Application of ultrasound-based velocity estimate statistics to strain-rate estimation.
Quantification of the relative myocardial deformation rate, or strain rate, is an emerging capability to aid a cardiologist in assessing myocardial function. Ultrasound Doppler techniques can be used to compute tissue motion relative to a transducer. The myocardial strain rate can be computed as the localized spatial derivative of the tissue velocity. Such a strain-rate estimate is typically numerically noisy. We present the relevant speckle statistics to faciliate the computation of the strain rate based on a weighted least squares regression, with statistically appropriate weights.
Jackson
John I
JI
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Ultrasound Division, Mountain View, CA 94039-7393, USA. jjackson@acuson.com
Thomas
Lewis J
LJ
D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004548:Elasticity; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009038:Motion; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013314:Stress, Mechanical