Ultrasonic attenuation estimation in small plaque samples using a power difference method.
Ultrason Imaging
; 29(1): 15-30, 2007 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17491296
ABSTRACT
Many studies have shown that atherosclerosis changes the ultrasonic attenuation properties of the vessel wall and plaque. Accurate estimation of the attenuation coefficient slope could therefore provide an early indication of atherosclerosis and the differentiation between low, mild and highly-attenuating plaque within the vessel. However, the traditional reference phantom method that fits the power spectrum in a region of interest fails to accurately estimate the attenuation coefficient for small irregular shaped ex-vivo plaque specimens. This discrepancy was primarily due to partial volume effects and the unknown backscatter coefficient of the plaque sample. We have developed a method based on the reference-phantom method that utilizes the difference in the acoustic power above and below the sample to accurately compute values of the attenuation coefficient ex vivo. Our results demonstrate that this approach overcomes the two drawbacks mentioned earlier and provides accurate estimates of the attenuation coefficient slope for small excised tissue samples.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Aumento da Imagem
/
Ultrassonografia
/
Aterosclerose
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Ultrason Imaging
Ano de publicação:
2007
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos