Ultrasonic diagnosis system in which periphery of magnetic sensor included in distal part of ultrasonic endoscope is made of non-conductive material

• US 6,248,074 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohno, Masahiro, Odachi, Ichiro, Kawashima, Tomonao, Kishi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/164,053
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 600/459-463, 600/117, 600/118, 128/899, 128/916
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer for producing an ultrasonic tomographic image is included in a distal part of an ultrasonic endoscope to be inserted into an object of observation. The ultrasonic transducer is rotated. Echoes of ultrasonic waves produced by the ultrasonic transducer are detected in order to produce an ultrasonic tomographic image that is a two-dimensional image. A magnetic sensor for detecting a position is included in the distal part. A magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator locked near the object of observation is sensed. The position and orientation of the distal part are detected, whereby information of a position and orientation relevant to the ultrasonic tomographic image is obtained. Based on the information of the position and orientation, a plurality of produced ultrasonic tomographic images is synthesized in order to produce an ultrasonic image that is a three-dimensional image. The periphery of the magnetic sensor in the distal part is made of a non-conductive material. An eddy current developing near the magnetic sensor is therefore limited. Consequently, the precision in position detection performed by the magnetic sensor improves. The precision in position relevant to each of the ultrasonic tomographic images constituting the ultrasonic image therefore improves. Thus, an ultrasonic image with high positional precision can be produced.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic endoscope, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer for producing an ultrasonic tomographic image;

a magnetic sensor for detecting a position; and

a distal part including said ultrasonic transducer and said magnetic sensor, at least one of said ultrasonic transducer and said magnetic sensor being fixedly disposed at the distal part, wherein portions of said endoscope peripheral to said magnetic sensor, which are unrelated to electrical conduction, are made of a non-conductive material.

2. An ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said distal part is composed of a distal body that is a frame of said distal part, and a housing made of a non-conductive material for accommodating said ultrasonic transducer.

3. An ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic transducer, a signal line coupled to said ultrasonic transducer, a magnetic sensor, and a signal line coupled to said magnetic sensor are made of a conductive material.

4. An ultrasonic endoscope, comprising:

an ultrasonic transmitter receiver for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves and producing an ultrasonic tomographic image;

a position detector for detecting the position of said ultrasonic transmitter receiver using a magnetic field generated externally to said endoscope;

wherein all portions of said ultrasonic endoscope unrelated to electrical conduction are made of a non-conductive material.

5. An ultrasonic diagnosis system, comprising:

a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field;

an ultrasonic endoscope including an ultrasonic transmitter receiver for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves to produce an ultrasonic tomographic image, and a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic field generated by said magnetic field generator so as to detect the position of said ultrasonic transmitter receiver, and having all regions thereof unrelated to electrical conduction made of a non-conductive material;

means for producing an ultrasonic tomographic image according to at least an echo signal produced by said ultrasonic transmitter receiver;

means for synthesizing ultrasonic tomographic images according to information of a position and direction detected using a signal sent from said magnetic sensor, and thus producing a three-dimensional ultrasonic image; and

peripheral equipment for said ultrasonic endoscope having all regions thereof which are unrelated to electrical conduction made of a non-conductive material.

6. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 5, wherein said peripheral equipment includes a mouthpiece made of a non-conductive material for introducing an ultrasonic endoscope.

7. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 6, wherein said peripheral equipment includes a housing of said magnetic field generator.

8. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 6, wherein said peripheral equipment includes a locking belt for locking said magnetic field generator on a subject.

9. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 6, said peripheral equipment includes a bed used to examine a subject.

10. An ultrasonic diagnosis system, comprising:

an ultrasonic endoscope including a passage and an ultrasonic transducer, and producing an ultrasonic tomographic image by moving said ultrasonic transducer for scanning;

a position detection catheter passed through said passage in said ultrasonic endoscope when used, and having a position detecting-means included in the distal part thereof; and

a three-dimensional processor for acquiring a position signal sent from said position detecting element and a plurality of consecutive ultrasonic tomographic images produced by said ultrasonic endoscope, and thus structuring three-dimensional data.

11. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 10, wherein said three-dimensional processor constructs a three-dimensional image according to said three-dimensional data.

12. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 11, wherein said position detecting element is a magnetic sensor for detecting a position using a magnetic field.

13. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 12, wherein said position detection catheter and the distal part of said ultrasonic endoscope are made of a non-conductive material.

14. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 11, wherein said position detecting element is a magnetic field source for generating a magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor for detecting the magnetic field generated by said magnetic field source is included.

15. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 14, wherein said position detection catheter and the distal part of said ultrasonic endoscope are made of a non-conductive material.

16. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 11, wherein said position detecting element is an acceleration sensor for detecting a position according to an acceleration.

17. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 10, wherein said position detecting element is a magnetic sensor for detecting a position using a magnetic field.

18. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 17, wherein said position detection catheter and the distal part of said ultrasonic endoscope are made of a non-conductive material.

19. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 10, wherein said position detecting element is a magnetic field source for generating a magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor for detecting the magnetic field generated by said magnetic field source is included.

20. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 19, wherein said position detection catheter and the distal part of said ultrasonic endoscope are made of a non-conductive material.

21. An ultrasonic diagnosis system according to claim 10, wherein said position detecting element is an acceleration sensor for detecting a position according to an acceleration.