JP2007014424A - Ultrasonic medical system and capsule type medical apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic medical system and a capsule type medical apparatus, capable of obtaining an image for showing the hardness or softness of a biological tissue present at a position relatively apart from the surface of the living body. <P>SOLUTION: The medical apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving part for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves, an echo signal generating part for generating echo signals, a presser part for applying pressure inside a subject for displacing the state of the subject, a pressure detecting part for detecting the pressure applied to the subject, an image generating part for generating an ultrasonic image, a tomographic image of the subject, a displacement distribution measuring part for computing the distribution of displacement for indicating the position displaced by the pressure applied by the presser part and the quantity of displacement at the position, and an elastic modulus distribution computing part for computing the distribution of the elastic modulus for indicating the elastic modulus at the position where the state is displaced in the period from a prescribed frame to one frame based on the pressure and the distribution of displacement. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic medical system and a capsule medical device, and more particularly to an ultrasonic medical system and a capsule medical device having a function of calculating an elastic modulus distribution in a subject.

  In recent years, in a state in which the subject is indwelled in a living body, after acquiring predetermined information about the living body, the acquired information can be transmitted wirelessly and provided outside the living body A medical system that can receive control information transmitted from a terminal device or the like wirelessly has been proposed. Further, in the medical system as described above, for example, a tomographic image of the living body can be obtained based on an echo signal generated when an ultrasonic signal emitted to the living body is reflected inside the living body. There is an ultrasound medical system.

  As an apparatus for obtaining a tomographic image of a living body, for example, there is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as proposed in Patent Document 1. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1 obtains two tomographic images at a test site of a living body, and then calculates a biological tissue at the test site based on the elastic modulus calculation result of the two tomographic images. An image showing the hardness or softness of the image can be generated.

JP-A-5-317313

  However, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration that generates an ultrasonic signal from a probe brought into contact with the surface of a living body. For this reason, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1 shows the hardness or softness of the living tissue as described above with respect to the living tissue present at a position relatively distant from the surface of the living body. There is a problem that it is difficult to obtain an image.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and an image for indicating the hardness or softness of a living tissue can be obtained with respect to a living tissue present at a position relatively distant from the surface of the living body. An object of the present invention is to provide such an ultrasonic medical system and a capsule medical device.

  A first ultrasonic medical system according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit that transmits an ultrasonic wave inside a subject, and receives the reflected wave reflected by the subject. An echo signal generating unit that generates an echo signal based on the pressure, a pressing unit that applies pressure for displacing the state of the subject within the subject, and a pressure detection unit that detects the pressure applied to the subject An image generation unit that generates an ultrasonic image that is a tomographic image of the subject based on the echo signal; a first ultrasonic image in one frame of the ultrasonic image; and a previous frame Displacement distribution measurement for calculating a location of the subject displaced by the pressure applied by the pressing portion and a displacement distribution for indicating the amount of displacement of the location based on the second ultrasonic image in the predetermined frame Part Based on the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit and the displacement distribution calculated by the displacement distribution measurement unit, the elastic modulus at the location where the state is displaced within the period from the predetermined frame to the one frame is calculated. And an elastic modulus distribution calculation unit for calculating an elastic modulus distribution for showing.

  The second ultrasonic medical system according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first ultrasonic medical system, the pressing portion is formed by an extendable member.

  The first capsule medical device according to the present invention transmits an ultrasonic wave inside the subject, receives an reflected wave reflected by the ultrasonic wave at the subject, and transmits the reflected wave to the reflected wave. An echo signal generating unit that generates an echo signal based on the pressure, a pressing unit that applies pressure for displacing the state of the subject within the subject, and a pressure detection unit that detects the pressure applied to the subject It is characterized by having.

  The second capsule medical device according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first capsule medical device, the pressing portion is formed of an extendable member.

  According to the ultrasonic medical system and the capsule medical device of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image indicating the hardness or softness of a living tissue present at a position relatively distant from the surface of the living body.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 18 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a capsule medical device in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an arrangement state of each unit in the capsule medical device illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the external device in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state when the capsule medical device of the present embodiment moves through a lumen. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state where the capsule medical device of FIG. 5 is held in a lumen. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the state of the target portion is displaced by inflating the balloon of the capsule medical device in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the internal configuration of the capsule medical device in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment, which is different from FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the state of the target site is displaced by pressing the body surface after the capsule medical device is held in the state illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the configuration of the balloon included in the capsule medical device in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the entire balloon is not inflated substantially uniformly in FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state where the capsule medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 10 is held in a lumen. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state after the capsule medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 10 is rotated from the state of FIG. 12 in the lumen. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a modified example different from FIG. 10 of the configuration of the balloon of the capsule medical device in the ultrasonic medical system of the present embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the capsule medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 is held in the lumen. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a state after the capsule medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 is rotated from the state of FIG. 15 in the lumen. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state after the capsule medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 is further rotated from the state of FIG. 16 in the lumen. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement when a motor and a roller are provided in a capsule medical device in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic medical system 1 includes a capsule medical device 3, an antenna unit 4, and an external device 5 that are placed inside a patient 2 by swallowing a patient 2 as a living body. The main part is configured.

  The antenna unit 4 is disposed on the surface of the jacket 10 worn by the patient 2, receives each signal transmitted from the capsule medical device 3 outside the body of the patient 2, and outputs each instruction signal output from the external device 5. Is provided with a plurality of antennas 11 for transmitting to the capsule medical device 3.

  The external device 5 is disposed outside the body of the patient 2 and is configured to be detachable from the antenna unit 4 via a cable 4a. In addition, the external device 5 performs processing on each signal output from the antenna unit 4 via the cable 4a, and displays the processing result and the like on the display unit 12 and the capsule medical device 3, for example. Each switch includes a switch for outputting each instruction signal for performing various operation instructions such as a balloon internal pressure adjustment instruction signal for instructing to inflate or deflate the balloon 37, which will be described later, via the cable 4a. And an operation unit 13.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the capsule medical device 3 includes an antenna 31, a data receiving unit 32a, a data transmitting unit 32b, a control unit 33, a balloon pressure control unit 34, pressure sensors 35a and 35b, A sonic transducer 36 and a balloon 37 are included. The control unit 33 includes a data separation unit 33a, an ultrasonic generation unit 33b, an ultrasonic signal generation unit 33c, and a data addition unit 33d.

  The antenna 31 receives each instruction signal output from the antenna unit 4 arranged outside the body of the patient 2, and outputs the instruction signal to the data receiving unit 32a.

  The data receiving unit 32a performs, for example, a decoding process on each instruction signal output from the antenna 31, and then outputs each instruction signal after the processing to the control unit 33. To do.

  The data separation unit 33a transmits an ultrasonic adjustment instruction signal for adjusting the ultrasonic wave generated in the ultrasonic transducer 36 to the ultrasonic wave generation unit 33b among the instruction signals output from the data reception unit 32a. In addition, a process of outputting a balloon internal pressure adjustment instruction signal for adjusting the internal pressure of the balloon 37 to the balloon pressure control unit 34 is performed.

  The ultrasonic wave generation unit 33b as an ultrasonic wave transmission / reception unit generates an ultrasonic pulse signal for generating ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic transducer 36 based on the ultrasonic adjustment instruction signal output from the data separation unit 33a. The sound is output to the sonic transducer 36.

  Based on the ultrasonic pulse signal output from the ultrasonic wave generator 33b, the ultrasonic transducer 36 transmits ultrasonic waves to a living tissue or the like inside the living body as a subject, and in the living tissue or the like. The reflected wave reflected by the ultrasonic wave is received, and the received reflected wave is output to the echo signal generation unit 33c.

  The balloon pressure control unit 34, for example, sucks up gas etc. existing in the living body by a pump (not shown) and discharges the sucked up gas etc. based on the balloon internal pressure adjustment instruction signal output from the data separation unit 33a. The internal pressure in the balloon 37 is controlled.

  The balloon 37 as the pressing portion expands when a gas such as air or a liquid such as water is injected and contracts when the injected gas or liquid is removed. It is formed by. The balloon 37 is disposed at a predetermined position on the outer peripheral surface of the capsule medical device 3 in the longitudinal direction. For example, the balloon 37 expands into a state as shown in FIG. The position of the mold medical device 3 and the ultrasonic wave transmission direction of the ultrasonic transducer 36 can be maintained. For example, the balloon 37 is further expanded from the state illustrated in FIG. 3, thereby applying pressure for the capsule medical device 3 to press the living body and displace the state.

