Universitât Bern

The Institute of Cancer Research: Royal Cancer Hospital

University of Bern

Michael Jaeger

Martin Frenz

Jeffrey Colin Bamber

A method of imaging a region of interest of a body, the body having sites outside the region which can produce image clutter. The method includes: generating a first pattern of vibration within the body to produce a localised first displacement at the region and localised first displacements at the clutter-producing sites; while the body undergoes the first displacements, generating ultrasound signals from the region, and detecting the ultrasound signals to generate a first image of the region; generating a second pattern of vibration within the body to produce a localised second displacement at the region and localised second displacements at the clutter-producing sites; while the body undergoes the second displacements, generating ultrasound signals from the region, and detecting the ultrasound signals to generate a second image of the region; and combining the first and second images to produce a third image of the region. The first and second vibration patterns are selected such that the first and second displacements combine in the production of the third image to reduce or eliminate the clutter in the third image relative to the clutter in the first and second images.

Ultrasonic imaging

The invention relates to a method for determining and particularly imaging sound speed in an object by means of pulse-echo ultrasound, comprising the steps of: transmitting by means of an ultrasound probe () at least a first ultrasound pulse () in a first direction (&#x3c6;) and a second ultrasound pulse () in a different second direction (&#x3c6;) into an object (O) to be imaged, so that said first ultrasound pulse () is backscattered in said object towards said ultrasound probe in the form of first ultrasound pulse echoes (), and so that said second ultrasound pulse () is backscattered in said object towards said ultrasound probe in the form of second ultrasound pulse echoes (), detecting said backscattered first ultrasound pulse echoes () and said backscattered second ultrasound pulse echoes () with said ultrasound probe (), reconstructing from said detected backscattered first ultrasound pulse echoes () a first image of first local echoes () and from said detected backscattered second ultrasound pulse echoes () a second image of second local echoes (), wherein said images lie in an image plane spanned by said directions (&#x3c6;, &#x3c6;), determining from said reconstructed images the respective resulting local echo phase shift &#x394;&#x3c4;(x, z, &#x3c6;, &#x3c6;) corresponding to the difference in echo time (t) between the respective first local echo and the corresponding second local echo relative to the case of an assumed constant sound speed, and determining the local sound speed c(x, z) in said object for at least a region of said image plane in said object from said local echo phase shift &#x394;&#x3c4;(x, z, &#x3c6;, &#x3c6;). Further, the invention relates to a corresponding computer program and a system.

Growing community of inventors

Bern, Switzerland

Michael Jaeger