Novel method and device for viscoelastic tissue characterization of edema

Quantitative evaluation of tissue hydration and edema is a key marker to guide clinical care. Towards this end, a pulsed-wave (PW) tissue Doppler device to directly measure time-dependent tissue deformation (strain and strain rate) is being developed. With integrated bio-impedance (BIZ) measurements, this system has the potential to significantly improve the edema assessments currently being used. The current study acquires depth dependent tissue creep Doppler signals which are fitted to a linear viscoelastic model to obtain time constants suitable for assessing edema. In addition BIZ measurements were performed looking forward to sensor integration. Work continues to advance the determination of viscoelastic tissue properties, targeting the prototype development for clinical studies.