# US 2019/0167233 A1 · Methods and systems for ultrasound elastography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167233 A1 - Document ID: US20190167233A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/206,605 - Filed: 2018-11-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-01 - Assignees: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York - Applicants: The Trustees of Columbia University In the City of New York - Inventors: Elisa KONOFAGOU; Clement PAPADACCI; Ethan BUNTING; Julien GRONDIN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167233A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/485: {involving measuring strain or elastic properties} - A61B 8/08: Clinical applications (A61B8/02, A61B8/04, A61B8/06 take precedence) - A61B 8/0825: {for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography} - A61B 8/085: {for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules} - A61B 8/0883: {for diagnosis of the heart} - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 8/4461: {Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe} - A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements} - A61B 8/466: {adapted to display 3D data} - A61B 8/483: {involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data} - A61B 8/486: {involving arbitrary m-mode} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The disclosed subject matter provides methods and systems for ultrasound elastography, including the use of ultrasound to assess the mechanical properties of tissue in a three-dimensional volume. An exemplary method for ultrasound elastography includes emitting at least one non-focused wave on a target, obtaining Radio Frequency (RF) signals from the non-focused wave, beamforming 3D volumes from the RF, calculating at least two 3D displacements by comparing each volume to a reference volume, and integrating the 3D displacements to create a 3D cumulative axial strain volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for ultrasound elastography, comprising: emitting at least one non-focused wave to a target; obtaining at least two Radio Frequency (RF) signals from the non-focused wave; beamforming 3D volumes from the RFs; calculating at least two 3D displacements by comparing each 3D volume to a reference volume; and integrating the 3D displacements to create a 3D cumulative axial strain volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-focused wave comprises a plane wave. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-focused wave is emitted at a rate of at least 100 volumes/sec. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises providing a compression on the target prior to the emitting. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the compression comprises one or more of a natural compression, a motorized compression, a manual compression, a compression by an external source, and a compression by an ultrasound probe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the RF is recorded at a frequency of from about 2.5 MHz to about 10 MHz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the beamforming further comprises performing a delay- and sum beamforming. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D displacement comprises an axial, a lateral, and/or an elevational direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D displacement is configured to be calculated between two successive volumes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining a Lagrangian strain tensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is configured to detect and treat a breast cancer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is configured to monitor a myocardial function. ### Claim 13 A system for ultrasound elastography, comprising: a 2D matrix array probe comprising an ultrasound transducer configured to emit at least one non-focused wave on a target; a signal processor, coupled to said probe, configured to: obtain at least two Radio Frequency (RF) signals from the non-focused wave; beamform 3D volumes from the RF; calculate at least two 3D displacement by comparing each 3D volume to a reference volume; and integrate the 3D displacements to create a 3D cumulative axial strain volume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the 2D matrix array probe comprises a plurality of elements ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the 2D matrix array probe comprises 256 elements (16×16) or 1024 elements (32×32). ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein each of the 2D matrix array is configured to emit a non-focused wave at rate of 100 waves per second. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the non-focused wave includes a plane wave. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the ultrasound system has a central frequency of about 2.5 MHz. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the 2D matrix array probe is programmable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the 2D matrix probe is configured to receive at least two Radio Frequency (RF) signals from the non-focused wave and transmit the RF signals to the signal processor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an electromechanical activation by beamforming the RF signals to calculate inter-volumes displacements and strains. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the system includes a 2:1 or 4:1 multiplexer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the system is configured to perform a diverging imaging sequence and/or a focused wave imaging sequence. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the signal processor is further configured to generate a heart model for an electromechanical simulation and an ultrasound simulation based on the series of image frames and the RF signals corresponding to a location in a target heart.