A multimode sonic and ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with application to peripheral vascular characterization

Ultrasound (US) medical imaging technology is enhanced by integrating a simultaneous noninvasive audible frequency measurement of biological sounds that could be indicative of pathology. Measurement of naturally-occurring biological acoustic phenomena can augment conventional imaging technology by providing unique information about material structure and system function. Sonic phenomena of diagnostic value are associated with a wide range of biological functions, such as breath sounds, bowel sounds, and vascular bruits. The initial focus of this multimode technology was to provide an improved diagnostic tool for common peripheral vascular complications that result in transitional or turbulent blood flow, such as associated with arteriovenous (AV) grafts and stenoses in common carotid and other arteries due to plaque buildup. We review: (1) the development the multimode system by combining a commercial US system with a novel sonic sensor array and associated instrumentation, and (2) the evaluation of its capability via controlled phantom models of basic subsurface sound sources/structures, as well as simulations of constricted peripheral blood vessels. [Work supported by NIH EB002511 and HL55296, and Whitaker Foundation BME RG 01-0198.]