A GPU-Accelerated 3-D Coupled Subsample Estimation Algorithm for Volumetric Breast Strain Elastography.
Our primary objective of this paper was to extend a previously published 2-D coupled subsample tracking algorithm for 3-D speckle tracking in the framework of ultrasound breast strain elastography. In order to overcome heavy computational cost, we investigated the use of a graphic processing unit (GPU) to accelerate the 3-D coupled subsample speckle tracking method. The performance of the proposed GPU implementation was tested using a tissue-mimicking phantom and in vivo breast ultrasound data. The performance of this 3-D subsample tracking algorithm was compared with the conventional 3-D quadratic subsample estimation algorithm. On the basis of these evaluations, we concluded that the GPU implementation of this 3-D subsample estimation algorithm can provide high-quality strain data (i.e., high correlation between the predeformation and the motion-compensated postdeformation radio frequency echo data and high contrast-to-noise ratio strain images), as compared with the conventional 3-D quadratic subsample algorithm. Using the GPU implementation of the 3-D speckle tracking algorithm, volumetric strain data can be achieved relatively fast (approximately 20 s per volume [2.5 cm ×2.5 cm ×2.5 cm]).
Bo
B
Peng
Yuqi
Y
Wang
Timothy J
TJ
Hall
Jingfeng
J
Jiang
D000465:Algorithms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*