Comparison of Vibrational Displacements Generated by Different Types of Surface Source in a Soft Tissue

Abstract

The propagation characteristics of a mechanical wave in human soft tissue depend on its elastic properties. Investigation of these propagation characteristics is of paramount importance because it may enable us to diagnose cancer or tumor from the vibration response of the tissue. This paper investigates and compares displacement patterns generated in soft tissue due to several forms of low-frequency vibration sources placed on a surface. Among vibration sources considered are a normal load, tangential load, and antiplane shear load. We derive analytical expressions for displacements in viscoelastic single layers, and calculate displacement patterns in half space and infinite plate type tissue. Also, we simulate the vibration response of a finite-sized tissue using finite element method. The effects of the type of stress, the size and frequency of vibration sources, and medium boundaries on displacement patterns are discussed.