High-resolution, high-contrast ultrasound imaging using a prototype dual-frequency transducer: in vitro and in vivo studies.
With recent advances in animal models of disease, there has been great interest in capabilities for highresolution contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Microbubble contrast agents are unique in that they scatter broadband ultrasound energy because of their nonlinear behavior. For optimal response, it is desirable to excite the microbubbles near their resonant frequency. To date, this has been challenging with high-frequency imaging systems because most contrast agents are resonant at frequencies in the order of several megahertz. Our team has developed a unique dual-frequency confocal transducer which enables low-frequency excitation of bubbles near their resonance with one element, and detection of their emitted high-frequency content with the second element. Using this imaging approach, we have attained an average 12.3 dB improvement in contrast-to-tissue ratios over fundamental mode imaging, with spatial resolution near that of the high-frequency element. Because this detection method does not rely on signal decorrelation, it is not susceptible to corruption by tissue motion. This probe demonstrates contrast imaging capability with significant tissue suppression, enabling high-resolution contrast-enhanced images of microvascular blood flow. Additionally, this probe can readily produce radiation force on flowing contrast agents, which may be beneficial for targeted imaging or therapy.
Gessner
Ryan
R
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Lukacs
Marc
M
Lee
Mike
M
Cherin
Emmanuel
E
Foster
F Stuart
FS
Dayton
Paul A
PA
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002417:Cattle; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D045423:Microbubbles; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D014159:Transducers; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
D003287:Contrast Media