Optical needle guide for ultrasound guided needle biopsy

• US 20030028112A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Paladini, Gianluca, Sauer, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 6,702,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2025 with a pilot laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments

Abstract

An optical guide for a biopsy needle includes a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin surface, wherein the light projector is adapted for mounting on an ultrasound transducer such that the line image corresponds with an intersection of the transducer ultrasound plane with the skin surface.

Claims

1. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

mounting apparatus for affixing a light projector onto an ultrasound imaging device; and

said light projector including projection components for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin such that said line image coincides with an imaging plane of said ultrasound device.

2. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin surface;

said light projector being adapted for mounting on an ultrasound transducer exhibiting an ultrasound plane, such that said line image corresponds with an intersection of said ultrasound plane with said skin surface.

3. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said light projector is adapted for mounting by cooperative engagement with said ultrasound transducer.

4. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said light projector is adapted for mounting on said ultrasound transducer by way of a sliding sleeve arrangement fitting over a corresponding handle of said transducer.

5. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein sliding sleeve arrangement comprises a slot for facilitating passage of a supply cable to said transducer.

6. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector.

7. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector in conjunction with line optics.

8. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector in conjunction with fiber optics.

9. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes holographic projection.

10. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes a scanning projector.

11. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said scanning projector is a flying spot scanner.

12. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said scanning projector utilizes a mechanically operated scan.

13. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector utilizes slide projection.

14. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 2, wherein light projector includes apparatus for causing said line image to flicker.

15. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin surface;

said light projector being adapted for mounting on an ultrasound transducer exhibiting an ultrasound imaging plane; and

said light projector being aligned such that said line image corresponds with an intersection of said ultrasound imaging plane with said skin surface so as to indicate a line of insertion for said biopsy needle located in said ultrasound imaging plane.

16. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein said light projector is adapted for mounting by cooperative engagement with said ultrasound transducer.

17. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein said light projector is adapted for mounting on said ultrasound transducer by way of a sliding sleeve arrangement fitting over a corresponding handle of said transducer.

18. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein sliding sleeve arrangement comprises a slot for facilitating passage of a supply cable to said transducer.

19. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector.

20. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a light emitting diode.

21. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a light emitting diode array.

22. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector in conjunction with line optics.

23. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a laser projector in conjunction with fiber optics.

24. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes holographic projection.

25. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes a scanning projector.

26. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 25, wherein said scanning projector is a flying spot scanner.

27. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 25, wherein said scanning projector utilizes a mechanically operated scan.

28. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector utilizes slide projection.

29. An optical guide for a biopsy needle in accordance with claim 15, wherein light projector includes means for selecting one of a plurality of colors for said line image.

30. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

means for affixing a light projector onto an ultrasound imaging device; and

said light projector including means for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin such that said line image coincides with an imaging plane of said ultrasound device.

31. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

light projector apparatus;

said light projector apparatus being incorporated in an ultrasound imaging device; and

said light projector apparatus including projection components for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin such that said line image coincides with an imaging plane of said ultrasound device.

32. An optical guide for a biopsy needle as recited in claim 32, wherein at least a portion of said light projector apparatus is integrally formed with said ultrasound imaging device.

34. An optical guide for a biopsy needle as recited in claim 32, wherein at least a portion of said light projector is integrally formed with said ultrasound imaging device.

33. An optical guide for a biopsy needle comprising:

a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin surface;

said light projector being incorporated into an ultrasound transducer exhibiting an ultrasound plane, such that said line image corresponds with an intersection of said ultrasound plane with said skin surface.

35. A method for optically guiding a biopsy needle comprising the steps of:

affixing a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin onto an ultrasound imaging device, such that said line image coincides with an imaging plane of said ultrasound device;

ultrasound imaging said patient for a desired biopsy target; and

selecting a point in relation to said line image for inserting said biopsy needle appropriately for said target.

36. A method for optically guiding a biopsy needle comprising the steps of:

incorporating a light projector for producing a line image on a patient'"'"'s skin into an ultrasound imaging device, such that said line image coincides with an imaging plane of said ultrasound device;

ultrasound imaging said patient for a desired biopsy target; and

selecting a point in relation to said line image for inserting said biopsy needle appropriately for said target.