PULMONARY ULTRASOUND TECHNIQUES FOR ELASTOGRAPHY IN LUNGS

• US 20150150536A1
• Filed: 05/27/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Bharat, Hall, Christopher Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,844,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0051 by applying vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/085 Measuring impedance of respiratory organs or lung elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/485 involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52042 determining elastic properties of the propagation medium or of the reflective target diagnostic techniques involving the measurement of strain A61B8/485

Abstract

A system for pulmonary elastography includes an ultrasound probe (120) configured to evaluate tissue of a target area by transmitting a signal and receiving a response. A contact device (126) is coupled to the ultrasound probe to provide contact between the ultrasound probe and the tissue. An image processing module (110) is configured to output one or more elastograms according to the response.

Claims

1. A system for pulmonary elastography, comprising:

an ultrasound probe configured to be inserted within an airway of a subject and to evaluate tissue of a target area relative to the airway by transmitting a signal and receiving a response;

a contact device coupled to the ultrasound probe to provide contact between the ultrasound probe and the tissue responsive to the ultrasound probe being inserted within the airway; and

an image processing module configured to output one or more elastograms according to the response.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the contact device includes an expandable volume.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to evaluate the tissue under a compression.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a compression device configured to generate the compression on the tissue.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the compression device includes a balloon structured to generate the compression.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the balloon is configured to pulse to generate the compression.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the balloon is configured to pulse by adding or releasing a filled substance.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the balloon is configured to pulse at known frequencies and amplitudes.

9. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to evaluate the tissue under the compression due to motion of a body.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the motion of the body includes a physiological motion, the physiological motion including at least one of (i) an expansion and compression of lungs or (ii) an up and down motion of a diaphragm.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a ventilator to generate the motion of the body, the motion including at least one of (i) an expansion and compression of lungs or (ii) an up and down motion of a diaphragm.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to transmit an ultrasound signal to the tissue and receive an echo of the ultrasound signal.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to transmit a photoacoustic wave to the tissue and receive an ultrasound response.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to transmit one or more push pulses resulting in an ultrasound shear wave and determine a propagation speed of the ultrasound shear wave, wherein the ultrasound shear wave can be modified to compensate for a lack of shear in an air cavity.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein

the contact device includes an expandable volume coupled with the ultrasound probe to provide contact between the ultrasound probe and the tissue.

16-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method for performing pulmonary elastography, comprising:

evaluating tissue of a target area using an ultrasound probe by transmitting a signal and receiving a response;

employing a contact device coupled to the ultrasound probe to provide contact between the ultrasound probe and the tissue; and

outputting one or more elastograms according to the response.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein evaluating includes evaluating the tissue under a compression.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the compression is due to a physiological motion of a body, the physiological motion including at least one of (i) an expansion and compression of lungs or (ii) an up and down motion of a diaphragm.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising employing a ventilator to generate motion of a body resulting in the compression, the motion including at least one of (i) an expansion and compression of lungs or (ii) an up and down motion of a diaphragm.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising generating the compression, wherein generating the compression includes pulsing an inflatable volume, and wherein pulsing the inflatable volume includes pulsing a balloon at known frequencies and amplitudes.

25-31. -31. (canceled)