Abstract:
An ultrasound machine processes ultrasonic data according to acoustoelastic properties of the materials to obtain strain information without specific assumptions with respect to the material properties of the measured material or a variety of different material properties normally not obtained by ultrasound machines.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/192,930, filed Jul. 29, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/592,746 filed Jul., 30, 2004 hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     This invention was made with United States government support awarded by the following agency: NIH AR049266. The United States has certain rights in this invention. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to ultrasonic imaging and quantitative measurements and, in particular, to an improved apparatus and method for making ultrasonic measurements of material strain and stiffness.  
         [0004]     Conventional ultrasonic imaging provides a mapping of ultrasonic echo signals onto an image plane where the intensity of the echo, caused principally by relatively small differences in material properties between adjacent material types, is mapped to brightness of pixels on the image plane. While such images serve to distinguish rough structure within the body, they provide limited insight into the physical properties of the imaged materials.  
         [0005]     Ultrasonic elastography is a new ultrasonic modality that may produce data and images revealing stiffness properties of the material, for example, strain under an externally applied stress, Poisson&#39;s ratio, Young&#39;s modulus, and other common strain and strain-related measurements.  
         [0006]     In one type of elastography, termed “quasi-static” elastography, two images of a material in two different states of compression, for example, no compression and a given positive compression, may be obtained by the ultrasound device. The material may be compressed by a probe (including the transducer itself) or, for biological materials, by muscular action or movement of adjacent organs. Strain may be deduced from these two images by computing gradients of the relative shift of the material in the two images along the compression axis. Quasi-static elastography is analogous to a physician&#39;s palpation of tissue in which the physician determines stiffness by pressing the material and detecting the amount of material yield (strain) under this pressure.  
         [0007]     The process of deducing the shift in material under compression may start by computing local correlations between the images, and then evaluating differences in echo arrival time for correlated structures before and after compression. Differences in echo arrival time are converted to material displacement (or strain, which is displacement normalized by length) at different points within the material by multiplying the difference in arrival times by the speed of sound through the material.  
         [0008]     The amount of material strain indirectly provides an approximate measure of stiffness. Material that exhibits less strain under compression may be assumed to be stiffer, while material that exhibits more strain under compression is assumed to be less stiff.  
         [0009]     The parent application to the present application provided a new paradigm of strain measurement which, rather than deducing strain by measuring the motion of the material, deduced strain directly from the modification of the ultrasonic signal caused by changes in the acoustic properties of the material under deformation (acoustoelasticity). A similar technique could be used, if the strain is known, to derive the material properties.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present inventors have now realized that acoustoelastic analysis can provide both strain and material properties from a set of ultrasonic signals without the need to know one to derive the other. A similar technique can be used to provide a variety of new material property measurements including stiffness gradient (the change in stiffness with strain), tangential modulus, Poisson&#39;s ratio, and wave signal attenuation (all as a function of strain) as well as tissue density that in turn can be used to provide images and novel data describing materials. These measurements, in the medical field, may help differentiate tissue types that otherwise would appear similar in standard or elastographic ultrasound images.  
         [0011]     Specifically then, one embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasound system having an ultrasound transducer assembly for transmitting an ultrasound signal to collect a first and second echo signals when the material is at a first and second tension applied across the axis of the ultrasound. A processor receives the first and second echo signals from the ultrasound transducer and processes the signals according to a stored program to deduce both strain of the material and its stiffness.  
         [0012]     Thus, it is one feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for measurements of strain in materials in situations where the functional loading cannot be easily characterized. It is another feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow simultaneous measurement of strain and material properties (stiffness, density, Poisson&#39;s ratio, tangential modulus and wave attenuation) without error-prone precharacterization of the material.  
         [0013]     The processor may determine strain and material properties (stiffness, Poisson&#39;s ratio, tangential modulus and wave attenuation) from a time of flight of ultrasound between the first and second interfaces in the target material and the reflection coefficients indicating reflected ultrasonic energy at the first and second interfaces.  
         [0014]     Thus, it is another feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to extract quantitative information from the strength of reflections that allows improved analysis of ultrasonic signals.  
         [0015]     In another embodiment, the present invention provides an ultrasonic acoustoelastography system that evaluates the first and second echo signals at multiple states of deformation to provide a measure of change in stiffness as a function of deformation and uses this change in material properties (stiffness, density, Poisson&#39;s ratio, tangential modulus and wave attenuation) as a function of deformation to characterize the material.  
         [0016]     Thus, it is one feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to use a measure of the deviation of stiffness from constant, assumed in other elastographic techniques, in fact, to characterize tissue.  
         [0017]     The echo signals may be from boundaries of the material in another material, or the reverse, or of the material in a uniform transmission material such as water.  
         [0018]     Thus, it is one feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a method of obtaining the necessary signals in a variety of situations.  
         [0019]     The change of stiffness or other material properties (density, Poisson&#39;s ratio, tangential modulus and wave attenuation) may be output as an image.  
         [0020]     Thus, it is one feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a new imaging mode.  
         [0021]     In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a system for measuring material properties with ultrasound, which measures the strength of reflected waves from multiple levels of deformation of the material at a first and second boundary of the material and measures the time of travel of the waves between the first and second boundary. These two measurements are combined to deduce material strain, and then other material properties (stiffness, tangential modulus, Poisson&#39;s ratio, wave attenuation, and density) can be calculated using the deduced strain and measured wave signal sets from multiple states of material deformation.  
         [0022]     Thus, it is one feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a wealth of new measurable qualities of materials using ultrasound.  
         [0023]     These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims, and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram of an ultrasound scanner suitable for use with the present invention having a transducer system providing compression of a measured material along the beam of ultrasound;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary view of an alternative transducer system used with tension on the material applied across the beam of ultrasound;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is an elevational cross-section of material being measured using the devices of  FIG. 1  or  2 , showing the incident and reflected signal and the analysis of the reflected signal to deduce time of flight and reflection coefficients;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the calculations of the present invention using the system of  FIG. 2  to simultaneously obtain stiffness and strain;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the calculation block of  FIG. 4  showing the extraction of reflection coefficients and time of flight, per  FIG. 3 , in this process.  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the calculations of the present invention using the system of  FIG. 1  to simultaneously obtain different material properties and tissue strain;  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a mapping system used to provide images and quantitative information from the systems of  FIGS. 4 and 6 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 8  is a pair of graphs showing stiffness gradient determined using the present invention and per ex vitro measurement showing the performance of the present invention and the ability of stiffness gradient to distinguish tissue types; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 9  is a diagram showing ultrasound waves and their magnitudes as they pass through the materials of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0033]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an acoustoelastographic ultrasound system  10  suitable for use with the present invention may employ an ultrasonic imaging machine  11  alone or in combination with an external computer  30 . Generally, the ultrasonic imaging machine  11  provides the necessary hardware and/or software to collect and process ultrasonic echo signals by processor  33  held within the ultrasonic imaging machine  11  or in the external computer  30 .  
         [0034]     An ultrasonic transducer  12  associated with the ultrasonic imaging machine  11  may transmit an ultrasound beam  14  along an axis  15  toward a region of interest  18  within a patient  16  to produce echo signals returning generally along axis  15 . The echo signals may be received by the ultrasonic transducer  12  and converted to an electrical echo signal. For the construction of an image, multiple rays within ultrasound beam  14  and corresponding echo signals will be acquired within a region of interest surrounding for example a tumor  18 . In one embodiment, the transducer  12  may include a force measuring transducer to quantify force applied to the patient from the transducer  12  when the transducer  12  is being used to apply compression to the patient  16 .  
         [0035]     Multiple acquisitions of echo signals may be obtained with the tissue of the patient  16  in different states of compression, the compression being performed most easily by pressing the ultrasonic transducer  12  into the tissue of the patient  16  along axis  15 . Other compression techniques, including those using independent compressor paddles or muscular action of tissue, may also be used.  
         [0036]     The electrical echo signals communicated along lead  22  may be received by interface circuitry  24  of the ultrasonic imaging machine  11 . The interface circuitry  24  provides amplification, digitization, and other signal processing of the electrical signal as is understood in the art of ultrasonic imaging. The digitized echo signals are then transmitted to a memory  34  for storage and subsequent processing by a processor  33 , as will be described below.  
         [0037]     After processing, the echo signals may be used to construct an image displayed on graphical display  36  or may be displayed quantitatively on the graphical display  36 . Input commands affecting the display of the echo signals and their processing may be received via a keyboard  38  or cursor control device  40 , such as a mouse, attached to the processor  33  via interface  24 , as is well understood in the art.  
         [0038]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , in an alternative embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer  12  may be placed, for example in a container  42  holding a coupling medium  44  with known material properties, such as water. A portion of the patient&#39;s body, in this case the patient&#39;s heel including a tendon  45 , may be immersed in the coupling medium  44  so that the ultrasonic transducer  12  directs an ultrasound beam  14  generally along a horizontal axis  15  through the tendon  45  which extends vertically across the axis  15 . In this case, the tendon  45  is essentially adjacent to the ultrasonic transducer  12  separated only by a small amount of skin and tissue and a thin layer of the coupling medium  44 .  
         [0039]     Echo signal, as described above, may be obtained with the tendon in different states of tension, for example by instructing the patient to press down on the ball of the foot down to lift against the patient&#39;s weight during one acquisition set. The tension is applied vertically along axis  46  generally perpendicular and crossing axis  15 . As before the echo signals are provided over lead  22  to the interface circuitry  24 .  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in both the applications of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , incident ultrasound rays  20  of the ultrasound beam  14  are directed toward an internal body structure  48  to cross a front interface  50  and rear interface  52  of the body structure. The front interface  50  and rear interface  52  may, for example, be interfaces between different tissues or materials within a patient  16  or interfaces between a coupling material and the body structure  48 .  
         [0041]     The incident ultrasound ray  20  will typically be a pulse signal  54  having a first frequency spectrum  56 . The passage of the incident ultrasound ray  20  through the front interface  50  will cause a first reflected ultrasound ray  60  to be returned to the transducer  12  from the front interface  50 . Similarly, the passage of the ray  20  through the rear interface  52  will cause a second reflected ultrasound ray  62  to the transducer  12  from the rear interface  52 . These two reflected ultrasound rays combine with other rays to produce a return signal  64  having two dominant pulses associated with the reflected ultrasound rays  60  and  62 , each having a corresponding frequency spectrum: spectrum  66  for the ray  60 , and spectrum  68  for the ray  62 .  
         [0042]     These pulses may be readily identified by amplitude peak detection techniques or adaptive filtering, implemented by the processor  33  executing a stored program, so that a travel time t may be determined by measuring the time between these pulses  60  and  62 , such as indicates the travel time of the incident ultrasound ray  20  between the front interface  50  and the rear interface  52 .  
         [0043]     The processor  33  may further analyze the frequency spectra  56 ,  66 , and  68  to determine reflection coefficients at each of the interfaces  50  and  52  indicating generally how much of the incident ultrasound ray  20  was reflected at each interface  50  and  52 . The reflection coefficients, may, for example, be determined by comparing the peak amplitude of spectra  56  against the peak amplitudes of spectra  66  and  68 , respectively, as will described further below.  
       Acoustoelastic Strain Gauge (ASG)  
       [0044]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the echo data  70  comprising signals  54  and  64  for two states of tension, per  FIG. 1 , may be collected and provided to a processing program  72  contained in the memory  34  and executed by processor  33 . From these data, acceptably without additional measurement or input with respect to the material being measured, a stiffness value or material property  74  and a strain measurement  78  may both be determined, for example, for the tendon  45  of  FIG. 2 . This contrasts to the method of the parent of the present application in which one of the material properties  74  or strain  78  is needed to be known to produce the other.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the program  72 , as described above, generally provides for a determination of the reflection coefficient  75  and the travel time  76 , as described below, for these two states of tension of the tissue, and makes certain general assumptions  79  about the measured materials which are processed as follows.  
         [0046]     Frequency Domain Analysis  
         [0047]     First, the transverse stiffness (e.g., along the ultrasound axis  15 ) is assumed to be some function of the applied strain e, for example, a general second order function such as: 
 
 {tilde over (C)}   33 ( e )≈ C   2   ·e   2   +C   1   ·e+C   33    (1) 
 
         [0048]     As will be discussed later, the order or the form of this function is not critical and is chosen so that it can be fit to the data.  
         [0049]     By introducing the assumption of near incompressibility (i.e. the material density does not depend on the amount of strain or deformation) it follows that: 
 
ρ S ( e )≈ρ S ( e= 0)=ρ 0   S ,   (2) 
 
         [0050]     Under these assumptions, the wave velocity through thickness (in transverse direction) is given by:  
                     V   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =       ⁢             C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )           ρ   S     ⁡     (   e   )                       ≈       ⁢               C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )         ρ   0   S         .                   (   3   )             
 
         [0051]     The reflection coefficient at the interface of surrounding medium (e.g., water) and target medium is defined by:  
         R   ⁡     (   e   )       =           ρ   S     ⁢     V   ⁡     (   e   )         -       ρ   W     ⁢     V   W               ρ   S     ⁢     V   ⁡     (   e   )         +       ρ   W     ⁢     V   W               
 
         [0052]     or re-organized form  
                 ρ   S     ·     V   ⁡     (     e   i     )         =         1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁢       ρ   W     ·       V   W     .                 (   4   )             
 
         [0053]     In these relations, superscripts S and W respectively represent the target tissue (solid) and the surrounding medium (e.g., water).  
         [0054]     Combining eq. (1)˜(4), a relation between material properties (C 1 , C 2 , C 33 , ρ 0 ) and impedance square (right hand side of equation) for each stretched state is derived as:  
                       ρ   0   S     ⁡     (         C   2     ·     ⅇ   2       +       C   1     ·   e     +     C   33       )       =       [         (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]     2                 =     IPS   ⁡     (   e   )                     (   5   )             
 
         [0055]     When the material properties of the surrounding medium (e.g., water) are known, the reflection coefficient can be retrieved from measured echo signals, and the impedance square parameter on the right hand side is known. As will be noted below, however, knowledge of the material properties of the surrounding material is not required.  
         [0056]     Similarly, the relation between the material property and impedance square at non-stretched state can be derived as:  
                       ρ   0   S     ⁢     C   33       =       [         (     1   +     R   0       )       (     1   -     R   0       )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]     2                 =       IPS   0     .                   (   6   )             
 
         [0057]     By the taking the ratio of reflection information eqs. (5) and (6), the unknown target tissue density cancels and is eliminated as a parameter required to determine the other material properties. This is important because in-vivo tissue density is very difficult to measure.  
                           ρ   0   S     ⁡     (   e   )       ⁢         C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )             ρ   0   S     ⁢     C   33         ≈       ⁢             C   2     ·     ⅇ   2       +       C   1     ·   e         C   33       +   1                 =       ⁢         [         (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]     2         [         (     1   +     R   0       )       (     1   -     R   0       )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]     2                   =       ⁢         [       (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ]     2         [       (     1   +     R   0       )       (     1   -     R   0       )       ]     2                   =       ⁢       IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         IPS   0                     (   7   )             
 
         [0058]     Here, the left hand side term represents the unknown normalized material property. Again, the right hand side is measured or known information. Since the material properties of the surrounding medium (ρ W V W ) are cancelled out in the same process, the material properties of the surrounding medium that were originally assumed to be known are also not essential to the analysis.  
         [0059]     Time Domain Analysis:  
         [0060]     The travel time at e=0 (non-stretched state) can be related to tissue thickness D and wave velocity V 0  by:  
                     T   0     =       2   ⁢   D       V   0                   =     2   ⁢   D   ⁢           ρ   0   s       C   33         .                     (   8   )             
 
         [0061]     Similarly, the travel time at e≠0 (stretched state) is given by:  
               T   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =         2   ⁢     d   ⁡     (     e   i     )           V   ⁡     (     e   i     )         .             (   9   )             
 
         [0062]     Here, the wave velocity V and tissue thickness d at a stretched state are given by:  
                     V   ≈       ⁢             C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )         ρ   0   s                     =       ⁢             C   2     ⁢     ⅇ   2       +       C   1     ⁢   e     +     C   33         ρ   0   s                 ⁢     
     ⁢   and           (   10   )                 d   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =       D       1   +     e   i           .             (   11   )             
 
         [0063]     By taking the ratio of the wave travel time eq.(10) and (11):  
                       (       T   0       T   ⁡     (   e   )         )     2     =       (       2   ⁢     D   /     V   0           2   ⁢     d   /   V         )     2                 =       (               C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )         C   33         ⁢       1   +   e         )     2                 =         IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         IPS   0       ⁢     (     1   +   e     )                     (   12   )             
 
         [0064]     the strain e applied to the tissue can be evaluated as:  
             e   =           IPS   0       IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         ⁢       (       T   0       T   ⁡     (   e   )         )     2       -   1             (   13   )             
 
         [0065]     Since the right hand side of this relation contains parameters that are measured directly from wave signals, the applied strain can be evaluated directly without any supplemental information. Once the applied strains are evaluated, they are used in equation (7) to compute the normalized stiffness.  
                       C   2     ·     e   2       +       C   1     ·   e         C   33       +   1     =           [       (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ]     2         [       (     1   +     R   0       )       (     1   -     R   0       )       ]     2       =       IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         IPS   0                 (   7   )             
 
         [0066]     If the density of the target tissue ρ 0   S  is known prior to the testing, the coefficients in the transverse stiffness function can be directly evaluated by substituting the evaluated strain into relation (5)  
                   C   2     ·     e   2       +       C   1     ·   e     +     C   33       =           1     ρ   0   S       ⁡     [         (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]       2     =       1     ρ   0   S       ⁢     IPS   ⁡     (   e   )                   (     5   ′     )             
 
         [0067]     Once the transverse stiffness is given as a function of applied strain e, the tissue thickness at any strain level can be calculated from relation (9)  
               d   ⁡     (   e   )       =           T   ⁡     (   e   )       2     ⁢     V   ⁡     (   e   )         =         T   ⁡     (   e   )       2     ⁢             C   2     ·     e   2       +       C   1     ·   e     +     C   33         ρ   0   S                     (   14   )             
 
         [0068]     Implementation  
         [0069]     Step 1. Measure the reflected echo signal and compute impedance square IPS 0  and wave travel time T 0  through thickness in the non-stretched (unloaded) state (e=0).  
         [0070]     If the density of target tissue is known or can be assumed with reasonable accuracy, the stiffness at the non-deformed state can be given by (4).  
         C   33     =           1     ρ   0   S       ⁡     [         (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ⁢     ρ   W     ⁢     V   W       ]       2     =       1     ρ   0   S       ⁢     IPS   0             
 
         [0071]     Step 2a. Stretch the tissue and measure the reflected echo signal and compute IPS(e 1 ) and wave travel time T(e 1 ). From relation (13), evaluate the applied strain e 1 .  
         [0072]     Step 2b. Repeat step 2a for the second stretched state to evaluate IPS(e 2 ) and wave travel time T(e 2 ) through thickness. From relation (13), evaluates the applied strain e 2 .  
         [0073]     Step 3. Set up the following two independent equations, by substituting evaluated strains e 1  and e 2  into relation (7).  
         [0074]     If density is not known:  
         [0075]     For strain e 1 :  
                 C   2     ·     e   1   2       +       C   1     ·     e   1           C   33       +   1     =       IPS   ⁡     (     e   1     )         IPS   0           
 
         [0076]     For strain e 2 :  
                 C   2     ·     e   2   2       +       C   1     ·     e   2           C   33       +   1     =       IPS   ⁡     (     e   2     )         IPS   0           
 
         [0077]     If the density is known, substitute strains e 1 , e 2  and stiffness C 33  evaluated from previous relation (5)  
         [0078]     For strain e 1 :  
             C   2     ·     e   1   2       +       C   1     ·     e   1       +     C   33       =       1     ρ   0   S       ⁢     IPS   ⁡     (     e   1     )             
 
         [0079]     For strain e 2 :  
             C   2     ·     e   2   2       +       C   1     ·     e   2       +     C   33       =       1     ρ   0   S       ⁢     IPS   ⁡     (     e   2     )             
 
         [0080]     Step 4. Evaluate two normalized unknown parameters C 1 /C 33  and C 2 /C 33  for the case of unknown tissue density or stiffness parameters C 1  and C 2  for the case of known tissue density by solving above system of equations simultaneously.  
         [0081]     With wave signals acquired at two different unknown stretched states (e 1  and e 2 ) and with wave signals from the non-stretched state (e=0), we can evaluate applied strain and two normalized stiffness coefficients (C 1 /C 33  and C 2 /C 33 ) without any prior information or we can evaluate C 1  and C 2  when tissue density is known.  
         [0082]     In the above example, stiffness was assumed to be a second order function of applied strain. It is possible, however, to use the same technique to evaluate strain and stiffness coefficients even if stiffness is a higher order (or a different type) of function of strain. Unless, it is not possible to acquire wave signals at multiple strain states, a higher order assumption of stiffness does not cause any difficulty for this technique.  
         [0083]     For example, if stiffness turns out to be a third order function of strain ({tilde over (C)} 33 (e)≈C 3 ·e 3 +C 2 ·e 2 +C 1 ·e+C 33 ), it requires only one extra wave signal measurement to set up the required extra equations. If N+1 sets of signals (N wave signals measured at different stretch levels and one wave signal from non-stretched state) can be acquired, N unknown normalized material coefficients can be evaluated. Therefore, the Nth order normalized transverse stiffness {tilde over (C)} 33 (e)/C 33 ≈(C N /C 33 ·e N + . . . C 1 /C 33 ·e+1) can be found.  
         [0084]     It is worth noting the differences between the method of “elastography” and the ASG technique presented herein. Since “elastography” uses only the wave equation (and does not use the acoustoelastic equation done in this analysis), changes in tissue acoustic characteristics as a function of strain do not show up in elastographic analysis. Hence the stiffness is always treated as fixed number i.e. {tilde over (C)} 33 (e)=C 33 . As a result, the frequency domain relation (7) becomes,  
                 ρ   0   S     ⁡     (   e   )       ⁢         C   ~     33     ⁡     (   e   )             ρ   0   S     ⁢     C   33         ≈         ρ   0   S     ⁢     C   33           ρ   0   S     ⁢     C   33           =       1   ≠         [       (     1   +     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       (     1   -     R   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ]     2         [       (     1   +     R   0       )       (     1   -     R   0       )       ]     2         =         IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         IPS   0       .           
 
         [0085]     Therefore the relationship between reflection coefficients cannot be utilized in “elastography”. In addition, the time domain relation (13) suffers from the same fixed stiffness {tilde over (C)} 3 (e)=C 33  as:  
         e   ^     =         (       T   0       T   ⁡     (   e   )         )     2     -   1.         
 
         [0086]     This oversimplified relation in time domain indicates that the applied strain can never correctly account for strain dependent signals within the framework of “elastography”. The differences between the two methods are tabulated in Table 1.  
                                                 TABLE 1                                   Frequency domain   Time domain relation               Relation (7)   (13)   Variables that can be evaluated                                                        ASG                     C   2     ⁢     •e   2       +       C   1     ⁢   •e         C   33       +   1     =       IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         IPS   0                       e   =           IPS   0       IPS   ⁡     (   e   )         ⁢       (       T   0       T   ⁡     (   e   )         )     2       -   1             Normalized coefficients C 1 /C 33 , . . . , C N /C 33  for unknown density or coefficients C 1 , . . . , C N  for known tissue density. &amp; applied strain e               Elastography                 e   ^     =         (       T   0       T   ⁡     (   e   )         )     2     -   1             Approximate strain ê                  
 
       Stiffness Gradient Identification (SGI)  
       [0087]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the echo data  70  comprising signals  54  and  64  from multiple states of compression per,  FIG. 1 , may be collected and provided to a processing program  72 ′ contained in the memory  34  and executed by processor  33 . The echo data  70  may be processed by a program  72 ′, similar to program  72  described with respect to  FIG. 4 , to produce a variety of different measurements, including stiffness gradient  82 , tangential modulus  91 , initial stiffness  84 , density  86 , Poisson&#39;s ratio  93 , target thickness  95 , and wave attenuation  88 .  
         [0088]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the program  72 ′, as described above, generally provides for a determination of the reflection coefficient  75  and the travel time  76 , as described below, for these two states of compression of the tissue, and makes certain general assumptions  79  about the measured materials which are processed as follows.  
         [0089]     The following analysis will consider a one-dimensional three-layered model (surrounding medium 1/target medium 2/surrounding medium 1). The material properties in the surrounding medium are assumed to be known. If not, an additional medium (coupling material) with known properties can be added artificially. The method can then analyze the surrounding medium properties first and then use those properties for analysis of the target tissue. Hence this technique can be applied to a multi-layered medium. If the size of the ultrasound wave width is relatively small compared to the size of the target tissue, this assumption can be applied to two dimensions as well.  
         [0090]     If only the normalized tissue stiffness is required, following relations and steps may be followed.  
         [0091]     Frequency Domain Analysis:  
         [0092]     First, based on the theory of acoustoelasticity, the wave velocities in the compressed medium 1 (surrounding tissue) and medium 2 (target tissue) are given by:  
                 V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ≈               C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ρ   1         ⁢           ⁢   and   ⁢           ⁢       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ≈               C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ρ   2         .             (   101   )             
 
         [0093]     Here, C(e) and t(e) represent strain (e) dependent stiffness and stress. Subscripts represent the medium numbers.  
         [0094]     By substituting above relations into the well known definition of a reflection coefficient:  
                 R   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =               ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         -       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                 ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )             ⁢           ⁢   or   ⁢           ⁢       ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           =         1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁢       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )               ,           (   102   )             
 
         [0095]     The unknown parameters in target tissues in the i th  compressed state will be given by:  
                 ρ   2     ⁡     [         C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]       =         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢         ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]       .               (   103   )             
 
         [0096]     With consideration of stress continuity (t 1 (e i )=t 2 (e i )) that is guaranteed in a one-dimensional model, relation ( 103 ) can be further simplified to:  
                 ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ≈         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       .               (   104   )             
 
         [0097]     Here, the material density of mediums 1 and 2 are assumed to be very close ρ 1 ≈ρ 2 .  
         [0098]     The unknown parameters in target tissues in a non-compressed state are derived to be:  
                 ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )         =         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢         C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )       .               (   105   )             
 
         [0099]     Now assume stiffness in target tissue (medium 2) is a second order function of the applied strain e as: 
 
 C   2 ( e )≈ a   2   ·e   2   +b   2   ·e+c   2 .   (106) 
 
         [0100]     By taking the ratio of eq.(104) and (105) and with substitution of relation (106), relation between material property in medium 2 and measured reflection coefficient are given by:  
                     a   2     ⁢     e   i   2       +       b   2     ⁢     e   i       +     c   2         c   2       ≈             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )               [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           .             (   107   )             
 
         [0101]     Time Domain Analysis  
         [0102]     The travel time at e=0 (non-stretched state) is related to tissue thickness D and wave velocity V 0  by:  
               T   0     =         2   ⁢   D       V   0       =     2   ⁢   D   ⁢           ρ   2       C   2         .                 (   108   )             
 
         [0103]     Similarly, the travel time at e≠0 (stretched state) is given by:  
               T   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =         2   ⁢     d   ⁡     (     e   i     )           V   ⁡     (     e   i     )         .             (   109   )             
 
         [0104]     Here, the wave velocity V and tissue thickness d at stretched state is given by:  
                   V   ≈           C   2     ⁡     (   e   )         ρ   2           =             a   2     ⁢     e   2       +       b   2     ⁢   e     +     c   2         ρ   2           ⁢     
     ⁢   and     ⁢           ⁢     
             (   110   )                 d   ⁡     (     e   i     )       =     D   ·       (     1   -     e   i       )     .               (   111   )             
 
         [0105]     The ratio of the wave travel time eq.(108) and (109) is given by:  
                 T   0     T     =           D     V   0         d   V       ≈       D         c   2       ρ   2               D   ⁡     (     1   -     e   i       )                 C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ρ   2               =       (             C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           c   2         )     ⁢       1     1   -   e       .                 (   112   )             
 
         [0106]     Since  
             C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           c   2         
 
 is related to reflection coefficients and parameters in medium 1 by:  
               C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )           c   2       =           ρ   2     ⁡     [         C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]           ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           =             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢       ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]               [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                   
 
         [0107]     the strain e applied to the tissue will evaluated as:  
               e   i     =     1   -               [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   i     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             ⁢       T     T   0       .                 (   113   )             
 
         [0108]     Since the right hand side of this relation contains parameters that are either known or measured directly from wave signals, the applied strain can be evaluated directly without any supplemental information. Once the applied strains are evaluated, they are used in equation (107) to obtain normalized stiffness properties.  
                     a   2     ⁢     e   i   2       +       b   2     ⁢     e   i       +     c   2         c   2       ≈           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )               [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                   (   107   )             
 
         [0109]     Implementation  
         [0110]     Step 1. Compress media with a higher level of known stress for example using a force transducer in the ultrasonic probe. 
 
 t   2 ( e   A )= t   1 ( e   A ) 
 
         [0111]     This higher stress enhances the contrast between the target medium and the surrounding medium. Since the acoustic contrast is now enhanced, the location and shape of the target tissue can be identified with greater precision. Now, the reflection coefficient for this compressed tissue can be used in the following relation:  
           ρ   2     ⁡     [         C   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         ]       =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           ]     2     ⁢       ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )         ]       ⁢           ⁢   or   ⁢           ⁢     ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         ≈         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )               
 
         [0112]     Step 2. Repeat the same measurements for different, but compressive stresses that are smaller than the stress used in the previous step.  
           t   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       &lt;       t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )           
           ρ   2     ⁡     [         C   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e     B   ⁢               )         ]       =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           ]     2     ⁢       ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )         ]       ⁢           ⁢   or   ⁢           ⁢     ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )         ≈         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )               
 
         [0113]     Step 3. Measure the reflection information for the non-compressed state. In this state, the acoustic contrast between target medium and surrounding medium is typically lowest. Hence the boundary between the two media is less clear. However, by following the compression-enhanced boundary in the previous two steps, the boundary between the two media can be estimated and the reflection coefficient can be computed.  
           ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )         =         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             
 
         [0114]     Step 4. Evaluate applied strain e A  and e B  using the relation (113).  
         [0115]     Step 5. With evaluated strain e A  and e B , unknown normalized material properties (α=a 2 /c 2  and β=b 2 /c 2 ) can evaluated by solving the following two relations simultaneously. Again, the parameters on the right hand side of the relation are known or measured.  
                     a   2     ⁢     e   A   2       +       b   2     ⁢     e   A       +     c   2         c   2       ⁢       ≈           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   A     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )               [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                               a   2     ⁢     e   B   2       +       b   2     ⁢     e   B       +     c   2         c   2       ⁢       ≈           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   B     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )               [       1   +     R   (       e   i     =   0     ⁢           )         1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                     
 
         [0116]     Tissue stiffness often is reasonably linear over a functional range of strain and the slope of the stiffness function depends on the tissue type. For such tissues, parameter β will be more dominant and important than α. Once the slope β is evaluated, tissue identification can be performed by checking a table of stiffness slopes for various tissues.  
         [0117]     If a full set of material properties (stiffness, stiffness gradient, Poisson&#39;s ratio tangential modulus, and density) are to be evaluated, the following additional relations are further required.  
         [0118]     In a non-deformed isotropic homogenous material, the Young&#39;s modulus E is known to related the stiffness C via material constants termed Poisson&#39;s ratio (v) and is given by  
             E   =           (     1   +   v     )     ⁢     (     1   -     2   ⁢   v       )         (     1   -   v     )       ⁢   C             (   201   )             
 
         [0119]     Now assume this relation also holds in a deformed state if the deformation is one dimensional and relation between tangential modulus and stiffness can be given by:  
               E   ⁡     (   e   )       =           (     1   +     v   ⁡     (   e   )         )     ⁢     (     1   -     2   ⁢           ⁢     v   ⁡     (   e   )           )         (     1   -     v   ⁡     (   e   )         )       ⁢     C   ⁡     (   e   )                 (   202   )             
 
         [0120]     E(e) is termed as tangential modulus instead of Young&#39;s modulus for general finite deformation. Since nearly incompressible materials like biological tissues are considered, the Poisson&#39;s ratio at deformed state can be assumed to be:  
               v   ⁡     (   e   )       =       1   2     -     φ   ⁡     (   e   )                 (   203   )             
 
         [0121]     φ(e) is a small variable that governs small volume changes caused by the compression strain e. After substituting relation (203) into (202), expand (202) as function of φ(e) and ignoring the higher order term, then relation (202) simplifies to: 
 
 E ( e )≈6φ( e )· C ( e )   (204) 
 
         [0122]     If the stiffness in the target tissue (e.g. tendon  45  in  FIG. 2  or tumor  18  in  FIG. 1 ) C 2 (e) and φ(e) can be assumed to be 
 
 C   2 ( e )= a   2   ·e   2   +b   2   ·e+c   2    (106) 
 
and 
 
φ( e )= s   1   +s   2   ·e,    (205) 
 
         [0123]     the tangential modulus in target tissue (e.g. tendon  45  in  FIG. 1  or tumor  18  in  FIG. 1 ) can be given as the function of strain as 
 
 E   2 ( e )≈6φ( e )· C   2 ( e )=6 s   1   c   2 +(6 s   2   c   2 +6 s   1   b   2 ) e +(6 s   2   b   2 +6 s   1   a   2 ) e   2 +6 s   2   a   2   e   3 .   (206) 
 
         [0124]     Stress under these assumptions (one dimensional deformation) is given by integrating the tangential modulus,  
                       t   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =     ∫       E   ⁡     (   e   )       ⁢     ⅆ   e                     =       6   ⁡     [         s   1     ⁢     c   2     ⁢   e     +       1   2     ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     c   2       +       s   1     ⁢     b   2         )     ⁢     e   2       +       1   3     ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     b   2       +       s   1     ⁢     a   2         )     ⁢     e   3       +       1   4     ⁢     s   2     ⁢     a   2     ⁢     e   4         ]       .                   (   207   )             
 
         [0125]     With these relations, the key SGI mathematical relations for evaluating full sets of material properties can be derived in following manner.  
         [0126]     First, take the ratio of eq.(103) and eq.(105) from previous section as  
                 [         C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]         C   2     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )         =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                   (   208   )             
 
         [0127]     By substituting (106) and (207) into this relation, (208) is now changed into  
               1   +       (       6   ⁢           ⁢     s   1       +       b   2       c   2         )     ⁢   e     +       (       3   ⁢           ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢           ⁢     s   1     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +       a   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   2       +       (       2   ⁢           ⁢     s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +     2   ⁢           ⁢     s   1     ⁢       a   2       c   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢       a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   4         =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁢     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                   (   209   )             
 
         [0128]     Now, this relation (209) can be utilized as frequency domain relation to take the place of relation (107) in previous section.  
         [0129]     The implementation of this relation is exactly same as the implementation steps of (107). First, evaluate applied strains e 1  from relation (113) at multiple deformed configurations (more than 4 sets of data, each at a different strain). Second, feed back the evaluated strain into relation (209) to evaluate four unknown material constants  
         s   1     ,       s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2       ⁢           ⁢   and   ⁢           ⁢         a   2       c   2       .           
 
 With these evaluated constants, both deformation dependent Poisson&#39;s ratio v(e) and normalized stiffness NC 2 (e) are given by  
         v   ⁡     (   e   )       =       1   2     -     (       s   1     +       s   2     ·   e       )           
     and     
         N   ⁢           ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (   e   )         =           a   2       c   2       ·     e   2       +         b   2       c   2       ·   e     +   1.         
 
         [0130]     For simplicity, only a one dimensional layered model (surrounding medium-target medium-surrounding medium) is considered in the current description. Here, the condition of stress continuity t 2 (e)=t 1 (e) is guaranteed at the interface of two different media and t 1 (e) is known from measuring the pressure of the ultrasound transducer associated with each deformation. Using this assumption with equation 207 and the strain evaluated for each loading, a set of equations are generated from the relationship below. From these, the two coefficients describing Poisson&#39;s ratio, and all three material constants (a 2 , b 2  and c 2 ) required to define target medium stiffness C 2 (e) can be determined.  
           t   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =         t   1     ⁡     (   e   )       =       6   ⁡     [         s   1     ⁢     c   2     ⁢   e     +       1   2     ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     c   2       +       s   1     ⁢     b   2         )     ⁢     e   2       +       1   3     ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     b   2       +       s   1     ⁢     a   2         )     ⁢     e   3       +       1   4     ⁢     s   2     ⁢     a   2     ⁢     e   4         ]       =       6   ⁢           ⁢     s   1     ⁢     c   2     ⁢   e     +     3   ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     c   2       +       s   1     ⁢     b   2         )     ⁢     e   2       +     2   ⁢     (         s   2     ⁢     b   2       +       s   1     ⁢     a   2         )     ⁢     e   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢     a   2     ⁢     e   4                 
 
         [0131]     The unknown target tissue density can be also evaluated by utilizing same relation.  
         [0132]     First re-organize relation (103) as  
                 ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         =           [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢       ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]         -       ρ   2     ⁢       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )                   (   210   )             
 
         [0133]     By taking the ratio of (210) and (105), the normalized stiffness of target tissue will be given as  
                     N   ⁢           ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (   e   )         ⁢       =         ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )             ρ   2     ⁢       C   2     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                           ⁢     =     1   +         b   2       c   2       ⁢   e     +         a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   2                           ⁢     ≈             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2     ⁢       ρ   1     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         ]         -       ρ   2     ⁢       t   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )                 [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                             ⁢     =             [       1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ]     2         [       1   +     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2       ⁢           ⁢           C   1     ⁢     (     e   i     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )             C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )           -                       ⁢               ⁢       ρ   2     ⁢       t   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                     ⁢         [       1   +     R   ⁢           ⁢     (       e   i     =   0     )           1   -     R   ⁢           ⁢     (       e   i     =   0     )           ]     2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢     C   1     ⁢           ⁢     (       e   i     =   0     )                         (   211   )             
 
         [0134]     By substituting (209) into (211), the density ratio between unknown target tissue (medium 2) and unknown surrounding tissue (medium 1) is given as:  
                     ρ   RATIO     =       ⁢       ρ   2       ρ   1                   =       ⁢           [       1   +     R   0         1   -     R   0         ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             t   1     ⁡     (   e   )                         ⁢     [             6   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢   e     +       (       3   ⁢     s             ⁢   2         +     3   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢               ⁢     b             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2               )     ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   2         +                     ⅇ             ⁢   3       ⁡     (       2   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢               ⁢     b             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2             +     2   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢               ⁢     a             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2               )       ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   4         +       3             ⁢   2       ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢               ⁢     a             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2           ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   4                 ]                   (   212   )             
 
         [0135]     Note four constants  
             (       s   1     ,       s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2       ⁢           ⁢   and   ⁢           ⁢       a   2       c   2           )                         
 
 on the right hand side have been evaluated in the previous step, hence they are known properties at this stage. 
 
         [0136]     At first glance, in the relation (212), the density ratio may appear to be a function of applied strain e. However, by observing both relation (207) and (212), the density ratio can be shown to a constant as follows.  
                     ρ   RATIO     =       ρ   2       ρ   1                   =             [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R             ⁢   0                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R             ⁢   0             ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             t   1     ⁢     (   e   )         ⁢         t   2     ⁡     (   e   )         c   1                     =           [       1   +     R   0         1   -     R   0         ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             C   2     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )                       (   213   )             
 
         [0137]     In the process, stress continuity t 2 (e)=t 1 (e) was introduced.  
         [0138]     This relation can be also derived by re-organizing (105). Hence this indicates that the density ratio given by (213) should result in a constant value regardless of the state of deformation. Once the density ratio is evaluated, the density of target tissue can be simply given by 
 
ρ 2 ρ RATIO           ρ 1    (214) 
 
         [0139]     Once the density of target tissue are given, this can be brought back to equation (102) in SGI to evaluate the wave velocity in target tissue at any deformed state  
                 V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       =         1   +     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           1   -     R   ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁢   •   ⁢           ⁢       ρ   1       ρ   2       ⁢       •V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                 (   215   )             
 
         [0140]     From the evaluated wave velocity, the size (thickness) of target tissue at any deformed state can be also calculated by following relations. 
 
 d ( e   i )= T ( e   i )           V   2 ( e   i )/2   (216) 
 
         [0141]     In this relation, T(e i ) represents the round trip wave travel time through target medium.  
         [0142]     This thickness can be used in the evaluation of wave attenuation coefficient.  
         [0143]     Implementation  
         [0144]     Step 1. Compress media with a higher level of known stress t 1  (e A ) for example using a force transducer in the ultrasonic probe. 
 
 t   2 ( e   A )= t   1 ( e   A ) 
 
         [0145]     This higher stress enhances the contrast between the target medium and the surrounding medium. Since the acoustic contrast is now enhanced, the location and shape of the target tissue can be identified with greater precision. Now, the reflection coefficient for this compressed tissue can be used in the following relation:  
                       c   2     +       (       6   ⁢     s   1       +     b   2       )     ⁢     e   A       +                   (       3   ⁢     s   2     ⁢     c   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢     b   2       +     a   2       )     ⁢     e   A   2       +                         (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢     b   2       +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢     a   2         )     ⁢     e   A   3       +                 3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢     a   2     ⁢     e   A   4             =         [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   (           ⁢   e   )         1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   (           ⁢   e   )         ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )         ]           
 
         [0146]     Step 2. Repeat the same measurements for different, but compressive stresses (t 1 (e B ), t 1 (e C ) and t 1 (e D )) that are smaller than the stress used in the previous step.  
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )       =         t   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       &lt;       t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )             
           c             ⁢   2       +       (       6   ⁢     s             ⁢   1         +     b             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   B         +       (       3   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     c             ⁢   2         +     3   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     a             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   B               ⁢   2         +       (       2   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     2   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢     e             ⁢   B               ⁢   3         +       3             ⁢   2       ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢     e             ⁢   B               ⁢   4           =         [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   B     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   B     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )         ]           
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )       =         t   2     ⁢     (     e   C     )       &lt;       t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )             
           c             ⁢   2       +       (       6   ⁢     s             ⁢   1         +     b             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   C         +       (       3   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     c             ⁢   2         +     3   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     a             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   C               ⁢   2         +       (       2   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     2   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢     e             ⁢   C               ⁢   3         +       3             ⁢   2       ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢     e             ⁢   C               ⁢   4           =         [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   C     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   C     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )         ]           
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )       =         t   2     ⁢     (     e   D     )       &lt;       t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )             
           c             ⁢   2       +       (       6   ⁢     s             ⁢   1         +     b             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   D         +       (       3   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     c             ⁢   2         +     3   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     a             ⁢   2         )     ⁢     e             ⁢   D               ⁢   2         +       (       2   ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +     2   ⁢     s             ⁢   1       ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢     e             ⁢   D               ⁢   3         +       3             ⁢   2       ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢     e             ⁢   D               ⁢   4           =         [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   D     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   D     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )         ]           
 
         [0147]     Step 3. Measure the reflection information for the non-compressed state. In this state, the acoustic contrast between target medium and surrounding medium is typically lowest. Hence the boundary between the two media is less clear. However, by tracking the compression-enhanced boundary in the previous two steps, the boundary between the two media can be accurately estimated and the reflection coefficient can be computed.  
           ρ   2     ⁢     C   2       =           (       e   i     =   0     )     ⁡     [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             ]       2     ⁢     ρ   1     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             
 
         [0148]     Step 4. Evaluate applied strains e A , e B , e C  and e D  using the relation (113).  
         [0149]     Step 5. With evaluated strains e A , e B , e C  and e D , unknown material properties  
       (       s             ⁢   1       ,       s             ⁢   2       ⁢               ⁢     b             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2           ⁢           ⁢   and   ⁢           ⁢               ⁢     a             ⁢   2                   ⁢     c             ⁢   2               )       
 
 can evaluated by solving the following two relations simultaneously. Again, the parameters on the right hand side of the relation are known or measured.  
         1   +       (       6   ⁢     s   1       +       b   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   A       +       (       3   ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +       a   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   A   2       +       (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       a   2       c   2           )     ⁢     e   A   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢       a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   A   4         =           [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   A     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   A     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁢     (     e   A     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )         ]             [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )               
         1   +       (       6   ⁢     s   1       +       b   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   B       +       (       3   ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +       a   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   B   2       +       (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       a   2       c   2           )     ⁢     e   B   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢       a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   B   4         =           [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   B     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   B     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁢     (     e   B     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )         ]             [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )               
         1   +       (       6   ⁢     s   1       +       b   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   C       +       (       3   ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +       a   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   C   2       +       (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       a   2       c   2           )     ⁢     e   C   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢       a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   C   4         =           [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   C     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   C     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁢     (     e   C     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )         ]             [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )               
         1   +       (       6   ⁢     s   1       +       b   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   D       +       (       3   ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +       a   2       c   2         )     ⁢     e   D   2       +       (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢       b   2       c   2         +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢       a   2       c   2           )     ⁢     e   D   3       +       3   2     ⁢     s   2     ⁢       a   2       c   2       ⁢     e   D   4         =           [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   D     )           1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁢     (           ⁢     e   D     )           ]     2     ⁡     [         C   1     ⁢     (     e   D     )       +       t   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )         ]             [       1   ⁢           +           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )                   ⁢     1   ⁢           -           ⁢     R   ⁡     (     e   =   0     )             ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (     e   =   0     )               
 
         [0150]     Step 6. Set up four equations, by substituting evaluated two coefficients (s 1 ,s 2 ) for Poisson&#39;s ratio and any given strains say into eq.(207) and solve them simultaneously to retrieve three stiffness constants (a 2 , b 2  and c 2 ):  
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =         t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =     6   ⁡     [               s             ⁢   1       ⁢     c             ⁢   2       ⁢     e             ⁢   A         +       1             ⁢   2       ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢     c             ⁢   2         +       s             ⁢   1       ⁢     b             ⁢   2           )     ⁢     e             ⁢   A         +                   1             ⁢   3       ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢     b             ⁢   2         +       s             ⁢   1       ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   3         +       1             ⁢   4       ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   4                 ]             
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =         t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =     6   ⁡     [                 s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +     ⁢                           1             ⁢   3       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   3         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   4       ⁢           ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   4                 ]             
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =         t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =     6   ⁡     [                 s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +     ⁢                           1             ⁢   3       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   3         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   4       ⁢           ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   4                 ]             
           t   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =         t   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       =     6   ⁡     [                 s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     c             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A         ⁢           +     ⁢                           1             ⁢   3       ⁢           ⁢     (         s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     b             ⁢   2         ⁢           +           ⁢       s             ⁢   1       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2           )     ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   3         ⁢           +           ⁢       1             ⁢   4       ⁢           ⁢     s             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     a             ⁢   2       ⁢           ⁢     e             ⁢   A               ⁢   4                 ]             
 
         [0151]     Step.7 Rebuild stiffness, Poisson&#39;s ratio and tangential modulus by:  
             C   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =         a   2     ·     ⅇ   2       +       b   2     ·   e     +     c   2         ,     
     ⁢       v   ⁡     (   e   )       =       1   2     -       (       s   1     +       s   2     ·   e       )     ⁢           ⁢   and             
           E   ⁡     (   e   )       ≈     6   ⁢       φ   ⁡     (   e   )       ·     C   ⁡     (   e   )             =     6   ⁢       (       s   1     +       s   2     ·   e       )     ·       (         a   2     ·     ⅇ   2       +       b   2     ·   e     +     c   2       )     .             
 
