Patent ID: 7435232
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for tissue quality assessment comprising: (a) engaging a tissue with a handheld device at a contact point and with a contact load, wherein the handheld device comprises a vibration generator for inducing mechanical vibrations over a range of frequencies at the contact point and one or more sensors for measuring the applied force of the mechanical vibrations and for measuring the tissue response at the same contact point; (b) initiating a frequency sweep at the same contact point in (a) with the handheld device; (c) simultaneously performing the frequency sweep over the range of frequencies based on a given set of operational parameters while maintaining the contact load to induce mechanical vibrations in the tissue at the same contact point in (a) and measuring the applied force of the mechanical vibrations and the tissue response at the same contact point in (a) with the handheld device to assess tissue quality.