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Pulse wave imaging using coherent compounding in a phantom and in vivo
Iason Zacharias Apostolakis1, Matthew D J McGarry1,2, Ethan A Bunting1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America.
Physics in Medicine and Biology
|December 22, 2016
Summary
This study enhances pulse wave imaging (PWI) for measuring arterial stiffness by implementing coherent compounding with GPU acceleration. Optimal settings improve PWI performance, aiding cardiovascular risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Ultrasound Technology
Background:
- Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a key indicator of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease risk.
- Conventional ultrasound imaging struggles to achieve the high temporal and spatial resolution needed for accurate pulse wave imaging (PWI).
- Coherent compounding offers a solution to enhance image quality and frame rates in ultrasound.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement and validate a GPU-accelerated pulse wave imaging (PWI) technique using coherent compounding.
- To assess the impact of various imaging parameters on PWI performance and reproducibility.
- To optimize PWI settings for accurate in vivo measurement of pulse wave velocity.
Main Methods:
- Developed a GPU-accelerated PWI system incorporating coherent compounding.
- Validated the system using a silicone phantom with mechanical testing.
- Assessed PWV reproducibility in the carotid arteries of six healthy subjects.
- Investigated the effects of frame rate, transmission angle, and number of compounded plane waves on PWI performance.
Main Results:
- The implemented PWI method demonstrated good agreement with phantom validation and showed reproducible PWV measurements in healthy subjects (3.97 ± 1.21 m/s and 4.08 ± 1.15 m/s).
- Compounding plane waves at 1° increments with a linear array significantly improved performance (higher r² and SNR).
- Higher frame rates (≥1667 Hz) and increased plane wave compounding (3-5 waves) led to significant improvements in accuracy and signal-to-noise ratio.
Conclusions:
- GPU-accelerated PWI with coherent compounding effectively images pulse wave propagation in vivo.
- Optimized parameters, including 1° plane wave compounding, frame rates ≥1667 Hz, and 3-5 compounded waves, enhance PWI accuracy and reproducibility.
- This advanced PWI technique holds promise for improved non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk.
