A theoretical investigation of chirp insonification of ultrasound contrast agents.

A theoretical investigation of second harmonic imaging of an Ultrasound Contrast Agent (UCA) under chirp insonification is considered. By solving the UCA's dynamical equation analytically, the effect that the chirp signal parameters and the UCA shell parameters have on the amplitude of the second harmonic frequency are examined. This allows optimal parameter values to be identified which maximise the UCA's second harmonic response. A relationship is found for the chirp parameters which ensures that a signal can be designed to resonate a UCA for a given set of shell parameters. It is also shown that the shell thickness, shell viscosity and shell elasticity parameter should be as small as realistically possible in order to maximise the second harmonic amplitude. Keller-Herring, Second Harmonic, Chirp, Ultrasound Contrast Agent.