Development of a subcutaneous tissue water retention assessment index for lymphedema using ultrasound imaging

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K21111
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Niwa Shiori 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科(保健), 助教 (80963545)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: リンパ浮腫 / 超音波診断装置 / 乳がん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we attempted to extract features of images showing lymphatic retention using ultrasound image analysis technology as a basic step toward determining lymphatic accumulation in the subcutaneous tissue using an ultrasound diagnostic system in patients with postoperative lymphedema from breast cancer.
Ultrasound images of both upper limbs were acquired for a patient with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery, and image analysis techniques such as fractal analysis using virtual volume were used to analyze the subcutaneous tissue.As a result, we found that the "complexity" of fractal analysis using virtual volume is an effective index for detecting the presence of lymphatic accumulation in the subcutaneous tissue.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

リンパ浮腫の皮下組織の状況をリアルタイムに描写するアセスメントツール開発をすることが喫緊の課題である。本研究ではリンパ浮腫患者のリンパ液貯留を示す画像の特徴の抽出を試みた。将来的には、超音波診断装置のみでリンパ浮腫の皮下組織の水分貯留状況を簡便に判定できるプログラムが実現することにより、最適なケア選択・提供につながっていく。本研究結果は、そのための基礎データとなった。