Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025
07:57
Viscoelastic Characterization of Soft Tissue-Mimicking Gelatin Phantoms using Indentation and Magnetic Resonance Elastography
Published on: May 10, 2022
2.1K
Using torsional wave elastography to evaluate spring pot parameters in skin tumor mimicking phantoms
Yousef Almashakbeh1, Hirad Shamimi2,3, Antonio Callejas2,3,4
1Department of Allied Engineering Sciences, Facility of Engineering, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan. e.almashakbeh@go.ugr.es.
Scientific Reports
|July 11, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a new fractional rheological model combined with torsional wave elastography (TWE) to accurately estimate skin tumor properties. The method precisely determines mechanical properties and layer thickness in phantoms, aiding dermatological diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Dermatology
- Rheology
Background:
- Estimating skin tumor parameters is vital for diagnosis and therapy.
- Optimal rheological models and accounting for skin's multi-layered structure are research challenges.
- Inverse problem methodology and signal analysis offer solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a fractional rheological model for enhanced skin tissue parameter estimation using torsional wave elastography (TWE).
- To validate the model's efficacy on skin tumor-mimicking phantoms for lab validation and cancerous layer thickness estimation.
- To assess the model's capability in determining mechanical properties of bilayer phantoms.
Main Methods:
- A fractional rheological model, specifically the spring-pot (SP) model, was analyzed using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method.
- Torsional wave elastography (TWE) experiments were conducted on twelve bi-layer, tissue-mimicking phantoms.
- Inverse problem-solving techniques were applied to estimate skin tissue parameters from TWE signals.
- Results were validated against ultrafast imaging and compared with SP-FDTD model simulations using Pearson correlation, DTW, and time-frequency analysis.
Main Results:
- The SP-FDTD model and TWE successfully determined the mechanical properties of both layers in bilayer phantoms from a single signal.
- The inverse problem approach proved effective for parameter estimation.
- Validation against ultrafast imaging confirmed the robustness and reliability of the TWE technology across various phantoms.
- High agreement was observed between experimental TWE data and SP-FDTD model simulations.
Conclusions:
- The fusion of the SP-FDTD model, TWE, and inverse problem-solving offers a robust method for estimating skin mechanical properties.
- This technology has significant potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic strategies in dermatology.
- The study demonstrates the capability of precisely estimating tissue parameters and layer thickness in complex skin structures.
