WO2019191863A1

WO2019191863A1 - Ultrasonic imaging system, method, and apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2019191863A1
Application number: PCT/CN2018/081552
Authority: WO
Inventors: 邱维宝; 胡陈文宝; 张志强; 苏敏; 刘荣; 郑海荣
Original assignee: 中国科学院深圳先进技术研究院; 中国科学院大学
Priority date: 2018-04-02
Filing date: 2018-04-02
Publication date: 2019-10-10

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging system (1), method, and apparatus. The system comprises: a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer (11) consisting of a high-frequency ultrasonic transducer (111) and a low-frequency ultrasonic transducer (112) and an ultrasonic excitation receiving device (12) connected to the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer (11). When a request of performing ultrasonic treatment on encranial tissue to be treated of a patient, the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer (111) is first controlled to measure the thickness of the cranium of the patient and the speed of an ultrasonic wave propagated in the cranium of the patient; then the measured thickness of the cranium and the speed are fed back to the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer (112), and focusing parameter compensation is performed on ultrasonic transmit signals and ultrasonic receive signals of the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer (112); finally, the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer (112) focuses the encranial tissue to be treated according to a compensated ultrasonic transmit signal sequence and performs sound field compensation for an encranial image according to a compensated ultrasonic receive signal sequence, thereby improving the accuracy of ultrasonic transcranial focusing and the definition of ultrasonic imaging.

Description

Ultrasound imaging system, method and device

Technical field

The invention belongs to the field of ultrasonic medical technology, and in particular relates to an ultrasound imaging system, method and device.

Background technique

With the aging of the social population and people's irregular work and rest, the incidence of brain diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease) is getting higher and higher, and the disease is not easy to be diagnosed. Traditionally, the brain is detected. The main methods of disease are magnetic resonance imaging and CT imaging. However, the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging is low, and many lesions cannot be detected. The radiation in CT imaging has certain influence on the human body. Contrast agents may also be allergic, so detecting and characterizing intracranial diseases is one of the most active areas of biomedical imaging research.

Compared with magnetic resonance imaging and CT imaging, medical ultrasound imaging technology has become an irreplaceable diagnosis in modern medical imaging because of its non-invasive, non-radiative, good real-time performance, high discrimination to soft tissues, convenient use of instruments, and low price. Technology has become the preferred method for the diagnosis of multiple diseases in clinical practice. Ultrasound cranial imaging not only enables real-time imaging of intracranial tissue, but also measures the size of the lesion through intracranial vascular analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction. In addition to ultrasound imaging, ultrasound focusing has good tissue penetration, localization and energy storage. Ultrasound is applied to the tissue, and its biological effects such as thermal, mechanical and cavitation effects can be used to absorb the diseased tissue. Energy and rapid temperature rise, and biochemical reactions, eventually degeneration of diseased tissue, promote tissue reconstruction and microcirculation to achieve therapeutic goals. In addition, transcranial focused ultrasound can effectively stimulate the deeper brain regions under the cortex without trauma and high spatial precision, and achieve non-invasive deep brain nerve stimulation. Neural network regulation through focused ultrasound can help develop central nervous system. Potential therapy for the disease.

Ultrasonic energy can be used to alter brain activity and treat disease, but traditional cranial focusing methods use a single low-frequency one-dimensional phased array probe to penetrate the skull for imaging, treatment, and stimulation, since human skull thickness ranges from 2 mm to 8 mm. Between, the density is high, the ultrasonic waves will have different degrees of energy attenuation and sound field distortion when passing through different positions of the skull, and the shape and distortion of the ultrasonic focal field may also occur, so that the ultrasonic image with high signal to noise ratio cannot be obtained. Accurate and effective treatment and stimulation of the lesion.

In the patent application file of the patent application No. 201410855314.X, a method for ultrasonic craniotomy focusing is disclosed, which comprises: performing a three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of a head on a patient, and reconstructing a three-dimensional shape of the skull based on the obtained data. The digital model is used to introduce the three-dimensional digital model of the skull into a 3D printer to obtain a corresponding skull solid model, and the skull solid model is time-inverted to obtain an ultrasound transcranial focused emission sequence. This method requires three-dimensional reconstruction with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in obtaining the solid model of the skull. The MRI operation is complicated and the use cost is high, so the method has great limitations.

In the invention patent application file of the patent application No. 201510659855.X, a phased array skull and sacrum imager is disclosed, which includes a display body, a main input device, an ultrasonic probe, an auxiliary input device, a casing, an ultrasound host, Body, power supply, PC host, optical drive, display guide post, monitor bottom cover, display arm, display stand, in actual use, the invention uses a 2MHz low-frequency one-dimensional phased array probe to observe the brain tissue structure through the skull and tibia The intracranial vessels and the vascular conditions of the brain stem, through the brain parenchyma and cerebrovascular and their Doppler spectral waveforms for the diagnosis of intracranial lesions, and the low frequency phased array probe in this invention does not consider the thickness of the skull versus ultrasound The influence of the signal, so it is impossible to obtain an ultrasound image with high signal-to-noise ratio to accurately and effectively treat and stimulate the lesion.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasound imaging system, method and apparatus, which are directed to solving the problem that an effective ultrasound imaging method cannot be provided due to the prior art, resulting in inaccurate ultrasound cranial focusing and unclear ultrasound imaging.

In one aspect, the invention provides an ultrasound imaging system, the system comprising:

a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer comprising a high frequency ultrasound transducer and a low frequency ultrasound transducer, wherein the high frequency ultrasound transducer is used for a patient's skull thickness and ultrasound Measuring the speed of sound propagated in the skull of the patient, the low frequency ultrasound transducer for ultrasound imaging or treating the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient;

An ultrasonic excitation receiving device coupled to the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer for displaying ultrasound imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated formed by the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an ultrasound imaging method of the above ultrasound imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

Controlling the high frequency ultrasound transducer to measure the thickness of the skull of the patient and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the skull of the patient upon receiving a request for ultrasound treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient;

Calculating a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic receiving signal according to the measured skull thickness and the sound speed to obtain an ultrasonic transmission signal sequence And an ultrasound receiving signal compensation sequence;

Controlling, according to the obtained sequence of ultrasonic emission signals, the low frequency ultrasonic transducer to perform focusing to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated;

Compensating and focusing the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal compensation sequence to display ultrasonic imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the above ultrasonic imaging system, the apparatus comprising:

a parameter measuring unit configured to control the high frequency ultrasound transducer to measure a thickness of the skull of the patient and an ultrasonic wave propagating in the skull of the patient when receiving a request for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient Sound speed

a signal sequence acquiring unit, configured to calculate a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer according to the measured skull thickness and the sound speed, and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic receiving signal To obtain an ultrasound transmission signal sequence and an ultrasound reception signal compensation sequence;

An ultrasound focusing unit configured to control the low frequency ultrasound transducer to perform focusing according to the obtained sequence of ultrasound emission signals to generate ultrasound waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated;

The echo signal compensation unit is configured to perform compensation focusing on the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave according to the obtained ultrasound received signal compensation sequence to display and output ultrasound imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.

When receiving the request for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient, the present invention controls the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to measure the thickness of the patient's skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the patient's skull, according to the measured thickness and speed of the skull. Calculating a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer, and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic reception signal to obtain an ultrasonic transmission signal sequence and an ultrasonic reception signal compensation sequence, according to the obtained ultrasonic transmission signal sequence Controlling the low frequency ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated, and compensating and focusing the echo signals reflected by the ultrasonic waves according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal compensation sequence to display the output intracranial by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device Ultrasound imaging of the tissue to be treated, thereby improving the accuracy of ultrasound cranial focusing and the clarity of ultrasound imaging.

DRAWINGS

1 is a schematic structural view of an ultrasonic imaging system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural view of an arrangement of a high frequency ultrasonic transducer and a low frequency ultrasonic transducer in an ultrasonic imaging system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

3 is a schematic structural view of an arrangement of a high frequency ultrasonic transducer and a low frequency ultrasonic transducer in an ultrasonic imaging system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart showing an implementation of an ultrasound imaging method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a preferred structure of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

detailed description

The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

The specific implementation of the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments:

Embodiment 1:

Fig. 1 shows the structure of an ultrasonic imaging system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. For the convenience of description, only parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound imaging system 1 that includes a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 and an ultrasound excitation receiving device 12, wherein:

The transcranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 is comprised of a high frequency ultrasound transducer 111 and a low frequency ultrasound transducer 112 for use in the thickness of the patient's skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the patient's skull. To make measurements, the low frequency ultrasound transducer 112 is used to ultrasound imaging or treat the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient. The ultrasonic excitation receiving device 12 can be coupled to the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 via a connecting line for displaying ultrasound imaging of the output of the intracranial tissue to be treated by the output transcranial focused ultrasound transducer 11.

Preferably, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 has a frequency range of 5-40 MHz, and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 has a frequency range of 0.5-5 MHz, thereby achieving integration of skull thickness and intracranial focus.

In the embodiment of the present invention, according to the thickness of the skull, the user can adjust the frequency range of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 through an ultrasonic excitation receiving device including a user operation console, thereby improving the cranial focusing. The scope of application of the ultrasonic transducer 11.

Preferably, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 is a one-dimensional linear array ultrasonic transducer or a two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer, and the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 is a one-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer or a two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer. The energy meter improves the accuracy of high frequency thickness measurement and the accuracy of low frequency focusing.

Preferably, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 is disposed around the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, the cranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 includes a high frequency ultrasonic transducer 1 and low frequency ultrasound. The transducer 2, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 1 is mounted close to the periphery of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 2, thereby reducing the size of the cranial focused ultrasound transducer 11.

Still preferably, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 are arranged up and down. As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, the cranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 includes a high frequency ultrasonic transducer 1 The low frequency ultrasonic transducer 2, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 1 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 2 are arranged up and down, thereby reducing the cost of the cranial focused ultrasound transducer 11.

Still preferably, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 are arranged in a circular arrangement or in other patterns, thereby increasing the range of application of the cranial focused ultrasound transducer 11.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 in the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer can be determined according to the arrangement structure of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112. Type, which further improves the accuracy of high frequency thickness measurement and the accuracy of low frequency focusing. For example, when the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 is disposed around the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 employs a one-dimensional linear array ultrasonic transducer, and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 employs two-dimensional array ultrasonic imaging. The transducer, and when the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 are arranged up and down, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 each employ a one-dimensional linear array ultrasonic transducer .

In the embodiment of the present invention, according to the thickness of the skull, the user can adjust the number of phased arrays of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer 111 and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer 112 through an ultrasonic excitation receiving device including a user operation console, thereby further The range of application of the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer 11 is improved.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound imaging system including a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer composed of a high frequency ultrasonic transducer and a low frequency ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic excitation coupled to a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer The receiving device, when receiving a request for ultrasonic treatment of the patient's intracranial tissue to be treated, first measures the thickness of the patient's skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the patient's skull through a high frequency ultrasonic transducer, and then measures the obtained skull The thickness and sound velocity are fed back to the low frequency ultrasonic transducer, and the ultrasonic signal and the ultrasonic receiving signal of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer are subjected to focusing parameter compensation, and finally the low frequency ultrasonic transducer performs the intracranial tissue to be treated according to the compensated ultrasonic emission signal sequence. Focusing and compensating the intracranial imaging for sound field based on the compensated ultrasound received signal sequence, thereby improving the accuracy of ultrasound cranial focusing and the sharpness of ultrasound imaging.

Embodiment 2:

4 is a flowchart showing an implementation of an ultrasound imaging method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The ultrasound imaging apparatus is applicable to the ultrasound imaging system in Embodiment 1. For convenience of description, only parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown. , as detailed below:

In step S401, upon receiving a request for ultrasound treatment of the patient's intracranial tissue to be treated, the high frequency ultrasound transducer is controlled to measure the patient's skull thickness and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the patient's skull.

Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to the ultrasound imaging system of Embodiment 1 for performing ultrasound focusing and intracranial imaging on a patient's intracranial tissue to be treated, the system comprising a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer and transcranial focused ultrasound transduction The ultrasonic excitation receiving device is connected, and the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer is composed of a high frequency ultrasonic transducer and a low frequency ultrasonic transducer, wherein the high frequency ultrasonic transducer is used for the patient's skull thickness and ultrasound in the patient's skull The transmitted sound velocity is measured, the low frequency ultrasonic transducer is used for ultrasonic imaging or treatment of the patient's intracranial tissue to be treated, and the ultrasonic excitation receiving device is used to display the output of the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer for the ultrasound formed by the intracranial tissue to be treated. Imaging.

In the embodiment of the present invention, when the high frequency ultrasonic transducer is controlled to measure the thickness of the skull of the patient and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the skull of the patient, preferably, the ultrasonic signal is preset according to each array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer. Delay time, moving the focus point of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer between the upper and lower surfaces of the patient's skull, adjusting the ultrasonic signal emission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer to adjust the focus point according to the The step length is moved to the lower surface of the patient's skull. When the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches the maximum, the delay time difference between the middle array element and the end array element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer is obtained, and the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer is obtained. The time required to receive the reflected waves on the lower surface of the patient's skull, and the thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the patient's skull are calculated according to the delay time difference, the propagation time, and a preset formula, thereby facilitating subsequent low-frequency ultrasound transducers. The ultrasound signal provides focus parameter compensation.

Further preferably, when the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches a maximum, before the delay time difference between the intermediate element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end element is obtained, the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull is determined according to the amplitude of the echo of the focused point. Whether the maximum is reached, the step of obtaining the delay time difference between the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer is performed to obtain the delay time difference between the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer. Otherwise, jumping to the step of adjusting the ultrasonic signal transmission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to adjust the ultrasonic signal emission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer, Until the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches the maximum, the accuracy of the difference between the delay time of the intermediate element and the end element of the obtained high-frequency ultrasonic transducer is improved.

Further preferably, by formula

Calculate the thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the patient's skull, where

d is the thickness of the skull, c is the speed of sound, a is the horizontal distance between the focus point and the most marginal element of the high-frequency transducer, and ΔT is the propagation time required to obtain the reflected wave on the lower surface of the skull when the focus is on the lower surface of the skull, Δt _{1 When the} reflected wave on the lower surface of the skull is maximum, the delay time difference between the intermediate array element and the end array element improves the calculation accuracy of the thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the patient's skull.

In step S402, the phase and intensity compensation values of the ultrasonic transmission signals of the respective elements of the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer and the phase and intensity compensation values of the ultrasonic reception signals are calculated according to the measured skull thickness and the sound velocity to obtain an ultrasonic transmission signal sequence and The ultrasound receives the signal compensation sequence.

In the embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the skull from attenuating and distorting the ultrasonic signal, the measured skull thickness and sound velocity are fed back to the low frequency ultrasonic transducer, and the low frequency ultrasonic transducer is calculated according to the thickness and sound velocity of the skull. The phase and intensity compensation values of the meta-ultrasonic emission signal, and the phase and intensity compensation values of the ultrasound received signal, to obtain an ultrasound transmission signal sequence and an ultrasound reception signal compensation sequence.

In step S403, the low frequency ultrasonic transducer is controlled to perform focusing according to the obtained sequence of ultrasonic emission signals to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated.

In an embodiment of the invention, the low frequency ultrasound transducer performs beam synthesis and aggregation based on the obtained sequence of ultrasound emission signals to generate ultrasound waves that are ultrasonically treated for intracranial tissue to be treated.

In step S404, the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave is compensated and focused according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal compensation sequence to display the ultrasonic imaging of the tissue to be treated in the output intracranial by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave carries information about the tissue to be treated in the skull, and since the thickness of the skull causes attenuation and distortion of the ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic reflection signal is compensated according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal. The wave signal is compensated for focusing to obtain an intracranial image with a high signal to noise ratio, and the intracranial image is displayed and outputted by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.

