Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

For the study of the temperature increase in the soft tissues irradiated by a low-power ultrasound [1], soft tissue-mimicking materials can be used. The phantoms have been produced based on an aqueous solution of agar, oil, and glass beads microparticles. The RF signals collected in the experiments enabled evaluation of the acoustic properties of phantoms with different number of strong scatterers (concentration varied from 0 to 30 pcs/mm3). Speed of sound (SOS) determined for the phantoms was similar to the value typical of soft tissue (about 1540 m/s). To determine attenuation coefficient the semi-transmission method has been used. Attenuation coefficient value varied from 0.5 to 1.1 dB/(MHz cm), depending on the number of scatterers. It was shown that the phantoms stored for 6 months preserved their acoustical properties and were usable for further experiments. It was found that within the total attenuation, the part corresponding to scattering can be distinguished.

acoustical characteristics, soft tissue mimicking material, scatterers number

A dedicated ultrasonic scanner for acquiring RF echoes backscattered from the trabecular bone was developed. The design of device is based on the goal of minimizing of custom electronics and computations executed solely on the main computer processor and the graphics card. The electronic encoder-digitizer module executing all of the transmission and reception functions is based on a single low-cost field programmable gate array (FPGA). The scanner is equipped with a mechanical sector-scan probe with a concave transducer with 50 mm focal length, center frequency of 1.5 MHz and 60% bandwidth at −6 dB. The example of femoral neck bone examination shows that the scanner can provide ultrasonic data from deeply located bones with the ultrasound penetrating the trabecular bone up to a depth of 20 mm. It is also shown that the RF echo data acquired with the scanner allow for the estimation of attenuation coefficient and frequency dependence of backscattering coefficient of trabecular bone. The values of the calculated parameters are in the range of corresponding in vitro data from the literature but their variation is relatively high.

cancellous bone, broadband ultrasound attenuation, FPGA

The paper describes the investigations intended to compare the results of experimental measurements f backscattering properties of the trabecular bone with the results of computer simulations. Ultrasonic RF echoes were collected using two bone scanners operating at 0.58 and 1.3 MHz. The simulations of the backscattered RF echoes were performed using the scattering model of the trabecular bone that consisted of cylindrical and spherical elements uniformly distributed in waterlike medium. For each measured or simulated RF backscatter the statistical properties of the signal envelope were determined. Experimental results suggest deviations of the backscattering properties from the Rayleigh distribution. The results of simulation suggest that deviation from Rayleigh distribution depends on the variation of trabeculae diameters and the number of thin trabeculae. Experimentally determined deviations corresponded well to the deviations calculated from simulated echoes assuming trabeculae thickness variation equaled to the earlier published histomorphometric study results.

trabecular bone, scattering statistics, bone model

Signals scattered in trabecular bone contain information about properties of the bone structure. Evaluation of this properties may be essential for osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment monitoring because the standard densitometry does not provide complete information about the bone strength. It was previously demonstrated that using numerical model of backscattering in trabecular bone it is possible to estimate some microstructural characteristics of bone. Model predicts departures from the Rayleigh statistics of the scattered signal envelope depended on the scatterer physical parameters and its shape uniformity. This study concerns examination of trabecular bone (calcaneus) in vivo. Ultrasonic bone scanner operating at frequency of 1,5 MHz was used to collect backscattered signals. Data were processed in order to obtain the statistical properties of the signal envelope and to compare them with histograms resulting from modeling. This study is an approach towards developing a tool for the investigation of scattering in trabecular bone that can potentially provide clinically useful information about bone strength and condition.

