Title :
Resolution limitations in intravascular ultrasound imaging
Author :
Benkeser, P.J. ; Lee, C.K. ; Churchwell, A.L. ; Abouelnasr, D.M.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Electr. Eng., Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract :
Interest in the use of ultrasound to characterize the structure and composition of blood vessel walls has risen dramatically as a result of the development of intravascular ultrasonic (IVUS) imaging transducers mounted on the tips of small-diameter catheters. However, there have been conflicting reports on the capabilities of IVUS in visualizing fine structures, such as layers of the arterial wall. Theoretical and experimental studies of the resolution of the two principal designs of IVUS transducers are described. Comparisons of the two designs reveal that they have similar resolutions. However, these resolutions are shown to decrease linearly with increasing radial distance. Significant errors in image interpretation will result if this variation in resolution is not accounted for
Keywords :
acoustic imaging; biomedical ultrasonics; arterial wall layers; blood vessel walls; fire structures visualization; image interpretation; intravascular ultrasound imaging; medical diagnostic imaging; resolution limitations; small-diameter catheters; Biomedical imaging; Catheters; Clinical trials; Image analysis; Image resolution; Lesions; Morphology; Piezoelectric transducers; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic transducers;
Conference_Titel :
Ultrasonics Symposium, 1991. Proceedings., IEEE 1991
Conference_Location :
Orlando, FL
DOI :
10.1109/ULTSYM.1991.234297
