Stretchable Ultrasound Metalens for Biomedical Zoom Imaging and Bone Quality Assessment with Subwavelength Resolution

Ultrasound imaging is extensively used in biomedical science and clinical practice. Imaging resolution and tunability of imaging plane are key performance indicators, but both remain challenging to be improved due to the longer wavelength compared with light and the lack of zoom lens for ultrasound. Here, the ultrasound zoom imaging based on a stretchable planar metalens that simultaneously achieves the subwavelength imaging resolution and dynamic control of the imaging plane is reported. The proposed zoom imaging ultrasonography enables precise bone fracture diagnosis and comprehensive osteoporosis assessment. Millimeter-scale microarchitectures of the cortical bones at different depths can be selectively imaged with a 0.6-wavelength resolution. The morphological features of bone fractures, including the shape, size and position, are accurately detected. Based on the extracted ultrasound information of cancellous bones with healthy matrix, osteopenia and osteoporosis, a multi-index osteoporosis evaluation method is developed. Furthermore, it provides additional biological information in aspects of bone elasticity and attenuation to access the comprehensive osteoporosis assessment. The soft metalens also features flexibility and biocompatibility for preferable applications on wearable devices. This work provides a strategy for the development of high-resolution ultrasound biomedical zoom imaging and comprehensive bone quality diagnosis system.