Exponentially Swept Chirp Pulses for Non-Linear Tissue Characterization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Characterizing in-vivo tissue properties with ultrasound is challenging due to operator dependence, noise in measurements, difficulty penetrating deep tissues, and inconsistencies across different ultrasound systems, which complicates the identification of non-linear tissue characteristics and poses risks with surgical tissue removal.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses to collect and separate harmonic and fundamental responses, identifying non-linear properties based on these responses, which reduces the need for surgical tissue removal and enhances consistency and accuracy in tissue characterization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ultrasound methods are used to characterize tissue properties, then the process is simple and fast, but the measurements are operator-dependent and inconsistent across different systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the ultrasound signal parameters by using exponentially swept chirp pulses instead of conventional linear sweeps or sinusoidal waves. This parameter change enables the extraction of non-linear tissue properties (such as the B/A coefficient) that are not accessible with conventional methods, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining reliability through automated processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces harmonic responses as an intermediary to characterize tissue non-linearity. By analyzing the relationship between fundamental and harmonic responses (particularly the time delay between them), the system can objectively quantify tissue properties without operator dependence, resolving the contradiction between precision and reliability
2Measurement precision
If surgical tissue removal is performed to analyze tissue properties, then accurate tissue characterization can be achieved, but patient risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/surgical approach of tissue removal with a non-invasive ultrasound-based method. By using exponentially swept chirp pulses to elicit and analyze harmonic responses from living tissue, the system achieves accurate tissue characterization without any surgical intervention, thereby eliminating patient risks associated with tissue removal while maintaining measurement precision
3Productivity
If conventional ultrasound pulses are used, then the imaging is fast and easy, but the ability to identify non-linear tissue characteristics is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodically transmitted exponentially swept chirp pulses to excite tissue non-linearities. The periodic nature of the pulses allows for efficient signal averaging and processing, maintaining fast imaging speeds while enabling the detection of non-linear tissue characteristics through harmonic response analysis that would be difficult with conventional continuous or simple pulsed waves
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for accurate and consistent identification of non-linear tissue properties in-vivo, reducing patient risks and improving the reliability of ultrasound measurements by leveraging the time delay between fundamental and harmonic responses to characterize tissue non-linearity.
Implementation Method 1
one or more exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses transmitted toward the subject region
Implementation Method 2
identifying one or more non-linear properties of the subject region based on either or both of the one or more corresponding harmonic responses
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing diagnostic sonography. Ultrasound information of a subject region can be collected. The ultrasound information can be based on one or more exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses transmitted toward the subject region and backscatter of the subject region from the one or more exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses. One or more corresponding harmonic responses and a corresponding fundamental response for each of the one or more exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses can be separated from the ultrasound information. Further, one or more non-linear properties of the subject region can be identified based on either or both of the one or more corresponding harmonic responses and the corresponding fundamental response for each of the one or more exponentially swept ultrasound chirp pulses.