  The pressure sensors 35a and 35b detect the pressure applied by the capsule medical device 3 to the tube wall or the like in the living body when the balloon 37 is inflated or deflated, and the detected pressure is sent to the data adding unit 33d as a pressure value data signal. Output.

  The echo signal generation unit 33c generates an echo signal based on the reflected wave output from the ultrasonic transducer 36, and then outputs the generated echo signal to the data addition unit 33d.

  The data addition unit 33d performs addition processing on the echo signal output from the echo signal generation unit 33c and the pressure value data signal output from the pressure sensors 35a and 35b, and the signal after the addition processing is performed. The acquired data signal is output to the data transmission unit 32b.

  The data transmission unit 32b performs, for example, a process such as an encoding process on the acquired data signal output from the control unit 33, and then outputs the acquired data signal after the process to the antenna 31. To do.

  The antenna 31 transmits the acquired data signal output from the data transmission unit 32 b to the antenna unit 4.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the display unit 12 and the operation unit 13 described above, the external device 5 includes a data reception unit 51a, a data transmission unit 51b, a data separation unit 52, an ultrasonic image generation unit 53, An image recording unit 54, a displacement distribution measuring unit 55, an elastic modulus distribution calculating unit 56, an elastic modulus distribution image generating unit 57, a pressurizing state calculating unit 58, and an image superimposing unit 59 are included therein. Has been.

  The data receiving unit 51a performs, for example, a decoding process on the acquired data signal output from the antenna unit 4 connected to the external device 5, and then performs the acquisition after performing the process. A data signal is output to the control unit 33.

  The data transmission unit 51b performs, for example, a process such as an encoding process on each instruction signal output from the operation unit 13, and then transmits each instruction signal after the process to the antenna unit 4. Output.

  The data separation unit 52 outputs a pressure value data signal among the acquired data signals output from the data reception unit 51a to the elastic modulus distribution calculation unit 56 and the pressurization state calculation unit 58, and an echo signal. A process of outputting to the ultrasonic image generation unit 53 is performed.

  The ultrasonic image generation unit 53 generates an ultrasonic image that is a tomographic image of the living body at the location where the ultrasonic transducer 36 receives the reflected wave based on the echo signal output from the data separation unit 52. The generated ultrasonic image is output to the image recording unit 54 and the image superimposing unit 59.

  The image recording unit 54 includes, among the ultrasonic images output from the ultrasonic image generating unit 53, a first ultrasonic image in one frame and a second ultrasonic image in a predetermined frame before the one frame. And outputs these two ultrasonic images to the displacement distribution measuring unit 55 together.

  The displacement distribution measuring unit 55 is based on the first ultrasonic image and the second ultrasonic image output from the image recording unit 54, for example, for the first ultrasonic image and the second ultrasonic image. By performing a calculation for obtaining the difference, in the first ultrasonic image, the position where the state is displaced within the period from the predetermined frame to the one frame and the displacement amount as the degree of displacement of the position are obtained. Calculate and output the displacement distribution to show.

  Based on the pressure value data signal output from the data separation unit 52 and the displacement distribution output from the displacement distribution measurement unit 55, the elastic modulus distribution calculation unit 56, for example, calculates the pressure value P included in the pressure value data signal, By performing an operation (P / D1, P / D2,...) To divide each displacement amount D1, D2,..., Which the displacement distribution has, from the predetermined frame to the one frame. An elastic modulus distribution is calculated and output to indicate the elastic modulus at a location where the state has been displaced within the period. In this embodiment, since the elastic modulus is a value calculated by dividing the pressure value by the displacement amount, it is assumed that the elastic modulus is a value that is not calculated when the displacement amount is zero. Further, the pressure value P used in the calculation of the elastic modulus may be one in which one of the two pressure values detected by the pressure sensors 35a and 35b included in the pressure value data signal is used. Alternatively, an average value of the two pressure values may be used. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the pressure value P used in the calculation of the elastic modulus is an average value of two pressure values detected by the pressure sensors 35a and 35b.

