Tissue Characterization Apparatus

• US 20180185006A1
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukov Scientific LLC
• Original Assignee: Igor Yukov
• Granted Patent: US 10,383,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5269 involving detection or reduction of artifacts for image enhancement algorithms G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An apparatus for improving the quality of the existing ultrasound diagnostic examination by non-invasively determining a type of tissue matter within a living entity consisting of application of two different ultrasound diagnostic methods simultaneously, in a sequence or alternate through the same transducer is disclosed. The apparatus uses a B-scan tissue image visualization as a guiding image to apply a tissue characterization method to determine an attenuation data for tissue matter and includes the steps of applying arbitrary waveform generator to produce a B-scan image of the tissue matter to be analyzed, selecting a region of interest on said image, detecting reflected signals from said region of interest, analyzing the reflected signals to determine attenuation data for the tissue matter. The same advanced combined diagnostic examination can be achieved by using any existing on the market ultrasound diagnostic apparatus with a B-scan transducer by using interface adapter-switch consisting of switching of some piezo-elements of said B-scan transducer to the tissue characterization method for the period of application of said tissue characterization apparatus to determine a type of the tissue matter being under examination within a living entity.

Claims

1. A combined apparatus which improves the quality of the existing ultrasound diagnostic examination by applying the same B-scan transducer for simultaneously visualization of B-scan tissue imaging and tissue characterization imaging where said B-scan imaging is used as a guiding image for said tissue characterization imaging application to determine the type of tissue being under investigation, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a B-scan transducer with a multiple piezo-elements functioning separately and independently from each other which can be applied simultaneously for B-scan imaging and tissue characterization imaging examination;

(b) a linear scanning system connected to said B-scan transducer which placed on the surface of the body to be examine;

(c) a waveform generator producing two pulses in a sequence on chosen two different frequencies with certain width and shape and supplying said two pulses in a sequence to said B-scan transducer;

(d) a monitor for displaying B-scan images and tissue characterization image on the screen separately or simultaneously and next to said screen another smaller screen to display an A-mode reflected signals for analyses to obtain objective attenuation data for tissue characterization imaging to determine a type of tissue non-invasively in a living entity.

2. A combined apparatus of claim 1 wherein said B-scan transducer is a regular B-scan transducer with multiple piezo-elements and connected to a B-scan apparatus to produce high resolution B-scan imaging and by creating inside of said regular B-scan transducer a row of an A-mode transducers which connected in a sequence or alternate to a linear scanning system and arbitrary waveform generator producing pulses on two different frequencies for the period of application of a tissue characterization imaging and where said B-scan imaging is used as guiding image to apply said tissue characterization method to determine type of the tissue being under investigation non-invasively in a living entity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) analyzing said B-scan imaging displayed separately from said tissue characterization imaging on the screen of said monitor;

(e) selecting a spot of interest on said B-scan imaging displayed separately on said monitor;

(f) Turning ON the display of said tissue characterization imaging information;

(g) using numerical numbers placed on the top of the B-scan imaging screen or using a Voice Recognition block to display on said B-scan imaging screen the direction line from which piezo-element are registering the two reflected signals chosen for attenuation measurement of said tissue characterization method.

(h) analyzing displayed tissue characterization imaging information together with said B-scan imaging on the screen of said monitor and/or analyzing said tissue characterization information on said smaller screen next to said screen displaying said B-scan imaging and said tissue characterization imaging

(i) determining type of the tissue being under investigation non-invasively in a living entity.

3. An apparatus which improves the quality of the existing ultrasound diagnostic examination by applying a B-scan imaging apparatus with a multiple piezo-elements B-scan transducer and a tissue characterization apparatus comprising an interface adapter-switch wherein said interface adapter-switch creates a single A-mode transducer inside of said multiple piezo-elements B-scan transducer by connecting together several said piezo-elements to function as an A-mode transducer in a sequence or alternate for the period of application of said tissue characterization apparatus and to use said B-scan image as a guiding image information to apply through said interface adapter-switch said tissue characterization imaging to determine type of the tissue being under investigation non-invasively in a living entity.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said A-mode transducer for tissue characterization apparatus comprises a piezo-element inserted into said multi piezo-elements B-scan transducer.

6. A method which improves the quality of the existing ultrasound diagnostic examination by applying a B-scan apparatus and a tissue characterization apparatus together through bodily joined transducers and to use B-scan image information to find a spot of interest to apply said tissue characterization method which comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning next to each other the bodies of said B-scan transducer and said A-mode transducer;

(b) applying said B-scan apparatus and said tissue characterization apparatus in a sequence or alternate;

(c) placing said joined transducers on body of the patient;

(d) using B-scan transducer which is a part of joined transducers to display a B-scan image of the tissue being under investigation;

(e) using said B-scan image display as a guiding image to choose a spot of interest;

(d) adjusting by sliding the position of said joined transducers to bring direction of A-mode transducer to said chosen spot of interest to determine type of the tissue being under investigation non-invasively in a living entity.