Ultrasound Elasticity Imaging

Technology ID: 00KUMC257

Description of Technology: Tissue elastic properties convey important diagnostic information. Consequently, palpation, the pressing of tissue to feel for differences in elasticity, has been used since ancient times as a simple but effective diagnostic technique. Even to this day, for example, most breast cancers are discovered using manual palpation, and physicians still rely on palpation to detect potential tumors of the liver and prostate. Ultrasound elasticity imaging is a technique that emulates palpation. According to this technique, an ultrasound transducer is used as a remote sending device to scan an object within a region of interest (ROI) both before and after compression is applied. The 2-D displacement function is then estimated by comparing the pre- and post-compression scans. Object strain and/or elastic constants can then be estimated from the estimated displacement function. There are several known displacement/strain estimation methods; however, these data acquisition systems are cumbersome for elasticity imaging because they generally use motor-driven compression, which can provide smooth displacement but fail to provide real-time feedback of the tissue strain. 

A group of radiologists in University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) has developed a new method and a corresponding system for estimating tissue elasticity using ultrasound that has an improved contrast-to-noise ratio as compared with currently available methods, that is able to handle large deformation, and that imposes a computational burden low enough to enable at least substantially real-time imaging of the elasticity of tissue within a 2-D imaging region. This technology promise to enhance the capability of ultrasonic image processing when incorporated. 

Field of Applications: Medical ultrasound elasticity imaging

Advantages:

• The invention makes it possible to generate a strain image in real time, which   allows the user of the invention to view a strain display and adjust how he stresses ROI in order to create an even better strain profile.
• The invention includes a dual-mode processing embodiment to allow comparison of   a “post-compression” data frame with an earlier generated “pre-compression”  data frame that forms a reference frame.

Stage of Development: Software in development

Patent Status: US Patent No. 6,508,768 B1

Availability: Non-exclusive License

Confidential Disclosure Agreement:  KUMC is willing to enter into a CDA for the purpose of negotiating a License Agreement.  If you are interested in learning details of this invention, please contact: Technology Transfer Office at 913-588-5721.