In-vivo imaging of skin under stress: potential of high-frequency (20 MHz) static 2-D elastography

• Published in: IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 925 - 935
• Main Authors: Mofid, Y., Ossant, F., Imberdis, C., Josse, G., Patat, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-05-2006; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Acoustics; Alcohols; Biocompatibility; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical materials; Capacitive sensors; Compressive Strength - physiology; Dermis; Devices; Diseases; Elasticity; Exact sciences and technology; Feasibility Studies; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); General equipment and techniques; Hardness; Hardness Tests - instrumentation; Hardness Tests - methods; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; In vivo; In vivo testing; In vivo tests; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Mechanical factors; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Technology; Phantoms, Imaging; Physical Stimulation - instrumentation; Physical Stimulation - methods; Physics; Radio Waves; Skin; Skin - diagnostic imaging; Skin Physiological Phenomena; Strain measurement; Stress; Stress, Mechanical; Stresses; Surgical implants; Tensile Strength - physiology; Transducers; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonic variables measurement; Ultrasonics, quantum acoustics, and physical effects of sound; Ultrasonography - instrumentation; Ultrasonography - methods; Human; Averaging method; Dermatology; Mechanical properties; Displacement(deformation); Experimental study; Modeling; Tissue; Medical imagery; Skin; Potential method; Patent rights; High frequency; Acoustic image; Elastography; Stretching; Signal to noise ratio
• DOI: 10.1109/TUFFC.2006.1632683
• EISSN: 1525-8955
• ISSN: 0885-3010

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of high-frequency static two-dimensional (2-D) elastography for in vivo exploration of the mechanical behavior of skin. Our device was based on the combination of a 20 MHz sonographer and a patented extensiometer device able to apply calibrated uniaxial stretching of the skin. We used a new algorithm to compute elastograms that improve elastographic signal-to-noise ratio (SNRe) without sacrificing resolution. Mechanical behavior was described according to the axial strain and lateral displacements induced in the tissue. The efficacy of the strain anpolyvinyl alcohol first evaluated in poly vinyl alcohol (PVA)-cryogel phantoms. Several in vivo experiments then were conducted, mainly with the multistretching averaging method, and demonstrated the potential of this technique in the evaluation of mechanical behavior of the dermis and the hypodermis under stress