The aim of this work is to propose an algorithm to segment and track the myocardium using the level-set formalism. The myocardium is first approximated by a geometric model (hyperquadrics) which allows to handle asymetric shapes such as the myocardium while avoiding a learning step. This representation is then embedded into the level-set formalism as a shape prior for the joint segmentation of the endocardial and epicardial borders. This shape prior term is coupled with a local data attachment term and a thickness term that prevents both contours from merging. The algorithm is validated on a dataset of 80 images at end diastolic and end systolic phase with manual references from 3 cardiologists. In a second step, we propose to segment whole sequences using motion information. To this end, we apply a level conservation constraint on the implicit function associated to the level-set and express this contraint as an energy term in a variational framework. This energy is then added to the previously described algorithm in order to constrain the temporal evolution of the contour. Finally the algorithm is validated on 20 echocardiographic sequences with manual references of 2 experts (corresponding to approximately 1200 images).

This PhD work is dedicated to investigating the fringe effect of electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) and electrical resistance tomography (ERT) sensors systematically, exploring possible solutions and developing a novel 3D imaging technique by utilising the fringe effect of electrical tomography (ET) sensors. By referring to 2D simulation results, the fringe effect is investigated for 3D ERT and ECT sensor models with or without grounded guards, and with different axial lengths of electrodes. Simulation results reveal that increasing the electrode length or adopting grounded guards can reduce the fringe effect of ECT and ERT sensors. In this work, a voltage-excitation strategy is proposed and validated for ERT sensors instead of the conventional current-injection strategy. This approach enables ECT and ERT sensors to be integrated together as a common one to simplify the sensor design and reduce the interference between the ECT and ERT dual-modality measurements. For a conventional ERT sensor with the adjacent strategy, the fringe effect is evaluated for axially non-uniform central core and off-central core distributions at different axial positions and with different axial dimensions and conductivity contrasts. A method is proposed for compensating the fringe effect with the above typical distributions and a two-object distribution. A three-plane ERT sensor scheme is suggested for reducing the fringe effect induced by objects outside the sensor plane and the over-estimation by Landweber iteration. Both simulation and experiment have proved the effectiveness of the three-plane sensor scheme and the compensation method. Using the fringe effect, a novel 3D imaging method is proposed for ET with a single-plane sensor. It is explored to image metallic objects with ECT. The axial position of the object is derived by examining the corresponding fringe effect in a single-plane ECT sensor. Along with 2D imaging of the cross-sectional distribution, 3D imaging is achieved for a cylindrical metallic rod with known size. With this method, only the 3D position of the object needs to be calculated during the reconstruction which reduces the number of unknowns greatly and can improve the accuracy and stability of reconstruction.

No description available.

Nesta pesquisa, o metodo GPR foi empregado para localizar e mapear urnas funerarias enterradas, visando orientar as escavacoes arqueologicas e auxiliar nas medidas de protecao de sitios arqueologicos na regiao de influencia direta do aproveitamento hidreletrico de Dardanelos, proximo a Aripuana, MT. Um estudo arqueologico previo seria necessario para verificar a presenca de sitios arqueologicos, pois a regiao seria submersa, afetando todo e qualquer possivel artefato presente no sitio. Na area de influencia da usina de hidreletrica ja havia um sitio conhecido, o sitio de Dardanelos, sendo este o objeto da presente pesquisa. Dados GPR obtidos com a antena blindada de 200 MHz foram processados e analisados, e os resultados apresentados na forma de perfis 2D e em 3D na forma de depth-slices. Apos a aquisicao e processamento dos dados foram identificadas as anomalias GPR e interpretadas a fim de identificar os alvos de interesse arqueologico e raizes de arvores, evitando assim, que haja ambiguidade na caracterizacao dos alvos de interesse. A analise 3D gerada a partir dos perfis de reflexao 2D permitiu diferenciar com clareza os alvos de interesse das raizes de arvores, uma vez que nela podemos visualizar um padrao mais alongado ao inves de pontual, como e apresentado quando temos um artefato arqueologico. Ainda, atraves da conversao do tempo de percurso da onda eletromagnetica em profundidade, podemos identificar a profundidade dos alvos. Esta conversao tambem ajuda a esclarecer as ambiguidades, uma vez que as raizes sao mais rasas e os artefatos mais profundos. / In this research, GPR method was used to locate and map buried indigenous urns, aiming to guide and assist the archaeological excavations in order to guide protections acts of archaeological sites in the region directly affected by the hydroelectric of Dardanelos, near to Aripuana, MT. A preliminary archaeological study would be necessary to investigate the presence of archaeological sites, because the area would go underwater, affecting any possible artifact present on the site. In the area of influence of the hydroelectric plant there was already a known site, the site of the Dardanelos, which is the subject of this research. The GPR data obtained with shielded antenna 200 MHz were processed and analyzed, and the results presented as 2D and 3D profiles in the form of depth-slices. After processing the GPR data anomalies were identified and interpreted to identify the targets of archeological interest and roots of trees, thus avoiding ambiguity in the characterization of targets of interest. The 3D analysis generated from the 2D reflection profiles allowed to differentiate clearly the targets of interest from the roots of trees, since they can display a more elongated pattern rather than punctual, as shown when we have an archaeological artifact. Further, by converting the travel time of the electromagnetic wave in depth, we can identify the depth of targets. This conversion also helps to clarify the ambiguities, since the roots are shallower and the artifacts are deeper.

Nesta pesquisa, o metodo GPR foi empregado para localizar e mapear urnas funerarias enterradas, visando orientar as escavacoes arqueologicas e auxiliar nas medidas de protecao de sitios arqueologicos na regiao de influencia direta do aproveitamento hidreletrico de Dardanelos, proximo a Aripuana, MT. Um estudo arqueologico previo seria necessario para verificar a presenca de sitios arqueologicos, pois a regiao seria submersa, afetando todo e qualquer possivel artefato presente no sitio. Na area de influencia da usina de hidreletrica ja havia um sitio conhecido, o sitio de Dardanelos, sendo este o objeto da presente pesquisa. Dados GPR obtidos com a antena blindada de 200 MHz foram processados e analisados, e os resultados apresentados na forma de perfis 2D e em 3D na forma de depth-slices. Apos a aquisicao e processamento dos dados foram identificadas as anomalias GPR e interpretadas a fim de identificar os alvos de interesse arqueologico e raizes de arvores, evitando assim, que haja ambiguidade na caracterizacao dos alvos de interesse. A analise 3D gerada a partir dos perfis de reflexao 2D permitiu diferenciar com clareza os alvos de interesse das raizes de arvores, uma vez que nela podemos visualizar um padrao mais alongado ao inves de pontual, como e apresentado quando temos um artefato arqueologico. Ainda, atraves da conversao do tempo de percurso da onda eletromagnetica em profundidade, podemos identificar a profundidade dos alvos. Esta conversao tambem ajuda a esclarecer as ambiguidades, uma vez que as raizes sao mais rasas e os artefatos mais profundos. / In this research, GPR method was used to locate and map buried indigenous urns, aiming to guide and assist the archaeological excavations in order to guide protections acts of archaeological sites in the region directly affected by the hydroelectric of Dardanelos, near to Aripuana, MT. A preliminary archaeological study would be necessary to investigate the presence of archaeological sites, because the area would go underwater, affecting any possible artifact present on the site. In the area of influence of the hydroelectric plant there was already a known site, the site of the Dardanelos, which is the subject of this research. The GPR data obtained with shielded antenna 200 MHz were processed and analyzed, and the results presented as 2D and 3D profiles in the form of depth-slices. After processing the GPR data anomalies were identified and interpreted to identify the targets of archeological interest and roots of trees, thus avoiding ambiguity in the characterization of targets of interest. The 3D analysis generated from the 2D reflection profiles allowed to differentiate clearly the targets of interest from the roots of trees, since they can display a more elongated pattern rather than punctual, as shown when we have an archaeological artifact. Further, by converting the travel time of the electromagnetic wave in depth, we can identify the depth of targets. This conversion also helps to clarify the ambiguities, since the roots are shallower and the artifacts are deeper.