Apparatus and method for characterization of acute otitis media
AssigneeOtoNexus Medical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Moehring, George A. Gates, Daniel M. Kreindler, Jay A. Chesavage, Rahul Singh
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Abstract
An ultrasound signal processor uses an excitation generator to cause displacement of a tympanic membrane while a series of ultrasound pulses are applied to the tympanic membrane. Phase differences between a transmitted signal and received signal are examined to determine the movement of the tympanic membrane in response to the applied excitation. An examination of the phase response of the tympanic membrane provides a determination as to whether the fluid type behind the tympanic membrane is one of: no fluid, serum fluid, or purulent fluid.
Claims20
A method for characterizing a tympanic membrane, the method comprising:
- applying an excitation to the tympanic membrane to cause a displacement of the tympanic membrane, the excitation comprising a pressure modulation;
- transmitting with a micro-machined ultrasound transducer transmit acoustic waves toward the tympanic membrane during a transmit interval;
- receiving reflected acoustic waves from the tympanic membrane during a receive interval;
- comparing a phase of the transmitted transmit acoustic waves to a phase of the received reflected acoustic waves;
- generating a phase output in response to the comparison of the phases of the transmitted transmit acoustic waves and the received reflected acoustic waves;
- comparing the phase output to the excitation;
- and
- determining one or more of the displacement or a mobility of the tympanic membrane in response to the comparison of the phase output to the excitation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.