title: Improving the use of vibro-acoustography for brachytherapy metal seed imaging: a feasibility study.
abstract: Vibro-acoustography method is explored for detecting and imaging brachytherapy metal seeds in gel phantoms. In a previous paper, we have shown that some immersed objects' resonance frequencies could be detected by vibro-acoustography. Here, we use this idea to optimize the vibro-acoustic excitation of two different sized brass seeds implanted in an agar gel phantom. In the experiments, the best excitation vibration frequencies were determined either by calculating fundamental resonance frequencies for each of the seeds or the experimental optimal resonance frequency of the gel. The resulting vibro-acoustography images demonstrate remarkable contrast in acoustic emission amplitude compared with images obtained at nonresonance frequencies. Results suggest the possible application of vibro-acoustography for directing prostate brachytherapy seed implantation treatment.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health and Medical Research, INSERM Unit 556, Therapeutic Ultrasound Research Laboratory, 151 Cours Albert Thomas, 69424 Lyon 03, France. mitri@ieee.org
authors.forename: Farid G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Mitri
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trompette
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chapelon
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography