Resonance frequencies of lipid-shelled microbubbles in the regime of nonlinear oscillations

Knowledge of resonant frequencies of contrast microbubbles is important for the optimization of ultrasound contrast imaging and therapeutic techniques. To date, however, there are estimates of resonance frequencies of contrast microbubbles only for the regime of linear oscillation. The present paper proposes an approach for evaluating resonance frequencies of contrast agent microbubbles in the regime of nonlinear oscillation. The approach is based on the calculation of the time-averaged oscillation power of the radial bubble oscillation. The proposed procedure was verified for free bubbles in the frequency range 1–4 MHz and then applied to lipid-shelled microbubbles insonified with a single 20-cycle acoustic pulse at two values of the acoustic pressure amplitude, 100 kPa and 200 kPa, and at four frequencies: 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 MHz. It is shown that, as the acoustic pressure amplitude is increased, the resonance frequency of a lipid-shelled microbubble tends to decrease in comparison with its linear resonance frequency. Analysis of existing shell models reveals that models that treat the lipid shell as a linear viscoelastic solid appear may be challenged to provide the observed tendency in the behavior of the resonance frequency at increasing acoustic pressure. The conclusion is drawn that the further development of shell models could be improved by the consideration of nonlinear rheological laws.