Estimation of red blood cell aggregation using frequency spectrum properties with a high-frequency ultrasound

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26630178
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Measurement engineering
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kanai Hiroshi 東北大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10185895)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ISHIGAKI Yasushi 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (50375002) ; HASEGAWA Hideyuki 富山大学, 理工学研究部, 教授 (00344698) ; TAKI Hirofumi 東北大学, 大学院医工学研究科, 講師 (40467460)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 赤血球凝集 / 超音波散乱 / 手背静脈 / 糖尿病 / 炎症 / 血液性状 / 正規化パワースぺクトル / レーリー分布

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We propose a noninvasive method for assessment of the degree of red blood cell (RBC) aggregation by the scattering property of RBCs in the vein. In this method, the scattering property of RBCs is extracted from the power spectrum of RBC echoes normalized by that from the posterior wall of the vein. In an experimental study using a phantom, the sizes of microspheres 5 and 20 micron in diameter were estimated to be 4.7 and 17.3 micron, respectively. In in vivo experimental study, the averaged scatterer diameters in three healthy subjects at rest and during avascularization were estimated to be 7 micron and 28 micron, respectively. In contrast, those in four diabetic patients receiving both antithrombotic therapy and insulin therapy were estimated to be 11 micron and 46 micron, respectively. These results show that the proposed method has high potential for clinical application to noninvasively assess RBC aggregation that may be related to the severity of diabetes.

Free Research Field

医用超音波工学