Method For Assessing Vascular Disease by Quantitatively Measuring Vaso Vasorum
First Claim
1. A method for producing an index indicative of vascular disease in a subject with an ultrasound imaging system, the steps comprising:
- a) administering a contrast agent to the subject;
b) acquiring, with the ultrasound imaging system, a series of image frames from the subject during a passage of the contrast agent through a tissue of interest in the subject;
c) calculating, from the series of image frames, a perfusion rate in the tissue of interest;
d) calculating, from the series of image frames, information indicative of a deformation of the tissue of interest; and
e) producing an index indicative of vascular disease using the calculated perfusion rate and calculated information indicative of the deformation of the tissue of interest.
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Abstract
A method and system for quantifying the extent of vaso vasorum with contrast enhanced ultrasound and correlating that quantitative value to the risk for vascular disease is provided. An ultrasound contrast agent is administered to a subject and images are obtained using an imaging method that identifies the uptake of the contrast agent by tissues. The amount of uptake is measured and the corresponding signal intensity change correlated with the amount of vaso vasorum present. Additionally, deformations of the vasculature are measured from the series of ultrasound images and this information is coupled with the quantification of the vaso vasorum to determine a risk index indicative of a subject'"'"'s risk to vascular disease.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for producing an index indicative of vascular disease in a subject with an ultrasound imaging system, the steps comprising:
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a) administering a contrast agent to the subject; b) acquiring, with the ultrasound imaging system, a series of image frames from the subject during a passage of the contrast agent through a tissue of interest in the subject; c) calculating, from the series of image frames, a perfusion rate in the tissue of interest; d) calculating, from the series of image frames, information indicative of a deformation of the tissue of interest; and e) producing an index indicative of vascular disease using the calculated perfusion rate and calculated information indicative of the deformation of the tissue of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19)
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13. An ultrasound imaging apparatus for assessing a risk of vascular disease in a subject by quantifying vaso vasorum in a blood vessel of the subject as an ultrasound contrast agent passes through the blood vessel, the ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer; a transmitter in communication with the ultrasound transducer and configured to provide transmission signals to the ultrasound transducer so that in response to the transmission signals the ultrasound transducer delivers ultrasound energy to the blood vessel; a receiver in communication with the ultrasound transducer and configured to receive echo signals indicative of ultrasound echoes produced in response to the ultrasound energy delivered to the blood vessel and detected by the ultrasound transducer; and an image processor in communication with the receiver and configured to receive the received echo signals, the image processor being further configured to; i) reconstruct from the received echo signals, a series of image frames depicting the blood vessel; ii) calculate from the series of image frames, a perfusion rate in a lumen of the blood vessel, the perfusion rate being quantitatively indicative of a presence of vaso vasorum in the blood vessel; iii) calculate from the series of image frames, information indicative of a deformation of the blood vessel; and iv) produce an index indicative of a risk of vascular disease using the calculated perfusion rate and calculated information indicative of the deformation of the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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20. A method for quantifying a presence of vaso vasorum in a blood vessel of a patient with an ultrasound imaging system, the steps comprising:
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a) administering a contrast agent to the patient; b) acquiring with the ultrasound imaging system, a series of image frames from the patient during a passage of the contrast agent through a blood vessel in the subject; c) calculating from the series of image frames, a perfusion rate in a lumen of the blood vessel; and d) quantifying a presence of vaso vasorum in the blood vessel using the calculated perfusion rate.
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Specification