Ultrasound system for estimating the speed of sound in body tissue
 An ultrasound system (50) estimates the speed of sound in the tissue (60) under examination. The ultrasound system obtains a series of test images (150) using different estimates of the speed of sound in the body tissue. For each image produced, the ultrasound system computes a function that is indicative of image quality for one or more regions of interest (152) in the test image. The image quality function exhibits a minimum or maximum when computed for a region of interest obtained at a speed of sound substantially equal to a true speed of sound in the tissue. The ultrasound system selects the test image having the minimum or maximum function value and obtains subsequent images of the tissue using the speed of sound used to obtain the test image selected. 
Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.
G G G G G G G G G
G01S G01N G01S G01S G01N G01N G01N G01N G01H
additional additional additional inventional inventional inventional inventional additional inventional
Jian-Feng Patrick L. Lin-Xin
Chen Von Behren Yao