System and method for characterizing tissue based upon split spectrum analysis of backscattered ultrasound

摘要

A system and method are disclosed that facilitate characterizing vascular plaque tissue based upon spectral analysis of intravascular ultrasound echo signal segments. In particular, split spectrum analysis of an integrated backscatter parameter introduces a spectral resolution component to parameterization of received intravascular ultrasound echo signal segments. The resulting parameter values for each of multiple bands within a larger frequency band supported by an ultrasound system are applied to plaque tissue characterization criteria to render a plaque tissue characterization corresponding to the corresponding ultrasound echo signal segments.

主权项

1. A system for characterizing tissue, comprising:
a processing system in communication with an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device, the processing system configured to:
compute, from RF-domain ultrasound echo signal segment data derived from analog ultrasound echo signals associated with a region of interest in a portion of a body, spectrally resolved information over an operating frequency range resulting from a single transmitted ultrasound frequency including:
a power spectrum by performing spectral analysis, anda system transfer function;determine, in each of at least a first sub-band and a second sub-band within the operating frequency range, an integrated backscatter parameter from the power spectrum and system transfer function;compare integrated backscatter values from at least the first sub-band and the second sub-band to obtain at least one integrated backscatter comparison parameter value;apply the at least one integrated backscatter comparison parameter value to at least one tissue characterization criterion to determine a plaque tissue characterization for the tissue in the region of interest; andoutput an image of the region of interest to a display in accordance with the plaque tissue characterization of the tissue in the region of interest.