Quantitative elastography with tracked 2D ultrasound transducers

A method for measuring the mechanical properties in a volume of tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying an excitation to said volume of tissue with a vibration source;
• scanning said volume of tissue with a tracked ultrasound transducer;
• measuring said tracked ultrasound transducer locations relative to a base coordinate system;
• computing a tissue response relative to said tracked ultrasound transducer from echo data measured by said tracked ultrasound transducer, wherein said tissue response comprises one or more of tissue displacements and tissue velocities;
• converting said tissue response from said tracked ultrasound transducer coordinate system to said base coordinate system using said tracked ultrasound transducer locations;
• and
• calculating said mechanical properties in said volume of tissue from said tissue response in said base coordinate systems;
• wherein said changing of the coordinate system of said tissue response to said base coordinate system comprises a phase compensation for time delays for one or both of (i) time of flight of ultrasound pulses, and (ii) time delays between subsequent ultrasound pulses.