基于瑞利积分叠加法的聚焦换能器声场特性研究

基于经典的瑞利积分,提出考虑非线性传播、各次谐波衰减的声场瑞利积分线性叠加算法.分析其原理,并以凹球面聚焦换能器为例,采用该算法研究媒质衰减和非线性传播特性影响声焦域的规律.并与Khokhov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznesov(KZK)数值算法,以及实验结果进行比较,验证瑞利积分线性叠加算法描述高强度聚焦超声(HIFU)声场的有效性.     

聚焦超声源对生物媒质加热的理论研究

用差分法求解生物热传导方程,研究了凹球面聚焦超声换能器用于热疗时在人体组织内产生的稳态温度场.引入热焦距及等温线,分析了换能器参数、生物组织特性参数对有效治疗区的影响,并对声场和温度场特征进行了比较 关键词： 聚焦超声 热疗 生物组织 温度场     

球壳换能器电声效率测量方法及声场特性分析

在高强度聚焦超声治疗系统中,换能器的电声效率是治疗剂量控制中的重要参数,其在焦域附近的声场分布同样重要。该研究以球壳聚焦换能器为研究对象,基于辐射力天平法与平面扫描法进行输出声功率的测量,同时测量其激励电功率后计算得到电声效率,并就其声场特性分布以及存在的非线性传播现象进行了简单阐述。两种测量方法测得的电声效率在声学计量的误差允许范围内,实验结果表明两种方法在测量球壳聚焦换能器输出声功率时具备较好的一致性。     

基于纹影法的聚焦超声声场重建算法研究

为了从聚焦超声声场纹影图像直接重建声场声压分布图像,首先根据水中声波与光波的作用规律,利用Zernike相衬技术得到纹影系统中空间声压分布与纹影图像中光强的关系,再通过纹影系统获得聚焦超声声场实时图像,最后根据纹影系统的物理特性经过反投影重建算法重建出凹球壳聚焦超声换能器的空间声压分布。分析可知,理论声焦域横向与声轴大小分别为0.15 mm、1.4 mm,重建声场电功率为12 W时横向最接近为0.25 mm,30 W时声轴最接近为1.35 mm。与球壳换能器的理论声压分布进行对比的结果表明,该方法具有一定可行性,可以用于聚焦超声换能器的声场分布检测。     

应用角谱方法研究聚焦声束在层状生物组织中的非线性声传播

应用角谱方法理论研究了聚焦声束在层状生物组织中的非线性传播特性，将声波分解为角谱，可计算垂直于声轴的任意平面的非线性声场。在圆形平面活塞聚焦换能器的焦区中插入多种生物组织样品，数值计算了样品内部及外部的二次谐波声场，并通过实验测量验证了理论方法的有效性。基于快速傅氏变换的角谱方法可直观地描述非线性声传播，对非线性声成像有指导作用。     

球形腔聚焦换能器的非线性声场建模

球形腔聚焦换能器是一种特殊形式的聚焦换能器。为理论证实球形腔聚焦换能器能突破传统超声聚焦在聚焦精度和聚焦增益上的限制,采用Westervelt非线性方程并结合时域有限差分法,建立了球形腔聚焦换能器的非线性声场的数值模型。数值计算了直径为120 mm的0.6 MHz球形腔聚焦换能器的非线性声场,并与传统球壳形聚焦换能器进行了对比。当激励声压为100 kPa时,球形腔聚焦换能器与同尺寸壳形聚焦换能器相比,焦点正声压增益提高约8.5倍,且焦域精度更高,-6 dB聚焦区域在z方向减小约20倍,达到次波长尺度。研究表明球形腔聚焦换能器在高强度聚焦超声精细治疗上具有潜在的应用前景。      

经颅超声聚焦方法和声场特性研究

基于高分辨的CT数据建立了非均匀颅骨仿真模型,该模型引入了颅骨的声衰减系数,深入研究和分析了声波时间反转法和超声相控阵法在颅脑中的聚焦方法及效果。颅骨具有较强的声波衰减特性,使用时间反转聚焦时需要进行幅度补偿,对于0.7MHz的频率信号,幅度补偿后的时间反转聚焦声场主瓣宽度窄、旁瓣低,焦点处声场比无幅度补偿的时间反转法提高8.86dB,比超声相控阵聚焦法提高7.89dB,具有很好的空间聚焦精度和聚焦效率。研究了颅骨衰减系数、声场焦点位置、声波频率、换能器阵列位置和方位等参数对聚焦声场的影响,结果表明,幅度补偿时间反转法比相控阵法具有更低的旁瓣,且高频时的聚焦效果比相控阵好,相控阵聚焦对换能器阵列的位置和方位比较敏感,而时间反转经颅超声聚焦对声传播路径和入射角具有更高的鲁棒性。      

