Computation of nonlinear ultrasound fields using a linearized contrast source method

Nonlinear ultrasound is important in medical diagnostics because imaging of the higher harmonics improves resolution and reduces scattering artifacts. Second harmonic imaging is currently standard, and higher harmonic imaging is under investigation. The efficient development of novel imaging modalities and equipment requires accurate simulations...

Linearization strategies for the Iterative Nonlinear Contrast Source method for full-wave simulation of nonlinear ultrasound fields

The Iterative Nonlinear Contrast Source (INCS) method is a full-wave method for the accurate computation of wide-angle, pulsed, nonlinear ultrasound fields appearing in, e.g., medical echoscopy. The method is based on the Westervelt equation and considers the occurring nonlinear term as a distributed contrast source that operates in a linear...

A contrast source method for nonlinear acoustic wave fields in media with spatially inhomogeneous attenuation

Experimental data reveals that attenuation is an important phenomenon in medical ultrasound. Attenuation is particularly important for medical applications based on nonlinear acoustics, since higher harmonics experience higher attenuation than the fundamental. Here, a method is presented to accurately solve the wave equation for nonlinear...

Modeling nonlinear acoustic waves in media with inhomogeneities in the coefficient of nonlinearity

The refraction and scattering of nonlinear acoustic waves play an important role in the realistic application of medical ultrasound. One cause of these effects is the tissue dependence of the nonlinear medium behavior. A method that is able to model those effects is essential for the design of transducers for novel ultrasound modalities....