In vitro study of ultrasound radiation force-driven twinkling sign using PVA-H gel and glass beads tissue-mimicking phantom

The twinkling sign observed in ultrasound coded-excitation imaging (e.g., GE B-Flow) has been reported in previous research as a potential phenomenon to detect micro calcification in soft tissue. However, the mechanism of the twinkling sign has not been clearly understood yet. We conducted an in vitro experiment to clarify the mechanism of the twinkling sign by measuring a soft tissue-mimicking phantom with ultrasonic and optical devices. A soft tissue-mimicking phantom was made of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydro (PVA-H) gel and 200-μm-diameter glass beads. We applied ultrasound to the phantom using medical ultrasound diagnostic equipment to observe the twinkling sign of glass beads. Optical imaging with a laser sheet and a high-speed camera was performed to capture the scatter lights of the glass beads with and without ultrasound radiation. The scatter lights from the glass beads were quantified and analyzed to evaluate their oscillations driven by the ultrasound radiation force. The twinkling sign from the glass beads embedded in the PVA-H gel soft tissue phantom was observed in ultrasound B-Flow color imaging. The intensity and oscillation of the scattered lights from the glass beads showed significant difference between the cases with and without ultrasound radiation. The results showed a close relationship between the occurrence of the twinkling sign and the variations of the scatter lights of glass beads, indicating that ultrasound radiation force-driven micro oscillation causes the twinkling sign of micro calcification in soft tissue.