Usefulness of ultrasonic strain measurement-based mechanical properties imaging technique—toward realization of combined rapid diagnosis/treatments

This paper describes an ultrasonic strain measurement-based mechanical properties reconstruction/imaging technique that can be used for various soft tissues (e.g., liver and breast). The developed technique can be applied as both a diagnostic tool for differentiating malignancies and a monitoring technique for determining the effectiveness of low invasive therapy such as interstitial thermal therapy (e.g., micro and rf electromagnetic waves). Soft tissues are deformed in 3D space by externally situated arbitrary mechanical sources such that multidimensional signal processing improves reconstruction accuracy. Here, we discuss the limitations of low-dimensional signal processing and demonstrate the superiority of quasi-real-time imaging compared with conventional B-mode imaging from the standpoints of both differential diagnosis and monitoring. It is expected that our new applications using this imaging technique in combination with suitable combinations of various simple, low-invasive therapies will lead to new clinical methods allowing diagnosis and subsequent immediate treatment that will substantially reduce medical expenses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]