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Ultrasound Delta CBE Imaging: A New Approach Based on Local Energy Subtraction to Localization of the HIFU Focal Spot Using Changes in Backscattered Energy

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Abstract

Purpose

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a promising non-invasive technique for thermal ablation of tumors. Positioning the focal point of the HIFU accurately prior to the procedure is crucial to the success of the treatment. A change in backscattered energy (CBE) in ultrasound images has been shown to allow visualization of thermal information and can be used to locate the focal spot of HIFU prior to ablation. In CBE imaging, however, tailing artifacts may exist below the focal point of HIFU to hinder the identification of the HIFU focal spot.

Methods

This study proposed ultrasound delta CBE (DCBE) imaging that reduces CBE artifacts by local energy subtraction between measured and the reference envelope images. Phantom experiments were performed for validation of the proposed method. A HIFU system operating at a frequency of 2.12 MHz was used to heat phantoms, which were imaged with a clinical ultrasound scanner equipped with a 3-MHz convex transducer for analysis of CBE and DCBE data.

Results

The results showed that the DCBE value increases monotonically with temperature (correlation coefficient = 0.90). Particularly, DCBE imaging can identify the HIFU focal spot, suppress tailing artifacts, and increase the contrast between the focal and artifact zones by 8 dB in comparison with conventional CBE imaging.

Conclusion

Based on this study, DCBE imaging may be an effective method of locating HIFU focal points through ultrasound backscattered energy.

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Data availability

The experimental data are available by request.

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Funding

This work was supported in part by National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan (NSTC 112–2221-E-182 -006-MY3). This work was supported in part by the Postgraduate Research Innovation Project of Tianjin, China (2021YJSB118) and the Tianjin Natural Science Foundation (22JCZDJC00220).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Microelectronics, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

    Kun Yang & Qiang Li

  2. The State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Engineering in Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Xiaowei Zhou

  3. Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chiao-Yin Wang & Po-Hsiang Tsui

  4. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Po-Hsiang Tsui

Authors
  1. Kun Yang
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  2. Qiang Li
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  3. Xiaowei Zhou
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. K.Y., Q.L and X.Z. wrote the manuscript text and prepared figures. P.H.T. supported the HIFU facilities and designed the measurement protocol. C.Y.W. worked on the experiments and data analysis. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Po-Hsiang Tsui.

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The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Yang, K., Li, Q., Zhou, X. et al. Ultrasound Delta CBE Imaging: A New Approach Based on Local Energy Subtraction to Localization of the HIFU Focal Spot Using Changes in Backscattered Energy. J. Med. Biol. Eng. 44, 618–627 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-024-00887-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-024-00887-3

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