Durability study of a gellan gum-based tissue-mimicking phantom for ultrasonic thermal therapy

Stability and duration of ultrasonic phantoms are still subjects of research. This work presents a tissue-mimicking material (TMM) to evaluate high-intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) devices, composed of gellan gum (matrix), microparticles (scatterers), and chemicals. The ultrasonic velocity and attenuation coefficient were characterized as a function of temperature (range 20 °C-85 °C). The nonlinear parameter B/A was determined by the finite amplitude insertion substitution (FAIS) method, and the shear modulus was determined by a transient elastography technique. The thermal conductivity and specific heat were determined by the line source method. The attenuation was stable for 60 days, and in an almost linear frequency dependence (0.51f^0.96dB cm^-1), at 20 °C (1-10 MHz). All other evaluated physical parameters are also close to typical soft tissue values. Longitudinal ultrasonic velocities were between 1.49 and 1.75 mm μs^-1, the B/A parameter was 7.8 at 30 °C, and Young's modulus was 23.4 kPa. The thermal conductivity and specific heat values were 0.7 W(m K)^-1 and 4.7 kJ(kg K)^-1, respectively. Consistent temperature increases and thermal doses occurred under identical HITU exposures. Low cost, longevity, thermal stability, and thermal repeatability make TMM an excellent material for ultrasonic thermal applications. The TMM developed has the potential to assess the efficacy of hyperthermia devices and could be used to adjust the ultrasonic emission of HITU devices.