Our Spaces
Phantom section
This section is devoted to custom phantom (calibrated tissue-mimicking test objects) production and is well equipped to manufacture phantoms for ultrasound, MRI, CT, microwave, and elasticity imaging, and any combination of these.
Resources
- Infrastructure for formulating tissue-mimicking materials, including a ventilation hood, numerous custom devices and fixtures for heating, cooling, mixing and rotating
- Access to the Department of Medical Physics machine shop with computer-controlled lathes and milling machines, drill presses, saws, grinders and buffers, etc.
This section is recognized around the world for continuous pioneering work in state-of-the-art phantom development and manufacturing for industry and academics
Acoustic Characterization Section
This section is dedicated to measurements of acoustic properties of tissue and tissue-mimicking materials. The section is well equipped with single element ultrasound transducers, signal generators, amplifiers, oscilloscopes, pulsers-receivers, hydrophones, and other customized apparatus for measuring speed of sound, attenuation, scattering and elastic/viscoelastic properties. Notably among these are several manual and motorized 3–6 axis position control systems that are specifically configured to scan tissue specimens and tissue-mimicking phantoms.
Resources
- System to measure attenuation and speed of sound using narrow-band through-transmission immersion techniques, single element transducers covering a bandwidth between 1 to 50MHz
- System to measure backscatter coefficient using broadband through transmission immersion techniques using single element transducer covering a bandwidth between 1 to 50 MHz
Our lab provides acoustic characterization service to the ultrasound community. Please contact us for more information.
Preclinical section
This section features several Siemens scanners with access to range of transducer geometries and access to raw echo signals provided through a Master Research Agreement with Siemens. Also available is a programmable ultrasound research scanner, the Verasonics Vantage 256 with several transducers, including three linear arrays (L11-5v, L7-4, and L39-21), with a combined bandwidth from 4 to 39MHz. In addition, a 2D 8MHz matrix array transducer is available for volumetric imaging.
Resources
- Siemens Sequoia and S3000 scanners with a wide range of transducer geometries and access to raw echo signals through a research partnership with Siemens
- Verasonics Vantage 256 scanner for the development of novel imaging sequences and quantitative ultrasound methods
- Siemens Sequoia scanner at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center for preclinical research in Rhesus macaques
- Micrometric motion stages
Clinical Trials Section
This is a dedicated patient scanning room primarily used for our translational research. All Siemens systems are upgraded with the latest hardware and software configuration to support real-time elasticity imaging, flow imaging, spatial compounding, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, 3D/4D hardware and software. They all support ARFI techniques (Siemens Virtual Touch software) and provide access to raw (unprocessed) echo signals for system control and data acquisition through a Master Research Agreement with Siemens. Pilot studies are performed under an “umbrella protocol” for general ultrasound scanning.
Resources
- Siemens Sequoia and S3000 scanners
- GE logiq E10 scanner
- Wide range of transducer geometries for translational research in human subjects including linear, convex, intracavitary, volumetric, and automatic breast volume scanning.
- Access to several imaging modes, including B-mode, M-mode, Pulsed-Doppler, Color Flow, Microvascular Imaging, Strain Elastography, Shear Wave Elastography, Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound and 4D imaging