title: Dual-element needle transducer for intravascular ultrasound imaging.
abstract: A dual-element needle transducer for intravascular ultrasound imaging has been developed. A low-frequency element and a high-frequency element were integrated into one device to obtain images which conveyed both low- and high-frequency information from a single scan. The low-frequency element with a center frequency of 48 MHz was fabricated from the single crystal form of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate solid solution with two matching layers (MLs) and the high frequency element with a center frequency of 152 MHz was fabricated from lithium niobate with one ML. The measured axial and lateral resolutions were 27 and [Formula: see text], respectively, for the low-frequency element, and 14 and [Formula: see text], respectively, for the high-frequency element. The performance of the dual-element needle transducer was validated by imaging a tissue-mimicking phantom with lesion-mimicking area, and ex vivo rabbit aortas in water and rabbit whole blood. The results suggest that a low-frequency element effectively provides depth resolved images of the whole vessel and its adjacent tissue, and a high-frequency element visualizes detailed structure near the surface of the lumen wall in the presence of blood within the lumen. The advantages of a dual-element approach for intravascular imaging are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Sangpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Min Gon
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Changhan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Bong Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: Nestor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cabrera-Munoz
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
authors.forename: K Kirk
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shung
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California , Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1042 Downey Way DRB-130, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States ; Analogic Corporation , 8 Centennial Drive, Peabody, Massachusetts 01960, United States.
authors.forename: Hyung Ham
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: dual-element needle transducer; high resolution IVUS imaging without flushing; intravascular ultrasound imaging; lipid core; rabbit aorta; thin fibrous cap; vulnerable plaques