Estimation of acoustic level in-situ with non-fundamental analysis

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program, the computer program being loadable into a working memory of a computing system thereby configuring the computing system to perform a method for use with an ultrasound scanner, the method comprising:

• applying a measurement excitation signal, comprising ultrasound waves generated by varying a power level of the ultrasound scanner in a measurement range, with a transducer of the ultrasound scanner to a body-part of a patient comprising a contrast agent being pre-administered to the patient before performing the method,
• recording a measurement response comprising a level of a non-fundamental component of a measurement echo signal received in response to the measurement excitation signal, and
• determining an estimate value according to a comparison between measurement data based on the measurement response and reference data based on a reference response, said determining an estimate value comprising any one or more of:
• a1) estimating a target power level required to apply a selected target acoustic pressure level to the body-part further according to a pre-defined relation between the power level and the acoustic pressure level of the ultrasound scanner when the reference response is a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a calibration echo signal as a function of the acoustic pressure level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent,
• a2) estimating a further target acoustic pressure level applied to the body-part when a selected further target power level is set further according to a pre-defined relation between the power level and the acoustic pressure level of the ultrasound scanner when the reference response is a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a calibration echo signal as a function of the acoustic pressure level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent,
• b) estimating a total acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the transducer and the body-part when the reference response is a further calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of the calibration echo signal as a function of the power level in the in-vitro calibration structure, and
• c) estimating a partial acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the body-part and a further body-part of the patient when the reference response is a further measurement response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a further measurement echo signal as a function of the power level in the further body-part.

A system for use with an ultrasound scanner, the system comprising:

• a circuit for applying a measurement excitation signal, comprising ultrasound waves generated by varying a power level of the ultrasound scanner in a measurement range, with a transducer of the ultrasound scanner to a body-part of a patient comprising a contrast agent being pre-administered to the patient,
• a circuit for recording a measurement response comprising a level of a non-fundamental component of a measurement echo signal received in response to the measurement excitation signal, and
• a circuit for determining an estimate value according to a comparison between measurement data based on the measurement response and reference data based on a reference response, said circuit for determining an estimate value comprising one or more of the following circuits:
• a1) a circuit for estimating a target power level required to apply a selected target acoustic pressure level to the body-part further according to a pre-defined relation between the power level and the acoustic pressure level of the ultrasound scanner when the reference response is a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a calibration echo signal as a function of the acoustic pressure level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent,
• a2) a circuit for estimating a further target acoustic pressure level applied to the body-part when a selected further target power level is set further according to a pre-defined relation between the power level and the acoustic pressure level of the ultrasound scanner when the reference response is a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a calibration echo signal as a function of the acoustic pressure level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent,
• b) a circuit for estimating a total acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the transducer and the body-part when the reference response is a further calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of the calibration echo signal as a function of the power level in the in-vitro calibration structure, and
• c) a circuit for estimating a partial acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the body-part and a further body-part of the patient when the reference response is a further measurement response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a further measurement echo signal as a function of the power level in the further body-part.

A therapeutic method comprising:

• administering a contrast agent to a patient to cause the contrast agent to perfuse a body-part of the patient,
• applying a measurement excitation signal, comprising ultrasound waves generated by varying a power level of an ultrasound scanner in a measurement range, with a transducer of the ultrasound scanner to the body-part,
• recording a measurement response comprising a level of a non-fundamental component of a measurement echo signal received in response to the measurement excitation signal, a target power level required to apply a selected target acoustic pressure level to the body-part being estimated according to a comparison between measurement data based on the measurement response and reference data based on a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a calibration echo signal as a function of the acoustic pressure level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent and according to a pre-defined relation between the power level and the acoustic pressure level of the ultrasound scanner, and
• applying further ultrasound waves, generated by setting the power level of the ultrasound scanner according to said target power level, to the body-part.

A diagnostic method comprising:

• administering a contrast agent to a patient to cause the contrast agent to perfuse a body-part of the patient,
• applying a measurement excitation signal, comprising ultrasound waves generated by varying a power level of an ultrasound scanner in a measurement range, with a transducer of the ultrasound scanner to the body-part,
• recording a measurement response comprising a level of a non-fundamental component of a measurement echo signal received in response to the measurement excitation signal, a total acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the transducer and the body-part being estimated according to a comparison between measurement data based on the measurement response and reference data based on a calibration response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of the calibration echo signal as a function of the power level in an in-vitro calibration structure comprising the contrast agent, and
• evaluating a health condition of the body-part according to the total acoustic attenuation.

A diagnostic method comprising:

• administering a contrast agent to a patient to cause the contrast agent to perfuse a body-part of the patient,
• applying a measurement excitation signal, comprising ultrasound waves generated by varying a power level of an ultrasound scanner in a measurement range, with a transducer of the ultrasound scanner to the body-part,
• recording a measurement response comprising a level of a non-fundamental component of a measurement echo signal received in response to the measurement excitation signal, a partial acoustic attenuation occurring within the patient between the body-part and a further body-part of the patient being estimated according to a comparison between measurement data based on the measurement response and reference data based on a further measurement response expressing the level of said non-fundamental component of a further measurement echo signal as a function of the power level in the further body-part, and
• evaluating a health condition of the body-part according to the partial acoustic attenuation.