title: Contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound pulse sequences for bandwidth-limited transducers.
abstract: We demonstrate two methods for vasa vasorum imaging using contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound, which can be performed using commercial catheters. Plaque neovascularization was recognized as an independent marker of coronary artery plaque vulnerability. IVUS-based methods to image the microvessels available to date require high bandwidth (-6 dB relative frequency bandwidth >70%), which are not routinely available commercially. We explored the potential of ultraharmonic imaging and chirp reversal imaging for vasa vasorum imaging. In vitro recordings were performed on a tissue-mimicking phantom using a commercial ultrasound contrast agent and a transducer with a center frequency of 34 MHz and a -6 dB relative bandwidth of 56%. Acoustic peak pressures <500 kPa were used. A tissue-mimicking phantom with channels down to 200 μm in diameter was successfully imaged by the two contrast detection sequences while the smallest channel stayed invisible in conventional intravascular ultrasound images. Ultraharmonic imaging provided the best contrast agent detection.
authors: Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Centre, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. d.maresca@erasmusmc.nl
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Maresca
authors: Guillaume
authors: G
authors: Renaud
authors: Gijs
authors: G
authors: van Soest
authors: Xiang
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Qifa
authors: Q
authors: Zhou
authors: K Kirk
authors: KK
authors: Shung
authors: Nico
authors: N
authors: de Jong
authors: Antonius F W
authors: AF
authors: van der Steen
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C042852:perflutren
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2006 Apr;32(4):491-502
references: 16616596
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2007 Dec;33(12):1859-72
references: 17683850
references: JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010 Jan;3(1):32-40
references: 20129528
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2000 Jul;26(6):965-75
references: 10996696
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2007 Mar;54(3):668-75
references: 17375836
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2012 Apr;38(4):593-600
references: 22341054
references: Eur Heart J. 2012 Jan;33(2):160-1
references: 21875863
references: Invest Radiol. 2006 Aug;41(8):631-8
references: 16829746
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2006 Nov;32(11):1649-54
references: 17112951
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2009 Jun;56(6):1199-206
references: 19574127
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 1999;46(2):372-82
references: 18238434
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2005 Jan;52(1):65-79
references: 15742563
references: Phys Med Biol. 2010 Jun 7;55(11):3201-18
references: 20479516
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2010 Jun;36(6):861-73
references: 20510184
references: Phys Med Biol. 2011 Jun 7;56(11):3163-80
references: 21540492
references: J Pathol. 2009 May;218(1):7-29
references: 19309025
references: N Engl J Med. 1984 Jan 19;310(3):175-7
references: 6197652
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2005 Dec;52(12):2418-22
references: 16463509
references: Circulation. 2010 May 4;121(17):1941-50
references: 20404256
references: Int J Cardiol. 2008 Oct 30;130(1):23-9
references: 18068834
references: Ultrasonics. 1972 Mar;10(2):72-6
references: 5017589
references: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2007 Mar;54(3):520-9
references: 17375821
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2010 Mar;36(3):459-66
references: 20133035
references: Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2009 Jun;37(6):722-7
references: 19328729
references: Interface Focus. 2011 Aug 6;1(4):565-75
references: 22866231