Patent · US Expired

System and method for non-linear detection of ultrasonic contrast agents at a fundamental frequency

US6497665B1 · kind B1 · utility

11Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 2000
Grant dateDec 24, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 19, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S7/52038
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system and method for fundamental real-time imaging of the non-linear response of tissue perfused with a contrast agent are disclosed. An image with increased sensitivity to non-linear responses can be achieved by detecting the ultrasound response at the fundamental frequency from tissue perfused with a contrast agent and excited by multiple excitation levels. The responses detected from the multiple excitation levels may be gain corrected in an amount corresponding to the difference in magnitude of the excitation levels, then mathematically combined. The mathematical manipulation serves to remove linear responses to the fumdamental excitation from the detected image. An ultrasonic contrast agent and tissue imaging system can be implemented with a transducer, first and second transmitters, a receiver, a control system, a processing system and a display. The transmitters generate electrical signals that are translated by the transducer into first and second pressure waves respectively, the respective pressure waves being of different power magnitudes. A control system electrically coupled to the transmitters, the transducer, and a receiver, coordinates pressure wave transmissions …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.