SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING BLADDER WALL THICKNESS AND PRESENTING A BLADDER VIRTUAL IMAGE
First Claim
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1. A method to determine bladder wall thickness using an ultrasound transceiver, the method comprising:
- positioning an ultrasound transceiver exterior to a patient such that at least a portion of the bladder wall is within the range of the transceiver;
transmitting radio frequency ultrasound pulses to, and receiving those pulses echoed back from, the external and internal surface of the portion of the bladder wall; and
, based on those pulsescalculating for the portion of the bladder wall(a) the surface area of the external and internal surfaces, and(b) the distance between the external and internal surfaces.
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Abstract
An ultrasound transceiver scans a bladder in a three dimensional array to measure the thickness and surface area of the bladder to determine bladder mass. The bladder wall thickness and masses may be determined for anterior, posterior, and lateral locations of the bladder.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method to determine bladder wall thickness using an ultrasound transceiver, the method comprising:
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positioning an ultrasound transceiver exterior to a patient such that at least a portion of the bladder wall is within the range of the transceiver; transmitting radio frequency ultrasound pulses to, and receiving those pulses echoed back from, the external and internal surface of the portion of the bladder wall; and
, based on those pulsescalculating for the portion of the bladder wall (a) the surface area of the external and internal surfaces, and (b) the distance between the external and internal surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method to measure wall thickness of an organ using an ultrasound transceiver, the method comprising:
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positioning an ultrasound transceiver exterior to a patient such that at least a portion of an organ wall is within the range of the transceiver; transmitting radio frequency ultrasound pulses as scanlines to, and receiving those pulses echoed back from, the external and internal surface of the portion of the organ wall, and based on those pulses, forming at least one two-dimensional image; selecting wall loci at a first position of the organ wall from the two dimensional image; adjusting the position of the wall loci by applying a one-dimensional analysis of the pulse echoes associated with the two-dimensional image to a second position and a third position; and determining the thickness of the organ wall by calculating the difference of the wall loci between the second and third positions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of determining organ wall mass, comprising:
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positioning an ultrasound transceiver exterior to a patient such that at least a portion of the organ wall is viewable by the transceiver; transmitting radio frequency ultrasound pulses and receiving echoic pulses corresponding to the transmitted pulses echoed back from eternal and internal surface portions of the organ wall; and calculating for the portion of the organ wall at least one of; a surface area of the external and internal surfaces of the organ wall; a thickness between the surfaces; and a mass between the surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. The method of claim 34, wherein the organ wall is a bladder wall.
Specification