Attenuation Coefficient Images Research Articles

Does Meal or Water Intake Affect Ultrasound Attenuation Coefficient Estimate?

To assess whether meal or water intake may affect the measurement of the ultrasound (US) attenuation coefficient (AC) imaging, a parameter that is directly related to liver fat content. The study was performed in two centers (Italy and USA). AC was obtained using the ATI algorithm implemented in the Aplio i-series US systems (Canon Medical Systems, Japan) by one operator at each center. Measurements were performed at baseline and 5, 15, 30, 45 minutes after drinking 500 mL of water (group 1), or 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes after eating a meal of about 600 kcal (group 2). Multilevel generalized estimating equations for repeated measures were used for the statistical analysis to consider the clustered nature of the data. Twenty-six individuals were enrolled: 11 (10 females; age, 43.7 ± 12.5 years) in Italy and 15 (10 females; age, 60.7 ± 6.3 years) in USA. At B-mode US, 10 (38.5%) had liver steatosis. The baseline AC values, in decibel/centimeter/megahertz, were 0.64 (0.12) in group 1 and 0.66 (0.13) in group 2. There was not any significant difference in AC values at every time-point after water or meal intake either in group 1 or group 2. This result did not change including sex, age, and skin-to-liver capsule into the models. The measurement of the AC, which is a biomarker of liver steatosis, does not require a fasting state and drinking water does not affect the result.

Effect of kilovoltage and quality reference mAs on CT-based attenuation correction in 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging: a phantom study

IntroductionCT-based attenuation correction (CT-AC) plays a major role in accurate activity quantification by SPECT/CT imaging. However, the effect of kilovoltage peak (kVp) and quality-reference mAs (QRM) on the attenuation coefficient image (μ-map) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) have not yet been systematically evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fill this gap and investigate the influence of kVp and QRM on CT-AC in 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging.MethodsSeventy low-dose CT acquisitions of an Electron Density Phantom (seventeen inserts of nine tissue-equivalent materials) were acquired using various kVp and QRM combinations on a Siemens Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT system. Using manufacturer reconstruction software, 177Lu μ-maps were generated for each CT image, and three low-dose CT related aspects were examined. First, the μ-map-based attenuation values (μmeasured) were compared with theoretical values (μtheoretical). Second, changes in 177Lu activity expected due to changes in the μ-map were calculated using a modified Chang method. Third, the noise in the μ-map was assessed by measuring the coefficient of variation in a volume of interest in the homogeneous section of the Electron Density Phantom. Lastly, two phantoms were designed to simulate attenuation in four tissue-equivalent materials for two different source geometries (1-mL and 10-mL syringes). 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging was performed using three different reconstruction algorithms (xSPECT Quant, Flash3D, STIR), and the SPECT-based activities were compared against the nominal activities in the sources.ResultsThe largest relative errors between μmeasured and μtheoretical were observed in the lung inhale insert (range: 18%-36%), while it remained below 6% for all other inserts. The resulting changes in 177Lu activity quantification were -3.5% in the lung inhale insert and less than -2.3% in all other inserts. Coefficient of variation and CTDIvol ranged from 0.3% and 3.6 mGy (130 kVp, 35 mAs) to 0.4% and 0.9 mGy (80 kVp, 20 mAs), respectively. The SPECT-based activity quantification using xSPECT Quant reconstructions outperformed all other reconstruction algorithms.ConclusionThis study shows that kVp and QRM values in low-dose CT imaging have a minimum effect on quantitative 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging, while the selection of low values of kVp and QRM reduce the CTDIvol.

Confocal corrected attenuation coefficient imaging in phantoms and in vivo using chromatic focal shift calibration.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is conventionally used for structural imaging of tissue. Calibrating the intensity values of OCT images can give information on the tissue's inherent optical properties, such as the attenuation coefficient, which can provide an additional parameter to quantify possible pathological changes. To obtain calibrated intensity values, the focus position and Rayleigh length of the incident beam need to be known. We explore the feasibility of extracting the focus position from an OCT scan acquired with a single focus setting using the chromatic aberration of the system. The chromatic focal shift of an OCT system is exploited to achieve different focus positions for sub-spectrum reconstructed OCT images. The ratios of these images are used to estimate the focus position. Reconstruction of a high-resolution B-scan from coherent addition of sub-spectrum confocal function corrected B-scans and subsequent high-resolution OCT attenuation coefficient imaging is demonstrated. Furthermore, we introduce a method to experimentally determine the chromatic focal shifts of an OCT system in phantoms and an in vivo human retina. These shifts are compared to the theoretically expected shifts calculated with ray tracing.

