368results about "Diagnostics using vibrations" patented technology

Systems and methods for determining ICP based on parameters that can be measured using non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques are provided, wherein a non-linear relationship is used to determine ICP based on one or more variable inputs. The first variable input relates to one or more properties of a cranial blood vessel and/or blood flow, such as acoustic backscatter from an acoustic transducer having a focus trained on a cranial blood vessel, flow velocity in a cranial blood vessel, and the like. Additional variables, such as arterial blood pressure (ABP), may be used in combination with a first variable input relating to one or more properties of a cranial blood vessel, such as flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) to derive ICP using a non-linear relationship. Methods and systems for locating target areas based on their acoustic properties and for acoustic scanning of an area, identification of a target area of interest based on acoustic properties, and automated focusing of an acoustic source and/or detector on a desired target area are also provided. Acoustic transducer assemblies are described.

A method of characterizing a tissue present in a predetermined location of a body of a subject, the method comprising: generating mechanical vibrations at a position adjacent to the predetermined location, the mechanical vibrations are at a frequency ranging from 10 Hz to 10 kHz; scanning the frequency of the mechanical vibrations; and measuring a frequency response spectrum from the predetermined location, thereby characterizing the tissue.

A method and system for localization of fluorescence in a scattering medium such as a biological tissue are provided. In comparison to other optical imaging techniques, this disclosure provides for improved spatial resolution, decreased computational time for reconstructions, and allows anatomical and functional imaging simultaneously. The method including the steps of illuminating the scattering medium with an excitation light to excite the fluorescence; modulating a portion of the emitted light from the fluorescence within the scattering medium using an ultrasonically induced variation of material properties of the scattering medium such as the refractive index; detecting the modulated optical signal at a surface of the scattering medium; and reconstructing a spatial distribution of the fluorescence in the scattering medium from the detected signal.

Methods and apparatus for non-invasively assessing physiological hard of soft tissue of human and other species are described. In a preferred embodiment, tissue is vibrationally stimulated in vivo through a frequency spectrum. The tissue reacts against the stimulus and the reaction is preferably measured and recorded. Based on analytical algorithms or comparisons with previously taken measurements, changes within the tissue can be detected and used for diagnostic purposes. Further embodiments describe the usage of the device and methods for in vivo intra-operative and post-operative implant evaluations and as a therapeutic tool.

Method and system are disclosed for automated testing of a patient's hearing. The automated hearing test allows the patient to quickly and accurately test his own hearing with minimal or no assistance from an audiologist or other hearing health professionals. The test prompts and instructs the patient for inputs and responses as needed as needed. The patient can select one or several tests to be performed, including air and bone conduction testing with masking, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination, and tympanogram/acoustic reflex testing. Multiple languages are supported. Data obtained from one test may be used for another test or another iteration of the same test to calculate masking levels. The automatic hearing test also detects ambient noise and can compensate for it in the test results. If a contingency occurs, the automated hearing test is configured to page the operator for assistance.

A surface data acquisition, storage, and assessment system for detecting and quantifying similarities or differences between stored data and data collected from a scan. The system operates utilizing a method that decreases the time required for calculating a pose estimate thus increasing its performance making it more practical for applications that require real-time operations. In a preferred embodiment the system comprises one or more sensing components for scanning and measuring surface features of an object for determining the identity of the object, and determines differences between data obtained from two or more scans.

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for non-invasively determining NAFLD activity scores (NAS) in patients using mechanical properties determined through magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) imaging. The non-invasively determined NAS score is then used to diagnose NFALD and NASH patients.

A device for measuring elasticity of a human or animal organ or viscoelastic media having an ultrasonic signal after ultrasonic illumination including at least one sensor including an ultrasonic transducer, at least one position sensor, an actuator to trigger the device connected by wire link to an electric power source, and a controlled electrodynamic actuator attached to the ultrasonic transducer that generates a transitory low-frequency impulse having a frequency range between about 1 Hz and about 5000 Hz.

The present invention provides elastic constant and visco elastic constant measurement apparatus etc. for measuring in the ROI in living tissues elastic constants such as shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, Lame constants, etc., visco elastic constants such as visco shear modulus, visco Poisson's ratio, visco Lame constants, etc. and density even if there exist another mechanical sources and uncontrollable mechanical sources in the object. The elastic constant and visco elastic constant measurement apparatus is equipped with means of data storing 2 (storage of deformation data measured in the ROI 7 etc.) and means of calculating elastic and visco elastic constants 1 (calculator of shear modulus etc. at arbitrary point in the ROI from measured strain tensor data etc.), the means of calculating elastic and visco elastic constants numerically determines elastic constants etc. from the first order partial differential equations relating elastic constants etc. and strain tensor etc.

A method for testing the effect of a skin care product includes measuring a mechanical property of skin tissue using nonlinear stochastic system identification, applying the product to the skin, repeating the measurement of the mechanical property after the application of the product, and comparing the before and after measurements to quantify the effect of the product.

Measuring the mechanical property of the skin can include placing a probe against a surface of the skin, perturbing the skin with the probe using a stochastic sequence, and measuring the response of the skin to the perturbation. Perturbing the skin can include indenting the skin with the probe, extending the skin with the probe, and sliding the probe across the skin surface. The mechanical property may be indicative of skin compliance, skin elasticity, skin stiffness, or skin damping. The mechanical property can be dependent on perturbation depth and may be measured at a plurality of anatomical locations.

The invention relates to a method and a device for imaging a visco-elastic medium. The method comprises an excitation step during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in excitation zone and an imaging step of acquiring signals during the movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium in response to the internal mechanical stress in an imaging zone that includes the excitation zone. According to the invention, the method further comprises a step of calculating a quantitative index associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium at at least one point of the imaging zone situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone. The quantitative index is representative of a comparison between signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least one point of the excitation zone situated at the given depth, and signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least the point of the imaging zone situated outside the excitation zone.

A computational efficient algorithm for compression analysis of free-hand static elasticity imaging performed using medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging equipment offers tissue compression quality and quantity feedback to the operator. The algorithm includes a criterion for automatic selection of the most advantageous pre- and post-compression frame pairs delivering elasticity images of optimal dynamic ranges (DR) and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). The use of the algorithm in real time eases operator training and reduces significantly the amount of artifact in the elasticity images while lowering the computational burden.

A system and a method for inducing resonance of a heterogeneity or a sample within a body, the system comprising a shear wave generator, and a detection unit; the shear wave generator generating shear waves applied to the body and selectively inducing mechanical resonances of the heterogeneity, the detection unit detecting the induced mechanical resonances. The induced resonance of the heterogeneity is achieved by applying to the body one of: i) shear waves substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the heterogeneity; ii) shear waves polarised substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis; iii) shear waves substantially circumferential to the heterogeneity; and iv) planar shear waves.

Lung injury such as pneumothorax now can be diagnosed reliably, portably and quickly. Vibro-acoustic waves are sent through the chest and the resulting wave is measured. By analyzing attenuation characteristics determined by the geometry of the chest structures, a determination can be made of whether the patient's pleural space is healthy, contains air (pneumothorax) or contains fluid (hemothorax).

A method for determining a shear modulus of an elastic material with a known density value is provided. In this method, a spatially modulated acoustic radiation force is used to initially generate a disturbance of known spatial frequency or wavelength. The propagation of this initial displacement as a shear wave is measured using ultrasound tracking methods. A temporal frequency is determined based on the shear wave. The shear modulus of the elastic material at the point of excitation may be calculated using the values of the spatial wavelength, material density, and temporal frequency.