Patent ID: 6511430
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: A61B,G01N,G01S

Abstract:
A non-invasive method of monitoring apoptosis in cell culture or tissues using ultrasound imaging, comprising the steps of:1.) imaging a selected site of the culture or tissues using high frequency ultrasound imaging to obtain a first image; 2.) exposing the selected site to an apoptosis-inducing stress; 3.) imaging the selected site, or a portion thereof, using high frequency ultrasound imaging at subsequent timed intervals to obtain a second image; 4.) measuring a signal amplitude of a region of interest of the selected site in said first and said second images; 5.) comparing the signal amplitude measurements for the regions of interest in said first and said second images and determining whether said second image region exhibits an increase in amplitude which is an indication that apoptosis has begun; and 6.) measuring a change in a frequency spectrum of an ultrasound backscatter signal in the region of interest between said first and said second images and confirming that apoptosis has begun when a slope of an average of the normalized frequency spectrum has increased, wherein said high frequency ultrasound imaging is at a frequency greater than 20 MHz.