Patent ID: 7691064

Claim:
An ultrasound method for use in the presence of contrast agent comprising the steps of: transmitting by an array of electroacoustic transducers at least one beam of acoustic waves into a body under examination, said body having a presence of contrast agents, said beam being transmitted at a first fundamental transmission frequency and being focused on at least one scan line; receiving said at least one beam reflected from said body under examination by using an array of receiving electroacoustic transducers, said transducers generating an electric return signal corresponding to said reflected beam along said at least one scan line; separating a subharmonic component from said return signal; storing said subharmonic component; after said storing step, determining the amplitude of said subharmonic component for at least one reflected point along said scan line; and comparing the amplitude of said subharmonic component to a predetermined minimum amplitude for determining whether said at least one reflected point is due to a contrast agent, wherein said stored subharmonic component is maintained.