May 2, 2024

Bubble Wonder – Researchers Develop New Mathematical Model to Enhance Ultrasound Resolution

Scientists from the University of Tsukuba have actually obtained an unique theoretical formula that anticipates the habits of ultrasound waves as they traverse through liquids that include encapsulated bubbles. The group discovered that factoring in the compressibility of the bubble shell was important in properly anticipating the motion and interaction of these sound waves. A better theoretical understanding of the physics of the interaction in between encapsulated microbubbles, which have a thick shell, and sound waves is still needed to develop much better contrast agents.

Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have actually established a mathematical formula that accounts for the compressibility of encapsulated microbubbles in the proliferation of ultrasonic waves, potentially enhancing ultrasound imaging resolution and enabling more precise drug delivery.
A group of scientists at the University of Tsukuba has developed a mathematical model that explains the relationship between sound waves and several encapsulated microbubbles, which are commonly used as contrast representatives for ultrasound. This breakthrough might possibly help advancements in the fields of medical imaging and drug delivery.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have derived a novel theoretical formula that predicts the behavior of ultrasound waves as they traverse through liquids which contain encapsulated bubbles. The group discovered that factoring in the compressibility of the bubble shell was crucial in properly anticipating the movement and interaction of these sound waves. This research study could lead the way for improvements in ultrasound imaging resolution, based on the creation of more reliable contrast agents.
One of the major disadvantages of ultrasound is its low resolution, which indicates that contrast agents, like microbubbles, are utilized for echocardiograms or liver scans. A better theoretical understanding of the physics of the interaction between encapsulated microbubbles, which have a thick shell, and sound waves is still needed to develop better contrast agents.

In that case, sound waves could cause the bubbles to rupture at particular times or areas in the body, releasing the drug.

Now, scientists at the University of Tsukuba have obtained new nonlinear equations that take into account the compressibility of the shell layer to extend its applicability to several bubbles. Because previous work did not model realistic properties for the bubble surface area, the scientists chose this course. “We designed the shell as a viscoelastic item, which ended up being a crucial factor in the analysis,” author Professor Tetsuya Kanagawa states.
Compressibility measures the relative modification in the volume of fluid or strong in reaction to a boost or reduce in pressure. Other research projects tended to focus on the contortions of the bubbles interior while disregarding the bubble itself. The scientists found that the effect of consisting of the shell in the computations led to a boost in the attenuation (dissipation) coefficient.
” Our work helps pave the way for future improvements to the theory of sound attenuation in liquids,” Professor Kanagawa says. The microbubbles studied in this task might likewise be converted to healing uses, such as targeted drug delivery. Because case, sound waves might trigger the bubbles to break at particular times or locations in the body, launching the drug.
Reference: “Nonlinear acoustic theory on streaming liquid consisting of several microbubbles coated by a compressible visco-elastic shell: Low and high frequency cases” by Tetsuya Kanagawa, Mitsuhiro Honda and Yusei Kikuchi, 6 February 2023, Physics of Fluids.DOI: 10.1063/ 5.0101219.