Simultaneous Evalulation of Contrast Pulse Sequences for Super-Resolution Ultrasound Imaging – Preliminary In Vitro and In Vivo Results

Super-resolution ultrasound imaging (SR-US) has enabled a tenfold improvement in resolution of the microvasculature with clinical application in many disease processes such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Plane wave ultrasound (US) platforms in turn are capable of the very high frame rates needed to track microbubble (MB) contrast agents used in SR-US. Both B-mode US imaging and contrast enhanced US imaging (CEUS) have been effectively used in SR-US, with B-mode US having higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and CEUS providing higher contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR). Lengthy imaging time needed for SR-US to allow perfusion and MB detection is an impediment to clinical adoption. Both SNR and CTR improvements can enhance SR-US imaging by enhancing the detection of MBs thus reducing imaging time. This study simultaneously evaluated nonlinear contrast pulse sequences (CPS) employing different amplitude modulation (AM) and pulse inversion (PI) nonlinear CEUS imaging techniques as well as combinations of the two, (AMPI) with B-mode US imaging. The objective was to improve the detection rate of MB during SR-US. Imaging was performed in vitro and in vivo in the rat hind limb using a Vantage 256 research scanner (Verasonics Inc.). Comparisons of four CPS compositions with B-mode US imaging was made based on the number of MB detected and localized in SR-US images. The use of a PI nonlinear CEUS imaging strategy improved SR-US imaging by increasing the number of MB detected in a sequence of frames by an average of 28.3% and up to 52.6% over a B-mode US imaging strategy, which would decrease imaging time accordingly.