  Based on the elastic modulus distribution output from the elastic modulus distribution calculating unit 56, the elastic modulus distribution image generating unit 57 displays, for example, a portion having a relatively high elastic modulus, that is, a relatively hard portion, in blue color. In addition, by performing processing such that a portion having a relatively low elastic modulus, that is, a relatively soft portion is displayed with a red color, an elastic modulus for showing a distribution of the elastic modulus as a color image. Generate and output a distribution image.

  The pressurization state calculation unit 58 calculates the average value of the two pressure values detected by the pressure sensors 35a and 35b based on the pressure value data signal output from the data separation unit 52, and calculates the calculated average value as an image. Output to the superimposing unit 59.

  The image superimposing unit 59 outputs the first ultrasonic image in one frame output from the ultrasonic image generating unit 53 and the elastic modulus distribution image in the one frame output from the elastic modulus distribution image generating unit 57. And the average value of the two pressure values detected by the pressure sensors 35a and 35b in the one frame, which are output from the pressurization state calculation unit 58, and superimpose the ultrasonic image on the display unit 12. Output.

  By performing the series of processes as described above, the display unit 12 displays the pressure state of the capsule medical device 3 with respect to the living tissue or the like as a numerical value, and is pressurized by the capsule medical device 3. The elastic modulus distribution on the tomographic image of the living tissue or the like is displayed in a color image.

  Note that in the capsule medical device 3, the pressure sensors 35a and 35b are configured to detect ultrasonic vibrations as shown in FIG. 3 in order to directly detect the pressure applied by the capsule medical device 3 to a tube wall or the like in the living body. It is not restricted to what is arrange | positioned at the both sides of the child 36. FIG. The pressure sensors 35a and 35b are, for example, at positions where the internal pressure of the balloon 37 can be detected as shown in FIG. 8 in order to indirectly detect the pressure applied by the capsule medical device 3 to the tube wall or the like in the living body. Alternatively, the pressure sensor 35c may be disposed.

  When the capsule medical device 3 is configured to include the pressure sensor 35c instead of the pressure sensors 35a and 35b as described above, the pressure sensor 35c is configured to measure the internal pressure of the balloon 37 that accompanies the inflation or deflation of the balloon 37. The detected internal pressure is output to the control unit 33 as a pressure value data signal.

  When the capsule medical device 3 includes the pressure sensor 35c instead of the pressure sensors 35a and 35b, the internal pressure of the balloon 37 is output from the pressure sensor 35c as a pressure value data signal. Therefore, the elastic modulus distribution calculation unit 56 of the external device 5 that performs calculation based on the pressure value data signal output from the pressure sensor 35c calculates the internal pressure value of the balloon 37 before the calculation of the elastic modulus distribution. The apparatus 3 performs a process of converting the pressure value applied to the tube wall or the like in the living body. In addition, the pressurization state calculation unit 58 of the external device 5 that performs calculation based on the pressure value data signal output from the pressure sensor 35c replaces the processing described above with the capsule medical device 3 using the internal pressure value of the balloon 37. A process of converting into a pressure value applied to a tube wall or the like in a living body is performed.

  Next, the operation of the ultrasonic medical system 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

  The patient 2 swallows the capsule medical device 3 while wearing the jacket 10 provided with the antenna unit 4 and in a state where the antenna unit 4 and the external device 5 are connected by the cable 4a.

  For example, the capsule medical device 3 swallowed by the patient 2 moves in the lumen 101 in the body of the patient 2 while the balloon 37 is contracted as shown in FIG.

  Then, the operator operates the operation unit 13 at a point in time when the target site 201 that is the target site for confirming the elastic modulus distribution is present in the transmission direction of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer 36. As a result, the balloon 37 is inflated as shown in FIG. 6, and the position of the capsule medical device 3 moving in the lumen 101 is maintained. In the present embodiment, the determination as to whether or not the capsule medical device 3 moving in the lumen 101 has reached the vicinity of the target site 201 is performed by, for example, displaying the living body of the patient 2 displayed on the display unit 12. It shall be performed by confirming a tomographic image of a tissue or the like.

  Further, for example, the surgeon operates the operation unit 13 to instruct to further inflate the balloon 37 of the capsule medical device 3 held in the lumen 101 as shown in FIG. Then, for example, when the balloon 37 is inflated as shown in FIG. 7, the capsule medical device 3 applies pressure to the living tissue of the target site 201 over the tube wall of the lumen 101, and the target site 201 The state of the living tissue is displaced.

