Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Timothy Jon Hall

Jingfeng Jiang

Helen Marcie Feltovich

Amy Marie Sommer

Michael Speidel

Amish Naresh Raval

Ivan Miguel Rosado-Mendez

Lisa McGuire Reusch

Lindsay Elizabeth Bodart

A multi-modality phantom is provided. The multi-modality phantom includes a container and an insert. The container defines an exterior that is separated from an interior space and designed to receive a tissue-mimicking medium for an ultrasound imaging process. The container further includes at least one access port formed in the container to perform the ultrasound imaging process of the interior space. The insert can be dimensioned to be selectively arranged within the interior space of the container. The insert includes imaging features arranged to simulate an environment and constructed to yield simultaneous imaging results when performing the ultrasound imaging process and at least one non-ultrasound imaging process.

Systems and methods for a multi-modality phantom having an interchangeable insert

An ultrasound machine for generating push-pulses to excite shear wave stimulation employs separated angled beams that converge at the target region to generate the push-pulses. In one embodiment, the beams are modulated by a set of apodization functions to reduce side lobes caused by the narrowing of the apertures of the beam as well as transducer heating by reducing the average energy deposited in each transducer element.

Ultrasonic imaging system with angularly compounded acoustic radiation force excitation

A specialized ultrasound machine tailored for use by traditional birth attendants provides an ultrasound transducer configuration adapted to work with the traditional sweeping motion of the attendant's hands over the patient's abdomen. Automatic analysis of various obstetrical conditions is performed without the need for the user to view or interpret standard ultrasound images. This machine analysis is used to provide real-time guidance in the acquisition of data by the user greatly reducing the required operator skill.

Obstetrical imaging at the point of care for untrained or minimally trained operators

Image data and E-mode images used in ultrasonic elasticity imaging may be automatically evaluated for quality to provide a single value used as operator feedback or for automatic selection of images for averaging or animation.

Automated ultrasonic elasticity image formation with quality measure

An elasticity measuring system determines tissue displacement between a pre-deformation and post-deformation image by a matching process using a cost function accepting as its arguments continuity of the tissue motion and correlation of the tissue in making the block matching. The invention allows the selection among different cost functions for different imaging situations or tissue types, to provide improved displacement calculations using a priori knowledge about the tissue and structure of tissue interfaces or information derived during the scanning process.

Ultrasonic strain imaging device with selectable cost-function

An apparatus uses a steered ultrasound beam to assess microstructure of the cervix revealed by backscatter power variation at a range of angles and depth. Analysis of a distribution of power loss at different angles and depths referenced to the structure of the cervix may be used to characterize cervical tissue.

Method and apparatus for quantifying organization in collagenous tissue

The determination of axial and lateral displacement in a material subject to compression is determined by fitting a multi-dimensional model function to the match between corresponding portions of the material in two states of compression. In one embodiment, iso-contour lines in a correlation between a reference kernel and a target kernel are fit to an ellipse whose center defines the maximum correlation and hence the displacement.

Coupled axial and lateral displacement estimation for elasticity imaging

An apparatus for assessing the risk of preterm delivery and the success of induction of labor at term uses a steered ultrasound beam to assess microstructure of the cervix revealed by backscatter power attenuation at a range of angles. It is believed that objective and precise description of cervical microstructure will reveal stage of cervical remodeling an as such may reveal risk of preterm delivery and/or success of labor induction. The backscatter power loss can be combined with elasticity measurements to provide a more precise indication of tissue structure.

Method and apparatus for assessing risk of preterm delivery

The identification of preferred seed calculations used to guide the determination of displacement vectors in elasticity imaging may evaluate seeds using a combination of a measure of the similarity of the data of the seed in pre- and post-compression data and continuity of the data in a path in the neighborhood of the seed. This dual evaluation helps avoid downstream error propagation.

Elasticity imaging device with improved characterization of seed displacement calculations

A device for ultrasonic strain imaging computes displacement of tissue between a pre-deformation and post-deformation data set along columns to provide for independent calculations that may be parallelized for multiprocessor systems.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Timothy Jon Hall