Diagnostic Mode Detecting Solid Mineral Inclusions in Medical Ultrasound Imaging

Abstract

The proposed ultrasound imaging mode allows detection of objects, which essentially differ in their scattering properties from the surrounding tissues and liquids. The objects in question are primarily microcalcifications, renal and urinary stones. Our previous study has shown that the Doppler signals from these objects have two components common for echoes from solid mineral inclusions. They can be in superposition with the blood and noise signals. One of these two mineral-related components is characterized by cavitation, the other – by elastic vibrations of the object presumably caused by acoustic radiation force. According to statistical and energy parameters, these components differ from each other, as well as from noise and blood echoes. The article proposes a practical method for identifying signals with mineral-related components. This method is the base for the novel diagnostic visualization mode specifically designed for the mineral inclusions detection with ultrasound.