A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR INVESTIGATING MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF BONE USING ULTRASOUND

摘要

A method for investigating the mechanical properties of bone inside a live animal or human being, said method comprises launching an ultrasound pulse wave into the body of said being and establishing a trace related to the magnitude of a reflected ultrasound wave versus the time lapsed since the launching of the pulse wave. On the trace an interval in which the magnitude of the reflected ultrasound wave exhibits a steady decline versus time, is identified, and the attenuation of the ultrasound wave based on the readings of the trace within this interval is computed.