Patent ID: 7779692

Claim:
A method for determining the strain of a target body, comprising: a. coupling a transducer array comprising at least three transducers to the target body; b. applying a mechanical stimulus to a target body; c. emitting a first pulse of ultrasound energy from each of the transducers into the target body; d. receiving with each of the transducers at least one ultrasound echo sequence from each first pulse; e. emitting a second pulse of ultrasound energy from each of the transducers into the target body; f. receiving with each of the transducers at least one ultrasound echo sequence from each second pulse; g. emitting a third pulse of ultrasound energy from each of the transducers into the target body; h. receiving with each of the transducers at least one ultrasound echo sequence from each third pulse; i. estimating the strain along two directions in the target body between members of a first pair of ultrasound sequences comprising the first ultrasound echo sequence and another of said ultrasound echo sequences; and j. estimating the strain along two different directions in the target body between members of a second pair of ultrasound echo sequences comprising two ultrasound echo sequences that are not identical to the two ultrasound sequences that are comprised by said first pair.