Ultrasound response to blood flow model

Ultrasound imaging is well established in daily clinical practice due to being safe, real-time in nature, portable, and inexpensive. However, it provides images of poorer quality compared to other medical imaging modalities. The use of microbubbles as contrast agents may improve the resolution and open the way for new possible applications. In this project, a tool that allows for the creation of a vascular network, and a flow model are used to simulate the movement of particles within the vasculature. The information of the particle flow is then translated into information of microbubble flow which, in turn, is used in an ultrasound imaging simulation. The result is a simulated ultrasound image of microbubbles following a realistic flow. The network-creation tool allows for the creation of different vascular architectures that correspond to different pathologies. The architecture of a healthy vascular bed has been constructed and it will be compared to the architecture that is generated from tumour induced angiogenesis. The aim of the whole process aids the study of ultrasound response to different situations and what imaging parameters can be altered to improve the outcome.