Methods for ultrasonically imaging a heterogeneous 3D-cell population without physically probing are provided. The method can comprises: pulsing ultrasound waves having a wave frequency of about 10 MHz to about 2 GHz through a lens rod, wherein the lens rod focuses the ultrasound waves onto the cell population via a concave lens-head (e.g., comprising sapphire), and wherein the cell population is positioned on the reflective surface such that the ultrasound waves are reflected back to the lens-head; receiving the reflected waves through the lens head and the lens rod at a signal receiver; scanning the lens-head across multiple points in the x,y plane; and at each point in the x,y plane, moving the lens-head in a z-direction such that a signal is received at multiple intervals in the z-direction for each point in the x,y plane.

A catheter-based imaging apparatus comprises a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end. An optical emitter is configured to emit optical excitation signals from a distal portion of the catheter. One or more ultrasound transducers are configured for: (a) transmission of acoustic excitation signals from the distal portion of the catheter; and (b) detection of ultrasound response signals from an object of interest at or near to the distal portion of the catheter at frequencies which include a lower receive frequency at least as low as 10 MHz and a higher receive frequency at least as high as 35 MHz. The one or more ultrasound transducers are thereby configured to detect response signals comprising photoacoustic response signals from the object of interest at the lower receive frequency and high resolution imaging signals from the object of interest at the higher receive frequency.

Methods and systems for acquiring a plurality of data vectors at a first frequency and a plurality of data vectors at a second frequency, where the first frequency is greater than the second frequency. The plurality of first frequency data vectors can be formed into a first set of data vectors and the plurality of second frequency data vectors can be formed into a second set of data vectors. A first filter can be applied to the first set of data vectors to form a first modified data set and a second filter can be applied to the second set of data vectors to form a second modified data set. Based on the first and second modified data sets, a frequency response of an item in the imaging view can be determined. Using the determined frequency response of the item, an image is created on a display.

Methods, systems and storage media are described, each of which may be used to generate an image of an object using ultrasonic plane waves. For example, the generated image may be of a target object positioned on a platen surface. The image may be derived from corrected output signals obtained from a plurality of selected sensor pixels. The corrected output signals may adjust for diffraction of reflected ultrasonic plane waves from a target object positioned on the platen surface. The target object may be a finger or a tip of a stylus.

A signal processing pathway for an ultrasonic imaging device is provided. The signal processing pathway is configured to operate in a frequency range of 1 MHz to 40 MHz inclusive and a voltage range of 80 V to +80 V inclusive.

A diffuse acoustic confocal imager device for use with a data analyzer for providing a three dimensional and state information on an object based on an at least one phase image, the device comprising a coherent acoustic source for producing an acoustic confocal beam ranging from about 0.5 megahertz to about 100 megahertz, an acoustic coherent beam focuser for focusing the acoustic coherent beam to a virtual source, an acoustic detector for detecting an at least one diffusely scattered beam from the virtual source and a vector network analyzer, which is for measuring a phase of the acoustic confocal beam and a phase of the at least one diffusely scattered beam to provide the at least one phase image, the vector network analyzer in electronic communication with each of the coherent acoustic source and the acoustic detector. A method of detecting and treating diseases such as prostate cancer and ovarian cancer is also provided.

The present application provides systems and methods for measuring cell function or tissue function. More particularly, the present application provides systems and methods for determining cell or tissue contractility using ultrasound; systems and methods for measuring the effect an agent has on cell or tissue contractility using ultrasound; and systems and methods for determining material properties of a material using ultrasound.

An ultrasound system includes an ultrasonic array having at least one ultrasonic element, wherein the ultrasonic array configured for transmitting analog ultrasound signals in ultra-high frequency above 25 MHz; an analog sampling recorder receiving the ultrasound signals in ultra-high frequency above 25 MHz and outputting an analog signal with a reduced frequency, wherein the analog sampling recorder will reduce the analog signal frequency; and an ultrasound subsystem coupled to the analog sampling recorder wherein the reduced frequency analog signal from the analog sampling recorder forms an analog front-end channel of the ultrasound subsystem.