Abstract
A 1.5 MHz prolate spheroidal therapeutic array with 128 circular elements was designed to accommodate standard imaging arrays for ultrasonic image-guided hyperthermia. The implementation of this dual-array system integrates real-time therapeutic and imaging functions with a single ultrasound system (Vantage 256, Verasonics). To facilitate applications involving small animal imaging and therapy the array was designed to have a beam depth of field smaller than 3.5 mm and to electronically steer over distances greater than 1 cm in both the axial and lateral directions. In order to achieve the required f number of 0.69, 1-3 piezocomposite modules were mated within the transducer housing. The performance of the prototype array was experimentally evaluated with excellent agreement with numerical simulation. A focal volume (2.70 mm (axial)x 0.65 mm (transverse)x 0.35 mm (transverse)) defined by the -6 dB focal intensity was obtained to address the dimensions needed for small animal therapy. An electronic beam steering range defined by the -3 dB focal peak intensity (17 mm (axial)x 14 mm (transverse)x 12 mm (transverse)) and -8 dB lateral grating lobes (24 mm (axial)x 18 mm (transverse)x 16 mm (transverse)) was achieved. The combined testing of imaging and therapeutic functions confirmed well-controlled local heating generation and imaging in a tissue mimicking phantom. This dual-array implementation offers a practical means to achieve hyperthermia and ablation in small animal models and can be incorporated within protocols for ultrasound-mediated drug delivery.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 5275 |
Journal | Physics in Medicine and Biology |
Volume | 61 |
Issue number | 14 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 29 2016 |
Keywords
- focused ultrasound therapy
- phased array transducer
- ultrasonic image-guided hyperthermia
- ultrasound hyperthermia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging