Method and system for performing stiffness measurements using ultrasound shear wave elastography

A system of performing stiffness measurements of an anatomical structure in a patient using ultrasound shear wave elastography, the system comprising:

• an ultrasound image source configured to provide ultrasound images of the anatomical structure comprising a plurality of elastography frames, wherein the plurality of elastography frames are provided by a cine loop performed by an ultrasound imaging system;
• a processing unit;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to:
• automatically identify a preferred elastography frame of the plurality of elastography frames for making stiffness measurements of the anatomical structure;
• automatically identify a preferred area of the preferred elastography frame based on confidence levels;
• automatically select at least one region of interest (ROI) based on stiffness measurements within the preferred area of the preferred elastography frame;
• and
• measure stiffness of the anatomical structure in the at least one ROI.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for performing stiffness measurements of an anatomical structure in a patient using ultrasound shear wave elastography that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• receive ultrasound images of the anatomical structure comprising a plurality of elastography frames, wherein the plurality of elastography frames are provided by a cine loop performed by an ultrasound imaging system;
• automatically identify a preferred elastography frame of the plurality of elastography frames for making stiffness measurements of the anatomical structure;
• automatically identify a preferred area of the preferred elastography frame based on confidence levels;
• automatically select at least one region of interest (ROI) based on stiffness measurements within the preferred area of the preferred elastography frame;
• and
• measure stiffness of the anatomical structure in the at least one ROI.