A kind of acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method and system
Technical field
The application relates to ultrasonic imaging technique, particularly relates to a kind of acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method and system.
Background technology
The core of acoustic radiation force imaging carries out quantitative analysis by catching shearing wave to organizing hardness.It is the key that Young's modulus (hardness) calculates that shear-wave velocity is estimated, is also the basis of imaging.Seminar of Duke University proposes TOF (TimeofFlight, flight time) method and carries out shear wave velocity estimation in paper " AcousticRadiationForceImpulseImaging:inVivoDemonstration ofClinicalFeasibility ".As shown in Figure 1, utilizing after acoustic radiation force impacts impact 30 position, tissue 10 is chosen two location points: the first detecting position and the second detecting position, the distance in the middle of them is denoted as Δ R, the displacement caused 2 positions by cross-correlation method calculating shearing wave 20.Shearing wave 20 crest is designated as t respectively by the time of 2
1and t
2, shearing wave 20 speed is
tOF method realizes very simple, and computational efficiency is high.
But TOF method also has following defect: TOF method requires the shearing wave depth location (i.e. focal position) first finding out the strongest displacement, then draws flight curve, then calculate shear wave velocity by the crest location found in flight curve.But find focal position accurately and have following requirement: the precision that computing cross-correlation 1, must be increased, namely must select fenestella and small step progress row computing cross-correlation.Greatly can increase add time like this, and computing Duplication and redundancy very large.2, require high to radiant force Signal-to-Noise, otherwise be easy to noise spot is thought by mistake be focus.TOF also has some shortcomings, such as, only make use of the shearing wave information of focal position, and the shearing wave data of other degree of depth of comprehensive utilization useless, like this shearing wave is assumed to be the perfect condition of single ripple.This hypothesis is being imitated inside body can also accept with medium uniformly, if but having uneven, propagate in inhomogeneous object, shearing wave has the characteristic of more complexity, such as, divide, refraction etc.The shearing wave of single calculating focal position is easy to make mistakes.TOF method only make use of the information of focal position in transposed matrix, does not well utilize the shearing wave displacement in other degree of depth.When radiant force is effective, TOF method can estimate shear wave velocity exactly.But in the application of actual human body or animal, radiant force effect can be subject to a lot of interference, and the focal position in transposed matrix is not easy to find, and when acoustic radiation force effect is more weak, the displacement of tissue that shearing wave causes is not obvious, uses TOF method be difficult to find crest location accurately and carry out wave velocity estimation.
Summary of the invention
The application provides a kind of acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method and system.
According to the first aspect of the application, the application provides a kind of acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method, it is characterized in that, comprising:
Select impact position, the first detecting position and the second detecting position respectively, acoustic radiation force impact is carried out to described impact position;
The data gathering described first detecting position and described second detecting position process respectively, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when drawing two groups;
Respectively the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups is added up along depth direction, obtain two groups of cumulative displacement arrays be made up of cumulative sum;
Respectively maximum value search is carried out, using the time of maximum as shearing wave crest location place to displacement array cumulative described in two groups;
According to the shearing wave crest location time of the distance between described first detecting position and described second detecting position and described first detecting position and described second detecting position, calculate shear wave velocity.
Said method, describedly adds up to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups respectively along depth direction, comprising: choose local data and add up.
Said method, described along depth direction respectively to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups carry out cumulative before, also comprise: lateral interpolation is carried out to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
Said method, described along depth direction respectively to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups carry out cumulative before, also comprise: horizontal filtering is carried out to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
Said method, the data of described first detecting position of described collection and described second detecting position process respectively, specifically comprise: utilize cross-correlation analysis to process the data in described first detecting position and described second detecting position collection respectively.
According to the second aspect of the application, the application provides a kind of acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection system, comprising:
Selecting module, for selecting impact position, the first detecting position and the second detecting position respectively, acoustic radiation force impact being carried out to described impact position;
Acquisition module, processes respectively for the data gathering described first detecting position and described second detecting position, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when drawing two groups;
Accumulator module, for adding up to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups respectively along depth direction, obtains two groups of cumulative displacement arrays be made up of cumulative sum;
Search module, for carrying out maximum value search, using the time of maximum as shearing wave crest location place to displacement array cumulative described in two groups respectively;
Processing module, for the shearing wave crest location time according to the distance between described first detecting position and described second detecting position and described first detecting position and described second detecting position, calculates shear wave velocity.
Said system, described accumulator module, also adds up for choosing local data.
