Numerical Calculation Method for Magneto-Acoustic-Electrical Tomography of Acoustically Inhomogeneous Tissues

Abstract

*Magneto-acoustic-electrical tomography (MAET) is a non-invasive electrical conductivity imaging method which is coupled by sound, electricity and magnetic field. This method is suitable for the electrical conductivity imaging of low conductivity fluid or approximate fluid medium. Existing methods of MAET are based on the assumption that the acoustic properties in the tissue are homogeneous. However, the influence of acoustic inhomogeneity on MAET in actual human tissue and whether it can be ignored is still not reported. In this paper, we proposed a numerical calculation method of the forward problem of MAET to study this problem. With a simulation model established by multi-physical coupling software COMSOL, the finite element analysis was carried out. The present results indicate that acoustic inhomogeneity has a certain effect on magnetic acoustic imaging and the influence of sound velocity is more significant than that of density. The numerical calculation method can be used as the general method for the variation on acoustic parameters and it provides a basis of further accurate localization of the pathological changes of acoustic parameters.