The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 18, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1994
Shigeo Kimura, Tokyo, JP;
Naoki Ohtomo, Tokyo, JP;
Aloka Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A bone assessment apparatus provides a precise bone assessment based on the attenuation factor of an ultrasonic wave which has passed through a bone of a patient. A transmitting transducer and a receiving transducer are positioned at either side of the bone respectively, and an ultrasonic wave is irradiated to the bone, and passes therethrough. A transmitter/receiver provides an attenuation spectrum of the ultrasonic wave and determines a reference frequency f.sub.p peculiar to the patient at which the attenuation factor is minimum. A gradient .DELTA. of the attenuation spectrum is calculated based on the difference between the attenuation factor .alpha..sub.p at the reference frequency f.sub.p and the attenuation factor .alpha..sub.q at a frequency f.sub.q which is spaced apart by a predetermined value from the reference frequency f.sub.p. A density index .rho..sub.I is also calculated which is a gradient of the attenuation spectrum per unit thickness of the bone.