Microscopic elasticity imaging of vessel walls based on intravascular ultrasound

The effect of the transducer eccentricity on grayscales of intravascualr ultrasound (IVUS) images was corrected based on the scattering properties of high frequency ultrasound in vessel walls. The displacement and strain distribution of vessel walls produced by tissue microelement motion were obtained by using a novel motion estimation method in steps and sum based on the optical flow and genetic algorithm, Furthermore, the authors first time reconstructed 'real' elasticity distribution images of cross section tissues of vessel walls in the world. In vitro experimental results of porcine artery demonstrated that the methods mentioned above are reasonable. Experimental investigation of vascular mechanics can be advanced to 2D sub-millimeter microstructure levels. These studies have potential to provide new technological means in monitoring and evaluation of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) process.