Abstract

The destruction and replenishment of microbubbles has been previously applied to estimating blood flow in the microcirculation. The rate of increase of the time–intensity curve (TIC) due to microbubbles flowing into the region-of-interest (ROI) as measured from the conventional B-mode images reflects the flow velocity. In this study, we monitored microbubble replenishment using a new proposed approach called the time–Nakagami-parameter curve (TNC) obtained from the parametric image based on the Nakagami statistical parameter for quantifying the microvascular flow velocity. The Nakagami parameter is estimated from signal envelope to reflect the backscattered statistics. The feasibility of using the TNC to estimate the microvascular flow was explored by carrying out phantom measurements and in vivo animal experiments. The rates of increase of the TIC and TNC were quantified as the rate constants β I and β N of monoexponential fitted curves, respectively. The experimental results showed that β N behaves similarly to the conventional β I in quantifying the flow velocity. Moreover, the tolerance to the effects of clutter is greater for the TNC than for the TIC, which makes it possible to use β N to differentiate various flow velocities even when the ROI contains nonperfused areas. This finding suggests that the TNC-based technique can be used as a complementary tool for the conventional TIC to improve measurement of blood flow in the microcirculation. (E-mail: ckyeh@mx.nthu.edu.tw)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.