Patent ID: 6776760
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: A61B,G16H

Abstract:
A tissue classifying system comprising:an ultrasonic transmitting system configured to transmit a plurality of pulses through the tissue at various angles with respect to the tissue; an ultrasonic receiving system oriented opposite of the transmitting system such that: the tissue may be positioned between the transmitting system and the oppositely-oriented receiving system; and the receiving system receives each pulse that is transmitted by the transmitting system after it propagates through and is forward scattered by the tissue; a database configured to store frequency-dependent transmission characteristics about various types of tissue; and a processing system configured to be in communication with the transmitting system, the receiving system and the database and configured to: deliver ultrasonic pulses to the transmitting system; receive ultrasonic signals from the receiving system, each ultrasonic signal including a representation of an ultrasonic pulse that is transmitted by the transmitting system after the pulse propagates through and is forward scattered by the tissue; extract an initial portion from each received signal; perform a Fourier decomposition on the extracted initial portion of each received signal; determine frequency-dependent transmission characteristics of a pixel within the tissue based on the Fourier decomposition of the extracted initial portion of the received signals; and determine the tissue type of the pixel based on a comparison of the frequency-dependent transmission characteristics of the pixel with the information in the database.