Research Themes:

Instrumentation, Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy
Technology for Expanding Access to Heathcare

Education

PhD Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley, 1971
MD University of Washington, 1976

Research Interests

• Detection and monitoring of neovascularization in cancerous tumors
• Monitoring of placental perfusion
• Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque
• Doppler ultrasound in clinical trials
• Monitoring of brain perfusion

E-mail - kwbeach@u.washington.edu

Faculty Appointments

• University of Washington Department of Surgery, Research Professor Emeritus, 2008–present.
• University of Washington Department of Bioengineering, Research Professor Emeritus, 2008–present.
• University of Washington Department of Surgery, Research Professor, 1993–2008.
• University of Washington Departments of Electrical Engineering, Adjunct Research Professor Emeritus, 2008–present.
• University of Washington Departments of Bioengineering and Electrical Engineering, Adjunct Research Professor, 1993–2008.
• UW Professional and Continuing Education, Faculty Coordinator, Medical Engineering Certificate Program, 2007–present.
• University of Washington Center on Human Development and Disability, Director, Instrument Development Laboratory, 1997–2007.
• University of Washington, Master of Medical Engineering Program, Professional & Continuing Education - Evening Degrees, Founder/Director, 1996–present.
• Seattle University Department of Physics, Instructor, 1988–1998.
• Seattle University Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Instructor, 1988–1998.
• University of Washington Department of Surgery, Research Associate Professor, 1984–1993.
• University of Washington Department of Surgery, Research Assistant Professor, 1979–1984.
• University of Washington Department of Chemical Engineering, Acting Assistant Professor, 1976–1983.
• University of Washington Department of Surgery, Research Instructor, 1976–1979.

Research Description

Every research program combines conceptual theory with instrumentation to explore the theory. We conceive that living tissue is a composite material perforated with arterioles (1%) and venules (2%). The arterioles are inflated at arterial pressure (100 mmHg) and the venules are inflated at venous pressure (5 mmHg). Arterioles pulsate at the heart rate causing a tissue expansion of 0.1% as the inflated arterials stretch in systole and relax in diastole. Venules inflate and deflate at the respiratory rate causing a tissue expansion of 2% with respiration, which can be easily modulated by position or compression. Pulse-echo ultrasound can measure tissue displacement in a 1 mm tissue volume resolving displacements of 0.000 1 mm at a sample rate of 4000 Hz, allowing tissue strain to be studied with a resolution of 0.01%. Such volume changes can be used to detect arteriolar and venular angiogenesis associated with tumor growth, neovascularization of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, and localized brain activity causing changes in cerebral vascular resistance (functional brain imaging).

Doppler ultrasound has become the standard method of diagnosing vascular obstruction in the arteries (atherosclerotic stenosis) and veins (venous thrombosis). Because it is “noninvasive” Doppler ultrasound is ideal for following the evolution of vascular disease over years. The Ultrasound Reading Center provides protocol development and quality assurance for epidemiology studies in vascular therapy trials.

Selected Publications

• Plett M, Beach KW. Ultrasonic vibration detection with wavelets: Preliminary results. Ultrasound Med Biol, 2005 Mar; 31(3):367–75.
• Sikdar S, Beach KW, Vaezy S, Kim Y. Ultrasonic technique for imaging tissue vibrations: preliminary results. Ultrasound Med Biol, 2005 Feb; 31(2):221–32.
• Kucewicz JC, Dunmire B, Leotta DF, Panagiotides H, Paun M, Beach KW. Functional Tissue Pulsatility Imaging of the Brain During Visual Stimulation. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2007 May;33(5):681–90.
• Leotta DF, Primozich JF, Henderson SM, Karr LN, Bergelin RO, Beach KW, Zierler RE., Display of spatially-registered Doppler spectral waveforms and three-dimensional vein graft geometry., Ultrasound Med Biol. 2005 Oct;31(10):1317–26.
• Beach KW. D. Eugene Strandness, Jr. MD and the revolution in noninvasive vascular diagnosis: Part 1: Foundations. J Ultrasound Med, 2005 Mar; 24(3):259–72
• Beach KW. D. Eugene Strandness, Jr. MD and the revolution in noninvasive vascular diagnosis: Part 2: Progression of vascular disease. J Ultrasound Med, 2005 Apr; 24(4):403–14.