Ultrasonic Viscosity Quality Control via Frequency Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ultrasonic elasticity imaging techniques primarily focus on tissue elasticity, neglecting viscosity, which affects shear wave propagation and can impact the accuracy and reliability of viscosity measurements, leading to potential misjudgments in clinical diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

An ultrasonic imaging system and method that calculates a viscosity parameter by analyzing frequency dispersion distribution diagrams from ultrasonic echo signals, incorporating quality control characteristics such as effective frequency range, signal-to-noise ratio, and shear wave patterns to assess the reliability of viscosity measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If tissue is regarded as a pure elastic body for simplicity, then the imaging process is simplified and easier to implement, but the measurement precision of viscosity parameters deteriorates because viscosity information is neglected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging process simplicityVSAvoidviscosity parameter accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the modeling parameters from pure elastic body to viscoelastic body, incorporating both elasticity and viscosity parameters. This allows the system to extract both elastic modulus and viscosity parameters from shear wave propagation data, resolving the contradiction by maintaining computational feasibility while improving measurement precision through enhanced physical modeling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the simple elastic mechanical model with a more complex viscoelastic mechanical model that accounts for frequency-dependent behavior. By using frequency dispersion analysis and model fitting techniques, the system can separate elastic and viscosity contributions to shear wave propagation, thereby improving viscosity measurement precision without sacrificing too much computational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If viscosity parameter calculation is performed without quality control, then the calculation process is faster and simpler, but the reliability of the viscosity parameter deteriorates due to potential errors from tissue motion, structural complexity, and signal noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation speedVSAvoidviscosity parameter reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary quality control assessments before final viscosity parameter calculation. It evaluates frequency dispersion distribution characteristics, signal-to-noise ratios, and tissue motion effects in advance to determine whether the data quality is sufficient for reliable viscosity measurement. This preliminary action prevents unreliable calculations while maintaining efficiency for quality data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the calculated viscosity parameter is validated against quality control criteria including frequency dispersion distribution consistency, signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, and anatomical plausibility checks. If the viscosity parameter fails quality control, the system can prompt for re-measurement or adjust processing parameters, thereby improving reliability without significantly impacting overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

Enhances the accuracy and reliability of viscosity measurements by providing a comprehensive quality control mechanism, reducing errors caused by tissue motion, structural complexity, and signal noise, thereby improving clinical diagnostic confidence.

Implementation Method 1

transmitting special pulses into tissues to produce acoustic radiation force to generate the propagation of shear wave

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic radiation force: Acoustic Radiation Pressure

Implementation Method 2

transmitting ultrasonic waves for detecting shear waves to obtain ultrasonic echo signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic echo: Echo

Data Source

PatentUS20230380796A1Ultrasonic imaging system and viscosity quality control method

Publication Date: 2023.11.30 SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed are an ultrasonic imaging system and a viscosity quality control method, in which ultrasonic waves for detecting shear waves propagated in a region of interest are transmitted to the region of interest to obtain ultrasonic echo signals, a frequency dispersion distribution diagram is calculated based on the ultrasonic echo signals, a viscosity parameter is calculated based on the frequency dispersion distribution diagram, and the viscosity parameter is performed with quality control based on the frequency dispersion distribution diagram. The present disclosure provides a scheme of quality control on the viscosity parameter.