The elastic microstructure of various tissues

Previous work has indicated that a modified Quate-Lemons scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) is capable of measuring the acoustic propagation properties of sections of biological tissue. The lens is excited by an impulse, rather than a tone burst, and the undemodulated returning signal from the tissue is recorded. The variations in received signal with time are used to deduce the sound speed, attenuation, impedance, and section thickness. In this article, the technique is applied to various types of tissue, and the variations in acoustic propagation properties are computed. Conventional tone burst SAM images at 425 MHz are compared with the time resolved data in order to elucidate the contrast mechanisms. The effects of varying the frequency and position of the focal plane on the tone burst images are interpreted in the light of the broadband results.     

Non-contact acoustic method for the simultaneous measurement of thickness and acoustic properties of biological tissues

The frequency dependence of the magnitude and phase shift of reflected waves from a thin tissue specimen has been found to yield characteristics patterns as a function of the specimen thickness. By analysis of those characteristic patterns, the specimen thickness can be determined so that the attenuation constant and the sound speed can be obtained by a non-contact procedure. The method is demonstrated in the frequency range 100 MHz to 200 MHz, using a scanning acoustic microscope and approximately 10 μm thick myocardial tissue samples of human origin, one paraffin embedded.     

Scanning acoustic Doppler microscopy and scanning acoustic correlation microscopy

Acoustic microscopy with vector contrast at 100 MHz in a fluid with immersed particles is used to detect the flow profile in front of a microscopic orifice. The velocity profile concerning the component in axial direction of the focused beam is derived from the phase contrast. Possibilities to resolve the flow profile also for the components in normal direction with respect to the axis are demonstrated. The methods concerning measurement techniques and data evaluation for scanning acoustic Doppler microscopy are presented. For scanning acoustic correlation microscopy the time dependent phase and amplitude signals resulting from sound waves scattered by the immersed particles (aluminium flakes with a typical diameter of 10 microm) have been analysed by correlation procedures. From the obtained autocorrelation functions the velocity distribution can be derived. Both methods can be applied simultaneously. Data analysis is based on the information contained in the originally obtained images in vector contrast derived from temporal and spatial resolved analogue and digital processing of the acoustic signals.     

微气泡激发的声微流对细胞声孔效应的影响

理论及实验研究了微气泡激发的声微流对声孔效应的影响。实验采用低幅度(0.05~0.3MIPa)连续超声波信号照射MCF-7细胞,PEI:DNA的复合质粒和造影剂气泡的混合溶液,通过扫描电子显微镜测量细胞膜声孔效应。结果表明声孔大小随着激励声压的幅度和照射时间的增加而增大,平均孔径范围为100 nm~1.25μm。基于Marmottant微气泡振动模型的理论计算结果表明微气泡振动所产生的声微流引起的剪切力在低幅度超声引发声致穿孔作用中起着关键作用。     

Transmission characteristics of acousto-optic filter using sectioned transducer

The paper examines operation of a tunable acousto-optic filter applying a sectioned piezoelectric transducer. The analysis was carried out for a tellurium dioxide cell having 1.4-cm long transducer divided into 7 identical sections connected in series. Each section generated acoustic waves with a time delay relatively to adjacent sections. The time delay caused electric and acoustic phase shifts as well as inclination of a resulting acoustic wave front in the crystal. We showed that the inclination of the acoustic front influenced on shape of the filter transmission function causing asymmetry of side lobes. Investigation of the filter was carried out at the driving acoustic frequencies 100–240 MHz. The measurement proved that the electric phase shifts between the adjacent sections increased with the frequency up to 30°. Ratio of intensities of the first two side lobes in the transmission function was varying with the frequency from 0.9 to 0.5. Based on the carried out analysis, we discussed a prototype device using the acoustic beam steering effect. The device applied two sets of transducer sections that simultaneously generated two acoustic wave fronts tilted with respect to each other.     

