Abstract (Invited)

Ultrasound Radiation Force as a Means for Assessment of Conditions of Bone and Soft Tissue

A.Sarvazyan (Artann Laboratories, Inc., Trenton, NJ, USA)

e-mail: armen@artannlabs.com

There are several novel emerging ultrasonic techniques based on the use of ultrasound radiation force. One of these techniques, Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging (SWEI), has promising applications both in ultrasonic imaging and MRI. In the SWEI, dynamic shear stress is remotely induced in soft tissue by the radiation force of focused ultrasound. Tissue response to the radiation force induced stress can be detected by a variety of acoustical or MR methods. Our studies have shown that MHz range focused ultrasound with the intensities and exposures similar to that of diagnostic ultrasound may induce bulk radiation force of order of 0.01-0.1 N/cm3 and shear displacements of order of 10-100 micron in soft tissues. Recently, a technique of assessment of bone conditions and bone fracture risk estimation using ultrasound radiation force had emerged and a method of diagnosing bone diseases named Radiation Force Ultrasonic Spectroscopy (RFUS) is being currently developed. Acoustical response of the bone remotely vibrated using ultrasound radiation force is detected and used to characterize bone condition and structural changes responsible for bone strength and fragility. Development of SWEI and RFUS at Artann Laboratories is made in collaboration with Drs. O. Rudenko and A. Sutin.

Section : 5