Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Small calcification depiction in ultrasound B-mode images using decorrelation of echoes caused by forward scattered waves

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Medical Ultrasonics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a novel method to depict small calcifications in ultrasound B-mode images using decorrelation of forward scattered waves with no decrease in the frame rate.

Methods

Since the waveform of an ultrasound pulse changes when it passes through a calcification location, the echo waveform from regions behind the calcification is quite different from that without a calcification. This indicates that the existence of a calcification is predictable based upon the waveform difference between adjacent scan lines by calculating cross-correlation coefficients. In addition, a high-intensity echo should return from the calcification itself. Therefore, the proposed method depicts the high-intensity echo positions with posterior low correlation coefficient regions.

Results

Eleven of 15 wires 0.2–0.4 mm in diameter were depicted using this method, yielding a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 100%, even though they might go undetected under clinical inspection of ultrasound B-mode images.

Conclusion

This study suggests that an US device could perform well in terms of calcification detection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Özdemir H, Demir MK, Temizöz O, et al. Phase inversion harmonic imaging improves assessment of renal calculi: a comparison with fundamental gray-scale sonography. J Clin Ultrasound. 2008;36:16–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fowler KAB, Locken JA, Duchesne JH, et al. US for detecting renal calculi with nonenhanced CT as a reference standard. Radiology. 2002;222:109–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Lamb PM, Perry NM, Vinnicombe SJ, et al. Correlation between ultrasound characteristics, mammographic findings and histological grade in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Clin Radiol. 2000;55:40–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacob D, Brombart JC, Muller C, et al. Analysis of the results of 137 subclinical breast lesions excisions. Value of ultrasonography in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 1997;26:27–31.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhu Y, Weight JP. Ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of highly scattering materials using adaptive filtering and detection. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelect Freq Contr. 1994;41:26–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kamiyama N, Okamura Y, Kakee A, et al. Investigation of ultrasound image processing to improve perceptibility of microcalcifications. J Med Ultrasonics. 2008;35:97–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Finn HM, Johnson RS. Adaptive detection mode with threshold control as a function of spatially sampled clutter-level estimates. RCA Rev. 1968;29:414–65.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hansen VG, Ward HR. Detection performance of the cell averaging LOG/CFAR receiver. IEEE Trans Aerosp Electron Syst. 1972;5:648–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Schmidt T, Hohl C, Haage P, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of phase-inversion tissue harmonic imaging versus fundamental B-mode sonography in the evaluation of focal lesions of the kidney. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;180:1639–47.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rosenthal SJ, Jones PH, Wetzel LH. Phase inversion tissue harmonic sonographic imaging: a clinical utility study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001;176:1393–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Szopinski KT, Pajk AM, Wysocki M, et al. Tissue harmonic imaging: utility in breast sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 2003;22:479–87.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Rosen EL, Soo MS. Tissue harmonic imaging sonography of breast lesions improved margin analysis, conspicuity, and image quality compared to conventional ultrasound. Clin Imaging. 2001;25:379–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Krücker JF, Meyer CR, LeCarpentier GL, et al. 3D spatial compounding of ultrasound imaging using image-based nonrigid registration. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2000;26:1475–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Moskalik A, Carson PL, Meyer CR, et al. Registration of 3-dimensional compound ultrasound scans of the breast for refraction and motion correction. Ultrasound Med Biol. 1995;21:769–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Rohling RN, Gee AH, Berman L. Automatic registration of 3-D ultrasound images. Ultrasound Med Biol. 1998;24:841–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Huber S, Wagner M, Medl M, et al. Real time spatial compound imaging in breast ultrasound. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2002;28:155–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Weinstein SP, Conant EF, Sehgal C. Technical advances in breast ultrasound imaging. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2006;27:273–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Taki H, Sakamoto T, Yamakawa M, et al. Calculus detection for medical acoustic imaging using cross-correlation: simulation study. J Med Ultrasonics. 2010;37:129–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Taki H, Sakamoto T, Yamakawa M, et al. Small calculus detection for medical acoustic imaging using cross-correlation between echo signals. Proc IEEE Int Ultrason Symp. 2009;2398–2401.

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is partly supported by the Research and Development Committee Program of the Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine and the Innovative Techno-Hub for Integrated Medical Bio-imaging Project of the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Hirofumi Taki, Takuya Sakamoto & Toru Sato

  2. Advanced Biomedical Engineering Research Unit, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Makoto Yamakawa

  3. Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Shiina

  4. Corporate R&D HQ, Canon Inc, 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo, 146-8501, Japan

    Kenichi Nagae

Authors
  1. Hirofumi Taki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takuya Sakamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Makoto Yamakawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tsuyoshi Shiina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kenichi Nagae
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Toru Sato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hirofumi Taki.

About this article

Cite this article

Taki, H., Sakamoto, T., Yamakawa, M. et al. Small calcification depiction in ultrasound B-mode images using decorrelation of echoes caused by forward scattered waves. J Med Ultrasonics 38, 73–80 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-011-0298-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-011-0298-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation