Patent ID: 6234969
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An ultrasound bone sonometer or densitometer comprising:a foot well adapted to receive the heel of patient's foot;a sending ultrasound transducer and a receiving ultrasound transducer facing each other in the foot well;a controller coupled to the transducers to selectively carry out a patient examination by causing the sending transducer to send ultrasound energy toward the receiving transducers through a patient's heel positioned between the transducers and causing the receiving transducer to provide information related to ultrasound energy received thereby, and by processing said information to derive therefrom estimates of bone characteristics;a card reader coupled to said controller and adapted to exchange charge-related information with a card provided to the card reader;said controller being responsive to an operator request for a patient examination and to charge-related information supplied to the controller from the card reader to: (a) to determine if the card is valid; (b) carry out a patient examination upon a determination that the card is valid, and (c) cause the card reader to charge the card for the patient examination;said controller further being responsive to an operator request for a calibration or quality control procedure to carry out a calibration by causing the sending transducer to send ultrasound energy toward the receiving transducers through an object other than a patient's heel, said object being positioned between the transducers, and causing the receiving transducer to provide information related to ultrasound energy received thereby through said object, and by processing the last-recited information to derive calibration parameters therefrom, without making a charge to said card.