Real-Time Regularized Ultrasound Elastography
Abstract
This paper introduces two real-time elastography
techniques based on analytic minimization (AM) of regularized
cost functions. The first method (1D AM) produces axial strain
and integer lateral displacement, while the second method (2D
AM) produces both axial and lateral strains. The cost functions
incorporate similarity of RF data intensity and displacement
continuity, making both AM methods robust to small decorrelations
present throughout the image. We also exploit techniques
from robust statistics to make the methods resistant to large
local decorrelations. We further introduce Kalman filtering for
calculating the strain field from the displacement field given by
the AM methods. Simulation and phantom experiments show
that both methods generate strain images with high SNR, CNR
and resolution. Both methods work for strains as high as 10%
and run in real-time. We also present in-vivo patient trials of
ablation monitoring. An implementation of the 2D AM method
as well as phantom and clinical RF-data can be downloaded from http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~rivaz/Ultrasound_Elastography