Improved detection of kidney stones using an optimized Doppler imaging sequence

Kidney stones have been shown to exhibit a “twinkling artifact” (TA) under Color Doppler ultrasound. Although this technique has better specificity than conventional B-mode imaging, it has lower sensitivity. To improve the overall performance of TA as a diagnostic tool, Doppler output parameters were optimized in vitro. The collected data supports a previous hypothesis that TA is caused by random oscillations of multiple micron-sized bubbles trapped in the cracks and crevices of kidney stones. A set of optimized parameters were implemented such that the acoustic output remained within the FDA approved limits. Several clinical kidney scans were performed with the optimized settings showing improved SNR relative to the default settings.