In Phase Shift Variance Imaging, by the Department of Medical Engineering of Ruhr-Bochum and the Department of Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, a novel criterion for microbubble destruction defection that allows uniform back ground suppression is proposed.  The microbubble detection technique presented in the paper is based on the variance of the phase shift of consecutive echoes.  The changes in response to a sequence of identical pulses are recorded and then analyzed.

In his thesis, Rumman Mahmud from George Mason University wrote on developing a standard method for 3D carotid artery imaging using freehand ultrasound scanning.  Current diagnosis of a stroke involves an ultrasound duplex Doppler examination of the carotid arteries, which gives information on the severity of luminal stenosis caused by atherosclerotic plaque.  Rumman Mahmud’s thesis presents a standardized system to enable reproducing carotid artery plaque volumes so the progression can be monitored in longitudinal studies using freehand 3D Ultrasound grayscale imaging. 

Doctors have been putting needles into patients for years to aspirate fluid for cellular analysis via fine needle aspiration (FNA); to withdraw a tissue sample for histology for injections, and to place intravenous catheters.  Until recently, the vast majority of these procedures were done by using anatomical landmarks to guide placement of the needle. Now that ultrasound systems are more affordable and easier to use, ultrasound guidance is being used more frequently for needle procedures.  Ultrasound-guided procedures offer the following advantages:   

Doctors from Vancouver General Hospital got to try the SonixGPS needle guidance ultrasound system for the first time at an Edusonix Workshop in June.  The groundbreaking technology allows clinicians to clearly predict the needle’s trajectory during invasive procedures such as performing nerve blocks for anesthesia.  Watch the video below to see doctors explain how the SonixGPS increases their confidence in knowing their needle trajectory is on the correct path.

In his thesis at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cong-zhi Wang wrote on the Development of a Vibro-ultrasound Method for Muscle Stiffness Measurement In Vivo.  A number of methods have been developed to quantitatively assess muscle stiffness, such as indentation assessment, sonoelastography, transient elastography, SSI, SDV and MRE.  All of them have unique features and limitations in vivo studies.  The paper shows that the newly developed vibro-ultrasound method can be a unique tool for muscle stiffness assessment in research and clinical practices.

read more

---