Development of radiofrequency ultrasound based method for elasticity characterization using low frequency endogenous motion: Phantom study

Abstract

This paper presents developed radiofrequency (RF) ultrasound based strain elastography imaging method, which operates and could be adjusted in frequency domain. The method was verified by using agar-based tissue mimicking substitute. The phantom had 7 kPa stiffness background material and two inclusions of different stiffness 15 and 30 kPa. The displacements in the phantom material were induced by hand. The obtained strain contrast-to-noise ratio between the background material and two inclusions is 1.32 and 1.50 respectively. These results confirm the differentiation power of the method characterizing relative elasticity in-vitro.