Precision Analysis of Viscoelastic Measurement Using Shear Wave Dispersion Vibrometry Method

Shear wave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry is a noninvasive method that can quantitatively measure tissue viscoelastic properties. But the accuracy of measurement will be influenced by several factors. In this study, we used FEM model to simulate the frequency response of tissue excited by harmonic radiation force. Then the resulting shear wave displacement was recorded for pulse-echo simulation process. The effects of detecting positions, displacement amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio were analyzed. The results show that the precision of viscoelasticity estimation will be degraded by low displacement amplitude, SNR ratio and far detecting position. Furthermore, estimation accuracy will also be degraded by boundary refection. The results will be useful for optimizing the system so as to provide better estimation precision.