Perfusion-Rate Estimation Using Ultrafast Speckle-Decorrelation Ultrasound Imaging

Abstract

Estimating tissue perfusion has great clinical applications such as the prediction of anti-angiogenic therapies and stroke management. Ultrasound perfusion imaging is preferable than other methods since it has real time capabilities, and it is inexpensive. The method proposed in this study shows the relationship between tissue perfusion and speckle decorrelation rate when high-frequency, high-frame rate ultrasound is used. We also investigated the use of lower frequency ultrasound transducers with high-frame rate, plane wave compounding imaging, and the results are promising. This new approach to estimate tissue perfusion waves the need for contrast agents while providing quantitative information on tissue perfusion (consequently, outperforming PD imaging) as well as morphological information. We combined adaptive block-wise SVD filter, AM2D algorithm for tissue motion compensation and Golay sequences to substantially increase the SNR and therefore increase perfusion sensitivity with the ultimate goal of proving the robustness of this new method and its capability to being used in clinical applications.