Estimation of 3D flow patterns inside the left ventricle by ultrasound.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the biggest cause of deaths worldwide. It is well known that these diseases influence the way in which the blood moves through the heart, i.e. in which it moves within its different cavities. Blood flow inside the left ventricle can thus be used as an early diagnostic indicator. In clinical practice, ultrasonic imaging remains the modality of choice not only due to the fact that it is non-invasive, mobile (even portable) and relatively cheap but also because it can generate images in real-time at a relatively high temporal resolution. At present, there is no ultrasound methodology that can fully characterize blood flow inside the left ventricle (i.e. in three dimensions). Within this project, a new ultrasound methodology will therefore be developed in order to allow the measurement of blood flow inside the left ventricle in three dimensions. Hereto, new flow tracking approaches (consisting of both image acquisition and processing methodologies) will be developed based on realistic computer simulations. Subsequently, the imaging setup required for this flow tracking algorithm will be implemented on an experimental 3D ultrasound system. This methodology will then be validated in an experimental in-vitro setup and in a clinical setting by comparing its measurements to the ones obtained by an independent imaging approach. The developed 3D tracking approach will allow the quantification of 3D flow phenomena in the left ventricle which can yield valuable new information to the cardiologist.

Keywords:Cardiovascular system, Experimental in-vitro setup, Left ventricular blood flow, Computer simulation, 3D ultrasound system, 3D flow tracking approach

Disciplines:Multimedia processing, Biological system engineering, Signal processing, Cardiac and vascular medicine, Biomaterials engineering, Biomechanical engineering, Medical biotechnology, Other (bio)medical engineering, Environmental engineering and biotechnology, Industrial biotechnology, Other biotechnology, bio-engineering and biosystem engineering