Ultrasound medical instrumentation for high frequency imaging and transcranial Doppler. – AtysCrea

This common laboratory entitled laboratory AtysCrea is centered on the medical ultrasound instrumentation for the transcranial Doppler and the high-frequency ultrasound imaging. It associates the Atys Médical company and the research unit CREATIS. Both partners know each other, are complementary and have already worked together. The micro-emboles detection is a public health issue to prevent the cerebral vascular accidents (110 000 hospitalizations in France in 2010).
Atys is strongly involved in R&D. On a staff of 10 persons, six are in R&D. This activity produces new equipments (in 2012: first transcranial Holter). Very present on the international market, Atys makes more than 80 % of its sales abroad through sole agents and 20 % in France with its own sales network.
CREATIS is one of the main European research unit in biological and medical imaging. The unit is strongly involved in transfer / valuation (3 start' up, distribution of more than 10 software and 20 patents) supported by the structures of valuation of the INSA, UCB, CNRS, Inserm and Pres of Lyon.
First two main ways are to be developed within the framework of this common laboratory.
1) Detection of micro emboles presents in the cerebral blood flow by transcranial Doppler. We propose a new approach based on a 2D recognition of the ultrasound signature of emboles in the objective to improve the reliability of the detection of emboles and the rejection of artefacts. The Atys company develops a range of device for the detection by transcranial Doppler of micro emboles presents in the cerebral blood flow. These devices are constantly evolving and have to improve their performances in terms of detection and classification of the micro emboles. The team ‘ultrasound imaging’ of CREATIS worked on applications connected to vessels and to blood flow for the help to the diagnosis of the vascular pathologies. The team will lean on these skills concerning the statistics of the images for the detection and the characterization of the vascular anomalies (stenosis, plate of atheroma).
2) High-frequency ultrasound imaging for applications of tumor characterization in dermatology and on the small laboratory animal. We suggest working in 2D then in 3D on the contrast and the resolution of the ultrasound images, then completing the anatomical representation of tumors by image processing allowing to reach the information of vascularization of the tumor and the parameters of elasticity. Atys markets a high-frequency ultrasound scanner equipped with a probe for 3D imaging. This device does not contain a post-processing of images and must be improved according to the expectations of the users. The team of CREATIS possesses an expertise in the field of the high-frequency imaging. Methods were developed for the motion estimation in high-frequency imaging. These methods will be adapted for the imaging of the vascularization of tumors in dermatology. Other works will be useful for the formation of the images in 2D and 3D for the tissue characterization and for the 3D imaging of the elastic properties of tissues.
At first AtysCrea will realize feasibility studies on the two axes envisaged before establishing in the first nine months a project on the detection of embole (Axis 1).
This project will succeed in two years on implementations in the devices of Atys of detection of embole.
Concerning the high-frequency ultrasound, the first phase will allow planning the developments necessary for the realization of the first research project of the axis 2.
The first project will concern the practicable implementations without revision of the system of imaging of Atys. It will allow an integration after one-two years of works.