Acoustically induced shear stresses in the vicinity of microbubbles in tissue

Abstract

The shear stresses in the vicinity of gaseous microbubbles in [mammalian] tissue irradiated by continuous and transient ultrasonic fields typical of those used in diagnostic practice were calculated from a solution of the equation of motion of the bubble. The assumptions and limitations of the model were considered, and, within these limits, it appears that the steady stresses produced may lie above reported thresholds for biological effects. Apparently, not all the biological effects reported may be caused by stresses resulting from acoustic streaming.