Tom Matula, Ph.D.
Applied Physics Laboratory
E-mail: matula@apl.washington.edu


TITLE:

"Mechanically-induced bioeffects due to cavitation from ultrasound pulses"


ABSTRACT:

Ultrasound therapy involves the use of ultrasound to generate a positive bioeffect.
The most common applications involve the use of low-level ultrasound pulses to
generate heat subcutaneously, e.g. for physical therapy. At high pressure levels,
ultrasound pulses can nucleate cavitation bubbles. Extracorporeal shock wave
lithotripsy is an example whereby kidney stones are fragmented with the help of
violent cavitation. Shock wave therapy is also used to treat musculoskeletal
conditions, in which cavitation is thought to induce small petechial hemorrhages,
leading to an immune response that results in a healing of the affected area. A
recent trend is to 'build' specialized bubbles that can be used for targeting
applications by adhering ligands to the bubbles that will attach to specific receptors
in the vasculature. This talk will cover aspects of cavitation for medical applications,
and related mechanical bioeffects.