JP2010029650A - Medical ultrasonic phantom - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical ultrasonic phantom for performing the training of an ultrasonic inspection close to the actual inspection. <P>SOLUTION: The medical ultrasonic phantom includes: artificial skin (not shown); artificial organs 305-312 formed to have the shapes of respective organs in a human body; artificial tissues (not shown); and an artificial bone structure body 313. The artificial organs 305-312 and the artificial tissues (not shown) are incorporated inside the artificial bone structure body 313, the artificial skin (not shown) is made to adhere onto the outer surface of the artificial bone structure body 313, so that the medical ultrasonic phantom approximating the human body is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical ultrasonic phantom, and more particularly to a medical ultrasonic phantom suitable for use as a human body model or a standard model for equipment calibration for training or training of medical staff such as medical students and residents. The present invention relates to a biological approximate phantom for ultrasonic medicine.

  In modern medicine, ultrasonic examination is indispensable, and a person who performs the examination is required to have a technology based on advanced knowledge and experience. Traditionally, education and training for those who conduct examinations have been performed using the actual patient's body under a knowledgeable and experienced instructor at an advanced medical institution such as a university hospital. However, in recent years, from the viewpoint of protecting the privacy of patients, the actual situation is that the number of disease types that can be experienced is also limited in terms of time.

  On the other hand, it is necessary to check whether the ultrasonic examination apparatus at the start of medical treatment is operating normally. In addition, manufacturers of ultrasonic inspection equipment also need an appropriate human model when calibrating the manufactured equipment. Currently, each company's own method, for example, an inspection engineer uses his / her body to check. Calibration is performed by a method such as

  Conventionally, phantoms manufactured using materials such as agar, gelatin, rubber, and other materials whose ultrasonic characteristics approximate to the human body have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a phantom using a polymer gel (polyvinyl alcohol) in which powder is suspended. Further, Patent Document 2 proposes a phantom in which a tissue-imulating material such as a water-based polymer is filled in a case that is made of, for example, ABS plastic. However, the phantom described in any document does not reproduce the shape or internal structure of a human organ.

  1 and 2 are diagrams showing functions of a conventional phantom, FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the internal structure of a conventional medical ultrasonic phantom, and FIG. 2 is a conventional medical ultrasonic wave. The figure which represented the ultrasonic image of the phantom typically is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional phantom 100 is configured by, for example, embedding a member 102 corresponding to a lesion in a member 101 corresponding to surrounding tissue. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional phantom 200 is configured, for example, by embedding a member 203 corresponding to a lesion in a member 202 corresponding to surrounding tissue and covering it with a surface covering material 201 such as rubber. Yes. As described above, the conventional phantom arranges a member corresponding to a lesion or an organ as a target in a member corresponding to a uniform and uniform internal tissue, and uses the different acoustic characteristics to obtain an ultrasonic image. To get.

  Patent Document 3 proposes a human body model in which liquid silicone rubber is molded and cured to produce an organ model and a human torso model, and this organ model is built in the torso model.

JP-A-11-155856 JP 2003-180691 A JP 11-242427 A

  The phantom proposed in Patent Document 3 is superior to the phantoms proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 in that various artificial organs are incorporated, but silicon rubber is used. The speed of sound of silicon rubber is about 1680 to 1900 m / s, but the difference from the sound speed of the human body (about 1540 m / s) assumed in the ultrasonic inspection apparatus is too large. Therefore, when obtaining an ultrasound image of a phantom incorporating an artificial organ resembling the shape of an actual organ, the shape of the reproduced organ is completely different from the actual organ. Even in a phantom incorporating silicon rubber, if the observation direction is only one direction, the ultrasonic image can be made to resemble the shape of an actual organ by making the shape of the silicon rubber different from the shape of the actual organ. However, as long as silicon rubber is assumed, it is impossible to obtain an ultrasound image having the same shape as an organ even when observed from various directions. The phantom is for deep tissue inspection training corresponding to a low-frequency probe (usually a probe used for inspection at a depth of about 10 cm from the surface).

  However, the human body has skin, and it is necessary to use a high frequency probe (usually a probe used for examination at a depth of about 3 cm from the surface, also referred to as a superficial probe) for examination of subcutaneous tissue. For this reason, phantoms are clinically reproduced superficial tissues, that is, artificial skins (artificial skins that support ultrasonic color tone expression), to enable practical training of examinations similar to subcutaneous tissue examinations. It is preferable that

  As described above, the conventional phantom does not have a function for observing and diagnosing epidermis tissue and internal tissue in comparison with an actual human body. In other words, conventionally, there is no medical ultrasonic phantom that faithfully reproduces the acoustic characteristics (color expression) of each tissue such as subcutaneous tissue, muscle tissue, or adipose tissue and reproduces the external structure. For this reason, it has not been possible to master clinical / disease diagnostic techniques using superficial probes (high-frequency probes). Further, as the internal structure becomes complicated, there are problems such as requiring a more complicated manufacturing process than conventional products for the internal deaeration treatment.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem of the conventional phantom, and artificial skin, artificial organ, artificial internal tissue, etc. whose ultrasonic color tone approximates to actual skin, organ, internal tissue, etc. The purpose is to provide an ultrasonic phantom for medical use that is more useful for acquiring clinical and disease diagnostic techniques.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is summarized as the following medical ultrasonic phantoms (1) to (8).

  (1) It has an artificial skin, an artificial organ shaped in the shape of various organs of the human body, an artificial tissue, and an artificial bone structure. The artificial bone and the artificial tissue are incorporated into the artificial bone structure, and the artificial bone A medical ultrasonic phantom in which artificial skin is attached to the outer surface of a structure to approximate it to the human body.

  (2) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to (1), wherein the artificial skin includes an elastomer layer in which a scatterer is encapsulated in an elastomer and degassed, and a film layer covering both surfaces of the elastomer layer.

  (3) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to (1) or (2), wherein the prosthesis uses a solution containing gelatin as a main raw material, an epoxy-based crosslinking agent, and a scatterer.

  (4) The artificial skeletal structure is shaped into the shape of a human skeleton using a resin, and has a fine unevenness on the surface thereof. Sonic phantom.

  (5) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of (1) to (4), further comprising an artificial subcutaneous tissue, an artificial muscle tissue, and an artificial fat tissue.

  (6) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the color tone on the ultrasonic image of the artificial skin and / or prosthesis is changed by adjusting the addition amount of the scatterer .

  (7) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein at least one selected from carbon graphite, starch granules, fats, and fiber tissue is used as the scatterer.

  (8) The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of (1) to (7), which is used for clinical / disease diagnosis using a high-frequency probe.

  The medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention can obtain an ultrasonic image almost equivalent to that of the human body. Is possible. The medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention can be used particularly for clinical / disease diagnosis using a high-frequency probe.

  The medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention has an artificial skin, an artificial organ shaped into various human body shapes, an artificial tissue, and an artificial bone structure. Compared to the human body, it has a shape close to that of the human body, so it can be used to acquire techniques such as cytology during actual examinations, and to acquire treatment techniques such as local injections that deal with malignant tumors. it can.

  It is also effective as a calibration standard for superficial probes.

A perspective view schematically showing the internal structure of a conventional medical ultrasonic phantom A diagram schematically showing an ultrasound image of a conventional medical ultrasound phantom Schematic which shows the example of the internal structure of the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) which concerns on this invention The front view which shows the example of the internal structure of the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) which concerns on this invention The side view which shows the example of the internal structure of the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) which concerns on this invention A photograph showing an example of a medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) of the present invention A photograph showing an example of a medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) of the present invention Anatomy of internal tissues and organs in the human head and neck

  The medical ultrasonic phantom according to the present invention has artificial skin, an artificial organ shaped into various human body shapes, an artificial tissue, and an artificial bone structure, and the artificial organ inside the artificial bone structure In addition, an artificial tissue is incorporated, and artificial skin is pasted on the outer surface of the artificial bone structure to approximate the human body. Accordingly, an ultrasonic image substantially equivalent to that of a human body can be obtained. For this reason, training of ultrasonic inspection closer to actuality is possible, so it is possible to acquire higher ultrasonic inspection technology than a conventional phantom.

  The artificial skin of the medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention preferably has an elastomer layer in which a scatterer is encapsulated in an elastomer (elastmer) and a film layer covering both sides of the elastomer layer. By providing the elastomer layer, it is possible to obtain an artificial skin having an appropriate elasticity and flexible stretchability close to the human skin tissue. However, since an elastomer has a high adhesiveness on the surface, in order to prevent its deterioration, it is necessary to provide a film layer covering both surfaces of the elastomer layer.

  By encapsulating a scatterer in an elastomer and degassing, an ultrasonic color tone that approximates the actual skin can be obtained. Note that the ultrasonic color tone can be changed by adjusting the addition amount of the scatterer. However, if many bubbles remain in the elastomer layer, the desired ultrasonic color tone may not be obtained. For this reason, it is preferable that the elastomer layer is sufficiently deaerated. Preferably no bubbles are present. However, bubbles having a diameter of 0.1 mm or less may be acceptable.

  On the other hand, the reason why both surfaces of the elastomer layer are covered with the film layer is to prevent drying of the elastomer layer and a prosthesis described later. As the film layer, for example, a film having appropriate elasticity and waterproofness such as a polyethylene film layer can be used.

  The medical ultrasonic phantom prosthesis according to the present invention preferably uses a solution containing gelatin as a main raw material, an epoxy-based crosslinking agent, and a scatterer. A solution containing gelatin as the main raw material, an epoxy-based cross-linking agent, and a scatterer are mixed and molded into an arbitrary shape such as each organ or even subcutaneous tissue. However, it is possible to reproduce a state close to a living body. Here, by using a solution containing gelatin as a main raw material, each part can be reproduced by approximating the standard sound speed of living body 1540 m / sec, and a fine structure and contrast (sound speed and attenuation) that cannot be achieved with conventional silicon or styrene. ) Can be expressed. The artificial organ includes an artificial organ, that is, a shaped organ in which the sound speed of various organs is approximated to a human body.

  Organs include, for example, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidney, bladder, prostate, uterus, ovary, heart, thyroid, adrenal gland, etc., and tissues include skin, mucous membrane, fat, muscle, bone There are vascular etc. The human body contains liquid components in the body such as lymph, joint fluid, blood, urine and pleural ascites.

  The artificial skeleton structure of the medical ultrasonic phantom according to the present invention is formed into a shape of a skeleton structure of a human body using a resin such as ABS resin, and preferably has fine irregularities on the surface thereof. The artificial skeletal structure preferably has a certain level of strength because it obtains an ultrasound image that approximates the skeleton structure of the human body and also has the role of ensuring the strength of the medical ultrasonic phantom. For this reason, it is preferable to use a resin such as an ABS resin. However, if a resin having no irregularities on the surface is used, the ultrasonic wave may be totally reflected and an ultrasonic image approximate to the human skeleton structure may not be obtained. Therefore, it is preferable to provide fine irregularities in the artificial skeleton structure in order to appropriately scatter and reflect ultrasonic waves.

  The artificial skin of the medical ultrasonic phantom according to the present invention preferably has an artificial subcutaneous tissue, an artificial muscle tissue and an artificial fat tissue. The peripheral part of the human skin has a structure in which three to five layers of subcutaneous fat layers and the like are laminated in addition to the skin layer, and the total thickness of these layers is usually about 3 to 5 mm. Therefore, it is preferable that the artificial skin layer has an artificial subcutaneous tissue, an artificial muscle tissue, and an artificial fat tissue, and is a superficial tissue closer to the human body. In particular, the total thickness of the artificial skin and these tissues is preferably 3 mm to 5 mm. Moreover, it is preferable to adjust the addition amount of the scatterer of each layer in order to correspond to the color tone expression of ultrasonic waves. As described above, the medical ultrasonic phantom in which the artificial subcutaneous tissue, the artificial muscle tissue, and the artificial fat tissue are present inside the artificial skin layer can be used for clinical / disease diagnosis using the superficial probe. .

  In the medical ultrasonic phantom according to the present invention, it is preferable to change the color tone on the ultrasonic image of the artificial skin and / or prosthesis by adjusting the amount of scatterer added. Thereby, since the color tone on the ultrasonic image of various artificial organs (artificial organ, artificial tissue, artificial blood vessel, etc.) can be changed, it becomes a phantom closer to an actual human body. Even in the same artificial organ, it is possible to express a normal organ and an organ having a lesion tissue by changing the amount of added scattering pairs.

  In the medical ultrasonic phantom according to the present invention, it is preferable to use at least one selected from carbon graphite, starch granules, fats and fiber tissue as the scatterer. Since these scatterers have an appropriate attenuation rate, ultrasonic images of various prostheses can be appropriately adjusted.

  When producing prostheses that reproduce each organ, finely adjust the amount of scatterers, etc., and simultaneously enclose pseudo-focal tissues such as malignant tumors and lipomas that have a different decay rate from normal prostheses. In addition, it becomes possible to learn the focus extraction technique, and it is possible to simultaneously perform the puncture action in the biopsy of the malignant tissue. If this technology is applied, it can be applied to a phantom in a region using a deep model such as the abdomen or a special probe such as the prostate, and a wide range of simulated human bodies can be reproduced.

  FIG. 8 shows an anatomical view of internal tissues and organs in the head and neck of the human body. As shown in FIG. 8, the head and neck is composed of organs such as skin, thyroid gland (thyroid gland, right thyroid gland, left thyroid gland), trachea, esophagus, blood vessels (internal jugular vein, common carotid artery), and sternocleidomastoid muscle. It consists of skeletal structures such as muscle tissue and vertebral bodies. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below by taking a medical ultrasonic phantom that reproduces the shape and ultrasonic characteristics of the head and neck as an example. In addition, this invention is not limited to this Example.

  3 to 5 are schematic views showing an example of the medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view, FIG. 4 is a front view, and FIG. 5 is a side view. 4 and 5, some organs and tissues such as artificial skin, artificial trachea, artificial subcutaneous tissue, artificial muscle tissue, and artificial fat tissue are omitted. 6 and 7 are photographs showing examples of the medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention.

  As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 3, the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) of the present invention includes, for example, an artificial skin composed of a surface layer 301, a subcutaneous fat layer 302 and an intima layer 303, and an artificial muscle. 304, an artificial blood vessel 305, an artificial thyroid gland 306, an artificial trachea 307, and an artificial cervical vertebra 308 are stacked and configured. More specifically, the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) of the present invention has a structure as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the medical ultrasonic phantom (head and neck phantom) of the present invention includes an artificial mandible 313, an artificial sublingual gland 312, an artificial lymph gland 311, and an artificial hyoid bone 310. And an artificial thyroid cartilage 309, an artificial thyroid gland 306, an artificial common carotid artery 305a, and an internal jugular vein 305b.

  Each artificial organ and artificial tissue is a mixture of gelatin, water and fine powder scatterers (ultrasonic reflector), and molded into each organ and tissue using an epoxy-based crosslinking agent. . In each prosthesis and tissue, the speed of sound and the attenuation rate were changed by changing the amount of scatterer added. ABS resin was used as a skeletal structure such as the artificial mandible 313 (see also FIG. 6). The artificial thyroid cartilage 309 and the trachea 307 were made of a material such as ABS or acrylic.

  As shown in FIG. 7, on the outer surface of the artificial mandible 313, an artificial skin having a scatterer enclosed in an elastomer and degassed elastomer layer and a film layer covering both sides of the elastomer layer is pasted. The head and neck outline structure was adopted. The organs, tissues and thyroid cartilage, trachea and other organs listed above are assembled in a laminar structure inside the head and neck outline, and the shape is hardened while maintaining a certain strength with an encapsulant mixed with gelatin and a cross-linking material. Enclosed while holding. When the encapsulating material has a very high cross-linking rate, the operability at the time of use deteriorates, and the elasticity of each internal site is lost, so the cross-linking rate is set within an appropriate range. This makes it possible to approximate the entire sound speed to the human body.

  The medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention can obtain an ultrasonic image almost equivalent to that of the human body. Is possible. The medical ultrasonic phantom of the present invention can be used particularly for clinical / disease diagnosis using a high-frequency probe.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Conventional medical ultrasonic phantom 101 Member 102 corresponding to surrounding tissue 201 Member corresponding to lesion 201 Surface coating material 202 Member corresponding to surrounding tissue 203 Member corresponding to lesion 301 Artificial skin (surface layer)
302 Artificial skin (subcutaneous fat layer)
303 Artificial skin (intimal layer)
304 Artificial muscle 305 Artificial blood vessel 305a Artificial blood vessel (artificial internal jugular vein)
305b Artificial blood vessel (artificial common carotid artery)
306 Artificial thyroid 307 Artificial trachea 308 Artificial cervical vertebra 309 Artificial thyroid cartilage 310 Artificial hyoid bone 311 Artificial lymph gland 312 Submandibular gland 313 Mandible

Claims (8)

  It has artificial skin, artificial organs shaped into various human body shapes, artificial tissues, and artificial bone structures. The artificial bones and artificial tissues are incorporated into the artificial bone structures, and the artificial bone structures A medical ultrasonic phantom characterized in that artificial skin is pasted on the outer surface to approximate the human body.   The medical ultrasonic phantom according to claim 1, wherein the artificial skin has an elastomer layer in which a scatterer is encapsulated in an elastomer and degassed, and a film layer covering both surfaces of the elastomer layer.   The medical ultrasonic phantom according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the artificial organ uses a solution containing gelatin as a main raw material, an epoxy-based crosslinking agent, and a scatterer.   The medical skeleton structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the artificial skeleton structure is formed into a shape of a skeleton structure of a human body using a resin and has fine irregularities on the surface thereof. Ultrasonic phantom.   The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an artificial subcutaneous tissue, an artificial muscle tissue, and an artificial fat tissue.   The medical ultrasonic wave according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the color tone on the ultrasonic image of the artificial skin and / or prosthesis is changed by adjusting the amount of the scatterer added. phantom.   The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one selected from carbon graphite, starch granules, fats, and fiber tissue is used as the scatterer.   The medical ultrasonic phantom according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the medical ultrasonic phantom is used for clinical / disease diagnosis using a high-frequency probe.

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