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de proposer un algorithme de segmentation et de suivi du myocarde basé sur le formalisme des ensembles de niveaux. Nous modélisons dans un premier temps le myocarde par un modèle géométrique (hyperquadriques) qui permet de représenter des formes asymétriques telles que le myocarde tout en évitant une étape d’apprentissage. Ce modèle est ensuite inclus dans le formalisme des ensembles de niveaux afin de servir de contrainte de forme lors de la segmentation simultanée de l’endocarde et de l’épicarde. Ce terme d’a priori de forme est couplé à un terme local d’attache aux données ainsi qu’à un terme évitant la fusion des deux contours. L’algorithme est validé sur 80 images en fin systole et en fin diastole segmentées par 3 cardiologues. Dans un deuxième temps, nous proposons de segmenter l’ensemble d’une séquence en utilisant l’information de mouvement. Dans ce but, nous faisons l’hypothèse de conservation des niveaux de la fonction implicite associée à l’ensemble de niveaux et l’exprimons comme une énergie dans un formalisme variationnel. Cette énergie est ensuite ajoutée à l’algorithme décrit précédemment pour la segmentation statique du myocarde afin de contraindre temporellement l’évolution du contour. L’algorithme est alors validé sur 20 séquences échocardiographiques (soit environ 1200 images) segmentées par 2 experts. / The aim of this work is to propose an algorithm to segment and track the myocardium using the level-set formalism. The myocardium is first approximated by a geometric model (hyperquadrics) which allows to handle asymetric shapes such as the myocardium while avoiding a learning step. This representation is then embedded into the level-set formalism as a shape prior for the joint segmentation of the endocardial and epicardial borders. This shape prior term is coupled with a local data attachment term and a thickness term that prevents both contours from merging. The algorithm is validated on a dataset of 80 images at end diastolic and end systolic phase with manual references from 3 cardiologists. In a second step, we propose to segment whole sequences using motion information. To this end, we apply a level conservation constraint on the implicit function associated to the level-set and express this contraint as an energy term in a variational framework. This energy is then added to the previously described algorithm in order to constrain the temporal evolution of the contour. Finally the algorithm is validated on 20 echocardiographic sequences with manual references of 2 experts (corresponding to approximately 1200 images).

Ces travaux de thèse portent sur le développement de nouvelles modalités d’imagerie cardiovasculaire basé sur l’utilisation de l'imagerie ultrarapide 2D et 3D. Les modalités d’imagerie développées dans cette thèse appartiennent au domaine de de l’élastographie par onde de cisaillement et de l'imagerie Doppler des flux sanguins.Dans un premier temps, la technique de l’élastographie par onde de cisaillement du myocarde a été développée pour les applications cliniques. Une approche d'imagerie non-linéaire a été utilisée pour améliorer l’estimation de vitesse des ondes de cisaillement (ou la rigidité des tissus cardiaques) de manière non invasive et localisée. La validation de cette nouvelle approche de « l’imagerie par sommation cohérente harmonique ultrarapide » a été réalisée in vitro et la faisabilité in vivo a été testée chez l’humain. Dans un second temps, nous avons utilisé cette technique sur des patients lors de deux essais cliniques, chacun ciblant une population différente (adultes et enfants). Nous avons étudié la possibilité d’évaluer quantitativement la rigidité des tissus cardiaques par élastographie chez des volontaires sains, ainsi que chez des malades souffrant de cardiomyopathie hypertrophique. Les résultats ont montré que l’élastographie pourrait devenir un outil d'imagerie pertinent et robuste pour évaluer la rigidité du muscle cardiaque en pratique clinique. Par ailleurs, nous avons également développé une nouvelle approche appelée « imagerie de tenseur élastique 3-D » pour mesurer quantitativement les propriétés élastiques des tissus anisotropes comme le myocarde. Ces techniques ont été testées in vitro sur des modèles de de gels isotropes transverses. La