Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

This proposal is a request for a state-of-the-science research-grade ultrasound hub for integrating musculoskeletal dynamics with physiologic systems and the external environment. The infrastructure, referred to as UltraMSK (Ultrasound Technology to Advance MusculoSKeletal Research & Innovation), will afford unique and essential methods to advance the research programs of 13 NSERC-funded scientists. While the team represents a diverse range of expertise, a shared element in their ground-breaking research is the need to characterize the musculoskeletal tissues underlying the skin (e.g. muscle, adipose, tendons, and ligaments). UltraMSK is essential technology to characterize these tissues and advance the applicants' global research leadership. While ultrasound systems for traditional clinical research allow users to measure soft tissue composition and morphology (i.e. tissues present, their shape/orientation, their `quality'), there are critical limitations with the majority of commercially-available systems. While some support video capture to view tissue changes over time, the sampling rate is typically limited to ~30 images per second (similar to the speed of videos captured by smart phone cameras). While this is sufficient for characterizing tissues during resting or slow movements, they are too slow to accurately measure tissue properties during impact events or fast, dynamic activities. In addition, most clinical-based ultrasound data cannot be synchronized with other important variables (e.g. muscle activation levels, body posture, external forces). Furthermore, most clinically-focused systems do not provide insights into the mechanical properties of tissues (e.g. how `stiff' they are). Finally, most clinical ultrasound systems are created and programed for specific purposes - they provide images and `answers' that are simple to interpret, but are often not flexible enough to support a wide range of basic research applications. UltraMSK addresses all of these limitations. The proposed system captures ultrasound images at incredibly high rates (up to 1000 per second), can be synchronized with other critical measurement systems, can estimate tissue mechanical properties (through shear wave elastography), is incredibly flexible and provides access to raw image data. This state-of-the-science ultrasound system will allow the applicants to characterize soft tissue dynamics at any time scale (impact events, changes over minutes/hours, or differences across decades). In addition to facilitating seismic advances in our understanding of musculoskeletal system dynamics, UltraMSK will support the development of critically-needed assistive technologies to enhance the health, mobility, and independence of the Canadian population.