Pocket size Ultrasound technology
Master's thesis and projects
The Department of circulation and medical imaging offers projects and master's thesis topics for technology students of most of the different technical study programmes at NTNU. There is a seperate page for the supplementary specialisation courses.
List of topics
Topics for thesis and projects are given below. Most of the topics can be adjusted to the students qualifications and wishes.
Don't hesitate to take contact with the corresponding supervisor - we're looking forward to a discussion with you!
Pocket size Ultrasound technology
The ultrasound group in Trondheim has several ongoing projects related to pocket-sized ultrasound. The main target is to develop technology and clinical applications for these pocket-sized devices, in order to make these devices becoming the "future stethoscope". These scanners will likely be used by general practitioners and users who are less experienced with the use of ultrasound. Enabling the clinician with the possibility to "look" into the body during the examination, could possibly improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients, as well as improving the workflow in the healthcare system. The physical size of the device and the new user groups give rise to other challenges than for the regular full-size scanners.1. Automatic measurement of heart function - Implementation on Android smartphone
The motion of the AV-plane, i.e.. the plane between the left ventricle and left atrium, is a sensitive marker for heart failure. An algorithm has been developed for automatic identification of the AV plane in the ultrasound image, using image processing tools, combined with a Doppler technique to measure the motion. The task is to implement the algorithm on an Android smartphone, validate the method, and participate in clinical testing. A framework for receiving and displaying ultrasound data on a tablet device, implemented in C++, is available and can be used in this project. Only limited knowledge of Java/Android is required as a template APK is also available.
Qualifications:
- Knowledge of C++ programming, digital signal processing, image processing
Contact:
- Prof. Hans Torp
2. Augmented reality for cardiac and fetal applications
Currently ultrasound as an imaging modality is highly dependent on the experience of the examiner. During acquisition, in addition to the cognitive load associated with interpreting the image on the screen, the examiner has to control the correct positioning and orientation of the transducer in order to ensure that the correct anatomical area is imaged and that the image quality is satisfactory.
By providing visual guidance through overlays, which communicate the anatomical structures being imaged, one can greatly improve the understanding of the structural arrangement of tissues during the scanning procedure. Thus it is highly desirable to assist the ultrasound examiner and as such partially alleviate the burden of image interpretation.
The aim of the project is to develop 2D/3D visualization methods that enable the clinician to find a visual correspondence between the ultrasound data being acquired and a generic anatomical mesh-model of a human heart or a model of the fetus.
Project topics:
- Augmented reality based tool for cardiac/obstetric applications
- Model fitting to 3D volumes or freehand acquired 2D slices
- Robust detection of anatomic landmarks in ultrasound data (cardiac or obstetric)
- Training Android or iOS application to facilitate the learning process of students
Skills (dependent on the project):
- Knowledge of Matlab and/or C++ programming
- Desire to learn Android programming