Magnetic resonance elastography for ultrasound image simulation

摘要

Ultrasound data is simulated using magnetic resonance (MR) elastography. MR elastography provides tissue characteristic information, such as elastic modulus, velocity, or stiffness. This tissue characteristic information indicates a density or viscosity of the tissue, allowing simulation of ultrasound data with MR acquired data. The same MR imaging system may be used to acquire the MR elastography and pre-operative anatomy information. The actual ultrasound information may be registered with simulated ultrasound information for registration of the actual ultrasound information with the MR anatomy information.

主权项

1. A method for ultrasound data simulation using magnetic resonance elastography, the method comprising:
obtaining with a magnetic resonance (MR) system MR anatomy data representing anatomy of a patient; obtaining MR elastography data representing an elastic characteristic of the anatomy of the patient; registering the MR elastography data with the MR anatomy data; deriving, with a processor, information related to density from the MR elastography data; simulating, with the processor, model ultrasound data from the information related to density; acquiring ultrasound data with an ultrasound scanner; registering the model ultrasound data with the ultrasound data acquired with the ultrasound scanner; registering the ultrasound data acquired with an ultrasound scanner with the MR anatomy data as a function of the model ultrasound data based on the registering of the model ultrasound data with the ultrasound data acquired with the ultrasound scanner; and generating an image using the registering of the ultrasound data acquired with the ultrasound scanner with the MR anatomy data.