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US5099848A
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Method and apparatus for breast imaging and tumor detection using modal vibration analysis
Assignee: University of Rochester
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Filing: 1990-11-02
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Granted: 1992-03-31
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Expires: 2010-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A system for using Doppler modulation parameters for producing an estimation of the vibration amplitude of an object under investigation is disclosed in which a low frequency vibration source is used to force the oscillation of the object under investigation and a coherent or pulsed ultrasound imaging system is utilized to detect the spatial distribution of the vibration amplitude of the object in real-time. The reflected Doppler shifted waveform generated by reflecting the ultrasound waves off of the vibrating object under investigation is used to compute the vibration amplitude and frequency of the object using two alternative methods, either on a frequency domain estimator basis or on a time domain estimator basis. The system may also be utilized for breast imaging and tumor detection. By conforming the breast to a regular geometry, exciting specific vibrational eigenmodes, and analyzing the Doppler modulation parameters, the inherent shear and longitudinal wave parameters of breast tissue can be calculated. These are useful for detection of tumors and other abnormalities.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin J. Parker
- 👤 Robert M. Lerner
- 👤 Sung-Rung Huang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/895; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0048; A61B5/0051; A61B8/00; A61B8/08; A61B8/0825; A61B8/48; A61B8/485; G01S15/8979; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A90/00; Y02A90/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining the elastic constants of breast tissue in order to detect the presence of tumors or other abnormalities in said tissue using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said breast tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming the breast tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; exciting specific vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue; scanning said breast tissue with coherent radiation and receiving Doppler shifted signals reflected by said breast tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to derive the vibration amplitude of said breast tissue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining the elastic constants of breast tissue in order to detect the presence of tumors or other abnormalities in said tissue using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said breast tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming the breast tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; exciting specific vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue; scanning said breast tissue with coherent radiation and receiving Doppler shifted signals reflected by said breast tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to derive the vibration amplitude of said breast tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing includes analyzing an image created by exciting said specific vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said image has dominant pattern spacing at the wavelengths of said vibrational eigenmodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of scanning uses pulsed coherent radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing comprises forming an image of the vibration amplitude within said conformed breast tissue and analyzing said image with respect to said specific vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said coherent radiation is pulsed electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said coherent radiation is acoustic radiation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for characterizing breast tissue by modal vibration analysis in real-time, using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said breast tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming said breast tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; vibrating said conformed breast tissue using a source of vibration; impinging coherent radiation on the surface of said conformed breast tissue; receiving said Doppler shifted signals reflected from said surface of breast tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to determine discrete eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for characterizing breast tissue by modal vibration analysis in real-time, using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said breast tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming said breast tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; vibrating said conformed breast tissue using a source of vibration; impinging coherent radiation on the surface of said conformed breast tissue; receiving said Doppler shifted signals reflected from said surface of breast tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to determine discrete eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8, further including the step of scanning the surface of said object with said impinging coherent radiation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said source of vibration has a frequency of approximately 1-1000 Hertz.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said step of analyzing is accomplished using a time domain estimator system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said step of analyzing is accomplished using a frequency domain estimator system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said step of analyzing comprises the steps of: generating quadrature phase signals representative of said Doppler shifted signals; deriving the phase and co-phase signals of said quadrature phase signals; and calculating the vibration amplitude of said conformed breast tissue based upon said quadrature phase, phase and co-phase signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said coherent radiation is pulsed electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said coherent radiation is acoustic radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said source of vibration produces one of pure tone and broad band signals.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining the elastic constants of soft tissue in order to detect the presence of tumors or other abnormalities in said tissue using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said soft tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming the soft tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; exciting specific vibrational eigenmodes in said soft tissue; scanning said soft tissue with coherent radiation and receiving Doppler shifted signals reflected by said soft tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to derive the vibration amplitude of said soft tissue.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining the elastic constants of soft tissue in order to detect the presence of tumors or other abnormalities in said tissue using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said soft tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming the soft tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; exciting specific vibrational eigenmodes in said soft tissue; scanning said soft tissue with coherent radiation and receiving Doppler shifted signals reflected by said soft tissue; and analyzing said Doppler shifted signals to derive the vibration amplitude of said soft tissue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said step of analyzing includes analyzing an image created by exciting said specific vibrational eigenmodes in said soft tissue.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said image has dominant pattern spacing at the wavelengths of said vibrational eigenmodes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said step of analyzing comprises forming an image of the vibration amplitude within said conformed soft tissue and analyzing said image with respect to said specific vibrational eigenmodes in said soft tissue.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said step of scanning used pulsed content radiation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of analyzing comprises forming an image of the vibration amplitude within said conformed soft tissue and analyzing said image with respect to said specific vibrational eigenmodes in said soft tissue.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for characterizing soft tissue by modal vibration analysis in real-time, using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said soft tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming said soft tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; vibrating said conformed soft tissue using a source of vibration; impinging coherent radiation on the surface of said conformed soft tissue; receiving said doppler shifted signals reflected from said surface of soft tissue; and analyzing said doppler shifted signals to determine discrete eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for characterizing soft tissue by modal vibration analysis in real-time, using Doppler shifted signals reflected from said soft tissue, comprising the steps of: conforming said soft tissue to a predetermined regular geometry; vibrating said conformed soft tissue using a source of vibration; impinging coherent radiation on the surface of said conformed soft tissue; receiving said doppler shifted signals reflected from said surface of soft tissue; and analyzing said doppler shifted signals to determine discrete eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23, further including the step of scanning the surface of said soft tissue with said impinging coherent radiation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said source of vibration has a frequency of approximately 1-1000 Hertz.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said step of analyzing is accomplished using a time domain estimator system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said step of analyzing is accomplished using a frequency domain estimator system.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said step of analyzing comprises the steps of: generating quadrature phase signals representative of said Doppler shifted signals; deriving the phase and co-phase signals of said quadrature phase signals; and calculating the vibration amplitude of said conformed soft tissue based upon said quadrature phase, phase and co-phase signals.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said coherent radiation is pulsed electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said source of vibration produces one of pure tone and broadband signals.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
71 words
A system for characterizing breast tissue, comprising: means for conforming said breast tissue into a predetermined geometry; a vibration source for exciting vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue; a pulsed coherent energy imaging system for scanning said breast tissue and for receiving Doppler shifted signals representative of said vibrational eigenmodes reflected by said breast tissue resulting from said scanning; and means for evaluating said vibrational eigenmodes occurring within said breast tissue.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
71 words
A system for characterizing breast tissue, comprising: means for conforming said breast tissue into a predetermined geometry; a vibration source for exciting vibrational eigenmodes in said breast tissue; a pulsed coherent energy imaging system for scanning said breast tissue and for receiving Doppler shifted signals representative of said vibrational eigenmodes reflected by said breast tissue resulting from said scanning; and means for evaluating said vibrational eigenmodes occurring within said breast tissue.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 31, wherein said vibration source produces one of pure tone and broadband signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-03-31 | 1995-09-30 | 1996-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-31 | 1999-09-30 | 2000-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-31 | 2003-09-30 | 2004-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |