Ultrasound Elastography: The State of Art and Its Perspective
Keywords:
Ultrasound elastography, mechanical imaging, ultrasound liver fibrosis elastography, strain elastrography, artificial intelligence in imaging, non-invasive imaging, stiffness of tissue abdomen, imaging of cardiovascular elastography, scintimammography, therapeutic ultrasound.Abstract
Ultrasound elastography is a modern imaging modality that is used to study the mechanical properties of tissues such as hardness and elasticity in a non-invasive and real-time mode. Elastography was first created to identify liver fibrosis, but lately, this method was willingly transferred to many other areas. This paper presents the recent advancements in ultrasound elastography and stresses on strain elastography and shear wave elastography (SWE). In particular, we address promising image analysis methods based on artificial intelligence and dosed and non-dosed wearable elastography systems that increase diagnostic performance and automate clinic operations. New uses in neurology, cardiology, and oncology research for elastography further prove the technique’s usefulness in diagnosis and assessment of many disorders. In addition, this paper reviews the issues & limitations related to its clinical use such as operator dependence, tissue composition and variability, normalization, etc. Needs for further research are especially addressed to possible elastography-induced treatment techniques and combining elastography with other imaging techniques. Efforts are in place to ensure that with time elastography becomes a key player in imaging and diagnosing diseases across all age groups.