JP2007228997A - Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To narrow the diameter of the cable of an ultrasonic probe. <P>SOLUTION: For the ultrasonic probe 10, wiring 14 connecting each of N pieces of ultrasonic transducers 13 and a processor unit 11 is gathered by a group to be connected to the same multiplexer (MUX) 17 among n pieces of MUXs 17 provided in the processor unit 11 for selectively switching the ultrasonic transducer 13 to be driven from the N pieces of the ultrasonic transducers 13 and housed in a multi-core shield cable 15. Compared to the case of shielding and binding each wiring 14, the thickness of the cable 16 is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged at the tip, and an ultrasonic probe and a processor device to which the ultrasonic probe is connected.

  In recent years, medical diagnosis using ultrasonic images has been put into practical use in the medical field. The ultrasonic image is obtained by irradiating ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic probe to the site to be observed of the subject and electrically processing the echo signal from the site to be observed by the processor device.

  It is also possible to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image by irradiating while scanning ultrasonic waves, an ultrasonic probe equipped with a mechanical scanning mechanism that mechanically rotates, swings, or slides the ultrasonic transducer, There is also known an electronic scan scanning type ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in an array and the driven ultrasonic transducer is selectively switched by an electronic switch or the like.

  An electronic scan scanning type ultrasonic probe includes a convex electronic scanning method in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a fan shape at the probe tip. Further, there is a radial electronic scanning method in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged on the peripheral surface of a cylinder at the probe tip.

  Ultrasound probes that employ convex electronic scanning and radial electronic scanning methods include those that are inserted into the forceps opening of an electronic endoscope or so-called ultrasonic endoscopes that are integrated with an imaging device. Some are inserted and used. In such an intracavitary diagnostic ultrasound probe, various signals such as excitation pulses and echo signals for exciting individual ultrasonic transducers are processed in order to reduce the burden on the patient when inserted into the body cavity. Various attempts have been made to reduce the diameter of cables for transmission to and from devices.

  In an attempt to reduce the diameter of the cable, a multiplexer that selectively switches the ultrasonic transducer to be driven from among multiple ultrasonic transducers is mounted on the ultrasonic probe to reduce the number of wires connected to the ultrasonic transducer. Is conventionally performed (see Non-Patent Document 1). However, since the voltage of the driving signal of the multiplexer is about 100 Vpp, it is not preferable to mount the multiplexer on the ultrasonic probe inserted into the body cavity from the viewpoint of safety such as electric shock or electric leakage.

As another attempt to reduce the diameter of the cable, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in an array are divided for ultrasonic irradiation and echo signal reception, respectively, and the wiring connected to the ultrasonic transducer for reception is the same. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that is shielded in a row has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In addition, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been proposed in which excitation pulses and echo signals are transmitted in a time-division manner by a switch array and only one wiring is used (see Patent Document 2).
LJBusse and five others, "The Acoustic and Thermal Effects of using Multiplexers in Small Invasive Probes", 1997 IEEE ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM, p1721 JP 2001-161687 A JP 2003-299648 A

  The ultrasonic transducer is a bidirectional device that can perform both irradiation of an ultrasonic wave and reception of an echo signal. However, like the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the ultrasonic transducer is used for ultrasonic irradiation and an echo signal. When the ultrasonic transducers are separated for the reception of each of the ultrasonic transducers, one of the ultrasonic transducers is not used at the time of the irradiation of the ultrasonic wave and the reception of the echo signal, so that the characteristics of the ultrasonic transducer are wasted.

  In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described in Patent Document 2, it is said that time division multiplex transmission is performed using a single signal line by using a switch array, but in order to accurately transmit the phase information included in the echo signal. However, it is difficult to produce such a switch array at present, and the space for mounting the switch array is small for a small-sized ultrasound probe for intracorporeal diagnosis. There is a problem that it is not feasible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can realize a reduction in the diameter of a cable.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating an observation site of a subject with ultrasonic waves and receiving echo signals from the observation site are arranged at the tip. In the ultrasonic probe connected to the processor device that generates an ultrasonic image from the echo signal, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and wirings that connect the processor device are provided in the processor device. Among the plurality of multiplexers that selectively switch the ultrasonic transducers to be driven from among the ultrasonic transducers, a group connected to the same multiplexer is collectively accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating an observation site of a subject with ultrasonic waves and receiving echo signals from the observation site are arranged at the tip, and ultrasonic waves are generated from the echo signals. In the ultrasonic probe connected to the processor device for generating an image, the wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device is accommodated in a group connected to the adjacent ultrasonic transducer and accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable. It is characterized by that.

  The invention according to claim 3 is an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating an observation site of a subject with an ultrasonic wave and receiving an echo signal from the observation site are arranged at a tip; In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a processor device connected to an ultrasonic probe and generating an ultrasonic image from the echo signal, wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device is connected to the processor device. Among the plurality of multiplexers selectively switching the ultrasonic transducers to be driven from among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers provided, the multi-core shielded cables are housed in a group connected to the same multiplexer. To do.

  Preferably, the processor device is provided with a grounding means for connecting a wire connected to the ultrasonic transducer not selected by the multiplexer to the ground.

  The invention according to claim 5 is an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating an observation site of a subject with ultrasonic waves and receiving an echo signal from the observation site are arranged at the tip; In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a processor device connected to an ultrasonic probe and generating an ultrasonic image from the echo signal, adjacent ultrasonic waves are connected to each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device. It is characterized in that it is housed in a multi-core shielded cable as a group connected to a transducer.

  According to the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the ultrasonic wave that drives the wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device from among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers provided in the processor device. Out of multiple multiplexers that selectively switch transducers, a group connected to the same multiplexer or a group connected to adjacent ultrasonic transducers is housed in a multi-core shielded cable, which reduces the diameter of the cable. can do.

  In FIG. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 2 includes an ultrasonic probe 10 and a processor apparatus 11. The ultrasonic probe 10 is a small-diameter probe inserted into a forceps opening of an electronic endoscope or a so-called ultrasonic endoscope integrated with an electronic endoscope, and is used by being inserted into a body cavity of a subject. Is done.

  An ultrasonic transducer array 12 is disposed at the tip of the ultrasonic probe 10. In the ultrasonic transducer array 12, for example, N (for example, 96 to 256) ultrasonic transducers 13 are arranged in a one-dimensional or 1.5-dimensional array on a convex support. A convex electronic scanning method or a radial electronic scanning method in which N (for example, 256 to 360) ultrasonic transducers 13 are arranged on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical support is employed. For the sake of explanation, the N ultrasonic transducers 13 are arranged in the order of arrangement 1, 2,..., N, n + 1,. And the number of ultrasonic transducers 13 that transmit and receive echo signals and belong to one block to be described later).

  A wiring 14 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13. The wiring 14 transmits an excitation pulse output from a pulser 23 (to be described later) and an echo signal received from the ultrasonic transducer 13 from the site to be observed.

  The wiring 14 is a cable 16 in which n multi-core shielded cables 15 are bundled from the vicinity of the ultrasonic transducer 13. A connector portion (not shown) is provided at the rear end of the cable 16. By inserting this connector portion into a connector portion (not shown) of the processor device 11, the ultrasonic probe 10, the processor device 11, Are electrically connected. The multi-core shielded cable is a cable in which a plurality of insulated wires are combined, a common insulator is applied so that the outer shape is uniform, and the top is shielded by braiding or the like.

  The wiring 14 is connected to n multiplexers (hereinafter referred to as MUX) 17 provided in the processor device 11 via a cable 16 and a connector unit. The MUX 17 selectively switches the ultrasonic transducer 13 to be driven from among the N ultrasonic transducers 13. Specifically, for example, when a radial electronic scanning method having 256 ultrasonic transducers 13 is employed, 48 adjacent ultrasonic transducers 13 out of 256 ultrasonic transducers 13 are formed into one block. The wiring 14 is selected so as to be driven simultaneously, and one to several ultrasonic transducers 13 to be driven are shifted for each transmission / reception of the excitation pulse and the echo signal. The multi-core shielded cable 15 and the MUX 17 are also numbered 1 to n in order as in the case of the ultrasonic transducer 13.

