Video Magnification Applied in Ultrasound

Goal: This paper describes a method to enhance, visualize, and reveal subtle motion that can be present in medical images. As proposed in vision applications, the principle is to magnify displacement applied, in this case, to cardiovascular tissues (carotid). Methods: In the example presented, ultrasound data were acquired at a high frame rate and two-dimensional motion was estimated, amplified, and reapplied in ultrasound carotid sequences. Results: Video magnification makes fast and complex phenomena of human tissue visible. In fact, not only pulse and reflected wave, but also global radial and longitudinal motion in the example presented are visible with video magnification. Conclusion: Video magnification can be used in medical imaging for subtle motion visualization. One of the many possible applications is direct visualization of a local modification in terms of stiffness of a tissue (due to local necrosis, for instance) from acquisition. Moreover, video magnification can be executed with any type of imaging modality. Significance: Video magnification could be a new tool for physicians to highlight new pathology indicators or for long-term disease monitoring.