Virtual Breast Quasi-Static Elastography (VBQE): A Case Study in Contrast Transfer Efficiency of Viscoelastic Imaging.

In this study, our primary objective is to quantitatively evaluate the contrast transfer efficiency (CTE) of VEI, which contains useful information regarding image interpretations. Using an open-source simulator for virtual breast quasi-static elastography (VBQE), we conducted a case study of contrast transfer efficiency of VEI. In multiple three-dimensional (3D) numerical breast phantoms containing various degrees of heterogeneity, finite element (FE) simulations in conjunction with quasi-linear viscoelastic constitutive tissue models were performed to mimic data acquisition of VEI under freehand scanning. Our results suggested that there were losses in CTE, and the losses could be as high as -18 dB. FE results also qualitatively corroborated clinical observations, for example, artifacts around tissue interfaces. PMID: 27488348 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Ultrasonic Imaging - Category: Radiology Tags: Ultrason Imaging Source Type: research