Work

Characteristic microvessel relaxation timescales associated with ultrasound-activated microbubbles

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: Ultrasound-activated microbubbles were used as actuators to deform microvessels for quantifying microvessel relaxation timescales at megahertz frequencies. Venules containing ultrasound contrast microbubbles were insonified by short 1 MHz ultrasound pulses. Vessel wall forced-deformations were on the same microsecond timescale as microbubble oscillations. The subsequent relaxation of the vessel was recorded by high-speed photomicrography. The tissue was modeled as a simple Voigt solid. Relaxation time constants were measured to be on the order of ∼10 μs. The correlation coefficients between the model and 38 data sets were never lower than 0.85, suggesting this model is sufficient for modeling tissue relaxation at these frequencies. The results place a bound on potential numerical values for viscosity and elasticity of venules.

Source: Applied Physics Letters

DOI: 10.1063/1.4761937

Authors: Hong Chen, Andrew A. Brayman, Thomas J. Matula

Institutions: University of Washington, University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Awards: Physical mechanisms of shock wave therapy in orthopedics, Ultrasound contrast agent dynamics and vascular effects, In-Office, Ultrasound-Based Breakage and Removal of Urinary stones