UC engineering student works to advance ultrasound technology

Among the graduate schools I was considering for enrollment, the University of Cincinnati stood out for its active and strong biomedical ultrasound imaging group. UC's multiple labs are actively engaged in this field, guided by renowned professors, and equipped with state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging instruments that provide an ideal setting for advanced research. The collaborative environment between health care professionals and engineering researchers, coupled with the labs' strategic location at the core of the medical campus significantly influenced my decision to select UC for my doctoral studies. 

My Ph.D. work aims to enhance the efficacy of ultrasound imaging in the thermal ablation or removal of liver tumors. At the Biomedical Acoustics Laboratory, we do this using our innovative method, 3D ultrasound echo decorrelation imaging.

This is a computationally efficient method that spatially maps heat-induced changes in ultrasound echoes over millisecond time scales and can provide feedback on ablation progress while the tumor is being ablated to avoid over or under treatment.

We explored advanced image and signal processing methods, including real-time feedback control algorithm, temperature prediction, registration among various imaging modalities and more. Using National Institute of Health funding, we have evaluated our method ex vivo (outside the body) in bovine and human liver and in vivo (inside the body) in swine liver, as well as in the percutaneous ablation of human liver tumor. This was done in collaboration with the Department of Radiology at UC. It is quite interesting to me that by developing novel monitoring methodologies and tools, we can enhance the accuracy, precision, and safety of tumor ablation procedures while minimizing the risk to the surrounding healthy tissues. 

Through my academic coursework and hands-on experience, I have gained a solid foundation in ultrasound imaging techniques, signal and image processing, and software development. I have also had the privilege of working alongside esteemed researchers and clinicians, witnessing firsthand the challenges faced in liver thermal ablation procedures and the critical role ultrasound imaging can play in targeting and ensuring effective treatment outcomes. 

I took the initiative to extend 3D echo decorrelation imaging to include advanced artificial intelligence techniques to improve the delineation of the ablation zone and temperature prediction for monitoring thermal ablation. For this purpose, I spent a few months earning certificates in the online machine and deep learning courses. I employed my knowledge to augment our echo decorrelation imaging technique, the result of which I presented at the recent Acoustical Society of America international conference in Chicago in May 2023, with the proceedings paper ready to be published. This work led to a new collaboration with the researchers from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and a postdoctoral opportunity at a strong ultrasound research laboratory at Cornell University. 

I will move to New York City to start my work as a postdoctoral researcher at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. 

I do have a few other activities and hobbies that I enjoy outside of my professional life. I am passionate about oil painting and find it a therapeutic and creative outlet. I also love to write poetry, which I think is the most beautiful form of self-expression. I also run four or five days a week after work. 

Featured image at top: Elmira Ghahramani in the lab. Photo/provided.