Said system, described accumulator module, also for carrying out lateral interpolation to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
Said system, described accumulator module, also for carrying out horizontal filtering to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
Said system, described acquisition module, also for utilizing cross-correlation analysis to process the data in described first detecting position and described second detecting position collection respectively.
Owing to have employed above technical scheme, the beneficial effect that the application is possessed is:
In the detailed description of the invention of the application, respectively the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-when two groups is added up along depth direction, obtain two groups of cumulative displacement arrays be made up of cumulative sum, respectively maximum value search is carried out to two groups of displacement arrays that add up, using the time of maximum as shearing wave crest location place, according to the shearing wave crest location time of the distance between the first detecting position and the second detecting position and the first detecting position and the second detecting position, calculate shear wave velocity.The application is without the need to finding the focal position in transposed matrix, but first transposed matrix is added up along depth direction, the shearing wave crest information of comprehensive utilization different depth, find out the time location there is maximum shearing wave crest passing through, obtain the lateral attitude at maximum place, can shear wave velocity be calculated.
Accompanying drawing explanation
Fig. 1 is shear-wave velocity estimation principle figure;
Fig. 2 is the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method flow chart in one embodiment of the application;
Fig. 3 is the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection system structural representation in one embodiment of the application.
Detailed description of the invention
By reference to the accompanying drawings the application is described in further detail below by detailed description of the invention.
Embodiment one:
As shown in Figure 1, the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method of the application, its a kind of embodiment, comprises the following steps:
Step 102: select impact position, the first detecting position and the second detecting position respectively, acoustic radiation force impact is carried out to impact position.
Step 104: the data gathering the first detecting position and the second detecting position process respectively, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when drawing two groups.
In one embodiment, the data gathering the first detecting position and the second detecting position process respectively, specifically can comprise: utilize cross-correlation analysis to process the data in the first detecting position and the second detecting position collection respectively.Do not need too little window length and step-length in cross-correlation calculation, reduce computing consuming time, can system resource be saved.
Step 106: add up to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-when two groups respectively along depth direction, obtains two groups of cumulative displacement arrays be made up of cumulative sum.
In one embodiment, respectively the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-when two groups is added up along depth direction, can comprise and choose local data and add up.Wherein choosing of local data position comprises: when setting, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix size is as M capable N row, and centered by longitudinal center's point, the data length longitudinally respectively getting M/4 up and down adds up.Because the position of focus in transposed matrix) probably near longitudinal center, so the data near longitudinal center have the strongest shearing wave displacement.
In one embodiment, along depth direction respectively to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups carry out cumulative before, when can also to comprise pair, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix carries out the step of lateral interpolation.In another embodiment, along depth direction respectively to the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix of time described in two groups carry out cumulative before, can also comprise and horizontal filtering is carried out to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
Step 108: respectively maximum value search is carried out, using the time of maximum as shearing wave crest location place to two groups of displacement arrays that add up.
The shearing wave crest information of comprehensive utilization different depth, finds out the time location having maximum shearing wave crest and pass through.This way has more statistical significance, when radiant force poor signal or medium uneven make final shear wave velocity estimated result more stable.
Step 110: according to the shearing wave crest location time of the distance between the first detecting position and the second detecting position and the first detecting position and the second detecting position, calculate shear wave velocity.Specifically calculate by following formula:
wherein △ R is the displacement between the first detecting position and the second detecting position, and △ t is the time difference of crest by the first detecting position and the second detecting position of shearing wave.
Because the first detecting position is the same with the echo data processing mode of the second detecting position, so describe in detail for the echo data of the first detecting position here:
1. suppose that the first detecting position image data size is M*N, can be regarded as and acquires at the first detecting position the data that longitudinal length is M, acquire N time.
2. pair data matrix adjacent column carries out the calculating of cross-correlation Displacement Estimation, if step-length is Step, window is long is WinLength, finally show that cross-correlation transposed matrix size is K* (N-1), wherein K=[(M-WinLength)/Step]+1.The m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when this matrix is.
3. time pair, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix is along depth direction, and namely column direction carries out data accumulation, obtains the cumulative sum one-dimension array that length is N-1.
4. in cumulative sum array, travel through maximizing, and be designated as T1 under recording maximum.
5. above method is run the second detecting position data, draws T2.According to formula
try to achieve shear wave velocity, wherein
Δr is the spacing of the first detecting position and the second detecting position, determines by during chosen position.
