Yukov tissue characterization method and apparatus

• US 10,687,787 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukov Scientific LLC
• Original Assignee: Igor Yukov
• Inventors: Yukov, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): Desanto, Matthew F
• Application Number:
  US16/504,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20190328356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 352 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5269 involving detection or reduction of artifacts for image enhancement algorithms G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A systems and methods for tissue characterization using ultrasound are disclosed. One embodiment is for a system with a novel YB-scan transducer. The YB transducer is comprised of a plurality of separate and independent piezo-elements. The system is configured to scan a tissue or organ using two different frequencies to produce 2D images and two-frequency attenuation data to characterize tissue types. Other embodiments are presented permitting conventional B-scan imaging combined with A-mode scanning for two-frequency tissue characterization.

Claims

1. A tissue characterization method which applies B-scan visualization and two-frequency attenuation for characterization of a tissue in a patient comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a B-scan component wherein said B-scan component has a B-scan transducer, said B-scan transducer comprised of a plurality of piezo-elements, a scanning system and a pulse generator,

(b) providing a two-frequency attenuation component, said two frequency attenuation component has a group of piezo-elements inside said B-scan transducer and is connected to a waveform generator and wherein said two-frequency attenuation component is configured to function through said group of piezo-elements, said group of piezo elements comprising a subset of said plurality of piezo-elements, said group of piezo-elements further configured to function together as a single A-mode transducer, said waveform generator of said two frequency component further configured to generate sinusoidal ultrasound excitation pulses for said A-mode transducer, said sinusoidal excitation pulses comprising pulses of two different frequencies,

(c) placing the B-scan transducer on the patient'"'"'s body,

(d) displaying on a monitor a B-scan image of the patient'"'"'s tissue,

(e) selecting a region of interest on said B-scan image displayed on the screen of said monitor,

(f) providing a foot pedal to activate connection of said subset of said plurality of piezo-elements thereby switching from a B-scan mode to a two-frequency A-scan mode,

(g) sliding said B-scan transducer on said patient'"'"'s body to bring said A-mode transducer to a selected a spot of interest within said region of interest,

(h) generating and displaying A-mode images on the screen of said monitor next to said B-scan image,

(i) analyzing the A-mode images either visually or with an analyzer, with determination of the the frequencies, amplitudes, shapes, widths, and registered times of reflected signals at said chosen two different frequencies from said selected spot of interest to obtain data for a differential attenuation coefficient, thereby permitting differentiation between types of tissue within an organ through analysis of reflected signals from boundaries of tissue layers,

(j) displaying said obtained data for said differential attenuation coefficient on the B-scan image as an overlay color image or as numerical data thereby permitting determination of the type of tissue matter from said selected spot of interest.

2. The tissue characterization method of claim 1 further comprising wherein the activation of the subset of said plurality of piezo-elements includes activation of an electronic switching mechanism, said electronic switching mechanism having a first logic state and a mutually exclusive second logic state, said electronic switching mechanism connected to a subset of said piezo-elements and said electronic switching mechanism adapted to make said subset of piezo-elements function as said single A-mode transducer when said switching mechanism has said first logic state, said electronic switching mechanism further adapted to enable electronic communication between said two-frequency apparatus and said A-mode transducer when said switching mechanism has said first logic state.

3. The tissue characterization method of claim 2 wherein said A-mode transducer has a size determined by selecting a quantity of piezo-elements of which said group of piezo-elements is comprised.

4. The tissue characterization method of claim 1 wherein said A-mode transducer has a size determined by selecting a quantity of piezo-elements of which said group of piezo-elements is comprised.

5. A tissue characterization method which applies B-scan visualization and two-frequency attenuation for characterization of a tissue in a patient comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a B-scan component wherein said B-scan component has a B-scan transducer, said B-scan transducer comprised of, a first transducer head, a plurality of piezo-elements, a scanning system and a pulse generator, wherein said plurality of piezo-elements, said scanning system, and said pulse generator are electronically connected,

(b) providing a two-frequency attenuation component, wherein said two frequency attenuation component has a single piezo-element, said single piezo-element positioned either inside of said first transducer head or outside of said transducer head in a second transducer head, said single piezo-element configured as an A-mode transducer, said A-mode transducer is connected to a waveform generator, wherein said two-frequency attenuation component is configured to function through said A-mode transducer, said waveform generator two frequency component further configured to generate sinusoidal ultrasound excitation pulses for said A-scan transducer, said sinusoidal excitation pulses comprising pulses of two different frequencies,

(c) placing the B-scan transducer on the patient'"'"'s body,

(d) displaying on a monitor a B-scan image of the patient'"'"'s tissue,

(e) selecting a region of interest on said B-scan image displayed on the screen of said monitor, said region of interest further comprising a spot of interest,

(f) providing a foot pedal to switch from a B-scan mode to a two-frequency A-scan mode,

(g) sliding said A-mode transducer to said spot of interest,

(h) displaying on the screen of said monitor next to display of said B-scan images the A-mode images on chosen said two different frequencies from said selected spot of interest,

(i) analyzing the A-mode images either visually or with an analyzer, with determination of the frequencies, amplitudes, shapes, widths, and registered times of reflected signals at said chosen two different frequencies from said selected spot of interest to obtain data for a differential attenuation coefficient, thereby permitting differentiation between types of tissue within an organ through analysis of reflected signals from boundaries of tissue layers,

(j) displaying said obtained data for said differential attenuation coefficient on the B-scan image as an overlay color image or as numerical data thereby permitting determination of the type of tissue matter from said selected spot of interest.

6. The tissue characterization method of claim 5 wherein said second transducer head is fixedly attached to said first transducer head.

7. The tissue characterization method of claim 5 wherein said single piezo-element is positioned inside of said first transducer head.