  The wirings 14 connected to the ultrasonic transducers 13 of the numbers 1, n + 1, 2n + 1,... Are collectively accommodated in the first multi-core shielded cable 15. Similarly, the wirings 14 connected to the ultrasonic transducers 13 of number 2, n + 2, 2n + 2,..., Number 3, n + 3, 2n + 3,. Each of them is housed in a number 2, 3, or n multi-core shielded cable 15 together. That is, the wiring 14 is accommodated in the multi-core shielded cable 15 as a group connected to the same MUX 17 among the n MUXs 17.

  A transmission / reception circuit 18 is connected to the MUX 17. The transmission / reception circuit 18 switches transmission / reception of ultrasonic waves and echo signals by the ultrasonic transducer 13 at predetermined time intervals. A pulser 19, an amplifier 20 and a receiver 21 are connected to the transmission / reception circuit 18. The pulser 19 outputs an excitation pulse for generating an ultrasonic wave to the transmission / reception circuit 18. The amplifier 20 amplifies the echo signal output from the transmission / reception circuit 18. The receiver 21 receives the echo signal amplified by the amplifier 20.

  A timing controller 22 and a memory 23 are connected to the pulsar 19 and the receiver 21, respectively. The timing controller 22 outputs an excitation signal for generating an excitation pulse to the pulser 19 under the control of the CPU 24. The pulser 19 emits an excitation pulse to the ultrasonic transducer 13 based on the excitation signal. The memory 23 temporarily stores the echo signal received by the receiver 21. Note that only one pulser 19, amplifier 20, receiver 21, timing controller 22, and memory 23 are shown, but in reality, there are as many as the number of MUX 17.

  A phase matching calculation unit 25 is connected to the memory 23. Under the control of the CPU 24, the phase matching calculation unit 25 gives a delay corresponding to the time difference to each echo signal from the memory 23 and then adds each echo signal.

  The echo signal added by the phase matching calculation unit 25 is input to the display image calculation unit 26. The display image calculation unit 26 performs various types of image processing on the signal from the phase matching calculation unit 25 and then converts the signal into a television signal scanning method (NTSC method). The monitor 27 converts the signal converted into the NTSC system by the display image calculation unit 26 into an analog signal and displays it as an ultrasonic image.

  When acquiring an ultrasonic image of the site to be observed, first, the ultrasonic probe 10 is inserted into the body cavity of the subject through the forceps port of the electronic endoscope (the ultrasonic probe 10 is an ultrasonic endoscope). The ultrasonic probe 10 itself is inserted), and while observing the inside of the body cavity with an electronic endoscope (an imaging device arranged at the tip when the ultrasonic probe 10 is an ultrasonic endoscope), Search the observation site.

  When the tip of the ultrasonic probe 10 reaches the site to be observed and an instruction to acquire an ultrasonic image is given, the wiring 14 connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13 to be driven by the MUX 17 under the control of the CPU 24. Is selected, and an excitation pulse is emitted from the pulser 19 in response to an excitation signal from the timing controller 22.

  The excitation pulse from the pulsar 19 is transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer 13 through the transmission / reception circuit 18, the MUX 17, the cable 16, and the wiring 14. The ultrasonic transducer 13 is excited by this excitation pulse, and thereby, ultrasonic waves are irradiated from the ultrasonic transducer 13 toward the observation site.

  After the ultrasonic irradiation, an echo signal from the site to be observed is received by the ultrasonic transducer 13. The echo signal passes through the wiring 14, the cable 16, the MUX 17, and the transmission / reception circuit 18, is amplified by the amplifier 20, and is received by the receiver 21. When one transmission / reception of the excitation pulse and the echo signal is completed, the ultrasonic transducer 13 driven by the MUX 17 is switched, the same processing as described above is performed, and ultrasonic waves are scanned on the site to be observed.

  The echo signal received by the receiver 21 is input to the memory 23 and temporarily stored in the memory 23. The echo signals stored in the memory 23 are added with a delay according to the time difference by the phase matching calculation unit 25 under the control of the CPU 24. The echo signal added by the phase matching calculation unit 25 is converted to the NTSC system by the display image calculation unit 26, converted into an analog signal, and displayed on the monitor 27 as an ultrasonic image.

  As described above, since the ultrasonic probe 10 collects the wires 14 in a group connected to the same MUX 17 and accommodates them in the multi-core shielded cable 15, when the wires 14 are shielded and bundled one by one. In comparison, the thickness of the cable 16 can be reduced.

  Here, although there is a concern about crosstalk between the wires 14 in the multicore shielded cable 15, since there is only one wire 14 in the multicore shielded cable 15 involved in transmission of ultrasonic waves and echo signals, crosstalk is caused. There seems to be little impact.

  Note that, as in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 2, a ground switch 32 that connects the wiring 14 connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13 that is not selected by the MUX 17 to the ground may be provided in the front stage of the MUX 17. The ground switch 32 has one terminal connected to the terminal of the MUX 17 and the other terminal connected to the ground.

  FIG. 2 shows a state where the ultrasonic transducer 13 at the top is transmitting ultrasonic waves or receiving echo signals, and the wiring 14 connected to the other ultrasonic transducers 13 is connected to the ground. . Thereby, the influence by the crosstalk by the wirings 14 in the multi-core shielded cable 15 can be completely shut out. Since the processor device 31 has the same configuration and operation as the processor device 11 of FIG. 1 except that the ground switch 32 is provided, illustration and description thereof are omitted.

  In the above embodiment, the wires 14 are grouped together in a group connected to the same MUX 17 and accommodated in the multicore shielded cable 15. However, like the ultrasonic probe 41 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 40 shown in FIG. May be accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable 42 in groups connected to adjacent ultrasonic transducers 13. Thereby, the effect similar to the ultrasonic probe 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be acquired. In this case, the wiring to be connected to the MUX 17 is routed on the processor device 11 side as in FIG.

  The cross-sectional shape of the multi-core shielded cable is not particularly mentioned, but any cross-sectional shape such as a circle, an ellipse, and a flat shape can be used as long as the tip of the ultrasonic probe and the cable have the smallest diameter. Also good.

It is the schematic which shows the structure of the ultrasonic diagnosing device to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the example of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which provided the ground switch in the processor apparatus. It is the schematic which shows another embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnosing device.

Explanation of symbols

2, 30, 40 Ultrasonic diagnostic device 10, 41 Ultrasonic probe 11, 31 Processor device 13 Ultrasonic transducer 14 Wiring 15, 42 Multi-core shielded cable 17 Multiplexer (MUX)
24 CPU
32 Ground switch

Claims (5)

A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that irradiate an observation site of the subject and receive an echo signal from the observation site are arranged at the tip and connected to a processor device that generates an ultrasound image from the echo signal. In the ultrasonic probe
Among the plurality of multiplexers that selectively connect the ultrasonic transducers, which are provided in the processor device and are driven from among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device, An ultrasonic probe characterized in that a group connected to the same multiplexer is housed in a multi-core shielded cable. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that irradiate an observation site of a subject and receive an echo signal from the observation site are arranged at the tip and connected to a processor device that generates an ultrasonic image from the echo signal. In the ultrasonic probe
An ultrasonic probe characterized in that wirings connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device are collected in groups connected to adjacent ultrasonic transducers and accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable. An ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating ultrasonic waves to an observation site of a subject and receiving echo signals from the observation site are arranged at the tip and the ultrasonic probe are connected, and the echo In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a processor device that generates an ultrasonic image from a signal,
Among the plurality of multiplexers that selectively connect the ultrasonic transducers, which are provided in the processor device and are driven from among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device, An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a group connected to the same multiplexer and accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processor device is provided with grounding means for connecting a wire connected to the ultrasonic transducer not selected by the multiplexer to ground. An ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for irradiating ultrasonic waves to an observation site of a subject and receiving echo signals from the observation site are arranged at the tip and the ultrasonic probe are connected, and the echo In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a processor device that generates an ultrasonic image from a signal,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that wiring connecting each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and the processor device is collected in a group connected to an adjacent ultrasonic transducer and accommodated in a multi-core shielded cable.

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