Abstract: A technique to enhance the stability of dental and orthopedic implants (including artificial joints and fractures) by inducing implant micromotion via a permanent magnet coupled to the implant which is vibrated using a cyclic magnetic force to enhance growth and apposition of the surrounding bone. In the preferred embodiment the implant temporarily holds a rigidly fixed, permanent magnet that is oscillated by an externally applied, time varying moving magnetic field of controlled frequency and intensity. Movement of the internal magnet transmits movement to the implant and effects stimulation of the implant-bone interface.

Abstract: Non-invasive quantitative plain radiographic evaluation of bone in a bony locale of a body is performed by subjecting the bony locale to a broadband collimated x-ray beam having energy in the range of about 20 keV to 150 keV. Alongside the bony locale is a multiple-material phantom containing at least two distinct materials. An energy-selective multiple-film detector cassette containing at least two films is placed under the body and multiple-material phantom to receive the transmitted x-ray beam. The films in the cassette are developed and digitally scanned to produce sets of multiple-material phantom data and sets of bone data. The data sets are then processed with a nonlinear algorithm whereby to generate the indicated estimate of bone status, namely, bone-mineral density.

Abstract: A method for the assessment of various properties of bone is provided. The method includes applying a pair of ultrasound transducers to skin on opposite sides of the bone and generating an ultrasound signal and directing the signal through both the bone and a known medium to obtain a bone output signal and a reference signal. The method further includes establishing a set of parameters associated with the bone output signal and a set of parameters associated with the reference signal and then subjecting the two sets of parameters to comparative analysis in order to obtain the desired bone property. An apparatus for the assessment of various properties of bone is also provided. The apparatus includes a pair of ultrasound transducers which may be single-element transducers or array transducers in any combination.

Abstract: A method for assessment of bone properties utilizing a new set of ultrasound parameters comprises passing ultrasonic signal through a bone tissue, modeling an output signal and a reference output signal and subjecting said parameters of the models to comparative analysis. Some of the new ultrasound parameters can be determined using analog processing techniques. An apparatus is also disclosed for practicing this method with one embodiment utilizing multi-element, two-dimensional array transducers. In conjunction with said array transducers, a synthetic aperture array mode is also disclosed.

Abstract: Non-invasive quantitative in-vivo electromagnetic evaluation of bone is performed by subjecting bone to an electrical excitation wave-form supplied to a pair of electrodes on opposite sides of a bony member, and involving a repetitive finite duration signal consisting of plural frequencies that are in the range 0 Hz-200 MHz. Signal-processing of a bone-current response signal and a bone-voltage response signal is operative to sequentially average the most recently received given number of successive bone-current and bone-voltage response signals to obtain an averaged per-pulse bone-current signal and an averaged per-pulse bone-voltage signal, and to produce their associated Fourier transforms. These Fourier transforms are further processed to obtain the frequency-dependent bone-admittance function.

Abstract: An unknown object is non-destructively and quantitatively evaluated for three-dimensional spatial distribution of a set of material constitutive parameters, using a multi-element array-source transducer and a multi-element array-detector transducer in spaced, mutually facing relation. The array-source transducer exposes the array-detector transducer to a set of source-field patterns pursuant to a set of electrical input signals. Either a known object or an unknown object positioned between these transducers will be the cause of scattering, thus presenting a scattered-field pattern to the array detector transducer, for each pattern of the set of source-field patterns. A computer, a signal processor and a neural network operate from detector response to each set of scattered-field patterns, in each of two modes.

Abstract: A method of ultrasonic bone-therapy subjects a bone to an ultrasonic excitation pulse signal of finite duration, supplied to a transducer next to the bone, and involving a sinusoidal signal in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHz peculiarly modulated by a sinusoidal signal with frequency between about 0 Hz and about 25 kHz; the excitation signal is repeated in the range of 1 to 5000 Hz. The exposure time for therapy is chosen to be in the range of 5 minutes to 1 hour, for 1 to 3 times a day, for a period of days as necessary for healing or for promoting bone growth and ingrowth. An apparatus for implementing the above method for ultrasonic bone therapy is disclosed comprising a transducer having a transmitting and a receiving element, a special waveform signal generator, and a computer for performing the necessary operations defining a preferred treatment regime.

