Evaluation of the inner-surface morphology of an artificial heart by acoustic microscopy

The total artificial heart (TAH) is being developed for permanent replacement of the natural heart instead of heart transplantation. The need for detecting the material fatigue in the TAH is increasing in order to guarantee long-term use. In this study, the inner surface morphology of the TAH was evaluated by a specially developed scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) system operating in the frequency range of 100-200 MHz. The inner sac of our TAH consisted of polyvinylchloride coated with polyurethane, and the SAM investigations were performed before and after the implantations in goats. The amplitude images of the SAM demonstrated protein adhesion on the inner surface of the TAH after the animal experiment, and the phase images showed distortion of the wall with spatial resolution of 0.2 μm. These results suggest the feasibility of a high-frequency ultrasound for evaluating the material fatigue of TAH.