Basics of shear wave elastography

Abstract

A major feature of medical ultrasonic diagnostic devices is the ability to observe in vivo organs in real time. By using the color Doppler method, it becomes possible to observe the blood flow on a real-time image. By using a contrast agent, smaller vessels inside the organ can be observed at a high frame rate. Ultrasound shear wave elastography is an imaging technique that quantifies tissue stiffness by measuring the speed of shear waves in tissue. This technique uses dynamic excitation to generate shear waves in the body and monitors the shear waves as they travel through tissue in real-time imaging. This article describes the basic ultrasound physics, measurement method, and applications of shear wave elastography.