Microembolus Sizing in a Blood-Mimicking Fluid Using a Novel Dual-Frequency Pulsed Doppler.
Sizing of emboli in a blood-mimicking fluid is explored with the application of a theoretical description of emboli to embolic signatures obtained in a phantom flow loop. The theoretical predictions for the backscattered power versus embolus size are based on the embolus to blood power ratio (EBR) model. The experimental setup utilizes a customized ultrasound pulsed Doppler that is capable of interrogating a sample volume with two different frequencies concurrently. Polystyrene "emboli" having nominal diameters of 161 &mgr;m are placed in a specially constructed flow loop and scattering signatures are recorded. These signatures are investigated and the effect of beam refraction is discussed, which, combined with the EBR theory, yields a method to determine embolus size from an embolic signal. Embolus size determined experimentally is in close agreement with manufacturer's reported size. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 13, September 1996)
Moehring
Mark A.
MA
Institute of Applied Physiology and Medicine, 701 16th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122.
Ritcey
James A.
JA