Vibro-elastography: a new acustic modality measurement for viscoelastic properties of biological tissues

• Grant number: 06/03781-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2006
• End date: February 28, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Adilton Oliveira Carneiro
• Grantee: Theo Zeferino Pavan
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In order to know the type of an injury, mainly those with cancer suspicion, the patient is submitted to the biopsy- the removal of a small sample of tissue for histological analysis. The most used methods of images for a previous diagnosis of the morphology and, in some cases of the type of injury, are x-rays, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance and ultrasound. In the last few years, with the coming of elastographic techniques, the ultrasonic tool has potentially been indicated for applications involving characterization of biological tissues. Mainly for being a low cost technique, harmless to the organism and with the use of mechanical energy. Vibro-acustography and elastography are two examples of elastographic techniques that are currently being investigated to be applied in the analysis of the visco-elastic properties of biological tissues. The Group of Inovation in Medical Instrumentation and Ultra-Sound - Grupo de Inovação em Instrumentação Médica e Ultra-Som (GIIMUS) is developing research on elastographic methods involving ultrasonic and magnetic techniques. These studies are being done in contribution along with the group of ultrasound of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA along with the group of ultrasound of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA and also with the group of Biomagnetism of the University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. This project considers the merging of these two techniques, the vibro-acustography and the elastography, which will be called of vibro-elastography. This study will consist of the mechanical excitation of a focused target in the interest region using a modulated acoustic field. The reply of this mechanical disturbance will be evaluated through analyses of Doppler effect and coherence of phase from ultrasonic measures, taken before and after mechanical excitation. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PAVAN, Theo Zeferino. Feasibility studies of ultrasonic approaches to evaluate the mechanical properties of viscoelastic medium. 2011. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.