Ultrasound current source density imaging

Simulation study on high spatio-temporal resolution acousto-electrophysiological neuroimaging

Objective.Acousto-electrophysiological neuroimaging (AENI) is a technique hypothesized to record electrophysiological activity of the brain with millimeter spatial and sub-millisecond temporal resolution. This improvement is obtained by tagging areas with focused ultrasound (fUS). Due to mechanical vibration with respect to the measuring electrodes, the electrical activity of the marked region will be modulated onto the ultrasonic frequency. The region's electrical activity can subsequently be retrieved via demodulation of the measured signal. In this study, the feasibility of this hypothesized technique is tested.Approach.This is done by calculating the forward electroencephalography response under quasi-static assumptions. The head is simplified as a set of concentric spheres. Two sizes are evaluated representing human and mouse brains. Moreover, feasibility is assessed for wet and dry transcranial, and for cortically placed electrodes. The activity sources are modeled by dipoles, with their current intensity profile drawn from a power-law power spectral density.Results.It is shown that mechanical vibration modulates the endogenous activity onto the ultrasonic frequency. The signal strength depends non-linearly on the alignment between dipole orientation, vibration direction and recording point. The strongest signal is measured when these three dependencies are perfectly aligned. The signal strengths are in the pV-range for a dipole moment of 5 nAm and ultrasonic pressures within Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-limits. The endogenous activity can then be accurately reconstructed via demodulation. Two interference types are investigated: vibrational and static. Depending on the vibrational interference, it is shown that millimeter resolution signal detection is possible also for deep brain regions. Subsequently, successful demodulation depends on the static interference, that at MHz-range has to be sub-picovolt.Significance.Our results show that mechanical vibration is a possible underlying mechanism of acousto-electrophyisological neuroimaging. This paper is a first step towards improved understanding of the conditions under which AENI is feasible.

Transcranial dipole localization and decoding study based on ultrasonic phased array for acoustoelectric brain imaging

Objective. Neuroimaging is one of the effective tools to understand the functional activities of the brain, but traditional non-invasive neuroimaging techniques are difficult to combine both high temporal and spatial resolution to satisfy clinical needs. Acoustoelectric brain imaging (ABI) can combine the millimeter spatial resolution advantage of focused ultrasound with the millisecond temporal resolution advantage of electroencephalogram signals.Approach. In this study, we first explored the transcranial modulated acoustic field distribution based on ABI, and further localized and decoded single and double dipoles signals.Main results. The results show that the simulation-guided acoustic field modulation results are significantly better than those of self-focusing, which can realize precise modulation focusing of intracranial target focusing. The single dipole transcranial localization error is less than 0.4 mm and the decoding accuracy is greater than 0.93. The double dipoles transcranial localization error is less than 0.2 mm and the decoding accuracy is greater than 0.89.Significance. This study enables precise focusing of transcranial acoustic field modulation, high-precision localization of source signals and decoding of their waveforms, which provides a technical method for ABI in localizing evoked excitatory neuron areas and epileptic focus.

Acoustoelectric brain imaging with different conductivities and acoustic distributions

Objective: Acoustoelectric brain imaging (AEBI) is a promising imaging method for mapping brain biological current densities with high spatiotemporal resolution. Currently, it is still challenging to achieve human AEBI with an unclear acoustoelectric (AE) signal response of medium characteristics, particularly in conductivity and acoustic distribution. This study introduces different conductivities and acoustic distributions into the AEBI experiment, and clarifies the response interaction between medium characteristics and AEBI performance to address these key challenges. Approach: AEBI with different conductivities is explored by the imaging experiment, potential measurement, and simulation on a pig's fat, muscle, and brain tissue. AEBI with different acoustic distributions is evaluated on the imaging experiment and acoustic field measurement through a deep and surface transmitting model built on a human skullcap and pig brain tissue. Main results: The results show that conductivity is not only inversely proportional to the AE signal amplitude but also leads to a higher AEBI spatial resolution as it increases. In addition, the current source and sulcus can be located simultaneously with a strong AE signal intensity. The transcranial focal zone enlargement, pressure attenuation in the deep-transmitting model, and ultrasound echo enhancement in the surface-transmitting model cause a reduced spatial resolution, FFT-SNR, and timing correlation of AEBI. Under the comprehensive effect of conductivity and acoustics, AEBI with skull finally shows reduced imaging performance for both models compared with no-skull AEBI. On the contrary, the AE signal amplitude decreases in the deep-transmitting model and increases in the surface-transmitting model. Significance: This study reveals the response interaction between medium characteristics and AEBI performance, and makes an essential step toward developing AEBI as a practical neuroimaging technique.

The frontooccipital interaction mechanism of high-frequency acoustoelectric signal

Based on acoustoelectric effect, acoustoelectric brain imaging has been proposed, which is a high spatiotemporal resolution neural imaging method. At the focal spot, brain electrical activity is encoded by focused ultrasound, and corresponding high-frequency acoustoelectric signal is generated. Previous studies have revealed that acoustoelectric signal can also be detected in other non-focal brain regions. However, the processing mechanism of acoustoelectric signal between different brain regions remains sparse. Here, with acoustoelectric signal generated in the left primary visual cortex, we investigated the spatial distribution characteristics and temporal propagation characteristics of acoustoelectric signal in the transmission. We observed a strongest transmission strength within the frontal lobe, and the global temporal statistics indicated that the frontal lobe features in acoustoelectric signal transmission. Then, cross-frequency phase-amplitude coupling was used to investigate the coordinated activity in the AE signal band range between frontal and occipital lobes. The results showed that intra-structural cross-frequency coupling and cross-structural coupling co-occurred between these two lobes, and, accordingly, high-frequency brain activity in the frontal lobe was effectively coordinated by distant occipital lobe. This study revealed the frontooccipital long-range interaction mechanism of acoustoelectric signal, which is the foundation of improving the performance of acoustoelectric brain imaging.

Acoustoelectric Time-Reversal for Ultrasound Phase-Aberration Correction

Acoustoelectric imaging (AEI) is a technique that combines ultrasound (US) with radio frequency recording to detect and map local current source densities. This study demonstrates a new method called acoustoelectric time reversal (AETR), which uses AEI of a small current source to correct for phase aberrations through a skull or other US-aberrating layers with applications to brain imaging and therapy. Simulations conducted at three different US frequencies (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 MHz) were performed through media layered with different sound speeds and geometries to induce aberrations of the US beam. Time delays of the acoustoelectric (AE) signal from a monopole within the medium were calculated for each element to enable corrections using AETR. Uncorrected aberrated beam profiles were compared with those after applying AETR corrections, which demonstrated a strong recovery (29%-100%) of lateral resolution and increases in focal pressure up to 283%. To further demonstrate the practical feasibility of AETR, we further conducted bench-top experiments using a 2.5 MHz linear US array to perform AETR through 3-D-printed aberrating objects. These experiments restored lost lateral restoration up to 100% for the different aberrators and increased focal pressure up to 230% after applying AETR corrections. Cumulatively, these results highlight AETR as a powerful tool for correcting focal aberrations in the presence of a local current source with applications to AEI, US imaging, neuromodulation, and therapy.

Current Source Density Imaging Using Regularized Inversion of Acoustoelectric Signals

Acoustoelectric (AE) imaging can potentially image biological currents at high spatial (~mm) and temporal (~ms) resolution. However, it does not directly map the current field distribution due to signal modulation by the acoustic field and electric lead fields. Here we present a new method for current source density (CSD) imaging. The fundamental AE equation is inverted using truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) combined with Tikhonov regularization, where the optimal regularization parameter is found based on a modified L-curve criterion with TSVD. After deconvolution of acoustic fields, the current field can be directly reconstructed from lead field projections and the CSD image computed from the divergence of that field. A cube phantom model with a single dipole source was used for both simulation and bench-top phantom studies, where 2D AE signals generated by a 0.6 MHz 1.5D array transducer were recorded by orthogonal leads in a 3D Cartesian coordinate system. In simulations, the CSD reconstruction had significantly improved image quality and current source localization compared to AE images, and performance further improved as the fractional bandwidth (BW) increased. Similar results were obtained in the phantom with a time-varying current injected. Finally, a feasibility study using an in vivo swine heart model showed that optimally reconstructed CSD images better localized the current source than AE images over the cardiac cycle.

An adaptive acoustoelectric signal decoding algorithm based on Fourier fitting for brain function imaging

Acousticelectric brain imaging (ABI), which is based on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, is a potential brain function imaging method for mapping brain electrical activity with high temporal and spatial resolution. To further enhance the quality of the decoded signal and the resolution of the ABI, the decoding accuracy of the AE signal is essential. An adaptive decoding algorithm based on Fourier fitting (aDAF) is suggested to increase the AE signal decoding precision. The envelope of the AE signal is first split into a number of harmonics by Fourier fitting in the suggested aDAF. The least square method is then utilized to adaptively select the greatest harmonic component. Several phantom experiments are implemented to assess the performance of the aDAF, including 1-source with various frequencies, multiple-source with various frequencies and amplitudes, and multiple-source with various distributions. Imaging resolution and decoded signal quality are quantitatively evaluated. According to the results of the decoding experiments, the decoded signal amplitude accuracy has risen by 11.39% when compared to the decoding algorithm with envelope (DAE). The correlation coefficient between the source signal and the decoded timing signal of aDAF is, on average, 34.76% better than it was for DAE. Finally, the results of the imaging experiment show that aDAF has superior imaging quality than DAE, with signal-to noise ratio (SNR) improved by 23.32% and spatial resolution increased by 50%. According to the experiments, the proposed aDAF increased AE signal decoding accuracy, which is vital for future research and applications related to ABI.

The processing network of high-frequency acoustoelectric signal in the living rat brain

Objective.Acoustoelectric brain imaging (ABI) is a potential noninvasive electrophysiological neuroimaging method with high spatiotemporal resolution. At the focal spot of the focused ultrasound, with the couple of acoustic and electric fields, high-frequency acoustoelectric (HF AE) signal is generated. Because the brain is a volume conductor, HF AE signal can be detected in other brain cortex. The processing of HF AE signal is critical for improving decoding precision, further improving the spatial resolution performance of ABI. This study investigates the processing network of HF AE signal in the living rat brain.Approach.When HF AE generated on the left primary visual cortex (V1-L), low-frequency (LF) electroencephalography and HF AE signals on different cortex were recorded at the same time. Firstly, AE signal on different sides of the brain cortex were compared, including prefrontal cortex (FrA) and primary somatosensory cortex (S1FL). Then, we constructed and analyzed functional networks of two signals.Main results.In the same cortex, HF AE signal on the right side had stronger intensity. And compared with LF networks, HF AE network had larger global efficiency and shorter characteristic path length, denoting the stronger processing and transmission of AE signal. Additionally, in HF AE network, the node had significantly increased local properties and the connection were concentrated in the occipital lobe, reflecting the occipital lobe plays an important role in the processing.Significance.Experiment results demonstrate that, compared with LF network, HF AE network is more efficient and had stronger transmission capabilities. And the connection of HF AE network is concentrated in the occipital lobe. This work preliminarily reveals the HF AE signal processing, which is significant for improving the ABI quality and provides a new insight for understanding the brain HF signal.

In Vivo Transcranial Acoustoelectric Brain Imaging of Different Steady-State Visual Stimulation Paradigms

OBJECTIVE

Based on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, transcranial acoustoelectric brain imaging (tABI) is of potential for brain functional imaging with high temporal and spatial resolution. With nonlinear and non-steady-state, brain electrical signal is microvolt level which makes the development of tABI more difficult. This study demonstrates for the first time in vivo tABI of different steady-state visual stimulation paradigms.

METHOD

To obtain different brain activation maps, we designed three steady-state visual stimulation paradigms, including binocular, left eye and right eye stimulations. Then, tABI was implemented with one fixed recording electrode. And, based on decoded signal power spectrum (tABI-power) and correlation coefficient between steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and decoded signal (tABI-cc) respectively, two imaging methods were investigated. To quantitatively evaluate tABI spatial resolution performance, ECoG was implemented at the same time. Finally, we explored the performance of tABI transient imaging.

RESULTS

Decoded AE signal of activation region is consistent with SSVEP in both time and frequency domains, while that of the nonactivated region is noise. Besides, with transcranial measurement, tABI has a millimeter-level spatial resolution (< 3mm). Meanwhile, it can achieve millisecond-level (125ms) transient brain activity imaging.

CONCLUSION

Experiment results validate tABI can realize brain functional imaging under complex paradigms and is expected to develop into a brain functional imaging method with high spatiotemporal resolution.

Biological current source imaging method based on acoustoelectric effect: A systematic review

Neuroimaging can help reveal the spatial and temporal diversity of neural activity, which is of utmost importance for understanding the brain. However, conventional non-invasive neuroimaging methods do not have the advantage of high temporal and spatial resolution, which greatly hinders clinical and basic research. The acoustoelectric (AE) effect is a fundamental physical phenomenon based on the change of dielectric conductivity that has recently received much attention in the field of biomedical imaging. Based on the AE effect, a new imaging method for the biological current source has been proposed, combining the advantages of high temporal resolution of electrical measurements and high spatial resolution of focused ultrasound. This paper first describes the mechanism of the AE effect and the principle of the current source imaging method based on the AE effect. The second part summarizes the research progress of this current source imaging method in brain neurons, guided brain therapy, and heart. Finally, we discuss the problems and future directions of this biological current source imaging method. This review explores the relevant research literature and provides an informative reference for this potential non-invasive neuroimaging method.

Experimental and simulation studies of localization and decoding of single and double dipoles

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique for measuring normal or abnormal neuronal activity in the human brain, but its low spatial resolution makes it difficult to locate the precise locations of neurons due to the volume conduction effect of brain tissue. The acoustoelectric (AE) effect has the advantage of detecting electrical signals with high temporal resolution and focused ultrasound with high spatial resolution. In this paper, we use dipoles to simulate real single and double neurons, and further investigate the localization and decoding of single and double dipoles based on AE effects from numerical simulations, brain tissue phantom experiments, and fresh porcine brain tissue experiments. The results show that the localization error of a single dipole is less than 0.3 mm, the decoding signal is highly correlated with the source signal, and the decoding accuracy is greater than 0.94; the location of double dipoles with an interval of 0.4 mm or more can be localized, the localization error tends to increase as the interval of dipoles decreases, and the decoding accuracy tends to decrease as the frequency of dipoles decreases. This study localizes and decodes dipole signals with high accuracy, and provides a technical method for the development of EEG.

Living Rat SSVEP Mapping with Acoustoelectric Brain Imaging

Acoustoelectric Brain Imaging (ABI) is a potential method for mapping brain electrical activity with high spatial resolution (millimeter). To resolve the key issue for eventual realization of ABI, testing the hypothesis that recorded acoustoelectric (AE) signal can be used to decode intrinsic brain electrical activity, the experiment of living rat SSVEP measurement with ABI is implemented.

METHOD

A 1-MHz ultrasound transducer is focused on the visual cortex of anesthetized rat. With visual stimulus, the electroencephalogram and AE signal are simultaneously recorded with Ag electrode. Besides, with FUS transducer scanning at the visual cortex, corresponding AE signals at different spatial positions are decoded and imaged.

RESULTS

Consistent with that of direct measurement of SSVEP, the decoded AE signal presents a clear event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP). And, the decoded AE signal is of high amplitude response at the base and harmonics of the visual stimulus frequency. Whats more, for timing signal, a significant positive amplitude correlation is observed between decoded AE signal and simultaneously measured SSVEP. In addition, the mean SNRs of SSVEP and decoded AE signal are both significantly higher than that of background EEG. Finally, with one fixed recording electrode, the active area with an inner diameter of 1mm is located within the 4mm4mm measurement region.

CONCLUSION

These experimental results demonstrate that the millimeter-level spatial resolution SSVEP measurement of living rat is achieved through ABI for the first time.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study confirms that ABI should shed light on spatiotemporal resolution neuroimaging.

In vivo acoustoelectric imaging for high-resolution visualization of cardiac electric spatiotemporal dynamics

Acoustoelectric cardiac imaging (ACI) is a hybrid modality that exploits the interaction of an ultrasonic pressure wave and the resistivity of tissue to map current densities in the heart. This study demonstrates for the first time in vivo ACI in a swine model. ACI measured beat-to-beat variability (n=20) of the peak of the cardiac activation wave at one location of the left ventricle as 5.32±0.74µV, 3.26±0.54mm below the epicardial surface, and 2.67±0.56ms before the peak of the local electrogram. Cross-sectional ACI images exhibited propagation velocities of 0.192±0.061m/s along the epicardial-endocardial axis with an SNR of 24.9 dB. This study demonstrates beat-to-beat and multidimensional ACI, which might reveal important information to help guide electroanatomic mapping procedures during ablation therapy.

Recent advances in bioelectronics chemistry

Research in bioelectronics is highly interdisciplinary, with many new developments being based on techniques from across the physical and life sciences. Advances in our understanding of the fundamental chemistry underlying the materials used in bioelectronic applications have been a crucial component of many recent discoveries. In this review, we highlight ways in which a chemistry-oriented perspective may facilitate novel and deep insights into both the fundamental scientific understanding and the design of materials, which can in turn tune the functionality and biocompatibility of bioelectronic devices. We provide an in-depth examination of several developments in the field, organized by the chemical properties of the materials. We conclude by surveying how some of the latest major topics of chemical research may be further integrated with bioelectronics.

Recent advances in bioelectronics chemistry

Research in bioelectronics is highly interdisciplinary, with many new developments being based on techniques from across the physical and life sciences. Advances in our understanding of the fundamental chemistry underlying the materials used in bioelectronic applications have been a crucial component of many recent discoveries. In this review, we highlight ways in which a chemistry-oriented perspective may facilitate novel and deep insights into both the fundamental scientific understanding and the design of materials, which can in turn tune the functionality and biocompatibility of bioelectronic devices. We provide an in-depth examination of several developments in the field, organized by the chemical properties of the materials. We conclude by surveying how some of the latest major topics of chemical research may be further integrated with bioelectronics.

Acoustoelectric imaging of deep dipoles in a human head phantom for guiding treatment of epilepsy

OBJECTIVE

This study employs a human head model with real skull to demonstrate the feasibility of transcranial acoustoelectric brain imaging (tABI) as a new modality for electrical mapping of deep dipole sources during treatment of epilepsy with much better resolution and accuracy than conventional mapping methods.

APPROACH

This technique exploits an interaction between a focused ultrasound (US) beam and tissue resistivity to localize current source densities as deep as 63 mm at high spatial resolution (1 to 4 mm) and resolve fast time-varying currents with sub-ms precision.

MAIN RESULTS

Detection thresholds through a thick segment of the human skull at biologically safe US intensities was below 0.5 mA and within range of strong currents generated by the human brain.

SIGNIFICANCE

This work suggests that 4D tABI may emerge as a revolutionary modality for real-time high-resolution mapping of neuronal currents for the purpose of monitoring, staging, and guiding treatment of epilepsy and other brain disorders characterized by abnormal rhythms.

Acoustoelectric Signal Decoding Based on Fourier Approximation

The acoustoelectric (AE) effect is that ultrasonic wave causes the conductivity of electrolyte to change in local position. AE imaging is an imaging method that utilizes AE effect. The decoding accuracy of AE signal is of great significance to improve the decoded signal quality and resolution of AE imaging. At present, the envelope function is adopted to decode AE signal, but the timing characteristics of the decoded signal and the source signal are not very consistent. In order to further improve the decoding accuracy, based on envelope decoding, the decoding process of AE signal is investigated. Considering with the periodic property of AE signal in time series, the upper envelope signal is further fitted by Fourier approximation. Phantom experiment validates the feasibility of AE signal decoding by Fourier approximation. And the time sequence diagram decoded with envelope is also compared. The fitted curve can represent the overall trend curve of low-frequency current signal, which has a significant correspondence with the current source signal. The main performance is of the same frequency and phase. Experiment results validate that the proposed decoding algorithm can improve the decoding accuracy of AE signal and be of potential for the clinical application of AE imaging.

High resolution transcranial acoustoelectric imaging of current densities from a directional deep brain stimulator

OBJECTIVE

New innovations in deep brain stimulation (DBS) enable directional current steering-allowing more precise electrical stimulation of the targeted brain structures for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and other neurological disorders. While intra-operative navigation through MRI or CT approaches millimeter accuracy for placing the DBS leads, no existing modality provides feedback of the currents as they spread from the contacts through the brain tissue. In this study, we investigate transcranial acoustoelectric imaging (tAEI) as a new modality to non-invasively image and characterize current produced from a directional DBS lead. tAEI uses ultrasound (US) to modulate tissue resistivity to generate detectable voltage signals proportional to the local currents.

APPROACH

An 8-channel directional DBS lead (Infinity 6172ANS, Abbott Inc) was inserted inside three adult human skulls submerged in 0.9% NaCl. A 2.5 MHz linear array delivered US pulses through the transtemporal window and focused near the contacts on the lead, while a custom amplifier and acquisition system recorded the acoustoelectric (AE) interaction used to generate images.

MAIN RESULTS

tAEI detected monopolar current with stimulation pulses as short as 100 µs with an SNR ranging from 10-27 dB when using safe US pressure (mechanical indices  <0.78) and injected current of ~2 mA peak amplitude. Adjacent contacts were discernable along the length and within each ring of the lead with a mean radial separation between contacts of 2.10 and 1.34 mm, respectively.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results demonstrate the feasibility of tAEI for high resolution mapping of directional DBS currents using clinically-relevant stimulation parameters. This new modality may improve the accuracy for placing the DBS leads, guide calibration and programming, and monitor long-term performance of DBS for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Selective Mapping of Deep Brain Stimulation Lead Currents Using Acoustoelectric Imaging

We describe a new application of acoustoelectric imaging for non-invasive mapping of the location, magnitude and polarity of current generated by a clinical deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. Ultrasound at 1MHz was focused near the DBS device as short current pulses were injected across different DBS leads. A recording electrode detected the high-frequency acoustoelectric interaction signal. Linear scans of the US beam produced time-varying images of the magnitude and polarity of the induced current, enabling precise localization of the DBS leads within 0.70mm, a detection threshold of 1.75mA at 1 MPa and a sensitivity of 0.52 ± 0.07 μV/(mA*MPa). Monopole and dipole configurations in saline were repeated through a human skullcap. Despite 13.8-dB ultrasound attenuation through bone, acoustoelectric imaging was still >10dB above background with a sensitivity of 0.56 ± 0.10 μV/(mA*MPa). This proof-of-concept study indicates that selective mapping of lead currents through a DBS device may be possible using non-invasive acoustoelectric imaging.

Tissue Acoustoelectric Effect Modeling From Solid Mechanics Theory

The acoustoelectric (AE) effect is a basic physical phenomenon, which underlies the changes made in the conductivity of a medium by the application of focused ultrasound. Recently, based on the AE effect, several biomedical imaging techniques have been widely studied, such as ultrasound-modulated electrical impedance tomography and ultrasound current source density imaging. To further investigate the mechanism of the AE effect in tissue and to provide guidance for such techniques, we have modeled the tissue AE effect using the theory of solid mechanics. Both bulk compression and thermal expansion of tissue are considered and discussed. Computation simulation shows that the muscle AE effect result, conductivity change rate, is 3.26×10^-3 with 4.3-MPa peak pressure, satisfying the theoretical value. Bulk compression plays the main role for muscle AE effect, while thermal expansion makes almost no contribution to it. In addition, the AE signals of porcine muscle are measured at different focal positions. With the same magnitude order and the same change trend, the experiment result confirms that the simulation result is effective. Both simulation and experimental results validate that tissue AE effect modeling using solid mechanics theory is feasible, which is of significance for the further development of related biomedical imaging techniques.

An integrated and highly sensitive ultrafast acoustoelectric imaging system for biomedical applications

Direct imaging of the electrical activation of the heart is crucial to better understand and diagnose diseases linked to arrhythmias. This work presents an ultrafast acoustoelectric imaging (UAI) system for direct and non-invasive ultrafast mapping of propagating current densities using the acoustoelectric effect. Acoustoelectric imaging is based on the acoustoelectric effect, the modulation of the medium's electrical impedance by a propagating ultrasonic wave. UAI triggers this effect with plane wave emissions to image current densities. An ultrasound research platform was fitted with electrodes connected to high common-mode rejection ratio amplifiers and sampled by up to 128 independent channels. The sequences developed allow for both real-time display of acoustoelectric maps and long ultrafast acquisition with fast off-line processing. The system was evaluated by injecting controlled currents into a saline pool via copper wire electrodes. Sensitivity to low current and low acoustic pressure were measured independently. Contrast and spatial resolution were measured for varying numbers of plane waves and compared to line per line acoustoelectric imaging with focused beams at equivalent peak pressure. Temporal resolution was assessed by measuring time-varying current densities associated with sinusoidal currents. Complex intensity distributions were also imaged in 3D. Electrical current densities were detected for injected currents as low as 0.56 mA. UAI outperformed conventional focused acoustoelectric imaging in terms of contrast and spatial resolution when using 3 and 13 plane waves or more, respectively. Neighboring sinusoidal currents with opposed phases were accurately imaged and separated. Time-varying currents were mapped and their frequency accurately measured for imaging frame rates up to 500 Hz. Finally, a 3D image of a complex intensity distribution was obtained. The results demonstrated the high sensitivity of the UAI system proposed. The plane wave based approach provides a highly flexible trade-off between frame rate, resolution and contrast. In conclusion, the UAI system shows promise for non-invasive, direct and accurate real-time imaging of electrical activation in vivo.

The development of an experimental setup to measure acousto-electric interaction signal

A new method is desirable for secure efficiency of FES treatment of degenerated denervated muscles. Degeneration of denervaed muscles as a consequence of spinal injuries are treated with functional electrical stimulation (FES). So far, no effective method to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment over the whole treated muscle is available. The most common method is placing finger on appropriate tendons and sense the movement. We suggest new approach. As pressure wave changes locally electrical conductivity in its propagation direction of the medium, a change in voltage is detected when electrical field is applied simultaneously at that location. This change in voltage is called acousto-electric interaction (AEI) signal. By recording AEI signal a distribution of electrical activity can be mapped, known as ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI). In this paper, an experimental setup to investigate the AEI signal is developed. The signal is measured and compared to calculated values. Debye effect and AEI signal is detected.

Application of Acoustic-Electric Interaction for Neuro-Muscular Activity Mapping: A Review

Acousto-electric interaction signal (AEI signal) resulting from interaction of acoustic pressure wave and electrical current field has received recent attention in biomedical field for detection and registration of bioelectrical current. The signal is very of small value and brings about several challenges when detecting it. Several observations has been done in saline solution and on nerves and tissues under controlled condition that give optimistic indication about its utilization. Ultrasound Current Source Density Imaging (UCSDI) has been introduced, that uses the AEI signal to image the current distribution. This review provides an overview of the investigations on the AEI signal and USCDI imaging that has been made, their results and several considerations on the limitations and future possibilities on using the acousto-electric interaction signal.

Ultrasound current source density imaging of the cardiac activation wave using a clinical cardiac catheter

Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI), based on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, is a noninvasive method for mapping electrical current in 4-D (space + time). This technique potentially overcomes limitations with conventional electrical mapping procedures typically used during treatment of sustained arrhythmias. However, the weak AE signal associated with the electrocardiogram is a major challenge for advancing this technology. In this study, we examined the effects of the electrode configuration and ultrasound frequency on the magnitude of the AE signal and quality of UCSDI using a rabbit Langendorff heart preparation. The AE signal was much stronger at 0.5 MHz (2.99 μV/MPa) than 1.0 MHz (0.42 μV/MPa). Also, a clinical lasso catheter placed on the epicardium exhibited excellent sensitivity without penetrating the tissue. We also present, for the first time, 3-D cardiac activation maps of the live rabbit heart using only one pair of recording electrodes. Activation maps were used to calculate the cardiac conduction velocity for atrial (1.31 m/s) and apical (0.67 m/s) pacing. This study demonstrated that UCSDI is potentially capable of real-time 3-D cardiac activation wave mapping, which would greatly facilitate ablation procedures for treatment of arrhythmias.

Simulation-based validation for four- dimensional multi-channel ultrasound current source density imaging

Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI), which has application to the heart and brain, exploits the acoustoelectric (AE) effect and Ohm's law to detect and map an electrical current distribution. In this study, we describe 4-D UCSDI simulations of a dipole field for comparison and validation with bench-top experiments. The simulations consider the properties of the ultrasound pulse as it passes through a conductive medium, the electric field of the injected dipole, and the lead field of the detectors. In the simulation, the lead fields of detectors and electric field of the dipole were calculated by the finite element (FE) method, and the convolution and correlation in the computation of the detected AE voltage signal were accelerated using 3-D fast Fourier transforms. In the bench-top experiment, an electric dipole was produced in a bath of 0.9% NaCl solution containing two electrodes, which injected an ac pulse (200 Hz, 3 cycles) ranging from 0 to 140 mA. Stimulating and recording electrodes were placed in a custom electrode chamber made on a rapid prototype printer. Each electrode could be positioned anywhere on an x-y grid (5 mm spacing) and individually adjusted in the depth direction for precise control of the geometry of the current sources and detecting electrodes. A 1-MHz ultrasound beam was pulsed and focused through a plastic film to modulate the current distribution inside the saline-filled tank. AE signals were simultaneously detected at a sampling frequency of 15 MHz on multiple recording electrodes. A single recording electrode is sufficient to form volume images of the current flow and electric potentials. The AE potential is sensitive to the distance from the dipole, but is less sensitive to the angle between the detector and the dipole. Multi-channel UCSDI potentially improves 4-D mapping of bioelectric sources in the body at high spatial resolution, which is especially important for diagnosing and guiding treatment of cardiac and neurologic disorders, including arrhythmia and epilepsy.

Design considerations and performance of MEMS acoustoelectric ultrasound detectors

Most single-element hydrophones depend on a piezoelectric material that converts pressure changes to electricity. These devices, however, can be expensive, susceptible to damage at high pressure, and/or have limited bandwidth and sensitivity. We have previously described the acoustoelectric (AE) hydrophone as an inexpensive alternative for mapping an ultrasound beam and monitoring acoustic exposure. The device exploits the AE effect, an interaction between electrical current flowing through a material and a propagating pressure wave. Previous designs required imprecise fabrication methods using common laboratory supplies, making it difficult to control basic features such as shape and size. This study describes a different approach based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processing that allows for much finer control of several design features. In an effort to improve the performance of the AE hydrophone, we combine simulations with bench-top testing to evaluate key design features, such as thickness, shape, and conductivity of the active and passive elements. The devices were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, frequency response, and accuracy for reproducing the beam pattern. Our simulations and experimental results both indicated that designs using a combination of indium tin oxide (ITO) for the active element and gold for the passive electrodes (conductivity ratio = ~20) produced the best result for mapping the beam of a 2.25-MHz ultrasound transducer. Also, the AE hydrophone with a rectangular dumbbell configuration achieved a better beam pattern than other shape configurations. Lateral and axial resolutions were consistent with images generated from a commercial capsule hydrophone. Sensitivity of the best-performing device was 1.52 nV/Pa at 500 kPa using a bias voltage of 20 V. We expect a thicker AE hydrophone closer to half the acoustic wavelength to produce even better sensitivity, while maintaining high spectral bandwidth for characterizing medical ultrasound transducers. AE ultrasound detectors may also be useful for monitoring acoustic exposure during therapy or as receivers for photoacoustic imaging.

Three-dimensional noninvasive ultrasound Joule heat tomography based on the acousto-electric effect using unipolar pulses: a simulation study

Electrical properties of biological tissues are highly sensitive to their physiological and pathological status. Thus it is of importance to image electrical properties of biological tissues. However, spatial resolution of conventional electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is generally poor. Recently, hybrid imaging modalities combining electric conductivity contrast and ultrasonic resolution based on the acousto-electric effect has attracted considerable attention. In this study, we propose a novel three-dimensional (3D) noninvasive ultrasound Joule heat tomography (UJHT) approach based on the acousto-electric effect using unipolar ultrasound pulses. As the Joule heat density distribution is highly dependent on the conductivity distribution, an accurate and high-resolution mapping of the Joule heat density distribution is expected to give important information that is closely related to the conductivity contrast. The advantages of the proposed ultrasound Joule heat tomography using unipolar pulses include its simple inverse solution, better performance than UJHT using common bipolar pulses and its independence of a priori knowledge of the conductivity distribution of the imaging object. Computer simulation results show that using the proposed method, it is feasible to perform a high spatial resolution Joule heat imaging in an inhomogeneous conductive media. Application of this technique on tumor scanning is also investigated by a series of computer simulations.

A 3-D reconstruction solution to current density imaging based on acoustoelectric effect by deconvolution: a simulation study

Hybrid imaging modality combining ultrasound scanning and electrical current density imaging through the acoustoelectric (AE) effect may potentially provide solutions to imaging electrical activities and properties of biological tissues with high spatial resolution. In this study, a 3-D reconstruction solution to ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI) by means of Wiener deconvolution is proposed and evaluated through computer simulations. As compared to previous 2-D UCSDI problem, in a 3-D volume conductor with broadly distributed current density field, the AE signal becomes a 3-D convolution between the electric field and the acoustic field, and effective 3-D reconstruction algorithm has not been developed so far. In the proposed method, a 3-D ultrasound scanning is performed while the corresponding AE signals are collected from multiple electrode pairs attached on the surface of the imaging object. From the collected AE signals, the acoustic field and electric field were first decoupled by Wiener deconvolution. Then, the current density distribution was reconstructed by inverse projection. Our simulations using artificial current fields in homogeneous phantoms suggest that the proposed method is feasible and robust against noise. It is also shown that using the proposed method, it is feasible to reconstruct 3-D current density distribution in an inhomogeneous conductive medium.

Measuring the acoustoelectric interaction constant using ultrasound current source density imaging

Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI) exploits the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, an interaction between ultrasound pressure and electrical resistivity, to map electrical conduction in the heart. The conversion efficiency for UCSDI is determined by the AE interaction constant K, a fundamental property of all materials; K directly affects the magnitude of the detected voltage signal in UCSDI. This paper describes a technique for measuring K in biological tissue, and reports its value for the first time in cadaver hearts. A custom chamber was designed and fabricated to control the geometry for estimating K, which was measured in different ionic salt solutions and seven cadaver rabbit hearts. We found K to be strongly dependent on concentration for the divalent salt CuSO(4), but not for the monovalent salt NaCl, consistent with their different chemical properties. In the rabbit heart, K was determined to be 0.041 ± 0.012%/MPa, similar to the measurement of K in physiological saline (0.034 ± 0.003%/MPa). This study provides a baseline estimate of K for modeling and experimental studies that involve UCSDI to map cardiac conduction and reentry currents associated with arrhythmias.

Optimizing frequency and pulse shape for ultrasound current source density imaging

Electric field mapping is commonly used to identify irregular conduction pathways in the heart (e.g., arrhythmia) and brain (e.g., epilepsy). Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI), based on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, is a promising new technique for mapping electrical current in four dimensions with enhanced resolution. The frequency and pulse shape of the ultrasound beam affect the sensitivity and spatial resolution of UCSDI. In this study, we explore the effects of ultrasound transducer frequency bandwidth and coded excitation pulses for UCSDI and the inherent tradeoff between sensitivity and spatial resolution. We used both simulations and bench-top experiments to image a time-varying electrical dipole in 0.9% NaCl solution. To study the effects of ultrasound bandwidth, we chose two ultrasound transducers with different center frequencies (1.0 and 2.25 MHz). For coded excitation, we measured the AE voltage signal with different chirp excitations. As expected, higher bandwidth correlated with improved spatial resolution at the cost of sensitivity. On the other hand, chirp excitation significantly improved sensitivity (3.5 μV/mA) compared with conventional square pulse excitation (1.6 μV/mA) at 1 MHz. Pulse compression achieved spatial resolution similar to that obtained using square pulse excitation, demonstrating enhanced detection sensitivity without loss of resolution. Optimization of the time duration of the chirp pulse and frequency sweep rate can be further used to improve the quality of UCSDI.

Mapping the ECG in the live rabbit heart using Ultrasound Current Source Density Imaging with coded excitation

Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI) is a noninvasive technique for mapping electric current fields in 4D (space + time) with the resolution of ultrasound imaging. This approach can potentially overcome limitations of conventional electrical mapping procedures often used during treatment of cardiac arrhythmia or epilepsy. However, at physiologic currents, the detected acoustoelectric (AE) interaction signal in tissue is very weak. In this work, we evaluated coded ultrasound excitation (chirps) for improving the sensitivity of UCSDI for mapping the electrocardiogram (ECG) in a live rabbit heart preparation. Results confirmed that chirps improved detection of the AE signal by as much as 6.1 dB compared to a square pulse. We further demonstrated mapping the ECG using a clinical intracardiac catheter, 1 MHz ultrasound transducer and coded excitation. B-mode pulse echo and UCSDI revealed regions of high current flow in the heart wall during the peak of the ECG. These improvements to UCSDI are important steps towards translation of this new technology to the clinic for rapidly mapping the cardiac activation wave.

Four-dimensional ultrasound current source density imaging of a dipole field

Ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI) potentially transforms conventional electrical mapping of excitable organs, such as the brain and heart. For this study, we demonstrate volume imaging of a time-varying current field by scanning a focused ultrasound beam and detecting the acoustoelectric (AE) interaction signal. A pair of electrodes produced an alternating current distribution in a special imaging chamber filled with a 0.9% NaCl solution. A pulsed 1 MHz ultrasound beam was scanned near the source and sink, while the AE signal was detected on remote recording electrodes, resulting in time-lapsed volume movies of the alternating current distribution.

3D current source density imaging based on the acoustoelectric effect: a simulation study using unipolar pulses

It is of importance to image electrical activity and properties of biological tissues. Recently hybrid imaging modality combing ultrasound scanning and source imaging through the acoustoelectric (AE) effect has generated considerable interest. Such modality has the potential to provide high spatial resolution current density imaging by utilizing the pressure-induced AE resistivity change confined at the ultrasound focus. In this study, we investigate a novel three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound current source density imaging approach using unipolar ultrasound pulses. Utilizing specially designed unipolar ultrasound pulses and by combining AE signals associated to the local resistivity changes at the focusing point, we are able to reconstruct the 3D current density distribution with the boundary voltage measurements obtained while performing a 3D ultrasound scan. We have shown in computer simulation that using the present method it is feasible to image with high spatial resolution an arbitrary 3D current density distribution in an inhomogeneous conductive media.

The role of magnetic forces in biology and medicine

The Lorentz force (the force acting on currents in a magnetic field) plays an increasingly larger role in techniques to image current and conductivity. This review will summarize several applications involving the Lorentz force, including (1) magneto-acoustic imaging of current; (2) 'Hall effect' imaging; (3) ultrasonically-induced Lorentz force imaging of conductivity; (4) magneto-acoustic tomography with magnetic induction; and (5) Lorentz force imaging of action currents using magnetic resonance imaging.

Experimental setup for developing acousto-electric interaction imaging

Acousto-Electric Interaction (AEI) is a physical phenomenon identified in the literature as potentially useful for imaging the electrical conductivity of biological tissues. AEI could lead to a non-invasive technique for detecting breast tumors, since the conductivity of pathological tissues differs significantly from the conductivity of healthy breast tissues. Applying AEI to image heterogeneous structures of the size of the breast represents a major technical challenge. We present in this paper an experimental setup designed to address the various instrumentation issues of AEI. Tests results are presented showing the ultrasonic vibration potential (also known as the Debye effect) and the AEI signals. A preliminary analysis of the AEI signal we recorded suggests that cavitation effects can be measured with this technique.

Cardiac activation mapping using ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI)

We describe the first mapping of biological current in a live heart using ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI). Ablation procedures that treat severe heart arrhythmias require detailed maps of the cardiac activation wave. The conventional procedure is time-consuming and limited by its poor spatial resolution (5-10 mm). UCSDI can potentially improve on existing mapping procedures. It is based on a pressure-induced change in resistivity known as the acousto-electric (AE) effect, which is spatially confined to the ultrasound focus. Data from 2 experiments are presented. A 540 kHz ultrasonic transducer (f/# = 1, focal length = 90 mm, pulse repetition frequency = 1600 Hz) was scanned over an isolated rabbit heart perfused with an excitation-contraction decoupler to reduce motion significantly while retaining electric function. Tungsten electrodes inserted in the left ventricle recorded simultaneously the AE signal and the low-frequency electrocardiogram (ECG). UCSDI displayed spatial and temporal patterns consistent with the spreading activation wave. The propagation velocity estimated from UCSDI was 0.25 +/- 0.05 mm/ms, comparable to the values obtained with the ECG signals. The maximum AE signal-to-noise ratio after filtering was 18 dB, with an equivalent detection threshold of 0.1 mA/ cm(2). This study demonstrates that UCSDI is a potentially powerful technique for mapping current flow and biopotentials in the heart.

Inexpensive Acoustoelectric Hydrophone For Mapping High Intensity Ultrasonic Fields

We describe an inexpensive alternative to conventional hydrophones for measuring ultrasonic fields. The hydrophone, composed of common laboratory supplies, depends on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, a well-known interaction between electrical current and pressure. Beam patterns of a 540 kHz annular transducer captured using a bowtie graphite hydrophone were consistent with patterns obtained using conventional, more expensive hydrophones. The AE signal was proportional to both the applied bias current (1.83 µV/mA) and pressure (13.3 µV/MPa) with sensitivity better than 50 kPa. Disposable AE hydrophones may be an attractive alternative for clinical applications that require close monitoring of high intensity acoustic fields.