Methods and Apparatus for Conformable Medical Data Acquisition Pad and Configurable Imaging System

• US 20070167782A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vizyontech Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vizyontech Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahraman, Firat, Callahan, Karla
• Granted Patent: US 8,764,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4263 using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8922 the array being concentric or annular
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52036 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead

Abstract

A conformable medical data acquisition pad and configurable imaging system. The conformable pad may comprise a carrier base having a plurality of transceivers in operative association with an interconnection network that communicates with a computer system. The data acquisition pad may be constructed with a flex circuit and at least one ultrasound data collection device to carry out a variety of medical procedures. Different types of signal transmitting and receiving elements can be selected to provide ultrasound systems, including scalable capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers arranged in a variety of configurations in combination with controlling electronics which interface with a translator board and software for signal processing. The resulting ultrasound data, such as a three-dimensional model, can be transmitted via an industry standard high speed bus to standard interfaces on various ultrasound systems.

Claims

1. A data acquisition pad comprising:

a plurality of capacitive microfabricated ultrasound transceivers (cMUTs) connected to a conductive pathway;

a gel like carrier base supporting the plurality of cMUTs and the conductive pathway; and

a controlling electronics assembly coupled to the conductive pathway to selectively control and operate one or more groups of the cMUTs to transmit and/or receive data acquisition signals.

2. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one silicon chip for hosting a group of cMUTs, wherein the cMUTs are solid-state structures arranged to provide a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional array.

3. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cMUTs comprise one or more of the following:

silicon, piezoelectric, infrared or electromigration sensors or transceivers.

4. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conductive pathway includes a flex circuit formed of single or multiple levels of metal traces for a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs), a circuit board.

5. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controlling electronics single or multiple chips or assembly, is directly connected to or integrally formed with the data acquisition pad.

6. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier base can be configured to provide a flat, curved or conical structure that is rigid, flexible, or conformable.

7. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier base is formed as a substantially square pad approximately three inches by three inches, or a circular pad approximately four to six inches in diameter, or a strip pad approximately two inches by four inches, incorporating cut-outs or slits for best conformability.

8. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier base is formed of one or more of the following materials:

a ceramic, a gel, a metal alloy, a thin film material, a polymer membrane, an organic woven or non-woven composition.

9. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data acquisition pad is configured for one or more of the following procedures:

breast tissue imaging, surgical guidance, biopsies, skin procedures, emergency response or therapeutic delivery.

10. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cMUTs are positioned on a surface of the carrier base or at least partially embedded therein.

11. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data acquisition pad is constructed from one or more single-use disposable materials.

12. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier material includes a semi-solid gel.

13. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data acquisition pad can be configured for stationary hands-free data acquisition.

14. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an electronics board and computer processing system operatively coupled to the data acquisition pad to manipulate, store and prepare data into an ultrasound data set, 2D, 3D, or 4D image, or another informational form.

15. The data acquisition pad, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data acquisition pad is configured as an ultrasound imaging pad, wherein at least some of the cMUTs that are electrically connected to the conductive pathway are configured for both sending analysis signals and receiving ultrasound detection signals.

16. A translator board apparatus with a supporting software application comprising:

a set of controlling electronics for communication with a data acquisition pad including;

a data processing capability for a large 2D/3D data set;

a memory storage for storing at least a portion of the 2D/3D data set; and

a transmitting system for interconnecting the data acquisition pad and an existing front-end electronic systems.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the translator board is working with any Windows, Apple, Unix or Sun Solaris platform.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the data acquisition pad is a silicon-based pad, and wherein the translator board processes and transmits the real-time or stored data between the silicon-based pad and is operatively connected to the existing front-end electronics through at least one of the following:

a USB connector;

an IEEE standard system bus;

or a non-standard or standard interface adopted by an industry organization.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the translator board also processes the data off-line and stores in its memory.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the supporting software resides on a remote computer and manages the function of the system for processing, storing and transmitting the large set of 2D/3D data.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the translator board also communicates with the existing front-end electronic systems wirelessly.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the translator board transmits the signals to and receives data back from the data acquisition pad through the coaxial cable or wirelessly.

23. An imaging computer processing system comprising:

an imaging data acquisition pad with a plurality of microfabricated transceivers that are connected to a conductive pathway supported by a gel-like carrier base;

a translator board coupled to the image data acquisition pad to facilitate sending and receiving signals to and from the plurality of microfabricated transceivers;

an external hardware link connecting the translator board to a microprocessor capable of controlling and processing the signals exchanged with the plurality of microfabricated transceivers; and

a software program stored in a memory storage accessible by the microprocessor for processing the signals from the imaging data acquisition pad in order to generate imaging data that can be representatively displayed on a visual monitor.

24. The imaging computer processing system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electronics board and the imaging data acquisition pad are coupled with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or another industry standard system bus.

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)