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  • 1. Bassan, Gioia
    et al.
    Larsson, David
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Acquisition of multiple mode shear wave propagation in transversely isotropic medium using dualprobe setup2015Conference paper (Refereed)
    Download full text (pdf)
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  • 2.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Gustafsson, U
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Waldenström, A
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    A system to quantify and visualize ventricular rotation pattern of the heart2009Patent (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    Different modalities have been used to describe the rotational motion of the ventricles of the heart and studies have indicated LV twist to be an additional integral component in LV function. So far, only amplitudes and timings of rotation have been reported, whereas no method is available to fully describe the rotation pattern of the ventricles. The object of the present application is to achieve a system that presents a novel way to quantify and visualize the ventricular rotation pattern of the heart. We present a novel method that assesses and describes the rotation pattern by calculating the rotation axis of the ventricle. Non- invasive image acquisition is required to collect rotation values from different positions of the myocardium. Thereafter, a kinematic model of a ventricle is constructed to determine the rotation planes at different levels of the heart. The motion of the rotation planes are visualized by plotting the normal vectors of the planes over time, i.e. the rotation axis of the planes. This new method is different to all other methods used today for assessing cardiac function, as it does not describe the amplitude of a motion but the relationship in motion between different parts within a ventricle. Preliminary results indicate that the rotation axis is more sensitive to changes in the rotation pattern than conventional measurements of ventricular rotation. This new method could be used for early detection of cardiac diseases and for selection of patients for and optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy.

  • 3.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Nowak, Jacek
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Hayashi, Shirley
    Mazza do Nascimento, Marcelo
    Riella, Miquel
    Seeberger, Astrid
    Effects of hemodialysis on the cardiovascular system: Quantitative analysis using wave intensity wall analysis and tissue velocity imaging2010In: Heart and Vessels, ISSN 0910-8327, E-ISSN 1615-2573Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in cardiovascular function induced by a single session of hemodialysis (HD) by the analysis of cardiovascular dynamics using wave intensity wall analysis (WIWA) and of systolic and diastolic myocardial function using tissue velocity imaging (TVI). Grey-scale cine loops of the left common carotid artery, conventional echocardiography and TVI images of the left ventricle were acquired before and after HD in 45 patients (17 women, mean age 54) with ESRD. The WIWA indexes, W1 preload-adjusted W1, W2 and preload-adjusted W2, and the TVI variables, isovolumic contraction velocity (IVCV), isovolumic contraction time (IVCT), peak systolic velocity (PSV), displacement, isovolumic relaxation velocity (IVRV), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), peak early diastolic velocity (E’) and peak late diastolic velocity (A’), were compared before and after HD. The WIWA measurements showed significant increases in W1 (p < 0.05) and preload-adjusted W1 (p < 0.01) after HD. W2 was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after HD, whereas the change in preload-adjusted W2 was not significant. Systolic velocities, IVCV (p < 0.001) and PSV (p < 0.01), were increased after HD, whereas the AV-plane displacement were decreased (p < 0.01). For the measured diastolic variables, E’ was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) and IVRT was significantly prolonged (p < 0.05), after HD. A few correlations were found between WIWA and TVI variables. The WIWA and TVI measurements indicate that a single session of HD improves systolic function. The load dependency of the diastolic variables seems to be more pronounced than for the systolic variables. Preload-adjusted wave intensity indexes may contribute in the assessment of true LV contractility and relaxation.

  • 4.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Winter, Reidar
    Westholm, Carl
    Jacobsen, Per
    Velocity tracking - a novel method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial function2007In: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, ISSN 0894-7317, E-ISSN 1097-6795, Vol. 20, no 7, p. 847-856Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Doppler tissue imaging is a method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial velocity. Commercially available ultrasound systems can only present velocity information using a color Dopplerbased overlapping continuous color scale. The analysis is time-consuming and does not allow for simultaneous analysis in different projections. We have developed a new method, velocity tracking, using a stepwise color coding of the regional longitudinal myocardial velocity. The velocity data from 3 apical projections are presented as static and dynamic bull's-eye plots to give a 3-dimensional understanding of the function of the left ventricle. The static bull's-eye plot can display peak systolic velocity, late diastofic tissue velocity, or the sum of peak systolic velocity and early diastolic tissue velocity. Conversely, the dynamic bull's-eye plot displays how the myocardial velocities change over one heart cycle. Velocity tracking allows for a fast, simple, and hituitive visual analysis of the regional longitudinal contraction pattern of the left ventricle with a great potential to identify characteristic pathologic patterns.

  • 5.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Shahgaldi, Kambiz
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Winter, Reidar
    Brodin, Lars-Ake
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Differences in myocardial velocities during supine and upright exercise stress echocardiography in healthy adults2009In: Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging, ISSN 1475-0961, E-ISSN 1475-097X, Vol. 29, no 3, p. 216-223Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Tissue Velocity Imaging (TVI) is a method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial velocities, which can be used during exercise and pharmacological stress echocardiography. It is of interest to evaluate cardiac response to different types of stress tests and the differences between upright and supine bicycle exercise tests have not been fully investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare cardiac response during supine and upright exercise stress tests. Twenty young healthy individuals underwent supine and upright stress test. The initial workload was set to 30 W and was increased every minute by a further 30 W until physical exhaustion. Tissue Doppler data from the left ventricle were acquired at the end of every workload level using a GE Vivid7 Dimension system (> 200 frames s(-1)). In the off-line processing, isovolumic contraction velocity (IVCV), peak systolic velocity (PSV), isovolumic relaxation velocity (IVRV), peak early diastolic velocity (E') and peak late diastolic velocity (A') were identified at every workload level. No significant difference between the tests was found in PSV. On the contrary, E' was shown to be significantly higher (P < 0.001) during supine exercise than during upright exercise and IVRV was significantly lower (P < 0.001) during supine exercise compared to upright exercise. Upright and supine exercise stress echocardiography give a comparable increase in measured systolic velocities and significant differences in early diastolic velocities.

  • 6.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Elmqvist, H
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Global and local detection of blood vessel elasticity2006Patent (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    The present invention is a non-invasive analysis system for detection of global and local blood vessel elasticity. The analysis system comprises two subsystems where subsystem 1 is data collecting unit and subsystem 2 is an analysis unit. The data collecting unit comprises one or many non-invasive image generating systems, or the data collecting system makes the registration possible of movement parameters that quantifies the dynamics of the blood vessel wall in longitudinal and radial directions. Subsystem 2 performs Wave Intensity Analysis which is an analysis method using co-related parts of the circulation system by measuring the intensity change (dl) of the blood vessel during a heart cycle. The intensity change is calculated as the product of the pressure derivate and the flow velocity derivate. In subsystem 2 the changes of pressure and flow are approximated by the deformation velocity or velocity of the radial and longitudinal direction, respectively. By calculating time constants and amplitudes of the intensity change graph a measure is obtained of the local and global elasticity of the blood vessel and atherosclerotic constrictions of arterial vessels may then be identified at an early stage.

  • 7. Falkmer, Marita
    et al.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Falkmer, Torbjorn
    Recognition of facially expressed emotions and visual search strategies in adults with Asperger syndrome2011In: RES AUTISM SPECTR DISORD, ISSN 1750-9467, Vol. 5, no 1, p. 210-217Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Can the disadvantages persons with Asperger syndrome frequently experience with reading facially expressed emotions be attributed to a different visual perception, affecting their scanning patterns? Visual search strategies, particularly regarding the importance of information from the eye area, and the ability to recognise facially expressed emotions were compared between 24 adults with Asperger syndrome and their matched controls. While wearing a head mounted eye tracker, the participants viewed 12 pairs of photos of faces. The first photo in each pair was cut up into puzzle pieces. Six of the 12 puzzle pieced photos had the eyes bisected. The second photo showed a happy, an angry and a surprised face of the same person as in the puzzle pieced photo. Differences in visual search strategies between the groups were established. Adults with Asperger syndrome had greater difficulties recognizing these basic emotions than controls. The distortion of the eye area affected the ability to identify emotions even more negatively for participants with Asperger syndrome.

  • 8. Falkmer, Marita
    et al.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Falkmer, Torbjörn
    The influences of static and interactive dynamic facial stimuli on visual strategies in persons with Asperger syndrome2011In: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, ISSN 1750-9467, Vol. 5, no 2, p. 935-940Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Several studies, using eye tracking methodology, suggest that different visual strategies in persons with autism spectrum conditions, compared with controls, are applied when viewing facial stimuli. Most eye tracking studies are, however, made in laboratory settings with either static (photos) or non-interactive dynamic stimuli, such as video clips. Whether or not these results are transferable to a "real world" dialogue situation remains unclear. In order to examine the consistency of visual strategies across conditions, a comparison of two static conditions and an interactive dynamic "real world" condition, in 15 adults with Asperger syndrome and 15 matched controls, was made using an eye tracker. The static stimuli consisted of colour photos of faces, while a dialogue between the participants and the test leader created the interactive dynamic condition. A within-group comparison showed that people with AS, and their matched controls, displayed a high degree of stability in visual strategies when viewing faces, regardless of the facial stimuli being static or real, as in the interactive dynamic condition. The consistency in visual strategies within the participants suggests that results from studies with static facial stimuli provide important information on individual visual strategies that may be generalized to "real world" situations.

