JPH0595945A - Ultrasonic probe for insertion - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ultrasonic probe for insertion which allows the capturing of motions of a needle accurately. CONSTITUTION:This ultrasonic probe for insertion includes a probe body 3, a gap 23 to guide a needle 10 provided at the center of the probe body 3, a first vibrator group 1 in which a plurality of vibrators 11 are arranged in the first array direction and a second vibrator group 2 in which a plurality of vibrators 12 are arranged in parallel in the second array direction roughly orthogonal to the first array direction through the first vibrator group 1 and the gap 23.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe for puncture, which has a gap (groove) for guiding a puncture needle and obtains an ultrasonic tomographic image including the puncture needle and a part to be punctured.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When diagnosing a lesion state of a region of interest in a living body, tissue cells thereof may be actually collected and used for observation and inspection. In this case, a so-called puncture needle whose tip has a special shape, usually a hook shape, is used to reach the site of interest at the collection portion (tip) of the puncture needle to collect tissue cells. This work is generally called a puncture operation, and the ultrasonic probe for puncture is an ultrasonic probe devised exclusively to assist the puncture operation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of this puncture ultrasonic probe (hereinafter referred to as "puncture probe"). As shown in FIG. 9, the puncture probe is provided with a probe main body 30, a central portion of the probe main body 30, a gap (guide groove) 23 for guiding the puncture needle 10, and a width E on one side of the gap 23. A plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric elements) 20 are arranged in parallel in the first array direction D ₁₁ and a first vibrator group 21 having a length F is formed.
And a vibrator (piezoelectric element) 2 having a width E on the other side of the gap 23.
A plurality of 0s are arranged side by side in the same second array direction D ₂₂ as the first array direction D ₁₁ and the second oscillator group 22 having the length F, the first oscillator group 21 and the second oscillator group 22 are provided. The group 22 and the cable 9 for electrically connecting the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body (not shown) are provided.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, if this probe employs the linear electronic scanning method, the ultrasonic beam is transmitted within the first transmission / reception region R ₁₁ and the second transmission / reception region R ₁₂ . To obtain a first tomographic image and a second tomographic image, combine the first tomographic image and the second tomographic image to obtain a tomographic image, and display the tomographic image on a monitor. To do. Upon performing the puncture operation, after confirming the site of interest on the synthesized tomographic image, the puncture needle 10 is projected from the gap 23 and inserted into the living body, and the puncture insertion path of the puncture needle 10 and the position of the site of interest are confirmed in real time. While operating the puncture needle 10, the tip portion of the puncture needle 10 reaches the region of interest to perform puncture. It should be noted that the first transmission / reception region R ₁₁ and the second transmission / reception region R ₁₂
Is a region where ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received, and differs from the tomographic image plane in the depth corresponding to the width E of the transducer 20.

Thus, the use of the puncture probe makes it possible to complete the puncture operation very safely and easily. In addition, the puncture needle is guided to the gap provided at the center of the first transducer group 21 and the second transducer group 22 and is always projected from the probe main body, so that the puncture probe side of the synthetic tomographic image is always present. It supports a safe and simple puncture procedure because it focuses on the center point.

[0006]

However, the conventional puncture probe is not sufficient to accurately detect the movement of the puncture needle due to the following first and second problems.

First, when the puncture needle is vertically inserted, there is a problem that it is difficult to capture the image of the puncture needle. No this problem when inserting in a direction that is not perpendicular to the horizontal line L of the puncture probe as the puncture needle 10 ₂ shown in FIG. 10, but as the puncture needle 10 _1, the piercing probe When it is inserted in the direction perpendicular to the horizontal line L, that is, when the puncture needle is inserted in the direction parallel to the traveling direction of the ultrasonic beam, it is difficult to receive the reflected wave from the puncture needle 10 _1. to cause. This problem remarkably occurs at a short distance, that is, near the oscillator surface.

Secondly, there has been a problem that the movement of the puncture needle in the width direction of the vibrator cannot be sufficiently captured. As shown in FIG. 9, the transducer 20 usually has a constant width E, and therefore, as described above, the first transmission / reception region R ₁₁ and the second transmission / reception region R ₁₂ are Actually, the vibrator has a depth in the width direction. Therefore, the puncture probe shown in FIG.
_As shown in FIG. ₁₀ ), the puncture needle 10 ₃ and the puncture needle 10 _{4 that} are inserted while being inclined in the width direction of the transducer will appear in the same manner on the tomographic image. The movement in the width direction of the oscillator could not be captured sufficiently. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe for puncture, which can accurately capture the movement of the puncture needle.

[0009]

An ultrasonic probe for puncture according to the present invention comprises a probe main body, a gap provided in the center of the probe main body for guiding a puncture needle, and a plurality of transducers arranged side by side in one direction. And a second vibrator group in which a plurality of vibrators are arranged side by side in the direction substantially orthogonal to the one direction via the gap with the first vibrator group. To do.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the puncture needle guided by the gap and inserted into the living body is caught by the first vibrator group from one direction, and the direction substantially orthogonal to the one direction by the second vibrator group. Therefore, it is possible to accurately capture the movement of the puncture needle in the front, rear, left and right directions.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a puncture probe according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
It is a view of the puncture probe from the view V ₁ direction.

That is, the ultrasonic probe for puncture (hereinafter referred to as "puncture probe") according to the first embodiment is provided in the probe main body 3 and a central portion of the probe main body 3, and a gap for guiding the puncture needle 10. (Induction groove) 23, first vibrator group 1 in which a plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric elements) 11 are arranged in parallel, and second vibration in which a plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric element) 12 are arranged in parallel A cable 9 for electrically connecting the child group 2, the first transducer group 1 and the second transducer group 2, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body (not shown), and a first vibration (not shown). The sub lens group 1 and the second transducer group 2 are provided with an acoustic lens provided on the front surface side (the ultrasonic transmission / reception surface side).

As shown in FIG. 2, the first vibrator group 1 has a plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric elements) 11 having a width E ₁ arranged in parallel in the first array direction D ₁ and having an array length F ₁ . Have. It is desirable that the width E _{1 of the} vibrator 11 has a sufficient length within a range that the probe body 3 allows, and the reason is that the puncture needle 10 is used.
This is because the image is always captured even when it is operated in the left-right direction C ₁ described later. In addition, the second transducer group 2 is
A plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric elements) 12 having a width E ₂ are arranged in parallel in a _second array direction D ₂ orthogonal to the _first array direction D ₁ , and an array length F is provided.
Having ₂ . It should be noted that P shown in FIG. 2 is a puncture needle protruding position, and the puncture needle has a lateral direction C ₁ centered on the protruding position P,
It is assumed that it can be operated in the front-back direction C ₂ .

FIG. 3 corresponds to the front structure of the puncture probe shown in FIG. 1, the first ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving region R ₁ corresponding to the first transducer group ₁ and the second transducer group 2. It is the figure which showed the _2nd ultrasonic wave transmission / reception area | region R2. As shown in FIG. 3, in the first transducer group 1, the first array direction D ₁ is angled downward (ultrasound transmission direction) about the puncture needle protrusion position P with respect to the horizontal line L of the puncture probe. The second transducer group 2 is provided so as to be inclined by θ ₁ , and the second array direction D _{2 of} the second transducer group 2 with respect to the horizontal line L of the puncture probe is the puncture needle projection position P.
The angle θ _{2 is} inclined downward (in the ultrasonic wave transmitting direction) with respect to the center. Since the first transducer group 1 and the second transducer group 2 each have an inclination angle toward the puncture needle protruding position P in this manner, the first ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₁ and the _first ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₁ The two ultrasonic transmission / reception regions R ₂ intersect with each other. Since the first ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₁ has a width corresponding to the width E _{1 of the} transducer 11, even if the puncture needle 10 is slightly operated in the left-right direction C ₂ , its image is displayed. You can catch enough. Further, since the second ultrasonic transmission / reception region R ₂ has the array length F ₂ of the transducers 12, the insertion angle of the puncture needle 10 in the left-right direction C ₂ can be projected on the tomographic image. ..

FIG. 4 is a view as seen from the direction of the line of sight V ₂ in FIG. Since the first ultrasonic transmission / reception region R ₁ has the array length F ₁ of the transducers 11, the front-back direction C of the puncture needle 10
The insertion angle of ₁ can be projected on the tomographic image. The second ultrasonic transmission / reception region R ₂ has a width E of the transducer 12.
_Since the puncture needle 10 has a width corresponding to ₂ , even if the puncture needle 10 is slightly operated in the front-rear direction C ₁ , the image can be sufficiently captured.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view for easy understanding of the relationship between the _first ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R ₁ and the second ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R ₂ . As shown in FIG. 5, the movement of the puncture needle 10 in the front-rear direction C _{1 about} the protruding point P can be recognized and recognized by the first tomographic image obtained from the _first ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R _1. Further, the movement of the puncture needle 10 in the left-right direction C _{2 about} the protruding point P can be recognized and recognized by the second tomographic image obtained from the _second ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₂ . Further, since the second transducer group 2 is tilted by the angle θ ₂ , even when the puncture needle is inserted vertically to the horizontal direction L of the probe, the image can be sufficiently projected, and the near range can be obtained. The distance, that is, the puncture needle image and the subject image near the surface of the transducer can be sufficiently projected. As described above, according to the above-described first embodiment, the movement of the puncture needle in the living body can be accurately captured and recognized.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. Figure 6
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a front structure and an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area of a puncture probe according to the present embodiment. The same parts as those of the puncture probe according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ ₂ of the second vibrator group 2 in the first embodiment is set to the second vibrator group 2
This is achieved by adopting the electronic steering method. That, is inclined by an angle theta ₂ by electronic steering toward the projected position P with respect to a perpendicular from the horizontal line L of the puncture probe to the ultrasonic beam emitted shown in FIG. 6 from 2 second transducer group It is a thing.

Also according to this embodiment, the movement of the puncture needle in the living body can be accurately captured and recognized as in the first embodiment. Further, in the case of the first embodiment, the first transducer group It is possible to prevent contact failure between each wave transmitting / receiving surface and the living body surface due to the inclination of the first and second vibrator groups 2 in the direction toward the protruding position P.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. Figure 7
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a front structure and an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving region of the puncture probe according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second transducer group as viewed from the lower left. The same parts as those of the puncture probe according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ ₂ of the second oscillator group 2'is achieved by adopting the electronic steer method for the second oscillator group 2. That is, the vibrators 12 of the second vibrator group 2 ′ are arranged on the protruding position P side in a curved surface array, that is, a convex type array,
It is characterized in that the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R _{2 ′} is enlarged.

Also in this embodiment, the movement of the puncture needle in the living body can be accurately captured and recognized as in the first and second embodiments. It is possible to prevent poor contact with the surface, and
Compared with the tomographic image by the second transducer group in the case of the first and second embodiments, it is possible to obtain a tomographic image whose range is sufficiently enlarged, and to capture the movement of the puncture needle in a wider range. You can

The present embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and can be variously modified and implemented. For example, although the linear electronic scanning system is adopted in the above-mentioned embodiment, another scanning system, for example, a sector electronic scanning system may be adopted.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a puncture needle guided by a gap and inserted into a living body is provided.
The first oscillator group can be captured from one direction, and the second oscillator group can be captured from a direction substantially orthogonal to the one direction, and as a result, the movement of the puncture needle can be accurately captured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a puncture probe according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the puncture probe of FIG. ₁ viewed from the direction of the line of sight V ₁ to show the arrangement of the first transducer group and the second transducer group.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the puncture probe shown in FIG.
FIG. ₃ is a diagram showing a _first ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₁ corresponding to the transducer group ₁ and a second ultrasonic wave transmission / reception region R ₂ corresponding to the second transducer group 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the puncture probe shown in FIG. 3 and the first ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R ₁ and the second ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R _{2.
View from two} directions.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing for easy understanding the relationship between the _first ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R ₁ and the second ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area R ₂ shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a front structure and an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area of a puncture probe according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a front structure and an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving region of a puncture probe according to a third embodiment.

8 is a perspective view of the transducer array of the second transducer group R _{2 ′} shown in FIG. 7, as seen from the lower left.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a conventional ultrasonic probe for puncture.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a front structure of the puncture probe shown in FIG. 9, and a first ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area and a second ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving area.

[11] and the side structure of the puncture probe taken from the view V ₁₀ in FIG. 10, showing a first ultrasonic transmitter area and the second ultrasonic transmitter region FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... 1st vibrator group, 2 ... 2nd vibrator group, 3 ... probe body, 9 ... cable, 10 ... puncture needle, 11 ... 1st vibrator, 12 ... 2nd vibrator, 23 ... gap.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A probe body, a gap provided in the center of the probe body for guiding a puncture needle, a first transducer group in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in one direction, and the first transducer group. And a second transducer group in which a plurality of transducers are arranged side by side in the direction substantially orthogonal to the one direction via the gap, and an ultrasonic probe for puncture.