Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure
Low-frequency (LF) ultrasound (20–100 kHz) has a diverse set of industrial and medical applications. In fact, high power industrial applications of ultrasound mainly occupy this frequency range. This range is also used for various therapeutic medical applications including sonophoresis (ultrasonic t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2013
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/98091 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12249 |
| _version_ | 1826113230506819584 |
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| author | Ahmadi, Farzaneh McLoughlin, Ian Vince Chauhan, Sunita ter-Haar, Gail |
| author2 | School of Computer Engineering |
| author_facet | School of Computer Engineering Ahmadi, Farzaneh McLoughlin, Ian Vince Chauhan, Sunita ter-Haar, Gail |
| author_sort | Ahmadi, Farzaneh |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Low-frequency (LF) ultrasound (20–100 kHz) has a diverse set of industrial and medical applications. In fact, high power industrial applications of ultrasound mainly occupy this frequency range. This range is also used for various therapeutic medical applications including sonophoresis (ultrasonic transdermal drug delivery), dentistry, eye surgery, body contouring, the breaking of kidney stones and eliminating blood clots. While emerging LF applications such as ultrasonic drug delivery continue to be developed and undergo translation for human use, significant gaps exist in the coverage of safety standards for this frequency range. Accordingly, the need to understand the biological effects of LF ultrasound is becoming more important.
This paper presents a broad overview of bio-effects and safety of LF ultrasound as an aid to minimize and control the risk of these effects. Its particular focus is at low intensities where bio-effects are initially observed. To generate a clear perspective of hazards in LF exposure, the mechanisms of bio-effects and the main differences in action at low and high frequencies are investigated and a survey of harmful effects of LF ultrasound at low intensities is presented.
Mechanical and thermal indices are widely used in high frequency diagnostic applications as a means of indicating safety of ultrasonic exposure. The direct application of these indices at low frequencies needs careful investigation. In this work, using numerical simulations based on the mathematical and physical rationale behind the indices at high frequencies, it is observed that while thermal index (TI) can be used directly in the LF range, mechanical index (MI) seems to become less reliable at lower frequencies. Accordingly, an improved formulation for the MI is proposed for frequencies below 500 kHz. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T03:20:07Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/98091 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T03:20:07Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/980912020-05-28T07:17:19Z Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure Ahmadi, Farzaneh McLoughlin, Ian Vince Chauhan, Sunita ter-Haar, Gail School of Computer Engineering School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering Low-frequency (LF) ultrasound (20–100 kHz) has a diverse set of industrial and medical applications. In fact, high power industrial applications of ultrasound mainly occupy this frequency range. This range is also used for various therapeutic medical applications including sonophoresis (ultrasonic transdermal drug delivery), dentistry, eye surgery, body contouring, the breaking of kidney stones and eliminating blood clots. While emerging LF applications such as ultrasonic drug delivery continue to be developed and undergo translation for human use, significant gaps exist in the coverage of safety standards for this frequency range. Accordingly, the need to understand the biological effects of LF ultrasound is becoming more important. This paper presents a broad overview of bio-effects and safety of LF ultrasound as an aid to minimize and control the risk of these effects. Its particular focus is at low intensities where bio-effects are initially observed. To generate a clear perspective of hazards in LF exposure, the mechanisms of bio-effects and the main differences in action at low and high frequencies are investigated and a survey of harmful effects of LF ultrasound at low intensities is presented. Mechanical and thermal indices are widely used in high frequency diagnostic applications as a means of indicating safety of ultrasonic exposure. The direct application of these indices at low frequencies needs careful investigation. In this work, using numerical simulations based on the mathematical and physical rationale behind the indices at high frequencies, it is observed that while thermal index (TI) can be used directly in the LF range, mechanical index (MI) seems to become less reliable at lower frequencies. Accordingly, an improved formulation for the MI is proposed for frequencies below 500 kHz. 2013-07-25T06:43:13Z 2019-12-06T19:50:27Z 2013-07-25T06:43:13Z 2019-12-06T19:50:27Z 2012 2012 Journal Article Ahmadi, F., McLoughlin, I. V., Chauhan, S., & ter-Haar, G. (2012). Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, 108(3), 119-138. 0079-6107 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/98091 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12249 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2012.01.004 en Progress in biophysics and molecular biology © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. |
| spellingShingle | DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering Ahmadi, Farzaneh McLoughlin, Ian Vince Chauhan, Sunita ter-Haar, Gail Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title | Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title_full | Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title_fullStr | Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title_short | Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| title_sort | bio effects and safety of low intensity low frequency ultrasonic exposure |
| topic | DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/98091 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12249 |
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