Method and apparatus for measurement and imaging of tissue compressibility or compliance

US5107837A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Regents of the University of Texas · US

Inventors

• Jonathan Ophir · Austin, US
• Youseph Yazdi · Princeton Junction, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 8, 1990
• Grant date: Apr 28, 1992
• Expiry date: Jun 8, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/101
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An improved ultrasonic pulse-echo method and apparatus that has particular application in making precision measurements of compressibility in any backscattering material, in particular organic tissue, is disclosed. The method employs a standard transducer or transducer containing device which is translated transaxially, thereby compressing or displacing a proximal region of a target body in small known increments. At each increment, a pulse is emitted and an echo sequence (A-line) is detected from regions within the target along the sonic travel path or beam of the transducer. Resulting time shifts in echo segments corresponding to features in the target provide relative and quantitative information concerning compressibility of the target.