Patent ID: 8562546

Claim:
A method for evaluating tissue to predict the presence of one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of tumor malignancy, tumor invasiveness, and a presence and type of cancerous tissue, comprising steps of: applying a set of shear forces to a plurality of locations on said tissue using at least one sensor comprising a piezoelectric material; detecting at least a set of shear displacements resulting from application of said set of shear forces on said tissue using said sensor; determining net shear forces exerted on said locations from a combination of applied shear forces and countering shear forces resulting from tissue deformation; and deducing shear moduli of said tissue at said locations from the net shear forces and a corresponding shear displacement; applying a set of compressive forces to said locations on said tissue using said at least one sensor comprising a piezoelectric material; detecting at least a set of compressive displacements resulting from application of said compressive forces on said tissue using said sensor; determining net compressive forces exerted on said locations from a combination of applied compressive forces and countering compressive forces resulting from tissue deformation; deducing a corresponding compressive displacement; deducing elastic moduli of said tissue at said locations from the net compressive forces; creating a map of a ratio of said shear modulus to said elastic modulus for said tissue at said locations; and evaluating said tissue to predict the presence of one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of tumor malignancy, tumor invasiveness and a presence and type of cancerous tissue, based on at least one of said elastic moduli and shear moduli, in combination with said map of ratios of said shear modulus to said elastic modulus for said tissue.