Imaging device and associated method

• US 6,319,201 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1997
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WILK Patent Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Wilk
• Inventors: Wilk, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US08/950,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/409, 600/437, 600/443, 600/300, 358/305, 345/107, 359/296
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0866 involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4227 characterised by straps, belts, cuffs or braces
• 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 8/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• 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: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays

Abstract

An imaging device includes a flexible substrate, a flexible video screen disposed on the substrate, and a scanner operatively connected to the video screen for providing thereto a video signal encoding an image of objects located near the substrate. The scanner is provided with an analyzing component in the form of a specially programmed digital computer for analyzing scanner sensor signals and determining therefrom three-dimensional shapes of the objects. In medical diagnosis and treatment procedures, the substrate with the video screen is disposed on a selected body portion of a patient, for example, the abdomen or a shoulder or knee, so that the substrate and the video screen substantially conform to the selected body portion and so that the video screen is facing away from the body portion. After the disposition of the substrate and the video screen on the selected body portion of the patient, the scanner is operated to provide a video signal to the video screen, the video signal encoding an image of internal organs of the patient. The video screen is operated to reproduce the image so that internal organ representations as displayed on the video screen substantially overlie respective corresponding actual organs of the patient. Thus, for many purposes and applications, it appears to the user that he or she is able to see through the skin and other overlying tissues to selected underlying organs.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate; and

a scanner operatively connected to said video screen for providing a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of objects located near said substrate,

wherein said scanner is provided with an analyzing component for analyzing scanner sensor signals and determining therefrom three-dimensional shapes of said objects.

2. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said analyzing component includes means for highlighting a selected feature of said objects.

3. The imaging device defined in claim 2 wherein said means for highlighting includes means for varying video image intensity.

4. The imaging device defined in claim 1, further comprising voice-recognition circuitry operatively connected to said analyzing component.

5. The imaging device defined in claim 1 further comprising speech synthesis circuitry operatively connected to said analyzing component.

6. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said analyzing component includes means for performing automated diagnoses based in part on image information derived from said scanner sensor signals.

7. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate and said video screen are provided with a plurality on mutually aligned apertures enabling traversal of said substrate and said video Screen by medical instruments.

8. The imaging device defined in claim 1, further comprising a transceiver interface for operatively connecting said scanner, including, said analyzing component, to a long-distance telecommunications link.

9. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said scanner includes a view selector operatively connected to said analyzing means and said video screen for selecting said image from among a multiplicity of possible images of said objects.

10. The imaging device defined in claim 1, further comprising a filter stage operatively connected to said analyzing means and said video screen for eliminating a selected object from said image.

14. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate and said video screen have shapes conforming in part to a human limb.

15. The imaging device defined in claim 1 wherein said video screen includes elements for providing a stereoscopic image to a viewer, said scanner including means for energizing said elements to produce said stereoscopic image.

11. An imaging device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate; and

a scanner operatively connected to said video screen for providing a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of objects located near said substrate,

wherein said scanner includes at least one electroacoustic transducer, an a-c current generator operatively connected to said transducer for energizing said transducer with an electrical signal of a pre-established ultrasonic frequency to produce a first pressure wave, at least one acoustoelectric transducer, and an analyzing component operatively connected to said acoustoelectric transducer for determining three-dimensional shapes of said objects by analyzing signals generated by said acoustoelectric transducer in response to second pressure waves produced at said objects in response to said first pressure wave.

12. The imaging device defined in claim 11 wherein at least one of the transducers are mounted to said substrate.

13. The imaging device defined in claim 11 wherein said electroacoustic transducer is one of a plurality of electroacoustic transducers each capable of generating a pressure wave in a respective frequency range different from the frequency ranges of the other of said electroacoustic transducers, said a-c current generator being operatively connected to said electroacoustic transducers for energizing said electroacoustic transducers with electrical signals of different pre-established ultrasonic frequencies to produce respective first pressure waves in the respective frequency ranges, said acoustoelectric transducer being one of a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers capable of sensing pressure waves in a plurality of different frequency ranges.

16. An imaging device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate; and

a scanner operatively connected to said video screen for providing a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of objects located near said substrate,

wherein said substrate carries a plurality of electroacoustic transducers attached to said substrate in a predetermined array, said scanner including means for energizing said electroacoustic transducers in a predetermined sequence.

17. An imaging device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate; and

a scanner operatively connected to said video screen for providing a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of objects located near said substrate,

wherein said substrate carries a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers attached to said substrate in a predetermined array, said scanner including means for receiving signals from said acoustoelectric transducers in a predetermined sequence.

18. An imaging device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate; and

a scanner operatively connected to said video screen for providing a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of objects located near said substrate,

wherein said substrate and said video screen comprise a dual layered blanket member provided with a plurality of apertures each enabling traversal of said blanket member by a medical instrument.

19. A medical system, comprising:

a carrier disposable in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with a patient;

a plurality of electroacoustic transducers attached to said carrier;

an a-c current generator operatively connected to said transducers for energizing said transducers with respective electrical signals of different pre-established ultrasonic frequencies to produce first pressure waves at said frequencies;

a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers for detecting pressures waves in different frequency ranges; and

analyzing means operatively connected to said acoustoelectric transducers for determining three-dimensional shapes of internal organs of the patient by analyzing signals generated by said acoustoelectric transducers in response to second pressure waves produced at internal organs of the patient in response to said first pressure waves.

20. The medical system defined in claim 19 wherein said acoustoelectric transducers are attached to said carrier.

21. The medical system defined in claim 19 wherein said carrier is a flexible web conformable to body contours of the patient.

22. A medical method comprising:

providing an imaging device including a flexible substrate, a flexible video screen disposed on said substrate, and a scanner operatively connected to said video screen;

disposing said substrate with said video screen on a body portion of a patient so that said substrate and said video screen substantially conform to the body portion of the patient and so that said video screen is facing away from the body portion of the patient; and

after the disposition of said substrate and said video screen on the body portion of the patient, operating said scanner to provide a video signal to said video screen, said video signal encoding an image of internal tissues of the patient.

23. The method defined in claim 22, further comprising operating said video screen to reproduce said image so that internal tissue representations as displayed on said video screen substantially overlie respective corresponding actual tissues of the patient.

24. The method defined in claim 23, further comprising placing markers on the patient for facilitating the reproducing of said image so that the internal tissue representations on said video screen substantially overlie respective corresponding actual tissues of the patient.

25. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the operating of said scanner to provide said video image includes automatically analyzing scanner sensor signals and determining therefrom three-dimensional shapes of the internal tissues of the patient.

26. The method defined in claim 25, further comprising highlighting a selected feature of the internal tissues of the patient on said video screen.

27. The method defined in claim 22 wherein said substrate and said video screen are provided with a plurality of mutually aligned apertures, further comprising:

providing a medical instrument;

inserting a distal end portion of said instrument into the patient through one of said apertures;

after insertion of said distal end portion, manipulating said instrument from outside the patient to perform an operation on at least one of the internal tissues of the patient, said image being viewed on said video screen while said instrument is being manipulated.

28. The method defined in claim 22 wherein said scanner includes at least one electroacoustic transducer, an a-c current generator operatively connected to said transducer, at least one acoustoelectric transducer and an analyzing component operatively connected to said acoustoelectric transducer, the disposing of said substrate with said video screen on the body portion of the patient including placing said substrate in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with the body portion of the patient, the operating of said scanner including:

transmitting a first electrical signal of a pre-established ultrasonic frequency from said current generator to said electroacoustic transducer for energizing said electroacoustic transducer to produce a first pressure wave;

transmitting said first pressure wave into the body portion of the patient;

transmitting, from said acoustoelectric transducer to said analyzing component, a second electrical signal corresponding to a second pressure wave produced at the internal tissues of the patient in response to said first pressure wave; and

operating said analyzing component to determine three-dimensional shapes of the internal tissues of the patient by analyzing said second electrical signal.

29. The method defined in claim 28 wherein said electroacoustic transducer is one of a plurality of electroacoustic transducers and said acoustoelectric transducer is one of a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers, further comprising transmitting a plurality of electrical signals of different pre-established ultrasonic frequencies from said current generator to said electroacoustic transducers for energizing said electroacoustic transducers to produce pressure waves in different ultrasonic frequency ranges, also comprising transmitting, from said acoustoelectric transducers to said analyzing component, electrical signals corresponding to pressure waves produced at the internal tissues of the patient in response to the pressure waves in the different ultrasonic frequency ranges, the operating of said analyzing component to determine three-dimensional shapes of the internal tissues of the patient including analyzing electrical signals from said acoustoelectric transducers.

30. A medical imaging method, comprising:

providing a thin video screen;

disposing video screen adjacent to a patient so that said video screen overlies selected internal tissues of the patient;

operating an ultrasonic scanner operatively connected to said video screen to provide a video signal thereto, said video signal encoding an image of the selected internal tissues of the patient; and

operating said video screen in response to said video signal to reproduce said image so that internal tissue representations as displayed on said video screen substantially overlie respective corresponding ones of the selected internal tissues of the patient.

31. The imaging method defined in claim 30 wherein said video screen is connected to a substrate containing ultrasonic transducers of said ultrasonic scanner, also comprising disposing said substrate in operative contact with the patient to enable transmission of ultrasonic pressure waves between the transducers and the selected internal tissues of the patient.

32. The method defined in claim 30 wherein the operating of said ultrasonic scanner to provide said video image includes automatically analyzing scanner sensor signals and determining therefrom three-dimensional shapes of the selected internal tissues of the patient.