Abstract: In a process of varying pressure of a pressure container (24) accommodating a forearm (22) of a subject (20) in a pressure range including negative pressure, a diameter (cross-sectional shape value) (D) of an artery 44 in the forearm (22) accommodated in the pressure container (24) is measured non-invasively by a vascular diameter calculating unit (76). In addition, a display controller (display controlling means) (80) operates to display on a displaying device (16) a variation of an internal pressure (Pc) in the pressure container (24) and a variation of the diameter (D) of the artery (44) varying depending thereon. Based on the diameter (D) of the artery (44) obtained in the high pressure region, the variation of the internal pressure Pc in the pressure container 24 and the variation of the diameter (D) of the artery 44 varying depending thereon i.e. mechanical properties of the artery (44) are displayed on the displaying device (16).

Abstract: An aspiration chamber is provided with an aspiration aperture, having a shape in which a width becomes larger from one edge toward another edge, and aspirates soft tissue through the aspiration aperture. A deformation amount measurement portion measures aspiration deformation amounts of the soft tissue within the aspiration aperture along a virtual line from the one edge to another edge. Based on the aspiration deformation amounts that have been measured by the deformation amount measurement portion, a computer uses a finite element model of the soft tissue to derive an approximation equation according to a numerical function for the aspiration deformation amounts and positions on the virtual line and determines a distribution of elasticity from the surface of the soft tissue into its interior by substituting parameters of the approximation equation into estimation equations that are derived by assuming that the deformation along the virtual line reflects elasticity distribution parameters.

Abstract: In a process of varying pressure of a pressure container (24) accommodating a forearm (22) of a subject (20) in a pressure range including negative pressure, a diameter (cross-sectional shape value) (D) of an artery 44 in the forearm (22) accommodated in the pressure container (24) is measured non-invasively by a vascular diameter calculating unit (76). In addition, a display controller (display controlling means) (80) operates to display on a displaying device (16) a variation of an internal pressure (Pc) in the pressure container (24) and a variation of the diameter (D) of the artery (44) varying depending thereon. Based on the diameter (D) of the artery (44) obtained in the high pressure region, the variation of the internal pressure Pc in the pressure container 24 and the variation of the diameter (D) of the artery 44 varying depending thereon i.e. mechanical properties of the artery (44) are displayed on the displaying device (16).