JPH0542155A - In-coelom ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the in-coelom ultrasonic diagnostic device which can switch simply and easily an image display device for displaying an ultrasonic image by controlling the attenuation quantity of an ultrasonic wave in an ultrasonic wave in an ultrasonic transfer medium or a living body, in the in-coelom ultrasonic diagnostic device in which plural ultrasonic probes whose oscillation frequencies are different are provided in a tip head part. CONSTITUTION:This in-coelom ultrasonic diagnostic device is constituted so that a high frequency ultrasonic probe 11 and a low frequency ultrasonic probe 12 are provided in a tip hard part 1, and the opening diameter of the high frequency ultrasonic probe 11 is formed larger than the opening diameter of the low frequency ultrasonic probe 12, so that the attenuation quantity in an ultrasonic transfer medium or a living body of an ultrasonic wave oscillated from the high frequency ultrasonic probe 11 becomes almost the same as that of the low frequency ultrasonic probe 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanical scanning type intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and in particular, a plurality of ultrasonic probes are provided at the distal end portion of an insertion portion to detect ultrasonic waves depending on the subject. The present invention relates to a probe ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of switching oscillation frequencies.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a rotary body incorporating a plurality of ultrasonic probes is provided at the tip of an insertion portion, and the rotary body is rotated by a driving means to scan the interior of the body cavity. , Which have been proposed to obtain an ultrasonic image of a subject. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a distal end rigid portion of a conventional intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including such a plurality of ultrasonic probes. This conventional apparatus includes a high-frequency probe 51 and a low-frequency probe 52. The high-frequency probe 51 is used for precisely diagnosing inner wall tissues such as the stomach, duodenum, and large intestine. The low-frequency probe 52 whose oscillation frequency is lower than that of the probe 51 is used for diagnosis of the pancreas and peripheral organs through the stomach and the like. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of ultrasonic probes 51 having different frequencies,
52 was designed to have the same opening diameter a and b. In addition, the rotating body 53 incorporating these probes has an acoustic window 54
It is enclosed in the (tip cover) via the ultrasonic transmission medium 55. As the ultrasonic transmission medium 55, oils such as paraffin and castor oil are usually used because bubbles are unlikely to occur and the rotor 53 and the like are less likely to rust.

[0003]

However, the higher the frequency, the greater the absorption and attenuation of ultrasonic waves. Therefore, the amount of attenuation of ultrasonic waves generated from ultrasonic probes 51 and 52 having the same aperture diameter is high. The ultrasonic probe 51 is larger. Furthermore, this tendency becomes more prominent as the viscosity of the ultrasonic transmission medium 55 increases, and therefore, when oils are used as the transmission medium rather than water, the amount of attenuation of ultrasonic waves becomes greater.

In the conventional device, as described above, since the aperture diameter of the high frequency probe 51 and the aperture diameter of the low frequency probe 52 are the same, the attenuation amount of ultrasonic waves is large in the high frequency probe 51. Become. Therefore, the overall sensitivity of the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor was significantly worse when scanning was performed using the high frequency probe 51 than when the low frequency probe 52 was used. Therefore, every time the ultrasonic probes 51 and 52 are switched by an external switch or the like and the monitor display of the ultrasonic image is switched, the ultrasonic image observation device is adjusted according to the attenuation amount of the ultrasonic wave of each probe. It was necessary to reset the gain, contrast and so on to appropriate values. For this reason,
Each time the ultrasonic probes 51, 52 are switched, a complicated resetting operation is required, which increases the examination time and imposes a heavy burden on the operator and the patient.

According to the present invention, among a plurality of ultrasonic probes with different frequencies incorporated in one acoustic window, attenuation of ultrasonic waves oscillated from a high frequency probe by an ultrasonic transmission medium is detected by a low frequency probe. It is an object of the present invention to provide an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can suppress the inspection time by suppressing the complicated operation when switching the frequency by suppressing it compared with that of the tentacle.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention is provided with a plurality of ultrasonic probes having different center frequencies at the distal end portion of the insertion portion, In an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that scans a subject using ultrasonic waves oscillated from these ultrasonic probes, the higher the frequency of the ultrasonic probes, the higher the frequency of the ultrasonic probe openings. It is characterized by being enlarged.

As described above, in the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, since the opening diameter of the ultrasonic probe is made larger as the frequency of the ultrasonic probe is higher, the high frequency probe is used. The attenuation of the ultrasonic beam emitted from the child is reduced.
Therefore, the overall sensitivity when monitoring an ultrasonic image is
This can be corrected by changing the aperture diameter of the ultrasonic probe, and it is not necessary to reset the gain, contrast, etc. of the ultrasonic observation device even if the ultrasonic probe is switched. As a result, the examination time can be shortened and the burden on the operator and the patient can be reduced.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall construction of a first embodiment of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes a distal rigid portion 1,
An insertion section 4 including a bending section 2 and a flexible section 3, an ultrasonic operation section 5 having a rotation driving means for an ultrasonic probe therein, a bending operation of the insertion section 4, and an air / water supply / suction operation. It is composed of an endoscope operating section 6, a universal cord 7, an endoscope connector 8, an electric cable cord 9 and an electric connector 10. The insertion section 4, the ultrasonic operation section 5, and the endoscope operation section 6 are sequentially and continuously connected, and the endoscope operation section 6 is further connected with an endoscope connector 8 via a universal cord 7. ing. Further, an electric cable cord 9 branches off at the tip of the universal cord 7, and an electric connector 10 is connected to the end thereof. The endoscope connector 8 is connected to a video processor (not shown), and the electrical connector 10 is connected to an ultrasonic observation device (not shown) so that an optical image and an ultrasonic image can be displayed on a monitor (not shown). Is configured.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the rigid tip portion 1. Inside the tip rigid portion 1, a rotating body 13 incorporating a high-frequency ultrasonic probe 11 that oscillates ultrasonic waves having a high frequency and a low-frequency probe 12 having an oscillation frequency lower than that is provided in the support portion 15. Is rotatably installed in the radial direction via two bearings 14. The periphery of the rotating body 13 is covered with an acoustic window 16 (tip cover) 16 made of plastic such as thin hard polyethylene, and a space between the rotating body 13 and the acoustic window 16 includes castor oil or liquid paraffin. In this case, the ultrasonic transmission medium 17 is filled so that bubbles are unlikely to be generated, rust can be prevented on the metal parts forming the tip hard portion, and it is safe for the human body even if it leaks to the outside. The rotary body 13 is connected to a hollow flexible drive shaft 19, which transmits the rotary drive force from the rotary drive means provided in the ultrasonic operation unit 5 to the rotary body 13 and also to the inside thereof. A plurality of signal cables (coaxial cables) 18 are inserted, and ultrasonic transmission / reception signals are transmitted to the probes 11 and 12 via the signal cables 18. The insertion section 4 is inserted into the body cavity, the rotating body 13 is rotated, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received to rotationally scan the subject, and an ultrasonic tomographic image of 360 ° is obtained in the direction perpendicular to the insertion axis. be able to. The ultrasonic transmission medium 17 is filled from the gap 14a between the bearings 14 to the inside of the guide tube (not shown) of the drive shaft 19.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic probe 11, 12 of the rigid tip 1 shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the central axis of rotation. The rotation center S1 of the rotating body 13 and the center axis of the tip cover 16 are aligned. Aperture diameter a of the high frequency probe 11
And the opening diameter b of the low frequency probe 12 have a relation of "a>b". An epoxy-based concave lens is used as the acoustic matching lens 20 of each of the probes 11 and 12. The ultrasonic tomographic image of the high-frequency probe 11 and the ultrasonic tomographic image of the low-frequency probe 12 can be switched by the frequency switching switch 21 (see FIG. 1) provided in the endoscope operation unit 6 as necessary. Is displayed on the monitor of the ultrasonic observation device (not shown).

As is apparent from FIG. 3, since the opening diameter a of the high frequency probe 11 is set larger than the opening diameter b of the low frequency probe 12, the high frequency probe 11 by the ultrasonic transmission medium 17 is used. The amount of attenuation of the ultrasonic wave oscillated from is small.
As a result, the sensitivity level of the ultrasonic tomographic image displayed on the monitor of the ultrasonic observation device becomes almost the same in the case of high frequency and the case of low frequency, and the level of the ultrasonic observation device is changed every time the frequency is switched. Eliminates the need to change settings.

It is known that the attenuation of ultrasonic waves in living tissue is almost proportional to the frequency of the ultrasonic probe. Therefore, when radiating ultrasonic waves to the subject located at the same distance from the two ultrasonic probes and detecting the reflected waves, the attenuation ratio of the ultrasonic waves is almost the same as the frequency ratio of the ultrasonic probes. Will be equal. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to determine the opening area of the probe so as to cancel the attenuation ratio.

For example, when the frequency of the low-frequency ultrasonic probe 12 is fb and the frequency of the high-frequency ultrasonic probe 11 is fa, the reflected waves from the subject at the same distance from these probes are detected. The attenuation ratio is fb: fa. Therefore,
When the opening area of the low-frequency ultrasonic probe is 1, and the opening area of the high-frequency ultrasonic probe is fa / fb, the attenuation amount of ultrasonic waves can be made equal. When the probe is circular, as shown in FIG. 4, the ratio of the diameters of the low frequency ultrasonic probe 12 and the high frequency ultrasonic probe 11 is set to 1: √fa / fb.
And it is sufficient.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the construction of the second embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. As is apparent from FIG. 5, in the second embodiment, the distances c1 and c2 (offset amount) from the rotation center S1 of the rotating body 13 to the surfaces of the ultrasonic probes 11 and 12 are calculated by the high frequency probe. The low-frequency probe 11 and the low-frequency probe 12 have substantially the same configuration. As a result,
The transmission times of the reflected waves reflected from the subject of the ultrasonic waves oscillated from the ultrasonic probes 11 and 12 are almost the same, and it is not necessary to switch the offset amount in the ultrasonic observation device. The other structure is similar to that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing a third embodiment of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. When the apparatus of the present invention is used for ultrasonic diagnosis inside the body cavity of a subject. It shows the situation of. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the whole situation, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line dd 'of FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, an oscillator 50 is attached to the outside of the body of the subject, and a signal from the oscillator 50 is received by an ultrasonic probe that is not used at that time, and an ultrasonic observation apparatus is used. The UP direction of the ultrasonic tomographic image can be recognized by displaying the position of the oscillator 50 on the monitor.

8 and 9 are views showing a fourth embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a catheter type intracavity ultrasonic probe, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are partial cross-sectional views in the axial direction of the ultrasonic probe. The sheath 22 has a double structure composed of an outer sheath 22a and an inner sheath 22b, and a gap formed between the outer sheath 22a and the inner sheath 22b is filled with a colored fluid 23. Inside the sheath 22, a hollow flexible drive shaft 19 for rotating the ultrasonic probe is provided.
Has been inserted. When the ultrasonic probe is used for a long period of time, the outer surface of the drive shaft 19 may come into contact with the inner wall of the sheath 22, and the inner wall of the sheath 22 may be broken as shown in FIG. 9. In such a case, the coloring fluid 23 filled in the gap between the outer sheath 22a and the inner sheath 22b enters the inside of the sheath 22, so that the end portion of the sheath 22 looks colored from the outside, and the sheath 22 is colored. It is possible to discontinue use of the probe before it is completely pierced.

FIGS. 10 to 12 are views showing a fifth embodiment of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. In this example,
The apparatus of the present invention is applied to a balloon type ultrasonic probe. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a probe main body 24 and an insertion portion 25, and FIG. 11 is a distal end portion 25a of the insertion portion 25.
It is sectional drawing which shows. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11,
The probe of this embodiment includes a probe body 24 and an insertion portion 2.
5 and a connecting portion 26 for connecting the probe main body 24 to a driving portion (not shown). The rotation torque of the rotation driving means provided in the drive unit is transmitted to the rotating body 35 via the flexible shaft 27 extending in the insertion unit 25. The rotating body 35 has a high-frequency ultrasonic probe 34a,
The low-frequency ultrasonic probe 34b is incorporated, the rotating body 35 is rotated, and the ultrasonic wave selected according to the subject is scanned in the radial direction. An electric signal is supplied to the ultrasonic probes 34a and 34b through an electric cable (not shown) inserted through the flexible shaft 27 to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. The insertion portion 25 has a double structure including an inner sheath 28 and an outer sheath 29. Inner sheath 2
8 is longer than the outer sheath 29, and the tip of the inner sheath 28 projects from the outer sheath 29 at the tip portion 25a as shown in FIG. The distal end of the inner sheath 28 is closed by a rigid tip portion 30, and a cap 32 is detachably attached to the rigid tip portion 30. Also, the inner sheath 28
A hole 31 is provided in the vicinity of the tip hard portion 30 on the side surface of the. Inside the inner sheath 28, the flexible shaft 2
7 is inserted from the probe body 24 to the tip of the insertion portion 25, and a rotary body 35 for holding the ultrasonic probes 34a and 34b is provided at the tip of the flexible shaft 27 via a bearing 33. The tip of the outer sheath 29 extends to the rear end of the bearing 35.

A balloon 36 is provided on the distal end portion 25a of the insertion portion 25 from the cap 32 to the distal end of the outer sheath 29. After inserting the insertion portion 25 into the body cavity, a liquid is externally supplied into the balloon 26 through the first conduit 44 formed between the outer sheath 29 and the inner sheath 28 to inflate the balloon 36. The ultrasonic scanning is performed after the ultrasonic wave transmission path is secured by this liquid. Figure 10
As shown in FIG. 5, the proximal end of the outer sheath 29 is fixed by being sandwiched between the tubular body 37 provided at the end of the probe main body 24 by the tapered ring 38 and the pressing member 39. On the other hand, the proximal end portion of the inner sheath 28 is fitted with the inner sheath mounting member 40 fitted inside the tubular body 37.
Further, it is attached in the same manner as the outer sheath by the tapered ring 41 and the pressing member 42. An O-ring 49 is provided between the tubular body 37 and the outer circumference of the inner sheath 28 to keep the tubular body 37 watertight and to allow the tubular body 37 to be detachable. A water inlet 43 is provided in the tubular body 37 so as to communicate with a first conduit 44 formed between the outer sheath 29 and the inner sheath 28, and a water inlet is provided in the inner sheath mounting member 40. 45 to the flexible shaft 2
Second conduit 46 formed between 7 and the inner sheath 28
It is provided to communicate with.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the bearing 33 provided between the flexible shaft 27 of the distal end portion 25a of the insertion portion 25 and the rotating body 35. As is apparent from FIG. 12, a plurality of notches 47 communicating with the second conduit 46 are provided on the outer peripheral portion of the bearing 33.

In the fifth embodiment, the probe body 24
A balloon unit is formed by the cylindrical body 37 provided on the outer sheath 29, the outer sheath 29, the balloon 36 provided on the distal end portion 25a, and the distal end cap 32, and the cap 32 is pulled out from the hard member 30 provided on the distal end of the inner sheath 28. Next, the balloon unit 48 can be removed by pulling out the tubular body 37 on the proximal side from the inner sheath mounting member 40 in the insertion direction, and can be replaced with another balloon unit.

When the balloon 36 is inflated, liquid is sent from the water supply port 45 provided in the inner sheath mounting member 40 (FIG. 10), and the liquid is cut out in the second pipe line 46 and the bearing 35. It passes through 47 (FIG. 12) and is fed to the distal end portion of the inner sheath 28. The ultrasonic probe 34 provided at this tip portion
After the periphery of a and 34b is filled with the ultrasonic transmission medium, the medium is further filled into the balloon 36 through the hole 31 provided at the distal end portion of the inner sheath 28, and the balloon 36 is inflated (FIG. 1).
1). When the liquid is drained, the water inlet 43 provided in the tubular body 37
A negative pressure is applied to (FIG. 10) so that the medium filled in the balloon 36 is sucked out from the water inlet 43 through the first conduit.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the balloon unit can be attached and detached only by removing the tip cap 32 and the tubular body 37, even if the balloon 36 is broken, the expensive probes 34a and 34b are expensive. Without replacing
Since only the balloon unit can be replaced, cost reduction can be achieved. In addition, the hygiene condition can be improved by making the balloon unit disposable. Further, when water is sent, air bubbles are mixed around the probes 34a and 34b,
In the present embodiment, since the water is sent and dehydrated in one way, the transmission medium does not stagnate, and the probes 34a, 34 are used.
Bubbles are hard to collect near b. That is, the second pipeline 4
By the liquid supply from 6, the bubbles around the probes 34a and 34b easily move into the balloon 36 from the hole 31 provided at the tip of the inner sheath 28, and the bubbles also flow from the first conduit 44. Easily aspirated. Therefore, since there are no bubbles in the transmission path of the ultrasonic waves, the degree of attenuation of the ultrasonic waves is small and a better ultrasonic image can be obtained.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since the openings of a plurality of ultrasonic probes provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in a body cavity are set to be larger as the frequency of these ultrasonic probes becomes higher, a high frequency The amount of attenuation of ultrasonic waves emitted from the acoustic probe is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to correct the overall sensitivity of the ultrasonic images obtained from a plurality of ultrasonic probes by changing the aperture diameter of the ultrasonic probes. It is not necessary to change the setting value of the observation device when displaying on the monitor, so that the examination time can be shortened and the burden on both the operator and the patient can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the distal end portion of the first embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the first embodiment of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention in the insertion direction.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification of the first embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the distal end portion of the second embodiment of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention in the insertion direction.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a usage state of the third embodiment of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a usage state of a third embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an insertion portion of a fifth embodiment of the intracavitary ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing an insertion portion of a fifth embodiment of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view in the insertion direction of the distal end of the insertion portion of the fifth embodiment of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the insertion portion of the conventional intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in the insertion direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tip Hard Section 4 Insertion Section 5 Ultrasonic Operation Section 6 Endoscope Operation Section 11, 12, 34a, 34b Ultrasonic Probe 13, 35 Rotating Body 14, 33 Bearing 16 Acoustic Window 17 Ultrasonic Transmission Medium 19, 27 Flexible shaft 21 Oscillator 22 Sheath 22a, 29 Outer sheath 22b, 28 Inner sheath 23 Fluid 24 Probe body 25 Insertion portion 31 Hole 32 Cap 36 Balloon 37 Cylindrical body 40 Inner sheath attachment member 43 Water intake port 44 First conduit 45 Water supply port 46 Second Pipe Line 47 Notch 48 Balloon Unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic in a body cavity in which a plurality of ultrasonic probes having different center frequencies are provided at the distal end of an insertion portion, and an ultrasonic wave oscillated from these ultrasonic probes is used to scan a subject. In the apparatus, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in a body cavity, wherein the openings of the plurality of ultrasonic probes are increased as the frequency of the ultrasonic probes is increased.