Abstract
High-frequency focused ultrasound has emerged as a powerful modality for both biomedical imaging and elastography. It is gaining more attention due to its capability to outperform many other imaging modalities at a submicron resolution. Besides imaging, high-frequency ultrasound or acoustic biomicroscopy has been used in a wide range of applications to assess the elastic and mechanical properties at the tissue and single cell level. The interest in acoustic microscopy stems from the awareness of the relationship between biomechanical and the underlying biochemical processes in cells and the vast impact these interactions have on the onset and progression of disease. Furthermore, ultrasound biomicroscopy is characterized by its non-invasive and non-destructive approach. This, in turn, allows for spatiotemporal studies of dynamic processes without the employment of histochemistry that can compromise the integrity of the samples. Numerous techniques have been developed in the field of acoustic microscopy. This review paper discusses high-frequency ultrasound theory and applications for both imaging and elastography.
Highlights
Biomechanical factors play a crucial role in regulating cell physiology, including cell division, cell locomotion, and cell adhesion [1 - 4]
Quantification in Time-resolved Scanning Acoustic Microscopy In Time-Resolved SAM (TRSAM), the acoustic parameters of biological cell and tissue samples are derived from the arrival time and the amplitude of the reflected echoes
Schubert et al reported the numerical simulation of the acoustic pulse propagation and reflection of the focusing incident waves for different types of scatterers using the elasto-dynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) [61]
Summary
Biomechanical factors play a crucial role in regulating cell physiology, including cell division, cell locomotion, and cell adhesion [1 - 4]. Numerous techniques have been developed for studying the mechanical and elastic properties of cells and tissues [6, 12] including: (i) micropipette technique [4, 13]; (ii) magnetic twisting cytometry [14, 15]; (iii) optical tweezers, laser tweezers or optical clamps [16, 17]; (iv) optical stretcher [18, 19], and (v) atomic force microscopy [20, 21]. Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) is a robust approach for the study of viscoelastic properties of biological tissues and single cells [24, 25]. This review paper describes Time-Resolved SAM (TRSAM) for both image formation using high-frequency focused ultrasound and the acoustic characterization of biomechanical properties. Applications of ultrasound biomicroscopy and elastography will be presented with a focus on cancer biology
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