Toward acquisition protocol standardization for estimating liver fat content using ultrasound attenuation coefficient imaging.

This study's primary aim was to assess factors affecting ultrasound attenuation coefficient (AC) measurement repeatability using the Canon ultrasound (US) system. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether similar results were obtained with other vendors' AC algorithms. This prospective study was performed at two centers from February to November 2022. AC was obtained using two US systems (Aplio i800 of Canon Medical Systems and Arietta 850 of Fujifilm). An algorithm combining AC and the backscatter coefficient was also used (Sequoia US System, Siemens Healthineers). To evaluate inter-observer concordance, AC was obtained by two expert operators using different transducer positions with regions of interest (ROIs) varying in terms of depth and size. Intra-observer concordance was evaluated on measurements performed intercostally, subcostally, and in the left liver lobe. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was used. Thirty-four participants (mean age, 49.4±15.1 years; 18 females) were studied. AC values progressively decreased with depth. The measurements in intercostal spaces on bestquality US images using a 3-cm ROI with its upper edge 2 cm below the liver capsule during breath-hold showed the highest intra-observer and inter-observer concordance (0.92 [95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 0.95] and 0.89 [0.82 to 0.96], respectively). Measurements in the left lobe showed the lowest intra-observer and inter-observer concordance (0.67 [0.43 to 0.90] and 0.58 [0.12 to 1.00], respectively). Intercostal space measurements also had the highest repeatability for the other two ultrasound systems. AC values obtained in intercostal spaces on best-quality images using a 3-cm ROI placed with its top 2 cm below the liver capsule were highly repeatable.

Attenuation correction for phantom tests: an alternative to maximum-likelihood attenuation correction factor-based correction for clinical studies in time-of-flight PET.

This study evaluates the phantom attenuation correction (PAC) method as an alternative to maximum-likelihood attenuation correction factor (ML-ACF) correction in time-of-flight (TOF) brain positron emission tomography (PET) studies. In the PAC algorithm, a template emission image [Formula: see text] and a template attenuation coefficient image [Formula: see text] are prepared as a data set based on phantom geometry. Position-aligned attenuation coefficient image [Formula: see text] is derived by aligning [Formula: see text] using parameters that match the template emission image [Formula: see text] to measured emission image [Formula: see text]. Then, attenuation coefficient image [Formula: see text] combined with a headrest image is used for scatter and attenuation correction in the image reconstruction. To evaluate the PAC algorithm as an alternative to ML-ACF, Hoffman 3D brain and cylindrical phantoms were measured to obtain the image quality indexes of contrast and uniformity. These phantoms were also wrapped with a radioactive sheet to obtain attenuation coefficient images using ML-ACF. Emission images were reconstructed with attenuation correction by PAC and ML-ACF, and the results were compared using contrast and uniformity as well as visual assessment. CT attenuation correction (CT-AC) was also applied as a reference. The contrast obtained by ML-ACF was slightly overestimated due to its unique experimental condition for applying ML-ACF in Hoffman 3D brain phantom but the uniformity was almost equivalent among ML-ACF, CT-AC, and PAC. PAC showed reasonable result without overestimation compared to ML-ACF and CT-AC. PAC is an attenuation correction method that can ensure the performance in phantom test, and is considered to be a reasonable alternative to clinically used ML-ACF-based attenuation correction.

Bayesian analysis of depth resolved OCT attenuation coefficients

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical technique which allows for volumetric visualization of the internal structures of translucent materials. Additional information can be gained by measuring the rate of signal attenuation in depth. Techniques have been developed to estimate the rate of attenuation on a voxel by voxel basis. This depth resolved attenuation analysis gives insight into tissue structure and organization in a spatially resolved way. However, the presence of speckle in the OCT measurement causes the attenuation coefficient image to contain unrealistic fluctuations and makes the reliability of these images at the voxel level poor. While the distribution of speckle in OCT images has appeared in literature, the resulting voxelwise corruption of the attenuation analysis has not. In this work, the estimated depth resolved attenuation coefficient from OCT data with speckle is shown to be approximately exponentially distributed. After this, a prior distribution for the depth resolved attenuation coefficient is derived for a simple system using statistical mechanics. Finally, given a set of depth resolved estimates which were made from OCT data in the presence of speckle, a posterior probability distribution for the true voxelwise attenuation coefficient is derived and a Bayesian voxelwise estimator for the coefficient is given. These results are demonstrated in simulation and validated experimentally.

