Method and apparatus for determining conditions of biological tissues

An apparatus for determining characteristics of tissue of the respiratory system in situ, the apparatus including:

• a sound generating device which generates an audible sound;
• a recording device which records the sound after it has travelled from one position of the respiratory system tissue, through the tissue and to another position of the tissue;
• an analysis device which calculates the velocity and attenuation with which the sound travels through the tissue.

An apparatus for monitoring lung condition, said apparatus including:

• a sound generating means to generate an audible sound transthoracically so that the sound travels from one side of the thorax, through the lung, to another side of the thorax;
• a recording means to record the sound after it has travelled from one side of the thorax, through and across the lung, to the other side of the thorax;
• an analysis device which calculates the attenuation and velocity with which the sound travels from one side of the thorax, through and across the lung, to the other side of the thorax.