The Ever-Growing Field of High-Frequency Biomedical Ultrasound

Compared with other medical imaging counterparts, ultrasound has advantages owing to its real-time imaging capability, easy access, and cost-effectiveness. High-frequency (>20 MHz) ultrasound has been developed over the last few decades and is attractive because it provides high-resolution medical imaging and ultrasound backscattering microscopy (UBM) measurements, with applications targeting small animal imaging and some areas of human diagnosis. In recent years, driven by growing needs in intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging, minimally invasive surgery, and particle manipulation, high-frequency ultrasound has continued to flourish as a niche modality and has expanded its important role in both diagnostic imaging and therapy. Concomitant needs have thus arisen in technological research and development to innovate materials, devices, algorithms, and systems for a variety of high-frequency ultrasound applications in medicine and biology.