2026 MIPS Molecular Imaging Seminar Series

February 12, 2026 – 12:00-1:00pm, PT
Hybrid: Clark, S360 & Zoom Link

Jørgen Arendt Jensen, M.Sc(EE), PhD, Dr.Techn.

Professor
Technical University of Denmark

Fast Super Resolution Ultrasound Imaging using the Erythrocytes Abstract

This presentation will introduce a novel ultrasound method for non-invasively visualizing the human microvascular system at the bedside in seconds. Recent advancements in ultrasound technology have led to the development of super-resolution imaging using contrast agents. In this method, a sparse dilution of gas-filled bubbles is injected into the bloodstream. These individual bubbles appear as small, bright stars in the images and are tracked over consecutive frames. By accumulating these tracks over several minutes, we can create detailed images of the microvasculature, with the ability to detect vessels as small as 10 micrometers.

However, a significant challenge with this approach is its long acquisition time, which can lead to severe motion artifacts in patients. Additionally, the contrast agents used limit the ultrasound pressure that can be applied. To address these issues, we have developed the SURE approach—Super-resolution Ultrasound Real-time Imaging using Erythrocytes. This method employs erythrocytes as targets, enabling images to be captured in seconds due to their abundance in the bloodstream. Both image acquisition and processing are completed in just a matter of seconds and can be performed at the bedside using a Verasonics research scanner and a high-end GPU card.

During the presentation, we will showcase SURE images from Sprague-Dawley rats and compare them with micro-CT images, demonstrating the method’s capability to visualize vessels down to 29 micrometers. Additionally, we will present several clinical examples, including scans of tendons, lymph nodes, moles, and the thyroid, highlighting the method's application in patient scans. The SURE approach has also been expanded to a three-dimensional format using specialized row-column probes, and we will display volumetric SURE images obtained from a Sprague-Dawley rat.

Bio

Jørgen Arendt Jensen received the PhD. degree in 1989 and the Dr.Techn. degree in 1996, both from the Technical University of Denmark. He has since 1993 been full Professor of Biomedical Signal Processing with the Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark. He founded the Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging (CFU) in 1998, and 65 PhD students have graduated from CFU. He has published more than 550 journal and conference papers on ultrasound signal processing and imaging and has been a pioneer within ultrasound simulation, vector flow estimation, fast synthetic aperture imaging, and row- column volumetric imaging. His current research is centered around fast super resolution ultrasound imaging using the erythrocytes as target and how this method can be translated to clinical use. Dr. Jensen has received several awards for his research, most recently the Grand Solutions Prize from the Danish Minister of Science, the Rayleigh award from the IEEE UFFC, the prestigious Synergy grant from the European Research Council ERC, and the 2025 IEEE UFFC Seminal paper award. He was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2017.

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