A review of modeling and simulation of cavitation with application to ultrasound and shock-wave therapies

Abstract

High-intensity ultrasound and shock waves are used for intra- and extra-corporeal manipulation of cells, tissue, and urinary calculi. In many applications, these waves induce the expansion and collapse of preexisting or newly cavitating bubbles whose presence can either mediate the generation of localized stresses or lead to collateral damage, depending on how effectively they can be controlled. We review efforts aimed at simulating wave propagation, nucleation, and bubble dynamics. We discuss both interface capturing approaches that can be used to look at micro-scale bubble collapses as well as stochastic models that treat the bubbles as an unresolved disperse phase that can be used to simulate how bubble clouds alter macroscopic wave focusing, scattering, and stress fields. The translation of the fundamental fluid dynamics into improvements in the design and clinical application of shockwave lithotripters will also be discussed.