Multi-focus ultrasound system and method

• US 8,409,102 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Griffin, Weston Blaine, Wildes, Douglas Glenn, Mills, David Martin, Lokhandwalla, Murtuza, Hazard, Christopher Robert, Lee, Warren, Bruestle, Reinhold
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akar, Serkan
• Application Number:
  US12/873,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20120053468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/459
• 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 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0091 with moving parts, e.g. transducers, lenses, reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A multi-focus probe that includes a motor communicatively coupled with a lead screw and configured to turn the lead screw about a lengthwise axis of the lead screw, wherein the lead screw includes a length having threads. The probe also includes a lead-screw nut positioned about the lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages the threads and such that the lead-screw nut and the lead screw can move relative to one another via the threads, a transducer configured to move vertically with the lead screw, and an enclosure surrounding the transducer, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face configured to hold fluid and engage a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer can enter the target. Further, the probe includes a capture feature capable of engaging the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut is vertically fixed relative to the probe face and such that the lead screw moves away from the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a first direction and moves toward the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a second direction opposite to the first direction while the lead-screw nut is engaged by the capture feature.

Claims

1. A multi-focus ultrasound probe, comprising:

an enclosure surrounding an ultrasound transducer, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face configured to engage a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer can enter the target via the face;

a positioning mechanism configured to oscillate the transducer about an axis and configured to adjust a focal point operation depth of the transducer by moving the transducer towards or away from the probe face;

a fluid contained within the enclosure, wherein the fluid fills space between the transducer and the probe face;

comprising a drive mechanism configured to drive a slider along a linear component of the positioning mechanism such that a link coupled to a side of the transducer causes the transducer to pivot about the axis of the transducer;

wherein the slider is a lead-screw nut coupled to a lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages threads of the lead screw and rotation of the lead screw when the lead-screw nut is not rotating moves the lead-screw nut along a length of the lead screw via the threads;

comprising a capture feature capable of engaging the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut is vertically fixed relative to the probe face and such that the axis moves away from the probe face when the lead screw is rotating in a first direction and toward the probe face when the lead screw is rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction while the lead-screw nut is engaged by the capture feature;

wherein the positioning mechanism comprises;

a driven link capable of rotating about a hinged coupling at a first end of the driven link;

a transducer link coupled with the driven link via a slot in a first end of the transducer link and a in in a second end of the driven link, wherein a second end of the transducer link is coupled to the transducer; and

a motor configured to rotate the driven link about the hinged coupling.

2. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to move the axis linearly toward or away from the probe housing.

3. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein a drive mechanism is communicatively coupled with the positioning mechanism to drive the transducer towards or away from the probe face.

4. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to drive the positioning mechanism to oscillate the transducer about the axis.

5. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the lead-screw nut comprises a receptacle and the capture feature comprises an actuator configured to engage the receptacle.

6. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the capture feature comprises a pair of pegs located in different positions along a length of the lead screw.

7. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a first lead screw and a second lead screw communicatively coupled with a dual-shaft motor, a first lead-screw nut engaged with the first lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages threads of the first lead screw and rotation of the first lead screw when the lead-screw nut is not rotating moves the lead-screw nut along a length of the first lead screw via the threads, and a second lead-screw is engaged with the second lead screw such that the second lead-screw nut is capable of free spinning with the second lead screw unless engaged by a secondary capture feature coupled to the enclosure.

8. A multi-focus ultrasound probe, comprising:

a motor communicatively coupled with a lead screw and configured to turn the lead screw about a lengthwise axis of the lead screw, wherein the lead screw includes a length having threads;

a lead-screw nut positioned about the lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages the threads and such that the lead-screw nut and the lead screw can move relative to one another via the threads;

an ultrasound transducer configured to move vertically with the lead screw;

an enclosure surrounding the transducer, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face configured to hold fluid and engage a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer can enter the target;

a capture feature capable of engaging the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut is vertically fixed relative to the probe face and such that the lead screw moves away from the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a first direction and moves toward the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a second direction opposite to the first direction while the lead-screw nut is engaged by the capture feature; and

a coupler link that hingedly attaches to the lead-screw nut and hingedly attaches to the transducer to provide a coupling between the transducer and the lead-screw nut.

9. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 8, wherein the capture feature includes a first end stop coupled to the enclosure between the motor and the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut engages the first end stop when the lead-screw nut passes along the lead screw a first distance toward the motor, and a second end stop coupled to the enclosure between the probe face and the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut engages the second end stop when the lead-screw nut passes along the lead screw a second distance toward the probe face.

10. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 8, wherein the motor comprises a dual-shaft motor and the dual-shaft motor communicatively couples with a secondary lead screw on a side of the dual-shaft motor opposite the lead screw.

11. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein the secondary lead screw is coupled to a secondary lead-screw nut capable of free spinning with the secondary lead screw unless engaged by a secondary capture feature coupled to the enclosure.

12. The multi-focus ultrasound probe of claim 8, wherein the capture feature includes an elevator nut assembly configured to move relative to the probe face based on mechanical coupling of an elevator subassembly to the motor.

13. A method, comprising:

rotating a lead screw with a motor, said motor turning the lead screw about a lengthwise axis of the lead screw, wherein the lead screw is at least partially positioned within an ultrasound probe housing including a probe face;

causing a lead-screw nut to travel along threads of the lead screw based on rotation of the lead screw such that the lead-screw nut moves vertically relative to the probe face;

engaging the lead-screw nut with a capture feature such that the lead screw-nut is in a fixed position relative to the probe face and continuing to rotate the lead screw such that the lead screw moves vertically relative to the probe face into a different position thus repositioning an ultrasound transducer that is coupled to an assembly that moves with the lead screw;

surrounding the transducer with an enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face holding fluid and engaging a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer enter the target;

providing a capture feature engaging the lead-screw nut such that the lead-screw nut is vertically fixed relative to the probe face and such that the lead screw moves away from the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a first direction and moves toward the probe face when rotating within the lead-screw nut in a second direction opposite to the first direction while the lead-screw nut is engaged by the capture feature; and

hingedly attaching a coupler link between the lead-screw nut and the transducer to provide a coupling between the transducer and the lead-screw nut.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein engaging the lead-screw nut with a capture feature comprises pressing an end of the lead-screw nut against a fixed end stop or an actuator that is coupled with the ultrasound probe.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein engaging the lead-screw nut with a capture feature comprises pressing an end of the lead-screw nut against an elevator nut traveling in an opposite direction relative to the movement of the lead-screw nut along the lead screw.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising rotating a secondary lead screw that is coupled with a normally free spinning secondary nut with the motor on a side of the motor opposite to the lead screw.