Multiple aperture ultrasound array alignment fixture

• US 9,192,355 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, David M., Adam, Sharon L., Specht, Donald F., Brewer, Kenneth D., Lunsford, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S
• Application Number:
  US13/894,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 702/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction

Abstract

Increasing the effective aperture of an ultrasound imaging probe by including more than one probe head and using the elements of all of the probes to render an image can greatly improve the lateral resolution of the generated image. In order to render an image, the relative positions of all of the elements must be known precisely. A calibration fixture is described in which the probe assembly to be calibrated is placed above a test block and transmits ultrasonic pulses through the test block to an ultrasonic sensor. As the ultrasonic pulses are transmitted though some or all of the elements in the probe to be tested, the differential transit times of arrival of the waveform are measured precisely. From these measurements the relative positions of the probe elements can be computed and the probe can be aligned.

Claims

1. A method of aligning and assembling an ultrasound probe, the method comprising:

placing a first transducer array within a first array carrier secured adjacent to a test block containing an ultrasound transmission medium;

transmitting an ultrasound signal from the first transducer array into the ultrasound transmission medium;

receiving the ultrasound signal with an ultrasonic sensor;

determining a corrected alignment of the first transducer array based on the received signal;

adjusting a position and/or an angulation of the first transducer array relative to the first array carrier with adjustment features of the first array carrier based on the corrected alignment;

after adjusting the position and/or angulation of the first transducer array relative to the first array carrier, stabilizing the first transducer array in the first array carrier by inserting an acoustic damping material into a space between the first transducer array and the first array carrier, and curing the acoustic damping material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, repeating the transmitting, receiving and adjusting steps at least once prior to the step of inserting the acoustic damping material.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the first array carrier into a first transducer receptacle within a multiple aperture probe assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing a second transducer array within a second array carrier;

transmitting a second ultrasound signal from the second transducer array;

receiving the second ultrasound signal with the ultrasonic sensor;

determining a corrected alignment of the second transducer array based on the received signal;

adjusting a position and/or an angulation of the second transducer array with adjustment features of the second array carrier to match the corrected alignment;

after adjusting the position and/or angulation of the second transducer array relative to the second array carrier, stabilizing the second transducer array in the second array carrier by inserting a second acoustic damping material into a space between the second transducer array and the second array carrier, and curing the second acoustic damping material; and

locking the first array carrier with the first array stabilized therein and the second array carrier with the second transducer array stabilized therein into respective precision transducer receptacles in a probe structural support member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting a test pattern signal from transducer elements of the transducer array into the test block.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the test pattern signal with the ultrasonic sensor positioned at an opposite side of the test block from the transducer array, and wherein the determining step further comprises determining the corrected alignment of the transducer array by evaluating the received test pattern signal with a controller.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining step further comprises comparing relative elapsed times between transmitting the test pattern signal and receiving the test pattern signal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the test block comprises a tank filled with a medium having a known speed of sound.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the test block comprises a plurality of reflectors at fixed known locations within a medium having a known speed of sound.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting and receiving steps are performed using the transducer array.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a corrected alignment is based on displayed positions of the reflectors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step further comprises automatically adjusting the position and/or angulation of the transducer array with adjustment features of the first array carrier.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step further comprises adjusting with a stepper motor the position and/or angulation of the transducer array with adjustment features of the first array carrier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step further comprises turning a set screw in the first array carrier to adjust the position and/or angulation of the transducer array within the first array carrier.