  • 9. Falkmer, Marita
    et al.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Falkmer, Torbjörn
    The importance of the eye area in face identification abilities and visual search strategies in persons with Asperger syndrome2010In: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, ISSN 1750-9467, Vol. 4, no 4, p. 724-730Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Partly claimed to explain social difficulties observed in people with Asperger syndrome, face identification and visual search strategies become important. Previous research findings are, however, disparate. In order to explore face identification abilities and visual search strategies, with special focus on the importance of the eye area, 24 adults with Asperger syndrome and matched controls viewed puzzle pieced photos of faces, in order to identify them as one of three intact photos of persons. Every second puzzle pieced photo had the eyes distorted. Fixation patterns were measured by an eye tracker. Adults with Asperger syndrome had greater difficulties in identifying faces than controls. However, the entire face identification superiority in controls was found in the condition when the eyes were distorted supporting that adults with Aspergers syndrome do use the eye region to a great extent in face identification. The visual search strategies in controls were more effective and relied on the use of the 'face information triangle', i.e. the two eyes and the mouth, while adults with Asperger syndrome had more fixations on other parts of the face, both when obtaining information and during the identification part, suggesting a less effective use of the 'face information triangle'.

  • 10. Falkmer, Torbjern
    et al.
    Dahlman, Joakim
    Dukic, Tania
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Fixation identification in centroid versus start-point modes using eye-tracking data2008In: Perceptual and Motor Skills, ISSN 0031-5125, E-ISSN 1558-688X, Vol. 106, no 3, p. 710-724Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Fixation-identification algorithms, needed for analyses of eye movements, may typically be separated into three categories, viz. (i) velocity-based algorithms, (ii) area-based algorithms, and (iii) dispersion-based algorithms. Dispersion-based algorithms are commonly used but this application introduces some difficulties, one being optimization. Basically, there are two modes to reach this goal of optimization, viz., the start-point mode and the centroid mode. The aim of the present study was to compare and evaluate these two dispersion-based algorithms. Manual inspections were made of 1,400 fixations in each mode. Odds ratios showed that by using the centroid mode for fixation detection, a valid fixation is 2.86 times more likely to be identified than by using the start-point mode. Moreover, the algorithm based on centroid mode dispersion showed a good interpretation speed, accuracy, robustness, and ease of implementation, as well as adequate parameter settings.

  • 11. Fröberg, Asa
    et al.
    Mårtensson, Mattias
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Janerot-Sjöberg, Birgitta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'Hooge, Jan
    Arndt, Anton
    High variability in strain estimation errors when using a commercial ultrasound speckle tracking algorithm on tendon tissue2016In: Acta Radiologica, ISSN 0284-1851, E-ISSN 1600-0455, Vol. 57, no 10, p. 1223-1229Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: Ultrasound speckle tracking offers a non-invasive way of studying strain in the free Achilles tendon where no anatomical landmarks are available for tracking. This provides new possibilities for studying injury mechanisms during sport activity and the effects of shoes, orthotic devices, and rehabilitation protocols on tendon biomechanics. Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using a commercial ultrasound speckle tracking algorithm for assessing strain in tendon tissue. Material and Methods: A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) phantom, three porcine tendons, and a human Achilles tendon were mounted in a materials testing machine and loaded to 4% peak strain. Ultrasound long-axis cine-loops of the samples were recorded. Speckle tracking analysis of axial strain was performed using a commercial speckle tracking software. Estimated strain was then compared to reference strain known from the materials testing machine. Two frame rates and two region of interest (ROI) sizes were evaluated. Results: Best agreement between estimated strain and reference strain was found in the PVA phantom (absolute error in peak strain: 0.21 +/- 0.08%). The absolute error in peak strain varied between 0.72 +/- 0.65% and 10.64 +/- 3.40% in the different tendon samples. Strain determined with a frame rate of 39.4Hz had lower errors than 78.6Hz as was the case with a 22mm compared to an 11mm ROI. Conclusion: Errors in peak strain estimation showed high variability between tendon samples and were large in relation to strain levels previously described in the Achilles tendon.

  • 12. Fröberg, Åsa
    et al.
    Cissé, Ann-Sophie
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Mårtensson, Mattias
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Peolsson, Michael
    Movin, Tomas
    Arndt, Anton
    Altered patterns of displacement within the Achilles tendon following surgical repair.2016In: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, ISSN 0942-2056, E-ISSN 1433-7347Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    PURPOSE: Ultrasound speckle tracking was used to compare tendon deformation patterns between uninjured and surgically repaired Achilles tendons at 14-27-month follow-up. The hypothesis was that the non-homogenous displacement pattern previously described in uninjured tendons, where displacement within deep layers of the tendons exceeds that of superficial layers, is altered following tendon rupture and subsequent surgical repair.

    METHODS: In the first part of this study, an in-house-developed block-matching speckle tracking algorithm was evaluated for assessment of displacement on porcine flexor digitorum tendons. Displacement data from speckle tracking were compared to displacement data from manual tracking. In the second part of the study, eleven patients with previous unilateral surgically treated Achilles tendon rupture were investigated using ultrasound speckle tracking. The difference in superficial and deep tendon displacement was assessed. Displacement patterns in the surgically repaired and uninjured tendons were compared during passive motion (Thompson's squeeze test) and during active ankle dorsiflexion.

    RESULTS: The difference in peak displacement between superficial and deep layers was significantly (p < 0.01) larger in the uninjured tendons as compared to the surgically repaired tendons both during Thompson's test (-0.7 ± 0.2 mm compared to -0.1 ± 0.1 mm) and active dorsiflexion (3.3 ± 1.1 mm compared to 0.3 ± 0.2 mm). The evaluation of the speckle tracking algorithm showed correlations of r ≥ 0.89 between displacement data acquired from speckle tracking and the reference displacement acquired from manual tracking. Speckle tracking systematically underestimated the magnitude of displacement with coefficients of variation of less than 11.7%.

    CONCLUSIONS: Uninjured Achilles tendons display a non-uniform displacement pattern thought to reflect gliding between fascicles. This pattern was altered after a mean duration of 19 ± 4 months following surgical repair of the tendon indicating that fascicle sliding is impaired. This may affect modulation of the action between different components of the triceps surae, which in turn may affect force transmission and tendon elasticity resulting in impaired function and risk of re-rupture.

  • 13.
    Hayashi, Shirley
    et al.
    Karolinska Inst, Div Renal Med & Baxter Novum, Stockholm, Sweden..
    Nascimento, Marcelo
    Evangel Med Sch, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil..
    Kind, Brita
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Nowak, Jacek
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Seeberg, Astrid
    Karolinska Inst, Div Renal Med & Baxter Novum, Stockholm, Sweden..
    Riella, Miguel
    Evangel Med Sch, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil..
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Lindholm, Bengt
    Karolinska Inst, Div Renal Med & Baxter Novum, Stockholm, Sweden..
    The Prevalence of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in CKD and Dialysis Patients: A Comparative Study2009In: Blood Purification, ISSN 0253-5068, E-ISSN 1421-9735, Vol. 28, no 4, p. 325-325Article in journal (Other academic)
  • 14.
    Hayashi, Shirley Yumi
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering. Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden .
    Nowak, Jacek
    Lindholm, Bengt
    do Nascimento, Marcelo Mazza
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Pachaly, Maria Aparecida
    Seeberger, Astrid
    Riella, Miguel C.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony in patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease and the effects of hemodialysis2013In: Hemodialysis International, ISSN 1492-7535, E-ISSN 1542-4758, Vol. 17, no 3, p. 346-358Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony is a known cause of mortality in patients with heart failure and may possibly play a similar role in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in whom sudden death is one of the most common and as yet not fully explained cause of death. LV synchronicity and its relationship with increased volume load and various biomarkers was analyzed in 145 patients including 53 patients with CKD stages 3 and 4 and in 92 CKD stage 5 patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) using color tissue Doppler imaging and tissue synchronization imaging. The HD patients were evaluated both before and after a single HD session. LV dyssynchrony was defined as a regional difference in time to peak systolic myocardial velocity, between 12 LV segments>105milliseconds. LV dyssynchrony was present in 54% of the patients with no difference between CKD 3 and 4 (58%), HD (48%), and PD (51%). LV dyssynchrony was independently associated with LV mass index and increased estimation of LV end-diastolic pressure. A single HD session resulted in significant changes in LV synchronicity variableswith improvement in 50% of the patientsespecially in patients with higher myocardial systolic velocities and lower LV mass index. Abnormalities in LV synchronicity are highly prevalent in CKD patients already prior to dialysis treatment and are associated with LV hypertrophy, LV dysfunction and load conditions, underlining the importance of volume status for LV synchronicity in CKD patients.

