Method and device for the non-invasive assessment of bones
US7601120B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/485
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for the in vivo non-invasive characterization of the material and architectural properties of a bone in which an ultrasonic wave is introduced into a bone in such way as to produce one or more guided wave modes within the bone, and the signals emerging from the bone are stored and analyzed to determine the propagation characteristics of the guided wave/s. These measured guided wave propagation characteristics are then processed to obtain estimates of desired bone properties such as cortical thickness, bone density and bone elastic constants. The invention also includes an unltrasound arrangement with movable transducers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.