Free-hand ultrasound scanning approaches for volume quantification of the mouse heart left ventricle

• Published in: IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control ferroelectrics, and frequency control, 2007-05, Vol.54 (5), p.966-977
• Main Authors: Garson, C.D., Yinbo Li, Hossack, J.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic signal processing; Acoustics; Animals; Arrays; Articulated; Biological and medical sciences; Echocardiography - instrumentation; Echocardiography - methods; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Estimates; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Heart; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Image Enhancement - instrumentation; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Imaging phantoms; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Information Storage and Retrieval - methods; Instruments; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Miscellaneous. Technology; Phantoms, Imaging; Physics; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Speckle; Stroke Volume - physiology; Testing; Tracking; Transducers; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonic transducer arrays; Ultrasonic transducers; Ultrasound; Validation studies; Ventricular Function
• ISSN: 0885-3010; 1525-8955
• DOI: 10.1109/TUFFC.2007.342

Two approaches for free-hand motion tracking that enable volumetric quantification of the murine heart were investigated. One approach used an instrumented, multijointed articulated arm attached to a 14 MHz ultrasound transducer array. A second approach used an E-beam transducer - a modified linear transducer array containing a main imaging array adjacent to three perpendicular tracking arrays. Motion between successive B-mode image frames was computed by tracking image speckle in each tracking array. Both tracking systems produced accurate results in a phantom validation study (4.50% error and 3.75% error for estimates derived using the articulated arm and E-beam tracking techniques, respectively). The tracking approaches also were tested in vivo on three mice. Results were compared to values obtained by mounting each mouse on a micromanipulator, adjusting its position by 0-5-mm increments, and acquiring B-mode images using a high-resolution ultrasound scanner. Left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) estimates differed from values obtained using the high-resolution scanner by a mean error of 18.2% and 2.60% for eight scans conducted on each of two mice using the articulated arm, and a mean error of 13.6%, 6.53%, and 12.58% for eight scans conducted on each of three mice using the E-beam