Real-time 3D contrast-enhanced transcranial ultrasound

Contrast-enhanced (CE) transcranial ultrasound (US) and reconstructed 3D transcranial ultrasound have shown advantages over traditional methods in a variety of cerebrovascular diseases. We present the results from a novel ultrasound technique, namely real-time 3D contrast-enhanced transcranial ultrasound with phase aberration correction. Using real-time 3D (RT3D) ultrasound and micro-bubble contrast agent, we scanned 17 healthy volunteers via a single temporal window and 9 via the sub-occipital window and report our detection rates for the major cerebral vessels. In 82% of subjects, we identified the ipsilateral circle of Willis from the temporal window, and in 65% we imaged the entire circle of Willis. From the sub-occipital window, we detected the entire vertebrobasilar circulation in 22% of subjects, and in 50% the basilar artery. After performing phase aberration correction on one subject, we were able to increase the diagnostic value of the scan, detecting a vessel not present in the uncorrected scan. These preliminary results suggest that RT3D CE transcranial US with phase aberration correction has the potential to greatly impact the field of neurosonology. ©2007 IEEE.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel Todd Laskowitz Neurology, Neurocritical Care

Author Stephen William Smith Biomedical Engineering

Author Ellen Ruth Bennett Neurology, Neurocritical Care