Ultrasonic phased array controller for hyperthermia applications

Multiple and mechanically scanned ultrasound transducer systems have demonstrated the efficacy of using ultrasound to produce deep localized hyperthermia. The use of ultrasonic phased arrays has been proposed as an alternative to these systems. A phased array offers a more flexible approach to heating tumours in that the size, shape, and position of its focal region can be altered during the course of treatment in order to achieve the desired temperature distribution. This added flexibility comes at the cost of increased complexity of the hardware necessary to drive the transducer because each element requires its own amplifer with both phase and amplitude control. In order for phased arrays with large numbers of elements to be feasible for hyperthermia applications, the complexity of this circuitry must be minimized. This paper describes a circuit design which simplifies the electronics required to control a phased array transducer system for hyperthermia applications. The design is capable of controlling virtually any type of phased array transducer operating at frequencies less than 2 MHz. The system performance was verified through beam profile measurements using a 48-element tapered phased array transducer.     

Designing Fully Populated Phased Arrays for Noninvasive Ultrasound Surgery with Controlled Degree of Irregularity in the Arrangement of Elements

Acoustical Physics - When designing phased antenna arrays for use in noninvasive ultrasound surgery, it is desirable to provide the highest possible power for a given array dimensions. At the same...     

Development and investigation of ultrasound linear phased arrays for transrectal treatment of prostate

We used the rectangular radiator method as a numerical solution to the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral for calculating the acoustic fields produced by linear arrays. The appropriate phases and amplitudes of voltages applied to the elements were computed using the pseudo-inverse method. We have developed and acoustically evaluated several constructions of planar linear ultrasound phased arrays for transrectal thermotherapy of prostate diseases. The designs of the linear phased arrays used in this work were the result of compromise in terms of the choice of frequency and number and size of elements, in order to investigate a means of improving array performance which might lead to increased efficacy and safety of the thermal treatment. The results obtained are in agreement with the data of other studies and show that a linear plane phased array may be potentially useful for thermal therapy.     

Rectangular cymbal arrays for improved ultrasonic transdermal insulin delivery

Circular cymbal ultrasound arrays have been shown to be effective in delivering therapeutic levels of insulin in rats, rabbits, and pigs. To improve delivery efficiency, a rectangular cymbal design was desired in order to achieve a broader spatial intensity field without increasing the size of the device or the spatial-peak temporal-peak intensity (I(SPTP)). With a similar intensity (50 mWcm(2)), the goal was to determine if the 3x1 rectangular cymbal array could perform significantly better than the 3x3 circular array for glucose reduction in hyperglycemic rabbits. Rabbit experiments were performed using three groups: nonsonicated control (n=3), ultrasound exposure using a circular cymbal array (n=3), and ultrasound exposure using a rectangular cymbal array (n=3). Rabbits were anesthetized and a water tight reservoir that held the insulin was fastened on the rabbit's thigh. At the beginning of the experiment and every 15 min for 90 min, the blood glucose level was determined. For comparison between individual rabbits, the absolute level is normalized by subtracting out the baseline in order to arrive at the change in glucose level. For the control group, the normalized glucose level increased (more hyperglycemic) to +80.0+/-28.8 mgdl (mean+/-SEM). Using the circular array, the glucose level decreased to -146.7+/-17.8 mgdl at 90 min. However, using the rectangular cymbal array, the glucose decreased faster and to a level of -200.8+/-5.9 mgdl after 90 min. These results indicated the feasibility of the rectangular cymbal array as an improved device for drug delivery.     

Compensation for Aberrations of Focused Ultrasound Beams in Transcranial Sonications of Brain at Different Depths

Acoustical Physics - The study analyzes the possibilities of compensating for aberrations when focusing an ultrasound beam through the skull bones using arrays with mosaic pattern of elements,...     

Ultrasound phased arrays for prostate treatment.

The effect of array geometry on the steering performance of ultrasound phased arrays is examined theoretically, in order to maximize array performance under the given anatomical constraints. This paper evaluates the performance of arrays with spherical and cylindrical geometry, determined by using computer simulations of the pressure fields produced at various extremes of steering. The spherical segment arrays were truncated for insertion into the rectum, and contained either annular or linear elements. The cylindrical arrays were either flat or had a variable curvature applied along their length. Fields were computed by dividing the array elements into many point sources. The effectiveness of an array configuration when steered to a particular focal location was assessed by defining a parameter, G, as the ratio of the intensity at the desired focus to the maximum intensity of any unwanted lobes. The performance of truncated spherical arrays with annular elements was evaluated for focal steering along the array axis (in depth, in the z direction). When steered 15 mm toward the source, these truncated spherical annular arrays exhibited excellent performance, with G>5.7 for arrays containing more than 10 elements. Similarly, the spherical arrays with linear elements performed well when steered along the array axis to the same degree, with G>7 (for element widths up to 3 lambda), though many more array elements were required. However, when these arrays were steered 15 mm laterally, along the length of the prostate (the y direction), the value for G fell below 1 for element widths greater than about 1.6 lambda. It was found that the cylindrical arrays performed much better for y-direction steering (G>4, for 60 mm arrays with an element width of 1.75 lambda), but their performance was poorer when steered in the z direction (G approximately 4 for an element width of 1.5 lambda). In order to find a compromise between these extremes, a curved cylindrical array was examined, which was a cylindrical array with additional curvature along its length. These curved cylindrical arrays yielded performance between that of spherical linear arrays and cylindrical arrays, with better steering along the y direction than the spherical arrays and better z-direction steering than the cylindrical arrays.     

识别运动声源随机阵列生成法研究

针对随机阵列结构设计方面欠缺高效的生成方法这一问题,在保证阵列对声源识别精度的前提下,提出一种在极坐标下用于识别运动声源的随机阵列生成方法。根据声阵列识别运动声源的原理,推导了非等间距基本同轴圆环的半径,再通过降列分区、极坐标下条件筛选和模拟评价三个步骤,生成适用于识别运动声源的目标随机阵列,最后进行数值模拟和运动汽车噪声源识别实验进行验证。研究结果表明,用该方法能够高效地生成目标随机阵列,与常用规则阵列相比具有更良好的声源识别特性,并且具有准确的运动声源识别性能。      

Multifocal optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy in vivo

Although ultrasound arrays have been exploited in photoacoustic imaging to improve imaging speed, ultrasound-array-based optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) has never been achieved previously to our knowledge. Here we present our development of multifocal OR-PAM using a microlens array for optical illumination and an ultrasound array for photoacoustic detection. Our system is capable of imaging hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation in individual microvessels in vivo at high speed. Compared with a single focus, multiple foci reduce the scanning load and increase the imaging speed significantly. The current multifocal system can acquire 1000 × 500 × 200 voxels at ~10 μm lateral resolution within 4 min.     

Optimal ultrasonic array focusing in attenuative media

This paper presents a parametric study on the efficiency of ultrasound focusing in an attenuative medium, using phased arrays. Specifically, an analytical model of ultrasound wave focusing in a homogeneous, isotropic and attenuative fluid with point sources is presented. Calculations based on the model have shown that in an attenuative medium, an optimum frequency exists for the best focusing performance for a particular size of aperture and focal distance. The effect of different f numbers on the focusing performance in the attenuative medium is further investigated. The information obtained from the analytical model provides insights into the design and installation of a phased transducer array for energy efficient wave focusing.     

基于单焦点扫描的聚焦超声相控阵列波形分集方法

波形分集方法可以用于优化超声相控阵列的声能沉积分布。本文阐述了波形分集方法用于超声热疗的声学理论背景,将发送声波时间内目标区域的声能沉积看作是不同位置的单焦点能量按一定时间规律累积的结果,提出了基于单焦点扫描的波形分集方法。该方法将声能沉积分布的优化问题建模为线性规划问题,可以方便求解出各单焦点扫描时间的比例系数,用于设计发射波形。与已有的方法相比,该方法对应的物理实现过程更清晰,计算量更小,并可直接综合出满足恒模条件的发射波形。从仿真结果中看到,该方法可将声场能量均匀的集中在预定区域,并在该区域外保持较低的能量沉积,能有效优化声能沉积的分布。      

