Refereed Journal Papers

[1] C. Cheung, A. Yu, N. Salimi, B. Yiu, I. Tsang, B. Kerby, R. Zahiri Azar, K. Dickie, (2012) "Multi-Channel Pre-Beamform Data Acquisition System for Research on Advanced Ultrasound Imaging Methods", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 59 (2), 243-253.

[2] J. Abeysekera, R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, R. Rohling, and S.E. Salcudean, (2011) "Two Dimensional Motion Tracking with Dual Ultrasound Transducers", Ultrasonics, 52 (1), 156-168.

[3] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, and S.E. Salcudean, (2011) "Comparison Between 2D cross correlation with 2D sub-sampling and 2D Tracking Using Beam Steering", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 58 (8), 1534 - 1537.

[4] R. Zahiri Azar, A. Baghani, S.E. Salcudean, and R. Rohling, (2011) "Frequency Locked Pulse Sequencer for High Frame Rate Monochromatic Tissue Motion Imaging", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 58 (4), 680-684.

[5] E. Pospisil, R. Rohling, R. Zahiri Azar, S.E. Salcudean, (2010) "4-D x 3-D Ultrasound: Real-Time Scan Conversion, Filtering, and Display of Displacement Vectors with a Motorized Curvilinear Transducer", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 57 (10), 2271-2283.

[6] R. Zahiri Azar, Orcun Goksel, and S.E. Salcudean, (2010) "Sub-sample Displacement Estimation from Digitized Ultrasound RF Signals Using Multi-Dimensional Polynomial Fitting of the Cross-correlation Function", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 57 (11), 2403-2420.

[7] R. Zahiri Azar, Ali Baghani, Septimiu E. Salcudean, and Robert Rohling, (2010) "2D High-Frame-Rate Dynamic Elastography Using Delay Compensated and Angularly Compounded Motion Vectors: Preliminary Results", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 57 (11), 2421-2435.

[8] R. Zahiri Azar, S.E. Salcudean, (2008) "Time-Delay Estimation in Ultrasound Echo Signals Using Individual Sample Tracking", IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 55 (12), 2640-2650.

[9] E. Dehghan, X. Wen, R. Zahiri Azar, M. Marchal, S.E. Salcudean, (2008) "Needle-tissue interaction modeling using ultrasound-based motion estimation: Phantom study", Journal of Image Guided Surgery, 13 (5), 265-280.

[10] R. Zahiri Azar, S.E. Salcudean, (2006) "Motion Estimation in Ultrasound Images using Time Domain Cross Correlation with Prior Estimates", IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 53 (10), 1990-2000.

Refereed Conference Papers and Presentations

[1] A. Baghani, R. Zahiri Azar, S.E. Salcudean, R. Rohling, (2010) "A Curl-based Approach to Ultrasound Elastography", ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Symposium on Biscoelasticity of Biological Tissues, Vancouver, Canada, 3 pages.

[2] R. Zahiri Azar, Ali Baghani, Septimiu Salcudean, Robert Rohling, (2010) "Soft Tissue Characterization Using One Dimensional Lumped Mass-Spring-Damper Model", ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Symposium on Biscoelasticity of Biological Tissues, Vancouver, Canada [oral presentation].

[3] B. Zhuang, R. Zahiri Azar, Kris Dickie, Chris Cheung, Laurent Pelissier, (2010) "High Frame Rate Flow Imaging Using Plain Wave Transmits: A Feasibility study", International Conference of the IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, San Diego, 4 pages.

[4] R. Zahiri Azar, A. Baghani, S.E. Salcudean, R. Rohling (2010) "Dynamic elastography using delay compensated and angularly compounded high frame rate 2D motion vectors", International Conference of the IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, San Diego, 4 pages, [poster presentation].

[5] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, S. Salcudean, (2009) "Multi-Dimensional Sub-Sample Motion Estimation: Initial Results", International Conference of the IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, Rome, 4 pages, [poster presentation].

[6] K. Dickie, C. Leunga R. Zahiri Azar L. Pelissier, (2009) "A Flexible Research Interface for Collecting Clinical Ultrasound", International Conference on SPIE, 6 pages.

[7] R. Zahiri Azar and S. Salcudean, "Time Delay Estimation of Discrete Samples in Ultrasound Echo Signals", 30th Annual International Conference on IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Vancouver, Canada, 2008, 4 pages, [poster presentation].

[8] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, T.S. Yao, E. Dehghan, J. Yan, and S. Salcudean, "Methods for the Estimation of Sub-sample Motion of Digitized Ultrasound Echo Signals in 2D", 30th International Conference on IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Vancouver, Canada, 2008, 4 pages, [poster presentation].

[9] E. Dehghan, X. Wen, R. Zahiri Azar, M. Marchal and S. Salcudean, (2007) "Modeling of needle tissue interaction using ultrasound-based motion estimation", 10th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention MICCAI, Brisbane, Australia, 8 pages.

[10] E. Dehghan, X. Wen, R. Zahiri Azar, M. Marchal and S. Salcudean, (2007) "Parameter identification for a needle-tissue interaction model", 29th Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Lyon, France, 190-193 [oral presentation].

[11] O. Goksel, R. Zahiri Azar and S. Salcudean, (2007) "Simulation of Ultrasound Radio-Frequency Signals in Deformed Tissue for Validation of 2D Motion Estimation with Sub-Sample Accuracy", 29th International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Lyon, France, 2159-62 [poster presentation].

