title: Fractal dimension of 40 MHz intravascular ultrasound radio frequency signals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fully automatic tissue characterization in intravascular ultrasound systems is still a challenge for the researchers. The present work aims to evaluate the feasibility of using the Higuchi fractal dimension of intravascular ultrasound radio frequency signals as a feature for tissue characterization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fractal dimension images are generated based on the radio frequency signals obtained using mechanically rotating 40 MHz intravascular ultrasound catheter (Atlantis SR Plus, Boston Scientific, USA) and compared with the corresponding correlation images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An inverse relation between the fractal dimension images and the correlation images was revealed indicating that the hard or slow moving tissues in the correlation image usually have low fractal dimension and vice-versa. Thus, the present study suggests that fractal dimension images may be used as a feature for intravascular ultrasound tissue characterization and present better resolution then the correlation images.
authors: Department of Medical Engineering and Cardiology, Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. esmeraldo@ieee.org
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Santos Filho
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Saijo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tanaka
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Yambe
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Yoshizawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D011846:Radio Waves; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional