Soft tissue elasticity distribution measurement method and soft tissue elasticity distribution measurement device

Abstract

An aspiration chamber is provided with an aspiration aperture, having a shape in which a width becomes larger from one edge toward another edge, and aspirates soft tissue through the aspiration aperture. A deformation amount measurement portion measures aspiration deformation amounts of the soft tissue within the aspiration aperture along a virtual line from the one edge to another edge. Based on the aspiration deformation amounts that have been measured by the deformation amount measurement portion, a computer uses a finite element model of the soft tissue to derive an approximation equation according to a numerical function for the aspiration deformation amounts and positions on the virtual line and determines a distribution of elasticity from the surface of the soft tissue into its interior by substituting parameters of the approximation equation into estimation equations that are derived by assuming that the deformation along the virtual line reflects elasticity distribution parameters.

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