SWAVE Ultrasound Elastography

Organ health is often tested today by biopsy, which involves placing a needle into the body and taking a small tissue sample for analysis in a lab. Researchers at the University of British Columbia invented a new technique to measure the health of tissue without a needle. This technique is called Shear Wave Absolute Vibro-Elastography (SWAVE) and it measures tissue elasticity by recording the small shear waves that result when tissue is vibrated with a loudspeaker-like device pressed against the skin. Fast moving shear waves are found in hard tissue, and slow moving shear waves are found in soft tissue. Many diseases, like cancer or fibrosis, also often cause soft healthy tissue to change into hard tissue. Therefore, SWAVE can measure tissue health by comparing the measured value of a particular patient?s tissue elasticity/stiffness to a known range of healthy to diseased values.

Faculty Supervisor:

Purang Abolmaesumi

Student:

Mohammad Honarvar

Partner:

Sonic Incytes Medical Corp.

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Program: