The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Caterina Maria Gallippi

Md Murad Hossain

Thomas H Fischer

F William Mauldin, Jr

Timothy C Nichols

E Stan Eskridge

Mansoor Haider

Tomasz Joseph Czernuszewicz

Christopher Joseph Moore

Keita Andrew Yokoyama

Gabriela Torres

Mallory Scola

Elizabeth G Loboa

Olgha Davis

A method for evaluating mechanical anisotropy of a material sample to determine a characteristic of the sample includes interrogating a material sample a plurality of times. Each interrogation includes: applying a force having a direction, having a coronal plane normal to the direction of the force, and having an oval or other profile with long and short axes within the coronal plane, the long axis being oriented at a specified angle from a reference direction within the coronal plane; and measuring displacement of the material sample resulting from application of the force. The interrogations are taken at different angles of orientation within the coronal plane and different portions of the material sample are interrogated. For each measurement one or more parameters are calculated for the respective angle of orientation. A degree of anisotropy of the one or more parameters is determined and used to evaluate a characteristic of the material sample.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for evaluating mechanical anisotropy for breast cancer screening and monitoring response to therapy

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for taking measurements of a material, including determining material anisotropy, are provided. According to one aspect, a method for determining tissue anisotropy comprises: applying, to a tissue sample, a first force having a direction and having a coronal plane normal to the direction of the force, the first force having an oval or other profile with long and short axes within the coronal plane, the long axis being oriented in a first direction within the coronal plane, and measuring a first displacement of the tissue; applying, to the tissue sample, a second force, and measuring a second displacement of the tissue; and calculating a tissue elasticity anisotropy based on the measured first and second displacements. Furthermore, by applying the first and second forces multiple times, tissue viscosity, elasticity, or other anisotropy may be calculated from the multiple displacement measurements.

Methods and systems for assessing material anisotropy and other characteristics

A method for quantitatively measuring a physical characteristic of a material includes performing one or more interrogations of a material sample, each interrogation using a push focal configuration. The method further includes taking measurements of displacement over time of a material sample caused by the one or more interrogations. Each measurement uses an interrogation focal configuration. The method further includes determining a physical characteristic of the material sample based on the measurements of displacement over time of the material sample. According to the method, at least one of the following is true: a tracking focal configuration used for one of the measurements is different from a tracking focal configuration used for another of the measurements; and a push focal configuration used for one of the interrogations is different from a push focal configuration used for another of the interrogations.

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for nondestructively measuring physical properties of a material by observing induced displacements using different focal configurations

A method for evaluating mechanical properties of a sample includes applying a plurality of pulses of acoustic energy to a sample to apply a mechanical force to the sample and induce a non-steady-state displacement in the sample. The method further includes monitoring a response of the sample caused by the application of the mechanical force. The method further includes determining a quantitative value for a mechanical property of the sample based on the response.

Methods, systems and computer readable media for applying multi-push acoustic radiation force to samples and monitoring a response to quantify mechanical properties of samples

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitored application of mechanical force to samples using acoustic energy and mechanical parameter value extraction using mechanical response models can be used for determining mechanical property parameters of a sample. An exemplary method includes applying acoustic energy to a sample to apply a mechanical force to the sample, measuring a response by the sample during the application of the acoustic energy, measuring a recovery response of the sample following cessation of the application of the acoustic energy, and determining a value for at least one additional mechanical property parameter of the sample based on the response measured during application of the acoustic energy and the recovery response measured following cessation of the application of acoustic energy.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitored application of mechanical force to samples using acoustic energy and mechanical parameter value extraction using mechanical response models

The invention is directed to platelets containing micron or nanometer size particles wherein the micron or nanometer sized particles comprises an active agent. The invention is also directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the above platelets. The invention is further directed to methods of delivering the micron or nanometer size particles containing an active agent to a site of interest in a patient.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Caterina Maria Gallippi