         [0152]     Step 8. Evaluate material density by:  
               ρ   2     =       ρ   1     ⁢       ⁢           [       1   +     R   0         1   -     R   0         ]     2     ⁢       C   1     ⁡     (       e   i     =   0     )             t   1     ⁡     (   e   )                           ⁢       [             6   ⁢     s   1     ⁢   e     +       (       3   ⁢     s   2       +     3   ⁢     s   1     ⁢               ⁢     b   2                 ⁢     c   2             )     ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   2         +                   (       2   ⁢     s   2     ⁢               ⁢     b   2                 ⁢     c   2           +     2   ⁢     s   1     ⁢               ⁢     a   2                 ⁢     c   2             )     ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   3         +       3             ⁢   2       ⁢     s   2     ⁢               ⁢     a   2                 ⁢     c   2         ⁢     ⅇ             ⁢   4                 ]     .               
 
         [0153]     The discussion of ASG can be also applied to this technique. SGI can also use a stiffness function with any order and the form of function will not affect the basic concept of this technique.  
         [0154]     Evaluation of Wave attenuation in a Deformed Medium  
         [0155]     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , considering the passage of an input wave  100  to a target tissue (e.g. tendon  45  in  FIG. 2  or tumor  18  in  FIG. 1 ) and the resulting reflected waves. For simplicity in describing the method, only  FIG. 2  application will be referenced in the remainder of this section with both the tumor and tendon referred to as the target  45  and the patient and coupling medium will be referred to as the medium  44 . The input wave  100  with magnitude M I  is attenuated to be M I e −a     1     d     1    when it arrives at the bottom of surrounding medium  44  (as depicted in  FIG. 9 ) which has known attenuation coefficient α 2 =α 1 (e) and thickness d 1 =d 1 (e).  
         [0156]     This wave is partially reflected at the near interface between surrounding medium  44  and the target  45  and changes its magnitude to M I e −a     1     d     1   R 12  due to strain dependent reflection coefficient R 12 =R 12 (e). The reflected wave travels though the thickness d 1 =d 1 (e) back to the surface. Therefore the wave magnitude is further attenuated to become RW 1 =M I e −2a     1     d     1   R 12  and shows up as the first reflected wave  102  on the recorded data.  
         [0157]     Now consider the passage of the input wave to generate the second reflected echo  104  in  FIG. 9 . A portion of the wave reaching the bottom of surrounding medium  44  (or  14 ) is transmitted into target  45 . At this point, the magnitude of the input wave is M I e −a     1     d     1   T 12  at the top of target  45 , where T 12=T   12 (e) is defined as the transmission coefficient and indicates how much of the ultrasound signal passes from medium  44  into the target  45 . This wave propagates to the bottom medium  44  on the lower side of the target  45  and at this interface reflects back up to the top of target  45 . At the top of target  45 , the wave magnitude is now attenuated to M I e −a     1     d     1   e −2a     2     d     2   T 12 R 21  through the attenuation property of the target  45  and the reflection coefficient at the bottom interface between the target  45  and surrounding medium  44 . Since the wave in now propagating from the target toward the surrounding medium, a strain dependent reflection coefficient R 21 =R 21 (e) is applied. Once again, the wave transmits back into the upper medium  44  and travels back to transducer  12  and shows up as the second reflected echo  104  in the recorded wave signal. Due to the reflection, transmission and attenuation, the second echo  104  has a magnitude of RW 2 =M I e −2a     1     d     1   e −2a     2     d     2   T 12 R 21 T 21 . Again, the wave in now propagating from target toward the surrounding medium a strain dependent transmission coefficient T 21 =T 21 (e) is applied.  
         [0158]     Since the magnitude of the first reflected echo and second reflected echo are expressed as combination of reflection coefficients and transmission coefficients, the relation between the reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient must be known. The following section defines how these basic relations are formulated in this method of analysis.  
         [0159]     When a wave is propagating from medium  44  into the target  45 , the reflection coefficient R 12 (e i ) at the interface of two media is given by  
                 R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )       =             ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         -       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                 ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )             =       RW   1       IW   ⁢           ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   1     ⁢     d   1                       (     300   ⁢   a     )             
 
         [0160]     In this relation, wave propagation velocity in the medium  44  and target  45  are represented by V 1 (e i ) and V 2 (e i ). Material density of both media are indicated by ρ 1  and ρ 2 .  
         [0161]     IW and RW 1  represent the magnitude of the input wave and the first reflected echo measured from recorded wave signal. Finally, the wave attenuation caused by medium  44  is expressed as e −2a     1     d     1   . If wave attenuation in surrounding medium  44  can be ignored, the reflection coefficient at the near interface simplifies to  
           R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )       =         RW   1     IW     .         
 
         [0162]     The transmission coefficient T 12 (e i ) at the same interface is given by 
 
 T   12 ( e   i )=2·ρ 2   ·V   2 ( e   i )/ρ 2   ·V   2 ( e   i )+ρ 1   ·V   1 ( e   i )   (300b) 
 
         [0163]     In the reverse case (wave propagates from the target  45  into the medium  44 ), the reflection coefficient R 21 (e i ) and transmission coefficient T 21 (e i ) are given by  
                 R   21     ⁡     (     e   i     )       =           ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )         -       ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )                 ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                     (     300   ⁢   c     )             and                             T   21     ⁡     (     e   i     )       =       2   ·     ρ   2     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )               ρ   2     ·       V   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       ρ   1     ·       V   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )                     (     300   ⁢   d     )             
 
         [0164]     By manipulating these relations, R 21 (e i ) ,T 12 (e i ) and T 21 (e i ) can be all expressed as the function of R 12 (e   i ) in following manner. 
 
 R   21 ( e   i )=− R   12 ( e   i ),  T   12 ( e   i )=1+ R   12 ( e   i ) and  T   21 ( e   i )=1− R   12 ( e   i )   (300e) 
 
         [0165]     These relations are then utilized as follows.  
         [0166]     Evaluation of Wave Attenuation by Comparing first and Second Echo  
         [0167]     The straight forward way of evaluating wave attenuation in the target  45  can be achieved by taking the ratio of the magnitudes of first reflected echo and second reflected by  
                         RW   1       RW   2       =         M   I     ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   1     ⁢     d   1         ⁢     R   12           M   I     ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   1     ⁢     d   1         ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2         ⁢     T   12     ⁢     R   21     ⁢     T   21                     =       R   12           ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2         ⁡     (     1   +     R   12       )       ⁢     (     -     R   12       )     ⁢     (     1   -     R   12       )                     =       -   1         ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2         ⁡     (     1   -     R   12   2       )                 ⁢     
     ⁢   or   ⁢     
     ⁢            RW   1       RW   2            =              -   1         ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2         ⁡     (     1   -     R   12   2       )              =              1       ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2         ⁡     (     1   -     R   12   2       )         ⁢     
     ⁢   due   ⁢           ⁢   to   ⁢           ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢     α   2     ⁢     d   2           &gt;     0   ⁢           ⁢   and   ⁢           ⁢     (     1   -     R   12   2       )       &gt;   0.                 (   301   )             
 
         [0168]     In this derivation, relations (300e) were used.  
         [0169]     From this ratio, the wave attenuation in the target  45  at any deformed configuration is  
                 α   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (   e   )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [                RW   1     ⁡     (   e   )           RW   2     ⁡     (   e   )              ⁢     (     1   -       R   12   2     ⁡     (   e   )         )       ]                 (   302   )             
 
         [0170]     In this relation, if the reflection is evaluated to be very small, this relation may be further simplified to  
                 α   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (   e   )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [              RW   1     ⁡     (   e   )           RW   2     ⁡     (   e   )              ]                 (   303   )             
 
         [0171]     If attenuation coefficient can be assumed to be a function of applied strain with a form of 
 
α 2 ( e )=γ 1   ·e   2 +γ 2   ·e+γ   3    (304) 
 
         [0172]     then eq.(302) becomes:  
                       α   2     ⁡     (   e   )       =         γ   1     ·     ⅇ   2       +       γ   2     ·   e     +     γ   3                   =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁢     (   e   )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [                RW   1     ⁢     (   e   )           RW   2     ⁢     (   e   )              ⁢     (     1   -       R   12   2     ⁢     (   e   )         )       ]                       (   305   )             
 
         [0173]     In relation (304), γ 1 , γ 2  and γ 3  represents the unknown attenuation constants to be determined from recorded wave signals.  
         [0174]     Evaluation of Attenuation by Comparing Second Echo Measured at Different Strain e i    
         [0175]     The attenuation coefficient of target  45  can also be derived by comparing the second reflected echo measured at different strain levels. Say, second reflected echo is measured at strain level e i  and e j . 
 
