Poroelastic longitudinal wave equation for soft living tissues

Abstract

Making use of the poroelastic theory for hydrated polymeric matrices, the ultrasound (US) propagation in a gel medium filled by spherical cells is studied. The model describes the connection between the poroelastic structure of living tissues and the propagation behavior of the acoustic waves. The equation of fast compressional wave, its phase velocity and its attenuation as a function of the elasticity, porosity and concentration of the cells into the gel external matrix are investigated. The outcomes of the theory agree with the measurements done on Alginic acid gel scaffolds inseminated by porcine liver cells at various concentrations. The model is promising in the quantitative non-invasive estimation of parameters that could assess the change in the tissue structure, composition and architecture.