Curved passive acoustic driver for magnetic resonance elastography

An acoustic driver system comprising:

• an active acoustic driver which is configured to produce oscillating acoustic energy;
• a passive acoustic driver acoustically connected to the active acoustic driver which is configured to receive the oscillating acoustic energy and to convert it into shear waves, the passive acoustic driver comprising:
• a housing member having a housing member cavity;
• a vibrating member disposed at least partially within the housing member cavity, wherein the vibrating member permanently retains a curved shape while disposed within the housing member cavity;
• and (1) a coil wrapped around the housing member;
• or (2) a cover member disposed over and attached to the housing member, the vibrating member disposed between the housing member and the cover member, the cover member covering an end of the housing member and an end of the vibrating member.

A method of transmitting shear waves into a patient for magnetic resonance elastography comprising:

• disposing a passive acoustic driver against a patient, the passive acoustic driver comprising:
• a housing member having a housing member cavity;
• a vibrating member disposed at least partially within the housing member cavity, the vibrating member permanently retaining a curved shape while disposed within the housing member cavity;
• and (1) a coil wrapped around the housing member;
• or (2) a cover member disposed over and attached to the housing member, the vibrating member disposed between the housing member and the cover member, the cover member covering an end of the housing member and an end of the vibrating member;
• transmitting oscillating acoustic energy from an active acoustic driver to the passive acoustic driver disposed against the patient;
• and
• converting the oscillating acoustic energy into shear waves and transmitting the shear waves into the patient with the passive acoustic driver to conduct magnetic resonance elastography.