| To assess the proportion of cells in a volume undergoing structural changes, such as apoptosis, using high frequency ultrasound (20–100 MHz) requires the development of a theoretical model of scattering by any arbitrary cell ensemble. A prerequisite to building such a model is to know the scattering by a single cell in different states. In this thesis, a model for the high frequency acoustic scattering by one cell is proposed. A method for deducing the backscattering frequency response from a single sub-resolution scatterer was also devised. Using this method, experimental measurements of backscatter from homogeneous microspheres and single, viable eukaryotic cells were acquired and compared with Faran-Hickling scattering theory and the proposed cell scattering model, respectively. The resonant features observed in the backscatter frequency response of microspheres corresponded accurately to theoretical predictions. The agreement was not as good between the cell model and the measured backscatter from cells. |
