Ultrasound probe with progressive element sizing

• US 20020151790A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PhysioSonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VueSonix Sensors, Inc. (PhysioSonics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abend, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 6,682,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays

Abstract

A prior application discloses a novel probe geometry that offers a wide field of view in an ultrasonic imaging device. That geometry is referred to as a “thinned array” of transducer elements. The application discloses an improved probe geometry permitting high-resolution imaging of a large volume of the subject'"'"'s body. In this improved geometry, the array elements are non-uniform in size and spacing. The probe is intended for use, for example, in a method of determining parameters of blood flow, such as vector velocity, blood flow volume, and Doppler spectral distribution, using sonic energy (ultrasound) and a novel thinned array. Also in a method of tracking blood flow and generating a three dimensional image of blood vessel of interest that has much greater resolution than images produced using heretofore known ultrasound devices and methods.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric probe for use in conjunction with an ultrasonic imaging system, comprising:

a) a two-dimensional thinned array of piezoelectric elements of varying size, in which the smallest of the elements is of major dimension L and the largest of the elements is of major dimension M, which is at least 2 L, and at least a majority of the elements are of major dimension greater than L; and

b) a plurality of electrical conductors, said conductors electrically connected individually to each of said piezoelectric elements.

2. A probe of claim 1 including a contiguous subset of elements of major dimension L.

3. A probe of claim 1 in which a contiguous plurality of the elements varies linearly in major dimension from L to M.

4. A method for ultrasonic imaging of a volume of a subject using a piezoelectric probe consisting essentially of a two-dimensional thinned array of piezoelectric elements with progressive element sizing and an ultrasonic imaging device conprising:

a) transmitting a pulse of electrical energy at an ultrasonic frequency to at least a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a preseleted order;

b) receiving a plurality of individual acoustic echo signals, one from each element of the array of piezoelectric elements subsequent to the pulsing of each element;

c) digitally analyzing and storing each of the acoustic signals until each element of the portion of piezoelectric elements has been pulsed, as a file of stored pulse data; and

d) analyzing the data to produce the ultrasonic image.

5. A method of claim 4 in which each echo signal contains Doppler frequency shift information related to the flow of a particulate fluid in the volume of the subject and the file of stored pulse data is analyzed by the ultrasonic imaging device to produce information related to the flow of the particulate fluid.

6. A method of claim 5 in which the subject is a living creature and the particulate fluid is blood.

7. A method of claim 6 in which the file of stored pulse data is analyzed to produce a representation of the three dimensional pattern of blood flow in the volume.

8. A method of claim 4 in which the two-dimensional thinned array comprises a contiguous subset of the smallest elements of uniform size and the acoustic signals received by the elements of the subset are analyzed to produce an ultrasonic image of a shallow portion of the volume adjacent to the piezoelectric probe.