Experimental results of real‐time freehand elasticity imaging

A system for high‐speed calculation of tissue elastic properties using a clinical ultrasonic imaging system will be presented. The hypothesis driving this development is that real‐time feedback of elasticity images is essential in obtaining high‐quality data (consecutive images with high spatial coherence). Extensive experience with laboratory fixtures and off‐line processing of elasticity data showed that problems occurring in data acquisition often resulted in poor elasticity image quality. The delay in observing the resulting images, due to off‐line processing, resulted in slow progress in developing experimental techniques and signal processing strategies. When high‐quality data were obtained, high contrast‐to‐noise images were available. Initial experience with real‐time freehand elasticity imaging shows that images with similar high contrast to noise can be obtained. Results in volunteer patients have shown that high‐quality elasticity images are easily obtained in vivo for a variety of breast patho...