  Note that the method of displacing the state of the biological tissue of the target site 201 is not limited to the method using inflation of the balloon 37, and is held in the lumen 101 as shown in FIG. 6, for example, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the capsule medical device 3 may be pressed over the body surface of the patient 2.

  In addition, before and after the pressure is applied to the biological tissue of the target site 201, the ultrasonic transducer 36 transmits ultrasonic waves to the target site 201 and the ultrasonic waves are reflected by the target site 201. Receives the reflected wave and outputs it. In addition, before and after the pressure is applied to the living tissue of the target site 201, the pressure sensors 35a and 35b detect the pressure applied by the capsule medical device 3 to the tube wall or the like in the living body, and the detected pressure. It outputs to the control part 33 as a pressure value data signal.

  Therefore, in the external device 5, for example, the pressure is applied to the first ultrasonic image in one frame and the biological tissue of the target site 201 after the pressure is applied to the biological tissue of the target site 201. A second ultrasonic image in a predetermined frame before being added is generated, and an elastic modulus distribution image in the one frame is generated based on the first ultrasonic image and the second ultrasonic image. Generated. In the display unit 12 of the external device 5, the first ultrasonic image, the elastic modulus distribution image in the one frame, and two pressures detected by the pressure sensors 35a and 35b in the one frame, respectively. An image in which the average value is superimposed is displayed.

  In order to realize the operation described above, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ultrasonic transducer 36 of the capsule medical device 3 is in the state of facing the target site 201 in the supersonic state. It is desirable that sound waves be transmitted. However, in the living body, the capsule medical device 3 is not always held in a state as shown in FIG. 6 due to living body movement such as peristaltic movement. Therefore, the capsule medical device 3 rotates the capsule medical device 3 itself when the ultrasonic transducer 36 is held in a state in which the ultrasonic transducer 36 is not directly facing the target site 201, thereby causing the ultrasonic transducer 36 to move. It may have a configuration as described below so that it can face the target part 201.

  First, the case where a balloon 37A as shown in FIG. 10 is provided instead of the balloon 37 in the capsule medical device 3 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, a balloon 37A provided in the capsule medical device 3 in place of the balloon 37 is formed by two members so that the Young's modulus is different between one part and the other part in the circumferential direction. ing. More specifically, in the balloon 37A, for example, one portion in the circumferential direction is formed as a soft portion 37a by a soft rubber that is a member having a low Young's modulus, and the other portion in the circumferential direction is a Young's modulus. It has the structure which is formed as the hard part 37b with the hard rubber which is a high member. Therefore, the balloon 37A does not inflate substantially uniformly as a whole. For example, when the first internal pressure is applied, the balloon 37A is inflated as shown in FIG. 11, and the internal pressure is equal to or higher than the first internal pressure. When the second internal pressure is applied, the shape expands as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the capsule medical device 3 having the balloon 37 </ b> A configured as described above is used when the ultrasonic transducer 36 is held in the lumen 101 as not facing the target site 201. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the ultrasonic transducer 36 is moved to the target portion 201 by alternately changing the pressurization state for the balloon 37 </ b> A between the first internal pressure and the second internal pressure. It is rotated so as to face directly.

  Next, in the capsule medical device 3, a case where auxiliary balloons 37B and 37C as shown in FIG. 14 are provided in addition to the balloon 37 will be described.

  The auxiliary balloons 37 </ b> B and 37 </ b> C are arranged, for example, at positions that divide the outer peripheral surface of the capsule medical device 3 into three equal parts with respect to the position where the balloon 37 is arranged. In addition, the balloon 37, the auxiliary balloon 37B, and the auxiliary balloon 37C have a configuration in which the inflated state and the deflated state can be individually set.

  When the capsule medical device 3 having the auxiliary balloons 37B and 37C in addition to the balloon 37 is held in the lumen 101 with the ultrasonic transducer 36 not facing the target site 201, for example, FIG. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the ultrasonic transducer 36 is rotated so as to face the target site 201 by sequentially inflating and deflating the balloon 37, the auxiliary balloon 37 </ b> B, and the auxiliary balloon 37 </ b> C.

