Super Harmonic Probe
The Super Harminc probe consists of two interleafed array's. Whereby one array is optimized for transmission (1MHz) and the other array is optimized for receiving (3MHz). This transducer has a overall bandwidth of more than 150% which makes super harmonic imaging possible.
Problem Obtaining reliable and detailed information about the structure and functionality of organs like
definition the heart, liver, spleen, or kidney is of the utmost importance for the diagnosis and the sub-sequent treatment of a patient. Among other imaging techniques, such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Proton Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound imaging (or echography) is a relatively cheap and easy to use technique. With echography the patient can even be diagnosed during operation and at the bedside.
However, with todays’ ultrasound technology, in echocardiography (echography of the heart) in 20-40% of the cases image quality is still inadequate due to specific patient’s conditions (like obesity). Improvement of the basic image quality is therefore mandatory for cardiac diagnosis in particular, and would highly increase the diagnostic value of echography in general.
Research The image quality of echo images can be significantly improved by using the harmonics of the transmitted ultrasound frequency instead of using the fundamental frequency only. Ten years ago Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI) was introduced, which is based on the use of the second harmonic. This modality turned out to be revolutionary and all echo machines are nowadays equipped accordingly. We propose to develop the next step using the third to the fifth harmonic of the transmitted ultrasound signal. Three main steps have to be taken:
- Calculation of the dispersive and nonlinear propagation of the ultrasound wave in an inhomogeneous medium like the human body, to quantify the occurrence of the relevant harmonics.
- Design and construction of a new transducer, capable of transmitting the appropriate ultrasound wave in the human body and of receiving the reflected higher harmonics.
- Optimisation of the transducer for the new imaging method called SuperHarmonic Imaging (SHI).
Results With the completion of this project we expect to have a prototype of a new ultrasound imaging device that gives significantly clearer images. This will lead to better medical treatment of patients and will reduce the need for extraneous, expensive diagnostic tests, like PET, SPECT and MRI.