Method for thermal monitoring subcutaneous tissue
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring temperatures about a selected temperature in any medium especially in subcutaneous tissue in a living body comprising the steps of:
- inserting beads of a material having a melting point approximately equal to said selected temperature, into said medium;
directing ultrasonic signals at said beads; and
receiving the ultrasonic signals reflected by said beads whereby the received signals contain information representative of the acoustic impedance of said beads which is indicative of the temperature in said medium.
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Abstract
A noninvasive accurate method for measuring the temperature of tissue beneath the surface of a living body 11. Ultrasonic signals (14) are directed into beads 13 of a material that are inserted into the tissue with a syringe. The reflected signals (15) indicate the acoustic impedance or resonance frequency of the beads 13 which in turn indicates the temperature of the tissue. A range of temperatures around the melting temperature of the material can be measured by this method.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring temperatures about a selected temperature in any medium especially in subcutaneous tissue in a living body comprising the steps of:
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inserting beads of a material having a melting point approximately equal to said selected temperature, into said medium; directing ultrasonic signals at said beads; and receiving the ultrasonic signals reflected by said beads whereby the received signals contain information representative of the acoustic impedance of said beads which is indicative of the temperature in said medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for monitoring temperatures in subcutaneous tissue comprising the steps of:
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inserting a bead of material, that changes resonant frequency with temperature, into said subcutaneous tissue; directing ultrasonic signals at said bead of material; and receiving the ultrasonic signals reflected by said bead whereby the received signal contains information representative of the resonant frequency of said bead of material which is indicative of the temperature in said subcutaneous tissue. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification