The group activity, in the ultrasound field both for medical and NDT industrial applications, could date back to 1964 engaged in CHIRP radar signal processing with ultrasonic bulk wave dispersive delay lines.
 
Nowadays the group is active mainly in two sectors of the ultrasonic field
 
1. Development of methods, equipments and devices to differentiate, through ultrasound, the type and the pathological condition of biological tissue. For this research line the following activities are involved.
 
1.1. Study and development of algorithms and electronic systems for extracting significant parameters of the local spectral content from the Radiofrequency echographic signal, named: RULES (Radiofrequency Ultrasonic Local Echographic Spectrum). Analysis of linear and non linear ultrasound tissue interaction spectral shape.
 
1.2. Identification of the most appropriate visualization tools for RULES by means of multi-parametric images also by using the "virtual reality".
 
1.3. Development of appropriate investigation techniques and algorithms for extracting RULES for from large bandwidth signal as required by "virtual biopsy" on focal lesions.
 
1.4. Study and experimentation of procedure to extract biological tissue information by using ultrasonic contrast agents.
 
1.5. Design and realization of three dimensional ultrasonic transducer array and visualization algorithms for 3D Doppler. Feasibility studies to increase the ultrasonic contrast agent detection through the 3D Doppler technique, i.e., vector Doppler technique.
 
2. Experimentation of ultrasound and/or laser radiation new technologies for therapeutic and diagnostic applications in medicine. The research activities concern:
 
2.1. Opto-acoustic and acousto-optic devices to realize minimal invasive microprobe for focal lesion "virtual biopsy"
 
2.2. Local hyperthermia by means of echoguided laser multiple probes and by employing ultrasonic contrast agents.
 
2.3. Ultrasonic techniques for therapeutic treatments based on microbubble drug delivery.
 
2.4. Biological tissue visualization enhancement via the harmonic spectral components produced by their interaction with ultrasounds