Measurements of ultrasound attenuation in human chest wall

Abstract

Knowledge of the bulk acoustic properties of human chest wall is useful in the development and study of cardiac and lung ultrasound exposimetry. However, few studies have been performed on human tissue, and there is a need for attenuation data relevant to clinical diagnostic ultrasound. In this study, we measured the bulk acoustic attenuation in unembalmed, never-frozen human chest wall samples, using a GE Vivid 7, clinical diagnostic ultrasound machine. B-mode ultrasound with frequencies from 1.6 to 5.0 MHz was transmitted through human chest wall tissue samples and compared to equivalent-source signals transmitted through normal saline. The recorded signals were analyzed to characterize the acoustic attenuation. Preliminary results based on 9 donors show that both chest wall morphology and bulk attenuation properties vary widely between individuals. Chest wall thicknesses ranged from 2 to 6 cm. The mean linear acoustic attenuation coefficients, across all samples, ranged from 1.1 dB/cm MHz at 1.6 MHz to 1.7 dB/cm MHz at 5.0 MHz, with a frequency-averaged standard deviation of 0.4 dB/cm MHz. Across all donors and frequency and power settings, linear acoustic attenuation coefficients ranged from 0.5 to 2.3 dB/cm MHz. Variation in thoracic exposure may result from variations in the chest wall composition and morphology between patients.Knowledge of the bulk acoustic properties of human chest wall is useful in the development and study of cardiac and lung ultrasound exposimetry. However, few studies have been performed on human tissue, and there is a need for attenuation data relevant to clinical diagnostic ultrasound. In this study, we measured the bulk acoustic attenuation in unembalmed, never-frozen human chest wall samples, using a GE Vivid 7, clinical diagnostic ultrasound machine. B-mode ultrasound with frequencies from 1.6 to 5.0 MHz was transmitted through human chest wall tissue samples and compared to equivalent-source signals transmitted through normal saline. The recorded signals were analyzed to characterize the acoustic attenuation. Preliminary results based on 9 donors show that both chest wall morphology and bulk attenuation properties vary widely between individuals. Chest wall thicknesses ranged from 2 to 6 cm. The mean linear acoustic attenuation coefficients, across all samples, ranged from 1.1 dB/cm MHz at 1.6 MHz to...