Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

May I ask: > Folks I have spoken to who have bought these units say they are only allowed to use them if the tumor is superficial <

Is this because of: - the efficiency is going down massivly (maybe into useless)

or

- using it "below superficial" might cause other/new problems?





There are a couple of reasons.

1. There is a wavelength and penetration depth trade off. For better accuracy you need smaller wavelengths (i.e. higher frequencies) but at higher frequencies ultrasound pressure gets absorbed at a higher rate, making it challenging to get the required pressure levels deeper into tissue.

2. Ultrasound focus can deflect as it travels in tissue (tissue is a non-linear material and multiple tissue types impacts wave propagation). The deeper you try to focus, the more likely that there is a deflection; thus your focus point won’t be exactly where you were planning.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: