Acoustic border detection using power modulation
US6398732B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/0858
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The method of the invention controls an ultrasound system to identify a boundary between a tissue region and a blood-filled region that lies within an ROI. The method initially administers a contrast agent to the region of interest and then transmits first and second ultrasound beams at a different power levels into the ROI. Signal returns from the first and second beams are processed to derive first and second digital values, respectively. It has been determined that, under certain circumstances, a phase change of echo returns occurs at the boundary between tissue and blood-containing contrast agent. Detection of the phase change enables precise identification of the boundary, based upon the time segment in which the phase change is detected. Accordingly, time segment values of the first and second stored digital values are then phase-compared to enable determination of a boundary location between the tissue region and the blood-filled region by detection of the phase change.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.