Patent ID: 6951544
Filing Date: 2005-10-04
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound method for detecting a region of altered stiffness contained within a medium, comprising the steps of: (a) delivering at least one pushing pulse from the ultrasound transducer array to the target region to displace a target region to a displaced position; then (b) delivering at least one first tracking pulse from the ultrasound transducer array to the target region to detect the displaced position of the target region; (c) delivering at least one second tracking pulse from the ultrasound transducer to the target region to detect a relaxed position of target regions; then (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) to provide a series of cycles, the at least one pushing pulse being delivered to different target regions during the series of cycles and to provide a plurality of displaced positions; (e) generating a plurality of displacement maps based on the relaxed position and the plurality of displaced positions; and then (f) combining the plurality of displacement maps to provide an image.