Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-20T13:03:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Versão_Digital_REIGA.pdf: 3705889 bytes, checksum: 551e1d47969ce5d1aa92cdb311f41304 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-20T13:03:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Versão_Digital_REIGA.pdf: 3705889 bytes, checksum: 551e1d47969ce5d1aa92cdb311f41304 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-23 / CAPES / A Tomografia por Impedância Elétrica (TIE) é uma técnica que visa reconstruir imagens do interior de um corpo de forma não-invasiva e não-destrutiva. Com base na aplicação de corrente elétrica e na medição dos potenciais de borda do corpo, feita através de eletrodos, um algoritmo de reconstrução de imagens de TIE gera o mapa de condutividade elétrica do interior deste corpo. Diversos métodos são aplicados para gerar imagens de TIE, porém ainda são geradas imagens de contorno suave. Isto acontece devido à natureza matemática do problema de reconstrução da TIE como um problema mal-posto e mal-condicionado. Isto significa que não existe uma distribuição de condutividade interna exata para uma determinada distribuição de potenciais de borda. A TIE é governada matematicamente pela equação de Poisson e a geração da imagem envolve a resolução iterativa de um problema direto, que trata da obtenção dos potenciais de borda a partir de uma distribuição interna de condutividade. O problema direto, neste trabalho, foi aplicado através do Método dos Elementos Finitos. Desta forma, é possível aplicar técnicas de busca e otimização que objetivam minimizar o erro médio quadrático relativo (função objetivo) entre os potenciais de borda mensurados no corpo (imagem ouro) e os potencias gerados pela resolução do problema direto de um candidato à solução. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi construir uma ferramenta computacional baseada em algoritmos de busca e otimização híbridos, com destaque para a Evolução Diferencial, a fim de reconstruir imagens de TIE. Para efeitos de comparação também foram utilizados para gerar imagens de TIE: Algoritmos Genéticos, Otimização por Enxame de Partículas e Recozimento Simulado. As simulações foram feitas no EIDORS, uma ferramenta usada em MatLab/ GNU Octave com código aberto voltada para a comunidade de TIE. Os experimentos foram feitos utilizando três diferentes configurações de imagens ouro (fantomas). As análises foram feitas de duas formas, sendo elas, qualitativa: na forma de o quão as imagens geradas pela técnica de otimização são parecidas com seu respectivo fantoma; quantitativa: tempo computacional, através da evolução do erro relativo calculado pela função objetivo do melhor candidato à solução ao longo do tempo de reconstrução das imagens de TIE; e custo computacional, através da avaliação da evolução do erro relativo ao longo da quantidade de cálculos da função objetivo pelo algoritmo. Foram gerados resultados para Algoritmos Genéticos, cinco versões clássicas de Evolução Diferencial, versão modificada de Evolução Diferencial, Otimização por Enxame de Partículas, Recozimento Simulado e três novas técnicas híbridas baseadas em Evolução Diferencial propostas neste trabalho. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, vemos que todas as técnicas híbridas foram eficientes para resolução do problema da TIE, obtendo bons resultados qualitativos e quantitativos desde 50 iterações destes algoritmos. Porém, merece destacar o rendimento do algoritmo obtido pela hibridização da Evolução Diferencial e Recozimento Simulado por ser a técnica aqui proposta mais promissora na reconstrução de imagens de TIE, onde mostrou ser mais rápida e menos custosa computacionalmente do que as outras técnicas propostas. Os resultados desta pesquisa geraram diversas contribuições na forma de artigos publicados em eventos nacionais e internacionais. / Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a technique that aim to reconstruct images of the interior of a body in a non-invasive and non-destructive form. Based on the application of the electrical current and on the measurement of the body’s edge electrical potential, made through of electrodes, an EIT image reconstruction algorithm generates the conductivity distribution map of this body’s interior. Several methods are applied to generate EIT images; however, they are still generated smooth contour images. This is due of the mathematical nature of EIT reconstruction problem as an ill-posed and ill-conditioned problem. Thus, there is not an exact internal conductivity distribution for one determinate edge potential distribution. The EIT is ruled mathematically by Poisson’s equations, and the image generation involves an iterative resolution of a direct problem, that treats the obtainment of the edge potentials through of an internal distribution of conductivity. The direct problem, in this dissertation, was applied through of Finite Elements Method. Thereby, is possible to apply search and optimization techniques that aim to minimize the mean square error relative (objective function) between the edge potentials measured in the body (gold image) and the potential generated by the resolution of the direct problem of a solution candidate. Thus, the goal of this work was to construct a computational tool based in hybrid search and optimization algorithms, highlighting the Differential Evolution, in order to reconstruct EIT images. For comparison, it was also used to generate EIT images: Genetic Algorithm, Particle Optimization Swarm and Simulated Annealing. The simulations were made in EIDORS, a tool used in MatLab/GNU Octave open source toward the TIE community. The experiments were performed using three different configurations of gold images (phantoms). The analyzes were done in two ways, as follows, qualitative: in the form of how the images generated by the optimization technique are similar to their respective phantom; quantitative: computational time, by the evolution of the relative error calculated for the objective function of the best candidate to the solution over time the EIT images reconstruction; and computational cost, by evaluating the evolution of the relative error over the amount of calculations of the objective functions by the algorithm. Results were generated for Genetic Algorithms, five classical versions of Differential Evolution, modified version of the Differential Evolution, Particle Optimization Swarm, Simulated Annealing and three new hybrid techniques based in Differential Evolution proposed in this work. According to the results obtained, we see that all hybrid techniques were efficient in solving the EIT problem, getting good qualitative and quantitative results from 50 iterations of these algorithms. Nevertheless, it deserves highlight the algorithm performance obtained by hybridization of Differential Evolution and Simulated Annealing to be the most promising technique here proposed to reconstruct EIT images, which proved to be faster and less expensive computationally than other proposed techniques. The results of this research generate several contributions in the form of published paper in national and international events.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-20T13:21:46Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Versão_Digital_REIGA.pdf: 3705889 bytes, checksum: 551e1d47969ce5d1aa92cdb311f41304 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-20T13:21:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Versão_Digital_REIGA.pdf: 3705889 bytes, checksum: 551e1d47969ce5d1aa92cdb311f41304 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-23 / CAPES / A Tomografia por Impedância Elétrica (TIE) é uma técnica que visa reconstruir imagens do interior de um corpo de forma não-invasiva e não-destrutiva. Com base na aplicação de corrente elétrica e na medição dos potenciais de borda do corpo, feita através de eletrodos, um algoritmo de reconstrução de imagens de TIE gera o mapa de condutividade elétrica do interior deste corpo. Diversos métodos são aplicados para gerar imagens de TIE, porém ainda são geradas imagens de contorno suave. Isto acontece devido à natureza matemática do problema de reconstrução da TIE como um problema mal-posto e mal-condicionado. Isto significa que não existe uma distribuição de condutividade interna exata para uma determinada distribuição de potenciais de borda. A TIE é governada matematicamente pela equação de Poisson e a geração da imagem envolve a resolução iterativa de um problema direto, que trata da obtenção dos potenciais de borda a partir de uma distribuição interna de condutividade. O problema direto, neste trabalho, foi aplicado através do Método dos Elementos Finitos. Desta forma, é possível aplicar técnicas de busca e otimização que objetivam minimizar o erro médio quadrático relativo (função objetivo) entre os potenciais de borda mensurados no corpo (imagem ouro) e os potencias gerados pela resolução do problema direto de um candidato à solução. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi construir uma ferramenta computacional baseada em algoritmos de busca e otimização híbridos, com destaque para a Evolução Diferencial, a fim de reconstruir imagens de TIE. Para efeitos de comparação também foram utilizados para gerar imagens de TIE: Algoritmos Genéticos, Otimização por Enxame de Partículas e Recozimento Simulado. As simulações foram feitas no EIDORS, uma ferramenta usada em MatLab/ GNU Octave com código aberto voltada para a comunidade de TIE. Os experimentos foram feitos utilizando três diferentes configurações de imagens ouro (fantomas). As análises foram feitas de duas formas, sendo elas, qualitativa: na forma de o quão as imagens geradas pela técnica de otimização são parecidas com seu respectivo fantoma; quantitativa: tempo computacional, através da evolução do erro relativo calculado pela função objetivo do melhor candidato à solução ao longo do tempo de reconstrução das imagens de TIE; e custo computacional, através da avaliação da evolução do erro relativo ao longo da quantidade de cálculos da função objetivo pelo algoritmo. Foram gerados resultados para Algoritmos Genéticos, cinco versões clássicas de Evolução Diferencial, versão modificada de Evolução Diferencial, Otimização por Enxame de Partículas, Recozimento Simulado e três novas técnicas híbridas baseadas em Evolução Diferencial propostas neste trabalho. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, vemos que todas as técnicas híbridas foram eficientes para resolução do problema da TIE, obtendo bons resultados qualitativos e quantitativos desde 50 iterações destes algoritmos. Porém, merece destacar o rendimento do algoritmo obtido pela hibridização da Evolução Diferencial e Recozimento Simulado por ser a técnica aqui proposta mais promissora na reconstrução de imagens de TIE, onde mostrou ser mais rápida e menos custosa computacionalmente do que as outras técnicas propostas. Os resultados desta pesquisa geraram diversas contribuições na forma de artigos publicados em eventos nacionais e internacionais. / Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a technique that aim to reconstruct images of the interior of a body in a non-invasive and non-destructive form. Based on the application of the electrical current and on the measurement of the body’s edge electrical potential, made through of electrodes, an EIT image reconstruction algorithm generates the conductivity distribution map of this body’s interior. Several methods are applied to generate EIT images; however, they are still generated smooth contour images. This is due of the mathematical nature of EIT reconstruction problem as an ill-posed and ill-conditioned problem. Thus, there is not an exact internal conductivity distribution for one determinate edge potential distribution. The EIT is ruled mathematically by Poisson’s equations, and the image generation involves an iterative resolution of a direct problem, that treats the obtainment of the edge potentials through of an internal distribution of conductivity. The direct problem, in this dissertation, was applied through of Finite Elements Method. Thereby, is possible to apply search and optimization techniques that aim to minimize the mean square error relative (objective function) between the edge potentials measured in the body (gold image) and the potential generated by the resolution of the direct problem of a solution candidate. Thus, the goal of this work was to construct a computational tool based in hybrid search and optimization algorithms, highlighting the Differential Evolution, in order to reconstruct EIT images. For comparison, it was also used to generate EIT images: Genetic Algorithm, Particle Optimization Swarm and Simulated Annealing. The simulations were made in EIDORS, a tool used in MatLab/GNU Octave open source toward the TIE community. The experiments were performed using three different configurations of gold images (phantoms). The analyzes were done in two ways, as follows, qualitative: in the form of how the images generated by the optimization technique are similar to their respective phantom; quantitative: computational time, by the evolution of the relative error calculated for the objective function of the best candidate to the solution over time the EIT images reconstruction; and computational cost, by evaluating the evolution of the relative error over the amount of calculations of the objective functions by the algorithm. Results were generated for Genetic Algorithms, five classical versions of Differential Evolution, modified version of the Differential Evolution, Particle Optimization Swarm, Simulated Annealing and three new hybrid techniques based in Differential Evolution proposed in this work. According to the results obtained, we see that all hybrid techniques were efficient in solving the EIT problem, getting good qualitative and quantitative results from 50 iterations of these algorithms. Nevertheless, it deserves highlight the algorithm performance obtained by hybridization of Differential Evolution and Simulated Annealing to be the most promising technique here proposed to reconstruct EIT images, which proved to be faster and less expensive computationally than other proposed techniques. The results of this research generate several contributions in the form of published paper in national and international events.

Les différentes modalités d’imagerie par ondes présentent chacune des limitations en termes de résolution ou de contraste. Dans ce travail, nous modélisons l’imagerie ultrasonore ultrarapide et présentons des méthodes de reconstruction qui améliorent la précision de l’imagerie ultrasonore. Nous introduisons deux méthodes qui permettent d’augmenter le contraste et de mesurer la position super-résolue et la vitesse dans les vaisseaux sanguins. Nous présentons aussi une méthode de reconstruction des paramètres microscopiques en tomographie d’impédance électrique en utilisant des mesures multifréquence et en s’aidant de la théorie de l’homogénéisation. / Different modalities in wave imaging each present limitations in terms of resolution or contrast. In this work, we present a mathematical model of the ultrafast ultrasound imaging modality and reconstruction methods which can improve contrast and resolution in ultrasonic imaging. We introduce two methods which allow to improve contrast and to locate blood vessels belowthe diffraction limit while simultaneously estimating the blood velocity. We also present a reconstruction method in electrical impedance tomography which allows reconstruction of microscopic parameters from multi-frequency measurements using the theory of homogenization.