  • 15. Kremer, F.
    et al.
    Rabayah, M.
    Choi, H.F.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'hooge, Jan
    Spatial compounding for 2D strain estimation in the mouse heart: a pilot study2010Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Estimating cardiac strain in the mouse in the lateral direction usingspeckle tracking with adapted clinical equipment was shown to be challenging dueto the fast heart rate and the large speckle size relative to the wallthickness. Compounding axial motion estimates acquired from different insonationangles can potentially improve lateral strain estimates. Therefore, the aim ofthis study was to test the feasibility of this methodology in the murine heartbased on simulated data sets. A 3D kinematic model of a murine left ventriclewas simulated and filled randomly with scatterers. Ultrasound short-axis images(10mm 6mm) were obtained by assuming a linear array transducer. Beam steeringwas simulated at 3 different angles (22, 0, 22). Axial motion was estimated ineach data set by 1D cross-correlation. A dynamic programming approach wasintegrated in the motion estimation algorithm to avoid discontinuities. Axialcomponents were combined to reconstruct the in-plane motion vector. The 2Ddisplacement fields were subsequently accumulated over the whole cycle. Theprocedure was repeated for 10 different distributions of scatterers to acquire10 different RF data sets (5 for parameter tuning and 5 for comparing themethods). Radial and circumferential RMS strain errors calculated from theaccumulated motion fields were compared with those obtained with 2D speckletracking. Spatial compounding yielded significantly better radial (RMSE: 0.07370.0078 vs. 0.112 0.0094) as well as circumferential strain (RMSE: 0.102 0.0097vs. 0.281 0.054).

  • 16.
    Larsson, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Roy, J.
    Gasser, T. Christian
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences (SCI), Solid Mechanics (Dept.).
    Urban, M. W.
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    An ex-vivo setup for characterization of atherosclerotic plaque using shear wave elastography and micro-computed tomography2016In: IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS, IEEE conference proceedings, 2016, article id 7728810Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Quantification of the mechanical properties of atherosclerotic plaque has shown to be important in assessing carotid artery plaque vulnerability. For such, shear wave elastography (SWE) has been applied on both in-vitro and in-vivo setups. The aim of this study was to build an ex-vivo setup for combined evaluation of plaque characteristics using SWE and micro-computed tomography (μCT). As a proof-of-concept of the constructed experimental setup, a single human carotid plaque specimen was extracted during carotid endarterectomy. The plaque was imaged in the μCT system, and subsequently imaged using SWE. For the SWE measurement, group and phase velocity was extracted from the obtained in-phase/quadrature data, with its spatial distribution being compared to anatomical features visible in the μCT images. The results indicated wave velocity changes at boundaries identified in the μCT, with group velocity data slightly increasing when entering a calcified nodule. Additionally, μCT images seemed to provide good contrast between several plaque constituens using the defined imaging settings. Overall, the study represents a proof-of-concept for detailed ex-vivo plaque analysis using combined SWE and μCT, with obtained wave speed and shear modulus values falling within observed values for atherosclerotic plaque tissue. With an experimental setup defined, future studies on carotid plaque behaviour both in SWE and μCT is enabled, where a large-scale plaque study could be performed to investigate the ability of SWE to differentiate between different plaque types.

  • 17.
    Larsson, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Spuhler, Jeannette H.
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), High Performance Computing and Visualization (HPCViz).
    Nordenfur, Tim
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Hoffman, Johan
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), High Performance Computing and Visualization (HPCViz).
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Gao, Hang
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Patient-specific flow simulation of the left ventricle from 4D echocardiography - feasibility and robustness evaluation2015In: 2015 IEEE INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM (IUS), IEEE , 2015Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations on in-silico models of the heart have provided a valuable insight into cardiac hemodynamic behaviour. However, so far most models have been either based on simplified geometries or on imaging acquisitions with relatively low temporal resolution. It has been suggested that models based entirely on subject-specific ultrasonic images should be used to capture transient flow changes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present a pathway from routine 4D echocardiography to a patient-specific flow simulation of the left ventricle (LV), evaluating the model robustness and clinical feasibility. The created pathway consisted of initial LV segmentation and mitral/aortic valve positioning, being subsequently used as input for the CFD simulations (based on solving the Navier-Stokes equation using an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian approach). The output consisted of 4D blood flow velocities and relative pressures in the entire LV. On five subjects, the model robustness was evaluated with regards to variations in singular boundary conditions. The clinical feasibility of the output was compared to clinical PW Doppler measurements and, as a proof-of-concept, synthetic contrast enhanced ultrasound images were simulated on the flow field using the COLE-method. Results indicated a relatively robust model, with variations in regional flow of approximately 5.1/6.2% and 9.7/7.0% for healthy and pathological subject respectively (end diastole/end systole). Furthermore, showing similar behaviour to clinical Doppler measurements the technique serves as a promising tool for future clinical investigations. Additionally, the ability of simulating synthetic ultrasound images further underlines the applicability of the pathway, being potentially useful in studies on improved echocardiographic image analysis.

  • 18.
    Larsson, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Spuhler, Jeannette H.
    Petersson, Sven
    Nordenfur, Tim
    Hoffman, Johan
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), High Performance Computing and Visualization (HPCViz).
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    Winter, Reidar
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Multimodal validation of patient-specific intraventricular flow simulations from 4D echocardiography2016In: 2016 IEEE INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM (IUS), IEEE conference proceedings, 2016Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The combination of refined medical imaging techniques and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models has enabled the study of complex flow behavior on a highly regional level. Recently, we have developed a platform for patient-specific CFD modelling of blood flow in the left ventricle (LV), with input data and required boundary conditions acquired from 4D echocardiography. The platform robustness has been evaluated with respect to input variable variations, but for any clinical implementation model flow validation is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the patient-specific CFD model against multimodal image-based flow measurements. For the validation, 4D echocardiography was acquired from two healthy subjects, from which LV velocity fields were simulated. In-vivo flows from the same two subjects were then acquired by pulsed wave (PW) Doppler imaging over both LV-valves, and by cine phase-contract magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) at eight defined anatomical planes in the LV. By fusing PC-MRI and the ultrasound acquisitions using a three-chamber alignment algorithm, simulated and measured flows were quantitatively compared. General flow pattern correspondence was observed, with a mean error of 1.4 cm/s and root mean square deviation of 5.7 cm/s for all measured PC-MRI LV-planes. For the PW-Doppler comparison, a mean error of 3.6 cm/s was reported. Overall, the following work represents a validation of the proposed patient-specific CFD platform, and the agreement with clinical data highlight the potential for future clinical use of the models.

  • 19.
    Larsson, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Insitutet, Sweden.
    Spühler, Jeannette
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Computational Science and Technology (CST).
    Günyeli, E.
    Weinkauf, Tino
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Computational Science and Technology (CST).
    Hoffman, Johan
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Computational Science and Technology (CST).
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    Winter, R.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    Estimation of left ventricular blood flow parameters: Clinical application of patient-specific CFD simulations from 4D echocardiography2017In: Medical Imaging 2017: Ultrasonic Imaging and Tomography, SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering, 2017, Vol. 10139, article id 101390LConference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Echocardiography is the most commonly used image modality in cardiology, assessing several aspects of cardiac viability. The importance of cardiac hemodynamics and 4D blood flow motion has recently been highlighted, however such assessment is still difficult using routine echo-imaging. Instead, combining imaging with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-simulations has proven valuable, but only a few models have been applied clinically. In the following, patient-specific CFD-simulations from transthoracic dobutamin stress echocardiography have been used to analyze the left ventricular 4D blood flow in three subjects: two with normal and one with reduced left ventricular function. At each stress level, 4D-images were acquired using a GE Vivid E9 (4VD, 1.7MHz/3.3MHz) and velocity fields simulated using a presented pathway involving endocardial segmentation, valve position identification, and solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation. Flow components defined as direct flow, delayed ejection flow, retained inflow, and residual volume were calculated by particle tracing using 4th-order Runge-Kutta integration. Additionally, systolic and diastolic average velocity fields were generated. Results indicated no major changes in average velocity fields for any of the subjects. For the two subjects with normal left ventricular function, increased direct flow, decreased delayed ejection flow, constant retained inflow, and a considerable drop in residual volume was seen at increasing stress. Contrary, for the subject with reduced left ventricular function, the delayed ejection flow increased whilst the retained inflow decreased at increasing stress levels. This feasibility study represents one of the first clinical applications of an echo-based patient-specific CFD-model at elevated stress levels, and highlights the potential of using echo-based models to capture highly transient flow events, as well as the ability of using simulation tools to study clinically complex phenomena. With larger patient studies planned for the future, and with the possibility of adding more anatomical features into the model framework, the current work demonstrates the potential of patient-specific CFD-models as a tool for quantifying 4D blood flow in the heart.

