Handheld ultrasound devices are known for their portability and affordability,making them widely utilized in underdeveloped areas and community healthcare for rapid diagnosis and early screening.However,the image qual...Handheld ultrasound devices are known for their portability and affordability,making them widely utilized in underdeveloped areas and community healthcare for rapid diagnosis and early screening.However,the image quality of handheld ultrasound devices is not always satisfactory due to the limited equipment size,which hinders accurate diagnoses by doctors.At the same time,paired ultrasound images are difficult to obtain from the clinic because imaging process is complicated.Therefore,we propose a modified cycle generative adversarial network(cycleGAN) for ultrasound image enhancement from multiple organs via unpaired pre-training.We introduce an ultrasound image pre-training method that does not require paired images,alleviating the requirement for large-scale paired datasets.We also propose an enhanced block with different structures in the pre-training and fine-tuning phases,which can help achieve the goals of different training phases.To improve the robustness of the model,we add Gaussian noise to the training images as data augmentation.Our approach is effective in obtaining the best quantitative evaluation results using a small number of parameters and less training costs to improve the quality of handheld ultrasound devices.展开更多
Key advances in multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided pho- tothermal therapy of cancer are reviewed. We briefly outline the design and fabrication of such multifunc...Key advances in multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided pho- tothermal therapy of cancer are reviewed. We briefly outline the design and fabrication of such multifunctional MNPs. Bimodal image-guided photothermal therapies (MR/fluorescence and MR/ultrasound) are also discussed.展开更多
High-resolution images of human brain are critical for monitoring the neurological conditions in a portable and safe manner.Sound speed mapping of brain tissues provides unique information for such a purpose.In additi...High-resolution images of human brain are critical for monitoring the neurological conditions in a portable and safe manner.Sound speed mapping of brain tissues provides unique information for such a purpose.In addition,it is particularly important for building digital human acoustic models,which form a reference for future ultrasound research.Conventional ultrasound modalities can hardly image the human brain at high spatial resolution inside the skull due to the strong impedance contrast between hard tissue and soft tissue.We carry out numerical experiments to demonstrate that the time-domain waveform inversion technique,originating from the geophysics community,is promising to deliver quantitative images of human brains within the skull at a sub-millimeter level by using ultra-sound signals.The successful implementation of such an approach to brain imaging requires the following items:signals of sub-megahertz frequencies transmitting across the inside of skull,an accurate numerical wave equation solver simulating the wave propagation,and well-designed inversion schemes to reconstruct the physical parameters of targeted model based on the optimization theory.Here we propose an innovative modality of multiscale deconvolutional waveform inversion that improves ultrasound imaging resolution,by evaluating the similarity between synthetic data and observed data through using limited length Wiener filter.We implement the proposed approach to iteratively update the parametric models of the human brain.The quantitative imaging method paves the way for building the accurate acoustic brain model to diagnose associated diseases,in a potentially more portable,more dynamic and safer way than magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray computed tomography.展开更多
Objective.It was suggested that coronary stent design and coating may affect stent performance and hence induce varying degrees of thrombogenesis and neointimal hyperplasia.T he purpose of this study is to compare th...Objective.It was suggested that coronary stent design and coating may affect stent performance and hence induce varying degrees of thrombogenesis and neointimal hyperplasia.T he purpose of this study is to compare the6-month follow-up results between o ld and new Multilink stents with the method of intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)imaging.Methods.We have performed old(n =40)and new(n =35)Multilink stent implantations on 75patients with coronary artery disease.Coron ary angiography was performed before,immediately after,and 6months after the in-stent procedure respectively.Six-month follow-up IVUS imaging was performed and analyzed off-line.Results.Minimal lumen cross sectional area(CSA)of new Multilink stents was signific antly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.0053).Mean stent lumen area of new Multili nk stents was significantly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.040).Similarly,minimal lumen diameter(MLD)of new Multilink stents was larger than that of old Mul tilink stents(P=0.011).Old Multilink stents had a higher percentage of plaque area than new Multilink stent s.Conclusion.The new Multilink stent is obviously superior to old Multilink stents,in particular,in the stent MLD and lumen CSA---major determinants of the restenosis.展开更多
Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three es...Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and other additives as its shell materials was prepared by sonication. Sulfur hexafluoride was adopted as the inner gas of the microbubbles. New methods through the combination of optical microscope and some softwares were used to measure the size distribution and the concentration of the microbubbles. Some parameters such as the pH value of the phosphate buffer, quantity of the carboxylic methyl cellulose in the shell materials, selection of the ultrasound power and process time, were studied. Six hybirded dogs were used to verify the in vivo contrast imaging of the contrast agent using second harmonic power Doppler modality. Safety and persistent time of the agent inner animal body were also investigated. Results: Ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment had an average microbubble diameter of 3.95 microns with concentration of 3.6×109 microbubbles per millilitre. Carboxylic methyl cellulose was found as an important shell material which had obviously effect on the microbubble stability and production even with a little quantity. The buffer pH value also had a key role on the microbubble formation and the final production. When the buffer pH value reached 7.4, there was no microbubble produced. Under the approximate microbubble production, process time could be shorten with the increasing ultrasound power. The obvious ultrasound contrast imaging effects were detected in the dog's heart chamber and liver as well as kidney using only one millilitre agent when diluted. The agent was found safe to the dogs. At the same time, persistent time of the agent was found over 20 min in the dog's body. Conclusion: The new ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment has high microbubble production and concentration, narrow microbubble size distribution ranging in several microns, well stability, little dosage needed in the contrast, well safety to the dogs and long persistent time, obvious contrast imaging effect in the dog's heart chamber, kidney and liver. These experiment data indicate that the new ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and carboxylic methyl cellulose as its main shell materials can be further developed for clinical purposes.展开更多
文摘Handheld ultrasound devices are known for their portability and affordability,making them widely utilized in underdeveloped areas and community healthcare for rapid diagnosis and early screening.However,the image quality of handheld ultrasound devices is not always satisfactory due to the limited equipment size,which hinders accurate diagnoses by doctors.At the same time,paired ultrasound images are difficult to obtain from the clinic because imaging process is complicated.Therefore,we propose a modified cycle generative adversarial network(cycleGAN) for ultrasound image enhancement from multiple organs via unpaired pre-training.We introduce an ultrasound image pre-training method that does not require paired images,alleviating the requirement for large-scale paired datasets.We also propose an enhanced block with different structures in the pre-training and fine-tuning phases,which can help achieve the goals of different training phases.To improve the robustness of the model,we add Gaussian noise to the training images as data augmentation.Our approach is effective in obtaining the best quantitative evaluation results using a small number of parameters and less training costs to improve the quality of handheld ultrasound devices.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.81371580 and 21273014)the State Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.81230036)the National Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars(Grant No.81225011)
文摘Key advances in multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided pho- tothermal therapy of cancer are reviewed. We briefly outline the design and fabrication of such multifunctional MNPs. Bimodal image-guided photothermal therapies (MR/fluorescence and MR/ultrasound) are also discussed.
基金Project supported by the Goal-Oriented Project Independently Deployed by Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.MBDX202113)。
文摘High-resolution images of human brain are critical for monitoring the neurological conditions in a portable and safe manner.Sound speed mapping of brain tissues provides unique information for such a purpose.In addition,it is particularly important for building digital human acoustic models,which form a reference for future ultrasound research.Conventional ultrasound modalities can hardly image the human brain at high spatial resolution inside the skull due to the strong impedance contrast between hard tissue and soft tissue.We carry out numerical experiments to demonstrate that the time-domain waveform inversion technique,originating from the geophysics community,is promising to deliver quantitative images of human brains within the skull at a sub-millimeter level by using ultra-sound signals.The successful implementation of such an approach to brain imaging requires the following items:signals of sub-megahertz frequencies transmitting across the inside of skull,an accurate numerical wave equation solver simulating the wave propagation,and well-designed inversion schemes to reconstruct the physical parameters of targeted model based on the optimization theory.Here we propose an innovative modality of multiscale deconvolutional waveform inversion that improves ultrasound imaging resolution,by evaluating the similarity between synthetic data and observed data through using limited length Wiener filter.We implement the proposed approach to iteratively update the parametric models of the human brain.The quantitative imaging method paves the way for building the accurate acoustic brain model to diagnose associated diseases,in a potentially more portable,more dynamic and safer way than magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray computed tomography.
文摘Objective.It was suggested that coronary stent design and coating may affect stent performance and hence induce varying degrees of thrombogenesis and neointimal hyperplasia.T he purpose of this study is to compare the6-month follow-up results between o ld and new Multilink stents with the method of intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)imaging.Methods.We have performed old(n =40)and new(n =35)Multilink stent implantations on 75patients with coronary artery disease.Coron ary angiography was performed before,immediately after,and 6months after the in-stent procedure respectively.Six-month follow-up IVUS imaging was performed and analyzed off-line.Results.Minimal lumen cross sectional area(CSA)of new Multilink stents was signific antly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.0053).Mean stent lumen area of new Multili nk stents was significantly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.040).Similarly,minimal lumen diameter(MLD)of new Multilink stents was larger than that of old Mul tilink stents(P=0.011).Old Multilink stents had a higher percentage of plaque area than new Multilink stent s.Conclusion.The new Multilink stent is obviously superior to old Multilink stents,in particular,in the stent MLD and lumen CSA---major determinants of the restenosis.
基金Supported by the High Technology Research Development Program of China(863 Program,No.2001AA218031)and the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30270404).
文摘Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and other additives as its shell materials was prepared by sonication. Sulfur hexafluoride was adopted as the inner gas of the microbubbles. New methods through the combination of optical microscope and some softwares were used to measure the size distribution and the concentration of the microbubbles. Some parameters such as the pH value of the phosphate buffer, quantity of the carboxylic methyl cellulose in the shell materials, selection of the ultrasound power and process time, were studied. Six hybirded dogs were used to verify the in vivo contrast imaging of the contrast agent using second harmonic power Doppler modality. Safety and persistent time of the agent inner animal body were also investigated. Results: Ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment had an average microbubble diameter of 3.95 microns with concentration of 3.6×109 microbubbles per millilitre. Carboxylic methyl cellulose was found as an important shell material which had obviously effect on the microbubble stability and production even with a little quantity. The buffer pH value also had a key role on the microbubble formation and the final production. When the buffer pH value reached 7.4, there was no microbubble produced. Under the approximate microbubble production, process time could be shorten with the increasing ultrasound power. The obvious ultrasound contrast imaging effects were detected in the dog's heart chamber and liver as well as kidney using only one millilitre agent when diluted. The agent was found safe to the dogs. At the same time, persistent time of the agent was found over 20 min in the dog's body. Conclusion: The new ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment has high microbubble production and concentration, narrow microbubble size distribution ranging in several microns, well stability, little dosage needed in the contrast, well safety to the dogs and long persistent time, obvious contrast imaging effect in the dog's heart chamber, kidney and liver. These experiment data indicate that the new ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and carboxylic methyl cellulose as its main shell materials can be further developed for clinical purposes.