A 3.7 MHz phased array probe using 0.91Pb(Zn(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-0.09PbTiO(3 )

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Ultrasound Technology

Background:

• Conventional echocardiography probes often face limitations in sensitivity and image quality.
• Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics are standard materials, but advancements are sought for improved performance.
• Phased array probes are crucial for detailed cardiac imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel 128-channel phased array echocardiography probe.
• To investigate the performance benefits of using lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT) single-crystal material.
• To compare the PZN-PT probe's sensitivity, bandwidth, and imaging capabilities against conventional PZT probes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 128-channel phased array probe using 0.91Pb(Zn(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-0.09PbTiO(3) (PZN-9%PT) single crystal.
• Characterization of echo amplitude, fractional bandwidth, and B-mode image quality.
• Assessment of Doppler sensitivity at 3 MHz and comparison with PZT probes.
• Evaluation of imaging performance in visualizing pulmonary vein blood flow in challenging patients.

Main Results:

• The PZN-9%PT probe demonstrated approximately 5 dB higher echo amplitude compared to PZT probes.
• A fractional bandwidth improvement of about 25 percentage points was observed with the PZN-9%PT probe.
• B-mode image quality from the PZN-9%PT probe met or exceeded that of conventional 2.5 and 3.75 MHz PZT probes.
• Doppler sensitivity was approximately 5 dB higher for the PZN-9%PT probe at 3 MHz.
• Significantly clearer imaging of pulmonary vein blood flow was achieved in difficult-to-image patients.

Conclusions:

• The novel PZN-9%PT single-crystal phased array probe offers enhanced sensitivity and broader bandwidth for echocardiography.
• This advanced probe material significantly improves B-mode and Doppler imaging capabilities over traditional PZT probes.
• The use of large PZN-9%PT single crystals, produced via the self-flux method, is key to achieving superior ultrasound imaging performance.