A system for in vitro investigation of ultrasound contrast agent＇s enhancement effect is presented and evaluated. It includes the digital B-mode ultrasound scanner Belson3000A, the tissue-mimicking ultrasound phantom...A system for in vitro investigation of ultrasound contrast agent＇s enhancement effect is presented and evaluated. It includes the digital B-mode ultrasound scanner Belson3000A, the tissue-mimicking ultrasound phantoms and the software which is used for image quantitative analysis. The linear range, optimal settings and repeatability of the system are assessed and explored by scanning the ultrasound phantoms with different reflective intensities. The measurements are performed under an acoustic power from 4.8 to 12.3 mW, the scanner centre frequency is 3.5 MH and the gain setting is 50 dB. Both a self-made surfactant encapsulated microbubble and a commercial ultrasound contrast agent are scanned. The results show that the pixel intensity of ultrasonic images increases with the increase in the sound power, and for the stronger reflective phantoms of more particles, the increasing trend is much more evident. The system is optimal for evaluating the microbubble contrast agents＇ enhancement effects. It presents a simple, effective and real-time means for characterizing the enhancement ability of microbubbles.展开更多
In this paper, the flow field is assumed to be inviscid, irrotational and incompressible, triangular elements are adopted to discretize the boundary of flow field, the boundary integral method is used to solve the flo...In this paper, the flow field is assumed to be inviscid, irrotational and incompressible, triangular elements are adopted to discretize the boundary of flow field, the boundary integral method is used to solve the flow field and the Mixed-Eulerian-Lagrangian method is applied to simulate the evolution of bubble. Three-dimensional smoothing method is used to smooth the bubble surface and the velocity potential to make the computing process more accurate and stable. In the analysis process, three-dimensional model simulates the dynamics of a bubble in the free field, gravitational field and near the rigid wall respectively, and the calculated results coincide well with the exact results and experimental data, which show that the algorithm and 3D model in this paper are of high accuracy. Calculation process indicates that bubble takes on strong non-linear under the combine effect of gravity and rigid wall.展开更多
The objective of this study is to investigate the improvement possibilities of the floatability of galena with ultrasonic application in the presence of potassium ethyl xanthate(KEX). For this purpose, micro-flotation...The objective of this study is to investigate the improvement possibilities of the floatability of galena with ultrasonic application in the presence of potassium ethyl xanthate(KEX). For this purpose, micro-flotation experiments were carried out in addition to surface chemistry studies including zeta potential, contact angle, and bubble-particle attachment time measurements at various ultrasonic power levels and conditioning time. The results showed that, the maximum micro-flotation recovery of 77.5% was obtained with 30 W ultrasound power and 2 min conditioning time. In addition, more negative zeta potential values were obtained with ultrasound as well as higher contact angle and lower bubble-particle attachment time, which indicated the increased hydrophobicity of galena with ultrasound.展开更多
Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three es...Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and other additives as its shell materials was prepared by sonication. Sulfur hexafluoride was adopted as the inner gas of the microbubbles. New methods through the combination of optical microscope and some softwares were used to measure the size distribution and the concentration of the microbubbles. Some parameters such as the pH value of the phosphate buffer, quantity of the carboxylic methyl cellulose in the shell materials, selection of the ultrasound power and process time, were studied. Six hybirded dogs were used to verify the in vivo contrast imaging of the contrast agent using second harmonic power Doppler modality. Safety and persistent time of the agent inner animal body were also investigated. Results: Ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment had an average microbubble diameter of 3.95 microns with concentration of 3.6×109 microbubbles per millilitre. Carboxylic methyl cellulose was found as an important shell material which had obviously effect on the microbubble stability and production even with a little quantity. The buffer pH value also had a key role on the microbubble formation and the final production. When the buffer pH value reached 7.4, there was no microbubble produced. Under the approximate microbubble production, process time could be shorten with the increasing ultrasound power. The obvious ultrasound contrast imaging effects were detected in the dog's heart chamber and liver as well as kidney using only one millilitre agent when diluted. The agent was found safe to the dogs. At the same time, persistent time of the agent was found over 20 min in the dog's body. Conclusion: The new ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment has high microbubble production and concentration, narrow microbubble size distribution ranging in several microns, well stability, little dosage needed in the contrast, well safety to the dogs and long persistent time, obvious contrast imaging effect in the dog's heart chamber, kidney and liver. These experiment data indicate that the new ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and carboxylic methyl cellulose as its main shell materials can be further developed for clinical purposes.展开更多
