METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTIMATING BONE MINERAL DENSITY USING A TIME REVERSAL ACOUSTIC FOCUSING TECHNIQUE

摘要

The present invention relates to a bone density prediction device using the time reversal acoustic wave focusing technique and a method thereof. The bone density prediction device using the time reversal acoustic wave focusing technique of the present invention includes: an ultrasonic wave transmission unit which radiates ultrasonic waves; an ultrasonic wave receiving unit which receives the ultrasonic waves radiated by the ultrasonic wave transmission unit; a time reversal unit which provides time-reversed ultrasonic waves for the ultrasonic wave transmission unit; a conversion unit which converts the ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic wave receiving unit into electrical signals; a signal processing unit which detects the electrical signals converted by the conversion unit; and a calculation unit which analyzes the detected electrical signals from the conversion unit, calculates the speed of sound of the ultrasonic waves passing through spongy bones, and predicts the bone density of the spongy bones by using the calculated speed of sound of the ultrasonic waves. According to the present invention, by predicting the bone density through using ultrasonic waves which are harmless to the human body, the present invention does not cause exposure to radiation which occurs by existing measurement methods using radiation and thus is safe to the human body. Also, by dividing the cross section of calcaneus into multiple target areas and making focused pulse-type ultrasonic waves pass through each target area using the time reversal acoustic wave focusing technique, the present invention obtains the speed of sound of each target area, acquires a bone density image about the cross section of calcaneus, and predict the bone density with better accuracy.