Method for estimating a movement of particles in a bone

A method for estimating a movement of particles in a bone, the method comprising steps of:

• obtaining first data associated with first ultrasonic waves emitted at a temporal frequency, the first data indicating:
• a first emission direction, the first emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the first ultrasonic waves towards a point located inside the bone, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a first reception direction, the first reception direction being normal to a wavefront of first ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the first ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• obtaining second data associated with second ultrasonic waves emitted at the temporal frequency, the second data being at least partly different from the first data, the second data indicating:
• a second emission direction, the second emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic waves towards the point, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a second reception direction, the second reception direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the second ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• obtaining ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone in the following directions:
• the first emission direction,
• the first reception direction,
• the second emission direction, and
• the second reception direction,
• obtaining a first video showing the bone at the point, the first video issuing from the first ultrasonic echoes, and obtaining a second video showing the bone at the point, the second video issuing from the second ultrasonic echoes,
• computing a first phase variation at the point between two images of the first video, and a second phase variation at the point between two images of the second video, and
• computing a particle movement at the point from:
• the temporal frequency,
• the first data and the second data,
• the first phase variation and the second phase variation, and
• ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone.

A method for estimating a movement of particles in a bone, the method comprising steps of:

• obtaining first data associated with first ultrasonic waves emitted at a temporal frequency, the first data indicating:
• a first emission direction, the first emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the first ultrasonic waves towards a point located inside the bone, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a first reception direction, the first reception direction being normal to a wavefront of first ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the first ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• obtaining second data associated with second ultrasonic waves emitted at the temporal frequency, the second data being at least partly different from the first data, the second data indicating:
• a second emission direction, the second emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic waves towards the point, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a second reception direction, the second reception direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the second ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• obtaining ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone in the following directions:
• the first emission direction,
• the first reception direction,
• the second emission direction,
• the second reception direction,
• obtaining a first video showing the bone at the point, the first video issuing from the first ultrasonic echoes, and obtaining a second video showing the bone at the point, the second video issuing from the second ultrasonic echoes,
• computing a first phase variation at the point between two images of the first video, and a second phase variation at the point between two images of the second video,
• computing a particle movement at the point from:
• the temporal frequency,
• the first data and the second data,
• the first phase variation and the second phase variation, and
• ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone;
• the method further comprising:
• obtaining third data associated with third ultrasonic waves emitted at the temporal frequency, the third data being at least partly different from the first data and the second data, the third data indicating:
• a third emission direction, the third emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the third ultrasonic waves towards the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• a third reception direction, the third reception direction being normal to a wavefront of the third ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the third ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• obtaining a third video showing the bone at the point, the third video issuing from the third ultrasonic echoes,
• computing a third phase variation at the point between two images of the third video,
• obtaining additional ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone in the following directions:
• the third emission direction,
• the third reception direction,
• wherein the movement is computed also from the third data, the third phase variation, and the additional ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone.

A device for estimating a movement of particles in a bone, the device comprising:

• a memory configured to store:
• first data associated with first ultrasonic waves emitted at a temporal frequency, the first data indicating:
• a first emission direction, the first emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the first ultrasonic waves towards a point located inside the bone, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a first reception direction, the first reception direction being normal to a wavefront of first ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the first ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone,
• second data associated with second ultrasonic waves emitted at the temporal frequency, the second data being at least partly different from the first data, the second data indicating:
• a second emission direction, the second emission direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic waves towards the point, during their propagation in the bone, and
• a second reception direction, the second reception direction being normal to a wavefront of the second ultrasonic echoes obtained by reflection of the second ultrasonic waves at the point, during their propagation in the bone, ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone in the following directions:
• the first emission direction,
• the first reception direction,
• the second emission direction,
• the second reception direction,
• a first video showing the bone at the point, the first video issuing from the first ultrasonic echoes, and a second video showing the bone at the point, the second video issuing from the second ultrasonic echoes, and
• at least one processor configured to:
• compute a first phase variation at the point between two images of the first video,
• compute a second phase variation at the point between two images of the second video, and
• compute a particle movement at the point from:
• the temporal frequency,
• the first data and the second data,
• the first phase variation and the second phase variation, and
• ultrasonic wave phase velocities in the bone.