faisabilité in vivo de l’élastographie par onde cisaillement à trois-dimensions a été également évaluée sur un muscle squelettique humain.D'autre part, nous avons développé une toute nouvelle modalité d’imagerie ultrasonore des flux coronariens basée sur l’imagerie Doppler ultrarapide. Cette technique nous a permis d'imager la circulation coronarienne avec une sensibilité élevée, grâce notamment au développement d’un nouveau filtre adaptatif permettant de supprimer le signal du myocarde en mouvement, basé sur la décomposition en valeurs singulières (SVD). Des expériences à thorax ouvert chez le porc ont permis d'évaluer et de valider notre technique et les résultats ont montré que la circulation coronaire intramurale, peut être évaluée sur des vaisseaux de diamètres allant jusqu’à 100 µm. La faisabilité sur l’homme a été démontrée chez l’enfant en imagerie clinique transthoracique.Enfin, nous avons développé une nouvelle approche d’imagerie des flux sanguins, « l’imagerie ultrarapide 3-D des flux», une nouvelle technique d'imagerie quantitative des flux. Nous avons démontré que cette technique permet d’évaluer le débit volumétrique artériel directement en un seul battement cardiaque, indépendamment de l'utilisateur. Cette technique a été mise en place à l'aide d'une sonde matricielle 2-D et d’un prototype d’échographe ultrarapide 3-D développé au sein du laboratoire. Nous avons évalué et validé notre technique in vitro sur des fantômes artériels, et la faisabilité in vivo a été démontrée sur des artères carotides humaines. / This thesis was focused on the development of novel cardiovascular imaging applications based on 2-D and 3-D ultrafast ultrasound imaging. More specifically, new technical and clinical developments of myocardial shear wave elastography and ultrafast blood flow imaging are presented in this manuscript.At first, myocardial shear wave elastography was developed for transthoracic imaging and improved by a non-linear imaging approach to non-invasively and locally assess shear wave velocity measurements, and consequently tissue stiffness in the context of cardiac imaging. This novel imaging approach (Ultrafast Harmonic Coherent Compounding) was tested and validated in-vitro and the in vivo feasibility was performed in humans for biomechanical evaluation of the cardiac muscle wall, the myocardium. Then, we have translated shear wave elastography to the clinical practice within two clinical trials, each one with a different population (adults and children). In both clinical trials, we have studied the capability of shear wave elastography to assess quantitatively myocardial stiffness in healthy volunteers and in patients suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The results in the adult population indicated that shear wave elastography may become an effective imaging tool to assess cardiac muscle stiffness in clinical practice and help the characterization of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Likewise, we have also translated Shear Wave Elastography into four-dimensions and we have developed a new approach to map tissue elastic anisotropy in 3-D. 3-D Elastic Tensor Imaging allowed us to estimate quantitatively in a single acquisition the elastic properties of fibrous tissues. This technique was tested and validated in vitro in transverse isotropic models. The in-vivo feasibility of 3D elastic tensor imaging was also assessed in a human skeletal muscle.In parallel, we have developed a novel imaging technique for the non-invasive and non-radiative imaging of coronary circulation using ultrafast Doppler. This approach allowed us to image blood flow of the coronary circulation with high sensitivity. A new adaptive filter based on the singular value decomposition was used to remove the clutter signal of moving tissues. Open-chest swine experiments allowed to evaluate and validate this technique and results have shown that intramural coronary circulation, with diameters up to 100 µm, could be assessed. The in-vivo transthoracic feasibility was also demonstrated in humans in pediatric cardiology.Finally, we have developed a novel imaging modality to map quantitatively the blood flow in 3-D: 3-D ultrafast ultrasound flow imaging. We demonstrated that 3-D ultrafast ultrasound flow imaging can assess non-invasively, user-independently and directly volumetric flow rates in large arteries within a single heartbeat. We have evaluated and validated our technique in vitro in arterial phantoms using a 2-D matrix-array probe and a customized, programmable research 3-D ultrafast ultrasound system, and the in-vivo feasibility was demonstrated in human carotid arteries.