Acousto-optic deflector based on a paratellurite crystal using broadband acoustic adhesive contact

A broadband acoustic matching of a piezoelectric transducer made of a lithium niobate crystal with an acousto-optic TeO₂ crystal has been studied. The transducer is acoustically attached to the crystal by the method of adhesive contact. The experimental method of creating a piezoelectric transducer with an acoustic matching layer from a tin film is developed. The conditions of the optimal technological regime when applying the matching layer are determined. The results of the research are used in creating a broadband high-performance deflector with a central ultrasound frequency of 37 MHz, with the frequency band scanning more than 30 MHz, and a diffraction efficiency of about 90% at a wavelength of 1.06 μm.     

Visualization of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by acoustic microscopy

The morphology and acoustic properties of the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated using a scanning acoustic microscope system. HUVECs were cultured for 4 days and exposed to the endotoxin for 4 h. The frequency of the scanning acoustic microscope was variable between 100 and 210 MHz. By changing the measuring frequency, ultrasonic amplitude and phase were measured and the quantitative value of attenuation was calculated. Before and after endotoxin stimuli, HUVECs were observed by scanning acoustic microscopy and the attenuation was measured. The acoustic images were successfully obtained to identify the outer shape of the HUVEC and the location of the nucleus in the cell. The attenuation of the nucleus is higher than that of the cytoplasm. The attenuation of the cytoplasm was increased and became inhomogeneous after endotoxin exposure. This finding would be related to the change of F-actin filaments, which is the main component of the cytoskeleton. Scanning acoustic microscopy is useful for assessing the cellular viscoelastic properties since it can detect both the morphological and acoustic changes without contacting the cellular surface.     

Scanning Michelson interferometer for imaging surface acoustic wave fields

A scanning homodyne Michelson interferometer is constructed for two-dimensional imaging of high-frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) fields in SAW devices. The interferometer possesses a sensitivity of ~10(-5)nm/ radicalHz , and it is capable of directly measuring SAW's with frequencies ranging from 0.5 MHz up to 1 GHz. The fast scheme used for locating the optimum operation point of the interferometer facilitates high measuring speeds, up to 50,000 points/h. The measured field image has a lateral resolution of better than 1 mu;m . The fully optical noninvasive scanning system can be applied to SAW device development and research, providing information on acoustic wave distribution that cannot be obtained by merely electrical measurements.     

Frequency scanning ultrasonic pulse echo reflectometer

The frequency scanning ultrasonic pulse echo reflectometer (FSUPER) is a device which can be used to measure the ultrasonic velocity, attenuation coefficient and specific acoustic impedance of liquid samples as a function of frequency (0.3–6 MHz).     

Analytical and numerical calculations of optimum design frequency for focused ultrasound therapy and acoustic radiation force

Focused ultrasound therapy relies on acoustic power absorption by tissue. The stronger the absorption the higher the temperature increase is. However, strong acoustic absorption also means faster attenuation and limited penetration depth. Hence, there is a trade-off between heat generation efficacy and penetration depth. In this paper, we formulated the acoustic power absorption as a function of frequency and attenuation coefficient, and defined two figures of merit to measure the power absorption: spatial peak of the acoustic power absorption density, and the acoustic power absorbed within the focal area. Then, we derived “rule of thumb” expressions for the optimum frequencies that maximized these figures of merit given the target depth and homogeneous tissue type. We also formulated a method to calculate the optimum frequency for inhomogeneous tissue given the tissue composition for situations where the tissue structure can be assumed to be made of parallel layers of homogeneous tissue. We checked the validity of the rules using linear acoustic field simulations. For a one-dimensional array of 4 cm acoustic aperture, and for a two-dimensional array of 4 × 4 cm² acoustic aperture, we found that the power absorbed within the focal area is maximized at 0.86 MHz, and 0.79 MHz, respectively, when the target depth is 4 cm in muscle tissue. The rules on the other hand predicted the optimum frequencies for acoustic power absorption as 0.9 MHz and 0.86 MHz, respectively for the 1D and 2D array case, which are within 6% and 9% of the field simulation results. Because radiation force generated by an acoustic wave in a lossy propagation medium is approximately proportional to the acoustic power absorption, these rules can be used to maximize acoustic radiation force generated in tissue as well.     

