Development of a 40/100 MHz Dual-Frequency Miniature Ultrasound Probe for Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging

Atherosclerosis is the primary direct cause of coronary artery disease, which poses a significant threat to patient health and requires accurate imaging for effective diagnosis and management. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging has become a widely utilized technique for assessing plaque conditions within blood vessels. However, conventional IVUS systems typically operate at a single and relatively low frequency, which limits their ability to produce high-quality images with both deep penetration and high spatial resolution. In this paper, we proposed a novel side-by-side dual-frequency ultrasound probe for enhanced intravascular imaging, featuring center frequencies of 40 MHz and 100 MHz and a compact catheter size of 6 French. Blood vessel phantom imaging results demonstrated that the proposed miniature probe successfully combines the advantages of the two frequency ranges, providing deep penetration depth and detailed visualization of vascular structures. This advancement holds significant promise for enhancing the diagnostic capabilities of coronary artery disease.