title: Fractional derivative models for ultrasonic characterization of polymer and breast tissue viscoelasticity.
abstract: The viscoelastic response of hydropolymers, which include glandular breast tissues, may be accurately characterized for some applications with as few as 3 rheological parameters by applying the Kelvin-Voigt fractional derivative (KVFD) modeling approach. We describe a technique for ultrasonic imaging of KVFD parameters in media undergoing unconfined, quasi-static, uniaxial compression. We analyze the KVFD parameter values in simulated and experimental echo data acquired from phantoms and show that the KVFD parameters may concisely characterize the viscoelastic properties of hydropolymers. We then interpret the KVFD parameter values for normal and cancerous breast tissues and hypothesize that this modeling approach may ultimately be applied to tumor differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coussot
authors.forename: Sureshkumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalyanam
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yapp
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Insana
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001940:Breast / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011108:Polymers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers