Benchmark comparison of transcranial ultrasound simulation: Comparing the CIVA Healthcare platform method with existing compressional wave models.

Abstract

Computational models for acoustic wave propagation play a pivotal role in transcranial ultrasound (TUS) therapy, which is commonly employed for calculating intracranial pressure fields and phase delays to correct for wave distortion during propagation through the skull. Recent collaborative work by Aubry, Bates, Boehm, Butts Pauly, Christensen, Cueto, Gélat, Guasch, Jaros, Jing, Jones, Li, Marty, Montanaro, Neufeld, Pichardo, Pinton, Pulkkinen, Stanziola, Thielscher, Treeby, and van 't Wout [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 152(2), 1003-1019 (2022)] presented a set of numerical benchmarks (BMs) to allow comparisons between various modeling tools and techniques used across the field. In this work, these established BMs are extended to incorporate the CIVA Healthcare simulation platform, which employs a distinct ray-tracing methodology for acoustic wave modeling. The goal of this study is not only to provide a comprehensive benchmarking analysis of the CIVA Heathcare platform within the context of TUS but also to contribute to the ongoing dialogue regarding the intercomparison of different modeling techniques. By doing so, the aim is to enhance the validity and reliability of these computational models for improved applications in TUS therapy.