Method for measuring the speed of sound in liver with a specific probe and associated methods and devices

US12138111B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) · FR
• CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE · FR
• UNIVERSITÉ PARIS CITÉ · FR
• Sorbonne Universite · FR
• ECOLE SUPERIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DE PARIS · FR

Inventors

• Mathieu Pernot · Paris, FR
• Thomas Deffieux · Paris, FR
• Mickael Tanter · Paris, FR
• Clément PAPADACCI · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 25, 2020
• Grant date: Nov 12, 2024
• Expiry date: Sep 25, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/044
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Because of the increase of the obesity related diseases, it is desirable to be able to detect a fatty liver and quantify the content in fat for the fatty liver. Known methods are biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging. However, biopsy is an invasive method and magnetic resonance imaging is a complicated method to carry out. The inventors propose a new ultrasonic method, which is more compliant with a regular control of the content in fat for the fatty liver for a subject. This method notably relies on a smart exploitation of the coherence properties of ultrasound pulses applied to the liver. This method has already been validated on sane subjects as providing accurate measurements, notably for fat content.