Image scanning using acousto-optic interaction with surface waves

The scanning of a one-dimensional light intensity distribution was accomplished by employing the acousto-optic interaction of surface waves on LiNbO₃. The acoustic signal was 200 nano-seconds long with a center frequency of 100 MHz. To produce a large interaction length, the light propagates through the crystal parallel to the surface on which the acoustic surface wave is launched. The detected diffraction signal yields a temporal representation of the spatial intensity distribution.     

Mechanical characterization of sintered piezo-electric ceramic material using scanning acoustic microscope

Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) is a piezo-electric ceramic material that needs to be characterized for its potential use in microelectronics. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) is conducted to determine the chemical composition of the PZT ceramics. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is performed to study the surface morphology, grain structure and grain boundaries. The SEM image helps us to understand the surface wave propagation and scattering phenomena by the PZT and the reason for its anisotropy and inhomogeneity due to the grain structure. In this paper scanning acoustic microscopy at 100 MHz excitation frequency is conducted for determining mechanical properties of PZT. Earlier works reported only the longitudinal wave speed in PZT while in this paper longitudinal, shear and surface acoustic wave speeds of sintered PZT are measured from its acoustic material signature (AMS) curves, also known as V(z) curves. AMS or V(z) curve is the variation of the output voltage as a function of the distance between the acoustic lens focal point and the reflecting surface. The average velocities of longitudinal, shear and surface acoustic waves in a PZT specimen are determined from its V(z) curve generated at 100 MHz excitation frequency and found to be over 5000 m/s, over 3000 m/s and between 2500 and 3000 m/s, respectively. From these velocities all elastic constants of the specimen are obtained.     

Intravascular ultrasound tissue harmonic imaging: a simulation study

Recently, the in vivo feasibility of tissue harmonic imaging (THI) with a mechanically-rotated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheter was experimentally demonstrated. To isolate the second harmonic signal content, both pulse inversion (PI) and analog filtering were used. In the present paper, we report the development of a simulation tool to investigate nonlinear IVUS beams and the influence of rotation on the efficiency of PI signal processing. Nonlinear 20 MHz beams were simulated in a homogeneous tissue-mimicking medium, resulting in second harmonic pressure fields at 40 MHz. The acoustic response from tissue was simulated by summing radio-frequency (RF) pulse-echo responses from many point-scatterers. When the transducer was rotated with respect to the point-scatterers, the fundamental frequency suppression using PI degraded rapidly with increasing inter-pulse angles. The results of this study will aid in the optimization of harmonic IVUS imaging systems.     

Ultrasonic propagation properties (@ 100 MHz) in excessively fatty rat liver

The effects on the ultrasonic propagation properties of livers of the addition of 1% orotic acid to rat diets were examined. In rats, dietary orotic acid exerts several effects on lipid metabolism; its overall consequence is that excessively high hepatic fat concentrations are built up over a short period of time, thus making this an ideal model to study the ultrasonic propagation properties as a function of sequential development of fatty liver. Over a 16-day period on the orotic acid diet, the supplemented rat liver lipid concentrations increased from a normal range of 2%-4% to the lower 20's%; hepatic water concentration decreased from a normal value of approximately 70% to approximately 50%; total protein concentration decreased slightly from a normal range of 17%-20% to 11%-16%; and rat liver weight increased from approximately 11 g to around 20 g. Ultrasonic attenuation coefficient and speed were assessed in liver tissue with the scanning laser acoustic microscope at 100 MHz. As hepatic lipid increased, ultrasonic attenuation at 100 MHz increased temporally from a normal range of 12-14 dB/mm to a maximum of 54 dB/mm and ultrasonic speed decreased from a normal range of 1553-1584 m/s to a minimum of 1507 m/s. Multivariant linear regression was used in the analysis of covariance to fit the least-squares estimates to the linear regression model. Strong correlates of ultrasonic speed with both water concentration and fat concentration in the liver were observed.     

Wideband acoustic absorption characteristics of rubberized coir for underwater applications

Reflection and transmission coefficients of rubberized coir pads over the frequency band 200 kHz to 4 MHz are presented in this Paper. These results are compared with those reported for neoprene, paraffin wax, rubber car mat and plastic door mat¹. The rubberized coir pads were found to possess wideband absorption characteristics. It has been experimentally found that 0.05 m thick coir pads have almost 100% absorption in the frequency range 800 kHz-3 MHz with a maximum at 2.35 MHz. We have used this material for lining the water tank for underwater acoustic studies.     

