Acoustic Characterization of Contrast Agents for Medical Ultrasound Imaging / Edition 1

by L. Hoff

Overview

Contrast agents for medical ultrasound imaging is a field of growing interest. A large amount of literature has been published on the medical applications of such contrast agents. However, there is no textbook giving a broad overview of the physics and acoustics of the agents. This monograph aims to fill this gap.
The book is written by a physicist, from a physics point of view, and it tries to draw links from the physics and acoustics to the medical imaging methods, but medical applications are mainly included for background information.
The book consists of nine chapters. The first three chapters give a broad overview of the acoustic theory for bubble-sound interaction, both linear and nonlinear. Most contrast agents are stabilized in a shell, and this shell can have a strong influence on the interaction between the bubbles and the ultrasound. The effect of the shell is given special attention, as this is not easily found in other bubble literature. The following chapters, 4, 5, 6, and 7, describe experimental and theoretical methods used to characterize the acoustic properties of the agents, and results of studies on some agents. Chapter 8 shows how the theory and the experimental results can be combined and used to model various phenomena by means of computer simulations. The main purpose of the simulations is to get insight into the mechanisms behind the described phenomena, not to get accurate predictions and values.
The book is aimed at both newcomers into the field, as well as those who are more experienced but want better insight into the acoustics of the contrast bubbles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789048158799
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	12/06/2010
Edition description:	2001
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

About the Author

Hoff, Lars

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- 2 The Bubble as a Linear Oscillator.- 3 Nonlinear Bubble Theory.- 4 Measurement Systems.- 5 Estimation of Shell Material Properties.- 6 Comparison Between Contrast Agents.- 7 Scatter at Higher Harmonics.- 8 Simulations of Nonlinear Bubble Response.- 9 Summary and Conclusions.- References.

Editorial Reviews

3 Stars from Doody

Reviewer: Tom Grossmeyer, MT (ASCP)(Dynacare Laboratories)
Description: This book is a must read and essential reference for several groups including those performing acoustic measurements to characterize and verify quality and stability of such contrast agents, as well as those interested in development of new methods of sensitively imaging the agents with high contrast from other sources of echo signals. Measurement techniques, estimation of shell properties, scattering at higher harmonics, and experimental comparisons between three agents are presented. The three contrast agents studied are Sonazoid®, a simulation of Molecular Biosystem's Albunex®, and a polymeric-shelled microbubble, all prepared by Nicomed, Inc.
Purpose: The aim of the book is to increase the understanding of some of the still-unknown physical mechanisms of ultrasound interactions with encapsulated microbubble contrast agents. Specifically, the scatter and absorption of ultrasound from microbubbles is examined.
Audience: This is an essential reference for several groups including scientists and technicians performing acoustic measurements to characterize and verify quality and stability of such contrast agents, as well as those interested in development of new agents and new methods of sensitively imaging agents amongst stronger sources of echo signals.
Features: This book is a publication of the author's PhD thesis of the same name. The timeliness and importance of the topic and the readable style make it a useful publication for a rather wide audience. However, it is not necessary reading for those who are simply employing contrast agents in medical imaging. Computer simulations and comparison with experiments provide useful information such as the possibility of a sudden switch in bubble oscillation mode for pulsed insonification at high driving amplitudes. Pulse inversion techniques are modeled. Modest agreement is obtained between simulated and experimental scattering waveforms and spectra for Sonazoid® at higher amplitudes.
Assessment: This book is in the tradition of the publication of Peter Frinking's Ultrasound Contrast Agents: Acoustic Characterization and Diagnostic Imaging (1999) and Nico de Jong's theses on essentially the same topic [Acoustic Properties of Ultrasound Contrast Agents (1993)]. The former considers Quantison®, Myomap® and Albunex® and the latter Albunex®, Ultravue®, Echovist® and Levovist®. Frinking writes somewhat more broadly than Hoff, with extensive discussions of drug delivery, optical imaging of the agents during acoustic exposure, and applications, including release burst imaging. In addition to readable, up-to-date coverage of the topic and data on three specific agents, the author's greatest contribution might well be a flexible, and apparently easy to use, program for simulating contrast agent response to various driving waveforms.

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