EER - 2007 Grant Awardees

Principal Investigator:	Nirvikar Dahiya, MD
Institution:	Washington University in St. Louis
Amount Awarded:	$10,000.00
Title of Project:	Tendinopathy of the Rotator Cuff: Correlation of Ultrasonographic Findings with Histopathologic Changes Using a Cadaver Shoulder Model
Project Summary:	High-resolution ultrasound has been shown to be very accurate diagnostic tool for rotator cuff tears. While the pathogenesis of cuff tears is multifactorial, an increasing number of clinical and cadaver studies have shown the importance of age related degenerative changes. These changes have been associated with the development of tendinopathy and ultimately, structural deterioration and cuff tears. Little has been written on the sonographic appearance of tendinopathy. Because tendinopathy is a significant cause of shoulder pain and is a predisposing factor for the development of rotator cuff ears, its accurate diagnosis is important for patient counseling and treatment planning. We plan to describe the ultrasound appearance of the normal versus tendinopathic rotator cuff in a cadaver shoulder model by correlating sonographic findings with histopathologic changes.

Principal Investigator:	Evan J. Boote, PhD
Institution:	University of Missouri
Amount Awarded:	$9,028.00
Title of Project:	Computerized QA for Ultrasound and Probe Integrity
Project Summary:	The Project will utilize computerized image analysis to measure performance parameters for clinical ultrasound equipment. It is critical that operators are confident in the optimal performance of the ultrasound scanner. One important aspect of the scanner performance is the integrity of the ultrasound transducer. While methods exist to determine the full extent of probe integrity, this project seeks to simplify this testing trough the use of software image analysis. The efficacy of the software will be evaluated using both simulated and real ultrasound systems as well as nominally functioning as well as ultrasound transducers with proven defects. The result of this project will be a functioning software and methodology to evaluate the performance of clinical ultrasound equipment.

Principal Investigator:	Andrej Lyshchik, MD, PhD
Institution:	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Amount Awarded:	$9,990.10
Title of Project:	Development of High Resolution Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Angiography
Project Summary:	Contrast-enhanced sonography provides a method for noninvasive assessment of perfusion and vascularity and can be successfully used in small animal models of cancer. Recently, binding specific ligands or antibodies to the microbubble contrast agent has been used to demonstrate information about the expression of specific antigens within the diseased tissue. Since microbubbles are intravascular contrast agents, we hypothesize both non-targeted and targeted microbubbles can be successfully used to visualize the vascular tree in small animal models and provide a faster, cheaper and more convenient alternative to routine magnetic resonance angiography. In addition, we hypothesize that targeting microbubbles to endothelial molecules can improve the accuracy of endothelial cell mapping and increase resolution of contrast-enhanced ultrasound angiography. The overall goal of our study is to develop a novel high-resolution ultrasound imaging angiography technique and quantitatively validate it to the accepted method of Magnetic Resonance Angiography.

Principal Investigator:	Vicki E. Noble, MD, RDMS
Institution:	Massachusetts General Hospital
Amount Awarded:	$7,000.00
Title of Project:	Prehospital Chest Ultrasound
Project Summary:	Ultrasound technology is now being used in the diagnosis of many pulmonary conditions and lung diseases. To date, ultrasound had found limited use in pre-hospital settings as the skills required for image application and interpretation required more training than was thought to be clinically expeditious for pre-hospital providers. This study will determine whether pre-hospital health providers such as paramedics and emergency medical technicians could use portable ultrasound to help make pulmonary diagnoses such as pneumothorax or pulmonary edema effectively and accurately in patients being transported to the hospital.