Towards Physical Modeling of the Utilization of Ultrasound in Modern Medical Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

In the present paper the dynamics of a single spherical gas/vapor bubble has been investigated numerically under harmonically varying pressure field (ultrasound). This simple physical model is capable of capturing the basic physical phenomena, the very high temperature and pressure produced during the oscillation of the bubble, used in various medical applications. The applied model is the Keller-Miksis equation being second order nonlinear ordinary differential equation, that takes into account the liquid compressibility. The investigated parameters are the pressure amplitude and the frequency of the sonication. The presented two-parameter map of the achievable maximum bubble wall velocity is a good indicator for the efficiency of the applications. The results show that employment of frequency below the first harmonic resonance and pressure amplitude higher than the ambient pressure is recommended.