New ultrasound techniques beat physical limits for prediction of rupture risk in abdominal aortic aneurysms

For his PhD research, Hein de Hoop has developed an innovative approach using multi-perspective ultrasound to allow more detailed and patient-specific analysis of the abdominal aortic wall. Through this new method, De Hoop hopes to improve current functional imaging techniques aimed to strike a better balance between the risk of rupture and the need for surgical intervention.

Traditional treatment criteria for AAAs are primarily based on the diameter and growth rate of the aorta, often resulting in overtreatment and the associated risks and costs. De Hoop's approach, which uses more detailed and accurate images of the aortic wall obtained by two ultrasound heads from different angles, would help physicians to perform a more patient-specific analysis.

Ultrasound imaging allows physicians to map the geometry and movement of the vessel wall in a non-invasive and cost-effective way that fits within current clinical practice. However, current ultrasound techniques struggle to accurately determine local tension and strain across the entire circumference of the vessel wall. De Hoop's research has yielded promising results. By improving the contrast and resolution of the images with the information obtained by the additional ultrasound head, multi-perspective ultrasound was able to perform an improved assessment of the vessel wall motion and deformation. By extending these methods to a clinical setting, the presented technique may play an important role in predicting the rupture risk of aneurysms.

De Hoop conducted this research within the Photoacoustics and Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e) within the department of Biomedical Engineering. The project was part of the ERC-funded project MUSE (Multi-perspective Ultrasound Strain Imaging & Elastography.

Title of PhD thesis: “Multi-aperture ultrasound strain imaging of the abdominal aorta”

Supervisors: Hans-Martin Schwab and Richard Lopata