National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering 5R01EB032960-04

Minimizing Uncertainty in Breast Ultrasound Imaging with Real-Time Coherence-Based Beamforming

This award funds the development of real-time ultrasound imaging technology using coherence-based beamforming to improve the differentiation of breast masses, aiming to reduce diagnostic uncertainty and improve clinical workflows.

Description

The project aims to develop real-time ultrasound imaging technology to distinguish fluid-filled masses from solid and complex cystic masses, which appear hypoechoic in traditional ultrasound B-mode images. The novel approach, Robust Short-Lag Spatial Coherence (R-SLSC) imaging, incorporates coherence-based beamforming to enhance existing methods. Objectives include developing a real-time system for matched B-mode and R-SLSC imaging, evaluating system performance, assessing the ability to distinguish fluid from solid or complex masses using quantitative analyses and reader studies, and investigating advanced methods to retrieve coherence and diagnostic information from ultrasound data. Successful completion will lead to a real-time tool to confidently distinguish solid from fluid hypoechoic breast masses, simplifying clinical workflows and potentially applicable to other organs.

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