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OBJECTIVE

The authors evaluated the acoustic properties of an implantable, biocompatible, polyolefin-based cranial prosthesis as a medium to transmit ultrasound energy into the intracranial space with minimal distortion for imaging and therapeutic purposes.

METHODS

The authors performed in vitro and in vivo studies of ultrasound transmission through a cranial prosthesis. In the in vitro phase, they analyzed the transmission of ultrasound energy through the prosthesis in a water tank using various transducers with resonance frequencies corresponding to those of devices used for neurosurgical imaging and therapeutic purposes. Four distinct, single-element, focused transducers were tested at fundamental frequencies of 500 kHz, 1 MHz, 2.5 MHz, and 5 MHz. In addition, the authors tested ultrasound transmission through the prosthesis using a linear diagnostic probe (center frequency 5.3 MHz) with a calibrated …