title: Flexible integration of high-imaging-resolution and high-power arrays for ultrasound-induced thermal strain imaging (US-TSI).
abstract: Ultrasound-induced thermal strain imaging (USTSI) for carotid artery plaque detection requires both high imaging resolution (<100 μm) and sufficient US-induced heating to elevate the tissue temperature (~1°C to 3°C within 1 to 3 cardiac cycles) to produce a noticeable change in sound speed in the targeted tissues. Because the optimization of both imaging and heating in a monolithic array design is particularly expensive and inflexible, a new integrated approach is presented which utilizes independent ultrasound arrays to meet the requirements for this particular application. This work demonstrates a new approach in dual-array construction. A 3-D printed manifold was built to support both a high-resolution 20 MHz commercial imaging array and 6 custom heating elements operating in the 3.5 to 4 MHz range. For the application of US-TSI in carotid plaque characterization, the tissue target site is 20 to 30 mm deep, with a typical target volume of 2 mm (elevation) × 8 mm (azimuthal) × 5 mm (depth). The custom heating array performance was fully characterized for two design variants (flat and spherical apertures), and can easily deliver 30 W of total acoustic power to produce intensities greater than 15 W/cm(2) in the tissue target region.
authors.forename: Douglas N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Debaditya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Francois T H
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xucai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries; D016893:Carotid Stenosis; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*; D014159:Transducers; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods