Transmissive imaging and related apparatus and methods

• US 9,022,936 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc. (Butterfly Network, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Rothberg, Jonathan M., Sanchez, Nevada J., Ralston, Tyler S., Charvat, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/191,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/438, 600/439, 600/443, 600/459, 601/2
• US Class Current: 600/438
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• 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 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4263 using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/00 : Code division multiplex systems for frequency hopping H04B1/713

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described that include ultrasound imaging devices, which may operate in a transmissive ultrasound imaging modality, and which may be used to detect properties of interest of a subject such as index of refraction, density and/or speed of sound. Devices suitable for performing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as well as HIFU and ultrasound imaging, are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first support;

a first plurality of ultrasound elements configured as ultrasound imaging elements; and

a second plurality of ultrasound elements configured as high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) elements, wherein the first plurality and second plurality of ultrasound elements are physically coupled to the first support;

a second support;

a third plurality of ultrasound elements configured as ultrasound imaging elements; and

a fourth plurality of ultrasound elements configured as HIFU elements, wherein the third plurality and fourth plurality of ultrasound elements are physically coupled to the second support,

wherein the first and second supports are moveable relative to each other, to change position and/or orientation of the first plurality of ultrasound elements relative to the third plurality of ultrasound elements, and

wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one detector configured to detect position and/or orientation of the first plurality of ultrasound elements relative to the third plurality of ultrasound elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of ultrasound elements is configured to perform at least one of emission of a radiation source signal incident upon a volume to be imaged three-dimensionally or detection of such a radiation source signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second plurality of ultrasound elements is configured to emit ultrasound radiation of sufficient intensity to induce a change in a tissue state of tissue located within the volume.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some ultrasound elements of the first plurality of ultrasound elements are interspersed with at least some ultrasound elements of the second plurality of ultrasound elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some ultrasound elements of the first plurality of ultrasound elements are interleaved with at least some ultrasound elements of the second plurality of ultrasound elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements and the second plurality of ultrasound elements are arranged in combination in a checkerboard pattern.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of ultrasound elements are configured to collectively define a HIFU focal length movable in three dimensions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one ultrasound element of the first plurality of ultrasound elements is configured to exhibit time-varying operation as an ultrasound imaging element and as a HIFU element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one ultrasound element of the second plurality of ultrasound elements is configured to exhibit time-varying operation as a HIFU element and as an ultrasound imaging element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements and/or the second plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in at least two dimensions.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein both the first plurality of ultrasound elements and second plurality of ultrasound elements are arranged in at least two dimensions.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in at least two dimensions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in three dimensions.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in an array of at least two dimensions in which the first plurality of ultrasound elements adopts a regular spacing.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in at least two dimensions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in three dimensions.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of ultrasound elements is arranged in an array of at least two dimensions.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of ultrasound elements is configured to emit and/or receive ultrasound signals of wavelength λ

, and wherein a minimum spacing between nearest neighbor ultrasound elements of the first plurality of ultrasound elements is greater than λ

/2.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some ultrasound elements of the first plurality of ultrasound elements are arranged among at least some ultrasound elements of the second plurality of ultrasound elements.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second support is a flexible support.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third plurality and fourth plurality of ultrasound elements are in a substantially fixed relationship with respect to each other.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is configured to dynamically detect position and/or orientation during operation of the first plurality of ultrasound elements and/or the third plurality of ultrasound elements.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is physically coupled to the first support.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality and second plurality of ultrasound elements are in a substantially fixed relationship with respect to each other.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first support is a flexible support.