Detachment size determination with an acoustic method has been carried out for two interacting bubble plumes formed at neighboring needles in quiescent water. Two sets of needle pairs, one with 1.5mm and 0.8mm inner d...Detachment size determination with an acoustic method has been carried out for two interacting bubble plumes formed at neighboring needles in quiescent water. Two sets of needle pairs, one with 1.5mm and 0.8mm inner diameters and the other with the equal 1.5mm inner diameters, were separately used as the bubble pair injectors in the experiments. Consequently, four typical patterns of bubble plumes interaction could be observed in the two cases of needle pair matches. Through measuring the pressure pulses radiated by the bubble pairs immediately after their 'pinching-off ' and by making use of a sophisticated relation between oscillation frequency of volume mode and radius of gas bubble, the detachment size of the bubble plumes have been determined from the amplitude/frequency spectrum of the sound pressure pulses. The experimental results demonstrate that the acoustical method is valid in both of the interacting and non-interacting circumstances in bubble field and the bubble size measurements by this acoustical method agree well with the measurements from photographic analysis. Finally, a comparison has been made on the strong and weak points of the acoustical method with the other size determination methods.展开更多
A model is developed to calculate the distribution of first-order velocity field caused by the coupled bubbles in an ultrasound field. Using this model, numerical investigations of velocity field have been made when t...A model is developed to calculate the distribution of first-order velocity field caused by the coupled bubbles in an ultrasound field. Using this model, numerical investigations of velocity field have been made when the two identical bubbles are driven well below resonance by an acoustic field with pressure amplitude exceeding cavitation threshold. Three representative kinestates of the coupled bubbles were chosen for analyzing the velocity distribution of surrounding liquid. The results show that the nonlinear oscillations of a bubble pair affect violently the radial velocity distribution of surrounding liquid, especially in the expanding phase. Symmetry of the tangential velocity distribution implies a possibility of attraction or repulsion of the bubble pairs.展开更多
基金The National Basic Research Program of China (973Program) (No.2006CB933206)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.50872021,60725101)
文摘A system for in vitro investigation of ultrasound contrast agent＇s enhancement effect is presented and evaluated. It includes the digital B-mode ultrasound scanner Belson3000A, the tissue-mimicking ultrasound phantoms and the software which is used for image quantitative analysis. The linear range, optimal settings and repeatability of the system are assessed and explored by scanning the ultrasound phantoms with different reflective intensities. The measurements are performed under an acoustic power from 4.8 to 12.3 mW, the scanner centre frequency is 3.5 MH and the gain setting is 50 dB. Both a self-made surfactant encapsulated microbubble and a commercial ultrasound contrast agent are scanned. The results show that the pixel intensity of ultrasonic images increases with the increase in the sound power, and for the stronger reflective phantoms of more particles, the increasing trend is much more evident. The system is optimal for evaluating the microbubble contrast agents＇ enhancement effects. It presents a simple, effective and real-time means for characterizing the enhancement ability of microbubbles.
文摘In this paper, the flow field is assumed to be inviscid, irrotational and incompressible, triangular elements are adopted to discretize the boundary of flow field, the boundary integral method is used to solve the flow field and the Mixed-Eulerian-Lagrangian method is applied to simulate the evolution of bubble. Three-dimensional smoothing method is used to smooth the bubble surface and the velocity potential to make the computing process more accurate and stable. In the analysis process, three-dimensional model simulates the dynamics of a bubble in the free field, gravitational field and near the rigid wall respectively, and the calculated results coincide well with the exact results and experimental data, which show that the algorithm and 3D model in this paper are of high accuracy. Calculation process indicates that bubble takes on strong non-linear under the combine effect of gravity and rigid wall.
基金the Research Fund of Istanbul University under grant FAB-2017-25658.
文摘The objective of this study is to investigate the improvement possibilities of the floatability of galena with ultrasonic application in the presence of potassium ethyl xanthate(KEX). For this purpose, micro-flotation experiments were carried out in addition to surface chemistry studies including zeta potential, contact angle, and bubble-particle attachment time measurements at various ultrasonic power levels and conditioning time. The results showed that, the maximum micro-flotation recovery of 77.5% was obtained with 30 W ultrasound power and 2 min conditioning time. In addition, more negative zeta potential values were obtained with ultrasound as well as higher contact angle and lower bubble-particle attachment time, which indicated the increased hydrophobicity of galena with ultrasound.
基金Supported by the High Technology Research Development Program of China(863 Program,No.2001AA218031)and the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30270404).
文摘Objective: To study on the preparation process of a new surfactant-based microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and to evaluate its contrast effects in vivo. Methods: Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and other additives as its shell materials was prepared by sonication. Sulfur hexafluoride was adopted as the inner gas of the microbubbles. New methods through the combination of optical microscope and some softwares were used to measure the size distribution and the concentration of the microbubbles. Some parameters such as the pH value of the phosphate buffer, quantity of the carboxylic methyl cellulose in the shell materials, selection of the ultrasound power and process time, were studied. Six hybirded dogs were used to verify the in vivo contrast imaging of the contrast agent using second harmonic power Doppler modality. Safety and persistent time of the agent inner animal body were also investigated. Results: Ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment had an average microbubble diameter of 3.95 microns with concentration of 3.6×109 microbubbles per millilitre. Carboxylic methyl cellulose was found as an important shell material which had obviously effect on the microbubble stability and production even with a little quantity. The buffer pH value also had a key role on the microbubble formation and the final production. When the buffer pH value reached 7.4, there was no microbubble produced. Under the approximate microbubble production, process time could be shorten with the increasing ultrasound power. The obvious ultrasound contrast imaging effects were detected in the dog's heart chamber and liver as well as kidney using only one millilitre agent when diluted. The agent was found safe to the dogs. At the same time, persistent time of the agent was found over 20 min in the dog's body. Conclusion: The new ultrasound contrast agent prepared in the experiment has high microbubble production and concentration, narrow microbubble size distribution ranging in several microns, well stability, little dosage needed in the contrast, well safety to the dogs and long persistent time, obvious contrast imaging effect in the dog's heart chamber, kidney and liver. These experiment data indicate that the new ultrasound contrast agent with three ester surfactants and carboxylic methyl cellulose as its main shell materials can be further developed for clinical purposes.
基金Supported by the Post-Doctorate Science Foundation.
文摘Detachment size determination with an acoustic method has been carried out for two interacting bubble plumes formed at neighboring needles in quiescent water. Two sets of needle pairs, one with 1.5mm and 0.8mm inner diameters and the other with the equal 1.5mm inner diameters, were separately used as the bubble pair injectors in the experiments. Consequently, four typical patterns of bubble plumes interaction could be observed in the two cases of needle pair matches. Through measuring the pressure pulses radiated by the bubble pairs immediately after their 'pinching-off ' and by making use of a sophisticated relation between oscillation frequency of volume mode and radius of gas bubble, the detachment size of the bubble plumes have been determined from the amplitude/frequency spectrum of the sound pressure pulses. The experimental results demonstrate that the acoustical method is valid in both of the interacting and non-interacting circumstances in bubble field and the bubble size measurements by this acoustical method agree well with the measurements from photographic analysis. Finally, a comparison has been made on the strong and weak points of the acoustical method with the other size determination methods.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos. 10904068, 10834009, 11174138, 81127901, 11204168 and 11174139)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No. GK201002009)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province(Grant No. 2010JQ1006)
文摘A model is developed to calculate the distribution of first-order velocity field caused by the coupled bubbles in an ultrasound field. Using this model, numerical investigations of velocity field have been made when the two identical bubbles are driven well below resonance by an acoustic field with pressure amplitude exceeding cavitation threshold. Three representative kinestates of the coupled bubbles were chosen for analyzing the velocity distribution of surrounding liquid. The results show that the nonlinear oscillations of a bubble pair affect violently the radial velocity distribution of surrounding liquid, especially in the expanding phase. Symmetry of the tangential velocity distribution implies a possibility of attraction or repulsion of the bubble pairs.