Bei einem akuten Lungenversagen senkt maschinelle Beatmung mit niedrigen Atemzugvolumina das Risiko für einen Ventilationsassoziierten Lungenschaden (VALI). Allerdings sind weitere Beatmungseinstellungen (Positive End-Exspiratory Pressure [PEEP], Recruitment Maneuver [RM]) zur Reduktion eines VALI Gegenstand aktueller klinischer und grundlagentechnischer Forschung. Studiendaten produzieren diesbezüglich ein heterogenes Meinungsbild. Ein restriktives Management von PEEP und Lungenrekrutierung (ARDSnet-PEEP-Tabelle) findet gleichermaßen Befürworter wie Studien, welche die Minimierung von tidaler Rekrutierung (TR) durch RM und/oder PEEP-Titrierung als lungenprotektives Management propagieren. In diesem experimentellen 24-Stunden-Langzeitversuch mit akutem Lungenversagen (ARDS) durch ein klinisch relevantes, experimentelles Salzsäure-Aspirationsmodell am Schwein wurden drei verschiedene, randomisierte Beatmungsstrategien durch individuelle PEEP-Einstellung anhand der ARDSnet-PEEP-Tabelle (ARDSnet-Gruppe), des Open- Lung-Concept (OLC-Gruppe) und des EIT-generierten SDRVD (EIT-Gruppe) untersucht. Hinsichtlich der Frage nach lungenprotektiver, individueller Beatmung und der Vermeidung eines VALI wurden Parameter der quantitativen Computertomographie (CT), der non-invasiven bettseitigen Elektroimpedanztomographie (EIT) und aus histologischen Untersuchungen (Diffuse Alveolar Damage [DAD] Score) herangezogen und verglichen.:I. Inhaltsverzeichnis II. Abkürzungsverzeichnis 1. Einführung in die Thematik 1.1 Akutes Lungenversagen – Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) 1.1.1 Definition, Epidemiologie, Ätiologie und Pathogenese des ARDS 1.1.2 Lungenprotektive maschinelle Beatmung und Ventilationsassoziierter Lungenschaden (VALI) bei Patienten mit ARDS 1.2 In der Studie verglichene Beatmungsstrategien 1.2.1 ARDS Network Protokoll (ARDSnet-Gruppe) 1.2.2 Open Lung Concept (OLC-Gruppe) 1.2.3 Elektroimpedanztomographie (EIT-Gruppe) 1.3 ARDS – Bildmorphologie (CT und EIT) und Histologie (DAD-Score) 1.3.1 Elektroimpedanztomographie (EIT) – Standard deviation of regional ventilation delay (SDRVD) 1.3.2 Computertomographie (CT) – Lungenkollaps und Tidale Rekrutierung 1.3.3 Histologie – Diffuse Alveolar Damage Score (DAD-Score) 1.4 Statistische Methoden 1.5 Wissenschaftliche Zielsetzung 2. Publikationsmanuskript 3. Zusammenfassung 4. Literaturverzeichnis 5. Anlagen (Supplemental Material) 6. Darstellung des eigenen Beitrags 7. Selbstständigkeitserklärung 8. Teilnahmebescheinigung: Vorlesung zur „Guten wissenschaftlichen Praxis“ an der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig 9. Wissenschaftlicher Lebenslauf 10. Publikationen 11. Danksagung

The purpose of this work is the design of a gaussmeter with a three-axis probe for magnetic field mapping and subsequent reconstruction of the image using magnetic impedance tomography. Commercially available gaussmeters have low bandwidth for these purposes, and signals cannot be measured in synchronous detection mode. The aim of the thesis is select the most suitable magnetic field sensors for the MIT purposes and to design the entire measuring device to meet the measurement requirements in the wider frequency band and synchronous detection. Attention will also be paid to designing a suitable mechanical design of the probe and the location of the sensors. The proposed device will be tested and evaluated for MIT purposes.

Many cases have evinced the importance of having structural health monitoring (SHM) strategies that can allow the detection of the structural health of infrastructures or buildings, in order to prevent the potential economic or human losses. Nanocomposite material like the Carbon nanofiller-modified composites have great potential for SHM because these materials are piezoresistive. So, it is possible to determine the damage status of the material by studying the conductivity change distribution, and this is essential for detecting the damage on the position that can-not be observed by eye, for example, the inner layer in the aerofoil. By now, many researchers have studied how damage influences the conductivity of nanocomposite material and the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) method has been applied widely to detect the damage-induced conductivity changes. However, only knowing how to calculate the conductivity change from damage is not enough to SHM, it is more valuable to SHM to know how to determine the mechanical damage that results in the observed conductivity changes. In this article, we apply the machine learning methods to determine the damage status, more specifically, the number, radius and the center position of broken holes on the material specimens by studying the conductivity change data generated by the EIT method. Our results demonstrate that the machine learning methods can accurately and efficiently detect the damage on material specimens by analysing the conductivity change data, this conclusion is important to the field of the SHM and will speed up the damage detection process for industries like the aviation industry and mechanical engineering.

