Medical ultrasonics: an historical review

Abstract

The technology of ultrasonics has grown up over the past 50 years and, almost from the start, there has been considerable interest in applying the radiation-like properties of ultrasound for medical purposes in modes analogous to those familiar with ionizing radiation. Until recently, at least, much of the development in this field has been on a superficial level and without reference to any scientific understanding of the situation. This has been particularly the case in attempts to use ultrasound therapeutically and, in the diagnostic field, which is historically a more recent development, very considerable advances may be expected in the future as the full potential of the subject is realized.

Advantages and challenges of relaxor-PbTiO3 ferroelectric crystals for electroacoustic transducers – A review

“…On the contrary, the mechanism of histotripsy is controlled acoustic cavitation, where the ultrasound pressure changes (compressive and rarefactive pressures) induced microbubbles in the human body. The formation, oscillation and collapse of microbubbles create localized stresses and pressures at the cellular and subcellular level resulting in cellular destruction [1–5,9,392–394,414–418]. …”

“…Electroacoustic transducers are versatile and include magnetostrictive, electrostatic and piezoelectric devices, among which piezoelectric transducers are the most commonly used in a diverse range of applications, such as industrial nondestructive evaluations, underwater acoustics, medical ultrasonics for diagnostics and therapy, ultrasonic cleaning, and material processing, to name a few [1–9]. The operational frequency range varies greatly depending on the applications.…”

“…The first attempt to use ultrasound transducer for medical diagnosis was based on a transmission technique by the Dussik brothers in 1937, working in Austria [8,9]. Research into medical applications of ultrasound is usually said to have started with the work of Wood and Loomis [23], who made a comprehensive study of both the physical and biological effects of ultrasound on biological media.…”

Ultrasound in medical education: listening to the echoes of the past to shape a vision for the future

“…These concepts continued to expand in the early 1900s with the application of ultrasound to detect distant objects and measure these distances, termed "echolocation". Military advancements during World War I and II saw further refining of echolocation as a means to traverse long ocean distances by sending sound waves through water, which later became as "sonar" [5]. Further development of the reflectoscope with industrial uses to detect flaws helped the early sonography equipment used in medicine [6].…”

Sono-processes: Emerging systems and their applicability within the (bio-)medical field

“…The earliest documented evidence of Ultrasound (US) waves, which refer to sound waves with frequencies beyond the upper limit of human hearing, starting from 20 kHz, dates back to 1794 when Spallanzani conducted investigations into the navigation behavior of bats in darkness [1] . Around 120 years later, in 1917, Langevin and Chilowsky introduced the first practical application of US, known as the 'Hydrophone', which facilitated the detection of submarines using ultrasonic waves [2] , [3] . Since then, US has found its way into numerous industries, with medical diagnostics being one of its most prominent applications.…”