Patents by Inventor Robert N. Rohling
Robert N. Rohling has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10667791Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate generally to an elastography method and system for obtaining ultrasound images of an excited tissue over a certain time period, then computationally determining one or more mechanical properties of the tissue within a real time refresh rate. This method can perform elastography in real time as only a thin volume of the excited tissue is imaged and processed. The thin volume includes a desired cross-sectional plane of the tissue and at least two adjacent planes that are adjacent to the desired cross-sectional plane. A maximum number of adjacent planes is selected so that a computer system is capable of computationally determining mechanical properties within a real time refresh rate.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2012Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Ali Baghani, Hani Eskandari, Robert N. Rohling, Septimu E. Salcudean
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Patent number: 10117640Abstract: A method is described for acquiring 3D quantitative ultrasound elastography volumes. A 2D ultrasound transducer scans a volume of tissue through which shear waves are created using an external vibration source, the synchronized measurement of tissue motion within the plane of the ultrasound transducer with the measurement of the transducer location in space, the reconstruction of tissue displacements and/or tissue velocities in time and space over a volume from this synchronized measurement, and the computation of one or several mechanical properties of tissue from this volumetric measurement of displacements. The tissue motion in the plane of the transducer may be measured at a high effective frame rate in the axial direction of the transducer, or in the axial and lateral directions of the transducer. The tissue displacements and/or tissue velocities over the measured volume may be interpolated over a regular grid in order to facilitate computation of mechanical properties.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Septimiu Edmund Salcudean, Caitlin Marie Schneider, Robert N. Rohling, Ali Baghani, Mohammad Honarvar
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Publication number: 20180125455Abstract: A method is described for acquiring 3D quantitative ultrasound elastography volumes. A 2D ultrasound transducer scans a volume of tissue through which shear waves are created using an external vibration source, the synchronized measurement of tissue motion within the plane of the ultrasound transducer with the measurement of the transducer location in space, the reconstruction of tissue displacements and/or tissue velocities in time and space over a volume from this synchronized measurement, and the computation of one or several mechanical properties of tissue from this volumetric measurement of displacements. The tissue motion in the plane of the transducer may be measured at a high effective frame rate in the axial direction of the transducer, or in the axial and lateral directions of the transducer. The tissue displacements and/or tissue velocities over the measured volume may be interpolated over a regular grid in order to facilitate computation of mechanical properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Septimiu Edmund SALCUDEAN, Caitlin Marie SCHNEIDER, Robert N. ROHLING, Ali BAGHANI, Mohammad HONARVAR
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Patent number: 9801615Abstract: A method is described for acquiring 3D quantitative ultrasound elastography volumes. In one embodiment, the method comprises using a 2D ultrasound transducer to scan a volume of tissue through which shear waves are created using an external vibration source, the synchronized measurement of tissue motion within the plane of the ultrasound transducer with the measurement of the transducer location in space, the reconstruction of tissue displacements in time and space over a volume from this synchronized measurement, and the computation of one or several mechanical properties of tissue from this volumetric measurement of displacements. The tissue motion in the plane of the transducer may be measured at a high effective frame rate in the axial direction of the transducer, or in the axial and lateral directions of the transducer. The tissue displacements over the measured volume may be interpolated over a regular grid in order to make the computation of mechanical properties easier.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Septimiu Edmund Salcudean, Caitlin Marie Schneider, Robert N. Rohling, Ali Baghani
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Publication number: 20170020486Abstract: A method is described for acquiring 3D quantitative ultrasound elastography volumes. In one embodiment, the method comprises using a 2D ultrasound transducer to scan a volume of tissue through which shear waves are created using an external vibration source, the synchronized measurement of tissue motion within the plane of the ultrasound transducer with the measurement of the transducer location in space, the reconstruction of tissue displacements in time and space over a volume from this synchronized measurement, and the computation of one or several mechanical properties of tissue from this volumetric measurement of displacements. The tissue motion in the plane of the transducer may be measured at a high effective frame rate in the axial direction of the transducer, or in the axial and lateral directions of the transducer. The tissue displacements over the measured volume may be interpolated over a regular grid in order to make the computation of mechanical properties easier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2013Publication date: January 26, 2017Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIAInventors: Septimiu Edmund Salcudean, Caitlin Marie Schneider, Robert N. Rohling, Ali Baghani
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Patent number: 9155520Abstract: An intra-operative ultrasound probe for use with a robotic and laparoscopic surgical systems that allows for direct surgeon control over the position and orientation of the ultrasound image is presented. The transducer is designed to interface with the laparoscopic grasper so that it is easy to pick up in a locking, self-aligning and repeatable manner. The transducer is tracked in space using either forward kinematics or electromagnetic sensing, allowing multiple 2D images to be combined in order to create 3D ultrasound volumes. The 3D volumes can be further processed and displayed on the surgeon's console, or used to register and display acquired pre-operative images at the correct spatial location within the patient.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Inventors: Caitlin Marie Schneider, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling, Christopher Yee Chaung Nguan
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Publication number: 20140330122Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate generally to an elastography method and system for obtaining ultrasound images of an excited tissue over a certain time period, then computationally determining one or more mechanical properties of the tissue within a real time refresh rate. This method can perform elastography in real time as only a thin volume of the excited tissue is imaged and processed. The thin volume includes a desired cross-sectional plane of the tissue and at least two adjacent planes that are adjacent to the desired cross-sectional plane. A maximum number of adjacent planes is selected so that a computer system is capable of computationally determining mechanical properties within a real time refresh rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2012Publication date: November 6, 2014Applicant: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Ali Baghani, Hani Eskandari, Robert N. Rohling, Septimu E. Salcudean
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Patent number: 8668647Abstract: The characterization of tissue viscoelastic properties requires the measurement of tissue displacements over a region of interest at frequencies that exceed significantly the frame rates of conventional medical imaging devices. The present invention involves using bandpass sampling to track high-frequency tissue displacements. With this approach, high frequency signals limited to a frequency bandwidth can be sampled and reconstructed without aliasing at a sampling frequency that is lower than the Nyquist rate. With bandpass sampling, it is feasible to use conventional beam-forming on diagnostic ultrasound machines to perform high frequency dynamic elastography. The method is simple to implement as it does not require beam interleaving, additional hardware or synchronization and can be applied to magnetic resonance elastography.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2011Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Hani Eskandari, Ali Baghani, Septimiu Edmund Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling
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Publication number: 20130338505Abstract: An intra-operative ultrasound probe for use with a robotic and laparoscopic surgical systems that allows for direct surgeon control over the position and orientation of the ultrasound image is presented. The transducer is designed to interface with the laparoscopic grasper so that it is easy to pick up in a locking, self-aligning and repeatable manner. The transducer is tracked in space using either forward kinematics or electromagnetic sensing, allowing multiple 2D images to be combined in order to create 3D ultrasound volumes. The 3D volumes can be further processed and displayed on the surgeon's console, or used to register and display acquired pre-operative images at the correct spatial location within the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2012Publication date: December 19, 2013Inventors: Caitlin Marie Schneider, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling, Christopher Yee Chaung Nguan
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Publication number: 20130253318Abstract: Described herein are a method and apparatus for determining viscoelastic parameters of a tissue. A vibration signal is applied to the tissue and displacements at a plurality of locations within the tissue are measured at a plurality of times. The viscoelastic parameters of the tissue, including elasticity and viscosity, can then be determined by fitting a finite element model of the tissue to the vibration signal and the measured displacements and by solving for the viscoelastic parameters of the model. A value for density of each element of the model is selected and the absolute values for the viscoelastic parameters of each of the elements in the model is determined. Alternatively, the difference in relaxation-times between two locations within the tissue can be determined from the difference in phases of the strains at the two locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIAInventors: Hani Eskandari, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling
