An in vitro system for the study of ultrasound contrast agents using a commercial imaging system

• Published in: Physics in medicine & biology Vol. 46; no. 12; pp. 3301 - 3321
• Main Authors: Sboros, V, Moran, C M, Anderson, T, Gatzoulis, L, Criton, A, Averkiou, M, Pye, S D, McDicken, W N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.12.2001; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Contrast Media - pharmacology; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; In Vitro Techniques; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Technology; Scattering, Radiation; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonography - methods; Sonography; Technology; Imaging; Intensity; Backscattering; Echography; Commercial form; Technique; In vitro; Contrast media; System
• ISSN: 0031-9155; 1361-6560
• DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/46/12/316

An in vitro system for the investigation of the behaviour of contrast microbubbles in an ultrasound field, that provides a full diagnostic range of settings, is yet to be presented in the literature. The evaluation of a good compromise of such a system is presented in this paper. It is based on (a) an HD13000 ATL scanner (Bothell, WA, USA) externally controlled by a PC and (b) on the use of well-defined reference materials. The suspensions of the reference ultrasonic scattering material are placed in an anechoic tank. The pulse length ranges from 2 to 10 cycles, the acoustic pressure from 0.08 to 1.8 MPa, the transmit frequency from 1 to 4.3 MHz, and the receive frequency from 1 to 8 MHz. The collection of 256 samples of RF data, at an offset distance from the transducer face, was performed at 20 MHz digitization rate, which corresponds to approximately 1 cm depth in water. Two particle suspensions are also presented for use as reference scatterers for contrast studies: (a) a suspension of Orgasol (ELF Atochem, Paris, France) particles (approximately 5 microm mean diameter) and (b) a suspension of Eccosphere (New Metals & Chemicals Ltd, Essex, UK) particles (approximately 50 microm mean diameter). A preliminary experiment with the contrast agent Definity (DuPont Pharmaceutical Co, Waltham, MA) showed that the above two materials are suitable for use as a reference for contrast backscatter.