Enhancing ultrasound texture differences for developing an in vivo 'virtual histology' approach to bovine ovarian imaging

A ‘virtual histology’ can be thought of as the ‘staining’ of a digital ultrasound image via image processing techniques in order to enhance the visualisation of differences in the echotexture of different types of tissues. Several candidate image-processing algorithms for virtual histology using ultrasound images of the bovine ovary were studied. The candidate algorithms were evaluated qualitatively for the ability to enhance the visual differences in intra-ovarian structures and quantitatively, using standard texture description features, for the ability to increase statistical differences in the echotexture of different ovarian tissues. Certain algorithms were found to create textures that were representative of ovarian micro-anatomical structures that one would observe in actual histology. Quantitative analysis using standard texture description features showed that our algorithms increased the statistical differences in the echotexture of stroma regions and corpus luteum regions. This work represents a first step toward both a general algorithm for the virtual histology of ultrasound images and understanding dynamic changes in form and function of the ovary at the microscopic level in a safe, repeatable and non-invasive way.

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Adaptive Otsu’s Technique for PCOS Segmentation from Ovarian Ultrasound Images

Intelligent Systems and Computer Technology - Advances in Parallel Computing ◽

10.3233/apc200210 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sheela S ◽

Sumathi M ◽

Nirmala Priya S ◽

Sangeeth Kumar B ◽

Yukesh Kumar S J ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Polarization ◽

Mimo System ◽

Imaging Modality ◽

Ultrasound Image ◽

Region Of Interest ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Antenna Performance ◽

Scanned Image ◽

Processing Techniques

Infertility is a common and important problem of many women in today’s life. Poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the origin of the infertility. This endocrine disorder affects women’s reproductive system. It also causes other problems like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, etc. Among the various imaging modality, Ultrasound plays a major role in the diagnosis of PCOS since it is harmless, painless and non-invasive. Even though ultrasound image has so many advantages, due to poor image quality, inherent noise, overlapping of follicles and operator’s lack of prior knowledge, analyzing the characteristics of the scanned image is more challenging. Now a day, several image processing techniques are available to make this process easier. A commonly used segmentation method is Otsu’s threshold-based segmentation technique. But, it is suitable only for the high contrast image. To make this method suitable for all the images, Adaptive Otsu’s Technique (AOT) is developed and also achieved more desirable segmentation of the region of interest (ROI). In MIMO system , mutual coupling degrades the antenna performance to overcome this we go for circular polarization. In this paper, compact circular polarization and planar

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Specific Labeling of Protein Domains with Antibody Fragments

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100098587 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. 416-417

Author(s):

U. Aebi ◽

L.E. Buhle ◽

W.E. Fowler

Keyword(s):

Image Processing ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Antibody Fragments ◽

Supramolecular Organization ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Ordered Structures ◽

Virus Capsids ◽

Processing Techniques

Many important supramolecular structures such as filaments, microtubules, virus capsids and certain membrane proteins and bacterial cell walls exist as ordered polymers or two-dimensional crystalline arrays in vivo. In several instances it has been possible to induce soluble proteins to form ordered polymers or two-dimensional crystalline arrays in vitro. In both cases a combination of electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens with analog or digital image processing techniques has proven extremely useful for elucidating the molecular and supramolecular organization of the constituent proteins. However from the reconstructed stain exclusion patterns it is often difficult to identify distinct stain excluding regions with specific protein subunits. To this end it has been demonstrated that in some cases this ambiguity can be resolved by a combination of stoichiometric labeling of the ordered structures with subunit-specific antibody fragments (e.g. Fab) and image processing of the electron micrographs recorded from labeled and unlabeled structures.

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Development of a semi-automated segmentation tool for high frequency ultrasound image analysis of mouse echocardiograms

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-85971-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kristi Powers ◽

Raymond Chang ◽

Justin Torello ◽

Rhonda Silva ◽

Yannick Cadoret ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Image Analysis ◽

Automated Analysis ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Cardiac Structure ◽

Short Axis ◽

Pixel Intensity ◽

Cardiac Structure And Function ◽

And Function

AbstractEchocardiography is a widely used and clinically translatable imaging modality for the evaluation of cardiac structure and function in preclinical drug discovery and development. Echocardiograms are among the first in vivo diagnostic tools utilized to evaluate the heart due to its relatively low cost, high throughput acquisition, and non-invasive nature; however lengthy manual image analysis, intra- and inter-operator variability, and subjective image analysis presents a challenge for reproducible data generation in preclinical research. To combat the image-processing bottleneck and address both variability and reproducibly challenges, we developed a semi-automated analysis algorithm workflow to analyze long- and short-axis murine left ventricle (LV) ultrasound images. The long-axis B-mode algorithm executes a script protocol that is trained using a reference library of 322 manually segmented LV ultrasound images. The short-axis script was engineered to analyze M-mode ultrasound images in a semi-automated fashion using a pixel intensity evaluation approach, allowing analysts to place two seed-points to triangulate the local maxima of LV wall boundary annotations. Blinded operator evaluation of the semi-automated analysis tool was performed and compared to the current manual segmentation methodology for testing inter- and intra-operator reproducibility at baseline and after a pharmacologic challenge. Comparisons between manual and semi-automatic derivation of LV ejection fraction resulted in a relative difference of 1% for long-axis (B-mode) images and 2.7% for short-axis (M-mode) images. Our semi-automatic workflow approach reduces image analysis time and subjective bias, as well as decreases inter- and intra-operator variability, thereby enhancing throughput and improving data quality for pre-clinical in vivo studies that incorporate cardiac structure and function endpoints.

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Preliminary study of image processing techniques for the detection of varicocele based on 2D ultrasound images

Journal of Physics Conference Series ◽

10.1088/1742-6596/1049/1/012074 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1049 ◽

pp. 012074

Author(s):

Mohd Asyraf Abd Rahim ◽

Nurmiza Othman ◽

Wan Mahani Hafizah Wan Mahmud

Keyword(s):

Image Processing ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Image Processing Techniques ◽

2D Ultrasound ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Processing Techniques

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Use of morphological image processing techniques for the measurement of a fetal head from ultrasound images

Pattern Recognition ◽

10.1016/0031-3203(94)90067-1 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 27 (10) ◽

pp. 1317-1324 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

G.K Matsopoulos ◽

S Marshall

Keyword(s):

Image Processing ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Fetal Head ◽

Image Processing Techniques ◽

Morphological Image Processing ◽

Processing Techniques ◽

Morphological Image

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Ultrasonography in physiotherapy and rehabilitation

Journal of Advanced Health Care ◽

10.36017/jahc2105-001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Barassi Giovanni ◽

Guerri Sergio ◽

Tavani Roberta ◽

Ricucci Giampiero ◽

De Luca Giorgia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ultrasound Image ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Tendon Tissue ◽

Invasive Approach ◽

Know How ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Load Transmission ◽

Intensity Information

There is an interrelation with ultrasound / physiotherapist and the duty of the physiotherapist to know how to perform ultrasound examinations alone, not for diagnostic purposes, to follow the evolution of the therapeutic cycle of physiotherapy. For this reason, ultrasound image analysis (US) is a promising non-invasive approach that uses load-dependent changes in the intensity of the echo to characterize the rigidity of muscle and tendon tissue. The purpose of this contribution is to improve the use of ultrasound images (US) and the role of the physiotherapist, who are able to detect localized changes, in particular in stiffness of the tendon due to partial and full-thickness tendon tears. Image intensity information is less sensitive for identifying load transmission variations resulting from partial thickness cuts initiated on the joint side. Ultrasound images can be useful for quantitatively assessing the variations dependent on the tendon load and muscle stiffness in physiotherapy and that the interruption of the behavior of the acousto-elastic ultrasound images can be indicative of substantial damage to the muscle or tendon.

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Label-free concurrent 5-modal microscopy (Co5M) resolves unknown spatio-temporal processes in wound healing

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-02573-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Markus Seeger ◽

Christoph Dehner ◽

Dominik Jüstel ◽

Vasilis Ntziachristos

Keyword(s):

Wound Healing ◽

Label Free ◽

Third Harmonic ◽

Two Photon ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Photon Excitation ◽

Free Mode ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

And Function

AbstractThe non-invasive investigation of multiple biological processes remains a methodological challenge as it requires capturing different contrast mechanisms, usually not available with any single modality. Intravital microscopy has played a key role in dynamically studying biological morphology and function, but it is generally limited to resolving a small number of contrasts, typically generated by the use of transgenic labels, disturbing the biological system. We introduce concurrent 5-modal microscopy (Co5M), illustrating a new concept for label-free in vivo observations by simultaneously capturing optoacoustic, two-photon excitation fluorescence, second and third harmonic generation, and brightfield contrast. We apply Co5M to non-invasively visualize multiple wound healing biomarkers and quantitatively monitor a number of processes and features, including longitudinal changes in wound shape, microvascular and collagen density, vessel size and fractality, and the plasticity of sebaceous glands. Analysis of these parameters offers unique insights into the interplay of wound closure, vasodilation, angiogenesis, skin contracture, and epithelial reformation in space and time, inaccessible by other methods. Co5M challenges the conventional concept of biological observation by yielding multiple simultaneous parameters of pathophysiological processes in a label-free mode.

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A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 1: Emerging Roles in Regulating Mitochondrial Form and Function in Health and Disease

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells9020298 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 298 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yujia Liu ◽

Ronald A. Merrill ◽

Stefan Strack

Keyword(s):

Cell Survival ◽

Intracellular Signaling ◽

Neuronal Cell ◽

Supporting Cell ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Form And Function ◽

Anchoring Protein ◽

Cancer Tumor ◽

And Function

Best known as the powerhouse of the cell, mitochondria have many other important functions such as buffering intracellular calcium and reactive oxygen species levels, initiating apoptosis and supporting cell proliferation and survival. Mitochondria are also dynamic organelles that are constantly undergoing fission and fusion to meet specific functional needs. These processes and functions are regulated by intracellular signaling at the mitochondria. A-kinase anchoring protein 1 (AKAP1) is a scaffold protein that recruits protein kinase A (PKA), other signaling proteins, as well as RNA to the outer mitochondrial membrane. Hence, AKAP1 can be considered a mitochondrial signaling hub. In this review, we discuss what is currently known about AKAP1′s function in health and diseases. We focus on the recent literature on AKAP1′s roles in metabolic homeostasis, cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. In healthy tissues, AKAP1 has been shown to be important for driving mitochondrial respiration during exercise and for mitochondrial DNA replication and quality control. Several recent in vivo studies using AKAP1 knockout mice have elucidated the role of AKAP1 in supporting cardiovascular, lung and neuronal cell survival in the stressful post-ischemic environment. In addition, we discuss the unique involvement of AKAP1 in cancer tumor growth, metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. Collectively, the data indicate that AKAP1 promotes cell survival throug regulating mitochondrial form and function. Lastly, we discuss the potential of targeting of AKAP1 for therapy of various disorders.

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Convergence Gain in Compressive Deconvolution: Application to Medical Ultrasound Imaging

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app8122558 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 2558 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bin Gao ◽

Shaozhang Xiao ◽

Li Zhao ◽

Xian Liu ◽

Kegang Pan

Keyword(s):

Image Reconstruction ◽

Splitting Method ◽

Ultrasound Image ◽

Synthetic Data ◽

Quadratic Term ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Closed Form Solutions ◽

Medical Ultrasound Imaging ◽

Partial Linearization

The compressive deconvolution (CD) problem represents a class of efficient models that is appealing in high-resolution ultrasound image reconstruction. In this paper, we focus on designing an improved CD method based on the framework of a strictly contractive Peaceman–Rechford splitting method (sc-PRSM). By fully excavating the special structure of ultrasound image reconstruction, the improved CD method is easier to implement by partially linearizing the quadratic term of subproblems in the CD problem. The resulting subproblems can obtain closed-form solutions. The convergence of the improved CD method with partial linearization is guaranteed by employing a customized relaxation factor. We establish the global convergence for the new method. The performance of the method is verified via several experiments implemented in realistic synthetic data and in vivo ultrasound images.

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