In the embodiment of the present invention, when receiving a request for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient, the high frequency ultrasonic transducer is controlled to measure the thickness of the patient's skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the patient's skull, according to the measurement. The thickness and sound velocity of the skull are used to calculate the phase and intensity compensation values of the ultrasonic emission signals of the respective array elements of the low-frequency ultrasonic transducer, and the phase and intensity compensation values of the ultrasonic receiving signals to obtain the ultrasonic transmission signal sequence and the ultrasonic reception signal compensation sequence, according to the obtained The ultrasonic transmitting signal sequence controls the low frequency ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated, and compensates the echo signals reflected by the ultrasonic waves according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal compensation sequence to receive by ultrasonic excitation The device displays ultrasound imaging of the tissue to be treated in the cranial tissue, thereby improving the accuracy of ultrasound cranial focusing and the clarity of ultrasound imaging.

Embodiment 3:

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus is applicable to the ultrasonic imaging system in Embodiment 1. For the convenience of description, only parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown. These include:

The parameter measuring unit 51 is configured to control the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to measure the thickness of the patient's skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the patient's skull when receiving a request for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient.

Further preferably, by formula

The signal sequence obtaining unit 52 is configured to calculate a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer according to the measured skull thickness and the sound speed, and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic receiving signal to obtain the ultrasonic emission. The signal sequence and the ultrasound receive signal compensation sequence.

The ultrasonic focusing unit 53 is configured to control the low frequency ultrasonic transducer to perform focusing according to the obtained ultrasonic emission signal sequence to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated.

The echo signal compensation unit 54 is configured to perform compensation focusing on the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave according to the obtained ultrasonic receiving signal compensation sequence to display the ultrasonic imaging of the tissue to be treated in the intracranial region by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.

Wherein, as shown in FIG. 6, preferably, the parameter measuring unit 51 includes:

a focus point moving unit 511, configured to move a focus point of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer between the upper and lower surfaces of the patient's skull according to an ultrasonic signal transmission delay time preset by each array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer;

The delay time adjustment unit 512 is configured to adjust an ultrasonic signal emission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to move the focus point to the lower surface of the patient's skull according to a preset step size;

The time obtaining unit 513 is configured to obtain a delay time difference between the middle array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end array element when the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches a maximum, and obtain a high frequency ultrasonic transducer to receive the patient under the skull The propagation time required for the surface to reflect the wave;

The thickness sound velocity calculation unit 514 is configured to calculate the thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the skull of the patient according to the delay time difference value, the propagation time, and a preset formula.

Further preferably, the parameter measuring unit 51 further includes an echo amplitude determining unit configured to determine whether the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches a maximum according to the echo amplitude of the focus point, and the trigger time acquiring unit 513 performs the acquisition of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer. The delay time difference between the intermediate array element and the end array element, otherwise the trigger delay time adjustment unit 512 performs the adjustment of the ultrasonic signal transmission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer until the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull The maximum is reached, thereby improving the accuracy of the difference between the delay time of the intermediate element and the end element of the obtained high frequency ultrasonic transducer.

In the embodiment of the present invention, each unit of the ultrasound imaging apparatus may be implemented by a corresponding hardware or software unit, and each unit may be an independent software and hardware unit, or may be integrated into a soft and hardware unit, and the present invention is not limited thereto. .

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection of the present invention. Within the scope.

Claims

An ultrasound imaging system, characterized in that the system comprises:

a transcranial focused ultrasound transducer comprising a high frequency ultrasound transducer and a low frequency ultrasound transducer, wherein the high frequency ultrasound transducer is used for a patient's skull thickness and ultrasound Measuring the speed of sound propagated in the skull of the patient, the low frequency ultrasound transducer for ultrasound imaging or treating the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient;

An ultrasonic excitation receiving device coupled to the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer for displaying ultrasound imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated formed by the transcranial focused ultrasound transducer.
The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said high frequency ultrasonic transducer is a one-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer or a two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer, said low frequency ultrasonic transducer being one-dimensional Array ultrasonic transducer or two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer.
The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 wherein said high frequency ultrasound transducer has a frequency range of 5-40 MHz and said low frequency ultrasound transducer has a frequency range of 0.5-5 MHz.
The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said high frequency ultrasonic transducer and said low frequency ultrasonic transducer are arranged up and down, or said high frequency ultrasonic transducer is disposed at said low frequency ultrasound Around the transducer.
An ultrasound imaging method based on an ultrasound imaging system according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:

