Method and apparatus for making an image of a lumen or other body cavity and its surrounding tissue

摘要

Method and apparatus for making an image of a lumen and surrounding tissue in a body by inserting a transducer in the cavity and emitting ultrasound signals and collecting and processing echo signals to form an image, where the apparatus includes a signal processor arranged for performing the steps of and the method includes the steps of: a) obtaining echo signals from tissue at a given state of mechanical stress in a chosen direction; b) obtaining similar echo signals after a change of the mechanical stress; c) identifying the lumen-tissue boundary; d) comparing the echo signals to obtain a parameter indicative of tissue stiffness; e) performing similar steps for a number of directions; f) deriving and displaying the conventional echo image of the lumen and surrounding tissue from the echo signals of step a); g) superimposing in said image the tissue stiffness as a coded line along the lumen-tissue boundary.