Abstract
A scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) has been used to measure the elastic properties of tissue with a resolution of around 8 μm (C. M. W. Daft et al., Proc. 1986 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, 945—948). This is achieved by broadband excitation of the acoustic lens, and the recording of an undemodulated returning signal. This has the effect of separating the various contributions normally present in a SAM image of tissue. A method of analyzing this information to yield the sound velocity, acoustic impedance, section thickness, and acoustic attenuation is described. Results are presented from a sample of skin tissue, and sources of experimental error are discussed. The elastic properties of tissue appear to vary more substantially on this scale than in macroscopic investigations. High values of acoustic velocity and attenuation are observed in areas with high concentrations of structural protein and low water content. [Work supported by SERC and GEC Hirst Research Centre.]
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