Method and device for acoustic particle palpation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of measuring the elasticity of a material of interest, the method comprising palpation of the material of interest using at least one acoustically responsive particle which has been administered into or adjacent to said material, wherein said palpation comprises the use of acoustic waves to push the at least one acoustically responsive particle against the material of interest to cause transient deformation of the material and measuring the transient deformation of the material and/or the force response. The present invention also relates to a device for palpating a material of interest with at least one acoustic­ ally responsive particle and measuring the resulting deformation of the material of interest and/or force response, the device compris­ ing a palpation component comprising one or more transducers configured to generate an acoustic wave suitable for pushing at least one acoustically responsive particle against the material of interest to cause transient deformation of the material of interest within a region of palpation and an active monitoring component configured to actively image the material of interest and/or the acoustically responsive particle.