Laimes R, Pinto J, Guerrero J, Chavez H, Salazar C, Lavarello RJ, Parker KJ. H-scan analysis of thyroid lesions. J Med Imaging (Bellingham) 2018; 5:013505. [PMID: 29430475 PMCID: PMC5802103 DOI: 10.1117/1.jmi.5.1.013505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The H-scan analysis of ultrasound images is a matched-filter approach derived from analysis of scattering from incident pulses in the form of Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomial functions. This framework is applied in a preliminary study of thyroid lesions to examine the H-scan outputs for three categories: normal thyroid, benign lesions, and cancerous lesions within a total group size of 46 patients. In addition, phantoms comprised of spherical scatterers are analyzed to establish independent reference values for comparison. The results demonstrate a small but significant difference in some measures of the H-scan channel outputs between the different groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary R. Ge
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Rosa Laimes
- Oncosalud, Departamento de Radiodiagnóstico, Lima, Perú
| | - Joseph Pinto
- Oncosalud, Unidad de Investigación Básica y Translacional, Lima, Perú
| | | | | | | | - Roberto J. Lavarello
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Laboratorio de Imágenes Médicas, Lima, Perú
| | - Kevin J. Parker
- University of Rochester, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rochester, New York, United States
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