Research

Overview

CACTUS Lab, embedded in UTSW clinical imaging facilities, focuses on various aspects of ultrasound-related research:

  • Technical development of new and emerging ultrasound techniques, and how these novel tools may be translated to patient care;
  • Testing and validating new and enhanced ultrasound techniques in a clinical setting;
  • Retrospective and prospective analysis of imaging and clinical data related to abdominal, pelvic, and superficial ultrasound examinations.
2 ultrasounds

Clinical Research

CACTUS Lab members participate in various ongoing clinical research projects related to how ultrasound impacts common diseases. Various topics of interest include:

  • Chronic Liver Disease
    • Screening and outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
    • Liver fat and fibrosis quantification
  • Head and Neck Imaging
    • Thyroid cancer imaging
    • Cervical lymph node evaluation
    • Parathyroid localization
  • Impact of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
    • Cystic renal masses
    • Solid renal masses
    • HCC diagnosis and response to therapy
  • Deep Venous Thrombosis

 

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Technical Development and Translational Research

CACTUS lab supports and is directly involved in various inter-institution and industry-supported projects including:

  • Liver fat, inflammation, and fibrosis quantification in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
    • Confounders of measurement consistency
  • Advanced detection of renal stones
  • Detection of hydrogen peroxide in abscess fluid
  • Use of shear wave elastography in novel applications of superficial ultrasound
  • Quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasound for organ and tumor perfusion analysis
  • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound motion correction and frame filtering
  • Ultrasound lymphangiography

 

Many projects are performed in collaboration with various other labs and programs, including:

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