Patent ID: 6569098
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A diagnostic method of determining displacement of an osseous structure underlying soft tissue in response to an indenting force applied to the soft tissue and the osseous structure, comprising the steps of:(a) providing an ultrasonic transducer/indenter having indenting surface; (b) positioning the transducer/indenter over a target comprising the osseous structure underlying a layer of soft tissue; (c) positioning the transducer/indenter in contact with the soft tissue; (d) recording a first set of ultrasound data; (e) moving the transducer towards the osseous structure while measuring the displacement of the transducer/indenter; (f) recording a second set of ultrasound data; (g) determining the soft tissue compression by comparing the first ultrasound data to the second ultrasound data; and (h) subtracting the soft tissue compression from the total displacement of the transducer/indenter to determine osseous displacement.