Method and system for measuring an ultrasound tissue characterization
First Claim
1. A method for acquiring ultrasound tissue characterization values for a region of interest of a subject, the ultrasound tissue characterization values including an ultrasound beam propagation velocity, an attenuation coefficient, and a waveform width, the method comprising the steps of:
- sequentially transmitting a plurality of ultrasound beams from a corresponding plurality of ultrasound transmitting elements to the region of interest along a first axis;
sequentially receiving the ultrasound beams reflected from the region of interest along a second axis intersecting the first axis at the region of interest with a corresponding plurality of ultrasound receiving elements to obtain a waveform;
measuring a propagation time from the transmission of the transmitted ultrasound beams to the reception of the reflected ultrasound beams from the waveform and calculating the propagation velocity for the transmitted and reflected ultrasound beams using the propagation time;
measuring a peak amplitude value, a time of occurrence of the peak amplitude value, and the waveform width for the waveform;
computing the attenuation coefficient for the region of interest; and
converting the waveform into a displayed image of the region of interest and simultaneously displaying the image and the tissue characterization values.
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Abstract
An ultrasonic image of a living body is obtained by use of an ultrasonic apparatus and, an ultrasound tissue characterization value at a region of interest of the body, such as the ultrasound propagation velocity, the scattered ultrasound waveform width, and the attenuation coefficient, is measured and calculated by use of a cross beam method. These processes are performed in real time and the results of processing are continuously displayed. In this way, the tissue characterization values of the living body can be determined and the state of a disease present in the region of interest can be examined readily and clearly.
72 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for acquiring ultrasound tissue characterization values for a region of interest of a subject, the ultrasound tissue characterization values including an ultrasound beam propagation velocity, an attenuation coefficient, and a waveform width, the method comprising the steps of:
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sequentially transmitting a plurality of ultrasound beams from a corresponding plurality of ultrasound transmitting elements to the region of interest along a first axis; sequentially receiving the ultrasound beams reflected from the region of interest along a second axis intersecting the first axis at the region of interest with a corresponding plurality of ultrasound receiving elements to obtain a waveform; measuring a propagation time from the transmission of the transmitted ultrasound beams to the reception of the reflected ultrasound beams from the waveform and calculating the propagation velocity for the transmitted and reflected ultrasound beams using the propagation time; measuring a peak amplitude value, a time of occurrence of the peak amplitude value, and the waveform width for the waveform; computing the attenuation coefficient for the region of interest; and converting the waveform into a displayed image of the region of interest and simultaneously displaying the image and the tissue characterization values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for acquiring ultrasound tissue characterization values for a region of interest of a subject, the ultrasound tissue characterization values including an ultrasound beam propagation velocity, an attenuation coefficient, and a waveform width, the system comprising:
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means including a plurality of ultrasound transmitting elements for sequentially transmitting a corresponding plurality of ultrasound beams to the region of interest along a first axis; means including a corresponding plurality of ultrasound receiving elements for sequentially receiving the ultrasound beams reflected from the region of interest along a second axis intersecting the first axis at the region of interest to obtain a waveform; means for measuring a propagation time from the transmission of the transmitted ultrasound beams to the reception of the reflected ultrasound beams from the waveform and means for calculating the propagation velocity for the transmitted and reflected ultrasound beams using the propagation time; means for measuring a peak amplitude value, a time of occurrence of said peak amplitude value, and the waveform width for the waveform; means for computing the attenuation coefficient for the region of interest; means for converting the waveform into a displayed image of the region of interest and simultaneously displaying the image and the tissue characterization values. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification