JPH06154219A - Method and apparatus for measuring received beam profile for ultrasonic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method and an apparatus which achieves accurate measurement of a received beam profile for an ultrasonic apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A hydrophone 9 is kept with a positioner 10 in water 8 of a water tank 7 at a specified distance from an ultrasonic probe 4 of an ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus 1 and a scanning is performed in the bearing vertical to a sound axis centered on the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 4. A transmitter 11 is driven to radiate a sound wave from the hydrophone 9 at a fixed interval and received with the ultrasonic probe 4 to be converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal after the conversion is processed with a receiving section 6 of the body 2 of the ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus. Thus, a received waveform obtained is measured with an oscilloscope 12 to determine the amplitude thereof and a received beam profile of the ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus 1 is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of measuring a reception beam profile used for evaluating the performance of an apparatus utilizing ultrasonic waves, such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and its apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, steel balls and wires have been used as reflectors when measuring the reception beam profile of ultrasonic equipment. Hereinafter, a conventional receiving beam profile measuring method and apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional receiving beam profile measuring apparatus.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 51 denotes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is an object of measurement, and an ultrasonic probe 54 for both transmission and reception is connected to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 52 by a cable 53. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 52 includes an ultrasonic probe 54.
And a receiver 56 for processing the electrical signal sent from the ultrasonic probe 54. 57 is a water tank in which water 58 is contained. The transmitting and receiving surface of the ultrasonic probe 54 is dipped downward on the water 58. Reference numeral 59 is a reflector made of a steel ball, 60 is a positioner, and the reflector 59 is placed in the water 58 at the bottom of the water tank 57 with respect to the ultrasonic probe 54.
It can be set to a desired distance and moved in a direction perpendicular to the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 54. Reference numeral 61 is an oscilloscope that measures a reception signal received by the reception unit 56 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 52.

In the above configuration, a method of measuring the reception beam profile will be described below.

First, the reflector 59 is set in the water 58 by the positioner 60 at a predetermined distance from the ultrasonic probe 54, and the reflector 59 is positioned so as to be located on the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 54. To match. Next, from the transmitter 55 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 52 to the ultrasonic probe 54
An ultrasonic beam is emitted from the ultrasonic probe 54 into the water 58. The emitted ultrasonic beam propagates in the water 58, is reflected by the reflector 59, reaches the ultrasonic probe 54 again, and is converted into an electric signal. This electric signal is subjected to processing such as delay synthesis in the reception unit 56 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 52 and becomes a reception signal. The received signal is measured by the oscilloscope 61 to obtain the amplitude of the received signal. Then, while the position of the reflector 59 is changed by the positioner 60 in the direction perpendicular to the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 54 at regular intervals, the same received signal measurement operation as described above is performed. By plotting the measurement results in this way, the reception beam profile 71 as shown in FIG. 6B can be obtained. This shows the received sound field distribution of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 51 at a predetermined distance from the ultrasonic probe 54. The received sound field distribution determines the performance such as the resolution of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 51.

[0006]

However, in the above conventional technique, the received beam profile obtained is influenced by the transmitted beam profile of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 51. When the transmission beam profile 72 has a distribution having a peak on the sound axis as shown in FIG. 6A, the reception beam profile 73 by the reflector 59 originally has a distribution as shown in FIG. 6B. Since the width is narrower than the reception beam profile 71 of No. 1, there is a problem that an accurate reception sound field cannot be measured.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and can accurately measure the reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device, and thus can correctly evaluate the performance of the ultrasonic device. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring a received beam profile and an apparatus therefor.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a method of measuring a receiving beam profile according to the present invention is designed so that a sound source having a small diameter is placed in water at a predetermined distance from an ultrasonic probe for both transmission and reception of ultrasonic equipment. While keeping, while scanning at a constant interval in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the sound axis around the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe, irradiate a sound wave having a uniform sound pressure to the ultrasonic probe, the ultrasonic probe The received and converted electric signal is processed by the receiving unit of the ultrasonic device, and the amplitude distribution of the received waveform obtained is obtained with respect to the position of the sound source.

Another method of measuring the reception beam profile of the present invention for achieving the above object is to perform the operation of measuring the reception beam profile by the above-mentioned technical means, and to receive the sound wave emitted from the ultrasonic probe by the sound source. Then, the signal is converted into an electric signal, and the amplitude distribution of the obtained reception waveform is obtained with respect to the position of the sound source so that the transmission beam profile can be measured.

The small-diameter sound source preferably has the same or smaller diameter than the wavelength of the ultrasonic device, and a hydrophone can be used as the small-diameter sound source.

A receiving beam profile measuring apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a water tank containing water and ultrasonic waves for transmission and reception, which are arranged in the water and are arranged in the ultrasonic device. A small-diameter sound source that irradiates a sound wave having a uniform sound pressure on the transmitting and receiving surface of the probe, and scanning for scanning this sound source at regular intervals in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the sound axis about the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe Means and the sound wave emitted from the sound source is received by the ultrasonic probe and converted into an electric signal, and the amplitude distribution of the reception waveform obtained by processing the electric signal in the receiving unit of the ultrasonic device is described above. And means for measuring the position of the sound source.

Another receiving beam profile measuring apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a water tank containing water and a transmitter / receiver arranged in the water and arranged in the water in an ultrasonic device. A sound source having a small diameter for irradiating a sound wave having a uniform sound pressure on the transmitting and receiving surface of the ultrasonic probe and receiving a sound wave emitted from the ultrasonic probe, and a sound source of the ultrasonic probe for the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe. Scanning means for scanning at a constant interval in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the sound axis as the center, and the ultrasonic wave emitted from the sound source is received by the ultrasonic probe and converted into an electric signal, and the electric signal of the ultrasonic device is The amplitude distribution of the reception waveform obtained by processing in the receiving unit was measured with respect to the position of the sound source, and in parallel with this measurement work, the ultrasonic probe radiated, received by the sound source, and converted. It is obtained by a means for measuring the signal signal.

The small-diameter sound source preferably has the same or smaller diameter than the wavelength of the ultrasonic device, and a hydrophone can be used as the small-diameter sound source.

[0014]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a sound source having a small diameter such as a hydrophone is used, and the sound wave emitted from the sound source having a small diameter has a small directivity and is in the range of the opening of the ultrasonic probe. Since the sound pressure is substantially constant, the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic device obtained as a result of irradiating the ultrasonic probe with this sound pressure almost accurately represents the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic device.

[0015]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a receiving beam profile measuring apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus to be measured, and an ultrasonic probe 4 is connected to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 2 by a cable 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2 includes a transmitter 5 that sends an electric signal for driving to the ultrasonic probe 4, and a receiver 6 that processes the electric signal sent from the ultrasonic probe 4. 7 is a water tank, in which water 8 is contained. The transmitting and receiving surface of the ultrasonic probe 4 is dipped in the upper portion of the water 8 so as to face downward. Reference numeral 9 denotes a hydrophone as an ultrasonic sound source having a diameter equal to or smaller than the wavelength of ultrasonic waves, and 10 is a positioner. The hydrophone 9 is used for the ultrasonic probe 4 in the water 8 at the bottom of the water tank 7. Can be set to an arbitrary distance, moved in the direction perpendicular to the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 4, set to a predetermined position, and sound waves can be emitted from the hydrophone 9 to the transmitting / receiving surface of the ultrasonic probe 4. . Reference numeral 11 is a transmitter that sends an electric signal to the hydrophone 9 to emit a sound wave, and 12 is an oscilloscope for measuring the waveform of the reception signal received by the reception unit 6 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 2. It is connected to the output terminal.

In the above configuration, a method of measuring the reception beam profile will be described below.

First, the positioner 10 sets the hydrophone 9 in the water 8 at a predetermined distance from the ultrasonic probe 4 and adjusts the sound axis. Next, transmitter 1
An electric signal is sent from 1 to the hydrophone 9 to drive it, and a sound wave is emitted from the hydrophone 9 into the water 8. The radiated sound wave propagates in the water 8 and reaches the ultrasonic probe 4, where it is converted into an electric signal. The electric signal is subjected to processing such as delay synthesis in the receiving unit 6 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 2 and becomes a received signal. This received signal is measured by the oscilloscope 12 and its amplitude is obtained. Then, the positioner 10 irradiates a sound wave having a uniform sound pressure while scanning the hydrophone 9 around the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe 4 at a constant interval in a vertical azimuth direction (changing the position), and Perform the same measurement work. By plotting the result of the measurement, that is, the relationship between the position of the hydrophone 9 and the amplitude, the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 can be obtained as shown in FIG. FIG. 2 shows a reception beam profile when the ultrasonic probe 4 receives a sound pressure having a substantially uniform distribution. As is apparent from this, the receive beam profile measured in the embodiment of the present invention is not affected by the transmit beam profile, unlike the receive beam profile measured using the conventional reflector.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a receiving beam profile measuring apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The feature of this embodiment is that the transmitting beam profile is automatically measured in parallel with the measuring operation of the receiving beam profile of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and as shown in FIG. The controller 13 and the plotter 14 are added to the configuration of the first embodiment. The controller 13 controls the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1, the positioner 10, the transmitter 11 of the hydrophone 9, the oscilloscope 12, and the plotter 14 by a program. The oscilloscope 12 includes a receiver 6 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2.
A two-channel digital oscilloscope is used so that it is possible to detect the received signals of both the receiver and the hydrophone 9.

In the above configuration, a method of measuring the reception beam profile will be described below.

First, in order to measure the reception beam profile, the position of the hydrophone 9 is set by the control of the controller 13 as in the case of the first embodiment. Next, the transmitter 11 is driven under the control of the controller 13, and the transmitter 11
Causes the hydrophone 9 to be driven by the transmitter 11 to emit a sound wave. The ultrasonic wave emitted and propagated in the water 8 is received by the ultrasonic probe 4, and an electric signal is sent to the receiving unit 6 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2 for signal processing. In synchronization with this, the transmitter 13 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2 is driven by the control of the controller 13, and the ultrasonic probe 4 is driven by the transmitter 5 to emit a sound wave. The sound wave that is radiated and propagated in the water 8 is received by the hydrophone 9 and converted into an electric signal. Under the control of the controller 13, the oscilloscope 12 measures the two received signals of the receiver 6 and the hydrophone 9 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2, and the controller 13 obtains the respective amplitudes from the signal waveforms acquired by the oscilloscope 12, Output to the plotter 14. Next, replace the hydrophone 9 as described above.
The same measurement work as above is repeated while moving in a fixed direction and changing the position. In this way, the transmission beam profile from the ultrasonic probe 4 can be measured almost simultaneously with the measurement of the reception beam profile received by the ultrasonic probe 4, and the reception beam profile as shown in FIG. Then, the transmission beam profile as shown in FIG. 4A can be displayed on the plotter 14.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a small-diameter sound source such as a hydrophone is used, and the sound waves emitted from this small-diameter sound source have little directivity and Since the sound pressure is almost constant in the range of the opening, the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic device obtained as a result of irradiating this sound pressure to the ultrasonic probe is almost exactly the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic device. Represent. Since the reception beam profile of the ultrasonic device can be accurately measured in this manner, the performance of the ultrasonic device can be correctly evaluated.

Further, when the reception beam profile is obtained, the measurement work can be performed quickly by obtaining the transmission beam profile.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an apparatus for measuring a received beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a reception beam profile obtained by the measurement device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a receiving beam profile measuring apparatus of an ultrasonic device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a transmission beam profile obtained by the measurement device, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a reception beam profile obtained by the measurement device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a receiving beam profile measuring apparatus of an ultrasonic device in a conventional example.

6A is a diagram showing a transmission beam profile of an ultrasonic device, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a reception beam profile obtained by a conventional measuring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ultrasonic Diagnostic Device 2 Ultrasonic Diagnostic Device Main Body 3 Cable 4 Ultrasonic Probe 5 Transmitter 6 Receiver 6 Water Tank 8 Water 9 Hydrophone (Ultrasonic Sound Source) 10 Positioner 11 Transmitter 12 Oscilloscope 13 Controller 14 Plotter

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A small-diameter sound source is kept in water at a predetermined distance from an ultrasonic probe for both transmission and reception of ultrasonic equipment, and is spaced at fixed intervals in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the acoustic axis of the ultrasonic probe. While scanning with, irradiating the ultrasonic probe with a sound wave having a uniform sound pressure, the electric signal received and converted by the ultrasonic probe is processed by the receiving unit of the ultrasonic device, and obtained. A method of measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device, characterized in that an amplitude distribution of a reception waveform is obtained with respect to the position of the sound source. 2. Along with the work of measuring the reception beam profile, the sound wave radiated from the ultrasonic probe is received by the sound source and converted into an electric signal, and the amplitude distribution of the obtained reception waveform is compared with the position of the sound source. The method for measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement operation of the transmission beam profile is carried out after being obtained. 3. The method for measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the small-diameter sound source is about the same as or less than the wavelength of the ultrasonic device. 4. The method for measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to claim 3, wherein a hydrophone is used as the small-diameter sound source. 5. An acoustic wave having a uniform sound pressure is applied to a water tank containing water and a transmitting / receiving surface of an ultrasonic probe for transmitting / receiving, which is disposed in the water and disposed in the water, in the ultrasonic device. A small-diameter sound source, a scanning means for scanning the sound source at a constant interval in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the sound axis centering on the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe, and the ultrasonic wave emitted from the sound source by the ultrasonic probe. An ultrasonic device including means for receiving and converting into an electric signal, and measuring the amplitude distribution of the received waveform obtained by processing the electric signal in the receiving section of the ultrasonic device with respect to the position of the sound source. Measuring device for receiving beam profile. 6. An acoustic wave having a uniform sound pressure is applied to a water tank containing water and a transmitting / receiving surface of an ultrasonic probe for transmitting / receiving, which is disposed in the water and disposed in the water, in the ultrasonic device. And a small-diameter sound source that receives the sound waves emitted from the ultrasonic probe, and a scanning unit that scans the sound source at regular intervals in the azimuth direction perpendicular to the sound axis about the sound axis of the ultrasonic probe. , The sound wave emitted from the sound source is received by the ultrasonic probe and converted into an electric signal, and the amplitude distribution of the received waveform obtained by processing the electric signal in the receiving unit of the ultrasonic device is Measurement of a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device equipped with means for measuring a position and, in parallel with this measurement work, measuring a reception signal emitted from the ultrasonic probe, received by the sound source and converted. apparatus. 7. The apparatus for measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to claim 5, wherein the diameter of the small-diameter sound source is about the same as or less than the wavelength of the ultrasonic device. 8. The apparatus for measuring a reception beam profile of an ultrasonic device according to claim 7, wherein a hydrophone is used as a sound source having a small diameter.