  • 20.
    Larsson, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. KTH.
    Spühler, Jeannette Hiromi
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Computational Science and Technology (CST).
    Petersson, Sven
    Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Hoffman, Johan
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Computational Science and Technology (CST).
    Winter, Reidar
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Patient-Specific Left Ventricular Flow Simulations From Transthoracic Echocardiography: Robustness Evaluation and Validation Against Ultrasound Doppler and Magnetic Resonance Imaging2017In: IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, ISSN 0278-0062, E-ISSN 1558-254X, Vol. 36, no 11, p. 2261-2275Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The combination of medical imaging with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has enabled the study of 3D blood flow on a patient-specificlevel. However, with models based on gated high-resolution data, the study of transient flows, and any model implementation into routine cardiac care, is challenging. The present paper presents a novel pathway for patient-specific CFD modelling of the left ventricle (LV), using 4D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as input modality. To evaluate the clinical usability, two sub-studies were performed. First, a robustness evaluation was performed where repeated models with alternating input variables were generated for 6 subjects and changes in simulated output quantified. Second, a validation study was carried out where the pathway accuracy was evaluated against pulsed-wave Doppler (100 subjects), and 2D through-plane phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging measurements over 7 intraventricular planes (6 subjects). The robustness evaluation indicated a model deviation of <12%, with highest regional and temporal deviations at apical segments and at peak systole, respectively. The validation study showed an error of < 11% (velocities < 10 cm/s) for all subjects, with no significant regional or temporal differences observed. With the patient-specific pathway shown to provide robust output with high accuracy, and with the pathway dependent only on 4DTTE, the method has a high potential to be used within future clinical studies on 3D intraventricular flowpatterns. To this, future model developments in the form of e.g. anatomically accurate LV valves may further enhance the clinical value of the simulations.

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  • 21.
    Larsson, Malin
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Caidahl, Kenneth
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Winter, Reidar
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical sensors, signals and systems (MSSS).
    A new ultrasound-based approach to visualize target specific polymeric contrast agent2011In: 2011 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), IEEE , 2011, p. 1626-1629Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    There are advantages of using a polymeric shelled contrast agent (CA) during ultrasound imaging instead of lipid shelled CA, e.g. particles can be attached to the surface, which enables an introduction of antibodies to the surface making the CA target specific. For this application it is essential to have a sensitive imaging technique suitable for polymeric CA. However, previously presented results have indicated difficulties in visualizing polymeric CA with commercially available contrast algorithms. Therefore a new subtraction algorithm (SA), was developed that define the difference between contrast and reference images. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response from a polymeric CA, when using the SA and compare it with existing contrast algorithms. Moreover, the possibility to detect a thin layer of CA was tested using the SA.

    Ultrasound short-axis images of a tissue-mimicking vessel phantom with a pulsating flow were obtained using a GE Vivid7 system (M12L) and a Philips iE33 system (S5-1). Repeated (n=91) contrast to tissue ratios (CTR) calculated at various mechanical index (MI) using the contrast algorithms pulse inversion (PI), power modulation (PM) and SA at a concentration of 105microbubbles/ml.

    The developed SA showed improvements in CTR compared to existing contrast algorithms. The CTRs were -0.99 dB ± 0.67 (MI 0.2), 9.46 dB ± 0.77 (MI 0.4) and 2.98 dB ± 0.60 (MI 0.8) with PI, 8.17 dB ± 1.15 (MI 0.2), 15.60 dB ± 1.29 (MI0.4) and 11.60 dB ± 0.73 (MI 0.8) with PM and 14.97 dB ± 3.97 (MI 0.2), 20.89 dB ± 3.54 (MI 0.4) and 21.93 dB ± 4.37 (MI 0.8) with the SA. In addition to this, the layer detection, when using the SA was successful.

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  • 22.
    Larsson, Malin
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Caidahl, Kenneth
    Winter, Reidar
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    A novel technique to visualize target specific polymeric contrast agents2011Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 23.
    Larsson, Malin K.
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Nowak, Greg
    Paradossi, Gaio
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Janerot Sjöberg, Birgitta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Caidahl, Kenneth
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Endocardial border delineation capability of a novel multimodal polymer-shelled contrast agent2014In: Cardiovascular Ultrasound, E-ISSN 1476-7120, Vol. 12, p. 24-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: A novel polymer-shelled contrast agent (CA) with multimodal and target-specific potential was developed recently. To determine its ultrasonic diagnostic features, we evaluated the endocardial border delineation as visualized in a porcine model and the concomitant effect on physiological variables. Methods: Three doses of the novel polymer-shelled CA (1.5 ml, 3 ml, and 5 ml [5 x 10(8) microbubbles (MBs)/ml]) and the commercially available CA SonoVue (1.5 ml [2-5 x 10(8) MBs/ml]) were used. Visual evaluations of ultrasound images of the left ventricle were independently performed by three observers who graded each segment in a 6-segment model as either 0 = not visible, 1 = weakly visible, or 2 = visible. Moreover, the duration of clinically useful contrast enhancement and the left ventricular opacification were determined. During anesthesia, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and arterial pressure were sampled every minute and the effect of injection of CA on these physiological variables was evaluated. Results: The highest dose of the polymer-shelled CA gave results comparable to SonoVue. Thus, no significant difference in the overall segment score distribution (2-47-95 vs. 1-39-104), time for clinically sufficient contrast enhancement (20-40 s for both) and left ventricular overall opacification was found. In contrast, when comparing the endocardial border delineation capacity for different regions SonoVue showed significantly higher segment scores for base and mid, except for the mid region when injecting 1.5 ml of the polymer-shelled CA. Neither high nor low doses of the polymer-shelled CA significantly affected the investigated physiological variables. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the novel polymer-shelled CA can be used in contrast-enhanced diagnostic imaging without influence on major physiological variables.

  • 24.
    Larsson, Malin
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Oddo, Letizia
    Margheritelli, Silvia
    Paradossi, Gaio
    Nowak, Jacek
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Caidahl, Kenneth
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Visualization of multimodal polymer-shelled contrast agents using ultrasound contrast sequences: an experimental study in a tissue mimicking flow phantom2013In: Cardiovascular Ultrasound, E-ISSN 1476-7120, Vol. 11, p. 33-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: A multimodal polymer-shelled contrast agent (CA) with target specific potential was recently developed and tested for its acoustic properties in a single element transducer setup. Since the developed polymeric CA has different chemical composition than the commercially available CAs, there is an interest to study its acoustic response when using clinical ultrasound systems. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the acoustic response by studying the visualization capability and shadowing effect of three polymer-shelled CAs when using optimized sequences for contrast imaging. Methods: The acoustic response of three types of the multimodal CA was evaluated in a tissue mimicking flow phantom setup by measuring contrast to tissue ratio (CTR) and acoustic shadowing using five image sequences optimized for contrast imaging. The measurements were performed over a mechanical index (MI) range of 0.2-1.2 at three CA concentrations (10(6), 10(5), 10(4) microbubbles/ml). Results: The CTR-values were found to vary with the applied contrast sequence, MI and CA. The highest CTR-values were obtained when a contrast sequence optimized for higher MI imaging was used. At a CA concentration of 106 microbubbles/ml, acoustic shadowing was observed for all contrast sequences and CAs. Conclusions: The CAs showed the potential to enhance ultrasound images generated by available contrast sequences. A CA concentration of 106 MBs/ml implies a non-linear relation between MB concentration and image intensity.

  • 25.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Quantification and Visualization of Cardiovascular Function using Ultrasound2009Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    There is a large need for accurate methods detecting cardiovascular diseases, since they are one of the leading causes of mortality in the world, accounting for 29.3% of all deaths. Due to the complexity of the cardiovascular system, it is very challenging to develop methods for quantification of its function in order to diagnose, prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. Ultrasound is a technique allowing for inexpensive, noninvasive imaging, but requires an experienced echocardiographer. Nowadays, methods like Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and Speckle tracking imaging (STI), measuring motion and deformation in the myocardium and the vessel walls, are getting more common in routine clinical practice, but without a proper visualization of the data provided by these methods, they are time-consuming and difficult to interpret. Thus, the general aim of this thesis was to develop novel ultrasound-based methods for accurate quantification and easily interpretable visualization of cardiovascular function.

    Five methods based on TDI and STI were developed in the present studies. The first study comprised development of a method for generation of bull’s-eye plots providing a color-coded two-dimensional visualization of myocardial longitudinal velocities. The second study proposed the state diagram of the heart as a new circular visualization tool for cardiac mechanics, including segmental color-coding of cardiac time intervals. The third study included development of a method describing the rotation pattern of the left ventricle by calculating rotation axes at different levels of the left ventricle throughout the cardiac cycle. In the fourth study, deformation data from the artery wall were tested as input to wave intensity analysis providing information of the ventricular – arterial interaction. The fifth study included an in-silico feasibility study to test the assessment of both radial and longitudinal strain in a kinematic model of the carotid artery.

    The studies showed promising results indicating that the methods have potential for the detection of different cardiovascular diseases and are feasible for use in the clinical setting. However, further development of the methods and both quantitative comparison of user dependency, accuracy and ease of use with other established methods evaluating cardiovascular function, as well as additional testing of the clinical potential in larger study populations, are needed.

