Complex shear modulus estimation using maximum likelihood ensemble filters

Abstract

Ultrasound shear wave imaging can be used to estimate quantitative information about soft tissue mechanical properties, specifically the complex shear modulus (CSM). It is promising because it has the potential to bridge molecular, cellular, and tissue biology and to support for medical diagnoses. However, there is a lack of efficient methods for CSM estimation due to high complexity and low reconstruction's quality. To overcome these disadvantages, in this paper, we have applied the Bayesian-approach-based Maximum Likelihood Ensemble Filter (MLEF) for CSM estimation. The error performance is below 10%. Both simulated and experimental data were tested in order to assess the proposed method. © 2013 IFMBE.