Image-Guided Measurement of Radiation Force Induced by Focused Ultrasound Beams.

The radiation force balance (RFB) is a widely used method for measuring acoustic power output of ultrasonic transducers. The reflecting cone target is attractive due to its simplicity and long-term stability, at a reasonable cost. However, accurate measurements using this method depend on the alignment between the ultrasound beam and cone axes, especially for highly focused beams utilized in therapeutic applications. With the advent of dual-mode ultrasound arrays (DMUAs) for imaging and therapy, image-guided measurements of acoustic output using the RFB method can be used to improve measurement accuracy. In this article, we describe an image-guided RFB measurement of focused DMUA beams using a widely used commercial instrument. DMUA imaging is used to optimize the alignment between the acoustic beam and reflecting cone axes. In addition to image-guided alignment, DMUA echo data is used to track the displacement of the cone, which provides an auxiliary measurement of acoustic power. Experimental results using a DMUA prototype with [Formula: see text] shows that 1-2 mm of misalignment can result in 5%-14% error in the measured acoustic power. In addition to the use of B-mode image guidance for improving measurement accuracy, we present preliminary results demonstrating the benefit of displacement tracking using real-time DMUA imaging during the application of (sub)therapeutic focused beams. Displacement tracking provides a direct measurement of the radiation force with high sensitivity and follows the expected dependence on changes in amplitude and duty cycle (DC) of the focused ultrasound (FUS) beam. This could lead to simpler, more reliable methods for measuring acoustic power based on the radiation force principle. Combined with appropriate computational modeling, the direct measurement of acoustic radiation force could lead to reliable dosimetry in situ in emerging applications such as transcranial FUS (tFUS) therapies.

Spatio-Spectral Ultrasound Characterization of Reflection and Transmission Through Bone With Temperature Dependence.

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising approach for the treatment of neurological disorders. It has proven useful in several clinical applications, with promising outcomes reported in the recent literature. Furthermore, it is currently being investigated in a range of neuromodulation (NM) and ablative applications, including epilepsy. In this application, tFUS access through the temporal window is the key to optimizing the treatment safety and efficacy. Traditional approaches have utilized transducers with low operating frequencies for tFUS applications. Modern array transducers and driving systems allow for more intelligent use of the temporal window by exploiting the spatio-spectral transmission bandwidth to a specified target or targets within the brain. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, we have investigated the ultrasound reflection and transmission characteristics for different access points within the temporal window of human skull samples ex vivo. Different transmit-receive (Rx) configurations are used for characterization of the spatio-spectral variability in reflection and transmission through the temporal window. In this article, we show results from a dual-piston transducer set up in the frequency range of 2-7 MHz. Broadband pulses as well as synthesized orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) waveforms were used. The latter was used to improve the magnitude and phase measurements in 100-kHz subbands within the 2-7 MHz spectral window. A temperature-controlled water bath was used to characterize the change in reflection and transmission characteristics with temperature in the 25°C-43°C range. The measured values of the complex reflection and transmission coefficients exhibited significant variations with space, frequency, and temperature. On the other hand, the measured transmission phase varied more with location and frequency, with smaller sensitivity to temperature. A measurement-based hybrid angular spectrum (HAS) simulation through the human temporal bone was used to demonstrate the dependence of focusing gain on the skull profile and spatial distribution of change of speed of sound (SOS) at different skull temperatures.

Precision Targeted Ablation of Fine Neurovascular Structures In Vivo Using Dual-mode Ultrasound Arrays.

Carotid bodies (CBs) are chemoreceptors that monitor and register changes in the blood, including the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH, and regulate breathing. Enhanced activity of CBs was shown to correlate with a significant elevation in the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. CB removal or denervation were previously shown to reduce hypertension. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of a dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) system to safely ablate the CB in vivo in a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of hypertension. DMUA imaging was used for guiding and monitoring focused ultrasound (FUS) energy delivered to the target region. In particular, 3D imaging was used to identify the carotid bifurcation for targeting the CBs. Intermittent, high frame rate imaging during image-guided FUS (IgFUS) delivery was used for monitoring the lesion formation. DMUA imaging provided feedback for closed-loop control (CLC) of the lesion formation process to avoid overexposure. The procedure was tolerated well in over 100 SHR and normotensive rats that received unilateral and bilateral treatments. The measured mean arterial pressure (MAP) exhibited measurable deviation from baseline 2-4 weeks post IgFUS treatment. The results suggest that the direct unilateral FUS treatment of the CB might be sufficient to reduce the blood pressure in hypertensive rats and justify further investigation in large animals and eventually in human patients.

