Ultrasound Imaging of Bone for Spinal Fusion Surgery Guidance: Simulation and Experimental Results

In order to continue development of an ultrasound-guidance system for spinal fusion surgery, simulation and experimental research was conducted to study the effects of bone on ultrasound imaging. Simulation work examined the effect of bone volume and transducer frequency on image quality and accuracy. Experimental work utilized a 3.2MHz prototype ultrasound probe to create ultrasound images of pedicles. The simulation results, based on an idealized anatomical model, provided higher-quality images than the experimental results. It was determined that high bone volume and high transducer frequency have a detrimental effect on image quality. The experimental results suggest that the high variability in pedicle shape results in variability in ultrasound image quality. Overall, the simulation and experimental results suggest that ultrasound imaging of bone is feasible at relatively low frequencies, while highlighting the need for more experiments to take into account the substantial variability in pedicle shape and bone volume.MAS