Gel-Free Ultrasound Imaging

Rego, Mary M.; Sabater, Julisse; Egenberger, Kyla Y.; Duulal, Bilguun

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Gel-Free Ultrasound Imaging

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Ultrasound (US) imaging is a diverse technology that can visualize internal structures through the propagation and reflection of high frequency US waves. This project functioned to produce a method for US imaging that would operate without the use of conventional topical gel for clinical application. The project was inspired by National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s aeronautical application of a floating point US transducer (U.S. Patent No. 9,354,206 in 2016). The system consisted of a Clarius linear array US transducer attached to a ball screw linear actuator. The actuator allowed the US transducer to tap on the surface being imaged to reduce the friction associated with gliding across a gel-free surface. Actuation of the US transducer was at a frequency of either 6 or 14 Hz, where one “cycle” consisted of lifting by 0.5 mm and then lowering by 0.5 mm. To replace topical gel, several solid materials were considered: nitrile rubber, neoprene, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and PDMS with titanium dioxide. Image quality was quantitatively assessed with signal processing metrics (mean squared error, peak signal to noise ratio, and structural similarity index) and statistical analysis (Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, Kruskall Wallis test, and Pairwise Comparison). From the results, it was determined that PDMS (with no titanium dioxide) was the most promising replacement for gel, as it showed the best image quality compared to the other materials. The effectiveness of PDMS in US was the most significant when imaging without gel and without the actuation mechanism. Lastly, it was lastly found that actuation did not have significant effects on image quality in this experimental configuration.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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