Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

An intracavity ultrasonic device for elasticity imaging of human tissue to obtain palpation information in a quantitative form by using a probe that has an ultrasonic transducer at one end thereof, the probe having a small diameter and being capable of being inserted inside a conduit of a body. An outer elastic sheath surrounds the probe and is sealed so that it can be filled with a fluid under pressure to create a chamber surrounding the ultrasonic transducer while the sheath is on the interior of the bodily conduit to be examined. By regulating the interior pressure, the sheath can be made to expand against the interior of the conduit and change the deformation of the tissue forming the conduit. The sheath includes a region of greater elasticity adjacent the transducer to facilitate localized deformation of a selected region of the bodily conduit wall. Obtaining images of the selected conduit region before and after compression provides data to calculate the elasticity of tissue in that region and surrounding regions. Elasticity is an informative characteristic for tumor detection as is known from the palpation technique of detecting tumors.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim