Device and method for measuring the viscoelastic properties of a viscoelastic medium

A device for measuring viscoelastic properties of a viscoelastic medium having an ultrasound signal after being subjected to ultrasound pulses, the device comprising:

• a probe extending along a longitudinal axis and being adapted to carry out transient elastography measurements, the probe comprising:
• a probe casing;
• at least one ultrasound transducer arranged at a tip of the probe and adapted to generate ultrasounds, and
• a vibrator arranged in the casing and adapted to generate a low-frequency wave, wherein:
• the vibrator is arranged to induce a movement of the probe casing along the longitudinal axis,
• the at least one ultrasound transducer is bound to the probe casing with no motion of the at least one ultrasound transducer with respect to the probe casing,
• a component is connected in fixed relation with the at least one ultrasonic transducer such that the low-frequency wave generated by the vibrator is transmitted via the component to the at least one ultrasonic transducer to generate a shear wave transmitted to the viscoelastic medium by the at least one ultrasonic transducer,
• wherein the transient elastography measurement is carried out by generating the shear wave in the viscoelastic medium by emitting the low-frequency wave using the vibrator and transmitted to the viscoelastic medium via the at least one transducer and by emitting, with the at least one ultrasound transducer, a plurality of ultrasounds pulses to track a propagation of the shear wave in the viscoelastic medium.