Systems and methods for imaging cortical bone and soft tissue

A system for imaging a biological body segment of soft and hard tissues, comprising:

• at least one sensor configured to collect reflective and transmissive time series data of the biological body segment;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• generate a simulated time series data set based on geometry and material properties according to a model of the biological body segment,
• receive from the at least one sensor the collected reflective and transmissive time series data,
• generate an experimental time series data set from the collected reflective and transmissive time series data, and
• minimize a difference between the simulated time series data set and the experimental time series data set to thereby image the biological body segment.

A tank-based ultrasound computed tomography system, comprising:

• a) an immersion tank;
• b) at least one ultrasound transducer within the immersion tank that emits an ultrasound beam;
• c) at least one ultrasound receiver configured to detect reflection and
• transmission of the ultrasound beam following reflection and transmission of the ultrasound beam off or through a biological body segment;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive reflection and transmission data detected by the at least one ultrasound receiver,
• generate a simulated time series data set based on geometry and material properties according to a model of the biological body segment,
• generate an experimental time series data set from the received reflection and transmission data, and
• minimize a difference between the simulated time series data set and the experimental time series data set to thereby image the biological body segment.

A method for imaging a biological body segment of soft and hard tissues, comprising:

• a) setting geometry and material properties according to a model of the biological body segment to thereby generate a simulated time series data set;
• b) collecting reflective and transmissive time series data of the biological body segment to thereby form an experimental time series data set of images of the biological body segment, wherein the reflective and transmissive time series data is collected by employing an ultrasound transducer that emits an ultrasound beam of known beam geometry for reflection and transmission at the biological body segment;
• and
• c) minimizing the difference between the simulated time series data set and the experimental time series data set, thereby imaging the biological body segment.

A method for imaging a biological body segment of soft and hard tissues, comprising:

• a) setting geometry and material properties according to a model of the biological body segment to thereby generate a simulated time series data set;
• b) collecting reflective and transmissive time series data of the biological body segment to thereby form an experimental time series data set of images of the biological body segment, wherein collecting the reflective and transmissive time series data employs at least one of a water-immersed ultrasound transducer and a laser;
• and
• c) minimizing the difference between the simulated time series data set and the experimental time series data set, thereby imaging the biological body segment.

A method for imaging a biological body segment of soft and hard tissues, comprising:

• a) setting geometry and material properties according to a model of the biological body segment to thereby generate a simulated time series data set;
• b) collecting reflective and transmissive time series data of the biological body segment to thereby form an experimental time series data set of images of the biological body segment, wherein collecting the reflective and transmissive time series data includes ultrasound tomography that employs a tank-based ultrasound system that includes at least two single-element transducers mounted at a tank of the tomography system, and further including the step of obtaining multi-aperture time series data from the single element transducers;
• and
• c) minimizing the difference between the simulated time series data set and the experimental time series data set, thereby imaging the biological body segment.