Calibration of ultrasound probes

• US 10,206,662 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, David M., Adam, Sharon L., Specht, Donald F., Brewer, Kenneth D., Lunsford, John P., Specht, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/044,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20160157833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8915 using a transducer array
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A method of calibrating an ultrasound probe includes mounting an ultrasound probe onto a calibration system, transmitting an ultrasound test signal from an element of the probe through a test medium of the calibration system, and receiving the test signal on a matrix of hydrophones such that an element'"'"'s position relative to other elements and other arrays within the same probe can be computed. Further, the system described herein is configured to detect the acoustic performance of elements of a probe and report the results to an end user or service provider.

Claims

1. An ultrasound probe calibration device, comprising:

a tank having a top portion, a bottom wall, at least one side wall between the top portion and the bottom wall, an internal volume filled with a gel or a solid filler material, and at least one target within the tank volume; and

the upper portion defining an ultrasound probe docking area having at least one ultrasound probe receiver and a mechanical docking device configured to hold an ultrasound probe in a substantially rigid, consistent, and immobile position,

wherein the at least one ultrasound probe receiver comprises electrical contacts arranged and configured to interact with corresponding electrical contacts on an ultrasound probe positioned in the at least one ultrasound probe receiver.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical docking device comprises a clasp configured to secure a handle portion of the ultrasound probe in a fixed position.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the probe receiver comprises a molded body that conforms to a shape of the ultrasound probe.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a material of the ultrasound probe receiver is the same material as the filler material.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the filler material and the ultrasound probe receiver material are both ballistics gel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe receiver comprises a flexible fluid-filled bladder.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe docking area comprises a plurality of molded probe receivers conforming to shapes of differently-shaped ultrasound probes.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature sensor in the tank.

9. An ultrasound probe calibration device, comprising:

a tank having a top portion, a bottom wall, at least one side wall between the top portion and the bottom wall, an internal volume filled with a gel or a solid filler material, and at least one target within the tank volume wherein the target comprises a hydrophone matrix on the bottom wall of the tank; and

the upper portion defining an ultrasound probe docking area having at least one ultrasound probe receiver and a mechanical docking device configured to hold an ultrasound probe in a substantially rigid, consistent, and immobile position.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the hydrophone matrix comprises a multi-axis hydrophone including a transverse hydrophone array, a right hydrophone array, and a left hydrophone array.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the hydrophone matrix comprises a two-dimensional array of hydrophone elements.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a self-test hydrophone on the at least one side wall of the tank and separate from the hydrophone matrix.

13. The device of claim 9, further comprising a self-test hydrophone located in the upper portion of the tank along a centerline of the hydrophone matrix.