The Optimization of Transcostal Phased Array Refocusing Using the Semidefinite Relaxation Method.

Tumors in organs partially obscured by the rib cage represent a challenge for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy. The ribs distort the HIFU beams in a manner that reduces the focusing gain at the target, which could result in treatment-limiting collateral damage. In fact, skin burns are a common complication during the ablation of hepatic tumors. This problem can be addressed by employing optimal refocusing algorithms that are designed to achieve a specified focusing gain at the target while controlling the exposure to the ribs in the path of the HIFU beam. However, previously proposed optimal refocusing algorithms did not allow for the controlled transmission through the ribs. In this article, we introduce a new approach for refocusing that can more efficiently steer power toward the target while limiting the power deposition on the ribs. The approach utilizes the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique to approximate the original (nonconvex) optimization problem. An important advantage of the SDR-based method over previously proposed optimization methods is the control of the side lobes in the focal plane. The method also allows for specifying an acceptable level of exposure to the ribs. Simulation results using a 1-MHz spherical concave phased array focused on an inhomogeneous medium are presented to demonstrate the performance of the SDR refocusing approach. A finite-difference time-domain propagation model was used to model the propagation in the inhomogeneous tissues, including the ribs. Temperature simulations based on the inhomogeneous transient bioheat transfer equation (tBHTE) demonstrate the significance of the improvements in the focusing gain when using the limited power deposition (LPD) method. The results also demonstrate that the LPD method yields well-behaved array excitation vectors, realizable by currently existing drivers.

Reversible neuroinhibition by focused ultrasound is mediated by a thermal mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) at low intensities has been reported to directly evoke responses and reversibly inhibit function in the central nervous system. While some doubt has been cast on the ability of ultrasound to directly evoke neuronal responses, spatially-restricted transcranial ultrasound has demonstrated consistent, inhibitory effects, but the underlying mechanism of reversible suppression in the central nervous system is not well understood. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: In this study, we sought to characterize the effect of transcranial, low-intensity, focused ultrasound on the thalamus during somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and investigate the mechanism by modulating the parameters of ultrasound. METHODS: TFUS was applied to the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus of a rodent while electrically stimulating the tibial nerve to induce an SSEP. Thermal changes were also induced through an optical fiber that was image-guided to the same target. RESULTS: Focused ultrasound reversibly suppressed SSEPs in a spatially and intensity-dependent manner while remaining independent of duty cycle, peak pressure, or modulation frequency. Suppression was highly correlated and temporally consistent with in vivo temperature changes while producing no pathological changes on histology. Furthermore, stereotactically-guided delivery of thermal energy through an optical fiber produced similar thermal effects and suppression. CONCLUSION: We confirm that tFUS predominantly causes neuroinhibition and conclude that the most primary biophysical mechanism is the thermal effect of focused ultrasound.

Nonlinear Imaging of Microbubble Contrast Agent Using the Volterra Filter: In Vivo Results.

A nonlinear filtering approach to imaging the dynamics of microbubble ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) in microvessels is presented. The approach is based on the adaptive third-order Volterra filter (TVF), which separates the linear, quadratic, and cubic components from beamformed pulse-echo ultrasound data. The TVF captures polynomial nonlinearities utilizing the full spectral components of the echo data and not from prespecified bands, e.g., second or third harmonics. This allows for imaging using broadband pulse transmission to preserve the axial resolution and the SNR. In this paper, we present the results from imaging the UCA activity in a 200- [Formula: see text] cellulose tube embedded in a tissue-mimicking phantom using a linear array diagnostic probe. The contrast enhancement was quantified by computing the contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) for the different imaging components, i.e., B-mode, pulse inversion (PI), and the TVF components. The temporal mean and standard deviation of the CTR values were computed for all frames in a given data set. Quadratic and cubic images, referred to as QB-mode and CB-mode, produced higher mean CTR values than B-mode, which showed improved sensitivity. Compared with PI, they produced similar or higher mean CTR values with greater spatial specificity. We also report in vivo results from imaging UCA activity in an implanted LNCaP tumor with heterogeneous perfusion. The temporal means and standard deviations of the echogenicity were evaluated in small regions with different perfusion levels in the presence and absence of UCA. The in vivo measurements behaved consistently with the corresponding calculations obtained under microflow conditions in vitro. Specifically, the nonlinear VF components produced larger increases in the temporal mean and standard deviation values compared with B-mode in regions with low to relatively high perfusion. These results showed that polynomial filters such as the TVF can provide an important tool for imaging UCA activity in regions with heterogeneous perfusion as is the case in some tumors and ischemic tissues.

In Vivo application and localization of transcranial focused ultrasound using dual-mode ultrasound arrays.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has been proposed for a variety of transcranial applications, including neuromodulation, tumor ablation, and blood-brain barrier opening. A flurry of activity in recent years has generated encouraging results demonstrating its feasibility in these and other applications. To date, monitoring of FUS beams has been primarily accomplished using MR guidance, where both MR thermography and elastography have been used. The recent introduction of real-time dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) systems offers a new paradigm in transcranial focusing. In this paper, we present first experimental results of ultrasound-guided transcranial FUS (tFUS) application in a rodent brain, both ex vivo and in vivo. DMUA imaging is used for visualization of the treatment region for placement of the focal spot within the brain. This includes the detection and localization of pulsating blood vessels at or near the target point(s). In addition, DMUA imaging is used to monitor and localize the FUS-tissue interactions in real time. In particular, a concave (40 mm radius of curvature), 32-element, 3.5-MHz DMUA prototype was used for imaging and tFUS application in ex vivo and in vivo rat models. The ex vivo experiments were used to evaluate the point spread function of the transcranial DMUA imaging at various points within the brain. In addition, DMUA-based transcranial ultrasound thermography measurements were compared with thermocouple measurements of subtherapeutic tFUS heating in rat brain ex vivo. The ex vivo setting was also used to demonstrate the capability of DMUA to produce localized thermal lesions. The in vivo experiments were designed to demonstrate the ability of the DMUA to apply, monitor, and localize subtherapeutic tFUS patterns that could be beneficial in transient blood-brain barrier opening. The results show that although the DMUA focus is degraded due to the propagation through the skull, it still produces localized heating effects within a sub-millimeter volume. In addition, DMUA transcranial echo data from brain tissue allow for reliable estimation of temperature change.

Anatomical-based model for simulation of HIFU-induced lesions in atherosclerotic plaques.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to simulate the effect of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in non-homogenous medium for targeting atherosclerotic plaques in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A finite-difference time-domain heterogeneous model for acoustic and thermal tissue response in the treatment region was derived from ultrasound images of the treatment region. A 3.5 MHz dual mode ultrasound array suitable for targeting peripheral vessels was used. The array has a lateral and elevation focus at 40 mm with fenestration in its centre through which a 7.5 MHz diagnostic transducer can be placed. Two cases were simulated where seven adjacent HIFU shots (∼5000 W/cm2, 2-s exposure time) were targeted on the plaque tissue within the femoral artery. The transient bioheat equation with a convective term to account for blood flow was used to predict the thermal dose. The results of the simulation model were then validated against the histology data. RESULTS: The simulation model predicted the HIFU-induced damage for both cases, and correlated well with the histology data. For the first case thermal damage was detected within the targeted plaque, while for the second case thermal damage was detected in the pre-focal region. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a realistic, image-based acoustic and thermal model of the treatment region is capable of predicting the extent of thermal damage to target plaque tissue. The model considered the effect of the wall thickness of large arteries and the heat-sink effect of flowing blood. The model is used for predicting the size and pattern of HIFU damage in vivo.

Ultrasound-guided therapeutic focused ultrasound: current status and future directions.

This paper reviews ultrasound imaging methods for the guidance of therapeutic focused ultrasound (USgFUS), with emphasis on real-time preclinical methods. Guidance is interpreted in the broadest sense to include pretreatment planning, siting of the FUS focus, real-time monitoring of FUS-tissue interactions, and real-time control of exposure and damage assessment. The paper begins with an overview and brief historical background of the early methods used for monitoring FUS-tissue interactions. Current imaging methods are described, and discussed in terms of sensitivity and specificity of the localisation of the FUS effects in both therapeutic and sub-therapeutic modes. Thermal and non-thermal effects are considered. These include cavitation-enhanced heating, tissue water boiling and cavitation. Where appropriate, USgFUS methods are compared with similar methods implemented using other guidance modalities, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions are drawn regarding the clinical potential of the various guidance methods, and the feasibility and current status of real-time implementation.

In vivo ultrasound thermography in presence of temperature heterogeneity and natural motions.

