Comparison of phase velocity in trabecular bone mimicking-phantoms by time domain numerical (EFIT) and analytical multiple scattering approaches.

The corrected Waterman-Truell model and the Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique were used to analyze the ultrasonic wave dispersion in trabecular bones mimicking phantoms. A simple two-phase model of the trabecular bone is assumed; the trabeculae structure and the bone marrow. The phase velocity for frequencies within the range from 400 kHz to 800 kHz were computed for different scatterer arrays varying their dimensions and number. The theoretical and numerical results were compared to experimental published data, obtained from a mimicking phantom composed by a periodic array of nylon shreds (trabeculae array) immersed in a water tank. Our results showed an excellent consistency when compared to experimental data. The negative dispersions of -8.48 m/s/MHz and -9.16 m/s/MHz were computed by the multiple scattering method and the numerical approach, respectively, where the latter is closer to the experimental dispersion of -12.09 m/s/MHz. Similar result has been reported in the literature, where the dispersion predicted by the Generalized Self-Consistent Method [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 124 (2008) 4047] is -9.96 m/s/MHz. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.