Multi-frequency harmonic acoustography for target identification and border detection
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsWarren S. Grundfest, Maie St. John, Ashkan Maccabi, George Saddik, Zachary D. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibro-acoustography imaging system that that generates a map of the mechanical response of a target to an acoustic radiation force, usually in low kHz range by a confocal geometry. The system generates two focused sinusoidal beams to produce a stress field at the beat frequency, which is a function of vibration and acoustic emissions field in terms of mechanical properties. A highly sensitive hydrophone is then used for detection of the acoustic emissions field, the amplitude of which may be correlated to the mechanical properties of the target tissue.
Claims22
A method for performing multi-frequency harmonic acoustography for target identification and border detection within a target tissue, the method comprising:
- providing a focused confocal transducer having at least one piezoelectric element;
- focusing first and second ultrasonic waves at first and second frequencies from the transducer on the target tissue;
- wherein the first and second waves interfere at a focal plane within the target tissue such that the target tissue absorbs energy from the first and second waves and vibrates to emit a third acoustic wave within the target tissue;
- detecting the third acoustic wave with a hydrophone;
- and
- analyzing the third acoustic wave to evaluate one or more mechanical properties of the target tissue.
A system for performing multi-frequency harmonic acoustography for target identification and border detection, the system comprising:
- focused confocal transducer having at least one piezoelectric element;
- a hydrophone;
- and
- a signal processing circuit;
- the signal processing circuit comprising a computer hardware processor and a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the computer hardware processor which, when executed, perform steps comprising:
- sending signals to the transducer to emit first and second ultrasonic waves at first and second frequencies from the transducer into a target tissue;
- wherein the first and second waves interfere at a focal plane within the target tissue such that the target tissue absorbs energy from the first and second waves and vibrates to emit a third acoustic wave within the target tissue;
- acquiring the third acoustic wave with a hydrophone;
- and
- analyzing the third acoustic wave to evaluate one or more mechanical properties of the target tissue.
The system of claim 19, wherein evaluating one or more mechanical properties of the target tissue comprises quantitative characterization of one or more material properties of the target tissue without reliance on reflection or attenuation of acoustic waves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.