Ce travail de thèse est axé sur le domaine du traitement d’images biomédicales. L’objectif de notre étude est l’estimation des paramètres traduisant les propriétés mécaniques de l’artère carotide in vivo en imagerie échographique, dans une optique de détection précoce des pathologies cardiovasculaires. L’étude des comportements dynamiques de l’artère pour le dépistage précoce de l’athérosclérose constitue à ce jour une piste privilégiée. Cependant, malgré les avancées récentes, l’estimation du mouvement de la paroi carotidienne reste toujours difficile, notamment dans la direction longitudinale (direction parallèle au vaisseau). L’élaboration d’une méthode innovante permettant d’étudier le mouvement de la paroi carotidienne constitue la principale motivation de ce travail de thèse. Les trois contributions principales proposées dans ce travail sont i) le développement, la validation, et l’évaluation clinique d’une méthode originale d’estimation de mouvement 2D adaptée au mouvement de la paroi carotidienne, ii) la validation en simulation, et expérimentale de l’extension à la 3D de la méthode d’estimation proposée, et iii) l’évaluation expérimentale de la méthode proposée, en imagerie ultrasonore ultra-rapide, dans le cadre de l’estimation locale de la vitesse de l’onde de pouls. Nous proposons une méthode d’estimation de mouvement combinant un marquage ultrasonore dans la direction latérale, et un estimateur de mouvement basé sur la phase des images ultrasonores. Le marquage ultrasonore est réalisé par l’intermédiaire d’oscillations transverses. Nous proposons deux approches différentes pour introduire ces oscillations transverses, une approche classique utilisant une fonction de pondération spécifique, et une approche originale par filtrage permettant de contrôler de manière optimale leurs formations. L’estimateur de mouvement proposé utilise les phases analytiques des images radiofréquences, extraites par l’approche de Hahn. Ce travail de thèse montre que la méthode proposée permet une estimation de mouvement plus précise dans la direction longitudinale, et plus généralement dans les directions perpendiculaires au faisceau ultrasonore, que celle obtenue avec d’autres méthodes plus traditionnelles. De plus, l’évaluation expérimentale de la méthode sur des séquences d’images ultrasonores ultra-rapides issues de fantômes de carotide, a permis l’estimation locale de la vitesse de propagation de l’onde de pouls, la mise en évidence de la propagation d’un mouvement longitudinal et enfin l’estimation du module de Young des vaisseaux. / This work focuses on the processing of biomedical images. The aim of our study is to estimate the mechanical properties of the carotid artery in vivo using ultrasound imaging, in order to detect cardiovascular diseases at an early stage. Over the last decade, researchers have shown interest in studying artery wall motion, especially the motion of the carotid intima-media complex in order to demonstrate its significance as a marker of Atherosclerosis. However, despite recent progress, motion estimation of the carotid wall is still difficult, particularly in the longitudinal direction (direction parallel to the probe). The development of an innovative method for studying the movement of the carotid artery wall is the main motivation of this thesis. The three main contributions proposed in this work are i) the development, the validation, and the clinical evaluation of a novel method for 2D motion estimation of the carotid wall, ii) the development, the simulation and the experimental validation of the 3D extension of the estimation method proposed, and iii) the experimental evaluation of the 2D proposed method in ultra-fast imaging, for the estimation of the local pulse wave velocity. We propose a motion estimation method combining tagging of the ultrasound images, and a motion estimator based on the phase of the ultrasound images. The ultrasonic tagging is produced by means of transverse oscillations. We present two different approaches to introduce these transverses oscillations, a classic approach using a specific apodization function and a new approach based on filtering. The proposed motion estimator uses the 2D analytical phase of RF images using the Hahn approach. This thesis work shows that, compared with conventional methods, the proposed approach provides more accurate motion estimation in the longitudinal direction, and more generally in directions perpendicular to the beam axis. Also, the experimental evaluation of our method on ultra-fast images sequences from carotid phantom was used to validate our method regarding the estimation of the pulse wave velocity, the Young’s modulus of the vessels wall, and the propagation of a longitudinal movement.