Real-Time Monitoring Of Regional Tissue Elasticity During FUS Focused Ultrasound Therapy Using Harmonic Motion Imaging

Abstract

The feasibility of the Harmonic Motion Imaging (HMI) technique for simultaneous monitoring and generation of focused ultrasound therapy using two separate focused ultrasound transducer elements has previously been shown. In this study, a new HMI technique is described that images tissue displacement induced by a harmonic radiation force induced using a single focused ultrasound element. First, wave propagation simulation models were used to compare the use of a single Amplitude‐Modulated (AM) focused beam versus two overlapping focused beams as previously implemented for HMI. Simulation results indicated that, unlike in the two‐beam configuration, the AM beam produced a consistent, stable focus for the applied harmonic radiation force. The AM beam thus offered the unique advantage of sustaining the application of the spatially‐invariant radiation force. Experiments were then performed on gelatin gel phantoms and tissue in vitro bovine liver. The radiation force was generated by a 4.68 MHz focused transducer using a low‐frequency Amplitude‐Modulated (AM) RF‐signal. RF data were acquired at 7.5 MHz with a PRF of 6.5 kHz and displacements were estimated using a 1D cross‐correlation algorithm on successive RF signals. Furthermore, taking advantage of the real‐time capability of our method, the change in the elastic properties was monitored during focused ultrasound (FUS) ablation of tissue in vitro bovine liver. Based on the harmonic displacements, their temperature‐dependence, and the calculated acoustic radiation force, the change in the relative, regional stiffness could be monitored during heating and ablation, both using the displacement amplitude and the resulting phase shift change of the displacement relative to the radiation force temporal profile. In conclusion, the feasibility of using an AM radiation force for HMI for simultaneous monitoring and treatment during ultrasound therapy was demonstrated in phantoms and tissues in vitro. Further study of this method will include, ex vivo and in vivo, stiffness and temperature.