Field mapping of ballistic pressure pulse sources

Ballistic pressure pulse sources are used since late 1990s for the extracorporeal treatment of chronic Enthesitis. Newly indications are found in trigger-point-therapy for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. In both applications excellent results without relevant side effects were found in clinical trials. The technical principle of pressure pulse source is based on the same techniques used in air guns. A projectile is accelerated by pressurized air and hits the applicator with high kinetic energy. By this a compression wave travels through the material and induces a fast (4..5μs), almost singular pressure pulse of 2..10 MPa, which is followed by an equally short rarefaction phase of about the same amplitude. It is assumed that the pressure pulse accounts for the biomedical effects of the device. The slower inertial motion of the waveguide is damped by elastic stoppers, but still can be measured several micro seconds after the initial pressure pulse. In order to characterize the pressure pulse devices, field mapping is performed on several radial pressure pulse sources using the fiber optic hydrophone and a polyvinylidenfluorid (PVDF) piezoelectric hydrophone. It could be shown that the current standard (IEC 61846) is not appropriate for characterization of ballistic pressure pulse sources