Combined Vibro-acoustography (VA) imaging and Shearwave Dispersion Ultrasonic Vibrometry (SDUV) for measuring prostate viscoelastic material properties – An in vitro feasibility study

Improved methods for prostate guided-biopsy are required to effectively guide needle biopsy to the suspected site. In addition, tissue stiffness measurement would help identifying a suspected site to perform biopsy because stiffness has been shown to correlate with pathology. More importantly, early detection of prostate cancer may guide therapy and eliminate invasive procedures. Vibro-acoustography (VA) is sensitive to tissue stiffness and may allow locating an appropriate side for biopsy. Furthermore, Shearwave Dispersion Ultrasound Vibrometry (SDUV) can provide quantitative information about tissue viscoelasticity. For prostate applications, the SDUV technique should be guided by an imaging modality leading to a better biopsy and reduction of the sampling error. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of combining VA and SDUV to perform “virtual biopsy” at a specific location. Shear elasticity and viscosity measurements of an excised human prostate are obtained and discussed.