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Patent number: 8394026Abstract: Described herein are a method and apparatus for determining viscoelastic parameters of a tissue. A vibration signal is applied to the tissue and displacements at a plurality of locations within the tissue are measured at a plurality of times. The viscoelastic parameters of the tissue, including elasticity and viscosity, can then be determined by fitting a finite element model of the tissue to the vibration signal and the measured displacements and by solving for the viscoelastic parameters of the model. A value for density of each element of the model is selected and the absolute values for the viscoelastic parameters of each of the elements in the model is determined. Alternatively, the difference in relaxation-times between two locations within the tissue can be determined from the difference in phases of the strains at the two locations.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: University of British ColumbiaInventors: Hani Eskandari, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling
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Publication number: 20120095323Abstract: The characterization of tissue viscoelastic properties requires the measurement of tissue displacements over a region of interest at frequencies that exceed significantly the frame rates of conventional medical imaging devices. The present invention involves using bandpass sampling to track high-frequency tissue displacements. With this approach, high frequency signals limited to a frequency bandwidth can be sampled and reconstructed without aliasing at a sampling frequency that is lower than the Nyquist rate. With bandpass sampling, it is feasible to use conventional beam-forming on diagnostic ultrasound machines to perform high frequency dynamic elastography. The method is simple to implement as it does not require beam interleaving, additional hardware or synchronization and can be applied to magnetic resonance elastography.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Inventors: Hani Eskandari, Ali Baghani, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling
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Publication number: 20100160778Abstract: Described herein are a method and apparatus for determining viscoelastic parameters of a tissue. A vibration signal is applied to the tissue and displacements at a plurality of locations within the tissue are measured at a plurality of times. The viscoelastic parameters of the tissue, including elasticity and viscosity, can then be determined by fitting a finite element model of the tissue to the vibration signal and the measured displacements and by solving for the viscoelastic parameters of the model. A value for density of each element of the model is selected and the absolute values for the viscoelastic parameters of each of the elements in the model is determined. Alternatively, the difference in relaxation-times between two locations within the tissue can be determined from the difference in phases of the strains at the two locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: University of British ColumbiaInventors: Hani Eskandari, Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling
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Patent number: 7731661Abstract: An imaging system comprises a device to excite mechanical waves in elastic tissue, a device for measuring the resulting tissue motion at a plurality of locations interior to the tissue at a number of time instances, a computing device to calculate the mechanical properties of tissue from the measurements, and a display to show the properties according to their location. A parameter identification method for calculating the mechanical properties is based on fitting a lumped dynamic parametric model of the tissue dynamics to their measurements. Alternatively, the mechanical properties are calculated from transfer functions computed from measurements at adjacent locations in the tissue. The excitation can be produced by mechanical vibrators, medical needles or structures supporting the patient. The measurements may be performed by a conventional ultrasound imaging system and the resulting properties displayed as semi-transparent overlays on the ultrasound images.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2004Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling, Emre Turgay
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Patent number: 7662128Abstract: The invention relates to a needle guidance system provided by a needle with a steerable tip. The needle has a cannula and a stylet. The stylet adjacent to its tip has a naturally curved portion. The stylet is movable in two degrees of freedom with respect to the cannula—axial translation and axial rotation with respect to the cannula axis. When extended, the stylet curves off-axis and provides cannula tip steering. Driving and/or steering systems may be provided to the orientation and relatively move the stylet.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2003Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Inventors: Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling, Stephen H. Okazawa, Afrooz R. Ebrahimi
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Publication number: 20040133168Abstract: The invention relates to a needle guidance system provided by a needle with a steerable tip. The needle has a cannula and a stylet. The stylet adjacent to its tip has a naturally curved portion The stylet is movable in two degrees of freedom with respect to the cannula—axial translation and axial rotation with respect to the cannula axis. When extended, the stylet curves off-axis and provides cannula tip steering. Driving and/or steering systems may be provided to the orientation and relatively move the stylet.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Inventors: Septimiu E. Salcudean, Robert N. Rohling, Stephen H. Okazawa, Afrooz R. Ebrahimi