Theory and application of sonoelasticity imaging

Abstract

Sonoelasticity imaging uses low-frequency (100-Hz) vibrations in tissue and Doppler imaging of vibration patterns to detect and define hard tumors. Fundamental theoretical considerations of sonoelasticity imaging are reviewed in this article, to predict the image of a small hard tumor in a background of softer elastic tissue. Comparisons from experimental work on elastic phantoms and from finite element analyses confirm the ability of vibration images to define small inhomogeneities. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 8, 104–109, 1997