Theoretical study in applications of doublet mechanics to detect tissue pathological changes in elastic properties...

The mathematical framework of a new elastic theory-doublet mechanics (DM)-was reviewed. The fundamental difference between DM and classical continuum mechanics (CCM) is that the former has taken the discrete nature of tissue on the cellular level into account and the latter assumes tissue is uniform and continuous. Theoretical calculations based on DM were performed for reflection coefficients of a substrate-tissue layer-substrate assembly. Results of computer simulations have shown that ultrasound reflection coefficients in the range of 15-30 MHz are sensitive to changes in cell size and elastic moduli of tissue according to DM but not to CCM. Potential experimental applications of this technique to tissue characterization are discussed.