Application of an Enhanced Autocorrelation Estimator in Ultrasound Elastography
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
9:26am – 9:33am
Location: 412
Authors: Hamidreza Asemani, University of Rochester Jannick Rolland, University of Rochester Kevin Parker, University of Rochester
This study presents an angular integral autocorrelation (AIA) estimator for measuring shear wave speed (SWS) in ultrasound elastography. By integrating data from all directions of the 2D autocorrelation function, the AIA method exhibits robustness in the presence of data noise. A comprehensive assessment is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this advanced autocorrelation approach, using a numerical simulation featuring a stiff branching tube in a uniform background. The results indicate that the AIA estimator, in comparison to simple autocorrelation methods, significantly enhances the SNR in estimating SWS within the background material with an average enhancement of 28%. The practical performance of the AIA approach is assessed through a series of experiments, including ultrasound elastography of a breast phantom with a lesion and ultrasound elastography of the liver-kidney region at different excitation frequencies. Ultrasound elastography results for the breast phantom show an average 65% improvement in SNR within the background region. Across a diverse array of simulations and experiments, shear wave fields, and excitation frequencies, the AIA consistently demonstrates substantial enhancements in the signal-to-noie ratio of estimated SWS values. These findings highlight the potential of the AIA approach to advance the field of elastography.