Comparative investigation of elastic properties in a trabecula using micro-Brillouin scattering and scanning acoustic microscopy

Micro-Brillouin scattering (μ-BR) and a 200 MHz scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) with similar spatial resolutions were applied to evaluate tissue elastic properties in two directions in a trabecula. Acoustic impedance measured by SAM was in the range of 5-9 Mrayl. Wave velocities determined by μ-BR were in the range of (4.75-5.11) × 10(3) m/s. Both exhibited a similar trend of variation across the trabecula and were significantly correlated (R(2) = 0.63-0.67, p < 0.01). μ-BR is useful for the evaluation of tissue stiffness within a trabecula. Combined with SAM or nanoindentation, it can provide additional information to assess elastic anisotropy at the micro-scale.     

Calibration of ultrasonic hydrophone probes up to 100 MHz using time gating frequency analysis and finite amplitude waves

A number of ultrasound imaging systems employs harmonic imaging to optimize the trade off between resolution and penetration depth and center frequencies as high as 15 MHz are now used in clinical practice. However, currently available measurement tools are not fully adequate to characterize the acoustic output of such nonlinear systems primarily due to the limited knowledge of the frequency responses beyond 20 MHz of the available piezoelectric hydrophone probes. In addition, ultrasound hydrophone probes need to be calibrated to eight times the center frequency of the imaging transducer. Time delay spectrometry (TDS) is capable of providing transduction factor of the probes beyond 20 MHz, however its use is in practice limited to 40 MHz. This paper describes a novel approach termed time gating frequency analysis (TGFA) that provides the transduction factor of the hydrophone probes in the frequency domain and significantly extends the quasi-continuous calibration of the probes up to 60 MHz. The verification of the TGFA data was performed using TDS calibration technique (up to 40 MHz) and a nonlinear calibration method (up to 100 MHz). The nonlinear technique was based on a novel wave propagation model capable of predicting the true pressure-time waveforms at virtually any point in the field. The spatial averaging effects introduced by the finite aperture hydrophones were also accounted for. TGFA calibration results were obtained for different PVDF probes, including needle and membrane designs with nominal diameters from 50 to 500 micro m. The results were compared with discrete calibration data obtained from an independent national laboratory and the overall uncertainty was determined to be +/-1.5 dB in the frequency range 40-60 MHz and less than +/-1 dB below 40 MHz.     

500 MHz反射式机械扫描声学显微镜的研究和试制

本文叙述了500MHz反射式机械扫描声学显微镜的研究试制工作。介绍了显微镜的基本结构,分析和讨论了声透镜的分辨率和显微镜的实际分辨能力。测试结果证明该显微镜的分辨率已达2μm。文章最后给出一些样品的声学图像和声学特征曲线。结果说明它具有一些独特功能和广泛的应用前景。     

虚拟式声显微镜及应用技术研究

本文描述一台虚拟式扫描声显微镜及应用技术研究，它的硬件特别简单，仅由一台带有超高速A/D卡和快脉冲收发卡的PC机和机械扫描系统组成，主要的功能均由软件完成，脉冲收发卡仅包括脉冲产生和高频放大器，A/D卡采用PCI总线，采样率1GSPS，数据传输率100MB/s，系统能采集并实时显示频率达百兆的未检波回波信号，采修订本以的信号经软件处理，可在屏幕上实时显示样品的A、B、C型幅度像或相位像，仪器利用信号处理技术提高信号的信噪比；进行特征提取，识别，该仪器在材料识别，电子、光电子器件和焊接质量检测等方面功能较强，具有广阔的开发应用前景。     

300MHZ scanning laser acoustic microscope

The knife—edge and harmonic technique in the Scanning LaserAcoustic Microscope is studied in this paper.The operating frequency of theSLAM can be increased from 100MHz to 300MHz by using the harmonic tech-nique.The acoustic images of some samples are obtained on our SLAM at300MHz.