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  • 26.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    The rotation axis of the left ventricle - A new concept derived from ultrasound data in healthy individualsManuscript (preprint) (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    Different modalities have been used to describe the circumferential motion of the left ventricle (LV) and studies have indicated LV twist to be an additional integral component in LV function. So far, only amplitudes of rotation have been reported, whereas the rotation pattern of the LV has not been fully described. However, data from a previous study on regional rotation have indicated that the axis around which the LV rotates, is not congruent to the longitudinal axis of the LV. The aim of the present study was to develop an ultrasound-based method to calculate the rotation axis of the LV in a three-dimensional aspect throughout the cardiac cycle and to apply it in a group of healthy individuals. An algorithm for calculation of rotation axes at the basal, mid-, apical and transitional levels of the LV was developed. By constructing a simplified model of the LV, based on rotation amplitudes measured at the basal, mid- and apical levels, rotation planes with similar values of rotation could be calculated at each level. The transition plane was defined as where the rotation values shifted from positive to negative. An overview of the rotation pattern was achieved by displaying data on deflection (angle between the rotation axis and the longitudinal axis of the LV) and direction (defined as the angle in a short-axis view of the LV with zero degrees at the lateral wall and increasing angles counterclockwise) of the rotation axes throughout the cardiac cycle. The deflection differed significantly from zero in all tested time points, i.e. the rotation axis was not congruent to the longitudinal axis of the LV. Rayleigh’s test for uniformity demonstrated a significant mean direction for each of the axes for the majority of the tested time points. Thus, the axis of rotation at different levels of the LV displayed a physiological pattern, where also stability of rotation could be assessed. Furthermore, the angle and level of the transition plane could be described over time. This new way of assessing rotational function provides further insight into the complexity of LV mechanics. The method has acceptable reproducibility but the potential clinical use of this method needs to be validated in further studies.

  • 27.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Johnson, Jonas
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Winter, Reidar
    Karolinska Univ Hosp, Dept Clin Physiol, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden..
    Brodin, Lars-Ake
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Lundbäck, Stig
    KTH.
    State diagrams of the heart - a new approach to describing cardiac mechanics2009In: Cardiovascular Ultrasound, E-ISSN 1476-7120, Vol. 7, article id 22Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: Cardiac time intervals have been described as a measure of cardiac performance, where prolongation, shortening and delay of the different time intervals have been evaluated as markers of cardiac dysfunction. A relatively recently developed method with improved ability to measure cardiac events is Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI), allowing accurate measurement of myocardial movements. Methods: We propose the state diagram of the heart as a new visualization tool for cardiac time intervals, presenting comparative, normalized data of systolic and diastolic performance, providing a more complete overview of cardiac function. This study aimed to test the feasibility of the state diagram method by presenting examples demonstrating its potential use in the clinical setting and by performing a clinical study, which included a comparison of the state diagram method with established echocardiography methods (E/E' ratio, LVEF and WMSI). The population in the clinical study consisted of seven patients with non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and seven control subjects, individually matched according to age and gender. The state diagram of the heart was generated from TDI curves from seven positions in the myocardium, visualizing the inter-and intraventricular function of the heart by displaying the cardiac phases. Results: The clinical examples demonstrated that the state diagram allows for an intuitive visualization of pathological patterns as ischemia and dyssynchrony. Further, significant differences in percentage duration between the control group and the NSTEMI group were found in eight of the totally twenty phases (10 phases for each ventricle), e.g. in the transition phases (Pre-Ejection and Post-Ejection). These phases were significantly longer (> 2.18%) for the NSTEMI group than for the control group (p < 0.05). No significant differences between the groups were found for the established echocardiography methods. Conclusion: The test results clearly indicate that the state diagram has potential to be an efficient tool for visualization of cardiac dysfunction and for detection of NSTEMI.

  • 28.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Balzano, Rita
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Peolsson, Michael
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH).
    Winter, Reidar
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Wave intensity wall analysis: a novel noninvasive method to measure wave inntensity2009In: Heart and Vessels, ISSN 0910-8327, E-ISSN 1615-2573, Vol. 24, p. 357-365Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Wave intensity analysis is a concept providing information about the interaction of the heart and the vascular system. Originally, the technique was invasive. Since then new noninvasive methods have been developed. A recently developed ultrasound technique to estimate tissue motion and deformation is speckle-tracking echocardiography. Speckle tracking-based techniques allow for accurate measurement of movement and deformation variables in the arterial wall in both the radial and the longitudinal direction. The aim of this study was to test if speckle tracking-derived deformation data could be used as input for wave intensity calculations. The new concept was to approximate changes of flow and pressure by deformation changes of the arterial wall in longitudinal and radial directions. Flow changes (dU/dt) were approximated by strain rate (sr, 1/s) of the arterial wall in the longitudinal direction, whereas pressure changes (dP/dt) were approximated by sign reversed strain rate (1/s) in the arterial wall in the radial direction. To validate the new concept, a comparison between the newly developed Wave Intensity Wall Analysis (WIWA) algorithm and a commonly used and validated wave intensity system (SSD-5500, Aloka, Tokyo, Japan) was performed. The studied population consisted of ten healthy individuals (three women, seven men) and ten patients (all men) with coronary artery disease. The present validation study indicates that the mechanical properties of the arterial wall, as measured by a speckle tracking-based technique are a possible input for wave intensity calculations. The study demonstrates good visual agreement between the two systems and the time interval between the two positive peaks (W1-W2) measured by the Aloka system and the WIWA system correlated for the total group (r = 0.595, P < 0.001). The correlation for the diseased subgroup was r = 0.797, P < 0.001 and for the healthy subgroup no significant correlation was found (P > 0.05). The results of the study indicate that the mechanical properties of the arterial wall could be used as input for wave intensity calculations. The WIWA concept is a promising new method that potentially provides several advantages over earlier wave intensity methods, but it still has limitations and needs further refinement and larger studies to find the optimal clinical use.

  • 29.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Claus, P.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'Hooge, J.
    Ultrasound-based 2D Strain Estimation of the Carotid Artery: an in-silico feasibility study2009In: Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), 2009 IEEE International, IEEE , 2009, , p. 4p. 5441992-Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Ultrasound based estimation of arterial wall properties is commonly used to assess vessel wall stiffness in studies of vascular diseases. Recently, it was shown that the longitudinal motion of the vessel during systole can be measured using speckle tracking. However, the assessment of longitudinal strain in the vessel wall has to be further investigated. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of simultaneous assessment of radial and longitudinal strain in the carotid artery using computer simulations. A kinematic cylindrical model of the carotid artery with realistic dimensions was constructed. The model was deformed radially according to temporal distention measured in-vivo while longitudinal deformation was the result of conservation of volume. Moreover, longitudinal motion was superimposed based on profiles obtained in-vivo. Ultrasound long axis images were simulated using a generalized convolution model (COLE) with realistic image properties. Four models with different scatterer distributions were built. For each of them, longitudinal and radial motion were estimated using normalized cross-correlation with spline interpolation to detect sub-sample motion. Radial and longitudinal strains, obtained by linear regression were compared with the ground truth from the model. The maximal systolic radial strain was estimated to be -12.77 ± 0.4% (ground truth -13.89%) while longitudinal strain was 5.21 ± 0.67% (ground truth 5.3%). This study shows the feasibility of simultaneously measuring radial and longitudinal strain in the carotid artery by making use of currently available hardware.

  • 30.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg OandN1, Belgium.
    Heyde, Brecht
    Kremer, Florence
    Brodin, Lars-Ake
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    D'hooge, Jan
    Ultrasound speckle tracking for radial, longitudinal and circumferential strain estimation of the carotid artery: An in vitro validation via sonomicrometry using clinical and high-frequency ultrasound2014In: Ultrasonics, ISSN 0041-624X, E-ISSN 1874-9968, Vol. 56, p. 399-408Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Ultrasound speckle tracking for carotid strain assessment has in the past decade gained interest in studies of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to validate and directly contrast carotid strain assessment by speckle tracking applied on clinical and high-frequency ultrasound images in vitro. Four polyvinyl alcohol phantoms mimicking the carotid artery were constructed with different mechanical properties and connected to a pump generating carotid flow profiles. Gray-scale ultrasound long-and short-axis images of the phantoms were obtained using a standard clinical ultrasound system, Vivid 7 (GE Healthcare, Horten, Norway) and a high-frequency ultrasound system, Vevo 2100 (FUJIFILM, VisualSonics, Toronto, Canada) with linear-array transducers (12L / MS250). Radial, longitudinal and circumferential strains were estimated using an in-house speckle tracking algorithm and compared with reference strain acquired by sonomicrometry. Overall, the estimated strain corresponded well with the reference strain. The correlation between estimated peak strain in clinical ultrasound images and reference strain was 0.91 (p < 0.001) for radial strain, 0.73 (p < 0.001) for longitudinal strain and 0.90 (p < 0.001) for circumferential strain and for high-frequency ultrasound images 0.95 (p < 0.001) for radial strain, 0.93 (p < 0.001) for longitudinal strain and 0.90 (p < 0.001) for circumferential strain. A significant larger bias and root mean square error was found for circumferential strain estimation on clinical ultrasound images compared to high frequency ultrasound images, but no significant difference in bias and root mean square error was found for radial and longitudinal strain when comparing estimation on clinical and high-frequency ultrasound images. The agreement between sonomicrometry and speckle tracking demonstrates that carotid strain assessment by ultrasound speckle tracking is feasible.

