Transducer arrays with an integrated sensor and methods of use

• US 20040236223A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Banjanin, Zoran, Bolorforosh, Mirsaid, Barnes, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,303,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0048 Detecting, measuring or recording by applying mechanical forces or stimuli A61B5/021, A61B5/4884 and A61B9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/04 Measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• 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 8/4245 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 8/4483 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: A61B 8/485 involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 : Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type

Abstract

Methods and systems for obtaining ultrasound and sensing other patient charactristics are provided from summary. One or more sensors are provided in a same transducer probe as an array of elements. For example, sensors are formed on a same semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate, as microelectromechanical devices or a capacitive membrane ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). As another example, a sensor is provided separate from or attached to transducer materials. Possible sensors include temperature, pressure, microphone, chemical and/or other sensors.

Claims

1. A transducer probe for ultrasound detection, the transducer probe comprising:

a probe housing for handheld use external to a subject;

a piezoelectric transducer element connected with the probe housing; and

a sensor exposed on an exterior surface of the probe housing.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the probe housing has an acoustic window, the piezoelectric transducer element connects with the probe housing adjacent to the acoustic window, and the sensor comprises a temperature sensor connected with the probe housing adjacent to the acoustic window and on a same side surface of the probe housing as the acoustic window.

3. The probe of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor on a surface of the probe housing for contact with skin of a subject.

4. The probe of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a microphone operable to receive acoustic energy other than ultrasound frequencies.

5. The probe of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a chemical sensor.

6. A transducer probe for ultrasound detection, the transducer probe comprising:

a probe housing;

at least one transducer element connected with the probe housing, the at least one transducer being on or within a substrate; and

a temperature sensor integrated on or within the substrate.

7. The probe of claim 6 wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a capacitive membrane ultrasonic transducer and the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.

8. The probe of claim 7 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a microelectromechanical device formed on the semiconductor substrate.

9. The probe of claim 7 wherein the temperature sensor comprises at least in part an integrated circuit component on the semiconductor substrate.

10. The probe of claim 6 wherein the at least one transducer element comprises an array of transducer elements and the temperature sensor is integrated between at least two of the transducer elements.

11. The probe of claim 6 wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to measure a temperature of the probe housing.

12. The probe of claim 6 wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to measure a temperature of a subject being examined.

13. A method for obtaining multiple types of information including ultrasound information, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining ultrasound information with a transducer element on or within a probe housing;

(b) sensing a pressure with a pressure sensor on or within the probe housing; and

(c) determining one of;

breath sounds and tissue stiffness information about an object spaced from the probe housing, the determination being a function of the pressure.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises obtaining ultrasound information with a capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer element and (b) comprises sensing the pressure with the pressure sensor on a same substrate as the capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer element.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises obtaining the ultrasound information with a piezoelectric transducer element and (b) comprises sensing the pressure with a pressure sensor separate from the piezoelectric transducer element and any other piezoelectric transducer element for obtaining the ultrasound information.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein (c) comprises determining tissue stiffness as a function of the ultrasound information and the pressure.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein (c) comprises identifying breath sounds as a function of the pressure.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein (c) comprises identifying cardiac heart sounds as a function of the pressure.

19. A method for obtaining multiple types of information including ultrasound information, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining ultrasound information with a capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer element on or within a probe housing;

(b) sensing a pressure with a pressure sensor on or within the probe housing; and

(c) determining blood pressure information as a function of the pressure.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein (b) comprises sensing the pressure with the pressure sensor on a same substrate as the capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer element.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein (b) comprises sensing the pressure with the pressure sensor exposed on a catheter probe housing.

22. A transducer probe for ultrasound detection, the transducer probe comprising:

a probe housing;

at least one transducer element connected with the probe housing; and

a chemical sensor connected with the probe housing on a surface to be exposed to fluids or tissues of a subject.

23. The probe of claim 22 wherein the chemical sensor comprises a blood gas sensor.

24. The probe of claim 22 wherein the chemical sensor comprises a pH sensor.

25. The probe of claim 22 wherein the probe housing comprises a catheter housing.

26. The probe of claim 22 wherein the at least one transducer element is encapsulated by a blood impervious barrier and the chemical sensor is free of the blood impervious barrier.

27. A transducer probe for ultrasound detection, the transducer probe comprising:

a probe housing;

at least one transducer element connected with the probe housing, the at least one transducer being on or within a substrate; and

a position sensor integrated on or within the substrate.

28. The probe of claim 27 wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a capacitive membrane ultrasonic transducer and the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.

29. The probe of claim 28 wherein the position sensor comprises a microelectromechanical gyroscope device formed on the semiconductor substrate.

30. The probe of claim 28 wherein the position sensor comprises an optical sensor formed on the semiconductor substrate.

31. The probe of claim 27 wherein the at least one transducer element comprises an array of transducer elements and the position sensor comprises at least one array of optical sensors in an arrangement at a non-zero angle to the array of transducer elements.

32. The probe of claim 31 wherein the optical sensor is positioned to measure movement of the probe housing relative to a target.

33. The probe of claim 27 wherein the position sensor comprises at least two optical sensors positioned around the at least one transducer element.