Angle-Independent Myocardial Elastography – Theoretical Analysis and Clinical Validation

Several methods have been introduced in the past few years to quantify left-ventricular strain in order to detect myocardial ischemia and infarction. Myocardial Elastography is one of these methods, which is based on ultrasound Radio-Frequency (RF) signal processing at high frame rates for the highest precision and resolution of strain estimation. Myocardial elastography estimates displacement and strain during the natural contraction of the myocardium using cross-correlation techniques. We have previously shown that imaging of the myocardial strain at high precision allows the correct assessment of the contractility of the cardiac muscle and thus measurement of the extent of ischemia or infarct. In this paper, for the first time in echocardiography, we show how angle-independent techniques can be used to estimate and image the mechanics of normal and pathological myocardia, both in simulations and in vivo. First, the fundamental limits of 2D normal and principal strain component estimation are determined using an ultrasound image formation model and a 2D short-axis view of a 3D left-ventricular, finite-element model, in normal and ischemic configurations. Two-dimensional (i.e., lateral and axial) cumulative displacement and strain components were iteratively estimated and imaged using 1D cross-correlation and recorrelation techniques in a 2D search. Validation of these elastographic findings in one normal human subject was performed. Principal strains were also imaged for the characterization of normal myocardium. In conclusion, the feasibility of angle-independent, 2D myocardial elastography technique was shown through the calculation of the in-plane principal strains, which was proven essential in the reliable depiction of strains independent of the beam-tissue angle or the type of sonographic view used.