Three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe

• US 20010032511A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Inventors: Nagai, Hiroshi, Tomita, Norio, Ono, Kohei
• Granted Patent: US 6,615,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/618
• 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 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• 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: G10K 11/30 using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/32 characterised by the shape of the source

Abstract

A plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged on the top surface of a probe, which is a concave spherical surface, so that ultrasonic beams transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer elements will intersect at a point coincident with the center of curvature of a curve delineated by the top surface. At this time, the acoustic lines conically propagate over a region beyond the point of intersection. Namely, the ultrasonic beams transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer elements pass through the point of intersection coincident with the center of curvature, and then conically and three-dimensionally propagate over the region beyond the point of intersection. Thus, acoustic lines are three-dimensionally transmitted to a wide region beyond an intercostal part of a physiological body or any other narrow space, and echoes returned from the region are received. Consequently, the wide region can be three-dimensionally monitored.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements that transmit ultrasonic beams and receive echoes so as to enable three-dimensional monitoring of a region to be measured, wherein:

said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged on the top surface of said probe, which is a concave spherical surface, so that ultrasonic beams transmitted from said ultrasonic transducer elements will intersect at a point coincident with the center of curvature of a curve delineated by the top surface, and conically propagate over the region to be measured beyond the point of intersection.

3. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the region to be measured is the heart;

when said three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe is placed on the chest so that the point at which ultrasonic beams transmitted from said ultrasonic transducer elements intersect will be located in an intercostal part of a physiological body, a maximum angle of diffusion at which the ultrasonic beams diffuse after passing through the point of intersection is set to an angle permitting the ultrasonic beams to cover at least part of the heart to be diagnosed.

4. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe according to

claim 3

, wherein the maximum angle of diffusion at which the ultrasonic beams diffuse is set to an angle permitting the ultrasonic beams to cover the entire heart.

5. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe according to

claim 1

, wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements are used in combination with an electronic scanning means that successively selects a plurality of combinations of adjoining ultrasonic transducer elements and drives ultrasonic transducer elements of each combination to transmit ultrasonic beams simultaneously.

6. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe according to

claim 5

, wherein the maximum angle of diffusion at which the ultrasonic beams transmitted from said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements diffuse after passing through the point at which the ultrasonic beams intersect is set to an angle, which permits the ultrasonic beams to cover the entire heart, with said three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe placed on the chest so that the point of intersection will be located in an intercostal part.

7. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe according to

claim 4

, wherein the maximum angle of diffusion at which the ultrasonic beams diffuse is set to approximately 60°

.

2. A three-dimensional ultrasonic scan probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements that transmit ultrasonic beams and receive echoes so as to enable three-dimensional monitoring of a region to be measured, wherein:

an acoustic lens is placed on the top surface of said probe;

said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged on the incidence surface of said acoustic lens so that ultrasonic beams transmitted from said ultrasonic transducer elements will intersect at a point coincident with the focus of said acoustic lens, and conically propagate over the region to be measured beyond the point of intersection.