Concave Ultrasound Transducers and 3D Arrays

• US 20120095343A1
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, David M., Specht, Donald F., Brewer, Kenneth D., Specht, David J., Cabrera, Linda V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/447
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to 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 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• 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 8/523 for generating planar views from image data in a user selectable plane not corresponding to the acquisition plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/58 Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/892 the array being curvilinear
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8929 using a three-dimensional transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8934 using a dynamic transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52084 related to particular user interfaces special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467

Abstract

A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate apertures of ultrasound arrays. Some embodiments provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound probes having continuous arrays of ultrasound transducers which may have a substantially continuous concave curved shape in two or three dimensions (i.e. concave relative to an object to be imaged). Other embodiments herein provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound imaging probes having other unique configurations, such as adjustable probes and probes with variable configurations.

Claims

1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:

an ultrasound transducer array, the ultrasound transducer array having a concave curvature about at least one axis;

a first transmit aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to insonify a scatterer with ultrasound energy;

a first receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echoes from the scatterer, the first receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture; and

a control system in electronic communication with the ultrasound transducer array, the control system configured to access calibration data describing a position and orientation of the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture, the control system configured to form an ultrasound image with the echoes received by the first receive aperture.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive echoes from the scatterer, the second receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture;

wherein the control system is configured to access calibration data describing a position and orientation of the second receive aperture, and wherein the control system is configured to form an ultrasound image with the echoes received by the first and second receive apertures.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer array has a concave curvature about at least two axes.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration data is stored in the control system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration data is stored remotely from the control system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration data is stored in a chip housed within a probe housing along with the array.

7. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:

transmitting ultrasound energy towards a scatterer with transmit aperture on an ultrasound transducer array having a concave curvature about at least one axis;

receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with a first receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array;

obtaining calibration data containing a position and orientation of ultrasound transducers in the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture; and

forming an ultrasound image with the ultrasound echoes received by the first receive aperture.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with a second receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array;

obtaining calibration data containing a position and orientation of ultrasound transducers in the second receive aperture; and

forming an ultrasound image with the ultrasound echoes received by the first and second receive apertures.

9. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:

an ultrasound transducer array;

a first transmit aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to insonify a scatterer with ultrasound energy;

a first receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echoes from the scatterer, the first receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture;

a second receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echoes from the scatterer, the second receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture; and

a control system in electronic communication with the ultrasound transducer array, the control system configured to change a total aperture size of the system by switching from receiving echoes with the first receive aperture to receiving echoes with the second receive aperture.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the control system is configured to access calibration data describing a position and orientation of the first transmit aperture, the first receive aperture, and the second receive aperture, wherein the control system is configured to form an ultrasound image with the echoes received by the first and second receive apertures.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the control system is configured to change the total aperture size automatically upon detection of an obstruction.

12. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:

an ultrasound transducer array;

a first transmit aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to insonify a scatterer with ultrasound energy;

a second transmit aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to insonify the scatterer with ultrasound energy;

a first receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echoes from the scatterer, the first receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture;

a second receive aperture in the ultrasound transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echoes from the scatterer, the second receive aperture being located apart from the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture; and

a control system in electronic communication with the ultrasound transducer array, the control system configured to change an aperture view angle of the system by switching from transmitting ultrasound energy with the first transmit aperture to transmitting ultrasound energy with the second transmit aperture, and switching from receiving echoes with the first receive aperture to receiving echoes with the second receive aperture, wherein a transmit/receive angle between the first transmit aperture and the first receive aperture is approximately the same as the transmit/receive angle between the second transmit aperture and the second receive aperture.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the control system is configured to access calibration data describing a position and orientation of the first transmit aperture, the first receive aperture, and the second receive aperture, wherein the control system is configured to form an ultrasound image with the echoes received by the first and second receive apertures.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the control system is configured to change the aperture view angle automatically upon detection of an obstruction.

15. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:

transmitting ultrasound energy towards a scatterer with a first transmit aperture on an ultrasound transducer array having a concave curvature about at least one axis;

receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with a first receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array;

detecting an obstruction between the scatterer and the first receive aperture; and

after detecting the obstruction, receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with a second receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the detecting step is performed by a sonographer.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the detecting step is performed automatically by a control system.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the transducer array has a concave curvature about at least two axes.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the after detecting step further comprises:

after detecting the obstruction, receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with the second receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the obstruction is not located between the scatterer and the second receive aperture.

20. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:

transmitting ultrasound energy towards a scatterer with a first transmit aperture on an ultrasound transducer array having a concave curvature about at least one axis;

receiving ultrasound echoes from the scatterer with a first receive aperture on the ultrasound transducer array;

detecting an obstruction between the scatterer and the first transmit aperture; and

after detecting the obstruction, transmitting ultrasound energy towards the scatterer with a second transmit aperture on the ultrasound transducer array.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the detecting step is performed by a sonographer.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the detecting step is performed automatically by a control system.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the transducer array has a concave curvature about at least two axes.

24. An ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

a probe housing;

at least two ultrasound transducer arrays disposed on our near the probe housing; and

at least one hinge mechanism configured to couple each of the ultrasound transducer arrays to the probe housing, the hinge mechanisms configured to allow adjustment of the position or orientation of the ultrasound transducer arrays so as to conform to a physiology of interest.

25. The device of claim 24 further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock the hinge mechanisms.

26. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:

placing an ultrasound imaging probe having at least two ultrasound arrays into contact with a patient;

allowing each of the ultrasound arrays to individually conform to the physiology of the patient;

locking the ultrasound arrays into a conformed configuration;

calibrating the ultrasound imaging probe in the conformed configuration; and

after the calibrating step, generating ultrasound images of the patient with the ultrasound imaging probe.