  Note that the configuration for causing the ultrasonic transducer 36 to face the target site 201 by rotating the capsule medical device 3 itself is not limited to that described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, the capsule medical device 3 is configured such that a motor 37 </ b> M that rotates in the capsule medical device 3 and a part of the outer peripheral surface are exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the capsule medical device 3. A roller 37R that is provided and rotates in conjunction with the rotational drive of the motor 37M may be used. Moreover, the capsule medical device 3 may have a configuration in which the capsule medical device 3 is rotated based on a magnetic field radiated from the outside.

  The capsule medical device 3 in the present embodiment may be provided with, for example, a string or the like (not shown) having a signal line inside at one end in the longitudinal direction.

  In addition, the capsule medical device 3 according to the present embodiment is not limited to one having a configuration capable of observing a tomographic image of a living tissue of a subject by transmitting ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic transducer 36. An imaging system such as an objective lens (not shown) and an imaging device (not shown) may have a configuration in which the biological tissue surface of the subject can be observed by imaging the subject.

  In the ultrasonic medical system 1 of the present embodiment, in order to detect the position of the capsule medical device 3 in the body of a patient 2, for example, a magnetic field radiation unit (not shown) for radiating a magnetic field to the outside includes a capsule medical device. The apparatus 3 may have a configuration in which a magnetic field detection unit (not shown) for detecting the magnetic field radiated by the magnetic field radiation unit is provided outside the patient 2.

  As described above, the ultrasonic medical system 1 according to the present embodiment displays an image in which the elastic modulus distribution image is superimposed on the ultrasonic image in a state where the capsule medical device 3 is placed in the body of the patient 2. It can be displayed on the part 12. That is, the ultrasonic medical system 1 of the present embodiment can obtain an image for indicating the hardness or softness of a living tissue present at a position relatively distant from the body surface of the patient 2. .

(Second Embodiment)
19 to 23 relate to the second embodiment of the present invention. Note that detailed description of portions having the same configuration as in the first embodiment is omitted. Moreover, about the component similar to 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted using the same code | symbol.

  FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a capsule medical device and an arrangement state of each unit in the ultrasonic medical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state when the capsule medical device according to the present embodiment moves through a lumen. FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the capsule medical device of FIG. 21 is held in a lumen. FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the state of the target portion is displaced by the inflation of the balloon of the capsule medical device in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the ultrasonic medical system 1A of the present embodiment includes a capsule medical device 3A that is placed inside the patient 2 when the patient 2 as a living body swallows, and the first embodiment. A main part is configured by including the antenna unit 4 having the same configuration and the external device 5 having the same configuration as that of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the capsule medical device 3A includes an antenna 31, a data receiving unit 32a, a data transmitting unit 32b, a control unit 33, a balloon pressure control unit 34, a pressure sensor 35d, and an ultrasonic vibration. A child 36A, a balloon 37D, and a tank 41 are included.

  The pressure sensor 35d detects the internal pressure of the balloon 37D and outputs the detected internal pressure to the control unit 33 as a pressure value data signal.

  For example, the ultrasonic transducer 36A is configured by a plurality of array-type transducers that are arranged over the entire circumference in a part of the outer circumferential surface in the short direction of the capsule medical device 3A. With such a configuration, the ultrasonic transducer 36A transmits ultrasonic waves in the radial direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the capsule medical device 3A. The ultrasonic transducer 36 </ b> A receives a reflected wave reflected by the ultrasonic wave in a living tissue or the like that has transmitted the ultrasonic wave, and outputs the received reflected wave to the control unit 33.

  The balloon 37D is formed of a stretchable member such as rubber that expands when an ultrasonic transmission medium such as water is injected and contracts when the injected ultrasonic transmission medium is removed. . The balloon 37D is disposed at a position where the entire ultrasonic transducer 36A can be covered, for example, on the outer circumferential surface in the short direction of the capsule medical device 3A.

  The tank 41 is formed of a stretchable member such as rubber. Based on the control of the balloon pressure control unit 34, for example, when the balloon pressure control unit 34 performs control for inflating the balloon 37D, the tank 41 is provided inside. An ultrasonic transmission medium such as water stored in advance is injected into the balloon 37D via the balloon pressure control unit 34 and the pressure sensor 35d. In addition, the tank 41 is controlled based on the control of the balloon pressure control unit 34, for example, when the balloon pressure control unit 34 performs control for deflating the balloon 37D, the pressure sensor 35d and the balloon pressure control unit from the balloon 37D. The ultrasonic transmission medium flowing out through the storage 34 is again stored inside.

  Next, the operation of the ultrasonic medical system 1A of the present embodiment will be described.

  The patient 2 swallows the capsule medical device 3A while wearing the jacket 10 provided with the antenna unit 4 and connecting the antenna unit 4 and the external device 5 with the cable 4a.

  The capsule medical device 3 </ b> A swallowed by the patient 2 moves in the lumen 101 in the body of the patient 2 while the balloon 37 </ b> D is contracted as shown in FIG. 21, for example.

  Then, the operator operates the operation unit 13 at a point in time when the target site 201 that is the target site for confirming the elastic modulus distribution is present in the transmission direction of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer 36. As a result, the balloon 37D is inflated as shown in FIG. 22, and the position of the capsule medical device 3A moving in the lumen 101 is maintained. In the present embodiment, the determination as to whether or not the capsule medical device 3 </ b> A moving in the lumen 101 has reached the vicinity of the target site 201 is performed by, for example, displaying the living body of the patient 2 displayed on the display unit 12. It shall be performed by confirming a tomographic image of a tissue or the like.

  Further, for example, the surgeon operates the operation unit 13 to instruct to further inflate the balloon 37D of the capsule medical device 3A held in the lumen 101 as shown in FIG. Then, for example, as shown in FIG. 23, when the balloon 37D is inflated, the capsule medical device 3A applies pressure to the living tissue of the target site 201 over the tube wall of the lumen 101, and the target site 201 The state of the living tissue is displaced.

  In addition, before and after the pressure is applied to the living tissue of the target site 201, the ultrasonic transducer 36A transmits ultrasonic waves to the target site 201 and the ultrasonic waves are reflected from the target site 201. Receives the reflected wave and outputs it. In addition, before and after the pressure is applied to the living tissue of the target site 201, the pressure sensor 35d detects the internal pressure of the balloon 37D and outputs the detected internal pressure to the control unit 33 as a pressure value data signal. To do.

  Therefore, in the external device 5, for example, the pressure is applied to the first ultrasonic image in one frame and the biological tissue of the target site 201 after the pressure is applied to the biological tissue of the target site 201. A second ultrasonic image in a predetermined frame before being added is generated, and an elastic modulus distribution image in the one frame is generated based on the first ultrasonic image and the second ultrasonic image. Generated. In the external device 5, the internal pressure value of the balloon 37 </ b> D detected by the pressure sensor 35 d is converted into a pressure value P <b> 1 applied to the tube wall or the like in the living body by the capsule medical device 3. On the display unit 12 of the external device 5, an image in which the first ultrasonic image, the elastic modulus distribution image in the one frame, and the pressure value P1 in the one frame are superimposed is displayed. The

  The capsule medical device 3A of the present embodiment is not limited to the electronic scanning type such as the ultrasonic transducer 36A as long as it has a configuration for transmitting ultrasonic waves in the radial direction. For example, a mechanical scanning type may be used.

  As described above, the ultrasonic medical system 1A according to the present embodiment displays an image in which the elastic modulus distribution image is superimposed on the ultrasonic image in a state where the capsule medical device 3A is placed in the body of the patient 2. It can be displayed on the part 12. That is, the ultrasonic medical system 1A of the present embodiment can obtain an image for indicating the hardness or softness of a living tissue present at a position relatively distant from the body surface of the patient 2. .

  Further, since the capsule medical device 3A in the ultrasonic medical system 1A of the present embodiment transmits ultrasonic waves in the radial direction, the capsule medical device 3A can detect a position where the target site 201 exists regardless of biological motion such as peristaltic motion. Easy to match the direction of ultrasonic transmission.

  In addition, in the ultrasonic medical system 1 of 1st Embodiment and the ultrasonic medical system 1A of 2nd Embodiment, the structure can be variously changed in the range which does not deviate from the summary of invention.

