In-vitro quantification of rat liver viscoelasticity with shear wave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry

As a new imaging method for tissue mechanical properties, ultrasound elastography has always been the research focus in the field of medical ultrasound imaging ever since it has been proposed. This paper developed an ultrasound viscoelasticity measurement system based on shear wave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry (SDUV). This system applied acoustic radiation force to excite harmonic vibration in soft tissue. The propagation of the shear wave induced by the vibration was detected and the tissue viscoelasticity properties were calculated. Based on this system, rat livers were measured in vitro. The results shows that the system can measure the viscoelasticity reliably, offering a potential alternative to diagnosis of liver fibrosis.