title: Estimation of urinary flow velocity in models of obstructed and unobstructed urethras by decorrelation of ultrasound radiofrequency signals.
abstract: The feasibility of estimating urinary flow velocity from the decorrelation of radiofrequency (RF) signals was investigated in soft tissue-mimicking models of obstructed and unobstructed urethras. The decorrelation was studied in the near field, focal zone and far field of the ultrasound beam. Furthermore, the effect of beam width was investigated. The results of this study suggest that it is feasible to estimate flow velocity in models of the urethra by quantifying the decorrelation of RF ultrasound signals. The decorrelation slope increased more rapidly and more linearly with increasing velocity in the focal zone than in the near and far field. A preliminary example of an in vivo measurement in a healthy volunteer illustrated that this method has potential for clinical use in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sector Furore, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.muhammad@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arif
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical Ultrasound Imaging Center, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Idzenga
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sector Furore, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Mastrigt
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical Ultrasound Imaging Center, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chris L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Korte
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014524:Urethral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Beam width; Bladder outlet obstruction; Correlation coefficients; Decorrelation; Obstructed; Radiofrequency; Unobstructed; Urethra model; Urinary Flow velocity; f-number