The Response of Phospholipid-encapsulated Microbubbles to Chirp-coded Excitation: Implications for High-frequency Nonlinear Imaging

Overview

Journal J Acoust Soc Am

Publisher American Institute of Physics

Specialty Otorhinolaryngology

Date 2013 May 10

PMID 23654417

Citations 6

Authors

Himanshu Shekhar

Marvin M Doyley

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The current excitation strategy for harmonic and subharmonic imaging (HI and SHI) uses short sine-bursts. However, alternate pulsing strategies may be useful for enhancing nonlinear emissions from ultrasound contrast agents. The goal of this study was to corroborate the hypothesis that chirp-coded excitation can improve the performance of high-frequency HI and SHI. A secondary goal was to understand the mechanisms that govern the response of ultrasound contrast agents to chirp-coded and sine-burst excitation schemes. Numerical simulations and acoustic measurements were conducted to evaluate the response of a commercial contrast agent (Targestar-P(®)) to chirp-coded and sine-burst excitation (10 MHz frequency, peak pressures 290 kPa). The results of the acoustic measurements revealed an improvement in signal-to-noise ratio by 4 to 14 dB, and a two- to threefold reduction in the subharmonic threshold with chirp-coded excitation. Simulations conducted with the Marmottant model suggest that an increase in expansion-dominated radial excursion of microbubbles was the mechanism responsible for the stronger nonlinear response. Additionally, chirp-coded excitation detected the nonlinear response for a wider range of agent concentrations than sine-bursts. Therefore, chirp-coded excitation could be a viable approach for enhancing the performance of HI and SHI.

Citing Articles

Combining Subharmonic and Ultraharmonic Modes for Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging: A Preliminary Evaluation.

Shekhar H, Rowan J, Doyley M Ultrasound Med Biol. 2017; 43(11):2725-2732.

PMID: 28847499 PMC: 5679122. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2017.07.012.

Contrast-Enhanced Quantitative Intravascular Elastography: The Impact of Microvasculature on Model-Based Elastography.

Huntzicker S, Shekhar H, Doyley M Ultrasound Med Biol. 2016; 42(5):1167-81.

PMID: 26924697 PMC: 4811726. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2015.12.024.

Recent Experiences and Advances in Contrast-Enhanced Subharmonic Ultrasound.

Eisenbrey J, Sridharan A, Liu J, Forsberg F Biomed Res Int. 2015; 2015:640397.

PMID: 26090430 PMC: 4450275. DOI: 10.1155/2015/640397.

Optimization of multi-pulse sequences for nonlinear contrast agent imaging using a cMUT array.

Novell A, Arena C, Kasoji S, Dayton P Phys Med Biol. 2015; 60(8):3111-27.

PMID: 25803232 PMC: 4703325. DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/8/3111.

The delayed onset of subharmonic and ultraharmonic emissions from a phospholipid-shelled microbubble contrast agent.

Shekhar H, Awuor I, Thomas K, Rychak J, Doyley M Ultrasound Med Biol. 2014; 40(4):727-38.

PMID: 24582298 PMC: 3997117. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2014.01.002.

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