3-D vascular ultrasound imaging

Although ultrasound imaging is an important technique, technical improvements are needed before its full potential is realized and for diagnosis and management of vascular disease and visualizing small vessels. The authors believe that 2-D viewing of 3-D anatomy, using the conventional ultrasound procedures, limits one´s ability to quantify and visualize vascular diseases. The authors´ goal is to develop a 3-D ultrasound technique for imaging the vasculature using B-mode, colour Doppler, and Doppler power. In their approach, the ultrasound probe is connected to an assembly that translates or rotates the probe rapidly, while 2-D ultrasound images are digitized. The sequence of 2-D images are reconstructed into a 3-D image, which can be manipulated interactively. The authors have shown that 3-D imaging with B-mode, colour Doppler and Doppler power can be useful in assessing atherosclerosis, imaging of the kidney and spleen, as well as imaging of angiogenic vessels. Specifically, in this paper the authors also show that imaging of the carotid arteries has demonstrated that the technique can be used for stenosis and plaque volume measurements, as well as for assessment of the complexity of the plaque