Introduction: Left-ventricular (LV) distension and consequent pulmonary congestion are complications frequently discussed in patients with severe LV dysfunction treated with veno- arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO). The goal of this study was to describe the influence of high VA ECMO flows to LV distension, lung hemodynamics, and lung fluid accumulation. Methods of LV decompression were studied to prevent lung edema. Methods: In all experiments porcine models under general anesthesia were used. The effects of high extracorporeal blood flow (EBF) on LV heart work were assessed in a chronic heart failure model. The effects of LV afterload on lung fluid accumulation were evaluated by electrical impedance tomography (EIT) on acute heart failure models. Phase and frequency filtration and mathematical analysis were applied to the raw EIT data. Subsequently, mini- invasive techniques of LV decompression were evaluated for LV work. Results: The stepwise increases of VA ECMO flow improved both hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters. Nevertheless, it also caused distension and increased work of LV. The rise in EBF led to increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and lung fluid accumulation assessed by EIT in heart failure. The methods for LV decompression (Impella pump, atrial...

Tato disertační práce pojednává o optimalizaci algoritmů pro rekonstrukci obrazu neznámé měrné vodivosti z měřených dat pořízených elektrickou impedanční tomografií. Danou problematiku zde věcně vymezuje několik různých prvků, zejména pak stručný matematický popis dopředné a inverzní úlohy řešené různými přístupy, metodika měření a pořizování dat pro rekonstrukci a přehled dostupných numerických nástrojů. Uvedenou charakteristiku rozšiřuje rozbor optimalizací parametrů modelu ovlivňujících přesnost rekonstrukce, způsoby paralelního zpracování algoritmů a souhrn dostupných zařízení pro měření tomografických dat. Na základě získaných poznatků byla navržena optimalizace parametrů matematického modelu, která umožňuje jeho velmi přesný návrh dle měřených dat. V této souvislosti dochází ke snížení nejistoty rekonstrukce rozložení konduktivity. Pro zefektivnění procesu získávání dat bylo navrženo zařízení k automatizaci tomografie s důrazem na cenovou dostupnost a snížení nejistoty měření. V oblasti tvorby numerického modelu byly dále zkoumány možnosti užití otevřených a uzavřených domén pro různé metody regularizace a hrubost sítě, a to s ohledem na velikost chyby rekonstruované konduktivity a výpočetní náročnost. Součástí práce je také paralelizace subalgoritmů rekonstrukce s využitím vícejádrové grafické karty. Předložené výsledky mají přímý vliv na snížení nejistoty rekonstrukce (optimalizací počáteční hodnoty konduktivity, rozmístění elektrod a tvarové deformace domény, regularizačních metod a typu domén) a urychlení výpočtů paralelizací algoritmů, přičemž výzkum byl podpořen vlastním návrhem jednotky pro automatizaci tomografie.

