Introduction
Welcome to Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering is part of the Thoraxcenter of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We are a research group led by prof.dr.ir. A. F. W. van der Steen, located at the Medical Faculty of the Erasmus University. The group focuses on the origin, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. We do this by bringing together two technical specialties of the Thoraxcenter, namely
- Experimental Echocardiography
- Biomechanics
The Experimental Echocardiography group investigates the physical and technical aspects of ultrasound for cardiac diagnosis. Prof.dr.ir. N. de Jong leads the research to the use of ultrasound contrast agents. These agents are characterized using both acoustical and optical measurement techniques (high-speed imaging). Gained knowledge is used to improve the detection of the agents in the human body, but also to make these agents suitable for therapeutic use. Special attention in our group is paid to drug delivery and molecular targeting using ultrasound activated agents.
The Experimental Echocardiography group continues a long tradition in probe development. Our current interest is the development of new probes for intravascular imaging of atherosclerotic plaques and the development of new probes for 3D imaging of the carotid artery and heart. In this research we also consider the processing of 2D and 3D images. Projects are running that focus on the detection of tendon movement and automated analysis of 3D stress echo images.
The Biomechanics group studies the biomechanics of the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the human carotid and coronary arteries. The group combines clinical data from multi slice computer tomography (MSCT) images, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images, and histology with finite element modeling. In this way we improve our understanding on the role of blood pressure and vessel wall geometry and composition in the development of stresses and strains in the vessel wall. We correlate these stresses and strains to the composition of the atherosclerotic plaques and aim at gaining more insight in the transition of stable plaques into vulnerable plaques.