Assessment of arterial health by ultrasound-based nonlinear mechanical imaging

Dr Lee, Wei-Ning   (Principal Investigator (PI))

Professor Cheng Stephen Wing Keung   (Co-Investigator)

Dr Cheuk Lai Yee Bernice   (Co-Investigator)

24

2022-01-01

1494580

Assessment of arterial health by ultrasound-based nonlinear mechanical imaging

artery, mechanics, nonlinear, shear modulus, strain, ultrasound imaging

Others - Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Engineering (E)

08192616

Health and Medical Research Fund - Full Grant

2020

On-going

Objective: To uncover in vivo nonlinear mechanical parameters of human carotid arteries by a novel ultrasound imaging methodology. Hypothesis to be tested: Nonlinear mechanical behavior is a new sensitive marker of arterial wall alterations with age and atherosclerosis. Design and subjects: This is a case-control study that includes 50 healthy (25 young and 25 elderly) human subjects who are BMI-matched and have no prior history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes and 25 patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Study instruments: We will first develop a noninvasive vascular ultrasound imaging platform that acquires raw data of carotid arteries at frame rates higher than 1000 frames per second. The platform will estimate wall stiffness and deformation in principal axes of the artery as well as blood flow over three consecutive cardiac cycles. We will subsequently formulate a mathematical description that fits platform-outputted arterial nonlinearity to derive nonlinear mechanical parameters. These parameters together with arterial geometry will be used to build a subject-specific computational model of the artery to predict arterial function under various pressure/flow conditions. Main outcome measures: Study-specific measures include nonlinear mechanical parameters and deformation-stiffness loop area and shape of the artery. Clinical measures include age, intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, and flow velocity. Data analysis and expected results: Correlation between study-specific and clinical measures at 95% confidence level will be calculated. Sensitivity of study-specific measures to each clinical measure will be calculated. Study findings should substantiate that platform-estimated nonlinear mechanics signifies age- and atherosclerosis-related arterial wall remodeling.