Ultrasound transducer with additional sensors

• US 20060004290A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mills, David Martin, Fisher, Rayette Ann, Smith, Lowell Scott, Baumgartner, Charles Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/881,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52079 Constructional features constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44

Abstract

The present technique provides for the manufacture and/or use of an ultrasound probe configured to acquire non-imaging data in addition to imaging data. In particular, the ultrasound probe includes a micro-machined ultrasound transducer formed on the surface of a substrate using micro-electric mechanical systems techniques or other techniques associated with semiconductor processing. Non-imaging sensors are formed on the substrate, either on the surface or the interior, or on a substrate proximate to the substrate upon which the transducer is formed. The non-imaging sensors may be used to acquire non-imaging data in conjunction with the acquisition of imaging data by the transducer.

Claims

1. An ultrasound probe, comprising:

an ultrasound transducer formed on a surface of a first substrate; and

one or more non-imaging sensors formed on the first substrate or on a second substrate proximate to the first substrate.

2. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises one of a capacitive ultrasound transducer and a piezoelectric ultrasound transducer.

3. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises:

at least one membrane; and

at least one cavity disposed between the surface of the first substrate and the at least one membranes.

4. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second substrate comprise at least one of silicon, gallium arsenide, glass, and ceramic.

5. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-imaging sensors are formed in the interior of the first substrate.

6. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-imaging sensors are formed on the surface of the first substrate.

7. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-imaging sensors are formed on the second substrate.

8. The ultrasound probe of claim 7, wherein the first and second substrates are connected by one or more vias.

9. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors are adjacent to the ultrasound transducer.

10. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises a thermistor.

11. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises a position sensor.

12. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises an optical sensor.

13. The ultrasound probe of claim 12, wherein the optical sensor comprises a bar code reader.

14. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises an electromagnetic sensor.

15. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises a pressure sensor.

16. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises a strain sensor.

17. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging sensors comprises an ultrasound ranging sensor.

18. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, further comprising a lens over the ultrasound transducer.

19. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, further a backing underlying the ultrasound transducer and the one or more non-imaging sensors.

20. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:

an ultrasound probe comprising;

an ultrasound transducer formed on a surface of a first substrate; and

one or more non-imaging sensors formed on the first substrate or on a second substrate proximate to the first substrate;

an acquisition module configured to acquire a set of imaging data from the ultrasound transducer and a set of non-imaging data from the non-imaging sensors;

a processing module configured to process at least the set of imaging data;

an operator interface configured to control the operation of at least one of the ultrasound probe, the acquisition module, and the processing module; and

a display unit coupled to the processing module, configured to display at least the processed imaging data.

21. The ultrasound imaging system as recited in claim 20, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to vary its operation based upon the set of non-imaging data.

22. The ultrasound imaging system as recited in claim 20, wherein the acquisition module acquires the set of imaging data based upon the set of non-imaging data.

23. The ultrasound imaging system as recited in claim 20, wherein the processing module processes the set of imaging data based upon the set of non-imaging data.

24. A method for acquiring imaging and non-imaging data, comprising:

contacting an ultrasound probe to an imaging subject, wherein the ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound transducer formed on a surface of a first substrate and one or more non-imaging sensors formed on the first substrate or on a second substrate proximate to the first substrate;

acquiring imaging data via the ultrasound transducer; and

acquiring non-imaging data via the one or more non-imaging sensors.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the non-imaging data comprises temperature data.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, comprising:

regulating an operational state of the ultrasound probe based on the thermal data.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the non-imaging data comprises at least one of position data, optical data, electromagnetic data, pressure data, and strain data.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein acquiring imaging data comprises acquiring imaging data based upon the non-imaging data.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, comprising:

processing the imaging data based on the non-imaging data.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein processing the imaging data comprises generating an ultrasound image.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein processing the imaging data comprises relating the imaging data to a record or history of the imaging subject.

32. A method for constructing an ultrasound probe, comprising

forming an ultrasound transducer on a surface of a first substrate;

and

forming one or more non-imaging sensors on the first substrate or on a second substrate proximate to the first substrate.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate comprise at least one of silicon, gallium arsenide, glass, and ceramic.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate are supported by an acoustically lossy material.

35. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the ultrasound transducer comprises forming the ultrasound transducer by micro-electric mechanical systems techniques:

36. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the ultrasound transducer comprises forming the ultrasound transducer by semiconductor processing techniques.

37. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the one or more non-imaging sensors comprises forming the non-imaging sensors by micro-electric mechanical systems techniques.

38. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the one or more non-imaging sensors comprises forming the one or more non-imaging sensors by semiconductor processing techniques.

39. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the one or more non-imaging sensors comprises forming the one or more non-imaging sensors on an interior layer of the first substrate.

40. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the one or more non-imaging sensors comprises forming the one or more non-imaging sensors on the surface of the first substrate.

41. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein forming the one or more non-imaging sensors comprises forming the one or more non-imaging sensors on the second substrate.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, the first and second substrates are connected by one or more vias.

43. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more non-imaging sensors comprise at least one of a thermistor, a position sensor, an optical sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, and a strain sensor.