Device and process for quantifying bodies by means of ultrasound

US6872180B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SCHERING CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Michael Reinhardt · Mannheim, DE
• Peter Hauff · Berlin, DE
• Andreas Briel · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 28, 2003
• Grant date: Mar 29, 2005
• Expiry date: Mar 28, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S7/52041
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In the quantification of bodies, especially bubbles, in ultrasonic diagnosis, the problem exists that the concentration of bodies, especially bubbles, is often so high that the image data that is obtained relative to the visualization becomes saturated, such that a quantification is impossible. To solve this problem, it is proposed that the bodies that are contained in the sectional layers of an object under examination first be excited by means of ultrasound to produce characteristic signals and to pick up these signals, to form data sets from the signals, to convert the data sets into an image of the body arrangement in the object under examination and to determine the number of bodies therefrom, whereby at least two ultrasonic signal sets from overlapping sectional layers in the object under examination are picked up.