Transmissive imaging and related apparatus and methods

• US 9,033,884 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• 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., Charvat, Gregory L., Ralston, Tyler S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/191,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 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 plurality of ultrasound sensors forming a two-dimensional ultrasound sensor arrangement in which at least some of the plurality of ultrasound sensors are located at irregularly-spaced positions representing a projection into two dimensions of a regularly-spaced three-dimensional arrangement; and

processing circuitry coupled to the plurality of ultrasound sensors and configured to process signals from the plurality of ultrasound sensors to produce ultrasound imaging data indicative of a subject imaged at least in part by the plurality of ultrasound sensors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least some of the plurality of ultrasound sensors located at irregularly-spaced positions are not uniformly spaced along a line with respect to neighboring ultrasound sensors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least some of the plurality of ultrasound sensors located at irregularly-spaced positions are not uniformly spaced relative to a grid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support, wherein the plurality of ultrasound sensors are physically coupled to the support and configured in a fixed relationship with respect to each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein spacing between neighboring ultrasound sensors of the plurality of ultrasound sensors is closer at an edge of the ultrasound sensor arrangement than at a center of the ultrasound sensor arrangement.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein spacing between neighboring ultrasound sensors of the plurality of ultrasound sensors is closer at a center of the ultrasound sensor arrangement than at an edge of the ultrasound sensor arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a majority of ultrasound sensors of the plurality of ultrasound sensors are spaced at regular intervals with respect to neighboring ultrasound sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound sensor arrangement is substantially planar, wherein the majority of ultrasound sensors conform to a grid, and wherein the placement of the at least some of the plurality of ultrasound sensors located at irregularly-spaced positions represents deviation from the grid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a majority of the ultrasound sensors of the ultrasound sensor arrangement are not spaced at regular intervals with respect to neighboring ultrasound sensors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a substantial percentage of ultrasound sensors of the ultrasound sensor arrangement are not spaced at regular intervals with respect to neighboring ultrasound sensors.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ultrasound sources forming a two-dimensional or three-dimensional ultrasound source arrangement, wherein spacing between at least some ultrasound sources of the ultrasound source arrangement differs from spacing between at least some ultrasound sensors of the ultrasound sensor arrangement.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound sensor arrangement is formed on a first support and wherein the ultrasound source arrangement is formed on a second support distinct from the first support.