Effects of Inherent Tissue Anisotropy on Measurements Obtained with a Clinical Ultrasonic Imaging System

Our overall goal is to develop clinically applicable tissue characterization methods, based on quantitative analyses of backscattered ultrasound, which can differentiate normal from diseased heart segments. In implementing these methods there is a need to compensate for the inherent anisotropic properties of the heart that are exhibited in echocardiographic images. [1–4] Furthermore, quantitative tissue characterization methods may be able to exploit the inherent anisotropy of the myocardium to achieve assessment of cardiac properties.[5–9] The specific aims of this investigation were to measure the spectral properties of backscattered ultrasound using a clinical imaging system and to determine effects of inherent tissue anisotropy on measured spectral properties of backscattered ultrasound