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Advances of Ultrasonic Transducers: Imaging, Therapeutics and Sensing
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Advances of Ultrasonic Transducers: Imaging, Therapeutics and Sensing

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 3557

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Runze Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
Interests: biomedical imaging; ultrasonic transducer; elastography; optical coherence tomography

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ultrasound has been applied in many fields due to its unique properties which is suitable for different applications. The ultrasonic transducer plays an important role among all these applications and varies according to different purposes. For example, in ultrasonic imaging, the bandwidth is an important parameter as it relates to axial resolution. Simulation and fabrication processes can support the different needs of the ultrasonic transducer, according to specific applications.

This Special Issue aims to provide a forum across medical and industrial fields to advance the development of passive and active materials, single-element transducers, one or more dimension arrays, as well as simulation and fabrication processes. This Special Issue also aims to provide the solutions for imaging, therapeutics, and sensing in light of the ultrasonic transducer. We welcome both original research and review articles. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Innovative passive and active materials for transducers;
  • Simulation for acoustic field and transducers;
  • Advanced transducer fabrication;
  • Single-element ultrasonic transducers;
  • 1D and more dimension arrays;
  • Transparent transducers;
  • The applications of the transducers in imaging, therapeutics and sensing.

Dr. Runze Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2060 KiB  
Article
Development of a Small-Footprint 50 MHz Linear Array: Fabrication and Micro-Ultrasound Imaging Demonstration
by Carlos-Felipe Roa, Emmanuel Chérin, Nidhi Singh, Jianhua Yin, Aaron Boyes, F. Stuart Foster and Christine E. M. Demore
Sensors 2024, 24(6), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24061847 - 13 Mar 2024
Viewed by 615
Abstract
Compact high-frequency arrays are of interest for clinical and preclinical applications in which a small-footprint or endoscopic device is needed to reach the target anatomy. However, the fabrication of compact arrays entails the connection of several dozens of small elements to the imaging [...] Read more.
Compact high-frequency arrays are of interest for clinical and preclinical applications in which a small-footprint or endoscopic device is needed to reach the target anatomy. However, the fabrication of compact arrays entails the connection of several dozens of small elements to the imaging system through a combination of flexible printed circuit boards at the array end and micro-coaxial cabling to the imaging system. The methods currently used, such as wire bonding, conductive adhesives, or a dry connection to a flexible circuit, considerably increase the array footprint. Here, we propose an interconnection method that uses vacuum-deposited metals, laser patterning, and electroplating to achieve a right-angle, compact, reliable connection between array elements and flexible-circuit traces. The array elements are thickened at the edges using patterned copper traces, which increases their cross-sectional area and facilitates the connection. We fabricated a 2.3 mm by 1.7 mm, 64-element linear array with elements at a 36 μm pitch connected to a 4 cm long flexible circuit, where the interconnect adds only 100 μm to each side of the array. Pulse-echo measurements yielded an average center frequency of 55 MHz and a −6 dB bandwidth of 41%. We measured an imaging resolution of 35 μm in the axial direction and 114 μm in the lateral direction and demonstrated the ex vivo imaging of porcine esophageal tissue and the in vivo imaging of avian embryonic vasculature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Ultrasonic Transducers: Imaging, Therapeutics and Sensing)
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10 pages, 1141 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Thermal Stimulation Using Therapeutic Ultrasound to Improve Cerebral Blood Flow and Reduce Vascular Stiffness
by Kyung-Kwon Yi, Chansol Park, Jiwon Yang, Yeong-Bae Lee and Chang-Ki Kang
Sensors 2023, 23(20), 8487; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23208487 - 16 Oct 2023
Viewed by 857
Abstract
It is important to improve cerebrovascular health before the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease, as it has various aftereffects and a high recurrence rate, even with appropriate treatment. Various medical recommendations for preventing cerebrovascular diseases have been introduced, including smoking cessation, exercise, and diet. [...] Read more.
It is important to improve cerebrovascular health before the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease, as it has various aftereffects and a high recurrence rate, even with appropriate treatment. Various medical recommendations for preventing cerebrovascular diseases have been introduced, including smoking cessation, exercise, and diet. However, the effectiveness of these methods varies greatly from person to person, and their effects cannot be confirmed unless they are practiced over a long period. Therefore, there is a growing need to develop more quantitative methods that are applicable to the public to promote cerebrovascular health. Thus, in this study, we aimed to develop noninvasive and quantitative thermal stimulation techniques using ultrasound to improve cerebrovascular health and prevent cerebrovascular diseases. This study included 27 healthy adults in their 20s (14 males, 13 females). Thermal stimulation using therapeutic ultrasound at a frequency of 3 MHz was applied to the right sternocleidomastoid muscle in the supine posture for 2 min at four intensities (2.4, 5.1, 7.2, and 10.2 W/cm2). Diagnostic ultrasound was used to measure the peak systolic velocity (PSV), heart rate (HR), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the right common carotid artery (CCA), and the physiological changes were compared between intervention intensities. Compared to pre-intervention (preI), the PSV showed a significant increase during intervention (durI) at intensities of 7.2 W/cm2 and 10.2 W/cm2 (p = 0.010 and p = 0.021, respectively). Additionally, PWV showed a significant decrease for post-intervention (postI) at 7.2 W/cm2 and 10.2 W/cm2 (p = 0.036 and p = 0.035, respectively). However, the HR showed no significant differences at any of the intensities. The results demonstrate that an intervention at 3 MHz with an intensity of 7.2 W/cm2 or more can substantially increase cerebral blood flow and reduce arterial stiffness. Therefore, the use of therapeutic ultrasound of appropriate intensity is expected to improve the cerebral blood flow and reduce vascular stiffness to maintain cerebral blood flow at a certain level, which is closely related to the prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, thereby improving cerebrovascular health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Ultrasonic Transducers: Imaging, Therapeutics and Sensing)
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12 pages, 33146 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Evaluation of In Vivo Corneal Biomechanical Properties after SMILE and FLEx Surgery by Acoustic Radiation Force Optical Coherence Elastography
by Yanzhi Zhao, Yirui Zhu, Yongbo Wang, Hongwei Yang, Xingdao He, Tomas Gomez Alvarez-Arenas, Yingjie Li and Guofu Huang
Sensors 2023, 23(1), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010181 - 24 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1457
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the differences in corneal biomechanics after SMILE and FLEx surgery using an acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography system (ARF-OCE) and to analyze the effect of the corneal cap on the integrity of corneal [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the differences in corneal biomechanics after SMILE and FLEx surgery using an acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography system (ARF-OCE) and to analyze the effect of the corneal cap on the integrity of corneal biomechanical properties. A custom ring array ultrasound transducer is used to excite corneal tissue to produce Lamb waves. Depth-resolved elastic modulus images of the in vivo cornea after refractive surgery were obtained based on the phase velocity of the Lamb wave. After refractive surgery, the average elastic modulus of the corneal flap decreased (71.7 ± 24.6 kPa), while the elastic modulus of the corneal cap increased (219.5 ± 54.9 kPa). The average elastic modulus of residual stromal bed (RSB) was increased after surgery, and the value after FLEx (305.8 ± 48.5 kPa) was significantly higher than that of SMILE (221.3 ± 43.2 kPa). Compared with FLEx, SMILE preserved most of the anterior stroma with less change in corneal biomechanics, which indicated that SMILE has an advantage in preserving the integrity of the corneal biomechanical properties. Therefore, the biomechanical properties of the cornea obtained by the ARF-OCE system may be one of the essential indicators for evaluating the safety of refractive surgery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Ultrasonic Transducers: Imaging, Therapeutics and Sensing)
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