剪切波对HIFU经颅聚焦形成温度场影响的数值仿真研究

在高强度聚焦超声经颅治疗时,既有纵波又有剪切波,为了保障该治疗方法的安全有效性,有必要分析剪切波对HIFU治疗温度场的影响。该文基于人体头颅CT数据和曲率半径为150 mm的256阵元的半球相控换能器建立三维高强度聚焦超声经颅声波传播模型,利用时域有限差分法结合Westervelt声波非线性传播方程、动量方程、质量守恒方程和Pennes生物热传导方程数值仿真其形成温度场,研究在相同输入功率、不同聚焦角度条件下对应阵元数进行激励时,剪切波对换能器形成温度场的影响。结果表明,随换能器聚焦角度减小,在几何焦点处形成的焦域面积逐渐增大,考虑剪切波形成的温度场达到65?C所需时间逐渐延长,焦点前移程度越大;在相同聚焦角度条件下,考虑剪切波的温度场达到65?C所需时间更短,旁瓣更少,在颅骨处的温度更高,对焦点前移几乎没有影响;随换能器聚焦角度减小,考虑剪切波的模型形成的焦域面积变化范围更大;幂指数函数形式对不同聚焦角度下焦域面积大小的拟合优度高,可预测不同聚焦角度换能器形成的焦域面积。     

聚焦超声波在层状生物媒质中的二次谐波声场的理论与实验研究

基于Khokhlov-Zabolotkaya-Kuznetsov(KZK)方程，在频域提出了聚焦超声波在层状生物媒质中传播的理论模型，该模型计及生物媒质的吸收、非线性和边界，同时考虑声源的衍射对声传播的影响.数值研究了聚焦超声波的基波和二次谐波在层状生物媒质中的声传播，并与实验结果相比较.研究结果表明，此方法可以有效地描述聚焦超声波在层状生物媒质中的二次谐波声场. 关键词： 聚焦超声波 层状生物媒质 二次谐波     

圆形平面换能器产生的二次谐波声场及对非线性声参量成像的影响

在利用二次谐波进行非线性声参量B／A层析成像中,发射换能器的声场特性,尤其是在近场区域的特性对成像结果的定性及定量分析极其重要。本文从理论及实验上分析了圆形平面活塞换能器在传播介质中产生的二次谐波声场,就其对非线性声参量成像的影响进行了分析和讨论．研究结果有助于在非线性声参量成像中降低重建误差,提高分辨灵敏度．     

Nonlinear absorption in biological tissue for high intensity focused ultrasound

In recent years the propagation of the high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in biological tissue is an interesting area due to its potential applications in non-invasive treatment of disease. The base principle of these applications is the heat effect generated by ultrasound absorption. In order to control therapeutic efficiency, it is important to evaluate the heat generation in biological tissue irradiated by ultrasound. In his paper, based on the Khokhlov-Zabolotkaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation in frequency-domain, the numerical simulations of nonlinear absorption in biological tissues for high intensity focused ultrasound are performed. We find that ultrasound thermal transfer effect will be enhanced with the increasing of initial acoustic intensity due to the high harmonic generation. The concept of extra absorption factor is introduced to describe nonlinear absorption in biological tissue for HIFU. The theoretical results show that the heat deposition induced by the nonlinear theory can be nearly two times as large as that predicated by linear theory. Then, the influence of the diffraction effect on the position of the focus in HIFU is investigated. It is shown that the sound focus moves toward the transducer compared with the geometry focus because of the diffraction of the sound wave. The position of the maximum heat deposition is shifted to the geometry focus with the increase of initial acoustic intensity because the high harmonics are less diffraction. Finally, the temperature in the porcine fat tissue changing with the time is predicated by Pennes' equation and the experimental results verify the nonlinear theoretical prediction.     

Numerical simulations of partial elements excitation for hemispherical high-intensity focused ultrasound phased transducer

The hemispherical phased transducer maximizes the coverage of the skull and the ultrasonic energy per unit area of the skull is minimized, thereby reducing the risk of skull burns, but the transducer has a small focal area adjustment range, increasing the focal length of treatment is an urgent question for this type of transducer. In this paper, a three-dimensional high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transcranial propagation model is established based on the human head structure. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) is combined with the Westervelt acoustic wave nonlinear propagation equation and Penne's biological heat conduction equation for numerical simulation of the sound pressure field and temperature field. Forming a treatable focal area in a small-opening hemispherical transducer with a small amount of numerical simulation calculation focusing at a set position to determine the minimum partial excitation area ratio of focusing. And then, applying these preliminary results to a large-opening diameter hemispherical transducer and the temperature field formed by it or full excitation is studied. The results show that the focus area with the excitation area ratio of less than 22% moves forward to the transducer side when the excitation sound is formed. When the excitation area ratio is greater than or equal to 23%, it focuses at the set position. In the case of partial incentives, using 23% of the partial array, the adjustable range of the treatable focal area formed in the three-dimensional space is larger than that of the full excitation.     

