A stochastic model for propagation through tissue

Attenuation of ultrasonic waves is often assumed linear with respect to frequency in biological applications whereas it is considered quadratic when the propagation occurs in the atmosphere or the water. In the latter case, other studies show that a Gaussian propagation duration can explain this attenuation behavior and provide a model for the energy loss in the stationary limit. The present paper defines an equivalent random propagation duration with Cauchy distribution, which is appropriate for the propagation of ultrasound through tissue. The model adds an unobserved noise that represents the signal deterioration. In addition, the model agrees with the mode downshift in the case of a narrowband signal.