ATL wins tissue harmonic imaging patent

ATL Ultrasound last month received a patent for its tissue harmonic imaging technology from the U.S. Patent Office. The Bothell, WA, company’s technology reduces artifacts in ultrasound imaging that are caused by the interaction of low-frequency sound waves with certain tissue types.

The technology is based on proprietary signal processing technologies ATL uses in its HDI 3000 and HDI 5000 systems, according to CTO and senior vice president of product generation Jacques Soquet. Tissue harmonic imaging measures nonlinear high-frequency signals created when tissue interacts with ultrasound energy.

The technology is particularly suited for cardiology applications, in which up to 40% of patients are difficult to image with ultrasound due to physical characteristics such as obesity, pulmonary disease, or prior chest surgery, all factors that can create artifacts. ATL introduced tissue harmonic imaging technology in its HDI 3000 system in 1997 at the American College of Cardiology meeting and at the RSNA (SCAN 11/26/97).