Computer-aided diagnosis of diffuse disease based on ultrasound elasticity images

Practical equipment for tissue elasticity imaging has recently been developed. Results of clinical examination of breast confirmed that tissue elasticity imaging is useful for the detection of tumor. In the case of diffuse diseases like hepatic cirrhosis, change of tissue elasticity is widespread unlike tumor which produces locally hard area. However, it was revealed that texture of elasticity image changes as cirrhosis progresses. Therefore, we investigated to develop the CAD system based on elasticity image for diagnosing defused type diseases such as hepatic cirrhosis.