Detection of deeply implanted impedance-switching devices using ultrasound doppler.

Communication with and transmission of energy to remote devices, such as deeply-implanted physiological recorders, using ultrasound presents several technical problems. In particular, device detection and piezoelectric sensor targeting remains difficult. Both tasks require differentiating the device from the surrounding fully passive tissues. Like radiofrequency identification devices, ultrasonic transponders have the capacity to rapidly change the impedance of their piezoelectric elements, which modulates their backscattering coefficient and allows the device to "flash" periodically at a very low energy cost, and, in particular situations, to communicate with an external device. A method for localizing the device by interpreting this flashing as movement is presented here. An ultrasound Doppler scan sequence is implemented using a programmable scanner, and radio-frequency data are collected and processed. The data are then analyzed for different excitation lengths and flashing frequencies to determine the optimum detection parameters. Measurements show that 1) detection can be achieved and is maximal when the excitation length reaches that of the Doppler processing window, and 2) when the flashing frequency is in a specific range. A study of the incidence angle also showed that 3) the sensor of the device can be detected over a given angular window. The conclusion is that by using ultrasound color Doppler sequences, impedance-switching piezoelectric devices can be detected under the conditions provided in the present study, and can be distinguished from fully passive structures.