The feasibility of constructing a cylindrical array with a plane rotating beam for interstitial thermal surgery

Thermal surgery has been shown to be a useful therapeutic option when external ultrasound applicators cannot be used as their beam will not reach the target site. If plane transducers are used, the ultrasound beam has to be rotated in order to generate a sufficiently large volume of necrosis. However, rotating deep-seated interstitial applicators and controlling their shooting direction presents major technical problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a cylindrical array with a plane rotating beam for ablating esophageal tumors by interstitial hyperthermia. The feasibility of such an array has been initially evaluated using a plane array (which is easier to make from a technical point of view). This array was made with a new piezoelectric material because its mechanical properties make it ideal for the construction of a cylindrical array in the future. We showed that the beam of each array element is sufficiently divergent and that cross-coupling is small enough to generate a plane wave from a cylindrical array. In addition, power tests and electro-acoustic efficiency measurements demonstrated that the output was sufficient to induce tissue necrosis in the relevant conditions.     

Spontaneous synchronization in large pendulum arrays

Experiments on mechanical oscillator arrays show that complete inphase synchronization can emerge in a matter of minutes, even for fairly large arrays started from random initial conditions. At the same time, one expects complete inphase synchronization to become increasingly difficult to observe as array size grows. We explore the conditions under which inphase synchronization prevails with the help of a simple, somewhat stylized, iterative map model which embodies the problem’s key dynamical features.     

Piezoelectrically actuated flextensional micromachined ultrasound transducers

This paper presents novel micromachined two-dimensional array piezoelectrically actuated flextensional transducers that can be used to generate sound in air or water. Micromachining techniques to fabricate these devices are also presented. Individual unimorph array elements consist of a thin piezoelectric annular disk and a thin, fully clamped, circular plate. We manufacture the transducer in two-dimensional arrays using planar silicon micromachining and demonstrate ultrasound transmission in air at 2.85 MHz with 0.15 microm/V peak displacement. The devices have a range of operating resonance frequencies starting from 450 kHz up to 4.5 MHz. Such an array could be combined with on-board driving and addressing circuitry for different applications.     

4 T Actively detuneable double-tuned 1H/31P head volume coil and four-channel 31P phased array for human brain spectroscopy

Typically 31P in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies are limited by SNR considerations. Although phased arrays can improve the SNR; to date 31P phased arrays for high-field systems have not been combined with 31P volume transmit coils. Additionally, to provide anatomical reference for the 31P studies, without removal of the coil or patient from the magnet, double-tuning (31P/1H) of the volume coil is required. In this work we describe a series of methods for active detuning and decoupling enabling use of phased arrays with double-tuned volume coils. To demonstrate these principles we have built and characterized an actively detuneable 31P/1H TEM volume transmit/four-channel 31P phased array for 4 T magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the human brain. The coil can be used either in volume-transmit/array-receive mode or in TEM transmit/receive mode with the array detuned. Threefold SNR improvement was obtained at the periphery of the brain using the phased array as compared to the volume coil.     

A semi-log-periodic array of spheroidal nanoelements: broadbanding nanoantennas

Nanoantenna arrays can offer unique possibilities for large local-field enhancement, high directivity, and also wavelength tunability over a wide spectral range. In this paper, a semi-log-periodic array of nanospheroidal elements has been studied, which exhibits a narrower beam and also a higher electric field enhancement in comparison with an equal size, equally distanced array of the same element. Through the numerical simulations, it has been presented that the suggested array is of a great potential for improvement of the directivity as well as the electric field enhancement over similar designs. Moreover, a considerable change has been observed in the electric field through gradual transformation of elements from sphere to very thin rod. Next, the effect of geometrical parameters on local-field enhancement has been investigated as a complementary job. Finally, it has been demonstrated that adjusting the number of elements can provide a narrower beam.     

