Patent ID: 7104956
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method of imaging a biological sample, comprising the steps of: generating an initial ultrasonic signal; directing the ultrasonic signal into and along a propagation path in the sample, wherein the sample causes finite, non-linear amplitude distortion of the ultrasonic signal along the propagation path and thereby produces a distorted ultrasonic signal comprised of a first order component signal and higher order harmonic component signals at a first and higher order harmonic frequencies respectively, and further wherein the sample also reflects the distorted ultrasonic signal including the first order and the higher order harmonic components; receiving the higher order harmonic components of the reflected distorted ultrasonic signal produced by the distortion of the initial ultrasonic signal along the propagation path and caused by said sample; forming an image principally from one of said received higher order harmonic components of the reflected distorted ultrasonic signal; and displaying said formed image.