Cerebral Perfusion Imaging with Bolus Harmonic Imaging

Christian Kier, Daniel Toth, Karsten Meyer-Wiethe, Angela Schindler, Hakan Cangür, Günter Seidel, Til Aach

Abstract

Fast visualisation of cerebral microcirculation supports diagnosis of acute stroke. However, the commonly used CT/MRI-based methods are time consuming, costly and not applicable to every patient. The bolus perfusion harmonic imaging (BHI) method is an ultrasound imaging technique which makes use of the fact, that ultrasound contrast agents unlike biological tissues resonate at harmonic frequencies. Exploiting this effect, the contrast between perfused and non-perfused areas can be improved. Thus, BHI overcomes the low signal-to-noise ratio of transcranial ultrasound and the high impedance of the skull. By analysing image sequences, visualising the qualitative characteristics of an US contrast agent bolus injection becomes possible. The analysis consists of calculating four perfusion-related parameters, Local Peak Intensity, Time To Peak, Area Under Curve, and Average Rising, from the time/intensity curve and providing them as colour-coded images. For calculating these parameters the fundamental assumption is that image intensity corresponds to contrast agent concentration which in turn shows the perfusion of the corresponding brain region. In a clinical study on patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke it is shown that some of the parameters correlate significantly to the infarction area. Thus, BHI becomes a less time-consuming and inexpensive bedside method for diagnosis of cerebral perfusion deficits. Ultrasonography, bolus harmonic imaging, contrast agent, cerebral microcirculation, brain perfusion, cerebrovascular diagnostics, acute ischemie stroke.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMedical Imaging 2005: Ultrasonic Imaging and Signal Processing
Number of pages10
Volume5750
PublisherSPIE
Publication date19.09.2005
Pages437-446
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19.09.2005
EventMedical Imaging 2005 - San Diego, United States
Duration: 13.02.200517.02.2005
Conference number: 65433

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cerebral Perfusion Imaging with Bolus Harmonic Imaging'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this