Modeling the propagation of nonlinear three-dimensional acoustic beams in inhomogeneous media

A three-dimensional model of the forward propagation of nonlinear sound beams in inhomogeneous media, a generalized Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation, is described. The Texas time-domain code (which accounts for paraxial diffraction, nonlinearity, thermoviscous absorption, and absorption and dispersion associated with multiple relaxation processes) was extended to solve for the propagation of nonlinear beams for the case where all medium properties vary in space. The code was validated with measurements of the nonlinear acoustic field generated by a phased array transducer operating at 2.5 MHz in water. A nonuniform layer of gel was employed to create an inhomogeneous medium. There was good agreement between the code and measurements in capturing the shift in the pressure distribution of both the fundamental and second harmonic due to the gel layer. The results indicate that the numerical tool described here is appropriate for propagation of nonlinear sound beams through weakly inhomogeneous media.     

自聚焦换能器的声场研究

高强度聚焦超声（HIFU）治疗局部肿瘤是一项无创伤的新技术,有着很好的应用前景,因此对其声场的研究是有实际的价值的。对声场的研究不仅有利于换能器的设计,提高治疗的效果;而且有助声场测量方案的设计,提高对治疗超声剂量的安全保证。本文采用时域有限差分法研究了自聚焦换能器的声场,分别对简谐波,脉冲波进行了研究。比较清楚地看出在焦区的声场可以认为是平面波,这对光纤端面法声场测量提供了有力的支持。     

A feasibility study of temperature rise measurement in a tissue phantom as an alternative way for characterization of the therapeutic high intensity focused ultrasonic field

The feasibility that temperature field measurements in vitro as an alternative way to characterize the high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) field used in therapeutic applications has been explored in a phantom study. Thermocouples (copper-constantan, diameter 0.125 mm) are embedded in a phantom filled with tissue mimicking material that simulates the thermal and acoustic properties of soft-tissue. The temperature rises as a function of ultrasound exposure time near the focus of a HIFU transducer (1.1 MHz, active radius a = 32 mm, geometric focal length = 62 mm) of various acoustic powers up to 30 W are measured and compared with predicted values using a simple nonlinear Gaussian model. The experimental results can be explained well by the model if no acoustic cavitation takes place. When the acoustic power become higher (>5 W) and the local temperature elevation >15 °C and the local temperature is >40 °C at the focal point, cavitation vapor bubbles appear. The presence of the cavitation bubbles may increase the temperature rise rate initially. The bubble aggregates may form along the beam axis under sonication and then eventually makes the temperature elevation reach a saturated value. When acoustic cavitation occurs, the bubble-assisted enhancement of the initial temperature rise (exposure time t < 2 s) can still be predicted by the theory.     

Measurement of high intensity focused ultrasound fields by a fiber optic probe hydrophone

The acoustic fields of a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer operating either at its fundamental (1.1 MHz) or third harmonic (3.3 MHz) frequency were measured by a fiber optic probe hydrophone (FOPH). At 1.1 MHz when the electric power applied to the transducer was increased from 1.6 to 125 W, the peak positive/negative pressures at the focus were measured to be p(+) = 1.7-23.3 MPa and p(-) = -1.2(-) -10.0 MPa. The corresponding spatial-peak pulse-average (I(SPPA)) and spatial-average pulse-average (I(SAPA)) intensities were I(SPPA) =77-6000 W/cm2 and I(SAPA) = 35-4365 W/cm2. Nonlinear propagation with harmonics generation was dominant at high intensities, leading to a reduced -6 dB beam size (L x W) of the compressional wave (11.5 x 1.8-8.8 1.04 mm) but an increased beam size of the rarefactional wave (12.5 x 1.6-13.2 x 2.0 mm). Enhancement ratio of absorbed power density in water increased from 1.0 to 3.0. In comparison, the HIFU transducer working at 3.3 MHz produced higher peak pressures (p(+) = 3.0-35.1 MPa and p(-) = -2.5(-) - 13.8 MPa) with smaller beam size (0.5 x 4 mm). Overall, FOPH was found to be a convenient and reliable tool for HIFU exposimetry measurement.