Broadband time-domain reflectometry measurement of attenuation and phase velocity in highly attenuating suspensions with application to the ultrasound contrast medium Albunex®

We describe a technique for broadband measurements of the attenuation coefficient and phase velocity of highly attenuating liquid suspensions. To validate the technique we apply it to the ultrasound contrast agent Albunex(R) at concentrations ranging from 0.69x10(6) particles/ml to 364x10(6) particles/mL. These longitudinal wave measurements were performed on Albunex suspensions maintained at 37 degrees C in a special time-domain reflectometer designed and constructed in our laboratory, The frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients and phase velocities obtained in the reflectometer are compared to broadband through-transmission measurements of these same quantities, which were also performed in our laboratory. Although comparison data between the two techniques are only available at lower concentrations, the agreement is quite good and serves to validate the methods described in this paper. (C) 2000 Acoustical Society of America. [S0001-4966(00)05507-7].