Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging has been demonstrated to be capable of visualizing changes in local myocardial stiffness through a normal cardiac cycle. As a beating heart involves rapidly-moving tissue with cyclically-varying myocardial stiffness, it is desirable to form images with high frame rates and minimize susceptibility to motion artifacts.
Three novel ARFI imaging methods, pre-excitation displacement estimation, parallel-transmit excitation and parallel-transmit tracking, were implemented. Along with parallel-receive, ECG-gating and multiplexed imaging, these new techniques were used to form high-quality, high-resolution epicardial ARFI images. Three-line M-mode, extended ECG-gated three-line M-mode and ECG-gated two-dimensional ARFI imaging sequences were developed to address specific challenges related to cardiac imaging. In vivo epicardial ARFI images of an ovine heart were formed using these sequences and the quality and utility of the resultant ARFI-induced displacement curves were evaluated. The ARFI-induced displacement curves demonstrate the potential for ARFI imaging to provide new and unique information into myocardial stiffness with high temporal and spatial resolution.
NyborgW. Acoustic streaming, in Physical Acoustics. pp. 265–331, MasonW., ed. (Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1965).
2.
PalmeriMSharmaABouchardRNightingaleRNightingaleK. A finite-element method model of soft tissue response to impulsive acoustic radiation force. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control52, 1699–1712 (2005).
3.
TorrG. The acoustic radiation force, Amer J Phys52, 402–408 (1984.
4.
NightingaleKBentleyRTraheyG. Observations of tissue response to acoustic radiation force: opportunities for imaging, Ultrasonic Imaging24, 100–108 (2002).
5.
NightingaleKSooMNightingaleRTraheyG. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging: In vivo demonstration of clinical feasibility, Ultrasound Med Biol28, 227–235 (2002).
6.
VedamSKiniVKeallP. Quantifying the predictability of diaphragm motion during respiration with a noninvasive external marker, Med Phys30, 505–513 (2003.
7.
FaheyBPalmeriMTraheyG. The impact of physiological motion on tissue tracking during radiation force imaging, Ultrasound Med Biol33, 1149–1166 (2007).
8.
FaheyBNightingaleKNelsonRPalmeriMTraheyG. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging of the abdomen: demonstration of feasibility and utility, Ultrasound Med Biol31, 1185–1198 (2005).
9.
GorcsanJStrumDMandarinoWPinskyM. Color-coded tissue Doppler assessment of the effects of acute ischemia on regional left ventricular function: comparison with sonomicrometry, J Am Soc Echocardiogr14, 335–342 (2001).
RitchieCGodwinJCrawfordC. Minimum scan speeds for suppression of motion artifacts in CT, Radiology185, 37–42 (1992).
12.
BenetosALaurentSHoeksABoutouyriePSafarM. Arterial alterations with aging and high blood pressure. A noninvasive study of carotid and femoral arteries, Arterioscler Thromb13, 90–97 (1993).
13.
D'hoogeJKonofagouEJamalF. Two-dimensional ultrasonic strain rate measurement of the human heart in vivo, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control49, 281–286 (2002).
14.
KonofagouED'hoogeJOphirJ. Myocardial elastography—a feasibility study in vivo, Ultrasound Med Biol28, 475–482 (2002).
15.
DumontDDahlJMillerE. Lower-limb vascular imaging with acoustic radiation force elastography: Demonstration of In vivo feasibility, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control56, 931–944 (2009).
16.
FaheyBHsuSWolfPNelsonRTraheyG. Liver ablation guidance with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging: Challenges and opportunities, Phys Med Biol, 51, 3785–3808 (2006).
17.
HsuSFaheyBDumontDWolfPTraheyG. Challenges and implementation of radiation force imaging with an intra-cardiac ultrasound transducer, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr54, 996–1009 (2007).
18.
TraheyGPalmeriMBentleyRNightingaleK. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging of the mechanical properties of arteries: in vivo and ex vivo results, Ultrasound Med Biol30, 1163–1171 (2004).
19.
FaheyBPalmeriMTraheyG. Frame rate considerations for abdominal acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, Ultrasonic Imaging28, 193–210 (2006).
20.
PalmeriMFrinkleyKNightingaleK. Experimental studies of the thermal effects associated with radiation force imaging of soft tissue, Ultrasonic Imaging26, 29–40 (2004).
21.
BouchardRDahlJHsuSTraheyG. Image quality, tissue heating, and frame-rate trade-offs in acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelect Freq Contr56, 63–76 (2009).
22.
DahlJPintonGPalmeriM. A parallel tracking method for acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr54, 301–312 (2007).
23.
HsuSBouchardRDumontDWolfPTraheyG. In vivo assessment of myocardial stiffness with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, Ultrasound Med Biol33, 1706–1719 (2007).
24.
KasaiCNamekawaK. Real-time two-dimensional blood flow imaging using an autocorrelation technique, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr32, 458–463 (1985).
25.
FaheyBNightingaleKWolfPTraheyG. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging of myocardial radiofrequency ablation: Initial in vivo results, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr52, 631–641 (2005).
26.
BradwayDHsuSFaheyBDahlJNicholsTTraheyG. Transthoracic cardiac ARFI: a feasibility study, in Proc IEEE Ultrason Symp, pp. 448–451 (2007).
27.
WalkerWTraheyG. A fundamental limit on delay estimation using partially correlated speckle signals, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr42, 301–308 (1995).
28.
FarisOEvansFEnnisD. Novel technique for cardiac electromechanical mapping with magnetic resonance imaging tagging and an epicardial electrode sock, Ann Biomed Eng31, 430–440 (2003).
29.
PernotMFujikuraKFung-Kee-FungSKonofagouE. ECG-gated, mechanical and electromechanical wave imaging of cardiovascular tissues in vivo, Ultrasound Med Biol33, 1075–1085 (2007).
30.
BercoffJTanterMFinkM. Supersonic shear imaging: a new technique for soft tissue elasticity mapping, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Contr51, 396–409 (2004).
31.
KruseSSmithJLawrenceA. Tissue characterization using magnetic resonance elastography: preliminary results, Phys Med Biol45, 1579–1590 (2000).
32.
ManducaAOliphantTDresnerMMahowaldJKruseSAmrominEFelmleeJGreenleafJEhmanR. Magnetic resonance elastography: Non-invasive mapping of tissue elasticity, Med Image Anal5, 237–254 (2001).
33.
PalmeriMWangMDahlJFrinkleyKNightingaleK. Quantifying hepatic shear modulus in vivo using acoustic radiation force, Ultrasound Med Biol34, 546–558 (2008).
34.
SarvazyanARudenkoOSwansonSFowlkesJEmelianovS. Shear wave elasticity imaging: a new ultrasonic technology of medical diagnostics, Ultrasound Med Biol24, 1419–1435 (1998).
