Magneto-acousto-electrical tomography based on frequency response compensated linearly frequency-modulated signal stimulation

Abstract Objective: In magneto-acousto-electrical tomography (MAET), linearly frequency-modulated (LFM) signal stimulation uses much lower peak voltage than the spike pulse stimulation, lengthening the operation life of the transducer. However, due to the uneven frequency responses of the transducer, the low-noise amplifier (LNA), and the bandpass filter (BPF), MAET using LFM signal stimulation suffers from longitudinal resolution loss. In this paper, frequency response compensated linearly frequency-modulated (FRC-LFM) signal stimulation is investigated to resolve the problem. Approach: The physical model of measurement of the frequency responses of the transducer and the cascading module of the detection electrodes, the LNA, and the BPF is constructed. The frequency responses are approximated by fitting a curve to the measurement data. The frequency response compensation function is set to the reciprocal of the product of the frequency responses. The digital FRC-LFM signal is generated in MATLAB and converted to analog signal through an arbitrary waveform generator. Two groups of MAET experiments are designed to confirm the performance of the FRC-LFM signal stimulation. Pure agar phantom with rectangular through-holes and agar phantom with pork tissue inclusion serve as the samples. Main results:The pulse-compressed magneto-acousto-electrical (MAE) signal obtained using FRC-LFM stimulation has narrower main-lobe than that obtained using LFM excitation,although the signal to noise pulse interference ratio of the former is little lower than that of the latter, which is due to the limitation of the power amplifier. FRC-LFM also proves to be an effective method to utilize the frequency outside the working band of the transducer in MAET. Significance: The method in this study compensates for the longitudinal resolution loss due to the uneven frequency responses. Combining with high-capability power amplifier and high-performance LNA, the MAET using FRC-LFM signal stimulation can potentially achieve high longitudinal resolution and high sensitivity, advancing MAET toward the clinical application.