In vivo multifunctional optical coherence tomography at the periphery of the lungs.

Remodeling of tissue, such as airway smooth muscle (ASM) and extracellular matrix, is considered a key feature of airways disease. No clinically accepted diagnostic method is currently available to assess airway remodeling or the effect of treatment modalities such as bronchial thermoplasty in asthma, other than invasive airway biopsies. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) generates cross-sectional, near-histological images of airway segments and enables identification and quantification of airway wall layers based on light scattering properties only. In this study, we used a custom motorized OCT probe that combines standard and polarization sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) to visualize birefringent tissue in vivo in the airway wall of a patient with severe asthma in a minimally invasive manner. We used optic axis uniformity (OAxU) to highlight the presence of uniformly arranged fiber-like tissue, helping visualizing the abundance of ASM and connective tissue structures. Attenuation coefficient images of the airways are presented for the first time, showing superior architectural contrast compared to standard OCT images. A novel segmentation algorithm was developed to detect the surface of the endoscope sheath and the surface of the tissue. PS-OCT is an innovative imaging technique that holds promise to assess airway remodeling including ASM and connective tissue in a minimally invasive, real-time manner.

Front Cover: In vivo detection of endotracheal tube biofilms in intubated critical care patients using catheter‐based optical coherence tomography (J. Biophotonics 5/2019)

A catheter‐based OCT system is used in intubated mechanically‐ventilated critical care patients for the in vivo detection of endotracheal tube biofilm formation, which has been linked to ventilator‐associated pneumonia and death. The combination of attenuation coefficient and structural imaging enables longitudinal monitoring of biofilm growth and differentiation from mucus. In contrast to conventional diagnostic procedures, this approach provides effective real‐time bed‐side detection of biofilms.Further details can be found in the article by Roshan Dsouza, Darold R. Spillman Jr., Ronit Barkalifa, et al. (e201800307). image

Multienergy element-resolved cone beam CT (MEER-CBCT) realized on a conventional CBCT platform.

Cone beam CT (CBCT) has been widely used in radiation therapy. However, its main application is still to acquire anatomical information for patient positioning. This study proposes a multienergy element-resolved (MEER) CBCT framework that employs energy-resolved data acquisition on a conventional CBCT platform and then simultaneously reconstructs images of x-ray attenuation coefficients, electron density relative to water (rED), and elemental composition (EC) to support advanced applications. The MEER-CBCT framework is realized on a Varian TrueBeam CBCT platform using a kVp-switching scanning scheme. A simultaneous image reconstruction and elemental decomposition model is formulated as an optimization problem. The objective function uses a least square term to enforce fidelity between x-ray attenuation coefficients and projection measurements. Spatial regularization is introduced via sparsity under a tight wavelet-frame transform. Consistency is imposed among rED, EC, and attenuation coefficients and inherently serves as a regularization term along the energy direction. The EC is further constrained by a sparse combination of ECs in a dictionary containing tissues commonly existing in humans. The optimization problem is solved by a novel alternating-direction minimization scheme. The MEER-CBCT framework was tested in a simulation study using an NCAT phantom and an experimental study using a Gammex phantom. MEER-CBCT framework was successfully realized on a clinical Varian TrueBeam onboard CBCT platform with three energy channels of 80, 100, and 120kVp. In the simulation study, the attenuation coefficient image achieved a structural similarity index of 0.98, compared to 0.61 for the image reconstructed by the conventional conjugate gradient least square (CGLS) algorithm, primarily because of reduction in artifacts. In the experimental study, the attenuation image obtained a contrast-to-noise ratio ≥60, much higher than that of CGLS results (~16) because of noise reduction. The median errors in rED and EC were 0.5% and 1.4% in the simulation study and 1.4% and 2.3% in the experimental study. We proposed a novel MEER-CBCT framework realized on a clinical CBCT platform. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrated its capability to simultaneously reconstruct x-ray attenuation coefficient, rED, and EC images accurately.