The figure which shows the structure of the principal part in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the internal structure of the capsule type medical device in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the arrangement | positioning state of each part in the capsule type medical device shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of the internal structure of an external device in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the state at the time of the capsule medical device of 1st Embodiment moving a lumen | bore. The figure which shows an example of the state with which the capsule type medical device of FIG. 5 was hold | maintained in the lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state which the state of the target site | part displaced by expanding the balloon of the capsule type medical device of FIG. The figure which shows an example different from FIG.2 and FIG.3 of the internal structure of the capsule type medical device in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the state which the state of the target site | part displaced by pressing the body surface after the capsule type medical device was hold | maintained as the state shown in FIG. The figure which shows the modification of the structure of the balloon which a capsule medical device has in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example in the balloon of FIG. 10 in which the whole is not expand | swelling substantially uniformly. The figure which shows an example of the state with which the capsule type medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 10 was hold | maintained in the lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state after the capsule type medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 10 rotated from the state of FIG. 12 in the lumen. The figure which shows the modification different from FIG. 10 of the structure of the balloon which a capsule type medical device has in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the state with which the capsule type medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 was hold | maintained in the lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state after the capsule type medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 rotated from the state of FIG. 15 in the lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state after the capsule type medical device provided with the balloon of FIG. 14 further rotated from the state of FIG. 16 in the lumen. The figure for showing arrangement | positioning at the time of providing a motor and a roller in the capsule type medical device in the ultrasonic medical system of 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows the structure of the principal part in the ultrasonic medical system of 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the internal structure of a capsule type medical apparatus and the arrangement | positioning state of each part in the ultrasonic medical system of 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the state at the time of the capsule type medical apparatus of 2nd Embodiment moving a lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state with which the capsule type medical device of FIG. 21 was hold | maintained in the lumen. The figure which shows an example of the state which the state of the target site | part displaced by expanding the balloon of the capsule type medical device of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A ... Ultrasound medical system, 2 ... Patient, 3, 3A ... Capsule type medical device, 4 ... Antenna part, 4a ... Cable, 5 ... External device, 10. .... Jacket, 11, 31 ... Antenna, 12 ... Display part, 13 ... Operation part, 32a, 51a ... Data reception part, 32b, 51b ... Data transmission part, 33 ... Control unit, 33a, 52 ... data separation unit, 33b ... ultrasonic wave generation unit, 33c ... echo signal generation unit, 33d ... data addition unit, 34 ... balloon pressure control unit, 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d ... pressure sensor, 36, 36A ... ultrasonic transducer, 37, 37A, 37D ... balloon, 37a ... soft part, 37b ... hard part, 37B, 37C. ..Auxiliary balloon, 37M ... motor, 7R ... Roller, 41 ... Tank, 53 ... Ultrasonic image generating unit, 54 ... Image recording unit, 55 ... Displacement distribution measuring unit, 56 ... Elasticity distribution calculating unit, 57 ... Elasticity distribution image generation unit, 58 ... Pressurized state calculation unit, 59 ... Image superposition unit, 101 ... Lumen, 201 ... Target site

Claims (4)

An ultrasonic transmission / reception unit for transmitting an ultrasonic wave inside the subject and receiving the reflected wave reflected by the ultrasonic wave at the subject;
An echo signal generator for generating an echo signal based on the reflected wave;
A pressing portion for applying a pressure for displacing the state of the subject in the subject;
A pressure detector for detecting the pressure applied to the subject;
An image generation unit that generates an ultrasonic image that is a tomographic image of the subject based on the echo signal;
Based on the first ultrasound image in one frame of the ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image in a predetermined frame before the one frame, the pressing unit is added to the subject. A displacement distribution measurement unit for calculating a displacement distribution for indicating a location displaced by the pressure and a displacement amount of the location;
Based on the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit and the displacement distribution calculated by the displacement distribution measurement unit, an elastic modulus at a location where a state is displaced within a period from the predetermined frame to the one frame is shown. An elastic modulus distribution calculation unit for calculating an elastic modulus distribution for
An ultrasonic medical system comprising:   The ultrasonic medical system according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion is formed of an extendable member. An ultrasonic transmission / reception unit that transmits ultrasonic waves inside the subject and receives the reflected waves reflected by the ultrasonic waves at the subject;
An echo signal generator for generating an echo signal based on the reflected wave;
A pressing portion for applying a pressure for displacing the state of the subject in the subject;
A pressure detector for detecting the pressure applied to the subject;
A capsule-type medical device comprising: The capsule medical device according to claim 3, wherein the pressing portion is formed of an extendable member.

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