title: A wall-less poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel flow phantom with accurate scattering properties for transcranial Doppler ultrasound propagation channels analysis.
abstract: Medical phantoms are frequently required to verify image and signal processing systems, and are often used to support algorithm development for a wide range of imaging and blood flow assessments. A phantom with accurate scattering properties is a crucial requirement when assessing the effects of multi-path propagation channels during the development of complex signal processing techniques for Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound. The simulation of physiological blood flow in a phantom with tissue and blood equivalence can be achieved using a variety of techniques. In this paper, poly (vinyl alcohol) cryogel (PVA-C) tissue mimicking material (TMM) is evaluated in conjunction with a number of potential scattering agents. The acoustic properties of the TMMs are assessed and an acoustic velocity of 1524ms(-1), an attenuation coefficient of (0:49) × 10(-4)fdBm(1)Hz(-1), a characteristic impedance of (1.72) × 10(6)Kgm(-2)s(-1) and a backscatter coefficient of (1.12) × 10(-28)f(4)m(-1)Hz(-4)sr(-1) were achieved using 4 freeze-thaw cycles and an aluminium oxide (Al(2)O(3)) scattering agent. This TMM was used to make an anatomically realistic wall-less flow phantom for studying the effects of multipath propagation in TCD ultrasound.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Weir
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sayer
authors.lastname: Cheng-Xiang Wang
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parks
mesh_terms: D059985:Cryogels; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
chemical_list: D059985:Cryogels; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol