Skin Characterization with HighFrequency Ultrasound

1
Skin Characterization with High-Frequency
Ultrasound

• Stephanie Shubert and
• Dr. Maria Helguera
• November 2004

2
Why do this research?

• Alternative to skin biopsy
• Reduce unnecessary skin removals
• Non-invasive method
• Small or no side effects
• If surgery is a must
• Specific volume of tissue to remove
• Placement of cancerous tissue

3
Background

• Various types of ultrasound imaging available
  today
• B-mode
• 3D
• Color mode

http//www.vascularultrasound.com.au/doctor.htm
4
Background

• The ultrasound image on the left is a B-mode
  intensity image.
• B-mode is shorthand for brightness-mode

http//www.vascularultrasound.com.au/doctor.htm
5
Hypothesis

• Does skin tissue structure change with
  different conditions?
• Mole
• Clear skin
• Lesion

6
Experiment

• 15 healthy volunteers
• 15 MHz transducer
• Color image of skin surface
• 1 cm2 area on forearm

7
Analysis of Results

• 1. Visual analysis
• Histology
• Correlation with color image
• 2. Statistics
• T-tests

8
Budget

• Equipment purchased and paid in full
• Transducer 500
• Pulser / receiver 10,000
• Digital oscilloscope 10,000
• Ultrasound dedicated computer 2,000
• Actual funds required for this research
• Coupling gel 50
• Latex gloves 10
• Transducer holder 150
• Thin plastic box bottom
• Sides of the box
• Cohesive material
• Requesting 4 credits for winter and 3 credits for
  spring

9
Timetable

• Oct 1 Nov 28....................................
  ..Literature Search
• Nov 29 Feb 18.................Work on
  Ultrasound Equipment
• Dec 1 Dec 8.................................Test
  the Latex Method
• Dec 10 Dec 17...............................Buil
  d the Transducer Holder
  if Latex Method Fails
• Dec 10 Mar 18...................................
  ..Analysis of Data
• Dec 13 Jan 28........................Assessment
  of Ultrasound Technique
• Apr 4 May 6......................Conclusions
  and Thesis Paper

10
Conclusion

• Research will help understand scattering
  properties of skin.
• Future research possibilities
• Develop an algorithm for monitoring size of
  malignant mole
• Does a higher frequency transducer improve the
  results?