Modeling ultrasound propagation through material of increasing geometrical complexity

• Published in: Ultrasonics Vol. 90; pp. 52 - 62
• Main Authors: Odabaee, Maryam, Odabaee, Mostafa, Pelekanos, Matthew, Leinenga, Gerhard, Götz, Jürgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2018
• Subjects: Finite element analysis (FEA); Therapeutic ultrasound; Ultrasound acoustic response (UAR); Wiener deconvolution; Ultrasound acoustic response (UAR); Wiener deconvolution; Therapeutic ultrasound; Finite element analysis (FEA)
• ISSN: 0041-624X; 1874-9968; 1874-9968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2018.05.014

•Ultrasound is increasingly being recognized as therapeutic tool for brain diseases.•The acoustic properties of a set of simple bone-modeling samples were analyzed.•Wiener deconvolution predicts the Ultrasound Acoustic Response and attenuation.•Finite Element Analysis observes scattering and refraction of wave propagation.•Finite Element Analysis reveals differences depending on step size of models. Ultrasound is increasingly being recognized as a neuromodulatory and therapeutic tool, inducing a broad range of bio-effects in the tissue of experimental animals and humans. To achieve these effects in a predictable manner in the human brain, the thick cancellous skull presents a problem, causing attenuation. In order to overcome this challenge, as a first step, the acoustic properties of a set of simple bone-modeling resin samples that displayed an increasing geometrical complexity (increasing step sizes) were analyzed. Using two Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) transducers, we found that Wiener deconvolution predicted the Ultrasound Acoustic Response (UAR) and attenuation caused by the samples. However, whereas the UAR of samples with step sizes larger than the wavelength could be accurately estimated, the prediction was not accurate when the sample had a smaller step size. Furthermore, a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) performed in ANSYS determined that the scattering and refraction of sound waves was significantly higher in complex samples with smaller step sizes compared to simple samples with a larger step size. Together, this reveals an interaction of frequency and geometrical complexity in predicting the UAR and attenuation. These findings could in future be applied to poro-visco-elastic materials that better model the human skull.