In the ideal situation, the position of carrying out radiant force impact is the focus in transposed matrix; But reality is impossible, due to the uncertainty of shearing wave wave source position excited, the focus (the propagation position that namely wave source energy is the strongest) of transposed matrix is unknown, needing the transposed matrix according to calculating to calculate, estimating focal position.Common method directly finds out the position of transposed matrix maximum, be namely judged as focal position, and the application first adds up transposed matrix along depth direction, obtain maximum lateral attitude, directly can calculate shear wave velocity, settle at one go.The shearing wave crest information of the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method comprehensive utilization different depth of the application, finds out the time location having maximum shearing wave crest and pass through.This way has more statistical significance, when radiant force poor signal or medium uneven make final shear wave velocity estimated result more stable.Present application addresses acoustic radiation force effect more weak time, the displacement of tissue that shearing wave causes is not obvious, uses TOF method be difficult to find crest location accurately and carry out the problem of wave velocity estimation.
Embodiment two:
As shown in Figure 3, the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection system of the application, its a kind of embodiment, comprises and selects module, acquisition module and accumulator module.Selecting module, for selecting impact position, the first detecting position and the second detecting position respectively, acoustic radiation force impact being carried out to impact position.Acquisition module, processes respectively for the data gathering the first detecting position and the second detecting position, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when drawing two groups.Accumulator module, for adding up to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-when two groups respectively along depth direction, obtains two groups of cumulative displacement arrays be made up of cumulative sum.Search module, for carrying out maximum value search, using the time of maximum as shearing wave crest location place to displacement array cumulative described in two groups respectively.Processing module, for the shearing wave crest location time according to the distance between the first detecting position and the second detecting position and the first detecting position and the second detecting position, calculates shear wave velocity.
The acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection system of the application, accumulator module, can also be used for choosing local data and add up.Wherein choosing of local data position comprises: when setting, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix size is as M capable N row, and centered by longitudinal center's point, the data length longitudinally respectively getting M/4 up and down adds up.Because the position of focus in transposed matrix) probably near longitudinal center, so the data near longitudinal center have the strongest shearing wave displacement.
In one embodiment, accumulator module, when can also to be used for pair, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix carries out lateral interpolation.In another embodiment, accumulator module, can also be used for carrying out horizontal filtering to the degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix m-time described.
The acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection system of the application, acquisition module, can also be used for utilizing cross-correlation analysis to process the data in the first detecting position and the second detecting position collection respectively.Do not need too little window length and step-length in cross-correlation calculation, reduce computing consuming time, can system resource be saved.
Because the first detecting position is the same with the echo data processing mode of the second detecting position, so describe in detail for the echo data of the first detecting position here:
1. suppose that the first detecting position image data size is M*N, can be regarded as and acquires at the first detecting position the data that longitudinal length is M, acquire N time.
2. pair data matrix adjacent column carries out the calculating of cross-correlation Displacement Estimation, if step-length is Step, window is long is WinLength, finally show that cross-correlation transposed matrix size is K* (N-1), wherein K=[(M-WinLength)/Step]+1.The m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix when this matrix is.
3. time pair, the m-degree of depth-shearing wave transposed matrix is along depth direction, and namely column direction carries out data accumulation, obtains the cumulative sum one-dimension array that length is N-1.
4. in cumulative sum array, travel through maximizing, and be designated as T1 under recording maximum.
5. above method is run the second detecting position data, draws T2.According to formula
try to achieve shear wave velocity, wherein
Δr is the spacing of the first detecting position and the second detecting position, determines by during chosen position.
In the ideal situation, the position of carrying out radiant force impact is the focus in transposed matrix; But reality is impossible, due to the uncertainty of shearing wave wave source position excited, the focus (the propagation position that namely wave source energy is the strongest) of transposed matrix is unknown, needing the transposed matrix according to calculating to calculate, estimating focal position.Common method directly finds out the position of transposed matrix maximum, be namely judged as focal position, and the application first adds up transposed matrix along depth direction, obtain maximum lateral attitude, directly can calculate shear wave velocity, settle at one go.The shearing wave crest information of the acoustic radiation shear-wave velocity detection method comprehensive utilization different depth of the application, finds out the time location having maximum shearing wave crest and pass through.This way has more statistical significance, when radiant force poor signal or medium uneven make final shear wave velocity estimated result more stable.Present application addresses acoustic radiation force effect more weak time, the displacement of tissue that shearing wave causes is not obvious, uses TOF method be difficult to find crest location accurately and carry out the problem of wave velocity estimation.
Above content is the further description done the application in conjunction with concrete embodiment, can not assert that the concrete enforcement of the application is confined to these explanations.For the application person of an ordinary skill in the technical field, under the prerequisite not departing from the application's design, some simple deduction or replace can also be made.