New technologies in ultrasound
15.10.2009 10:20
Recent studies point to the success of new technologies in ultrasound applications for liver and breast diagnostics
Siemens Healthcare has developed two technologies that could transform ultrasound imaging: ARFI (Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse) imaging and the Acuson S2000 ABVS (Automated Breast Volume Scanner) 3D breast scanner.
The latest studies on ARFI imaging confirm the success of this method, which can determine and quantify the elasticity of tissue better than before using the software solutions “Virtual TouchTissue Imaging” and “Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification”. Automatic volume imaging for breast sonography is also becoming increasingly important for breast cancer diagnosis. Siemens has adapted to this technology with the new Acuson S2000 ABVS ultrasound breast scanner. The multifunctional system – particularly suitable for examining dense breast tissue – is now in use in around 20 medical facilities in Europe.
Tissue elasticity provides an important indication of malignant changes. One of the most innovative ultrasound applications today is the implementation of so-called ARFI imaging. With their help, tissue can be compressed using an acoustic pressure pulse. This allows the doctor to assess the pressure sensitivity of deep tissue, for example the liver or kidney, and detect tissue changes.
In contrast to conventional elasticity imaging, in which pressure is applied to the tissue to be examined using the transducer, Virtual Touch Tissue Imaging automatically determines the tissue stiffness. Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification is currently the only method on the market that also measures the speed of propagation of the shear waves, which allows a detailed classification of tissue stiffness - and thus an assessment of the severity of the disease. Both procedures now enable reproducible, comparable recordings and measurement results – regardless of the examiner.
Current research suggests that this method is helpful in differentiating abnormalities such as liver tumors or in quantifying the degree of liver fibrosis. Dr. Mireen Friedrich-Rust from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, found in a recently published study that "Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification is a promising method for quantifying the liver fibrosis stage in patients with viral hepatitis using image-guided ultrasound." The procedure is already being used in some clinics in Europe. Siemens was the first medical technology company to implement this technology in an imaging ultrasound system.
3D imaging technology increases early detection rates for breast cancer
With the Acuson S2000 ABVS, SiemensHealthcare has introduced the world's first multifunctional ultrasound breast scanner that automatically acquires volume images of the female breast. The user-independent and standardized examination thus gains new importance. The radiologist and co-owner of the Diavero diagnostic center in Essen, Dr. Frank Stöblen is certain that the new ultrasound system with ABVS will become increasingly important in diagnosing breast cancer: “This technology will become very important for early detection. It can also be used to examine high-risk patients, for example those with a hereditary predisposition or during or after cancer treatment.”
The innovative system enables a higher early detection rate for breast cancer, especially in women with dense breast tissue. In North America and Western Europe, about two in five women have dense breast tissue, which increases the risk of developing breast cancer fivefold, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. While conventional mammography will remain the method of choice for breast cancer screening, a 2008 study showed that a combination of screening mammography and ultrasound detected 28 percent more cancers than mammography alone. The automatic volume imaging with the Acuson S2000 ABVS also allows, for the first time, the visualization of the coronal plane of the breast - from the nipple to the chest wall - in a way that was not possible with conventionally acquired ultrasound images. In addition, you can also carry out all conventional, hand-held ultrasound examinations with the automatic breast scanner.