Abstract: An unknown object is non-destructively and quantitatively evaluated for three-dimensional spatial distribution of a set of material constitutive parameters of the unknown object, using a multi-element array-source transducer and a multi-element array-detector transducer located near the unknown object. The array-source transducer exposes the array-detector transducer to a set of source-field patterns pursuant to a set of electrical input signals. An unknown object located near these transducers will be the cause of scattering, thus presenting a scattered-field pattern to the array detector transducer, for each pattern of the set of source-field patterns. In a related computation, a set of training signals is determined by evaluating on a computer the scattered field from a set of computer simulated training objects. A computer, a signal processor and a neural network operate from detector response to the computer simulated and unknown object scattered-field patterns, in each of two modes.

Abstract: A method for assessment of bone properties comprises passing ultrasonic signal through a bone tissue, modeling an output signal and a reference output signal and subjecting parameters of the models to comparative analysis. An apparatus is also disclosed for practicing the method.

Abstract: A method of ultrasonic bone-therapy subjects a bone to an ultrasonic excitation pulse signal of finite duration, supplied to a transducer next to the bone, and involving a sinusoidal signal in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHz peculiarly modulated by a sinusoidal signal with frequency between about 0 Hz and about 25 kHz; the excitation signal is repeated in the range of 1 to 5000 Hz. The exposure time for therapy is chosen to be in the range of 5 minutes to 1 hour, for 1 to 3 times a day, for a period of days as necessary for healing or for promoting bone growth and ingrowth. An apparatus for implementing the above method for ultrasonic bone therapy is disclosed comprising a transducer having a transmitting and a receiving element, a special waveform signal generator, and a computer for performing the necessary operations defining a preferred treatment regime.

Abstract: Non-invasive therapeutic treatment and/or quantitative evaluation of musculoskeletal tissue are performed in vivo by subjecting musculoskeletal tissue to an ultrasonic acoustic signal pulse of finite duration, and involving a composite sine-wave signal consisting of plural discrete frequencies that are spaced in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHZ; the excitation signal is repeated substantially in the range 1 to 1000 Hz.In a quantitative evaluation, the composite-sine wave signal is supplied to one of two transducers on opposite sides of the musculoskeletal tissue, and the signal received by the other transducer is processed (a) to sequentially average the most recently received given number of successive signals to obtain an averaged per-pulse signal and (b) to produce a Fourier transform of the averaged per-pulse musculoskeletal tissue-transmitted signal.

Abstract: Non-invasive therapeutic treatment and/or quantitative evaluation of bone tissue are performed in vivo, by subjecting bone to an ultrasonic acoustic signal pulse of finite duration, and involving a composite sine-wave signal consisting of plural discrete frequencies that are spaced in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHz; the excitation signal is repeated substantially in the range 1 to 1000 Hz.In a quantitative evaluation, the composite sine-wave signal is supplied to one of two transducers on opposite sides of the bone, and the signal received by the other transducer is processed (a) to sequentially average the most recently received given number of successive signals to obtain an averaged per-pulse signal and (b) to produce a Fourier transform of the averaged per-pulse bone-transmitted signal.

Abstract: Non-invasive, quantitative in-vivo ultrasonic evaluation of bone is performed by subjecting bone to an acoustic excitation pulse supplied to one of two transducers on opposite sides of the bone, and involving a composite sine-wave signal consisting of repetitions of plural discrete ultrasonic frequencies that are spaced at approximately 2 MHz. Signal-processing of received signal output of the other transducer is operative to sequentially average the most recently received given number of successive signals to obtain an averaged per-pulse signal and to produce a Fourier transform of this signal. In a separate operation, the same transducer responds to the transmission and reception of the same excitation signal via a medium of known acoustic properties and path length to establish a reference signal, which is processed to produce its Fourier transform.