Acoustic Field Simulation and Initial Safety Measurements of a Novel Ultrasound Probe for the Diagnosis of Intracranial Hemorrhages

Ultrasound imaging of brain tissue features and abnormalities is notoriously difficult through the skull because of the high attenuation and skull-induced phase aberration. A custom-designed transcranial matrix probe with a novel adaptive beamforming method has been developed at Tessonics Inc., Windsor, Ontario. The technology corrects for skull-induced distortions in the reconstructed sonograms. The current goal is to diagnose intracranial hemorrhages with the motivation of reducing the time between an injury and appropriate aid. In emergency situations, a portable point-of-care device may save vital time and reduce fatalities. Conventional screening methods, like computed tomography, do not offer the portability, low-cost, and non-ionizing radiation benefits that ultrasound imaging provides. Ultrasonography is also non-invasive and allows for real-time imaging.  The analysis of the acoustic field for the ultrasound probe is an integral part of device development. Standards for ultrasound machine intensity output must be met to eliminate the risk of damage to body tissues. Simulations of the acoustic field are created through the Fast Object-oriented C++ Ultrasound Simulation (FOCUS) software based on desired focal points. The measurements and simulations presented in this work will ensure patient safety for future testing.&nbsp