Real-time ultrasound thermography has been recently demonstrated on commercially available diagnostic imaging probes. In vitro experimental results demonstrate high sensitivity to small, localized temperature changes induced by subtherapeutic focused ultrasound. Most of the published results, however, are based on a thermally induced echo strain model that assumes infinitesimal change in temperature between imaging frames. Under this assumption, the echo strain is computed using a low-pass axial differentiator, which is implemented by a finite-impulse response digital filter. In this paper, we introduce a new model for temperature estimation, which employs a recursive axial filter that acts as a spatial differentiator-integrator of echo shifts. The filter is derived from first principles and it accounts for a nonuniform temperature baseline, when computing the spatial temperature change between two frames. This is a major difference from the previously proposed infinitesimal echo strain filter ( δ-ESF) approach. We show that the new approach can be implemented by a first-order infinite-impulse response digital filter with depth-dependent spatial frequency response. Experimental results in vitro demonstrate the advantages over the δ-ESF approach in terms of suppressing the spatial variations in the estimated temperature without resorting to ad hoc low-pass filtering of echo strains. The performance of the new recursive echo strain filter (RESF) is also illustrated using echo data obtained during subtherapeutic localized heating in the hind limb of Copenhagen rat in vivo. In addition to the RESF, we have used an adaptive spatial filter to remove motion and deformation artifacts during real-time data collection. The adaptive filtering algorithm is described and comparisons with uncompensated estimated spatio-temporal temperature profiles are given. The results demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo ultrasound thermography with high sensitivity and specificity.

High-intensity focused ultrasound for potential treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome: toward a noninvasive surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), under dual-mode ultrasound arrays (DMUAs) guidance, to induce localized thermal damage inside ovaries without damage to the ovarian surface. DESIGN: Laboratory feasibility study. SETTING: University-based laboratory. ANIMAL(S): Ex vivo canine and bovine ovaries. INTERVENTION(S): DMUA-guided HIFU. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Detection of ovarian damage by ultrasound imaging, gross pathology, and histology. RESULT(S): It is feasible to induce localized thermal damage inside ovaries without damage to the ovarian surface. DMUA provided sensitive imaging feedback regarding the anatomy of the treated ovaries and the ablation process. Different ablation protocols were tested, and thermal damage within the treated ovaries was histologically characterized. CONCLUSION(S): The absence of damage to the ovarian surface may eliminate many of the complications linked to current laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) techniques. HIFU may be used as a less traumatic tool to perform LOD.

Feasibility of targeting atherosclerotic plaques by high-intensity-focused ultrasound: an in vivo study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility and acute safety of targeting atherosclerotic plaques by high-intensity-focused ultrasound (US) in vivo through a noninvasive extracorporeal approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four swine were included in this prospective study, three of which were familial hypercholesterolemic swine. The procedure was done under general anesthesia. After US identification of atherosclerotic plaques within the femoral arteries, plaques were targeted by high-intensity focused US with an integrated dual-mode US array system. Different ablation protocols were used to meet the study objectives, and animals were then euthanized at different time points. Targeted arterial segments were stained by hematoxylin and eosin for histopathologic examination. Numeric values are presented as means ± standard deviation. RESULTS: All swine tolerated the procedure well, with no arterial dissection, perforation, or rupture. Discrete lesions were detected in the first two swine, measuring 0.54 mm ± 0.10 and 0.25 mm ± 0.03 in cross-sectional dimensions in the first and 0.50 mm ± 0.12 and 0.24 mm ± 0.15 in the second. Confluent ablation zones were identified in the last two swine, measuring 6.92 mm and 0.93 mm in the third and 2.97 mm and 2.52 mm in the fourth. Lesions showed necrotic cores and peripheral reactive inflammatory infiltration. The endothelium overlying targeted arterial segments remained intact. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the feasibility and acute safety of targeting atherosclerotic plaques by high-intensity-focused US in vivo. Further long-term studies are needed to assess how induction of these lesions can modify the progression of atherosclerotic plaques.

Real-time implementation of a dual-mode ultrasound array system: in vivo results.

A real-time dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) system for imaging and therapy is described. The system utilizes a concave (40-mm radius of curvature) 3.5 MHz, 32 element array, and modular multichannel transmitter/receiver. The system is capable of operating in a variety of imaging and therapy modes (on transmit) and continuous receive on all array elements even during high-power operation. A signal chain consisting of field-programmable gate arrays and graphical processing units is used to enable real time, software-defined beamforming and image formation. Imaging data, from quality assurance phantoms as well as in vivo small- and large-animal models, are presented and discussed. Corresponding images obtained using a temporally-synchronized and spatially-aligned diagnostic probe confirm the DMUA's ability to form anatomically-correct images with sufficient contrast in an extended field of view around its geometric center. In addition, high-frame rate DMUA data also demonstrate the feasibility of detection and localization of echo changes indicative of cavitation and/or tissue boiling during high-intensity focused ultrasound exposures with 45-50 dB dynamic range. The results also show that the axial and lateral resolution of the DMUA are consistent with its f(number) and bandwidth with well-behaved speckle cell characteristics. These results point the way to a theranostic DMUA system capable of quantitative imaging of tissue property changes with high specificity to lesion formation using focused ultrasound.

