Main description:

Ultrasound imaging technology has experienced a dramatic change in the last 30 years. Because of its non-invasive nature and continuing improvements in image quality, ultrasound imaging is progressively achieving an important role in the assessment and characterization of cardiovascular imaging. Speckle is inherent in ultrasound imaging giving rise to a granular appearance instead of homogeneous, flat shades of gray, as is visible and as such, speckle can severely compromise interpretation of ultrasound images, particularly in discrimination of small structures. On the other hand, speckle can be used in the detection of time varying phenomena, or tracking tissue motion. The objective of this book is to provide a reference edited volume covering the whole spectrum of speckle phenomena, theoretical background and modelling, algorithms and selected applications in cardiovascular ultrasound imaging and video processing and analysis. The book is organized under the following four parts, Part I: Introduction to Speckle Noise; Part II: Speckle Filtering; Part III: Speckle Tracking; Part IV: Selected Applications in Cardiovascular Imaging.

Contents:

Part I: Introduction to speckle noise in ultrasound imaging and video

Chapter 1: A brief review of ultrasound imaging and video
Chapter 2: Speckle physics
Chapter 3: Statistical models for speckle noise and Bayesian deconvolution of ultrasound images
Chapter 4: Summary

Part II: Speckle filtering

Chapter 5: Introduction to speckle filtering
Chapter 6: An overview of despeckle-filtering techniques
Chapter 7: Linear despeckle filtering
Chapter 8: Nonlinear despeckle filtering
Chapter 9: Wavelet despeckle filtering
Chapter 10: A comparative evaluation on linear and nonlinear despeckle filtering techniques
Chapter 11: Summary and future directions

Part III: Speckle tracking

Chapter 12: Introduction to speckle tracking in ultrasound video
Chapter 13: Principles of speckle tracking
Chapter 14: Techniques for speckle tracking: block matching
Chapter 15: Techniques for tracking: image registration
Chapter 16: Cardiac strain estimation
Chapter 17: Combined techniques of filtering and speckle tracking
Chapter 18: Summary and future directions

Part IV: Selected applications

Chapter 19: Segmentation of the carotid artery IMT in ultrasound
Chapter 20: Ultrasound carotid plaque video segmentation
Chapter 21: Ultrasound asymptomatic carotid plaque image analysis for the prediction of the risk of stroke
Chapter 22: 3D segmentation and texture analysis of the carotid arteries
Chapter 23: Carotid artery mechanics assessed by ultrasound
Chapter 24: Carotid artery wall motion and strain analysis using tracking
Chapter 25: IVUS tracking: advantages and disadvantages of intravascular ultrasound in the detection of artery geometrical features and plaque type morphology
Chapter 26: Introduction to speckle tracking in cardiac ultrasound imaging
Chapter 27: Assessment of systolic and diastolic heart failure
Chapter 28: Myocardial elastography and electromechanical wave imaging
Chapter 29: Summary and future directions