Shear Wave Elastography of Soft Tissues

Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) is an advanced ultrasound technology that can assess the biomechanical properties of tissue by measuring the velocity of shear waves travelling through the medium. At QUIQ (Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging at QUT), we are investigating how SWE can be used in a variety of settings in both healthy tissue and pathological processes. Two of the main focuses of SWE research is the application in human placental tissue and musculoskeletal tissue.

Shear Wave Elastography of Muscles
The stiffness of passive muscles can be evaluated by SWE and our research team is investigating the variables that can affect the measurements. Shear Wave Velocity measurements are quantitative our research involves determining the best methods of image acquisition and translating this to clinical applications. SWE will be able to help assess whether muscle stiffness has changed due to the development of a pathological process, or if there has been improvement from a treatment.

QUIQ has a number of top of the range ultrasound machines from different vendors which allows us to obtain multiple perspectives and explore intra-machine variability.

Shear Wave Elastography of Human Placenta
Shear Wave Elastography may give significant information about the biomechanical properties of the placenta and fetal outcomes. Our team of researchers and Sonographers have been investigating the reliability of ultrasound elastography with the aim of defining the factors that could influence measurements. The work in this field is essential to developing placental elastography as a clinical tool to diagnose placental dysfunction. This project is part of the Mater-Queensland Family Cohort