Experimental evaluation of some narrow-band ultrasonic transducers as therapy applicators

Abstract

Conventional narrow-band applicators used for diathermy and hyperthermia purposes in therapy treatments present certain limitations to depose energy accurately and uniformly in the desired target. In addition they could radiate some energy away the treatment field, by insonifying neighbour tissues. With conventional ultrasonic transducers, the classical CW radiation presents near and far field patterns having notable irregularities and secondary lobes more accentuated in the real radiators, which could create undesired hot points or could attain healthy tissues. In this paper, the possible incidences of the above mentioned aspects are experimentally evaluated by arranging commercial and own-developed diathermy applicators radiating into a water tank as an artificial propagation medium.