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. 30, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2000
Patrick G Rafter, Windham, NH (US);
Jodi Lisa Tuck Perry, Methuen, MA (US);
Jie Chen, North Andover, MA (US);
Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A system and method for ultrasonic harmonic imaging of both tissue and tissue perfused with a contrast agent are disclosed. The ultrasonic harmonic imaging system comprises a wideband phased-array transducer, a transmitter for transmitting waves into the tissue, a receiver for receiving ultrasonic responses from the tissue, a control system electrically coupled to the transmitter and the receiver for controlling operation of the transmitter and receiver, a video processor, and a monitor. In a preferred embodiment, the transducer insonifies tissue at a fundamental frequency of less than approximately 1.5 MHz. A method for detecting an ultrasonic harmonic response of a contrast agent may be performed by introducing at least one contrast agent into the target object, destroying the contrast agent with an ultrasonic pressure wave and measuring the harmonic response from the destroyed contrast agent. A method for detecting an ultrasonic harmonic tissue response may be performed by insonifying the tissue at a low frequency for increased uniformity in depth and using transmit apodization of a wideband phased-array transducer to improve harmonic generation in the near-field.