L’imagerie biomédicale d’élastographie, visant à cartographier les propriétés mécaniques des tissus mous, est explorée à travers des approches multiphysiques et multimodales regroupant la microscopie optique d’une part et l’imagerie par résonance magnétique associée à la stimulation électrique d’autre part. Tout d’abord, une méthode de génération d’ondes élastiques, nécessaires aux expériences d’élastographie par résonance magnétique (ERM), suivant une approche de stimulation in situ est présentée. Cette dernière repose sur l’induction de forces de Lorentz, sources de mouvement, dans un matériau soumis à une stimulation électrique et exposé au champ magnétique d’un système d’imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM). Un dispositif expérimental d’ERM par force de Lorentz est proposé et testé avec des fantômes de gélatine de différentes rigidités. Le champ ondulatoire mesuré est démontré provenir de la force de Lorentz établie au sein des échantillons et a permis la reconstruction d’images de rigidité au moyen d’un algorithme d’inversion habituellement appliqué au traitement de données cliniques. La faible amplitude des déplacements capturés suggère toutefois que les déformations induites seraient difficilement mesurables par ERM dans des conditions de stimulation électrique sûres. Si cette caractéristique questionne la faisabilité de l’ERM par force de Lorentz, elle ouvre la voie à l’application simultanée de l’ERM conventionnelle et de la stimulation électrique dans une même région d’intérêt, permettant l’analyse de la réponse biomécanique de tissus biologiques à une stimulation électrique. Cet aspect est abordé à travers une étude numérique de stimulation transcrânienne par courant alternatif associée à l’ERM dans un modèle 3D de cerveau de souris. L’impact des forces de Lorentz, inhérentes à cette combinaison, sur les reconstructions de viscoélasticité est étudié via un algorithme d’inversion non-linéaire par sous-zones. Un volet d’imagerie de la conductivité ohmique par résonance magnétique est incorporé aux simulations de façon à approximer la distribution de courant électrique induit par stimulation. L’union de ces différentes approches pourrait être pertinente dans le cadre de la caractérisation du cerveau et révéler davantage de mécanismes physiologiques ensemble qu’individuellement. Dans un second temps, l’évaluation de la viscoélasticité des tissus biologiques est abordée à l’échelle de la cellule grâce à la micro-élastographie optique. Cette approche repose également sur la génération, la mesure et l’analyse d’ondes élastiques harmoniques dans le milieu sondé et est appliquée à des ovocytes de souris d’un diamètre avoisinant 85 µm. Les déformations locales sont mesurées dans le plan des images expérimentales acquises à une fréquence de 200 kHz et sont traitées par un modèle de déplacements 3D exploitant la symétrie planaire des ovocytes imagés. La reconstruction de cartes de viscoélasticité est assurée par l’algorithme itératif d’inversion non-linéaire par sous-zones, emprunté à l’élastographie par résonance magnétique. Les images de module de stockage produites démontrent un niveau de précision supérieur aux images obtenues par inversion directe, sur la base de différentiabilité des structures internes de l’ovocyte. La génération inédite d’images du module de perte dans de telles cellules et la robustesse de l’ensemble de cette approche sont des indicateurs encourageant d’une éventuelle applicabilité future aux procédures de fécondation in vitro. / Biomedical elastography imaging, aiming at mapping the mechanical properties of soft tissues, is explored through multiphysical and multimodal approaches combining optical microscopy on one hand and magnetic resonance imaging associated with electrical stimulation on the other hand. First, a method for generating elastic waves, necessary for magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) experiments, following an in situ actuation approach is presented. The latter is based on the induction of Lorentz forces, sources of motion, in a material subjected to an electrical stimulation and exposed to the magnetic field of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. An experimental set-up for Lorentz force MRE is proposed and tested with gelatin phantoms of different stiffness. The measured wave field is shown to originate from the Lorentz force established within the samples and allowed the reconstruction of stiffness images using an inversion algorithm typically applied to clinical data processing. The small amplitude of the captured displacements, however, suggests that the induced deformations would be difficult to measure by MRE under safe electrical stimulation conditions. If this characteristic questions the feasibility of Lorentz force MRE, it opens the way to the simultaneous application of conventional MRE and electrical stimulation in the same region of interest, allowing the analysis of the biomechanical response of biological tissues to electrical stimulation. This aspect is addressed through a numerical study of transcranial alternating current stimulation associated with MRE in a 3D mouse brain model. The impact of Lorentz forces, inherent to this combination, on viscoelasticity reconstructions is studied via a nonlinear subzone inversion algorithm. A magnetic resonance imaging component of the ohmic conductivity is incorporated into the simulations in order to approximate the electrical current distribution induced by stimulation. The union of these different approaches could be relevant for the characterization of the brain and may reveal more physiological mechanisms together than individually. In a second step, the evaluation of the viscoelasticity of biological tissues is approached at the cell level using optical microelastography. This approach is also based on the generation, measurement and analysis of harmonic elastic waves in the probed medium and is applied to mouse oocytes with a diameter of about 85 µm. Local deformations are measured in the plane of the experimental images acquired at a frequency of 200 kHz and are processed by a 3D displacement model exploiting the planar symmetry of the imaged oocytes. Viscoelasticity maps are reconstructed using the iterative subzone nonlinear inversion algorithm borrowed from magnetic resonance elastography. The storage modulus images produced demonstrate a higher level of accuracy than images obtained by direct inversion, based on the differentiability of the internal structures of the oocyte. The novel generation of loss modulus images in such cells and the robustness of the overall approach are encouraging indicators of potential future applicability to in vitro fertilization procedures.