Segmentation of thin corrugated layers in high-resolution OCT images

In this paper we present a novel method for the segmentation of thin corrugated layers in high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. First, we make an initial segmentation, for example with graph based segmentation that, for highly corrugated interfaces, leads to many segmentation errors. Second, we resegment the initial outcome, based on the OCT attenuation coefficient image with our matching layer attenuation coefficient segmentation (MLAS) algorithm. This algorithm repositions the initial segmentation such that it finds the point where the attenuation coefficient is close to the mean centerline attenuation. The algorithm does not utilize any sample specific prior knowledge in the attenuation coefficient based segmentation step. For simulated and measured data of strongly corrugated samples, such as is the case for varnish layers on paintings and furniture, the MLAS algorithm performs much better than the conventional segmentation. Finally, we show 3D segmentation of an entire 190 mm3 OCT volume. Our technique can aid in the rapid characterization of layer stratigraphy and deepen our understanding of their condition.

Attenuation Coefficients From SD-OCT Data: Structural Information Beyond Morphology on RNFL Integrity in Glaucoma.

The purpose of this study is to explore the attenuation coefficient (AC) of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, in healthy eyes and eyes affected by glaucoma. To assess the relation between RNLF AC, disease severity, RNFL thickness, visual field sensitivity threshold, spatial location and age. We analyzed peripapillary circle scans of a clinical OCT device (Spectralis OCT, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) in 102 glaucoma patients and 90 healthy controls. The images were fully automatically converted into depth-resolved AC images. Next, the median AC within the RNFL was calculated based on the Spectralis segmentation. We compared the RNFL AC between healthy, mild, moderate and advanced glaucomatous eyes and assessed the correlation with patient characteristics such as age and visual field sensitivity threshold (HFA, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) in a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model. Finally, we explored the ability to discriminate between glaucomatous and healthy eyes by RNFL AC. Median RNFL AC decreased with increasing disease severity up to moderate glaucoma (P<0.001) in all 4 sectors around the optic nerve head. The largest relative decrease occurred in the nasal sector. The RNFL AC (AUC, 0.834±0.028) effectively discriminated healthy from glaucomatous eyes, although RNFL thickness (AUC, 0.975±0.013) performed even better (P<0.001). Prediction of visual field sensitivity improved significantly when RNFL thickness was augmented with RNFL AC as covariates (P<0.001). This study demonstrated that RNFL AC provides complementary information on the RNFL's health compared with RNFL thickness measurements alone.

Europium‐155 as a source for dual energy cone beam computed tomography in adaptive proton therapy: A simulation study

To investigate the feasibility of a 3D imaging system utilizing a 155 Eu source and pixelated cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) detector for applications in adaptive radiotherapy. Specifically, to compare the reconstructed stopping power ratio (SPR) values of a head phantom obtained with the proposed imaging technique with theoretical SPR values. A Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation was performed with the novel imaging system. The simulation was repeated with a typical 120 kV X-ray tube spectrum while maintaining all other parameters. Dual energy 155 Eu source cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were reconstructed with an iterative projection algorithm known as total variation superiorization with diagonally relaxed orthogonal projections (TVS-DROP). Single energy 120 kV source CBCT images were also reconstructed with TVS-DROP. Reconstructed images were converted to SPR with stoichiometric calibration techniques based on ICRU 44 tissues. Quantitative accuracy of reconstructed attenuation coefficient images as well as SPR images were compared. Images generated by gamma emissions of 155 Eu showed superior contrast resolution to those generated by the 120 kV spectrum. Quantitatively, all reconstructed images correlated with reference attenuation coefficients of the head phantom within 1 standard deviation. Images generated with the 155 Eu source showed a smaller standard deviation of pixel values. Use of a dual energy conversion into SPR resulted in superior SPR accuracy with the 155 Eu source. 155 Eu was found to display desirable qualities when used as a source for dual energy CBCT. Further work is required to demonstrate whether the simulation results presented here can be translated into an experimental prototype.

Regularized Spectral Log Difference Technique for Ultrasonic Attenuation Imaging.

The attenuation coefficient slope (ACS) has the potential to be used for tissue characterization and as a diagnostic ultrasound tool, hence complementing B-mode images. The ACS can be valuable for the estimation of other ultrasound parameters such as the backscatter coefficient. There is a well-known tradeoff between the precision of the estimated ACS values and the data block size used in the spectral-based techniques such as the spectral-log difference (SLD). This tradeoff limits the practical usefulness of the spectral-based attenuation imaging techniques. In this paper, the regularized SLD (RSLD) technique is presented in detail, and evaluated with simulations and experiments with physical phantoms, ex vivo and in vivo. The RSLD technique allowed decreasing estimation variance when using small data block sizes, i.e., fivefold reduction in the standard deviation of percentage error when using data block sizes larger than and more than a tenfold reduction when using data blocks. The precision improvement was obtained without sacrificing estimation accuracy (i.e., estimation bias improved in 70% of the cases by 10% of the ground truth-value on average while degraded in 30% of the cases by 3% of the ground truth-value on average). The improvements in precision allowed for better differentiation of inclusions especially when using small data blocks (i.e., smaller than ) where the contrast-to-noise ratio improved by an order of magnitude on average. The results suggest that the RSLD allows for the reconstruction of attenuation coefficient images with an improved tradeoff between spatial resolution and estimation precision.

Noise-bias and polarization-artifact corrected optical coherence tomography by maximum a-posteriori intensity estimation.

We propose using maximum a-posteriori (MAP) estimation to improve the image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in polarization diversity (PD) optical coherence tomography. PD-detection removes polarization artifacts, which are common when imaging highly birefringent tissue or when using a flexible fiber catheter. However, dividing the probe power to two polarization detection channels inevitably reduces the SNR. Applying MAP estimation to PD-OCT allows for the removal of polarization artifacts while maintaining and improving image SNR. The effectiveness of the MAP-PD method is evaluated by comparing it with MAP-non-PD, intensity averaged PD, and intensity averaged non-PD methods. Evaluation was conducted in vivo with human eyes. The MAP-PD method is found to be optimal, demonstrating high SNR and artifact suppression, especially for highly birefringent tissue, such as the peripapillary sclera. The MAP-PD based attenuation coefficient image also shows better differentiation of attenuation levels than non-MAP attenuation images.

Analysis of ocean diurnal variations from the Korean Geostationary Ocean Color Imager measurements using the DINEOF method

High-frequency images of the water diffuse attenuation coefficient at the wavelength of 490 nm (Kd(490)) derived from the Korean Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) provide a unique opportunity to study diurnal variation of water turbidity in coastal regions of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea. However, there are many missing pixels in the original GOCI-derived Kd(490) images due to clouds and various other reasons. Data Interpolating Empirical Orthogonal Function (DINEOF) is a method to reconstruct missing data in geophysical datasets based on the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF). It utilizes both temporal and spatial coherencies of data to infer a solution at the missing locations. In this study, the DINEOF is applied to GOCI-derived Kd(490) data in the Yangtze River mouth and the Yellow River mouth regions, and the DINEOF reconstructed Kd(490) data are used to fill in the missing pixels. In fact, DINEOF has been used to fill in gaps in ocean color chlorophyll-a and turbidity data from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) in previous studies. Our GOCI validation results show that the bias between the reconstructed data and the original Kd(490) value is quite small (<∼5%). The standard deviation of the reconstructed/original ratio is ∼0.25 and ∼0.30 for the mouths in the Yangtze River and Yellow River, respectively. In addition, GOCI high temporal resolution measurements in Kd(490) can capture sub-diurnal variation due to the tidal forcing. The spatial patterns and temporal functions of the first three EOF modes are also examined. The first EOF mode characterizes the general mean spatial distribution of the region, while the second and third EOF modes represent the variations due to the tidal forcing in the region.

Application of micron X-ray CT based on micro-PIXE to investigate the distribution of Cs in silt particles for environmental remediation in Fukushima Prefecture

We used X-ray computed tomography (CT) using characteristic X-rays produced in micro-particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) to investigate the internal structure of silt particles and develop new methods to decontaminate soil containing radioactive cesium. We obtained 3D attenuation coefficient images of silt particles with a diameter of approximately 100μm for V K and Cr K X-rays. Owing to the absorption edges of the Cs L-shell, the differences between the V K and Cr K X-ray images revealed the spatial distribution of Cs atoms in the silt particles. Cs atoms were distributed over the surfaces of the silt particles to a thickness of approximately 10μm. This information is useful for the decontamination of silt contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

Measuring the optical characteristics of medulloblastoma with optical coherence tomography.

