Participants

• Faculty: Dr. Elisa Barney Smith, Dr. Uwe Reischl

Collaborators

• Boise State Department of Community and Environmental Health

Description

Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive, and safe imaging modality. It is also portable and inexpensive. However, it produces images that are very noisy. The images are also susceptible to occlusion from dense objects such as bones.

Dr. Uwe Reischl in the Department of Community and Environmental Health is interested in using ultrasound images for spinal health monitoring. We are working to extract the information he needs from the ultrasound images.

Image Processing of Ultrasound Spinal Images

During the course of the day, the spacing between the human vertebrae decreases. Then at night, or during other extended periods when not in a vertical position, they will relax and the spacing will increase. There is evidence that the amount and rate of this compression are correlated to overall spinal health.

To further this study, detailed measurements of the spacing between vertebrae are needed. The least intrusive measurement method is through ultrasound imaging. These ultrasound images need to be analyzed to segment the vertebrae from the surrounding soft tissue, then measure their spacing. Doing so with a 3D ultrasound would provide even more information for analysis.