Realtime control of multiple-focus phased array heating patterns based on noninvasive ultrasound thermography.

A system for the realtime generation and control of multiple-focus ultrasound phased-array heating patterns is presented. The system employs a 1-MHz, 64-element array and driving electronics capable of fine spatial and temporal control of the heating pattern. The driver is integrated with a realtime 2-D temperature imaging system implemented on a commercial scanner. The coordinates of the temperature control points are defined on B-mode guidance images from the scanner, together with the temperature set points and controller parameters. The temperature at each point is controlled by an independent proportional, integral, and derivative controller that determines the focal intensity at that point. Optimal multiple-focus synthesis is applied to generate the desired heating pattern at the control points. The controller dynamically reallocates the power available among the foci from the shared power supply upon reaching the desired temperature at each control point. Furthermore, anti-windup compensation is implemented at each control point to improve the system dynamics. In vitro experiments in tissue-mimicking phantom demonstrate the robustness of the controllers for short (2-5 s) and longer multiple-focus high-intensity focused ultrasound exposures. Thermocouple measurements in the vicinity of the control points confirm the dynamics of the temperature variations obtained through noninvasive feedback.

Adaptive transthoracic refocusing of dual-mode ultrasound arrays.

We present experimental validation results of an adaptive, image-based refocusing algorithm of dual-mode ultrasound arrays (DMUAs) in the presence of strongly scattering objects. This study is motivated by the need to develop noninvasive techniques for therapeutic targeting of tumors seated in organs where the therapeutic beam is partially obstructed by the ribcage, e.g., liver and kidney. We have developed an algorithm that takes advantage of the imaging capabilities of DMUAs to identify the ribs and the intercostals within the path of the therapeutic beam to produce a specified power deposition at the target while minimizing the exposure at the rib locations. This image-based refocusing algorithm takes advantage of the inherent registration between the imaging and therapeutic coordinate systems of DMUAs in the estimation of array directivity vectors at the target and rib locations. These directivity vectors are then used in solving a constrained optimization problem allowing for adaptive refocusing, directing the acoustical energy through the intercostals, and avoiding the rib locations. The experimental validation study utilized a 1-MHz, 64-element DMUA in focusing through a block of tissue-mimicking phantom [0.5 dB/(cm .MHz)] with embedded Plexiglas ribs. Single transmit focus (STF) images obtained with the DMUA were used for image-guided selection of the critical and target points to be used for adaptive refocusing. Experimental results show that the echogenicity of the ribs in STF images provide feedback on the reduction of power deposition at rib locations. This was confirmed by direct comparison of measured temperature rise and integrated backscatter at the rib locations. Direct temperature measurements also confirm the improved power deposition at the target and the reduction in power deposition at the rib locations. Finally, we have compared the quality of the image-based adaptive refocusing algorithm with a phase-conjugation solution obtained by direct measurement of the complex pressures at the target location. It is shown that our adaptive refocusing algorithm achieves similar improvements in power deposition at the target while achieving larger reduction of power deposition at the rib locations.

Real-time 2-D temperature imaging using ultrasound.

We have previously introduced methods for noninvasive estimation of temperature change using diagnostic ultrasound. The basic principle was validated both in vitro and in vivo by several groups worldwide. Some limitations remain, however, that have prevented these methods from being adopted in monitoring and guidance of minimally invasive thermal therapies, e.g., RF ablation and high-intensity-focused ultrasound (HIFU). In this letter, we present first results from a real-time system for 2-D imaging of temperature change using pulse-echo ultrasound. The front end of the system is a commercially available scanner equipped with a research interface, which allows the control of imaging sequence and access to the RF data in real time. A high-frame-rate 2-D RF acquisition mode, M2D, is used to capture the transients of tissue motion/deformations in response to pulsed HIFU. The M2D RF data is streamlined to the back end of the system, where a 2-D temperature imaging algorithm based on speckle tracking is implemented on a graphics processing unit. The real-time images of temperature change are computed on the same spatial and temporal grid of the M2D RF data, i.e., no decimation. Verification of the algorithm was performed by monitoring localized HIFU-induced heating of a tissue-mimicking elastography phantom. These results clearly demonstrate the repeatability and sensitivity of the algorithm. Furthermore, we present in vitro results demonstrating the possible use of this algorithm for imaging changes in tissue parameters due to HIFU-induced lesions. These results clearly demonstrate the value of the real-time data streaming and processing in monitoring, and guidance of minimally invasive thermotherapy.