Abstract: The present invention relates to a probe for measuring the viscoelastic properties of a human or animal medium of interest, such as a liver, said measurement consisting of: generating at least one low-frequency elastic wave in the medium of interest, simultaneously with the generation of the low-frequency wave: emitting high-frequency ultrasonic waves, and receiving acoustic echoes due to the reflections of the ultrasonic waves in the medium of interest, the probe comprising: a housing (31), a transducer array (33) for emitting high-frequency ultrasonic waves and receiving acoustic echoes, characterized in that the probe (3) further comprises at least one inertial vibration exciter (34) including: a fixed part (341) mechanically integral with the transducer array (33), a mobile part (342) capable of moving relative to the fixed part to produce vibrations in order to generate the low-frequency elastic wave.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprising a probe adapted for emitting and receiving ultrasound waves inside a medium, and a processing unit connected to said probe and adapted for processing signals from the probe. The probe is configured so as to behave as a Fresnel lens for focusing the ultrasound waves. The processing unit analyses signals from the probe for sensing the medium at a plurality of focal points.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for managing exchanges of data between: —a probe (1) comprising a memory containing a probe digital certificate including a probe public key, —a terminal (2) comprising a memory containing a terminal digital certificate including a terminal public key, —a remote platform (3) configured to: ?deliver the probe digital certificate to the probe and ?deliver the terminal digital certificate to the terminal, characterised in that the method comprises the implementation of an authentication procedure consisting of the following steps:—a first step in which the probe verifies the identity of the terminal from the terminal digital certificate; —a second step in which the terminal verifies the identity of the probe from the probe digital certificate, and—a third step in which the probe, the terminal and the platform each generate an identical session key from the probe and terminal public keys.

Abstract: The method includes excitation during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in an excitation zone, and imaging by acquiring signals during movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium in response to the internal mechanical stress in an. imaging zone that includes the excitation zone. The method further includes calculating a quantitative index associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium at least at one point of the imaging zone situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone. The quantitative index is representative of a comparison between signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at least at one point of the excitation zone situated at the given depth, and signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least the point of the imaging zone situated outside the excitation zone.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprising a probe adapted for emitting and receiving ultrasound waves inside a medium, and a processing unit connected to said probe and adapted for processing signals from the probe. The probe is configured so as to behave as a Fresnel lens for focusing the ultrasound waves. The processing unit analyses signals from the probe for sensing the medium at a plurality of focal points.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for imaging a visco-elastic medium [2]. The method comprises the steps of excitation during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in an excitation zone [A]; and imaging by acquiring signals during movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium [2] in response to the internal mechanical stress in an imaging zone [B] that includes the excitation zone [A]. According to the invention said method further comprises a step of calculating a quantitative index [Cij] associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium [2] at at least one point [Bij] of the imaging zone [B] situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone [A].

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for imaging a visco-elastic medium (2). The method comprises an excitation step during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in an excitation zone [A] and an imaging step of acquiring signals during the movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium (2) in response to the internal mechanical stress in an imaging zone [B] that includes the excitation zone [A]. According to the invention, the method further comprises a step of calculating a quantitative index [Cij] associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium (2) at at least one point [Bij] of the imaging zone situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone [A].

Abstract: A method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material uses a single probe carrying at least one transducer. At least one burst of mechanical vibrations is induced in a constraint zone in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from the constraint zone into the tissue. The transient tissue displacements are measured with a transducer in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, the first measurement zone being located away from the constraint zone. A mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone is estimated from the measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material. Said method using a single probe carrying at least one transducer comprises the steps of: a) inducing, in a constraint zone, at least one burst of mechanical vibrations in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from said constraint zone into the tissue, b1) measuring, with said transducer, the transient tissue displacements in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, said first measurement zone being located away from said constraint zone, c) estimating a mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone from said measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging probe for imaging a medium (10), comprising two types of transducers, characterized in that the first type of transducer(s) (1) is dedicated to ultrasonic imaging of the medium (10), and the second type of transducer(s) (2) is dedicated to generating a stress producing at least one transient modification of the imaged medium (10), both types of transducer(s) (1, 2) being able to operate at least in a so-called coupled mode where the first type of transducer(s) (1) operates in a synchronized way with the second type of transducer(s) (2) so as to image the time course of the transient modification of the medium (10).

