Simulation of Ultrasound Propagation in Cancellous Bone by Solving Elastic Wave Equation Using Finite Difference Time Domain Method

Ultrasound waves can evaluate the parameters related to bone structure and elasticity. For accurate recognizing of bone condition using the ultrasonic methods, the wave propagation phenomenon must be cleared. We simulated the cancellous bone based on porosity and thickness and also Ultrasound waves based on frequency, amplitude and bandwidth. Then the interaction of the ultrasound waves and the simulated bone had been checked with the wave equations and the effects of different bone parameters on results were evaluated. The obtained results from the simulation of elastic waves propagation in bone tissue by solving the wave equations with FDTD method illustrates suitable correlation with the experimental results of bone densitometry system. The anisotropic 2-dimensional bone model that is covered in this paper and solving the elastic wave in the time domain is suitable for simulation. However for more accurate simulation we can implement three dimensional models and analysis methods in frequency domain.