Flexible ultrasonic transducer array with automatic phase calibration for arteriosclerosis detection.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Conventional ultrasound probes struggle with imaging curved surfaces like the carotid artery.
• Accurate, continuous monitoring of vascular mechanical properties is crucial for atherosclerosis detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible ultrasonic transducer array with automatic phase calibration (FUT-APC) for enhanced carotid artery imaging.
• To enable real-time monitoring of vascular mechanical parameters on complex geometries.

Main Methods:

• Integrated element position sensing and real-time phase compensation using five flexible pressure sensors.
• Reconstructed surface curvature with a low error of 0.34 mm.
• Developed a contact pressure visualization mechanism for consistent long-term measurements.

Main Results:

• Achieved high-resolution imaging with a -6 dB focal width of 0.74 mm and axial/lateral resolutions better than 0.75 mm and 0.93 mm, respectively.
• Successfully captured dynamic carotid artery diameter variations and extracted mechanical parameters (stress, strain, elastic modulus).
• Demonstrated stable operation and improved imaging quality on complex curved surfaces.

Conclusions:

• The FUT-APC offers a wearable and accurate solution for high-resolution carotid artery imaging.
• Enables early screening, risk assessment, and dynamic tracking of atherosclerosis.
• Significantly improves ultrasound imaging quality on irregular geometries.