METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF OBJECTS CONTAINING INHOMOGENEITIES
First Claim
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1. A method for obtaining information indicative of an electrical characteristic of an object, the steps comprising:
- a) applying a voltage to the surface of the object with an array of sensor elements that make electrical connection with the surface;
b) measuring the current at each sensor element that results from the applied voltage;
c) obtaining an image of the object and its internal structures with a second imaging modality to locate boundaries therein between structures having different electrical characteristics;
d) computing a predicted current located at a boundary;
e) calculating from the measured current and the predicted current located at the boundary a contrast ratio; and
f) calculating from the first contrast ratio and known electrical characteristics of the region to one side of the located boundary, the electrical characteristics of the region to the other side of the located boundary.
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Abstract
An electrical parameter imaging apparatus and method includes the acquisition of a charge distribution pattern on an array of electrodes that surround an object being imaged. In addition the boundaries of regions having differing electrical characteristics within the object are measured by a secondary imaging method. The internal boundary location measurements are employed to provide a quicker method to compute electrical parameters of tissues inside the boundary using the acquired charge distribution pattern.
41 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining information indicative of an electrical characteristic of an object, the steps comprising:
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a) applying a voltage to the surface of the object with an array of sensor elements that make electrical connection with the surface;
b) measuring the current at each sensor element that results from the applied voltage;
c) obtaining an image of the object and its internal structures with a second imaging modality to locate boundaries therein between structures having different electrical characteristics;
d) computing a predicted current located at a boundary;
e) calculating from the measured current and the predicted current located at the boundary a contrast ratio; and
f) calculating from the first contrast ratio and known electrical characteristics of the region to one side of the located boundary, the electrical characteristics of the region to the other side of the located boundary. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for acquiring electrical property data from an object which comprises:
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a container which defines a cavity for receiving the object;
an array of metal electrodes supported by the container and disposed around the object;
means for applying voltages to the array of metal electrodes; and
means for measuring the resulting charge produced at each metal electrode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification