Imaging methods and apparatuses for performing shear wave elastography imaging

An imaging apparatus for shear wave elastography imaging of an observation field in a medium, the apparatus comprising an array of transducers that are controlled independently of one another by at least one electronic central unit adapted

• to acquire a plurality of sets of shear wave propagation parameters by:
• a) causing at least one ultrasound wave to be emitted into the medium by the array of transducers to generate an elastic shear wave inside the medium;
• b) observing simultaneously at a plurality of points in an observation field the propagation of said shear wave, by:
• b1) causing the array of transducers to emit into the medium a succession of ultrasound waves with spatial coverage and timing adapted so that said ultrasound waves exhibit at least partial spatial and temporal overlap with the propagating shear wave in the observation field;
• and
• b2) causing sound signals received from said observation field to be detected in real time by said array of transducers, said sound signals comprising echoes generated by the ultrasound waves interacting with scatterers in the medium;
• and
• c) determining a set of shear wave propagation parameters in the observation field, said set of shear wave propagation parameters being associated with the plurality of points in the observation field,
• to determine a reliability indicator of the shear wave elastography imaging of the observation field.