Innitius, Derio, 48160, Spain.
Ultrasonics Lab (TEP-959), Department of Structural Mechanics, University of Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain.
Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 16;14(1):16461. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66661-2.
In this work, we present a novel preclinical device utilizing Torsional Wave Elastography (TWE). It comprises a rotational actuator element and a piezoceramic receiver ring circumferentially aligned. Both allow the transmission of shear waves that interact with the tissue before being received. Our main objective is to demonstrate and characterize the reliability, robustness, and accuracy of the device for characterizing the stiffness of elastic materials and soft tissues. Experimental tests are performed using two sets of tissue mimicking phantoms. The first set consists of calibrated CIRS gels with known stiffness value, while the second test uses non-calibrated manufactured phantoms. Our experimental observations show that the proposed device consistently and repeatably quantifies the stiffness of elastic materials with high accuracy. Furthermore, comparison with established techniques demonstrates a very high correlation (> 95%), supporting the potential medical application of this technology. The results obtained pave the way for a cross-sectional study aiming to investigate the correlation between gestational age and cervical elastic properties during pregnancy.
在这项工作中，我们提出了一种利用扭转波弹性成像（TWE）的新型临床前设备。它由一个旋转执行器元件和一个沿圆周排列的压电陶瓷接收器环组成。两者都允许剪切波的传输，这些波在被接收之前与组织相互作用。我们的主要目标是展示和表征该设备用于表征弹性材料和软组织刚度的可靠性、鲁棒性和准确性。实验测试使用两组组织模拟体模进行。第一组由具有已知刚度值的校准 CIRS 凝胶组成，而第二组测试使用未经校准的制造体模。我们的实验观察表明，所提出的设备能够一致且可重复地高精度量化弹性材料的刚度。此外，与既定技术的比较表明，相关性非常高（>95%），支持该技术的潜在医学应用。所获得的结果为一项横截面研究铺平了道路，该研究旨在调查怀孕期间子宫颈弹性特性与胎龄之间的相关性。
