Brady Lynda M, Ledoux William R
IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2024 Dec 26;PP. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2024.3456001.
This work aims to develop a device capable of acquiring volumetric scans of the plantar soft tissue in naturally loaded and unloaded states using ultrasound B-mode imaging and shear wave elastography.
Materials were investigated for acoustic transmission and bodyweight loading. A mechanical scanning apparatus was constructed using a compatible load bearing material and two perpendicular linear actuators. Custom software was developed to control the scanner, record subject and scan information, and reconstruct acquired ultrasound images and shear wave speed values into a volume. The system was evaluated using custom-developed ultrasound phantoms.
Plastic materials reduced axial and lateral resolution by 0.25 - 0.5 mm and reduced SWE values by 0.8 to 26 kPa. The developed system produced volumetric scans within 0.1 to 1.6 mm of expected dimensions on a geometric phantom compared to 0 to 0.6 mm in standard computed tomography. Acoustic thermal increases were 0 °C for B-mode and .9 to 2.9 °C for SWE. Volumes of an anatomically realistic phantom and a pilot scan yielded clear anatomic features.
The resulting system is capable of producing volumetric plantar soft tissue scans in both B-mode and shear wave elastography with resolution on par with existing volumetric medical imaging systems.
This system images plantar soft tissue volumes under physiologic loads.
本研究旨在开发一种能够利用超声B模式成像和剪切波弹性成像技术，在自然加载和卸载状态下获取足底软组织容积扫描图像的设备。
对材料的声传播和体重加载情况进行了研究。使用兼容的承重材料和两个垂直的线性致动器构建了一个机械扫描装置。开发了定制软件来控制扫描仪、记录受试者和扫描信息，并将采集到的超声图像和剪切波速度值重建为容积图像。使用定制开发的超声体模对该系统进行了评估。
塑料材料使轴向和横向分辨率降低了0.25 - 0.5毫米，并使剪切波弹性成像值降低了0.8至26千帕。与标准计算机断层扫描中0至0.6毫米的误差相比，所开发的系统在几何体模上生成的容积扫描图像与预期尺寸的误差在0.1至1.6毫米以内。B模式下的声学热增量为0°C，剪切波弹性成像的声学热增量为0.9至2.9°C。解剖学逼真体模和初步扫描的容积图像显示出清晰的解剖特征。
最终得到的系统能够在B模式和剪切波弹性成像中生成足底软组织容积扫描图像，其分辨率与现有的容积医学成像系统相当。
该系统可在生理负荷下对足底软组织容积进行成像。