二维圆周光综合孔径阵的优化排列及其成像特性研究

光综合孔径成像的原理是应用干涉原理在空间频率域中进行采样,并通过傅里叶反变换或其他数值变换方法得到空间分辨力远高于单个孔径成像系统的目标图像。由若干个相同的小孔径在二维圆周上优化排列组成的综合孔径成像系统可以在二维空间频率域中实现较为均匀分布的、具有无冗余度的采样点覆盖,为高质量实时成像提供了一个有效的途径。运用模拟退火算法对由7～16个子孔径组成的二维圆周综合孔径阵列进行优化排列。并依据光学衍射成像原理,从空域和频域两个方面详细分析了二维圆周上优化排列与均匀排列光综合孔径阵的成像特性。对7～16个子孔径组成的光综合孔径的仿真结果表明：无论是在空域还是频域上,子孔径直径增大、孔径数目增多以及综合孔径阵的优化排列都是有利于提高成像质量的。但综合后的子孔径的直径的增大,虽然能获得极高的角分辨力,却并不利于成像质量的提高。     

SELF-ORGANIZED FORMATION OF HEXAGONAL NANOPORE ARRAYS IN ANODIC ALUMINA

Conditions for a self-organized formation of ordered hexagonal structure in anodic alumina were investigated, using oxalic or sulphuric acid as an electrolyte. Highly-ordered nanopore arrays with pore densities of 9×10⁹-6.5×10¹⁰cm^-2 and high aspect ratios over 3000 were fabricated by a two-step anodization process. The array exhibits characteristics analogous to a two-dimensional polycrystalline structure of a few micrometres in size. The interpore distance can be controlled by changing the electrolyte and/or the applied voltage. The formation mechanism of ordered arrays is consistent with a previously proposed mechanical stress model, i.e., the repulsive forces between neighbouring pores at the metal/oxide interface promote the formation of hexagonally ordered pores during the oxidation process.     

Simulation of three-dimensional nonlinear fields of ultrasound therapeutic arrays

A novel numerical model was developed to simulate three-dimensional nonlinear fields generated by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) arrays. The model is based on the solution to the Westervelt equation; the developed algorithm makes it possible to model nonlinear pressure fields of periodic waves in the presence of shock fronts localized near the focus. The role of nonlinear effects in a focused beam of a two-dimensional array was investigated in a numerical experiment in water. The array consisting of 256 elements and intensity range on the array elements of up to 10 W/cm² was considered. The results of simulations have shown that for characteristic intensity outputs of modern HIFU arrays, nonlinear effects play an important role and shock fronts develop in the pressure waveforms at the focus.     

Analytical method for evaluating the quality of acoustic fields radiated by a multielement therapeutic array with electronic focus steering

The paper presents an analytical method for calculating and analyzing the quality of 3-D acoustic fields of multielement phased arrays used in noninvasive ultrasound surgical devices. An analytical solution for the far field of each of its elements is used when calculating the array field. This method significantly accelerates calculations while preserving the high accuracy of results as compared to conventional direct numerical integration. Radiation from typical phased arrays is calculated using this approach, and the quality of their dynamic focusing is analyzed. Undesired diffraction effects caused by electronic focus steering are considered: an amplitude decrease in the main maximum and the appearance of grating lobes. The quality of dynamic focusing of the acoustic fields of two practically interesting arrays with a quasi-random element distribution (256 and 1024 elements, respectively), as well as of the regular array consisting of 256 elements is compared. In addition as well, a study is made of how the dimensions of the array elements and their spatial distributions affect the dimensions of the areas in which dynamic focusing is possible without occurrence of strong grating lobes and significant decrease in pressure amplitude at the main focus.

     

Spatial Focusing of Low-Mode Acoustic Signals in a shallow Sea with Underwater Flow

We analyze the possibilities of increasing noise immunity during observation of low-mode acoustic signals diffracted by a localized inhomogeneity against the noise background in shallow-water oceanic waveguides using vertical transmitting and receiving antenna arrays in the case where their deflections in the vertical direction, arising due to the influence of underwater flows, are assumed known. It is shown that compensation for the array inclination increases significantly the observation-region sizes. UDC 534.231 Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika.