title: Image features in medical vibro-acoustography: in vitro and in vivo results.
abstract: Vibro-acoustography is an imaging method based on audio-frequency harmonic vibrations induced in the object by the radiation force of focused ultrasound. The purpose of this study is to investigate features of vibro-acoustography images and manifestation of various tissue structures and calcifications in such images. Our motivation for this study is to pave the way for further in vitro and in vivo applications of vibro-acoustography. Here, vibro-acoustography images of excised prostate and in vivo breast are presented and compared with images obtained with other modalities. Resulting vibro-acoustography images obtained with a 3 MHz ultrasound transducer and at a vibration frequency of 50-60 kHz show soft tissue structures, tissue borders, and microcalcifications with high contrast, high resolution, and no speckle. It is concluded that vibro-acoustography offers features that may be valuable for diagnostic purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. aza@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alizad
authors.forename: Dana H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Whaley
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Greenleaf
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatemi
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014159:Transducers; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary