| 11. |
- Nilsson, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Patient-specific brain arteries molded as a flexible phantom model using 3D printed water-soluble resin
- 2022
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Visualizing medical images from patients as physical 3D models (phantom models) have many roles in the medical field, from education to preclinical preparation and clinical research. However, current phantom models are generally generic, expensive, and time-consuming to fabricate. Thus, there is a need for a cost- and time-efficient pipeline from medical imaging to patient-specific phantom models. In this work, we present a method for creating complex 3D sacrificial molds using an off-the-shelf water-soluble resin and a low-cost desktop 3D printer. This enables us to recreate parts of the cerebral arterial tree as a full-scale phantom model (10×6×410×6×4 cm) in transparent silicone rubber (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) from computed tomography angiography images (CTA). We analyzed the model with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared it with the patient data. The results show good agreement and smooth surfaces for the arteries. We also evaluate our method by looking at its capability to reproduce 1 mm channels and sharp corners. We found that round shapes are well reproduced, whereas sharp features show some divergence. Our method can fabricate a patient-specific phantom model with less than 2 h of total labor time and at a low fabrication cost.
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| 12. |
- Sabernaeemi, Amir, et al.
(author)
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Influence of stent-induced vessel deformation on hemodynamic feature of bloodstream inside ICA aneurysms
- 2023
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In: Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1617-7959 .- 1617-7940. ; 22:4, s. 1193-1207
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- One of the effective treatment options for intracranial aneurysms is stent-assisted coiling. Though, previous works have demonstrated that stent usage would result in the deformation of the local vasculature. The effect of simple stent on the blood hemodynamics is still uncertain. In this work, hemodynamic features of the blood stream on four different ICA aneurysm with/without interventional are investigated. To estimate the relative impacts of vessel deformation, four distinctive ICA aneurysm is simulated by the one-way FSI technique. Four hemodynamic factors of aneurysm blood velocity, wall pressure and WSS are compared in the peak systolic stage to disclose the impact of defamation by the stent in two conditions. The stent usage would decrease almost all of the mentioned parameters, except for OSI. Stenting reduces neck inflow rate, while the effect of interventional was not consistent among the aneurysms. The deformation of an aneurysm has a strong influence on the hemodynamics of an aneurysm. This outcome is ignored by most of the preceding investigations, which focused on the pre-interventional state for studying the relationship between hemodynamics and stents. Present results show that the application of stent without coiling would improve most hemodynamic factors, especially when the deformation of the aneurysm is high enough.
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| 13. |
- Tampu, Iulian Emil, et al.
(author)
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Deep-learning for thyroid microstructure segmentation in 2D OCT images
- 2021
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In: Optical Coherence Tomography and Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedicine XXV. - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can provide exquisite details of tissue microstructure without traditional tissue sectioning, with potential diagnostic and intraoperative applications in a variety of clinical areas. In thyroid surgery, OCT could provide information to reduce the risk of damaging normal tissue. Thyroid tissue's follicular structure alters in case of various pathologies including the non-malignant ones which can be imaged using OCT. The success of deep learning for medical image analysis encourages its application on OCT thyroid images for quantitative analysis of tissue microstructure. To investigate the potential of a deep learning approach to segment the follicular structure in OCT images, a 2D U-Net was trained on b-scan OCT images acquired from ex vivo adult human thyroid samples a effected by a range of pathologies. Results on a pool of 104 annotated images showed a mean Dice score of 0.74±0.19 and 0.92±0.09 when segmenting the follicular structure and the surrounding tissue on the test dataset (n=10 images). This study shows that a deep learning approach for tissue microstructure segmentation in OCT images is possible. The achieved performance without requiring manual intervention encourages the application of a deep-learning method for real-time analysis of OCT data.
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| 14. |
- Yousefi, Hossein, et al.
(author)
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An optimised linear mechanical model for estimating brain shift caused by meningioma tumours
- 2013
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In: International Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering. - : Science Publishing Group. - 2376-7227 .- 2376-7235. ; 1:1, s. 1-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Estimation of brain deformation plays an important role in computer-aided therapy and image-guided neurosurgery systems. Tumour growth can cause brain deformation and change stress distribution in the brain. Biomechanical models exist that use a finite element method to estimate brain shift caused by tumour growth. Such models can be categorised as linear and non-linear models, both of which assume finite deformation of the brain after tumour growth. Linear models are easy to implement and fast enough to for applications such as IGS where the time is a great of concern. However their accuracy highly dependent on the parameters of the models in this paper, we proposed an optimisation approach to improve a naive linear model to achieve more precise estimation of brain displacements caused by tumour growth. The optimisation process has improved the accuracy of the model by adapting the brain model parameters according to different tomour sizes.We used patient-based tetrahedron finite element mesh with proper material properties for brain tissue and appropriate boundary conditions in the tumour region. Anatomical landmarks were determined by an expert and were divided into two different sets for evaluation and optimisation. Tetrahedral finite element meshes were used and the model parameters were optimised by minimising the mean square distance between the predicted locations of the anatomical landmarks derived from Brain Atlas images and their actual locations on the tumour images. Our results demonstrate great improvement in the accuracy of an optimised linear mechanical model that achieved an accuracy rate of approximately 92%.
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| 15. |
- Fredén Jansson, Karl-Johan, 1988
(author)
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The Balanced Electromagnetic Separation Transducer for Bone Conduction Audiometry and Hearing Rehabilitation
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Hearing via air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) are attributed to bethe natural ways of conducting sound to the cochlea. With AC hearing, air pressurevariations are transmitted to the cochlea via the ear canal, whereas with BChearing, sound vibrations are transmitted through the skull bone to the cochlea.Patients with a hearing loss in the cochlea or auditory nerve are commonly rehabilitatedwith conventional AC hearing aids in the ear canal, but also using cochlearimplants. If the pathway for AC sound to reach the cochlea is obstructed, patientscan often benet from bone conduction devices (BCDs). In order to determinethe type and degree of hearing loss, the BC hearing thresholds are measured usinga bone conduction vibrator, and then analyzed together with the AC hearingthresholds for the diagnosis and to suggest an appropriate rehabilitation alternative.The motor unit in conventional BCDs and bone vibrators are known togenerate high amount of distortion at low frequencies where the Balanced ElectromagneticSeparation Transducer (BEST) principle may oer a new era in BChearing rehabilitation and audiometry.This thesis combines two BC hearing related topics, where the rst topic is anevaluation of a new audiometric bone vibrator, Radioear B81, which is assumedto oer more accurate BC hearing threshold measurements. The second topic isrelated to a new type of active transcutaneous BCD, called the Bone ConductionImplant (BCI), which leaves the skin intact by using a wireless solution thatdoes not require a permanent skin penetration. Even though the applications aredierent, both devices use the BEST principle as motor unit in their design.The audiometric bone vibrator Radioear B81 was found to have an improvedperformance at low frequencies where it can produce higher output levels with lessharmonic distortion than the conventional Radioear B71. In a clinical study of therst six patients, the BCI was found as ecient as already commercially availableBCDs, and with the advantage of not needing a skin penetration. In a technicalevaluation of the BCI, it was shown to be a mechanically robust design and totolerate magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 Tesla.
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| 16. |
- Grishenkov, Dmitry, 1983-, et al.
(author)
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In search of the optimal ultrasound heart perfusion imaging platform
- 2015
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In: Journal of ultrasound in medicine. - : Wiley. - 0278-4297 .- 1550-9613. ; 34:9, s. 1599-1605
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ObjectiveQuantification of the myocardial perfusion by contrast echocardiography (CEC) remains a challenge. Existing imaging phantoms used to evaluate the performance of ultrasound scanners do not comply with perfusion basics in the myocardium, where perfusion and motion are inherently coupled.MethodsTo contribute towards an improvement, we developed a CEC perfusion imaging platform based on isolated rat heart coupled to the ultrasound scanner. Perfusion was assessed using three different types of contrast agent: dextran-based Promiten®, phospholipid-shelled SonoVue®, and polymer-shelled MB-pH5-RT. The myocardial video-intensity was monitored over time from contrast administration to peak and two characteristic constants were calculated using exponential fit (A representing capillary volume and b representing inflow velocity).ResultsAcquired experimental evidence demonstrates that the application of all three types of contrast agent allow ultrasonic estimation of myocardial perfusion in the isolated rat heart. Video-intensity maps show that an increase in contrast concentration increases the late plateau values, A, mimicking increased capillary volume. Estimated values of the flow, proportional to Axb, increase when the pressure of the perfusate column increases from 80 to 110 cm of water. This finding is in agreement with the true values of the coronary flow increase measured by the flowmeter attached to the aortic cannula.ConclusionsThe described CEC perfusion imaging platform holds promise for standardized evaluation and optimization of ultrasound contrast perfusion imaging where real time inflow curves at low acoustic power semi-quantitatively reflect coronary flow.
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| 17. |
- Isaksson-Daun, Johan
(author)
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A Sound Approach Toward a Mobility Aid for Blind and Low-Vision Individuals
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Reduced independent mobility of blind and low-vision individuals (BLVIs) cause considerable societal cost, burden on relatives, and reduced quality of life for the individuals, including increased anxiety, depression symptoms, need of assistance, risk of falls, and mortality. Despite the numerous electronic travel aids proposed since at least the 1940’s, along with ever-advancing technology, the mobility issues persist. A substantial reason for this is likely several and severe shortcomings of the field, both in regards to aid design and evaluation.In this work, these shortcomings are addressed with a generic design model called Desire of Use (DoU), which describes the desire of a given user to use an aid for a given activity. It is then applied on mobility of BLVIs (DoU-MoB), to systematically illuminate and structure possibly all related aspects that such an aid needs to aptly deal with, in order for it to become an adequate aid for the objective. These aspects can then both guide user-centered design as well as choice of test methods and measures.One such measure is then demonstrated in the Desire of Use Questionnaire for Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals (DoUQ-MoB), an aid-agnostic and comprehensive patient-reported outcome measure. The question construction originates from the DoU-MoB to ensure an encompassing focus on mobility of BLVIs, something that has been missing in the field. Since it is aid-agnostic it facilitates aid comparison, which it also actively promotes. To support the reliability of the DoUQ-MoB, it utilizes the best known practices of questionnaire design and has been validated once with eight orientation and mobility professionals, and six BLVIs. Based on this, the questionnaire has also been revised once.To allow for relevant and reproducible methodology, another tool presented herein is a portable virtual reality (VR) system called the Parrot-VR. It uses a hybrid control scheme of absolute rotation by tracking the user’s head in reality, affording intuitive turning; and relative movement where simple button presses on a controller moves the virtual avatar forward and backward, allowing for large-scale traversal while not walking physically. VR provides excellent reproducibility, making various aggregate movement analysis feasible, while it is also inherently safe. Meanwhile, the portability of the system facilitates testing near the participants, substantially increasing the number of potential blind and low-vision recruits for user tests.The thesis also gives a short account on the state of long-term testing in the field; it being short is mainly due to that there is not much to report. It then provides an initial investigation into possible outcome measures for such tests by taking instruments in use by Swedish orientation and mobility professionals as a starting point. Two of these are also piloted in an initial single-session trial with 19 BLVIs, and could plausibly be used for long-term tests after further evaluation.Finally, a discussion is presented regarding the Audomni project — the development of a primary mobility aid for BLVIs. Audomni is a visuo-auditory sensory supplementation device, which aims to take visual information and translate it to sound. A wide field-of-view, 3D-depth camera records the environment, which is then transformed to audio through the sonification algorithms of Audomni, and finally presented in a pair of open-ear headphones that do not block out environmental sounds. The design of Audomni leverages the DoU-MoB to ensure user-centric development and evaluation, in the aim of reaching an aid with such form and function that it grants the users better mobility, while the users still want to use it.Audomni has been evaluated with user tests twice, once in pilot tests with two BLVIs, and once in VR with a heterogenous set of 19 BLVIs, utilizing the Parrot-VR and the DoUQ-MoB. 76 % of responders (13 / 17) answered that it was very or extremely likely that they would want use Audomni along with their current aid. This might be the first result in the field demonstrating a majority of blind and low-vision participants reporting that they actually want to use a new electronic travel aid. This shows promise that eventual long-term tests will demonstrate an increased mobility of blind and low-vision users — the overarching project aim. Such results would ultimately mean that Audomni can become an aid that alleviates societal cost, reduces burden on relatives, and improves users’ quality of life and independence.
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| 18. |
- Khodadad, Davood, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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The Value of Phase Angle in Electrical Impedance Tomography Breath Detection
- 2018
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In: 2018 Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS-Toyama). - : Electromagnetics Academy. - 9784885523168 - 9781538654552 ; , s. 1040-1043
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective of this paper is to report our investigation demonstrating that the phase angle information of complex impedance could be a simple indicator of a breath cycle in chest Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT). The study used clinical neonatal EIT data. The results show that measurement of the phase angle from complex EIT data can be used as a complementary information for improving the conventional breath detection algorithms.
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| 19. |
- Kothapalli, Veera Venkata Satya Naray, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Unique pumping-out fracturing mechanism of a polymer-shelled contrast agent : An acoustic characterization and optical visualization
- 2014
-
In: IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control. - 0885-3010 .- 1525-8955. ; 62:3, s. 451-462
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This work describes the fracturing mechanism of air-filled microbubbles (MBs) encapsulated by a cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) shell. The radial oscillation and fracturing events following the ultrasound exposure were visualized with an ultrahigh-speed camera, and backscattered timedomain signals were acquired with the acoustic setup specific for harmonic detection. No evidence of gas emerging from defects in the shell with the arrival of the first insonation burst was found. In optical recordings, more than one shell defect was noted, and the gas core was drained without any sign of air extrusion when several consecutive bursts of 1 MPa amplitude were applied. In acoustic tests, the backscattered peak-to-peak voltage gradually reached its maximum and exponentially decreased when the PVA-based MB suspension was exposed to approximately 20 consecutive bursts arriving at pulse repetition frequencies of 100 and 500 Hz. Taking into account that the PVA shell is porous and possibly contains large air pockets between the cross-linked PVA chains, the aforementioned acoustic behavior might be attributed to pumping gas from these pockets in combination with gas release from the core through shell defects. We refer to this fracturing mechanism as pumping-out behavior, and this behavior could have potential use for the local delivery of therapeutic gases, such as nitric oxide.
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| 20. |
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