Numerical simulation of the scattering of ultrasonic pulses on surface gas bubbles applied to the problem of ultrasonic imaging of kidney stones in doppler mode

In this work, the features of ultrasonic imaging of kidney stones are considered in conditions when submicron size bubbles are present on the surface of the stones. A model is constructed that makes it possible to observe the so-called twinkling artifact, which consists in the formation of a nonstationary colored mosaic structure in ultrasound examination of stones in the Doppler regime. The model is based on the numerical simulation of the elastic equations and the Nolting-Nepayres equation describing cavitation of bubbles. The results of Doppler signal processing are given, which show that cavitation of bubbles does lead to the appearance of a twinkling artifact.