Method for monitoring of medical treatment using pulse-echo ultrasound

摘要

A method for ultrasound imaging of anatomical tissue. A first signal is received from a first imaging ultrasound wave which has been reflected from a location in the anatomical tissue during a first time period. A second signal is received from a second imaging ultrasound wave which has been reflected from the location in the anatomical tissue during a later second time period, following a discrete medical treatment. The second signal is subtracted from the first signal to form a difference signal. The difference signal may be scaled, spatially filtered, then used to generate an indication, the indication showing the effect of the medical treatment in the location in the anatomical tissue.

主权项

1. A method for ultrasound imaging of anatomical tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
a) emitting treatment ultrasound energy configured to provide a discrete medical treatment in a location in the anatomical tissue; b) emitting a first imaging ultrasound wave during a first time period after the discrete medical treatment, and receiving a first signal from the first imaging ultrasound wave which has been reflected from the location in the anatomical tissue; c) waiting a predetermined time period after the receiving the first signal; d) emitting a second imaging ultrasound wave during second time period after the predetermined time period, and receiving a second signal from the second imaging ultrasound wave which has been reflected from the location in the anatomical tissue; e) subtracting the second signal from the first signal to derive a difference signal; f) generating an indication from the difference signal, the indication showing the effect of the discrete medical treatment in the location in the anatomical tissue; and g) scaling the difference signal.