Method and Apparatus for Rapid Acquisition of Elasticity Data in Three Dimensions
Patent Number: US20150330832
Executive Summary:
General Description:
Employing two distinct steps of modeling then interpolating is both time-consuming and may produce a suboptimal fit of the voxel data to the spatial data. Ideally, these processes could be performed simultaneously in three dimensions to better accommodate the trade-off between interpolation fidelity and noise reduction. Generally, global optimization techniques, such as linear programming, can be extremely time-consuming when the number of interpolation grid points is large, and accordingly impractical for generating real-time ultrasound images.
The present invention addresses these problems by allowing simultaneous three-dimensional interpolation and noise reduction by formulating the problem as a smoothness-constrained trilinear interpolation considering only locally adjacent spatial data points. This problem formulation provides a sparse matrix that may be readily inverted providing a simple closed-form solution that allows the steps of interpolation and noise reduction to be reliably and rapidly executed. Additional time savings can be obtained by separately evaluating subregions of the volume of interest and then joining the subregions together by a simple weighting process.
Scientific Progress:
The invention provides improved processing of sparse and noisy ultrasound data in a way that simultaneously accommodates an interpolation and smoothing of the data in three dimensions.
Future Directions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Patent Status:
Publications:
Thune et al., A practical method for estimating enclosed volumes using 3D ultrasound. European Journal of Ultrasound 3 (1996) 83-92.
Inventor Bio: Tomy Varghese
https://www.medphysics.wisc.edu/directory/varghese.php
Executive Summary:
- Invention Type: Diagnostic and Device
- Patent Status: Pending
- Patent Link: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150330832/
- Research Institute: University of Wisconsin
- Disease Focus: Surgery
- Basis of Invention: This invention allows a simultaneous three-dimensional interpolation and noise reduction by formulating the problem as a smoothness-constrained trilinear interpolation considering only locally adjacent spatial data points
- How it works: ultrasonic imaging techniques for obtaining information about tissue elasticity
- Lead Challenge Inventor: Tomy Varghese
- Inventors: Tomy Varghese, Atul Nishikant Ingle
- Development Stage: Preclinical
- Novelty:
- Interpolation of ultrasound data at regular grid locations is provided by simultaneously optimizing interpolated data per fidelity of interpolation of the voxel data to actual measured spatial data and according to a gradient of the interpolated data
- Clinical Applications:
- Effects shown in tissue preparations
General Description:
Employing two distinct steps of modeling then interpolating is both time-consuming and may produce a suboptimal fit of the voxel data to the spatial data. Ideally, these processes could be performed simultaneously in three dimensions to better accommodate the trade-off between interpolation fidelity and noise reduction. Generally, global optimization techniques, such as linear programming, can be extremely time-consuming when the number of interpolation grid points is large, and accordingly impractical for generating real-time ultrasound images.
The present invention addresses these problems by allowing simultaneous three-dimensional interpolation and noise reduction by formulating the problem as a smoothness-constrained trilinear interpolation considering only locally adjacent spatial data points. This problem formulation provides a sparse matrix that may be readily inverted providing a simple closed-form solution that allows the steps of interpolation and noise reduction to be reliably and rapidly executed. Additional time savings can be obtained by separately evaluating subregions of the volume of interest and then joining the subregions together by a simple weighting process.
Scientific Progress:
The invention provides improved processing of sparse and noisy ultrasound data in a way that simultaneously accommodates an interpolation and smoothing of the data in three dimensions.
Future Directions:
- Further studies in mouse and human models are required to address the clinical relevance
Strengths:
- This invention provides a simple measure of interpolation fidelity.
Weaknesses:
- Preclinical data in mouse models is lacking
Patent Status:
- Priority date 2014-05-13
- Filing date 2014-05-13
- Publication date 2015-11-19
Publications:
Thune et al., A practical method for estimating enclosed volumes using 3D ultrasound. European Journal of Ultrasound 3 (1996) 83-92.
Inventor Bio: Tomy Varghese
https://www.medphysics.wisc.edu/directory/varghese.php