[12] S. Salcudean, D. French, S. Bachmann, R. Zahiri Azar, X Wen, J. Morris, (2006) "Viscoelasticity modeling of the prostate region using vibro-elastography", 9th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention MICCAI Conference, Denmark, 9, 389-96.

[13] R. Zahiri Azar, S. Salcudean, (2006) "Real-Time Estimation of Lateral Motion using Time Domain Cross Correlation with Prior Estimates", International Conference on IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, Vancouver, Canada, , 1209-1212 [poster presentation].

[14] X. Wen, S. Salcudean, R. Zahiri Azar, (2006) "Fast Computation for Ultrasound Vibroelastography", 29th Canadian Medical & Bio Eng Conf, Vancouver BC, 4 pages.

Refereed Conference Abstracts and Presentations

[15] R Zahiri Azar, K. Dickie, C. Chung, A. Baghani, S.E. Sacludean, L. Pelissier, (2010) "Elasticity Imaging Using Harmonic Excitation, Ultrafast Imaging, and Planar Inversion of the Wave Equation", 9th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, 1 page, pp 50 [oral presentation].

[16] A Baghani, R Zahiri Azar, SE Salcudean, R Rohling, (2010) "Local Inversion of the Wave Equation for Elasticity Imaging Using FIR Filters", 9th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, 1 page, pp 69.

[17] SM Frew, A Baghani, H Eskandari, R Zahiri Azar, SE Salcudean, (2010) "Frequency Domain Extraction of Viscoelastic Properties Using Acoustic Radiation Force", 9th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, 1 page, pp 109.

[18] R Zahiri Azar, A Baghani, SE Sacludean, R Rohling, (2010) "High Frame Rate 2D Wave Imaging on Conventional Ultrasound Using Sector Subdivision, Delay Compensation, and Angular Compounding", 9th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, 1 page, pp 111 [oral presentation].

[19] A Baghani, R Zahiri Azar, SE Salcudean, R Rohling, (2010) "Ultrasound Elasticity Imaging Using the Curl of the Displacement", 9th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, 1 page, pp 127.

[20] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, S Salcudean, (2009) "Methods for the Estimation of Sub-Sample Motion Using Digitized Ultrasound Echo Signals in Three Dimensions", 8th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Netherland, 1 page, [poster presentation].

[21] E. Pospisil, R. Zahiri Azar, R. Rohling, S Salcudean, (2009) "Live Estimation and Visualization of 4Dx3D Ultrasound Motion Vectors", 8th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Netherland, 1 page.

[22] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, S Salcudean, (2009) "Application of 2D Polynomial Fitting to Beam Steering for Motion Estimation with Sub-sample Accuracy", 8th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Netherland, 1 page, [oral presentation].

[23] R. Zahiri Azar, A. Brant, S. Salcudean, (2008) "Visualization of 3D Elastography Data." 7th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity. Austin, Texas, USA, October, 1 page, [oral presentation].

[24] R. Zahiri Azar, T.S. Yao, S. Salcudean, (2008) "Methods for 2D sub-sample Motion Estimation in Ultrasound Echo Signals." 7th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity. Austin, Texas, USA, 1 page [oral presentation].

[25] R. Zahiri Azar, S. Salcudean, (2008) "Time-Delay Estimation Using Individual Sample Tracking." 7th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Austin, Texas, USA, 1 page, [oral presentation].

[26] W. Khaled, R. Zahiri Azar, S. Salcudean, J. Ophir (2008) "Real-Time Poroelastography." 7th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity. Austin, Texas, USA, 1 page.

[27] R. Zahiri Azar, A. Thitai Kumar, J. Ophir and S. Salcudean, (2007) "Real-Time Axial Shear Strain Elastography." 6th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1 page [poster presentation].

[28] R. Zahiri Azar, R. Righetti, J. Ophir and S. Salcudean, (2007) "Real-Time Poroelastography - Feasibility Study." 6th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Santa Fe, USA, 1 page [oral presentation].

[29] R. Zahiri Azar, O. Goksel, S. Salcudean, (2007) "Real-Time Tissue Deformation Visualization." 6th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Santa Fe, USA, USA, November, 1 page [oral presentation].

[30] R. Zahiri Azar, S. Salcudean, (2006) "Real-Time Least Squares Strain Estimator for Elastography." 5th International Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Snowbird, USA, 1 page, pp: 109 [oral presentation].

[31] R. Zahiri Azar, S. Salcudean, (2004) "Time Domain Cross Correlation with Prior Estimates." 3rd Inter Conf. on Ultrasonic Measurement and Imaging of Tissue Elasticity, Cumbria, UK, 1 page, pp 63 [oral presentation].

Invited Talks

[1] R. Zahiri Azar,"General Ultrasound Imaging", One hour lecture to undergraduate students, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, March 2011.

[2] R. Zahiri Azar,"Pre-beamformed Data Acquisition using SonixDAQ: Technical Details and Clinical Applications", International Conference on IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, Industrial Session, San Diego, Oct 2010.

[3] R. Zahiri Azar,"High Frame Rate Real Time Strain Imaging", several presentations to visiting research groups, visitors from industry, and visitors from university technology transfer office 2004-2010.

[4] R. Zahiri Azar,"Tissue Elasticity Imaging: Clinical Applications", Updates on Sonology, Florence, Nov 2009.

[5] R. Zahiri Azar,"Implementation of the real-time strain imaging system on Ultrasonix Sonix XP ultrasoud machine." American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Annual Conference, Special Session hosted by Ultrasonix, Washington, DC, March 2006.