SURF imaging: In vivo demonstration of an ultrasound contrast agent detection technique

A dual-band method for ultrasound contrast agent detection is demonstrated in vivo in an animal experiment using pigs. The method is named Second-order UltRasound Field Imaging, abbreviated SURF Imaging. It relies on simultaneously transmitting two ultrasound pulses with a large separation in frequency. Here, a low-frequency pulse of 0.9 MHz is combined with a high-frequency pulse of 7.5 MHz. The low-frequency pulse is used to manipulate the properties of the contrast agent, and the high- frequency pulse is used for high-resolution contrast detection and imaging. An annular array capable of transmitting the low- and high-frequency pulses simultaneously was constructed and fitted to a mechanically scanned probe used in a GE Vingmed System 5 ultrasound scanner. The scanner was modified and adapted for the dual-band transmit technique. In-house software was written for post-processing of recorded IQ-data. Contrast-processed B-mode images of pig kidneys after bolus injections of 1 mL of Sonovue^reg are presented. The images display contrast detection with contrast-to-tissue ratios ranging from 15-40 dB. The results demonstrate the potential of SURF Imaging as an ultrasound contrast detection technique for clinically high ultrasound frequencies. This may allow ultrasound contrast imaging to be available for a wide range of applications.