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A new transducer receive transfer function calibration method: application to microbubble backscattering
Michael R Sprague1, Emmanuel Chérin, F Stuart Foster
1University of Toronto, Department of Medical Biophysics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
A new method accurately measures acoustic transducer response. This technique helps determine microbubble properties for high-frequency imaging, optimizing bubble selection for clearer ultrasound images.
Area of Science:
- Acoustics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Accurate acoustic scattering measurements require knowing the transducer's receive transfer function.
- Previous methods for measuring this function involve several assumptions and complex calculations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel experimental method for measuring the acoustic response of a spherically-focused transducer.
- To minimize assumptions and calculations in determining the receive transfer function.
- To measure the effective backscattering cross-section of microbubbles for high-frequency imaging applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hydrophone placed at twice the focal distance from a spherically-focused transducer.
- Experimental measurement of the acoustic response.
- Calculation of the receive transfer function.
- Measurement of the effective backscattering cross-section of microbubbles at 30 MHz.
Main Results:
- The new method provides a receive transfer function within 10% of that calculated using reciprocity.
- The effective backscattering cross-section of bound microbubbles was measured to be 65% of the geometric backscattering cross-section.
- Significant size-independent variability was observed in microbubble backscattering.
Conclusions:
- The proposed method offers a simpler and more reliable way to measure transducer receive transfer functions.
- The findings provide crucial data for selecting optimal microbubble size distributions for linear microbubble imaging.
- Understanding microbubble acoustic properties is essential for advancing high-frequency ultrasound applications.
