Optimization of Focal Position of Ultrasonic Beam in Measurement of Small Change in Arterial Wall Thickness

We have previously developed a method for measurement of a small change in thickness of the arterial wall during a single cardiac cycle [H. Kanai, M. Sato, Y. Koiwa and N. Chubachi: IEEE Trans. UFFC 43 (1996) 791]. The resultant change in thickness is shown to be useful for the in vivo assessment of the regional elasticity of the arterial wall. Although the accuracy of the measurement of the change in thickness is found to be within 1 µm, it is affected by the interference of ultrasonic pulses. In this study, we simulate the propagation of ultrasonic pulses transmitted and received by a linear probe. In the simulation experiments, the ultrasonic pulses generated by a computer are reflected by a tube, which has a small change in wall thickness of 10 µm. The optimum focal position of the ultrasonic beam is determined by evaluating the root-mean-square (rms) error in the measured change in thickness.