Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-03514, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Demore, Christine (University of Toronto), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Discovery Grants Program - Individual, program name french : Programme de subventions à la découverte - individuelles, program purpose english : Ultrasound technologies used routinely in clinical contexts employ standard configurations of devices for a broad range of applications. While this is sufficient for conventional imaging using extracorporeal probes, there are remain many clinical settings for which the current standard configurations and image resolution are unsatisfactory, for example, imaging the esophageal wall for diagnosis and guiding intervention. This research programme addresses the engineering and scientific challenges in creating miniaturised probes and implementing tissue elastography techniques for micro-ultrasound (high resolution) imaging of the esophagus. 
Micro-ultrasound imaging, using high frequency transducer arrays, affords better resolution because of the shorter wavelength, but at the cost of increased attenuation and decreased image depth. This trade-off can be overcome by placing a micro-ultrasound probe at the site of interest, in this case, a miniaturised transducer array that fits through a 6-mm endoscope port and positioned to image the wall of the esophagus. Miniature micro-ultrasound probes become possible because device dimensions scale with the wavelength, but the micro-scale dimensions introduce fabrication challenges. Ultrasound elastography at conventional imaging frequencies is now routinely used for detecting lesions in tissue. In order for high resolution elastography to have satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio, the increased attenuation of the compressing pulses used to measuring tissue stiffness must be overcome. 
Our hypothesis is that these challenges can be overcome using high performance piezocrystal composites to increase output power from miniature high frequency arrays, combined with advanced electrical interconnect technique that minimise the volume occupied by the interconnects and cabling in a probe. 
The specific aims of this research programme are: 
1. To create miniature, micro-ultrasound transducer arrays integrated into endoscopic probes 
2. To implement high resolution ultrasound elastography techniques for measuring tissue stiffness with the micro-ultrasound probes 
The long term goal of the research is to develop a platform technology for fabrication of miniature ultrasound probes and tissue characterisation techniques, with potential for adoption across many applications in biomedical imaging., program purpose french : Ultrasound technologies used routinely in clinical contexts employ standard configurations of devices for a broad range of applications. While this is sufficient for conventional imaging using extracorporeal probes, there are remain many clinical settings for which the current standard configurations and image resolution are unsatisfactory, for example, imaging the esophageal wall for diagnosis and guiding intervention. This research programme addresses the engineering and scientific challenges in creating miniaturised probes and implementing tissue elastography techniques for micro-ultrasound (high resolution) imaging of the esophagus. 
Micro-ultrasound imaging, using high frequency transducer arrays, affords better resolution because of the shorter wavelength, but at the cost of increased attenuation and decreased image depth. This trade-off can be overcome by placing a micro-ultrasound probe at the site of interest, in this case, a miniaturised transducer array that fits through a 6-mm endoscope port and positioned to image the wall of the esophagus. Miniature micro-ultrasound probes become possible because device dimensions scale with the wavelength, but the micro-scale dimensions introduce fabrication challenges. Ultrasound elastography at conventional imaging frequencies is now routinely used for detecting lesions in tissue. In order for high resolution elastography to have satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio, the increased attenuation of the compressing pulses used to measuring tissue stiffness must be overcome. 
Our hypothesis is that these challenges can be overcome using high performance piezocrystal composites to increase output power from miniature high frequency arrays, combined with advanced electrical interconnect technique that minimise the volume occupied by the interconnects and cabling in a probe. 
The specific aims of this research programme are: 
1. To create miniature, micro-ultrasound transducer arrays integrated into endoscopic probes 
2. To implement high resolution ultrasound elastography techniques for measuring tissue stiffness with the micro-ultrasound probes 
The long term goal of the research is to develop a platform technology for fabrication of miniature ultrasound probes and tissue characterisation techniques, with potential for adoption across many applications in biomedical imaging., agreement title english : Miniature ultrasound probes for diagnostic imaging in the esophagus, agreement title french : Miniature ultrasound probes for diagnostic imaging in the esophagus, agreement number : RGPIN, agreement value : 145000.0, agreement start date : 2017-05-10, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2022-2023), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada