JP2530424Y2 - Transesophageal ultrasound probe - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a transesophageal ultrasonic probe,
In particular, the present invention relates to a so-called biplane type transesophageal ultrasonic probe which forms two ultrasonic scanning planes orthogonal to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ultrasonic diagnosis for obtaining tomographic images in a living body by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is widely used in the medical field. Various types of ultrasonic probes have been realized depending on the diagnosis site of the living body.

[0003] As one of them, a transesophageal ultrasound probe is known. This transesophageal ultrasound probe inserts an insertion tube into the esophagus from the mouth and performs ultrasound diagnosis of organs near the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. In recent years, a so-called biplane type transesophageal ultrasonic probe has been put to practical use in order to further improve the accuracy of ultrasonic diagnosis.

FIG. 3 shows a part of a conventional transesophageal ultrasonic probe. FIG. 3A is a top view of the distal end portion 12 arranged at the distal end of the insertion tube 10 inserted into a body cavity, and FIG. 3B is a side sectional view of the distal end portion 12.

[0005] A case 14 forming a casing of the distal end portion 12
Has two openings 14A, 14B in the axial direction of the insertion tube 10.
Are formed. The openings 14A and 14B have acoustic lenses 16 and 1 serving also as containers for the vibrators, respectively.
8 are arranged. Each of the acoustic lenses 16 and 18 accommodates array vibrators 20 and 22 in which ultrasonic vibrating elements are arranged in a strip shape. These array transducers 20 and 22 form ultrasonic scanning planes that are orthogonal to each other.
Forms an ultrasonic scanning surface in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the insertion tube 10, while the array transducer 20 forms an ultrasonic scanning surface in a direction orthogonal to the ultrasonic scanning surface. Each of the acoustic lenses 16 and 18 is formed in a gentle cylindrical shape in order to improve the convergence of the ultrasonic beam formed by the array transducer housed and held. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the directions of the acoustic lenses are different from each other by 90 °.

[0006] Therefore, according to such a transesophageal ultrasonic probe, two trans- esophageal ultrasound probes are orthogonal to each other when inserted into the esophagus or the like.
Ultrasonic diagnosis can be performed on two ultrasonic scanning planes, so that a diseased part or the like can be three-dimensionally observed. Also,
There is an advantage that a wide field of view can be obtained. In FIG. 3, a matching layer and the like disposed between the vibrator and the acoustic lens are not shown.

[0007]

However, in the conventional transesophageal ultrasonic probe shown in FIG.
Since the two acoustic lenses are separated, case 1
In the state where it is arranged at 4, it is easy for variation to occur in its direction,
As a result, there is a problem that it is not possible to obtain an ultrasonic scanning plane that is orthogonal at right angles. Second, since the two acoustic lenses are independently arranged, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size of the distal end.

In particular, in such a biplane type transesophageal ultrasonic probe, since two array transducers are provided at the distal end, it is inevitably necessary to provide one array transducer. The shape has become large, which has been a factor that causes pain to the living body, for example, in ultrasonic diagnosis of children. Therefore, a transesophageal ultrasound probe having a miniaturized tip as much as possible, which can be used particularly for ultrasound diagnosis of children, has been demanded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to minimize the angle of the two scanning planes formed and to minimize the shape of the tip as much as possible. An esophageal ultrasound probe is provided.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a T-shaped joint between a tip case disposed at the tip of an insertion tube inserted into a body cavity and two array transducers. A T-shaped vibrator that forms an ultrasonic scanning surface orthogonal to each other, and the T-shaped vibrator is housed and held while the lower side of the T-shape faces the front end surface of the front end case. A vibrator holder disposed in the case, wherein two ultrasonic lenses corresponding to the two array vibrators whose ultrasonic transmission side holder walls are joined in the T-shape ;
This integrates the transducer holder and the two acoustic lenses
Anda lens-integrated vibrator holder formed by reduction, the tip casing, as seen from the two acoustic lens,
It is characterized in that the taper is formed from a joining portion of the two array transducers to a tip end surface of the tip end case.

[0011]

According to the above construction, since the two acoustic lenses are integrated with each other, it is possible to prevent a variation in the orientation of the acoustic lenses in the direction thereof and to accurately determine the intersection angle between the two ultrasonic scanning planes. It becomes possible. Further, since the two acoustic lenses are integrated, a gap existing between the two acoustic lenses is eliminated, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the distal end portion. In particular, since the two array transducers are joined in a T shape to form a T-shaped transducer,
It becomes possible to gradually narrow the insertion-side front portion of the distal end case toward its end.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a transesophageal ultrasound probe according to the present invention. Here, FIG.
FIG. 2B is a side sectional view of the distal end portion 24. FIG.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the two array transducers are integrated in a T-shape to form a T-shaped transducer 26. Specifically, the array transducer 26A and the array transducer 26B are joined by an adhesive 28 made of a synthetic resin or the like.

In FIG. 1, a T-shaped vibrator is a lens-integrated vibrator holder 30 which also serves as two acoustic lenses.
(Hereinafter, referred to as a vibrator holder).
Specifically, the T-shaped vibrator is stored and fixed in a T-shaped vibrator storage chamber formed in the vibrator holder 30 with an adhesive or the like. A matching layer for acoustic matching is provided between each array transducer and the transducer holder 30, but is not shown.

A case 32 forming a casing of the distal end portion 24
Is formed with an opening 32A for projecting the upper wall surface of the vibrator holder 30. Here, as shown, the upper wall surface of the vibrator holder 30 forms two acoustic lenses 34 and 36. Here, the acoustic lenses 34 and 36 are respectively integrated and form a part of the vibrator holder 30.

As shown, the acoustic lenses 34, 36
Has an upper surface formed into a cylindrical curved surface,
They are formed so that their directions are different from each other by 90 °. That is, an ultrasonic scanning surface is formed by the array transducer 26A in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the insertion tube 38, while an ultrasonic scanning surface is formed by the array transducer 26B in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the insertion tube 38. However, in this case, the two acoustic lenses 34 and 36 function to improve the convergence of the ultrasonic beam in the direction orthogonal to the ultrasonic scanning surface of the ultrasonic beam.

The front portion 100 on the insertion side of the case 32 is formed so as to be gradually thinner toward its end. That is, 2
Since the two array transducers were joined in a T-shape, it was possible to take such a shape. According to such a shape, for example, even in an ultrasonic diagnosis of a child with a small esophagus, the distal end portion 24 can be easily inserted into the esophagus or the like without giving a discomfort or pain to a living body. Note that the shape of the distal end portion 24 of the present embodiment is as follows. The lateral width (vertical direction in the figure) of the distal end portion 24 is about 9 mm at the thickest point.
And the length of the tip portion 24 (in the left-right direction in the figure)
Is 18 mm.

According to the above configuration, first,
Since the two acoustic lenses 34 and 36 are formed integrally with each other, there is an advantage that a positioning error of the acoustic lens at the time of manufacturing the probe can be completely eliminated. Secondly, since no unnecessary space exists between the two acoustic lenses 34 and 36, it is possible to reduce the size of the distal end portion 24 as a whole.

Third, each array transducer 26A, 26
B are preliminarily joined in a T-shape to form a T-shaped vibrator. Therefore, even if the probe is used for a long time, the positional relationship between the two can be maintained, and the front part 10 of the tip part 24 can be maintained.
There is an advantage that 0 can be formed in a shape that gradually becomes narrower toward its end. According to this T-shaped vibrator,
There is also an advantage that the respective central axes of two orthogonal ultrasonic scanning planes can be extremely close to each other.

[0021]

As described above, according to the transesophageal ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, the tip can be miniaturized and the angle formed by the two ultrasonic scanning planes formed can be set accurately. It is possible to

Accordingly, there is an effect that the accuracy of ultrasonic diagnosis can be improved and a transesophageal ultrasonic probe particularly suitable for children can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view and a side sectional view of a transesophageal ultrasound probe according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the configuration of the T-shaped vibrator according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view and a side sectional view of a conventional transesophageal ultrasonic probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 24 Tip part 26 T-shaped vibrator 30 Lens integrated vibrator holder 34, 36 Acoustic lens

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A T case forming a T-shaped ultrasonic scanning surface formed by joining two array transducers in a T-shape with a tip case disposed at the tip of an insertion tube inserted into a body cavity. A T-shaped vibrator, and the T
A vibrator holder for housing and holding the V-shaped vibrator and disposed in the front end case, the holder wall on the ultrasonic transmission side corresponding to the two array vibrators joined in the T-shape You
Constitute two acoustic lenses that, whereby the vibrator Hol
And a lens-integrated vibrator holder in which two acoustic lenses are integrated , wherein the front end case is viewed from the two acoustic lenses.
A transesophageal ultrasonic probe, which is tapered from a joining portion of the two array transducers to a distal end surface of the distal end case.