US 12,343,210 B2
Determining material stiffness using multiple aperture ultrasound
Donald F. Specht, Los Altos, CA (US); and Kenneth D. Brewer, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to Maui Imaging, Inc., Tucson, AZ (US)
Filed by MAUI IMAGING, INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/588,967.
Application 15/155,908 is a division of application No. 13/773,340, filed on Feb. 21, 2013, granted, now 9,339,256, issued on May 17, 2016.
Application 18/588,967 is a continuation of application No. 16/897,116, filed on Jun. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,944,500.
Application 16/897,116 is a continuation of application No. 15/155,908, filed on May 16, 2016, granted, now 10,675,000, issued on Jun. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/601,482, filed on Feb. 21, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2025/0032093 A1, Jan. 30, 2025
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/14 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01); G03B 42/06 (2021.01)
CPC A61B 8/485 (2013.01) [A61B 8/145 (2013.01); A61B 8/4444 (2013.01); A61B 8/4477 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/461 (2013.01); A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); A61B 8/5246 (2013.01); G01S 7/52022 (2013.01); G01S 7/52042 (2013.01); G01S 15/8915 (2013.01); G01S 15/8922 (2013.01); G01S 15/8929 (2013.01); G01S 15/8979 (2013.01); G01S 15/8993 (2013.01); G01S 15/8997 (2013.01); G03B 42/06 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); G01S 15/8959 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
a multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array;
a shear-wave-initiating transducer; and
a processor configured to control the multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array to transmit a first circular waveform into a region of interest, receive echoes of the first circular waveform, and form a baseline image of the region of interest;
the processor being further configured to:
control the shear-wave-initiating transducer to transmit an ultrasonic pulse configured to induce a propagating shear wave in the region of interest;
control the multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array to transmit a second circular waveform into the region of interest, receive echoes of the second circular waveform, and form a first image frame that includes a first speckle pattern caused by the propagating shear wave as it moves through the region of interest;
control the multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array to transmit a third circular waveform into the region of interest, receive echoes of the third circular waveform, and form a second image frame that includes a second speckle pattern caused by the propagating shear wave as it moves through the region of interest;
subtract the baseline image from the first image frame to obtain a first difference frame;
subtract the baseline image from the second image frame with the electronic controller to obtain a second difference frame;
calculate a first distance between an init line of the multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array and the first speckle pattern of the first difference frame to determine a first position of the propagating shear wave;
calculate a second distance between the init line of the multiple aperture ultrasound transducer array and the second speckle pattern of the second difference frame to determine a second position of the propagating shear wave; and
calculate a propagation speed of the propagating shear wave in the region of interest from the first and second positions in the first and second difference frames.