Estimating parameters is the problem of finding their values from measurements and modelling. Parameters describe properties of a system; material, for instance, are defined by mechanical, electrical, and chemical parameters. Fisher information is an information measure, giving information about how changes in the parameter effect the estimation. The Fisher information includes the physical model of the problem and the statistical model of noise. The Cramér-Rao bound is the inverse of the Fisher information and gives the best possible variance for any unbiased estimator. This thesis considers aspects of sensitivity analysis in two applied material parameter estimation problems. Sensitivity analysis with the Fisher information and the Cramér-Rao bound is used as a tool for evaluation of measurement feasibilities, comparison of measurement set-ups, and as a quantitative measure of the trade-off between accuracy and resolution in inverse imaging. The first application is with estimation of the wood grain angle parameter in trees and logs. The grain angle is the angle between the direction of the wood fibres and the direction of growth; a large grain angle strongly correlates to twist in sawn timber. In the thesis, measurements with microwaves are argued as a fast and robust measurement technique and electromagnetic modelling is applied, exploiting the anisotropic properties of wood. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional modelling is considered. Mathematical modelling is essential, lowering the complexity and speeding up the computations. According to a sensitivity analysis with the Cramér-Rao bound, estimation of the wood grain angle with microwaves is feasible. The second application is electrical impedance tomography, where the conductivity of an object is estimated from surface measurements. Electrical impedance tomography has applications in, for example, medical imaging, geological surveillance, and wood evaluation. Different configurations and noise models are evaluated with sensitivity analysis for a two-dimensional electrical impedance tomography problem. The relation between the accuracy and resolution is also analysed using the Fisher information. To conclude, sensitivity analysis is employed in this thesis, as a method to enhance material parameter estimation. The sensitivity analysis methods are general and applicable also on other parameter estimation problems. / Estimering av parametrar är att finna deras värde utifrån mätningar och modellering. Parametrar beskriver egenskaper hos system och till exempel material kan definieras med mekaniska, elektriska och kemiska parametrar. Fisherinformation är ett informationsmått som ger information om hur ändringar i en parameter påverkar estimeringen. Fisherinformationen ges av en fysikalisk modell av problemet och en statistisk modell av mätbruset. Cramér-Rao-gränsen är inversen av Fisherinformationen och ger den bästa möjliga variansen för alla väntevärdesriktiga estimatorer.Den här avhandlingen behandlar aspekter av känslighetsanalys i två tillämpade estimeringsproblem för materialparametrar. Känslighetsanalys med Fisherinformation och Cramér-Rao-gränsen används som ett redskap för utvärdering av möjligheten att mäta och för jämförelser av mätuppställningar, samt som ett kvantitativt mått på avvägningen mellan noggrannhet och upplösning för inversa bilder. Den första tillämpningen är estimering av fibervinkeln hos träd och stockar. Fibervinkeln är vinkeln mellan växtriktningen och riktningen hos träfibern och en stor fibervinkel är relaterad till problem med formstabilitet i färdiga brädor. Mikrovågsmätningar av fibervinkeln presenteras som en snabb och robust mätteknik. I avhandlingen beskrivs två- och tredimensionella elektromagnetiska modeller som utnyttjar anisotropin hos trä. Eftersom matematisk modellering minskar komplexiteten och beräkningstiden är det en viktig del i estimeringen. Enligt känslighetsanalys med Cramér-Rao-gränsen är estimering av fibervinkeln hos trä möjlig. Den andra tillämpningen är elektrisk impedanstomografi, där ledningsförmågan hos objekt bestäms genom mätningar på ytan. Elektrisk impedanstomografi har tillämpningar inom till exempel medicinska bilder, geologisk övervakning och trämätningar. Olika mätkonfigurationer och brusmodeller utvärderas med känslighetsanalys för ett tvådimensionellt exempel på elektrisk impedanstomografi. Relationen mellan noggrannhet och upplösning analyseras med Fisher information. För att sammanfatta beskrivs känslighetsanalys som en metod för att förbättra estimeringen av materialparametrar. Metoderna för känslighetsanalys är generella och kan tillämpas också på andra estimeringsproblem för parametrar.