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Acoustic and ultrasonographic characterization of polychloroprene, beeswax, and carbomer-gel to mimic soft-tissue for diagnostic ultrasound

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Abstract

Materials with acoustic properties similar to soft-tissue are essential as tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) for diagnostic ultrasound (US). The velocity (cus), acoustic impedance (AI) and attenuation coefficient of US (µ) in a material collectively define its acoustic property. In this work, the acoustic properties of polychloroprene rubber, beeswax, and Carbomer-gel are determined. The pulse-echo technique is used to estimate cus and µ. The product of a sample density (ρ) and cus gives its AI. Using a reference based on the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements Report-61, Tissue Substitutes, Phantoms and Computational Modelling in Medical Ultrasound, the results are evaluated. The acceptance criteria are 1.043 ± 0.021 g/cm3 (ρ), 1561 ± 31.22 m/s (cus), 1.63 ± 0.065 MRayls (AI) and µ within 0.5–0.7 dB/cm/MHz. Sample computerized tomography (CT) and US scanning are performed to evaluate their similarities (contrast and speckle pattern) with respective images of the human liver (a clinical soft-tissue). The average errors in measuring cus and µ were 0.14% and 1.2% respectively. From the present findings, acoustic properties of polychloroprene and beeswax are unacceptable. However, the results of Carbomer-gel ρ = 1.03 g/cm3, cus = 1567 m/s, AI = 1.61 MRayls are satisfactory and µ = 0.73 dB/cm/MHz, is higher than the reference (4.3%). Carbomer-gel could produce CT and US images, efficiently mimicking the respective liver images. Carbomer-gel containing 95% water is a low-cost material with a simple formulation. Present results suggest, Carbomer- gel mimics soft-tissue and can be used as a TMM for diagnostic US.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Naveen P. Kumar, Regional Cancer Center, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India) for performing the ultrasound scans. We are grateful to Prof. M.R. Sarathchandradas, Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India) for helpful discussions regarding the velocity measurements. We thank Vajra Rubber Products (P) Ltd. Trichur, Kerala (India) for preparing the polychloroprene for testing.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Physics, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695011, India

    Debjani Phani, Raghukumar Paramu, V. S. Shaiju & Raghuram Kesavan Nair

  2. Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600 078, India

    Debjani Phani

  3. Department of Radio Diagnosis, Meenakshi Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 631 552, India

    Rajasekhar Konduru Varadarajulu

  4. School of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER-TVM), Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India

    Anjali Thomas & M. Suheshkumar Singh

  5. Department of Radio Diagnosis, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695011, India

    Venugopal Muraleedharan

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  1. Debjani Phani
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Correspondence to Debjani Phani.

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This study was approved by the Institutional Scientific Review Committee.

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An informed consent of the patient was taken for using the diagnostic images in this study.

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Phani, D., Varadarajulu, R.K., Thomas, A. et al. Acoustic and ultrasonographic characterization of polychloroprene, beeswax, and carbomer-gel to mimic soft-tissue for diagnostic ultrasound. Phys Eng Sci Med 43, 1171–1181 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-020-00919-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-020-00919-7

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