  • 31.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Kremer, F.
    Claus, P.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'hooge, Jan
    A novel measure to express tracking quality in ultrasound block matching2010In: Proceedings - IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, 2010, p. 1636-1639Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Speckle de-correlation is a major problem in block matching based ultrasound methodologies as it limits the accuracy of the tracking result. It would be of benefit to have a quantitative measure expressing the local tracking quality as it would allow discarding unreliable motion estimates. We hypothesized that kernels showing sufficient gray scale pattern would more reliably track than kernels with more homogenous gray scale distributions. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis in-silico. Ultrasound B-mode sequences were simulated from a kinematic model of the carotid artery. Two-dimensional motion was estimated using block matching with the normalized cross-correlation function as similarity measure. For each kernel, two measures of tracking quality were stored: the normalized cross-correlation coefficient (Ccc) and a measure of the amount of edges inside the kernel detected using a canny filter and counted on a pixel-by-pixel basis. As such, a quality measure (Cedge) between 0 (no edges) and 1 (nothing but edges) was obtained. Axial and lateral strains were subsequently obtained by linear regression in regions of interest (ROIs) with best/worst mean tracking quality scores. The root-mean-squared-error (RMSE) was significantly lower in regions with low Ccc (worst ROI) compared to ROIs with high Ccc. However, more edges in the kernel did indeed result in better overall tracking (lower RMSE). Thus, the proposed edge-detection method showed to be a better tracking quality measure than the commonly used Ccc.

  • 32.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Kremer, F.
    Heyde, B.
    Brodin, Lars Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    D'hooge, J.
    Ultrasound-based speckle tracking for 3D Strain estimation of the Arterial wall - An experimental validation study in a tissue mimicking phantom2011Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Arterial stiffness is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. As such, ultrasound-based methods have been proposed to assess arterial strain as a measure of stiffness. The aim of the current study was to validate our recently proposed speckle tracking (ST) algorithm to estimate the in-plane wall strain tensor in an experimental setup. Three polyvinyl alcohol phantoms mimicking the carotid artery were constructed with different mechanical properties (2, 3 and 4 freeze-thaw cycles). The phantoms were connected to a pump, programmed to generate carotid flow profiles at peak flows of 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 ml/s. Long and short-axis ultrasound images were obtained using a Vivid7 Dimension system. Radial, longitudinal and circumferential strains were estimated using the ST algorithm (kernel size: 2.7λx2λ, normalized cross-correlation; spline inter-polation for subsample motion estimation; 40% window overlap). Sonomicrometry was used to acquire reference values of strain in the phantoms. Good agreement was found between the estimated radial, longitudinal and circumferential strain and the acquired reference strain. The correlation between estimated mean peak strain values and reference peak strain values was r = 0.92 (p < 0.001) for radial strain, r = 0.72 (p = 0.006) for longitudinal strain and r = 0.91 (p < 0.001) for circumferential strain.

  • 33.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Kremer, F.
    Heyde, B.
    Widman, Erik
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    D'Hooge, J.
    Carotid strain estimation using an ultrasound-based speckle tracking algorithm2012In: 2012 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), IEEE , 2012, p. 1394-1397Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Carotid strain imaging using ultrasound-based speckle tracking has showed potential in risk stratification of cardiovascular diseases. However, assessing strain in the artery wall and in atherosclerotic plaques is challenging because of small dimensions and low deformations in relation to the applied ultrasound wavelength. High-resolution ultrasound has potential to improve the speckle tracking performance by increasing spatial resolution. The aim of this study was to compare carotid strain estimation by speckle tracking using standard clinical ultrasound and high-resolution ultrasound in an experimental setup. Ultrasound long-axis images were obtained using a standard clinical ultrasound system (Vivid7) and a high-resolution ultrasound system (Vevo2100) in dynamic phantoms mimicking the carotid artery. Speckle tracking was performed to estimate radial and longitudinal strain whereas sonomicrometry was used as reference. The results showed a significant better performance for speckle tracking applied on images from the high-resolution system compared to the standard clinical system.

  • 34.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Kremer, F.
    Kuznetsova, T.
    Lind, Britta
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'hooge, J.
    In-vivo assessment of radial and longitudinal strain in the carotid artery using speckle tracking2010In: 2010 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings, IEEE , 2010, p. 1328-1331Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Ultrasound-based algorithms are commonly used to assess mechanical properties of arterial walls in studies of arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis. Speckle tracking based techniques used for estimation of myocardial strain can be applied on vessels to estimate strain of the arterial wall. Previous elastography studies in vessels have mainly focused on radial strain measurements, whereas the longitudinal strain has been more or less ignored. However, recently we showed the feasibility of speckle tracking to assess longitudinal strain of the carotid artery in-silico. The aim of this study was to test this methodology in-vivo. Ultrasound images were obtained in seven healthy subjects with no known cardiovascular disease (39 ± 14 years old) and in seven patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), (69 ± 4 years old). Speckle tracking was performed on the envelope detected data using our previous developed algorithm. Radial and longitudinal strains were estimated throughout two cardiac cycles in a region of interest (ROI) positioned in the posterior vessel wall. The mean peak systolic radial and longitudinal strain values from the two heart cycles were compared between the groups using a student's t-test. The mean peak radial strain was -39.1 ± 15.1% for the healthy group and -20.4 ± 7.5% for the diseased group (p = 0.01), whereas the mean peak longitudinal strain was 4.8 ± 1.1% and 3.2 ± 1.6% (p = 0.05) for the healthy and diseased group, respectively. Both peak radial and longitudinal strain values were thus significantly reduced in the CAD patient group. This study shows the feasibility to estimate radial and longitudinal strain in-vivo using speckle tracking and indicates that the method can detect differences between groups of healthy and diseased (CAD) subjects.

  • 35.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Kremer, Florence
    Claus, Piet
    Kuznetsova, Tatiana
    Brodin, Lars-Åke
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    D'hooge, Jan
    Ultrasound-Based Radial and Longitudinal Strain Estimation of the Carotid Artery: A Feasibility Study2011In: IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, ISSN 0885-3010, E-ISSN 1525-8955, Vol. 58, no 10, p. 2244-2251Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Ultrasound-based estimation of arterial wall elasticity is commonly used to assess arterial stiffness. However, previous elastography studies have mostly addressed radial strain measurements, and the longitudinal strain has been more or less ignored. This study shows the feasibility of a speckle-tracking-based algorithm for simultaneous estimation of radial and longitudinal strain in the carotid artery in silico. Additionally, these results were preliminarily confirmed in vivo.

  • 36.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Verbrugghe, Peter
    KU Leuven.
    Smoljkić, Marija
    KU Leuven.
    Heyde, Brecht
    KU Leuven.
    Famaey, Nele
    KU Leuven.
    Herijgers, Paul
    KU Leuven.
    D'hooge, Jan
    KU Leuven.
    Assessment of longitudinal strain in the Carotid artery wall using ultrasound-based Speckle tracking - validation in a sheep model2013In: Proceedings of the IEEE International Ultrasonics symposium, 2013, 2013Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Assessment of strain in the longitudinal direction of the arterial wall has been suggested to improve the evaluation of arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis. Recently, we showed the feasibility of ultrasound speckle tracking to assess carotid longitudinal strain in-silico and in-vitro. However, validation in the more challenging in-vivo setting is still lacking. The aim of this study was to validate longitudinal strain assessment in the common carotid artery (CCA) in an animal setup. The left CCAs of five sheep were exposed during Isoflurane anesthesia and sonomicrometry crystals were sutured onto the artery wall to obtain reference longitudinal strain. Ultrasound long-axis images were recorded at baseline and hypertension (Phenylephrine) and an in-house speckle tracking algorithm was applied to estimate longitudinal strain. The estimated strain curves varied cyclically throughout the cardiac cycles, showing a lengthening of the arterial segment in systole. A significant correlation between peak systolic estimated and reference strain was found (r=0.95, p < 0.001). The results indicate the feasibility of arterial longitudinal strain assessment in-vivo using ultrasound speckle tracking.

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    Assessment of longitudinal strain in the Carotid artery wall using ultrasound-based Speckle tracking
  • 37.
    Larsson, Matilda
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. University of Leuven, Belgium .
    Verbrugghe, Peter
    Smoljkić, Marija
    Verhoeven, Jelle
    Heyde, Brecht
    Famaey, Nele
    Herijgers, Paul
    D'hooge, Jan
    Strain assessment in the carotid artery wall using ultrasound speckle tracking: validation in a sheep model.2015In: Physics in Medicine and Biology, ISSN 0031-9155, E-ISSN 1361-6560, Vol. 60, no 3, p. 1107-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The aim of this study was to validate carotid artery strain assessment in-vivo using ultrasound speckle tracking. The left carotid artery of five sheep was exposed and sonomicrometry crystals were sutured onto the artery wall to obtain reference strain. Ultrasound imaging was performed at baseline and stress, followed by strain estimation using an in-house speckle tracking algorithm tuned for vascular applications. The correlation between estimated and reference strain was r = 0.95 (p < 0.001) and r = 0.87 (p < 0.01) for longitudinal and circumferential strain, respectively. Moreover, acceptable limits of agreement were found in Bland-Altman analysis (longitudinally: -0.15 to 0.42%, circumferentially: -0.54 to 0.50%), which demonstrates the feasibility of estimating carotid artery strain using ultrasound speckle tracking. However, further studies are needed to test the algorithm on human in-vivo data and to investigate its potential to detect subclinical cardiovascular disease and characterize atherosclerotic plaques.

  • 38.
    Maksuti, Elira
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Bini, Fabiano
    Fiorentini, Stefano
    Blasi, Giulia
    Urban, Matthew W
    Marinozzi, Franco
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Influence of wall thickness and diameter on arterial shear wave elastography: a phantom and finite element study.2017In: Physics in Medicine and Biology, ISSN 0031-9155, E-ISSN 1361-6560, Vol. 62, no 7, p. 2694-2718Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Quantitative, non-invasive and local measurements of arterial mechanical properties could be highly beneficial for early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and follow up of treatment. Arterial shear wave elastography (SWE) and wave velocity dispersion analysis have previously been applied to measure arterial stiffness. Arterial wall thickness (h) and inner diameter (D) vary with age and pathology and may influence the shear wave propagation. Nevertheless, the effect of arterial geometry in SWE has not yet been systematically investigated. In this study the influence of geometry on the estimated mechanical properties of plates (h  =  0.5-3 mm) and hollow cylinders (h  =  1, 2 and 3 mm, D  =  6 mm) was assessed by experiments in phantoms and by finite element method simulations. In addition, simulations in hollow cylinders with wall thickness difficult to achieve in phantoms were performed (h  =  0.5-1.3 mm, D  =  5-8 mm). The phase velocity curves obtained from experiments and simulations were compared in the frequency range 200-1000 Hz and showed good agreement (R (2)  =  0.80  ±  0.07 for plates and R (2)  =  0.82  ±  0.04 for hollow cylinders). Wall thickness had a larger effect than diameter on the dispersion curves, which did not have major effects above 400 Hz. An underestimation of 0.1-0.2 mm in wall thickness introduces an error 4-9 kPa in hollow cylinders with shear modulus of 21-26 kPa. Therefore, wall thickness should correctly be measured in arterial SWE applications for accurate mechanical properties estimation.

  • 39.
    Maksuti, Elira
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, David
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering. Karolinska Institutet, Sverige.
    Urban, M. W.
    Caidahl, K.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering. Karolinska Institutet, Sverige.
    Strain and strain rate generated by shear wave elastography in an ex vivo porcine aorta2017In: 2017 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), IEEE Computer Society, 2017, article id 8091581Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In order to generate trackable shear waves in soft tissues, transmitted pulses in shear wave elastography (SWE) are longer than conventional clinical ultrasound pulses. Nevertheless, they typically obey mechanical and thermal regulatory limits. In arterial applications, specific safety concerns may arise, as acoustic radiation (ARF)-induced stresses and strain rates could potentially affect the arterial wall. The aim of this study was to assess ARF-induced strain and strain rates in ex vivo arteries. A porcine aorta (diameters 8.5 mm, wall thickness 1.2 mm) was pressurized by a saline-filled water column at 60 and 120 mmHg. A Verasonics V1 system and a L7-4 transducer were used to generate the ARF in the middle of the anterior wall (F-number = 1, push length = [100, 200, 300] μs) and to perform plane-wave imaging (10 kHz). Cumulative axial displacement was estimated using 2D auto-correlation. The axial strain rate was calculated as the time-derivative of the axial strain, obtained by spatial linear regression of the displacement inside the anterior wall. The ex vivo peak strain and strain rate were compared with peak strain and strain rate values induced by the blood pressure changes in two healthy individuals and two patients with coronary artery disease at rest and measured by a dedicated in house speckle tracking algorithm. ARF-induced ex vivo peak strains were in the range 0.3-1% and strain rates in the range 6-23 s-1. Peak values were more affected by longer push duration than pressurization level. In vivo physiological peak strain was 33% and strain rate was 2 s-1. ARF-induced strain rates in vivo are likely to be lower than those assessed in this ex vivo setup due to ultrasound attenuation and the effect of surrounding tissue. Therefore, the results of the performed study suggest that SWE could be used in a safe manner for arterial applications even though specific effects of high strain rates are to be explored.

  • 40.
    Maksuti, Elira
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Larsson, David
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Urban, M. W.
    Caidahl, K.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering.
    Strain and strain rate generated by shear wave elastography in ex vivo porcine aortas2017In: IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS, IEEE Computer Society , 2017Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In shear wave elastography (SWE), acoustic radiation forces (ARF) are employed to generate shear waves within the tissue. Although the transmitted pulses are longer than those in conventional clinical ultrasound, they typically obey the mechanical and thermal regulatory limits. In arterial applications, specific safety concerns may arise, as ARF-induced stresses and strain rates could potentially affect the arterial wall. A previous simulation study (Doherty et al., J Biomech, 2013 Jan; 46(1):83-90) showed that stresses imposed by the ARF used in SWE are orders of magnitude lower than those caused by blood pressure. ARF-induced strain rates have not been investigated yet, therefore the aim of this study was to assess such strain rates in an ex vivo setup.

  • 41.
    Maksuti, Elira
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    Widman, Erik
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    Larsson, David
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Urban, Matthew W.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    Bjällmark, Anna
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
    ARTERIAL STIFFNESS ESTIMATION BY SHEAR WAVE ELASTOGRAPHY: VALIDATION IN PHANTOMS WITH MECHANICAL TESTING2016In: Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, ISSN 0301-5629, E-ISSN 1879-291X, Vol. 42, no 1, p. 308-321Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor found to correlate with a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. It has been suggested that shear wave elastography (SWE) can be used to quantitatively measure local arterial shear modulus, but an accuracy assessment of the technique for arterial applications has not yet been performed. In this study, the influence of confined geometry on shear modulus estimation, by both group and phase velocity analysis, was assessed, and the accuracy of SWE in comparison with mechanical testing was measured in nine pressurized arterial phantoms. The results indicated that group velocity with an infinite medium assumption estimated shear modulus values incorrectly in comparison with mechanical testing in arterial phantoms (6.7 +/- 0.0 kPa from group velocity and 30.5 +/- 0.4 kPa from mechanical testing). To the contrary, SWE measurements based on phase velocity analysis (30.6 +/- 3.2 kPa) were in good agreement with mechanical testing, with a relative error between the two techniques of 8.8 +/- 6.0% in the shear modulus range evaluated (40-100 kPa). SWE by phase velocity analysis was validated to accurately measure stiffness in arterial phantoms.

  • 42.
    Marlevi, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Ha, H.
    Dillon-Murphy, D.
    Fernandes, J. F.
    Fovargue, D.
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Lamata, P.
    Figueroa, C. A.
    Ebbers, T.
    Nordsletten, D. A.
    Non-invasive estimation of relative pressure in turbulent flow using virtual work-energy2020In: Medical Image Analysis, ISSN 1361-8415, E-ISSN 1361-8423, Vol. 60, article id 101627Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Vascular pressure differences are established risk markers for a number of cardiovascular diseases. Relative pressures are, however, often driven by turbulence-induced flow fluctuations, where conventional non-invasive methods may yield inaccurate results. Recently, we proposed a novel method for non-turbulent flows, νWERP, utilizing the concept of virtual work-energy to accurately probe relative pressure through complex branching vasculature. Here, we present an extension of this approach for turbulent flows: νWERP-t. We present a theoretical method derivation based on flow covariance, quantifying the impact of flow fluctuations on relative pressure. νWERP-t is tested on a set of in-vitro stenotic flow phantoms with data acquired by 4D flow MRI with six-directional flow encoding, as well as on a patient-specific in-silico model of an acute aortic dissection. Over all tests νWERP-t shows improved accuracy over alternative energy-based approaches, with excellent recovery of estimated relative pressures. In particular, the use of a guaranteed divergence-free virtual field improves accuracy in cases where turbulent flows skew the apparent divergence of the acquired field. With the original νWERP allowing for assessment of relative pressure into previously inaccessible vasculatures, the extended νWERP-t further enlarges the method's clinical scope, underlining its potential as a novel tool for assessing relative pressure in-vivo.

  • 43.
    Marlevi, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems. Karolinska Inst, Dept Clin Sci, Stockholm, Sweden..
    Maksuti, Elira
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems.
    Urban, Matthew W.
    Mayo Clin, Coll Med, Dept Radiol, Rochester, MN USA..
    Winter, Reidar
    Karolinska Inst, Dept Clin Sci, Stockholm, Sweden..
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems.
    Plaque characterization using shear wave elastography-evaluation of differentiability and accuracy using a combined ex vivo and in vitro setup2018In: Physics in Medicine and Biology, ISSN 0031-9155, E-ISSN 1361-6560, Vol. 63, no 23, article id 235008Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Ultrasound elastography has shown potential for improved plaque risk stratification. However, no clear consensus exists on what output metric to use, or what imaging parameters would render optimal plaque differentiation. For this reason we developed a combined ex vivo and in vitro setup, in which the ability to differentiate phantom plaques of varying stiffness was evaluated as a function of plaque geometry, push location, imaging plane, and analysed wave speed metric. The results indicate that group velocity or phase velocity >= 1 kHz showed the highest ability to significantly differentiate plaques of different stiffness, successfully classifying a majority of the 24 analysed plaque geometries, respectively. The ability to differentiate plaques was also better in the longitudinal views than in the transverse view. Group velocity as well as phase velocities <1 kHz showed a systematic underestimation of plaque stiffness, stemming from the confined plaque geometries, however, despite this group velocity analysis showed lowest deviation in estimated plaque stiffness (0.1 m s(-1) compared to 0.2 m s(-1) for phase velocity analysis). SWE results were also invariant to SWE push location, albeit apparent differences in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and generated plaque particle velocity. With that, the study has reinforced the potential of SWE for successful plaque differentiation; however the results also highlight the importance of choosing optimal imaging settings and using an appropriate wave speed metric when attempting to differentiate different plaque groups.

