Non-Contact Ultrasonic Imaging for the Evaluation of Burn-Depth and other Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Conventional wisdom suggests that ultrasonic imaging of the body cannot be accomplished without direct contact (or at least contact via water coupling). Thus, non-contact imaging (i.e., through air) is traditionally viewed as impossible. The present study shows that non-contact imaging is possible, certainly for superficial body regions, provided judicious choices of piezoelectric materials and matching layers are made. In preliminary experiments reported here, reflections from the dermal/fat interface in human skin were clearly seen using non-contact transducers operating in the low MHz frequency range. Such measurements are sufficient to determine burn-depth which, in turn, is sufficient to provide, for the first time, a quantitative and non-invasive method for burn evaluation and treatment specification.