# 3D Super-Resolution Ultrasound Imaging for Cancer Detection and Treatment Monitoring

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS · 2020 · $344,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the standard of care for treatment of locally advanced breast cancer, which is a
major clinical issue. Access to inexpensive and noninvasive methods to determine early treatment response are
essential to determine if a chosen anticancer therapeutic regimen is efficacious. Tumor angiogenesis is a key
biomarker of breast cancer growth and metastasis. This tumor microvascularity is known to exhibit distinct
perfusion characteristics and morphologic features during the early stages of breast tumor development which
fundamentally change during a positive response to neoadjuvant treatment. The overarching goal of this
research project is to develop an innovative three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution (SR-US) imaging system
and new image processing solutions to considerably improve our ability to perform in vivo quantitative analysis
of tumor angiogenic networks. The first aim of this project involves optimization of 3D SR-US imaging
functionality on a programmable US scanner equipped with a custom 1024-element (32 x 32) matrix array
transducer. The second aim involves the development of new open-source SR-US image processing software
for performing motion correction and quantitative analysis of tumor perfusion and microvascular morphology
features in 3D space. In the third aim, we will evaluate the use of angiogenic biomarkers extracted from 3D SR-
US images as a quantitative basis for distinguishing healthy from diseased tissue volumes in a transgenic animal
model of breast cancer. We will also assess the use of in vivo 3D SR-US imaging for detection of early tumor
response to neoadjuvant treatment using the same animal model.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9869897
- **Project number:** 5R01EB025841-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS
- **Principal Investigator:** Kenneth Hoyt
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $344,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-03-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9869897

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9869897, 3D Super-Resolution Ultrasound Imaging for Cancer Detection and Treatment Monitoring (5R01EB025841-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9869897. Licensed CC0.

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