This data was collected in order to validate models of ultrasound propagation through skull bone phantoms.

A single element spherically focusing ultrasound transducer (PA332 at 1 MHz, Precision Acoustics) was used to generate an acoustic field. Measurements were performed with a 0.2 mm PVDF needle hydrophone (Precision Acoustics) to characterise the source under short burst conditions (3 cycles). These measurements include planar scans in the prefocal region in free field for characterisation of the source, and planar scans further from the source after propagation through 3 different bone phantoms: a parametric araldite resin phantom, a mesh based skull bone phantom obtained from a T1 weighted MRI scan of the head, cast in araldite and printed in VeroBlack.

Medium maps used in simulations, which match the experimental set up are included as a supplementary file, these include speed of sound, attenuation coefficient and density. The .stl file containing the mesh is also included as a supplementary file.

All measurements were acquired using an automated scanning tank filled with degassed, deionised water. The transducer was mounted in a fixed xyz position. Hydrophones were mounted on an automated xyz stage, with manual tilt, rotate adjustment.

In total this study contains 5 datasets contained 5 files, the corresponding figure or table in the paper is given in brackets:

1: Free field XY planar transverse scan at z = 45 mm, corresponds to dataset 2, which was performed in the same measurement session.

1. XY planar transverse scan at z = 58 mm after propagation through a parametric araldite 1302 resin phantom. (Fig 13)

2. Free field XY planar transverse scan at 45 mm, corresponds to datasets 4 and 5, which were performed in the same measurement session.

3. Planar transverse scan at z = 85 mm after propagation through a mesh based skull bone phantom cast in araldite 1302. (Fig 14)

4. Planar transverse scan at z = 85 mm after propagation though a mesh based skull bone phantom printed in VeroBlack. (Fig 14)

Supplementary files:

1. *_supplementary_01.h5, h5 file containing fields medium1, medium2 and medium3, which contain grid based medium maps (sound speed, attenuation coefficient at 1 MHz, and density), with coordinates and description, for medium1: parametric resin phantom, medium2: mesh based resin phantom, medium3: mesh based VeroBlack phantom.

2. *_supplementary-02.stl, .stl file containing mesh used to construct the anatomical bone phantom