 RW   2 ( e   i )= M   I   e   −2a     1     (e     i     )d     1     (e     i     )   e   −2a     2     (e     i     )d     2     (e     i     ) (− R   12 ( e   i )+ R   12   3 ( e   i ))   (306) 
 
 RW   2 ( e   j )=M I   e   −2a     1     (e     j     )d     1     (e     j     )   e   −2a     2     (e     j     )d     2     (e     j     ) (− R   12 ( e   j )+ R   12   3 ( e   j ))   (307) 
 
         [0176]     The ratio of these two echoes are given by,  
                                 RW             ⁢   2       ⁡     (     e             ⁢   i       )       ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢           ⁢     α             ⁢   1       ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   j       )     ⁢           ⁢     d             ⁢   1       ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   j       )                     (         -     R             ⁢   12         ⁢     (     e             ⁢   j       )       +       R             ⁢   12               ⁢   3       ⁢     (     e             ⁢   j       )         )                       RW             ⁢   2       ⁡     (     e             ⁢   j       )       ⁢     ⅇ       -   2     ⁢           ⁢     α             ⁢   1       ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )     ⁢           ⁢     d             ⁢   1       ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )                     (         -     R             ⁢   12         ⁢     (     e             ⁢   i       )       +       R             ⁢   12               ⁢   3       ⁢     (     e             ⁢   i       )         )             =       ⅇ       -   2     ⁢           ⁢     α   2     ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )     ⁢           ⁢     d   2     ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )           ⅇ       -   2     ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )                         =     ⅇ         -   2     ⁢           ⁢     α   2     ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )     ⁢           ⁢     d   2     ⁢     (           ⁢     e             ⁢   i       )       +     2   ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )                           (   308   )             
 
         [0177]     If the attenuation and the thickness of the target medium can be considered small, then this relation can be further simplified to be  
                     RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )           ≈     1   -     2   ⁢           ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢           ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )                   (   309   )             
 
         [0178]     Applying a logarithmic operation to eq. (308) yields  
                   -   2     ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       α   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           =     log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )           ]               (   310   )             
 
         [0179]     Substitution of eq.(304) into (310) results in the final relation to evaluate wave attenuation for this case, that is  
                   γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ]         =     log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )           ]               (   309   )             
 
         [0180]     In this relation, the parameters on the right hand side either can be measured or can be evaluated from the steps described in previous sections.  
         [0181]     If the magnitude of reflection coefficient R 12 (e j ) is very small and the higher term can be ignored, eq.(309) can be further simplified to:  
                   γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ]         ≈     log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ⁡     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁡     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )           ]               (   310   )             
 
         [0182]     If the parameters a 1 (e j )d 1 (e j ) produce a relatively small amount of attenuation, then relation (309) can be further simplified to be  
               1   +       γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ]         =           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ⁡     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   i     )           ⁡     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )                   (   311   )             
 
         [0183]     When the influence of the wave attenuation in surrounding medium  44  can be neglected (e −2a     1     (e)d     1     (e) ≈1), relations (310) and (311) can be further simplified to be:  
                   γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ]         ≈     log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )             RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )         ]               (   312   )             and                           1   +       γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ·     e   i         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ·     e   j           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )           ]         =           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   i     )       ⁢     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   j     )         )             RW   2     ⁡     (     e   j     )       ⁢     (     -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   i     )         )                 (   313   )             
 
         [0184]     The thickness of target  45  is treated as known parameter through this derivation. The target  44  thickness for ASG case can be given by eq.(14) based on a known target medium density and eq. (217) for SGI based on the condition of stress continuity.  
         [0185]     (Implementation)  
         [0186]     Step 1. Measure wave signals at multiple different unknown strain levels and evaluate reflection coefficients R 12 (e) and target medium thicknesses d 2 (e) at each strain level.  
         [0187]     For attenuation evaluations based on eq.(305), three separate measurements are required.  
         [0188]     Yet four sets of measurements are required for evaluation based on eq. (309).  
         [0189]     In ASG, the target medium thickness should be evaluated by eq. (14). The thickness of target medium in SGI should be evaluated by eq. (217).  
         [0190]     Step 2. Set up system of equations for attenuation constants (γ 1 , γ 2  and γ 3 ) evaluation.  
         [0191]     For technique based on eq. (305), following three equations are required:  
             γ   1     ·     e   A   2       +       γ   2     ·     e   A       +     γ   3       =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [                RW   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )              ⁢     (     1   -       R   12   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         )       ]             
             γ   1     ·     e   B   2       +       γ   2     ·     e   A       +     γ   3       =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [                RW   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )              ⁢     (     1   -       R   12   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )         )       ]             
             γ   1     ·     e   C   2       +       γ   2     ·     e   C       +     γ   3       =       1       -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )           ⁢     log   ⁡     [                RW   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )              ⁢     (     1   -       R   12   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )         )       ]             
 
         [0192]     For technique based on eq.(309), following three equations are utilized:  
             γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       ·     e   B   2           ]       +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       ·     e   B           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )           ]         =           log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   B     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   B     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   B     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   B     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   A     )         )           ]       ⁢     
     ⁢       γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )       ·     e   C   2           ]         +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )       ·     e   C           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )           ]         =           log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   C     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   C     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   C     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   C     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   A     )         )           ]       ⁢     
     ⁢       γ   1     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A   2         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   D     )       ·     e   D   2           ]         +       γ   2     ·     [         -   2     ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ·     e   A         +     2   ⁢         d   2     ⁡     (     e   D     )       ·     e   D           ]       +       γ   3     ·     [         -   2     ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +     2   ⁢       d   2     ⁡     (     e   D     )           ]         =     log   ⁡     [           RW   2     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   D     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   D     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   D     )         )               RW   2     ⁡     (     e   D     )       ⁢           ⁢       e       -   2     ⁢           ⁢       α   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )       ⁢       d   1     ⁡     (     e   A     )           ⁡     (       -       R   12     ⁡     (     e   A     )         +       R   12   3     ⁡     (     e   A     )         )           ]               
 
         [0193]     Step 3. Solve the system of equations simultaneously to evaluate three constants γ 1 , γ 2  and γ 3 .  
         [0194]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , each of these output values of stiffness, stiffness at no compression, density and wave attenuation, may be provided selectively or in combination by a selector means  89  implemented, for example within the program  72 , which is provided to a mapper program  90 , which maps the values of individual ones or combinations of strain  78  and material properties  74  including: stiffness gradient  82 , initial stiffness  84 , density  86  or wave attenuation  88  to a color or gray scale to produce a graphic image  92  on the display  36  of  FIG. 1 . The cursor control device  40  operating through a driver program  94  may allow for the placement of a region of interest cursor  96  on the image to direct the processor  33  to make a quantitative measurement display  98  of the tissue within the region of the cursor  96 . Location of the cursor  96  may, for example, be with respect to a standard B mode image obtained by the acoustoelastographic ultrasound system  10  or may be an image produced by any of the quantities described above. Selector means  89  may also include an input for standard B mode data.  
         [0195]     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , experimental results have shown that the SGI technique is able to differentiate among tissue types that exhibit different stiffness gradients, that is, changes in stiffness as a function of strain that closely correspond to stiffness gradients actually tested ex vitro with a standard material testing machine. This ability to measure stiffness gradient offers the potential for better differentiation of tissue types.  
         [0196]     Both ASG and SGI are examples of techniques that use acoustoelastic theory and information from both the reflection coefficient and wave propagation time (measured from a number of loaded states and an unloaded state) to compute strains and material properties. If the properties of the surrounding medium (or tissue) are unknown, this method could be used to compute the properties of the surrounding medium first (in comparison to a known coupling material). Then the target tissue can be serially analyzed and identified in comparison to the now known behavior of the surrounding medium.  
         [0197]     These methods could be used for materials other than biological tissues.  
         [0198]     It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.