Method of transmitting ultrasound into a body
AssigneeEd. Geistlich AG fur Chemische Industrie
InventorsHeinrich Wokalek, Wolfgang Strasser
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Abstract
An acoustic coupling medium for transmitting ultrasound is disclosed. The medium, which is of use in ultrasonic visualization of the human body, comprises a sheet of hydrogel containing over 90% water, preferably over 95% water. The hydrogel preferably comprises agar, the chains of which are interspersed with chains of polyacrylamide.
Claims5
A method of transmitting ultrasound into a body which comprises passing ultrasound from a transmitter into said body through an acoustic coupling medium which is in contact with the transmitter but which is separate therefrom, the acoustic coupling medium comprising a sheet of hydrogel material containing over 95% by weight of water, in which the hydrogel contains agar, the chains of which are interspersed with chains of polyacrylamide.
A method in which the hydrogel is in the form of uniform, parallel-sided sheets the thickness of which is in the range 3 to 25 mm.
A method of transmitting ultrasound into a body which comprises the steps of:
- (a) applying a sheet of hydrogel material containing over 95% by weight of water to a body, wherein the hydrogel contains agar, the chains of which are interspersed with the chains of polyacrylamide;
- (b) contacting the sheet of hydrogel material with an ultrasound transmitter;
- and
- (c) passing ultrasound from said transmitter into said body through said sheet of hydrogel material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.