Ultrasound medical treatment apparatus with reduction of noise due to treatment ultrasound irradiation at ultrasound imaging device

• US 5,722,411 A
• Filed: 07/23/1996
• Issued: 03/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Saitoh, Shiroh, Okamoto, Kazuya, Suzuki, Takuji, Aida, Satoshi, Fujimoto, Katsuhiko, Izumi, Mamoru, Shibata, Mariko, Ishibashi, Yoshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/681,451
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 128/660.01, 128/660.03, 128/660.07, 128/901, 601/2-4, 607/97
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00707 Dummies, phantoms; Devices simulating patient or parts of patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00716 simulating physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/504 with a counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/506 for diagnosis of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/28 Details of apparatus provided for in groups G01R33/44 - G01R33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4804 Spatially selective measurement of temperature or pH

Abstract

An ultrasound medical treatment apparatus includes an ultrasound applicator for applying ultrasound irradiation to a treatment target. The treatment apparatus also includes an ultrasound imaging device that transmits ultrasound pulses to image the treatment target. The treatment apparatus is capable of reducing noises occurring at an ultrasound imaging device due to the ultrasound irradiation generated by the ultrasound application during ultrasound medical treatment. The noises may be reduced by increasing a transmission power of the ultrasound pulses. Alternatively, the noises may be reduced by subtracting pre-recorded noise components from the ultrasound pulses received by the ultrasound imaging device, where the pre-recorded noise components are characteristic of noise occurring at the ultrasound imaging device due to the ultrasound irradiation generated by the ultrasound applicator.

Claims

1. An ultrasound medical treatment apparatus, comprising:

an ultrasound applicator for applying ultrasound irradiation to a treatment target; and

an ultrasound imaging device for imaging the treatment target by transmitting ultrasound pulses and receiving the ultrasound pulses reflected by the treatment target, said ultrasound imaging device increasing a transmission power of the ultrasound pulses during the ultrasound irradiation by the ultrasound applicator so as to reduce noise due to the ultrasound irradiation by the ultrasound applicator.