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Quantitative ultrasonography as a tool for the evaluation of breast tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Hanna Piotrzkowska-Wróblewska
Hanna Piotrzkowska-Wróblewska
, 
Katarzyna Dobruch-Sobczak
Katarzyna Dobruch-Sobczak
 and 
Jerzy Litniewski
Jerzy Litniewski
   | Apr 27, 2022
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Article Category: Review paper
Published Online: Apr 27, 2022
Page range: 86 - 92
Received: Nov 11, 2021
Accepted: Jan 25, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/JoU.2022.0015
Keywords
© 2022 Hanna Piotrzkowska-Wróblewska, Katarzyna Dobruch-Sobczak, Jerzy Litniewski, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Diagram of ultrasonic RF signal formation as a result of scattering on inhomogeneities present in the tissue
Diagram of ultrasonic RF signal formation as a result of scattering on inhomogeneities present in the tissue

Fig. 2

Principle of operation of traditional ultrasonography (B-mode imaging) and quantitative ultrasound. In the case of a parametric map (generated based on the analyzed biomarker value – the effective number of diffusers), red denotes high values of the parameter (indicating a large number of identical small scatter structures), while blue represents low values (indicating a small number of large scatterers, e.g., clusters of cancer cells)
Principle of operation of traditional ultrasonography (B-mode imaging) and quantitative ultrasound. In the case of a parametric map (generated based on the analyzed biomarker value – the effective number of diffusers), red denotes high values of the parameter (indicating a large number of identical small scatter structures), while blue represents low values (indicating a small number of large scatterers, e.g., clusters of cancer cells)

Fig. 3

B-mode ultrasound images with overlaid parametric IBC images determined for a patient responding to NAC before (A) and one week after each chemotherapy cycle (B–F). Blue indicates low IBC values; red indicates high values
B-mode ultrasound images with overlaid parametric IBC images determined for a patient responding to NAC before (A) and one week after each chemotherapy cycle (B–F). Blue indicates low IBC values; red indicates high values

Fig. 4

B-mode ultrasound images with overlaid parametric IBC images determined for a non-responder to NAC before (A) and one week after each chemotherapy cycle (B–F). Blue indicates low IBSC values; red indicates high values
B-mode ultrasound images with overlaid parametric IBC images determined for a non-responder to NAC before (A) and one week after each chemotherapy cycle (B–F). Blue indicates low IBSC values; red indicates high values

Characteristics of the ultrasonic parameters discussed in the article

Determination methodParameter name and definitionTissue features affecting its value
Spectral parameters – determined directly from the signal spectrum in the frequency range corresponding to the transducer frequency bandMid-band fit (MBF) [dB]Size, shape, quantity, and elastic properties of scatterers
0-MHz intercept (SI) [dB]:Size, shape, quantity, and elastic properties of scatterers
Spectral slope (SS) [dB/MHz]:Size, shape of scatterers
Backscatter scattering parameters – determined on the basis of the backscattering coefficient in the frequency range corresponding to the transducer frequency bandAverage scatterer diameter (ASD) [μm]Average size of the scatterers (e.g., single cells or clusters of cells)
Average acoustic concentration (AAC) [dB/cm3]Spatial density, organization, elastic properties of scatterers
Integrated backscatter coefficient (IBC) [dB]Size (AND), shape, quantity, organization, and elastic properties of scatterers
Statistical properties
First-order statistical properties of the RF echo envelope – basic concept relies on modeling the magnitude of speckle with probability density functions, shape parameters of the K homodyne distributionENS – effective numbers of scatterers the scatterer clustering parameterQuantity, organization, and elastic properties of scatterers
k– the structure parameterSize, elastic properties of diffusing structures
eISSN:
2451-070X
Language:
English
Publication timeframe:
4 times per year
Journal Subjects:
Medicine, Basic Medical Science, other
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