Controlling the high frequency ultrasound transducer to measure the thickness of the skull of the patient and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the skull of the patient upon receiving a request for ultrasound treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient;

Calculating a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic receiving signal according to the measured skull thickness and the sound speed to obtain an ultrasonic transmission signal sequence And an ultrasound receiving signal compensation sequence;

Controlling, according to the obtained sequence of ultrasonic emission signals, the low frequency ultrasonic transducer to perform focusing to generate ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated;

The echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave is compensated and focused according to the obtained ultrasonic received signal compensation sequence to display ultrasonic imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of controlling the high frequency ultrasound transducer to measure the thickness of the skull of the patient and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the skull of the patient comprises:

Transmitting a focus point of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer between upper and lower surfaces of the patient's skull according to an ultrasonic signal emission delay time preset by each array element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer;

Adjusting an ultrasonic signal emission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to move the focus point to a lower surface of the patient's skull according to a preset step size;

Obtaining a delay time difference between the middle array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end array element when the reflected wave of the lower surface of the skull reaches a maximum, and acquiring the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to receive the patient skull The propagation time required to reflect the wave on the lower surface;

The thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasound propagating in the skull of the patient are calculated according to the delay time difference, the propagation time, and a preset formula.
The method according to claim 6, wherein when the reflected wave of the lower surface of the skull of the patient reaches a maximum, the step of obtaining the difference in delay time between the intermediate element of the high-frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end element is obtained. ,include:

Determining, according to the echo amplitude of the focus point, whether the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches a maximum;

If yes, jumping to the step of obtaining a delay time difference between the intermediate array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end array element;

Otherwise, a jump is made to the step of adjusting the ultrasonic signal transmission delay time of the intermediate element and the end element of the high frequency ultrasound transducer.
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a parameter measuring unit configured to control the high frequency ultrasound transducer to measure a thickness of the skull of the patient and an ultrasonic wave propagating in the skull of the patient when receiving a request for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated of the patient Sound speed

a signal sequence acquiring unit, configured to calculate a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic transmission signal of each array element of the low frequency ultrasonic transducer according to the measured skull thickness and the sound speed, and a phase and intensity compensation value of the ultrasonic receiving signal To obtain an ultrasound transmission signal sequence and an ultrasound reception signal compensation sequence;

An ultrasound focusing unit configured to control the low frequency ultrasound transducer to perform focusing according to the obtained sequence of ultrasound emission signals to generate ultrasound waves for ultrasonic treatment of the intracranial tissue to be treated;

The echo signal compensation unit is configured to perform compensation focusing on the echo signal reflected by the ultrasonic wave according to the obtained ultrasound received signal compensation sequence to display and output ultrasound imaging of the intracranial tissue to be treated by the ultrasonic excitation receiving device.
The device of claim 8 wherein said parameter measuring unit comprises:

a focus point moving unit, configured to move a focus point of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to upper and lower surfaces of the patient's skull according to an ultrasonic signal transmission delay time preset by each array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer between;

a delay time adjustment unit, configured to adjust an ultrasonic signal emission delay time of the intermediate array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer to move the focus point to a lower surface of the patient's skull according to a preset step size mobile;

a time acquiring unit, configured to acquire a delay time difference between the middle array element and the end array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer when the reflected wave of the lower surface of the skull of the patient reaches a maximum, and obtain the high frequency ultrasonic transducer The time required for the receiver to receive the reflected waves from the lower surface of the patient's skull;

The thickness sound velocity calculation unit is configured to calculate the thickness of the skull and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the skull of the patient according to the delay time difference value, the propagation time, and a preset formula.
The device according to claim 9, wherein the parameter measuring unit further comprises: an echo amplitude determining unit, configured to determine, according to an echo amplitude of the focus point, whether the reflected wave of the lower surface of the patient's skull reaches a maximum And triggering the time acquiring unit to perform a delay time difference between acquiring the intermediate array element of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer and the end array element, otherwise triggering the delay time adjusting unit to perform adjustment of the high frequency ultrasonic transducer The ultrasonic signal transmission delay time of the intermediate array element and the terminal array element.