bone structure, bone properties, calcaneus

The paper presents a new yield criterion for the transversal isotropy of metal sheets under plane-stress conditions which is an extension of the isotropic yield function proposed by Burzynski (Burzynski W. l928). Studium nad hipotezami Burzynski's doctoral dissertation „Study on material effort hypotheses”, Engng. Trans., 2009, t. 57, nr 3-4, s. l85-2l5). Two additional coefficients have been introduced in order to allow a better representation of plastic behavior of metal sheets. The proposed yield condition includes the influence of first invariant of the stress tensor and also the strength differential effect. The system of equations describing the sheet metal forming process is solved by algorithm using the return mapping procedure. PIane stress constraint is incorporated into the Newton-Raphson iteration loop. The proposed algorithm is verified by performing a numerical test using shell elements in commercial FEM software ABAQUS/EXPLICIT with a developed VUMAT subroutine. It is shown that the proposed approach provides the satisfactory prediction of material behavior, at least in the cases when anisotropy effects are not advanced. To perform FE simulations of cup deep drawing processes, three independent yield stresses are required. Those yield stresses can be obtained from: directional uniaxial tensile test, directional uniaxial compression test and equibiaxial compression tests. In the paper the formability of two metal sheets are analysed. First the influence of strength differential effect on the cup height profile is shown. Then the comparison between the Huber-Mises-Hencky yield condition and the proposed yield condition is presented.

bone scanner, trabecular bone, osteoporosis

The presented investigations were intended to compare the experimental results obtained from the heel bones in vivo with the results of simulations. Ultrasonic RF echoes were collected using two bone scanners operating at 0.58 MHz and 1.3 MHz. The simulations of the backscattered RF echoes were performed using the scattering model of the trabecular bone that consisted of cylindrical and spherical elements uniformly distributed in water. For each measured or simulated RF backscatter statistical properties of the signal envelope was determined. Experimental results suggest deviations from the Rayleigh distribution. Simulation results suggest that deviations from Rayleigh distribution depend on the variation of trabeculae diameters and the number of thin trabeculae. Experimentally determined deviations corresponded well with the deviations calculated from simulated echoes assuming trabeculae thickness variation equal to published histomorphometric study results.

trabecular bone, scattering, statistical properties

Acoustical waves scattered in trabecular bone contain information about its microstructural properties. These properties may change on course of a disease. Standard ultrasonic examinations of bone (densitometry) are performed in transmission and does not provide complete information about bone strength. We have developed the bone ultrasonic scanner that enables measurements of the physical properties of trabecular bone microstructure. Thus the evaluation of bone properties using ultrasonic scanner may be essential for bone diseases diagnosis and treatment monitoring. This study presents application of the scanner operating at 1,5 MHz frequency for examination of trabecular bone (calcaneus). Backscattered data were collected and processed in order to obtain power backscattering coefficient (PBSC). Calculated values were compared to these published by several authors in order to verify ultrasonic scanner application as a tool for trabecular bone examination. This study is an approach towards developing a method for the investigation of scattering in trabecular bone that can potentially provide clinically useful information about bone strength and condition.

trabecular bone, bone scanner, osteoporosis

For the study of the temperature increase in the soft tissues irradiated by a lowpower ultrasound, see [1], soft tissue phantoms can be used. They should exhibit acoustic properties similar to soft tissue and being sufficiently stable during the hyperthermia treatment. Such phantoms have been produced based on an aqueous solution of agar, oil, and glass microparticles. The FR signals collected in experiments provide to obtain the acoustic properties of phantoms with different numbers of scatterers, from 0-30/mm3. Measured ultrasonic wave velocity in the phantoms is similar to the typical velocity in soft tissues and is equal about 1540 m / s. Attenuation coefficient has been determined by two methods - the pulse method, and the spectral shift method. It is changed in the range of 0.5 to 1.1 dB / (MHz cm), depending on the number of scatterers. It was verified that the patterns do not alter the parameters during 6 months in suitable conditions of storage after production and can be used for further experiments. Besides, based on the analysis of the backscattered signal from pulse/echo ultrasound the statistical properties of the signal envelope and the attenuation coefficient have been studied. It was found that within the total attenuation, the part can be distinguished corresponding to the attenuation due to Rayleigh scattering.

lowpower ultrasound, scatterers number,attenuation, Rayleigh scattering