US 11,872,025 B2
System and method for magnetic resonance elastography
Jeffrey H. Kaditz, Wilson, WY (US); and Andrew G. Stevens, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to Q Bio, Inc., San Carlos, CA (US)
Appl. No. 16/085,877
Filed by Q Bio, Inc, San Carlos, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 17, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/022911
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 17, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/161239, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 21, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/310,667, filed on Mar. 18, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0104963 A1, Apr. 11, 2019
Int. Cl. A61B 5/055 (2006.01); G01R 33/563 (2006.01); G01R 33/341 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01)
CPC A61B 5/055 (2013.01) [G01R 33/341 (2013.01); G01R 33/56358 (2013.01); G06T 7/0012 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for capturing a magnetic-resonance (MR) Elastography measurement of a biological lifeform, the method comprising:
providing a platform, a gel pad on a surface of the platform, and a sensor array, wherein the sensor array comprises: at least one ultrasound transducer, and at least one radio-frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver coil, wherein the sensor array is embedded within the gel pad, and the gel pad comprises an aqueous material and is configured to provide mechanical impedance matching between the at least one ultrasound transducer and the biological lifeform, wherein the aqueous material transmits more ultrasound energy than glycerin, mineral oil or water, wherein at least the one ultrasound transducer and at least the one RF transmitter are embedded within the gel pad, and wherein embedded comprises surrounding and having contact with at least three sides of at least the one ultrasound transducer and at least the one RF transmitter;
generating one or more shear waves in the biological lifeform;
acquiring one or more images of a propagation of the one or more shear waves; and
processing the one or more images to produce a quantitative map of a tissue stiffness of the biological lifeform.