Feasibility of Electroacoustic Tomography: A Simulation Study.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• In situ monitoring of electric fields is crucial for optimizing electrotherapy.
• Current methods lack real-time feedback on electric field distribution within soft tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of electroacoustic tomography (EAT) for real-time monitoring of electric field distribution in soft tissue.
• To assess EAT's potential for guiding electrotherapy applications.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulations using finite element analysis (FEA) to model electric fields.
• K-Wave simulation to model acoustic wave propagation induced by electric fields.
• Reconstruction of electric field images using a time reversal algorithm with 128 ultrasound transducers.

Main Results:

• EAT imaging demonstrated a decrease in electrical energy deposition with increased electrode distance.
• The minimum detectable voltage using EAT was 970 V with a 180 ns pulsewidth.
• Simulations confirmed the proportionality between acoustic emission amplitude and electrical energy deposition.

Conclusions:

• Electroacoustic tomography is a feasible technique for in situ monitoring of electric field distribution.
• EAT has the potential to guide electrotherapy in clinical practice.
• Further research can optimize EAT for enhanced electrotherapy delivery.