TY - JOUR
T1 - Simultaneous grayscale and subharmonic ultrasound imaging on a modified commercial scanner
AU - Eisenbrey, J. R.
AU - Dave, J. K.
AU - Halldorsdottir, V. G.
AU - Merton, D. A.
AU - MacHado, P.
AU - Liu, J. B.
AU - Miller, C.
AU - Gonzalez, J. M.
AU - Park, S.
AU - Dianis, S.
AU - Chalek, C. L.
AU - Thomenius, K. E.
AU - Brown, D. B.
AU - Navarro, V.
AU - Forsberg, F.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by NIH R21 HL081892, RC1 DK087365 and RO1CA140338, AHA Grant 0655441U and US Army Medical Research Material Command Grant W81XWH-08-1-0503 (VGH).
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous dual fundamental grayscale and subharmonic imaging on a modified commercial scanner. Motivation: The ability to generate signals at half the insonation frequency is exclusive to ultrasound contrast agents (UCA). Thus, subharmonic imaging (SHI; transmitting at f0 and receiving at f0/2) provides improved visualization of UCA within the vasculature via suppression of the surrounding tissue echoes. While this capability has proven useful in a variety of clinical applications, the SHI suppression of surrounding tissue landmarks (which are needed for sonographic navigation) also limits it use as a primary imaging modality. In this paper we present results using a commercial ultrasound scanner modified to allow imaging in both grayscale (f0 = 4.0 MHz) and SHI (f0 = 2.5 MHz, f0/2 = 1.25 MHz) modes in real time. Methods: A Logiq 9 ultrasound scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) with a 4C curvilinear probe was modified to provide this capability. Four commercially available UCA (Definity, Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA; Optison, GE Healthcare, Princeton, NJ; SonoVue, Bracco Imaging, Milan, Italy; and Sonazoid, GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) were all investigated in vitro over an acoustic output range of 3.34 MPa. In vivo the subharmonic response of Sonazoid was investigated in the portal veins of four canines (open abdominal cavity) and four patients with suspected portal hypertension. Results: In vitro, the four UCA showed an average maximum subharmonic amplitude of 44.1 ± 5.4 dB above the noise floor with a maximum subharmonic amplitude of 48.6 ± 1.6 dB provided by Sonazoid. The average in vivo maximum signal above the noise floor from Sonazoid was 20.8 ± 2.3 dB in canines and 33.9 ± 5.2 dB in humans. Subharmonic amplitude as a function of acoustic output in both groups matched the S-curve behavior of the agent observed in vitro. The dual grayscale imaging provided easier sonographic navigation, while the degree of tissue suppression in SHI mode varied greatly on a case by case basis. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the feasibility of dual grayscale and SHI on a modified commercial scanner. The ability to simultaneously visualize both imaging modes in real time should improve the applicability of SHI as a future primary clinical imaging modality.
AB - Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous dual fundamental grayscale and subharmonic imaging on a modified commercial scanner. Motivation: The ability to generate signals at half the insonation frequency is exclusive to ultrasound contrast agents (UCA). Thus, subharmonic imaging (SHI; transmitting at f0 and receiving at f0/2) provides improved visualization of UCA within the vasculature via suppression of the surrounding tissue echoes. While this capability has proven useful in a variety of clinical applications, the SHI suppression of surrounding tissue landmarks (which are needed for sonographic navigation) also limits it use as a primary imaging modality. In this paper we present results using a commercial ultrasound scanner modified to allow imaging in both grayscale (f0 = 4.0 MHz) and SHI (f0 = 2.5 MHz, f0/2 = 1.25 MHz) modes in real time. Methods: A Logiq 9 ultrasound scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) with a 4C curvilinear probe was modified to provide this capability. Four commercially available UCA (Definity, Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA; Optison, GE Healthcare, Princeton, NJ; SonoVue, Bracco Imaging, Milan, Italy; and Sonazoid, GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) were all investigated in vitro over an acoustic output range of 3.34 MPa. In vivo the subharmonic response of Sonazoid was investigated in the portal veins of four canines (open abdominal cavity) and four patients with suspected portal hypertension. Results: In vitro, the four UCA showed an average maximum subharmonic amplitude of 44.1 ± 5.4 dB above the noise floor with a maximum subharmonic amplitude of 48.6 ± 1.6 dB provided by Sonazoid. The average in vivo maximum signal above the noise floor from Sonazoid was 20.8 ± 2.3 dB in canines and 33.9 ± 5.2 dB in humans. Subharmonic amplitude as a function of acoustic output in both groups matched the S-curve behavior of the agent observed in vitro. The dual grayscale imaging provided easier sonographic navigation, while the degree of tissue suppression in SHI mode varied greatly on a case by case basis. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the feasibility of dual grayscale and SHI on a modified commercial scanner. The ability to simultaneously visualize both imaging modes in real time should improve the applicability of SHI as a future primary clinical imaging modality.
KW - Contrast-enhanced ultrasound
KW - Portal vein
KW - Subharmonic imaging
KW - Ultrasound contrast agents
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80051529751&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ultras.2011.05.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ultras.2011.05.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 21621239
AN - SCOPUS:80051529751
SN - 0041-624X
VL - 51
SP - 890
EP - 897
JO - Ultrasonics
JF - Ultrasonics
IS - 8
ER -