Generalized description and tracking estimation of the frequency dependent attenuation of ultrasound in biological...

In this paper a general model for the attenuation in biological tissues is proposed. The model consists of a series expansion of the attenuation coefficient, thereby covering the whole range of frequency dependencies from zero to four. Therefore, effects like pure specular reflections and negligible absorption at one extreme, as well as attenuation due to Rayleigh scattering, at the other extreme, are incorporated. A technique is described to estimate the attenuation in the range of frequency powers in a sampled depth ranging form. The applicability of the technique is illustrated by the results of a simulation.