Image artifacts in intravascular elastography

Intravascular ultrasound is being investigated as a tool for imaging the local elasticity of atherosclerotic vessels: the ultimate goal is to obtain images of the (compression or shear) modulus of elasticity. In practice, radial strain images are used to depict local hardness. The approximate nature of this technique can result in image artifacts that must be understood and corrected for. Several artifacts are described and characterized using phantom studies and finite element modelling. In simple morphologies compensation for the artifacts may be possible, but complex morphologies require complex compensations. In these cases, the finite element method can assist in a correct interpretation of local tissue hardness from strain images