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Standard treatment consists of surgical resection, followed by radiation and high-dose chemotherapy. Despite these efforts, recurrence is common, leading to reduced patient survival. Even with successful treatment, there are often severe long-term neurologic impacts on the developing nervous system. We present two quantitative techniques that use a high-resolution optical imaging modality: optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure refractive index, and the optical attenuation coefficient. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate OCT analysis of medulloblastoma. Refractive index and optical attenuation coefficient were able to differentiate between normal brain tissue and medulloblastoma in mouse models. More specifically, optical attenuation coefficient imaging of normal cerebellum displayed layers of grey matter and white matter, which were indistinguishable in the structural OCT image. The morphology of the tumor was distinct in the optical attenuation coefficient imaging. These inherent properties may be useful during neurosurgical intervention to better delineate tumor boundaries and minimize resection of normal tissue.

Evaluation of fatty proportion in fatty liver using least squares method with constraints.

Backscatter and attenuation parameters are not easily measured in clinical applications due to tissue inhomogeneity in the region of interest (ROI). A least squares method(LSM) that fits the echo signal power spectra from a ROI to a 3-parameter tissue model was used to get attenuation coefficient imaging in fatty liver. Since fat's attenuation value is higher than normal liver parenchyma, a reasonable threshold was chosen to evaluate the fatty proportion in fatty liver. Experimental results using clinical data of fatty liver illustrate that the least squares method can get accurate attenuation estimates. It is proved that the attenuation values have a positive correlation with the fatty proportion, which can be used to evaluate the syndrome of fatty liver.

WE‐E‐134‐08: Characterization of Carotid Plaque with Histology and Quantitative Ultrasound

Purpose: To compare and correlate localization and registration of calcified, fibrous and lipid regions within heterogeneous plaque using histology and ultrasound quantitative imaging, and to better characterize carotid plaque. Methods: Atherosclerotic plaque excised after carotid endarterectomy, was imaged ex vivo using a VisualSonics Vevo 770 ultrasound system. Attenuation coefficient images were obtained from the three‐dimensional radiofrequency data collected and rendered into a 3D volume. Fixed plaque tissue was then longitudinally sectioned in increments of 5 um, and sections separated by 100 um were acquired. The thickness of each section of the sample was 5 um. Histopathology images were digitized using a PathScan Enabler IV. The two‐dimensional histology information obtained were registered using Matlab and reconstructed into a 3D volume. Different regions such as the lumen, calcified, fibrous and lipid region were segmented by a pathologist and digitally color‐coded into the 3D histology data. We then compared similar tissue types from the 3D histology volume to the estimated 3D attenuation coefficient using quantitative ultrasound methods. Results: Our results indicate that calcified, fibrous and lipid regions in the two volumes showed a good correlation. Calcified regions delineated on the histology volume correspond to the high attenuation coefficient region (2.48 dB/cm/MHz) in the 3D attenuation coefficient volume, while lipid regions tend to have lower attenuation coefficient values (1.47 dB/cm/MHz). Fibrous regions in histology, correlate to the lowest attenuation coefficient value (0.86 dB/cm/MHz). Conclusion: Most plaques are heterogeneous and difficult to characterize precisely. This work demonstrates a direct correlation between pathology and ultrasound quantitative imaging characterization of plaque. It provides a promising way for direct localization of plaque regions and structures, and for improved determination of plaque composition. This work was supported in part by NIH grants R21 EB010098‐02, R01 NS064034‐04, and 2R01 CA112192‐06.

Energy-based binary segmentation of snow microtomographic images

AbstractX-ray microtomography has become an essential tool for investigating the mechanical and physical properties of snow, which are tied to its microstructure. To allow a quantitative characterization of the microstructure, the grayscale X-ray attenuation coefficient image has to be segmented into a binary ice/pore image. This step, called binary segmentation, is crucial and affects all subsequent analysis and modeling. Common segmentation methods are based on thresholding. In practice, these methods present some drawbacks and often require time-consuming manual post-processing. Here we present a binary segmentation algorithm based on the minimization of a segmentation energy. This energy is composed of a data fidelity term and a regularization term penalizing large interface area, which is of particular interest for snow where sintering naturally tends to reduce the surface energy. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated on a synthetic image. The method is then successfully applied on microtomographic images of snow and compared to the threshold-based segmentation. The main advantage of the presented approach is that it benefits from local spatial information. Moreover, the effective resolution of the segmented image is clearly defined and can be chosen a priori.