Matilda Larsson

Matilda Larsson became a Doctor of Philosophy in Technology and Health at KTH in 2010. Matilda research aims to develop and validate new medical imaging technologies and image processing algorithms for improved diagnostic and treatment strategies in healthcare.

Her work focuses primarily on developing quantitative ultrasound methods for measuring deformation and elastic properties in different types of tissue, without the need for invasive procedures. Knowledge of the mechanical properties of tissue can assist healthcare in diagnosing and better understanding the course of injuries and illnesses, and in choosing appropriate treatment.

The methods are developed in programmable ultrasound systems, and tested in advanced, patient-specific models of e.g. blood vessels and the brain. The ultrasound-based methods can be used to determine whether atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery is so vulnerable that it risks causing a stroke and therefore needs to be surgically removed.

The methods Matilda is developing could also help us to understand how vacuum-assisted delivery affects the fetal brain and the mother’s pelvic floor muscles.