  • 44.
    Marlevi, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Mulvagh, S. L.
    Huang, R.
    Kevin DeMarco, J.
    Ota, H.
    Huston, J. , I I I
    Winter, R.
    Macedo, T. A.
    Abdelmoneim, S. S.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems.
    Pellikka, P. A.
    Urban, M. W.
    Combined spatiotemporal and frequency-dependent shear wave elastography enables detection of vulnerable carotid plaques as validated by MRI2020In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 10, no 1, article id 403Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Fatal cerebrovascular events are often caused by rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. However, rupture-prone plaques are often distinguished by their internal composition rather than degree of luminal narrowing, and conventional imaging techniques might thus fail to detect such culprit lesions. In this feasibility study, we investigate the potential of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) to detect vulnerable carotid plaques, evaluating group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocities as novel biomarkers for plaque vulnerability. In total, 27 carotid plaques from 20 patients were scanned by ultrasound SWE and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SWE output was quantified as group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocities, respectively, with results correlated to intraplaque constituents identified by MRI. Overall, vulnerable lesions graded as American Heart Association (AHA) type VI showed significantly higher group and phase velocity compared to any other AHA type. A selection of correlations with intraplaque components could also be identified with group and phase velocity (lipid-rich necrotic core content, fibrous cap structure, intraplaque hemorrhage), complementing the clinical lesion classification. In conclusion, we demonstrate the ability to detect vulnerable carotid plaques using combined SWE, with group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocity providing potentially complementary information on plaque characteristics. With such, the method represents a promising non-invasive approach for refined atherosclerotic risk prediction.

  • 45.
    Marlevi, David
    et al.
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Ruijsink, B.
    Balmus, M.
    Dillon-Murphy, D.
    Fovargue, D.
    Pushparajah, K.
    Bertoglio, C.
    Colarieti-Tosti, Massimiliano
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Lamata, P.
    Figueroa, C. A.
    Razavi, R.
    Nordsletten, D. A.
    Estimation of Cardiovascular Relative Pressure Using Virtual Work-Energy2019In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 9, no 1, article id 1375Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Many cardiovascular diseases lead to local increases in relative pressure, reflecting the higher costs of driving blood flow. The utility of this biomarker for stratifying the severity of disease has thus driven the development of methods to measure these relative pressures. While intravascular catheterisation remains the most direct measure, its invasiveness limits clinical application in many instances. Non-invasive Doppler ultrasound estimates have partially addressed this gap; however only provide relative pressure estimates for a range of constricted cardiovascular conditions. Here we introduce a non-invasive method that enables arbitrary interrogation of relative pressures throughout an imaged vascular structure, leveraging modern phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging, the virtual work-energy equations, and a virtual field to provide robust and accurate estimates. The versatility and accuracy of the method is verified in a set of complex patient-specific cardiovascular models, where relative pressures into previously inaccessible flow regions are assessed. The method is further validated within a cohort of congenital heart disease patients, providing a novel tool for probing relative pressures in-vivo.

  • 46. Marques, Gustavo Lenci
    et al.
    Hayashi, Shirley
    Bjallmark, Anna
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH). Royal Inst Technol, Stockholm, Sweden..
    Riella, Miguel
    Olandoski, Marcia
    Lindholm, Bengt
    Nascimento, Marcelo Mazza
    Osteoprotegerin is a marker of cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3-52021In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 11, no 1, article id 2473Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Osteoprotegerin (OPG), known to regulate bone mass by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activation, might also play a role in vascular calcification. Increased circulating OPG levels in patients with CKD are associated with aortic calcification and increased mortality. We assessed the predictive role of OPG for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CKD stages 3-5 over a 5-year follow-up period. We evaluated the relationship between OPG and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in 145 CKD patients (stages 3-5) in a prospective observational follow-up study. Inflammation markers, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, standard echocardiography, and estimation of intima-media thickness in the common carotid artery, were assessed at baseline, and correlations with OPG levels were determined. The cutoff values for OPG were defined using ROC curves for cardiovascular mortality. Survival was assessed during follow up lasting for up to 5.5 years using Fine and Gray model. A total of 145 (89 men; age 58.9 +/- 15.0 years) were followed up. The cutoff value for OPG determined using ROC was 10 pmol/L for general causes mortality and 10.08 pmol/L for CV causes mortality. Patients with higher serum OPG levels presented with higher mortality rates compared to patients with lower levels. Aalen-Johansen cumulative incidence curve analysis demonstrated significantly worse survival rates in individuals with higher baseline OPG levels for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, OPG was a marker of general and cardiovascular mortality independent of sex, age, CVD, diabetes, and CRP levels. When CKD stages were included in the multivariate analysis, OPG was an independent marker of all-cause mortality but not cardiovascular mortality. Elevated serum OPG levels were associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk, independent of age, CVD, diabetes, and inflammatory markers, in patients with CKD.

  • 47.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    et al.
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging. Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
    Babic, A.
    Bulatovic, I.
    Giesecke, A.
    Günyeli, E.
    Ripsweden, J.
    Samset, E.
    Winter, R.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Medical Imaging.
    Method comparison for cardiac image registration of coronary computed tomography angiography and 3-D echocardiography2018In: Journal of Medical Imaging, ISSN 2329-4302, E-ISSN 2329-4310, Vol. 5, no 1, article id 014001Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Treatment decision for coronary artery disease (CAD) is based on both morphological and functional information. Image fusion of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) could combine morphology and function into a single image to facilitate diagnosis. Three semiautomatic feature-based methods for CCTA/3DE registration were implemented and applied on CAD patients. Methods were verified and compared using landmarks manually identified by a cardiologist. All methods were found feasible for CCTA/3DE fusion.

  • 48.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Babic, Aleksandar
    Bulatovic, Ivana
    Giesecke, Anders
    Gunyeli, Elif
    Ripsweden, Jonaz
    Samset, Eigil
    Winter, Reidar
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Algorithm Comparison for Cardiac Image Fusion of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography and 3D Echocardiography2015In: 2015 IEEE INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM (IUS), IEEE , 2015Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Treatment decision for coronary artery disease (CAD) is based on both morphological and functional information. Image fusion of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) could combine morphology and function into a single image to facilitate diagnosis. Three semi-automatic feature-based algorithms for CCTA/3DE registration were implemented and applied on CAD patients. Algorithms were verified and compared using landmarks manually identified by a cardiologist. All algorithms were found feasible for CCTA/3DE fusion.

  • 49.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Babic, Aleksandar
    GE Vingmed Ultrasound.
    Bulatovic, Ivana
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Giesecke, Anders
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Ripsweden, Jonaz
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Samset, Eigil
    GE Vingmed Ultrasound.
    Winder, Reidar
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Cardiac Fusion Imaging of Computed Tomography Angiography and 3D-Echocardiography for Improved Risk Stratification of Coronary Artery Disease2014Conference paper (Refereed)
    Download full text (pdf)
    cardiac-fusion-ctca-3de.pdf
  • 50.
    Nordenfur, Tim
    et al.
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Babic, Aleksandar
    GE Vingmed Ultrasound.
    Bulatovic, Ivana
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Giesecke, Anders
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Ripsweden, Jonaz
    Department of Clinical Science, Division of Medical Imaging and Technology, Intervention and Technology at Karolinska Institutet.
    Samset, Eigil
    GE Vingmed Ultrasound.
    Winter, Reidar
    Karolinska Institutet.
    Larsson, Matilda
    KTH, School of Technology and Health (STH), Medical Engineering, Medical Imaging.
    Cardiac fusion imaging of 3D echocardiography and coronary computed tomography angiography2014Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Background. The choice of treatment strategy for coronary artery disease is often based on: 1) anatomical information on stenosis locations, and 2) functional information on their haemodynamic relevance, e.g. myocardial deformation or perfusion. Inspecting a single fused image containing both anatomical and functional information, as opposed to viewing separate images side-by-side, facilitates this treatment choice. The aim of this study is to develop a novel cardiac fusion imaging technique to combine 3D+time echocardiography (3DE) (functional information) with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) (anatomical information).

    Method. 3DE and CCTA data sets were obtained from 20 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. The coronary artery tree was segmented from the CCTA images. A semi-automatic fusion algorithm was developed to perform the following steps: The left ventricle (LV) 3D surfaces were segmented in the CCTA image and 3DE images and used to align the two data sets. The moving 3DE LV was then visualized along with the CCTA coronary arteries. Myocardial strain was estimated and visualized on the LV surface.

    Results. Preliminary fusion results from images of one patient have been obtained. The figure shows the CCTA coronary artery tree aligned with a) 3DE LV endocardium in end-systole, b) 3DE LV endocardium in end-diastole, and c) 3DE LV with colour-coded instantaneous longitudinal strain.

    Discussion. Preliminary results show that fusion of CCTA and 3DE images is feasible. However, the algorithm needs to be further developed to increase automation and include other functional parameters, such as myocardial perfusion. Moreover, a validation study to assess algorithm performance and diagnostic value in multiple patients will be performed.

    Download full text (pdf)
    Poster
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