Quantitative Microvessel Analysis with 3-D Super-Resolution Ultrasound and Velocity Mapping

Abstract

Medical image analysis is becoming increasingly accessible in the clinic. Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are usually post-processed to generate a 3-D visualization of the human body for surgical assistance or extract quantitative data to provide additional diagnostic information. Three dimensional super-resolution ultrasound (SR US) imaging can provide similar information at a micro-level without the high cost or ionising radiation. In this study, we implemented a high volumetric-rate 3-D SR US imaging with a 2-D spiral-shaped array and imaged an in vitro microvascular structure. From the 3-D SR US images clinically relevant parameters, such as microvascular flow rate, microvessel density and tortuosity, were extracted and compared with the ground truth.