Elastography device and method
AssigneeEchosens
InventorsLaurent Sandrin, Matteo Bosisio, Cecile Bastard
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Abstract
An elastography device for quantitatively and/or qualitatively measuring the viscoelastic properties of any medium, includes a deformable tube for positioning the ultrasonic transducer located at the end of the deformable tube and for holding it so as to ensure, during at least one measurement, perpendicularity and contact between the ultrasonic transducer and the medium.
Claims20
An elastography device (110) for quantitatively and/or qualitatively measuring the viscoelastic properties of any medium, said device (110) comprising:
- a vibration generator (102) for generating at least one low-frequency elastic wave;
- an ultrasonic transducer (104) for observing the propagation of said at least one low-frequency elastic wave;
- a trigger (105) for triggering at least one measurement;
- said at least one measurement comprising the following steps of:
- generating at least one low-frequency elastic wave in a medium;
- emitting and acquiring simultaneously to the generation of at least one low-frequency elastic wave high-frequency ultrasounds using said ultrasonic transducer (104) to observe the propagation of said at least one low-frequency elastic wave;
- said device being characterized in that it comprises a deformable tube (111) for holding said ultrasonic transducer (104) located at the end of said deformable tube (111) and for holding it so as to ensure, during at least one measurement, perpendicularity and contact between said ultrasonic transducer (104) and the medium.
The Device according to the previous claim, characterized in that said device (110) comprises a support (120) to spatially hold the ultrasonic transducer (104)
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a spring system (115) located between said ultrasonic transducer (104) and said deformable tube (111).
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (110) includes at least one rod (121) capable of transmitting the low-frequency elastic waves from said vibration generator (102) to said ultrasonic transducer (104)
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (110) comprises a gripping tube (117).
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims characterized in that said vibration generator (102) is formed by a vibrating table (107)
The devices according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (110) includes a fine-tuning system (112) for rotationally and/or translationally adjust the position of said ultrasonic transducer.
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said vibration generator (102) is located at the end of said deformable tube (111) where the ultrasonic transducer (104) is located.
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said vibration generator (102) is located at the opposite end of the deformable tube (111) where the ultrasonic transducer (104) is located.
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (110) includes at least one high-frequency ultrasonic imaging array (116).
The device according to at least one of the preceding claim, characterized in that said device (110) is coupled to an organic synchronization device (103)
The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ultrasonic transducer (104) has an active diameter of less than 3 mm.
An elastography method for quantitatively and/or qualitatively measuring the viscoelastic properties of any medium characterized in that it implements a device in accordance with the invention according to any one of the preceding claims;
- said method comprises a least the following steps of:
- positioning said at least one ultrasonic transducer (104), by deforming said deformable tube (111), perpendicularly and in contact with the medium;
- translationally and/or rotationally adjusting the position of said ultrasound transducer (104);
- triggering at least one measurement;
- holding said ultrasonic transducer (104) in position and in contact during at least one measurement;
- said measurement comprising the following steps of:
- generating at least one low-frequency elastic wave;
- emitting and acquiring simultaneously to the generation of at least one low-frequency elastic wave high-frequency ultrasounds using said ultrasonic transducer (104) to observe the propagation of said at least one low-frequency elastic wave;
- calculating at least one parameter relating to the viscoelastic properties of the medium such as the displacement variations and/or the deformations and/or the displacement speeds and/or the deformation speeds caused in the medium or more generally any parameter relating to the viscoelastic properties;
- calculating the viscoelastic properties of the medium.
The method according to the preceding claim characterized in that said ultrasonic transducer (104) is held in position and in contact with the medium during a series of measures, by said deformable tube (111).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.