JP2007275272A - Ultrasonographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a modification technique for deflecting the scanning plane of an ultrasonic beam. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of oscillation elements are arrayed two-dimensionally in a plurality of rows 110 as units in each of which a prescribed number of oscillation elements are aligned along the direction of elevation and the plurality of rows 110 of oscillation elements are arranged along the direction of azimuth. So, each deflection processing unit 130 controls a corresponding row of oscillation elements 110 to deflect the scanning plane in the direction of elevation. A scanning processing part 210 controls the plurality of deflection processing units 130 from the degrees of delay corresponding to the respective deflection processing units 130 to make the ultrasonic beam scan in the direction of azimuth. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that deflects a scanning plane of an ultrasonic beam.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is known an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that scans an ultrasonic beam to form a scanning surface to form a tomographic image relating to a tissue of a subject. That is, it is an apparatus that acquires echo data from within a plane (scanning plane) by scanning an ultrasonic beam in the plane, and forms a tomographic image based on the acquired echo data. The tomographic image thus obtained makes it possible to visually diagnose, for example, the properties inside the tissue.

  Furthermore, a deflection function for adjusting the angle of the scanning plane is also known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an ultrasonic probe that deflects a scanning surface by changing the direction of a vibrator by a mechanical configuration such as a belt or a motor. As a result, a tomographic image having a desired angle can be formed by finely adjusting the angle of the scanning plane.

  In the ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the function of deflecting the scanning surface, there is room for improvement in aspects such as the operability of the ultrasonic probe, the method of informing the user of the deflection state of the scanning surface, and the control method of the ultrasonic beam. Was left.

  For example, since the ultrasonic probe described in Patent Document 1 has a mechanical configuration such as a belt and a motor, the probe becomes large, and there is a problem in terms of operability of the probe. Patent Document 2 discloses a function for displaying a correspondence relationship between a living body as a subject and a display section. However, the positional relationship between the ultrasonic probe and the display section, that is, the positional relationship between the ultrasonic probe and the scanning plane is not displayed.

  Regarding the control of the ultrasonic beam, the inventor of the present application has proposed a new delay control method in which the steering control of the ultrasonic beam and the focus control of the ultrasonic beam are separated in Patent Document 3. On the other hand, the inventor of the present application has also studied the control of the ultrasonic beam when the scanning surface is deflected.

JP 2003-175033 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-40301 JP 2005-66055 A

  The present invention has been made in the background as described above, and an object thereof is to provide an improved technique for deflecting the scanning surface of an ultrasonic beam.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the present invention is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a probe and an apparatus main body, and the probe includes a plurality of vibrations arranged two-dimensionally. And a deflection processing unit that electronically controls the deflection angle of the scanning surface of the ultrasonic beam formed by the plurality of vibration elements, and the apparatus body electronically scans the ultrasonic beam within the scanning surface. And an image forming unit that forms an ultrasonic image based on an echo signal obtained from the scanning plane by scanning the ultrasonic beam.

  According to this aspect, since the deflection angle of the scanning surface is electronically controlled, it is not necessary to provide a mechanical configuration such as a motor for deflecting the scanning surface in the probe. Therefore, the probe can be reduced in size compared with the case where a mechanical configuration such as a motor is provided. In the above aspect, since the deflection angle of the scanning surface is controlled by the deflection processing unit of the probe, the apparatus main body does not need to perform the deflection control. Thereby, for example, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention can be realized by combining the apparatus main body not provided with the deflection control function and the probe provided with the deflection processing unit.

  In a desirable aspect, the probe further includes an operation device for setting a deflection angle of the scanning plane, and the deflection processing unit sets the deflection angle of the scanning plane in accordance with a user operation received via the operation device. It is characterized by that. In a desirable mode, deflection angle information of a scanning surface is transmitted from the probe to the apparatus main body, and the image forming unit visually represents the deflection angle of the scanning surface with respect to the probe based on the transmitted deflection angle information. A scan plane image is formed. According to this aspect, since the deflection angle of the scanning surface with respect to the probe is visually expressed, the operator can easily grasp the positional relationship between the probe and the scanning surface.

  In a preferred aspect, the plurality of vibration elements are arranged along a azimuth direction substantially perpendicular to the elevation direction, with a vibration element row including a predetermined number of vibration elements arranged in a line along the elevation direction as a unit. Arranged two-dimensionally by arranging a plurality of vibration element arrays, and the deflection processing unit includes a plurality of deflection processing units corresponding to each of the plurality of vibration element arrays, and each of the deflection processing units corresponds to each vibration element array. By controlling this, the scanning plane is deflected in the elevation direction. In a preferred aspect, the scanning processing unit scans the ultrasonic beam in the azimuth direction by controlling the plurality of deflection processing units based on a delay amount corresponding to each deflection processing unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic probe according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of vibration elements arranged two-dimensionally and a scanning surface of an ultrasonic beam formed by the plurality of vibration elements. A deflection processing unit for electronically controlling the deflection angle of the apparatus, and scanning the ultrasonic beam electronically based on scanning control by the apparatus main body within a scanning plane in which the deflection angle is set by the deflection processing unit. Features.

  The present invention provides an improved technique for deflecting the scanning surface of an ultrasonic beam. Thereby, for example, the probe can be downsized to improve the operability of the probe. Further, for example, the positional relationship between the probe and the scanning surface can be easily grasped. In addition, for example, a device configuration in which the device main body is not provided with a deflection control function can be realized.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration thereof. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in FIG. 1 includes a probe 100 and an apparatus main body 200, and the probe 100 includes a probe head 100A and a probe connector 100B. The probe head 100A and the probe connector 100B are electrically connected to each other via, for example, a probe cable. The probe connector 100B is directly connected to, for example, a connector mounting portion (not shown) of the apparatus main body 200. A configuration in which the probe head 100A and the probe connector 100B are wirelessly connected to each other and the probe cable is eliminated may be employed.

  The probe head 100A includes a plurality of vibration elements that transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to and from the subject. The plurality of vibration elements are arranged two-dimensionally. That is, a plurality of vibration elements along the azimuth direction perpendicular to the elevation direction, with the vibration element array 110 including a predetermined number of vibration elements (see FIG. 2) arranged in a line along the elevation direction as a unit. A column 110 is arranged. For example, 20 to 30 vibration elements are arranged in a line along the elevation direction to form each vibration element line 110, and 128 vibration element lines 110 are arranged along the azimuth direction.

  A plurality of deflection processing units 130 are provided in the probe connector 100B corresponding to each of the plurality of vibration element arrays 110. Each deflection processing unit 130 electronically controls a plurality of vibration elements in the vibration element row 110 corresponding thereto. That is, a drive signal is supplied to each vibration element to transmit an ultrasonic wave, and an echo signal that is a reception result of the ultrasonic wave is acquired from each vibration element. Each deflection processing unit 130 deflects the ultrasonic beam in the elevation direction by electronically controlling a plurality of vibration elements in the vibration element row 110 corresponding thereto.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the internal configuration of the deflection processing unit 130. As shown in FIG. 1, the deflection processing unit 130 is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of vibration element arrays 110. That is, there are as many pairs of vibration element rows 110 and deflection processing units 130 corresponding to the number of vibration element rows 110 (for example, 128 rows). FIG. 2 shows a set of the deflection processing unit 130 and the vibration element array 110. The other sets of the deflection processing unit 130 and the vibration element array 110 have the same configuration as that shown in FIG.

  The vibration element array 110 includes a plurality of vibration elements arranged in a line along the elevation direction. The number of vibration elements constituting the vibration element array 110 is, for example, about 20 to 30. The deflection processing unit 130 includes a plurality of delay circuits 132 corresponding to the respective vibration elements in the vibration element array 110. That is, the delay circuit 132 and the vibration element are associated one to one. Each delay circuit 132 is controlled by a deflection angle control unit (reference numeral 140 in FIG. 1), and sets a delay amount corresponding to the corresponding vibration element.

  Each delay circuit 132 is supplied with a transmission signal from a scanning processing unit (reference numeral 210 in FIG. 1) that functions as a transmission beamformer. A common transmission signal is supplied from the scanning processing unit to the plurality of delay circuits 132 in one deflection processing unit 130. Each delay circuit 132 performs a delay process on the transmission signal by the delay amount set for each delay circuit 132, and supplies the delay-processed transmission signal (drive signal) to the corresponding vibration element. Then, the vibration element is driven according to the supplied drive signal to transmit an ultrasonic wave.

  Each delay circuit 132 acquires an echo signal from the corresponding vibration element. Then, the acquired echo signal is subjected to delay processing by a delay amount set for each delay circuit 132 and then output to the analog adder circuit 134. The analog adder circuit 134 adds the echo signals after delay processing supplied from the plurality of delay circuits 132 to form a reception signal. The formed reception signal is supplied to a scanning processing unit that functions as a reception beamformer.

  As described above, the deflection processing unit 130 includes the plurality of delay circuits 132, and each delay circuit 132 performs a delay process according to the corresponding vibration element. Accordingly, the plurality of vibration elements arranged in the elevation direction are electronically controlled, and the ultrasonic beam formed by these vibration elements is deflected in the elevation direction.

  Returning to FIG. 1, each deflection processing unit 130 is controlled by a deflection angle control unit 140 provided in the probe connector 100B. Further, the deflection angle control unit 140 sets the deflection angle according to a user operation input via the operation device 120 provided in the probe head 100A. Setting of the shape of the operation device 120 and the deflection angle performed via the operation device 120 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

  The plurality of deflection processing units 130 are electrically connected to the scanning processing unit 210 in the apparatus main body 200. The scanning processing unit 210 phasing the function of a transmission beam former that supplies a transmission signal corresponding to each deflection processing unit 130 to each deflection processing unit 130 and the reception signal obtained from each of the plurality of deflection processing units 130. A reception beamformer function for addition processing is provided. The scanning processing unit 210 scans the ultrasonic beam in the azimuth direction by functioning as a transmission beam former and a reception beam former under the control of the scanning control unit 220.

  That is, when functioning as a transmission beamformer, the scanning processing unit 210 supplies a transmission signal subjected to delay processing corresponding to each deflection processing unit 130 to each of the plurality of deflection processing units 130. Thereby, delay processing according to the plurality of vibrating element arrays 110 arranged along the azimuth direction is realized, and the transmission beam is scanned in the azimuth direction. When functioning as a receive beamformer, the scanning processing unit 210 performs delay processing according to each deflection processing unit 130 on the received signals obtained from the plurality of deflection processing units 130 and executes phasing addition processing. To form a receiving beam.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the deflection processing unit 130 has a function of deflecting the ultrasonic beam in the elevation direction, and the scan processing unit 210 has a function of scanning the ultrasonic beam in the azimuth direction. That is, the deflection angle of the scanning surface is set by the plurality of deflection processing units 130 electronically controlling the ultrasonic beam, and the scanning processing unit 210 electronically scans the ultrasonic beam within the set scanning surface. Let The scanning processing unit 210 supplies an echo signal obtained by scanning the ultrasonic beam within the scanning plane to the image forming unit 230.

  Incidentally, one of the two functions of the transmission beamformer and the reception beamformer realized by the scanning processing unit 210 may be provided in the probe connector 100B.

  The image forming unit 230 forms an ultrasonic tomographic image corresponding to the scanning plane based on the echo signal obtained from the scanning plane. For forming an ultrasonic tomographic image, a known B-mode image forming process is used. A color Doppler image or the like may be formed by extracting Doppler information from the echo signal. The ultrasonic tomographic image formed by the image forming unit 230 is displayed on the display unit 240.

  Further, the image forming unit 230 forms a scanning surface image that visually represents the deflection angle of the scanning surface with respect to the probe 100 based on the deflection angle data supplied from the deflection angle control unit 140. The formed scanning plane image is displayed on the display unit 240. The scanning plane image will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the delay circuit 132. The transmission signal supplied from the scanning processing unit (reference numeral 210 in FIG. 1) is input to the n-tap delay element 142T and supplied to the vibration element 112 via the crosspoint switch 144T. The delay element 142T has a configuration in which n stages of taps having a delay amount a are connected in series. The cross point switch 144T sets a point at which a transmission signal is extracted from the n-stage taps of the delay element 142T in accordance with the control of the switch control circuit 146.

  For example, when the first-stage tap of the delay element 142T is selected by the crosspoint switch 144T, the transmission signal passes through only the first-stage tap, is delayed by the delay amount a, and is supplied to the vibration element 112. For example, when the n-th tap of the delay element 142T is selected by the crosspoint switch 144T, the transmission signal passes through all the n-stage taps connected in series and is delayed by a delay amount n × a. The vibration element 112 is supplied.

  As described above, the cross point switch 144T sets the point from which the transmission signal is extracted from the n-stage taps of the delay element 142T in accordance with the control of the switch control circuit 146, so that the minimum delay amount a is changed to the maximum delay amount n. The amount of delay up to xa is set as appropriate.

  The switch control circuit 146 operates in accordance with a control signal and a clock output from the deflection angle control unit (reference numeral 140 in FIG. 1). In other words, the switch control circuit 146 is controlled by the deflection angle control unit, and further, the delay amount is set by controlling the crosspoint switch 144T by the switch control circuit 146.

  On the other hand, the echo signal output from the vibration element 112 is input to the n-tap delay element 142R on the reception side, and is output to the analog adder circuit (reference numeral 134 in FIG. 2) as a reception signal via the crosspoint switch 144R. Is done. The delay element 142R has a configuration in which n stages of taps having a delay amount a are connected in series. The cross point switch 144R sets a point at which the received signal is extracted from the n-stage taps of the delay element 142R in accordance with the control of the switch control circuit 146. That is, as in the case of the transmission signal, the cross point switch 144R sets the point from which the received signal is extracted from the n stages of taps of the delay element 142R, thereby reducing the minimum delay amount a to the maximum delay amount n × a. The delay amount is set appropriately.

  Incidentally, the delay element 142T and the delay element 142R are realized by a CCD circuit, an LC circuit, or the like.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another internal configuration (delay circuit 132 ′) of the delay circuit. In the delay circuit 132 ′ of FIG. 4, a tap with a delay amount 512a, a tap with a delay amount 256a, a tap with a delay amount 128a, and the like are connected in series via a switch (SW) corresponding to each tap. The switch of each tap is controlled by a switch control circuit. That is, when the switch of each tap is ON, the signal passes through the tap corresponding to the switch and a delay process corresponding to the tap is performed. On the other hand, when the switch of each tap is OFF, the signal is transmitted to the tap of the next stage without passing the signal through the tap corresponding to the switch, that is, without performing the delay process.

  For example, the transmission signal supplied from the scanning processing unit (reference numeral 210 in FIG. 1) passes through the tap when the switch corresponding to the tap of the delay amount 512a is in the ON state, and is delayed by the delay amount 512a. It is supplied to the switch corresponding to the tap of the delay amount 256a. If the switch corresponding to the tap of the delay amount 256a is in the OFF state, the transmission signal is not delayed by the tap of the delay amount 256a and is further supplied to the subsequent tap.

  In this way, a plurality of taps are selectively used by the switch control circuit, and a delay amount from the minimum delay amount 0 to the maximum delay amount 1023 × a can be appropriately set by combining the plurality of taps. .

  The echo signal output from the vibration element 112 is first supplied to the switch corresponding to the tap of the delay amount a, and then the delay processing is advanced toward the tap side of the delay amount 512a. In this process, as in the case of the transmission signal, a plurality of taps are selectively used by the switch control circuit, and the delay amount from the minimum delay amount 0 to the maximum delay amount 1023 × a is obtained by combining the plurality of taps. Can be set as appropriate.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an operation device (reference numeral 120 in FIG. 1) provided in the probe head (reference numeral 100A in FIG. 1). The operation device is a device that receives a user operation for adjusting the deflection angle of the scanning surface. It is desirable that the deflection angle adjustment can be performed with the user holding the probe head 100A. Therefore, the operation device is provided on the side surface of the probe head 100A on the distal end side (the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception side).

  FIG. 5A shows a probe head 100A using an electrostatic pad 120A as an operation device. The user slides his / her finger on the surface of the electrostatic pad 120A while holding the probe head 100A. As a result, the deflection angle is inclined in the direction in which the finger slides.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5B shows a probe head 100A using a slide lever 120B as an operation device. The user slides the slide lever 120B with a finger. As a result, the deflection angle is inclined in the sliding direction of the slide lever 120B. A recess 122 corresponding to the user's finger is provided at the center of the surface of the slide lever 120B, and the user's finger is fitted in the recess 122 to facilitate the slide operation.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining how the deflection angle is set. FIG. 6A shows a state in which the deflection angle is adjusted by tilting the ultrasonic beam by tilting the probe head 100A ′ itself. For example, in the diagnosis of the heart, the transducer surface side of the probe is placed on the body surface of the subject, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received from between the ribs 300 (intercostal space) toward the heart. In the example shown in FIG. 6A, the probe head 100A ′ is positioned between the two ribs 300, and the probe head 100A ′ is tilted. Therefore, the ultrasonic beam transmitted / received from the probe is blocked by the part 310 of the rib 300.

  In contrast, FIG. 6B shows how the deflection angle is set by the probe head 100A of the present embodiment. The probe of this embodiment adjusts a deflection angle electronically by a deflection processing unit (reference numeral 130 in FIG. 1). That is, by operating the operation device 120 provided in the probe head 100A with the probe head 100A fixed, the angle of the ultrasonic beam can be deflected along the elevation direction. Therefore, for example, the probe head 100A is fixed so as to be perpendicular to a plane including the two ribs 300, and a suitable probe position where the ultrasonic wave is not blocked by the ribs 300 is maintained, and the deflection angle is adjusted. It becomes possible.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a scanning plane image. As described above, the image forming unit (reference numeral 230 in FIG. 1) forms the ultrasonic tomographic image 410 corresponding to the scanning plane based on the echo signal obtained from the scanning plane. Further, the image forming unit forms a scanning plane image 430 that visually represents the deflection angle of the scanning plane with respect to the probe, based on the deflection angle data supplied from the deflection angle control unit (reference numeral 140 in FIG. 1).

  A representative example of the ultrasonic tomographic image 410 is a B-mode image. A scanning plane image 430 is formed next to the ultrasonic tomographic image 410. The scanning plane image 430 is an icon that schematically shows the probe head and the scanning plane. That is, the deflection angle of the scanning surface relative to the probe head is visually recognized from the probe head represented by the scanning surface image 430 and the angle of the scanning surface relative thereto. A marker 420 indicating the front and back of the ultrasonic tomographic image 410 may be further displayed.

1 is a functional block diagram showing an overall configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the internal structure of a deflection processing unit. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of a delay circuit. It is a figure which shows another internal structure of a delay circuit. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation device provided in a probe head. It is a figure for demonstrating the mode of the setting of a deflection angle. It is a figure for demonstrating a scanning surface image.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Probe, 120 Operation device, 130 Deflection processing unit, 140 Deflection angle control part, 200 Apparatus main body, 210 Scan processing part, 220 Scan control part

Claims (6)

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a probe and an apparatus main body,
The probe is
A plurality of vibration elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A deflection processing unit that electronically controls the deflection angle of the scanning surface of the ultrasonic beam formed by the plurality of vibration elements;
With
The apparatus main body is
A scanning processor that electronically scans the ultrasonic beam within the scanning plane;
An image forming unit that forms an ultrasonic image based on an echo signal obtained from the scanning plane by scanning an ultrasonic beam;
Comprising
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The probe further comprises an operation device for setting a deflection angle of the scanning plane,
The deflection processing unit sets a deflection angle of the scanning surface in accordance with a user operation received via an operation device;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2,
Scanning plane deflection angle information is transmitted from the probe to the apparatus body,
The image forming unit forms a scanning surface image that visually represents a deflection angle of the scanning surface with respect to the probe based on the transmitted deflection angle information.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The plurality of vibration elements are a plurality of vibration elements along an azimuth direction substantially perpendicular to the elevation direction, with a vibration element array including a predetermined number of vibration elements arranged in a line along the elevation direction as a unit. Arranged in two dimensions by arranging the columns,
The deflection processing unit includes a plurality of deflection processing units corresponding to each of the plurality of vibration element rows, and each deflection processing unit controls the corresponding vibration element row to deflect the scanning surface in the elevation direction.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4,
The scanning processing unit scans the ultrasonic beam in the azimuth direction by controlling the plurality of deflection processing units based on a delay amount corresponding to each deflection processing unit.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. A plurality of vibration elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A deflection processing unit that electronically controls the deflection angle of the scanning surface of the ultrasonic beam formed by the plurality of vibration elements;
With
In the scanning plane where the deflection angle is set by the deflection processing unit, the ultrasonic beam is electronically scanned based on the scanning control by the apparatus main body.
An ultrasonic probe characterized by that.