Abstract: The disclosure includes a method of acquiring high-resolution ultrasound images using an array of transducers using successive transmission matrices.

Abstract: The invention concerns a medical imaging system comprising means (4) of segmenting a region of interest around an object of interest within a volume of 3D data (3DV). The system according to the invention comprises means (5) of calculating a sub-regions map (CSR) within the segmented region (RS) and correction means (6) intended to exclude sub-regions of the segmented region by means of said sub-regions map (CSR). The correction can be made automatically or manually by means of control means (7) enabling a user to select the sub-regions to be excluded. Display means (3) make it possible to display a 2D representation (2DR) of the volume of 3D data (3DV) and the segmented region (RS, RS?) at various stages of the processing.

Abstract: A method for ultrasound imaging is provided. The method includes at least a transmission step, a coherence enhancing step, and a beamforming step. In the transmission step, a plurality of ultrasonic waves are transmitted into an imaged region and a set of raw data is acquired by an array of transducers in response to each ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic waves have different spatial frequency content. In the coherence enhancing step, for each of a plurality of virtual transmit focal zones in the imaged region, at least one set of coherent data is synthesized from the sets of raw data. In the beamforming step, for each of a plurality of locations included in each of the virtual transmit focal zones, an image pixel is computed by beamforming, using the set of coherent data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material. Said method using a single probe carrying at least one transducer comprises the steps of: a) inducing, in a constraint zone, at least one burst of mechanical vibrations in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from said constraint zone into the tissue, b1) measuring, with said transducer, the transient tissue displacements in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, said first measurement zone being located away from said constraint zone, c) estimating a mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone from said measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.

Abstract: The disclosure includes a method of acquiring high-resolution ultrasound images using an array of transducers using successive transmission matrices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material. The method uses a single probe carrying at least one transducer and includes the steps of: (a) inducing, in a constraint zone, at least one burst of mechanical vibrations in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from the constraint zone into the tissue, (b1) measuring, with the transducer, the transient tissue displacements in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, and wherein the first measurement zone is located away from the constraint zone, and (c) estimating a mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone from the measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus using a method for combining CMB images of the same object including a step of seeking representative contours CNT of an interface on the images to be combined IM,[I], IM[J] is disclosed. The step is intended to define interest areas IA[I], IA[J] in the vicinity of the representative contours. The method also includes analyzing the interest areas IA[I], IA[J] being intended to allocate weights W[I], W[J] to the points on the interest areas IA[I], IA[J] and to the points corresponding to the interest areas IA[I], IA[J] on the various images. The method also includes constructing a combination image IMC, a point on the combination image IMC corresponding to a point on at least one interest area IA being obtained from a weighting of the corresponding points on the images to be combined IM[I], IM[J] according to the weights W[I], W[J] allocated in the analysis step ANA.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence or absence of malignant features in medical images, wherein a plurality of base comparison or training images of various types of lesions taken of actual patient is examined by one or more image reading experts to create a first database array. Low-level features of each of the lesions in the same plurality of base comparisons or training images are determined using one or more image processing algorithms to obtain a second database array set. The first and second database array set are combined to create a training database array set which is input to a learning system that discovers/learns a classifier that maps from a subset of the low-level features to the expert's evaluation in the first database array set. The classifier is used to determine the presence of a particular mid-level feature in an image of lesion in a patient based solely on the image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating mechanical waves within a viscoelastic medium (11) comprising a step of generating an acoustic radiation force (15) within the viscoelastic medium (11) by application of acoustic waves focused on an interface (13) delimiting two zones (11, 14) having distinct acoustic properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material. Said method using a single probe carrying at least one transducer comprises the steps of: a) inducing, in a constraint zone, at least one burst of mechanical vibrations in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from said constraint zone into the tissue, b1) measuring, with said transducer, the transient tissue displacements in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, said first measurement zone being located away from said constraint zone, c) estimating a mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone from said measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.