Determining mechanical properties via ultrasound-induced resonance

Inventors

Walker, William F. • Corey, F. Scott • Homyk, Andrew • Higgins, Tim • Viola, Francesco • Regan, Frank • Ferrante, Elisa

Assignees

Hemosonics LLC

Abstract

A device for estimating a mechanical property of a sample is disclosed herein. The device may include a chamber configured to hold the sample; a transmitter configured to transmit a plurality of waveforms, including at least one forcing waveform; and a transducer assembly operatively connected to the transmitter and configured to transform the transmit waveforms into ultrasound waveforms. The transducer assembly can also transmit and receive ultrasound waveforms into and out of the chamber, as well as transform at least two received ultrasound waveforms into received electrical waveforms. The device also includes a data processor that can receive the received electrical waveforms; estimate a difference in the received electrical waveforms that results at least partially from movement of the sample; and estimate a mechanical property of the sample by comparing at least one feature of the estimated difference to at least one predicted feature, wherein the at least one predicted feature is based on a model of an effect of the chamber wall. Finally, the device can also include a controller configured to control the timing of the ultrasound transmitter and data processor.

Core Innovation

A method is disclosed for characterizing a mechanical property of a test sample by transmitting a plurality of waveforms into a test chamber, including at least one forcing waveform and at least two sensing waveforms. The method receives, via at least one transducer, at least two sensing waveforms from the test chamber corresponding to the at least two transmitted sensing waveforms, and a resonance of the test sample is estimated from the received sensing waveforms.

A modulus value associated with stiffness of a clot formed of the test sample is determined based on the estimated resonance. The processor outputs a hemostatic parameter derived from the determined modulus value, and the outputted hemostatic parameter is used to evaluate and/or treat a hemostatic dysfunction.

Claims Coverage

The document contains one independent claim defining 5 inventive features: transmission of forcing and sensing waveforms, reception of sensing waveforms, resonance estimation, modulus determination associated with clot stiffness, and output of a hemostatic parameter for hemostatic dysfunction evaluation or treatment.

Overall claim coverage centers on a resonance-estimation workflow in a test chamber that converts received sensing-waveform information into a modulus value associated with clot stiffness and then into a hemostatic parameter used for evaluating and/or treating a hemostatic dysfunction.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications