# US 2019/0285562 A1 · Methods and systems for high fidelity electrical tomographic processes

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- Number: US 2019/0285562 A1
- Document ID: US20190285562A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/351,253
- Filed: 2019-03-12
- Published: 2019-09-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-13
- Assignees: Penny Precision LLC
- Inventors: Ryan Wade Penny; Gregory Arthur Passa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190285562A1

## CPC

- G01N 27/026: {Dielectric impedance spectroscopy (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for measuring corrosion G01N17/02)}
- G01N 27/04: by investigating resistance
- A61B 5/053: Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
- G01N 27/045: {Circuits (measuring resistance per se G01R27/00, e.g. G01R27/22)}
- A61B 5/0536: Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
- A61B 5/086: {by impedance pneumography}
- A61B 5/6823: {Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip}
- G01N 27/08: which is flowing continuously
- G01N 33/20: Metals
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Methods and systems for high fidelity electrical tomographic processes are provided for herein. Specifically, the use of a purpose-selected fluid configuration is described, used to fill the void space between mechanically fixed sensing electrodes and the target object to sense and reconstruct. In some embodiments, this fluid configuration enhances or masks changes in electrical measurements in response to certain materials known or suspected to exist within the sensed volume. In other embodiments, a plurality of fluid configurations may be employed to improve the quality of reconstruction, or resolve additional spatial dimensions. Exemplary applications in medicine and manufacturing are also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for performing tomography via recovery of a distribution of an electrical property comprising the steps of:
providing a target object or portion thereof to be imaged;
providing a plurality of sensing electrodes with a nominally known geometric configuration;
geometrically configuring the target object and the electrodes to place the target within a region effectively sensed by the electrodes;
configuring a void space between the target object and the plurality of electrodes with a fluid configuration to beneficially alter a sensitivity map between the electrodes;
making electrical measurements between the electrodes; and
mathematically inverting the electrical measurements to recover a reconstruction of the electrical property within a volume using a computational device configured to receive the measurements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adapting the fluid configuration to contrast the electrical properties of a material known or suspected to at least in part comprise the target object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adapting the fluid configuration to approximate the electrical properties of a material known or suspected to at least in part comprise the target object.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adapting the fluid configuration to improve coupling of an electrical property between the electrodes, the target object, or a constituent fluid within the fluid configuration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising mathematically encoding a-priori knowledge of the fluid configuration into a prior and applying the encoded prior to regularize the inversion process.

### Claim 6

A method for performing tomography via recovery of a distribution of an electrical property comprising the steps of:
providing a target object or portion thereof to be imaged;
providing a plurality of sensing electrodes with a nominally known geometric configuration;
geometrically configuring the target object and the electrodes to place the target within a region effectively sensed by the electrodes;
for each of a plurality of distinct fluid configurations, (i) configuring a void space between the target and the plurality of electrodes with a fluid configuration to beneficially alter a sensitivity map between the electrodes; (ii) making electrical measurements between pairs of the electrodes; and (iii) mathematically inverting the electrical measurements to recover a reconstruction of the electrical property within a volume using a computational device configured to receive the measurements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising adapting the fluid configurations to provide spatial resolution of the reconstruction along a geometric axis otherwise unsolvable using the electrode geometric configuration.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising mathematically encoding a-priori knowledge of each distinct fluid configuration into a prior and applying the encoded prior to regularize the inversion process.

### Claim 9

A system for performing tomography via recovery of a distribution of an electrical property comprising:
a plurality of sensing electrodes with a nominally known geometric configuration;
a measuring circuit for making electrical measurements between the electrodes;
a fluid configuration to beneficially alter a sensitivity map between the electrodes, in view of a nominal target material, or both a nominal target material and nominal target geometry; and
a computational system configured to receive the electrical measurements and invert the measurements to recover the distribution of the electrical property within a volume.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid configuration contrasts the electrical properties of the nominal target material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid configuration approximates the electrical properties of the nominal target material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid configuration is to improve coupling of an electrical property between the electrodes, the nominal target material, or constituent fluid within the fluid configuration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of fluid configurations.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of fluids or fluid components for altering the fluid configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a pump to achieve a specified fluid configuration, by introducing or removing fluid or component of a fluid into the fluid configuration.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a sensor to measure a material distribution, a composition, or a material distribution and a composition of a region within the fluid configuration.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising a pump to maintain the fluid configuration as required by incomplete containment of the fluid configuration.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising a containment vessel to substantially contain the fluid configuration.