Method and device for mechanical imaging of prostate

Claim 1

A method of identifying a region within a tissue portion accessible from a tubular body conduit having a different elasticity than the surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of: causing a deformation of the tissue portion for causing stress and strain in the tissue portion, said deformation caused by applying pressure with a pressure applying means over a plurality of locations over the examined tissue portion in a manner similar to the pressure applied by a human finger; measuring a localized pressure distribution in a plurality of regions of tissue; determining positions of said pressure applying means corresponding to each said measured localized pressure distribution; calculating a virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain using said localized pressure distributions and said corresponding positions; defining a geometrical model of the tissue portion having homogeneous tissue and given boundary conditions for the tissue portion; evaluating a theoretical pattern of said at least one property of stress and strain for said geometrical model; comparing said theoretical pattern and said virtual pattern to obtain the difference between said patterns, this difference indicating the presence and location of a differing elasticity region of the tissue within the tissue portion; and adjusting said geometrical model by varying a spatial distribution of elasticity in said geometrical model to minimize differences between the virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain and the respective theoretical pattern for said adjusted geometrical model, thereby obtaining a spatial distribution of elasticity modulus in the tissue portion.

Claim 2

A method of identifying a region within a tissue portion accessible from a tubular body conduit having a different elasticity than the surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of: causing a deformation of the tissue portion for causing stress and strain in the tissue portion, said deformation caused by applying pressure with a pressure applying means over a plurality of locations over the examined tissue portion in a manner similar to the pressure applied by a human finger; measuring a localized pressure distribution in a plurality of regions of tissue; determining positions of said pressure applying means corresponding to each said measured localized pressure distribution; calculating a virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain using said localized pressure distributions and said corresponding positions; defining a geometrical model of the tissue portion having homogeneous tissue and given boundary conditions for the tissue portion; evaluating a theoretical pattern of said at least one property of stress and strain for said geometrical model; comparing said theoretical pattern and said virtual pattern to obtain the difference between said patterns, this difference indicating the presence and location of a differing elasticity region of the tissue within the tissue portion; and adjusting said geometrical model by varying a spatial distribution of elasticity in said geometrical model to minimize differences between the virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain and the respective theoretical pattern for said adjusted geometrical model, thereby obtaining a spatial distribution of elasticity modulus in the tissue portion.

Claim 6

A device for identifying a region within a tissue portion accessible from a tubular body conduit having a different elasticity than the surrounding tissue, said device comprising: means for causing a deformation of the tissue portion, thereby causing stress and strain in the tissue portion, said deformation caused by a pressure applying means for applying pressure in a manner similar to the pressure applied by a human finger; means for measuring a localized pressure in a plurality of regions of tissue; means for determining positions of said pressure applying means corresponding to each said measured localized pressure; means for calculating a virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain using localized pressure and said corresponding positions; means for defining a geometrical model of the tissue portion having a homogeneous tissue and given boundary conditions for the tissue portion; means for evaluating a theoretical pattern of said at least one property of stress and strain for said geometrical model; means for comparing said theoretical pattern and said virtual pattern to obtain the difference between said patterns, this difference indicating the presence and location of a differing elasticity region of the tissue within the tissue portion; and means for adjusting said geometrical model by varying a spatial distribution of elasticity in said adjusted geometrical model to minimize differences between the virtual pattern of stress and strain and the adjusted geometrical model, thereby obtaining a spatial distribution of elasticity modulus in the tissue portion.

Claim 7

A device for identifying a region within a tissue portion accessible from a tubular body conduit having a different elasticity than the surrounding tissue, said device comprising: means for causing a deformation of the tissue portion, thereby causing stress and strain in the tissue portion, said deformation caused by a pressure applying means for applying pressure in a manner similar to the pressure applied by a human finger; means for measuring a localized pressure in a plurality of regions of tissue; means for determining positions of said pressure applying means corresponding to each said measured localized pressure; means for calculating a virtual pattern of at least one property taken from the group of properties consisting of stress and strain using localized pressure and said corresponding positions; means for defining a geometrical model of the tissue portion having a homogeneous tissue and given boundary conditions for the tissue portion; means for evaluating a theoretical pattern of said at least one property of stress and strain for said geometrical model; means for comparing said theoretical pattern and said virtual pattern to obtain the difference between said patterns, this difference indicating the presence and location of a differing elasticity region of the tissue within the tissue portion; and means for adjusting said geometrical model by varying a spatial distribution of elasticity in said adjusted geometrical model to minimize differences between the virtual pattern of stress and strain and the adjusted geometrical model, thereby obtaining a spatial distribution of elasticity modulus in the tissue portion.

Claim 10

A device for mechanical imaging the human prostate gland comprising: an articulated tip having a plurality of degrees of freedom; said articulated tip configured so as to be insertable within the human rectum so as to be proximate to the human prostate gland, said articulated tip being movable within the rectum so as to press against regions of the prostate gland and to deform the tissue in the region of the prostate gland; a position sensor mounted in the articulated tip for determining positions of said articulated tip; a pressure sensing array comprising a plurality of pressure sensors mounted on the articulated tip and oriented so as to detect a local pressure pattern over the tissue being deformed by the articulated tip; and means for processing signals detected by said pressure sensing array and said position sensor, so as to obtain a spatial distribution of geometrical and mechanical properties of the prostate.

Claim 11

A device for mechanical imaging the human prostate gland comprising: an articulated tip having a plurality of degrees of freedom; said articulated tip configured so as to be insertable within the human rectum so as to be proximate to the human prostate gland, said articulated tip being movable within the rectum so as to press against regions of the prostate gland and to deform the tissue in the region of the prostate gland; a position sensor mounted in the articulated tip for determining positions of said articulated tip; a pressure sensing array comprising a plurality of pressure sensors mounted on the articulated tip and oriented so as to detect a local pressure pattern over the tissue being deformed by the articulated tip; and means for processing signals detected by said pressure sensing array and said position sensor, so as to obtain a spatial distribution of geometrical and mechanical properties of the prostate.