Production of acoustic radiation force using ultrasound: methods and applications

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Acoustic radiation force (ARF) is used in many biomedical applications. The transfer of momentum in acoustic waves can be used in a multitude of ways to perturb tissue and manipulate cells.

Areas covered: This review will briefly cover the acoustic theory related to ARF, particularly that related to application in tissues. The use of ARF in measurement of mechanical properties will be treated in detail with emphasis on the spatial and temporal modulation of the ARF. Additional topics covered will be the manipulation of particles with ARF, correction of phase aberration with ARF, modulation of cellular behavior with ARF, and bioeffects related to ARF use.

Expert commentary: The use of ARF can be tailored to specific applications for measurements of mechanical properties or correction of focusing for ultrasound beams. Additionally, noncontact manipulation of particles and cells with ARF enables a wide array of applications for tissue engineering and biosensing.

KEYWORDS:

• Acoustic radiation force
• shear waves
• modulation
• phase aberration correction
• standing waves
• bioeffects

Declaration of interest

Mayo Clinic and MW Urban have a financial interest in the elastography technology described in this paper. Mayo Clinic receives licensing royalties from General Electric Healthcare for the SWE on the General Electric ultrasound scanners and distributes a portion of these royalties to technology inventors. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by grant R01DK092255 from the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases or the National Institutes of Health; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [R01DK092255]