Shear Wave Elastography Acquisition Parameters May Bias Shear Wave Velocity Measurements

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Ultrasound Elastography
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Shear wave velocity (SWV) is a key parameter in ultrasound elastography for tissue characterization.
• Understanding the impact of acquisition parameters on SWV measurements is essential for accurate and reproducible results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how various acquisition parameters influence the measured SWV in reference phantoms.
• To identify which parameters have a statistically significant effect on SWV accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Measurements of SWV were performed on three phantoms with certified SWV values (0.794, 1.711, and 2.500 m/s).
• Acquisition parameters including depth, location, ROI size, transducer type, pitch, frame rate, and one-shot mode were systematically varied.
• Data were acquired using Canon Aplio i700 and i800 systems at 1.8 and 2.5 MHz transducer frequencies, with statistical analysis via linear mixed models.

Main Results:

• An interaction between acquisition depth and phantom stiffness was observed (p < 0.001).
• Lateral acquisition box location and one-shot mode significantly increased SWV (p < 0.001).
• Pitch settings and frame rate showed statistically significant effects on SWV, while ROI size and transducer type did not.

Conclusions:

• Acquisition parameters can introduce statistically significant variations in measured SWV.
• Cumulative effects of these parameters may lead to biased SWV measurements, highlighting the need for standardized protocols.