Ultrasound Elastography for Biomedical Applications and Medicine

31 Abdominal Applications of Shear Wave Ultrasound Vibrometry and Supersonic Shear Imaging

Pengfei Song and Shigao Chen

Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

31.1 Introduction

Abdominal applications have been one of the major research and clinical interests of shear wave elastography since the birth of the technology. Many abdominal pathological conditions present abnormal tissue mechanical properties such as elevated stiffness, which can be quantitatively and noninvasively characterized by ultrasound shear wave imaging. To date, abdominal application of shear wave imaging has been investigated and reported in liver, prostate, kidney, intestine, uterine cervix, spleen, pancreas, and bladder, with active ongoing explorations of other abdominal applications. In this chapter, we provide brief technical and clinical reviews of each of the above‐mentioned abdominal applications.

31.2 Liver Application

At present, liver application is the most significant and well‐established field of ultrasound shear wave imaging research, owing to the longer period of time that shear wave elastography has been investigated in liver. Several seminal reviews of liver shear wave elastography and clinical guidelines by different organizations have been published [1–7]. Readers can refer to these reviews and guidelines for in‐depth technical and clinical details. In parallel to liver ultrasound shear wave research, a large body of liver shear wave elastography research ...