USE OF NON-RAYLEIGH STATISTICS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF TUMORS IN ULTRASONIC B-SCANS OF THE BREAST

A model for the scattering of ultrasound from breast tissue is proposed. The model is based on the use of non-Rayleigh statistics, specifically the K distribution to describe the backscattered echo from the tissue. A multiparameter test based on this model has been designed to characterize the tissue. The data from the B-scan images of the breasts of six different patients were analyzed using this model. The results indicate that the non-Rayleigh statistics seem to be useful in characterizing and identifying malignant, benign, and normal tissue regions.