title: Analytic modeling of breast elastography.
abstract: The elastic moduli of tumors change during their pathological evolution. Elastographic imaging has potential for detecting and characterizing cancers by mapping the stiffness distribution in tissues. In this paper a micromechanics-based analytical method was developed to detect the location, size, and elastic modulus of a tumor mass embedded in a symmetric two-dimensional breast tissue. A closed-form solution for the strain elastograms (forward problem) was derived. A computational algorithm for the inverse problem was developed for the detection, localization, and characterization of a heterogeneous mass embedded in a breast tissue. Numerical examples were presented to evaluate the proposed method's performance. The detectability of a tumor mass was estimated with respect to lesion location, size, and modulus contrast ratio. It was shown that the micromechanics theory provides a powerful tool for the diagnosis of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Center for Computer-Aided Design, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: L Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vannier
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000465:Algorithms; D001940:Breast / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods