Ultrasonic Elastography Strain Measurement via Acoustoelastic Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic imaging and elastography methods provide limited insight into the physical properties of tissues, as they assume constant acoustic properties and stress fields, which are not applicable to biological tissues where material density, pre-stress, and stiffness affect sound speed and acoustic impedance.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic elastography system that models variations in acoustic properties as a function of strain, allowing for direct deduction of strain and material properties from changes in ultrasonic signals, rather than relying on assumptions about stress fields, and uses a generator function to correct for non-uniform stress and stiffness variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ultrasonic elastography assumes constant acoustic properties to simplify measurements, then the measurement process becomes easier and faster, but the measurement precision deteriorates because biological tissues actually have variable acoustic properties that change with strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the acoustic property parameters from constant to variable by modeling sound speed and acoustic impedance as functions of strain. This allows the measurement system to account for the actual physical behavior of biological tissues, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex manual adjustments or procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical assumption of constant acoustic properties with a physics-based model that incorporates the acoustoelastic effect. This substitution enables the system to automatically adapt to tissue variability, maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving strain measurement accuracy
2Device complexity
If conventional elastography uses constant stress field assumption to simplify analysis, then the computational process becomes simpler, but the measurement precision worsens due to non-uniform stress distribution in real tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simplified mechanical assumption of uniform stress with a more accurate stress field model that accounts for non-uniform distribution. This substitution integrates the acoustoelastic effect into the inversion process, enabling the system to compute accurate strain measurements from variable stress fields without excessive computational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate acoustoelastic model that bridges the relationship between acoustic property variations and stress-strain states. This intermediary model enables the system to handle non-uniform stress distributions accurately while maintaining a manageable computational framework
3Loss of information
If ultrasonic strain measurements rely on tissue dislocation computations to determine strain, then the measurement approach becomes more direct, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to errors in dislocation detection and the assumption of constant acoustic properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical dislocation-based strain computation with an acoustoelastic approach that directly relates acoustic property variations to strain. This substitution eliminates errors associated with dislocation detection and the constant acoustic property assumption, providing more accurate strain measurements without requiring precise tissue motion tracking
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 provides more accurate elastographic measurements by accounting for the effects of strain on acoustic properties, improving the assessment of tissue stiffness and stress distribution, enabling better characterization of biological tissues without the need for tissue dislocation measurements.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic transducer assembly for transmitting an incident ultrasonic waveform into the tissue and receiving a reflected ultrasonic waveform therefrom
Implementation Method 2
measuring the wave velocity of the ultrasonic waveform therethrough
Implementation Method 3
By improved modeling of acoustic property variations as a function of strain, an improved elastography measurement may be made (termed acoustoelastography herein)
Data Source
AI summary
The variation in acoustic properties in soft tissues, such as biological tissues, as a function of strain may be modeled to improve elastographic measurements and to obtain direct measurements of strain or material properties and pre-stress.