JPH0636608U - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To realize an ultrasonic probe capable of adjusting the focal position of the ultrasonic beam emitted from the ultrasonic probe in accordance with a medical condition. [Configuration] In the ultrasonic probe, which is a small-diameter probe,
The mirror 2 that deflects the ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic transducer 1 and emits them in the orthogonal direction is moved by operating the motor 4 connected to the mirror 2 by the drive wire 3 by operating the slide knob 21. By changing the effective focal length, it enables precise diagnosis of lesions.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe which is a small diameter probe.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 There is an ultrasonic probe using a small-diameter probe for observing detailed symptoms in the body by inserting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a body cavity. An example of this ultrasonic probe is shown in FIG. In the figure (1), reference numeral 1 denotes an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and the surface from which ultrasonic waves are emitted has a concave surface and has a fixed focal length determined by the curvature of this concave surface. .

Reference numeral 2 is a mirror that deflects the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic transducer 1 in a substantially perpendicular direction. Reference numeral 3 is a drive wire which is attached to the mirror 2 and is used by the motor 4 to rotate the mirror 2. The motor 4 is provided with an encoder (not shown) that outputs the rotation amount thereof, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can recognize the rotation amount and the rotation speed of the mirror 2 from this encoder output signal.

Reference numeral 5 denotes an acoustic propagation medium filled between the ultrasonic transducer 1 and the mirror 2, which uses a substance having acoustic characteristics of propagating a sound wave at a sound velocity substantially equal to the sound velocity of the subject.

Reference numeral 6 is a signal line for sending a transmission signal to the ultrasonic transducer 1 and also sending a reception signal to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and 7 is an ultrasonic probe that accommodates the above-mentioned portion. It is a probe case. An acoustic window 8 is provided at the ultrasonic wave emitting portion of the probe case 7 for allowing sound waves to pass therethrough. Reference numeral 9 is a small-diameter probe unit that houses the ultrasonic transducer 1, mirror 2, and acoustic propagation medium 5, and 10 is a motor unit that houses the motor 4, both of which constitute an ultrasonic probe 11. ing. The drive wire 3 penetrates between the small-diameter probe unit 9 and the motor unit 10.

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the sound wave irradiation direction of the ultrasonic probe 11 shown in FIG. 9A, and shows the sound wave irradiation direction in the direction of 360 ° as the mirror 2 rotates. It is shown .

In this conventional ultrasonic probe 11, if the focal length by the concave surface of the concave ultrasonic transducer 1 is L _F and the distance between the ultrasonic transducer 1 and the mirror 2 is L _M , the ultrasonic probe The effective focal length L _B of the probe 11 is given by the following equation.

[0008] In L _B = L _F -L _M ... formula, L _F, L _M is constant also effective focal length L _B so constant, the focal length of the ultrasonic probe is fixed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image by the ultrasonic probe 11 irradiating ultrasonic waves in such a 360 ° circumferential direction. In the figure, 12 is a CRT screen on which an image is displayed. Reference numeral 13 is an image formed by the reflected signal of the ultrasonic wave emitted from the ultrasonic probe 11.

Reference numeral 14 is an image at a distance L _M from the ultrasonic transducer 1 to the mirror 2, which is a blank portion. Reference numeral 15 is a received signal portion which is an image of a received signal reflected from the subject, and 16 is a focal position having a fixed focal length shown by the formula, which is from the ultrasonic transducer 1 to L _F and the ultrasonic probe 11. It is at a distance of L _B from the sound wave irradiation position.

[0011]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, the ultrasonic probe 11, which is such a small-diameter probe, is mainly aimed at determining the degree of invasion of early cancer or the like that has developed in the stomach or intestine and the nature of lesions in blood vessels. Therefore, the distance resolution characteristic is important among the characteristics of the ultrasonic probe 11 for that purpose.

At the same time, the focal length of the ultrasonic probe 11 is a fixed focal point as shown by the formula, and a clear image can be obtained for a lesion at a distance other than the focal length. There is a possibility that there is no.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is an ultrasonic wave capable of adjusting a focal position of an ultrasonic beam emitted from an ultrasonic probe according to a medical condition. It is to realize a probe.

[0014]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes an ultrasonic transducer with a fixed focus, a mirror for deflecting an ultrasonic wave emitted from the ultrasonic transducer at a substantially right angle and irradiating the inside of a subject, An ultrasonic wave that is connected to the mirror by a drive wire and that rotates the mirror over the entire circumference, and that propagates in the subject at least between the ultrasonic transducer and the mirror. In an ultrasonic probe, which is a small-diameter probe filled with an acoustic propagation medium having an acoustic characteristic that is approximately equal to the acoustic propagation velocity of, the slide knob for moving the motor in the axial direction and the slide knob An encoder for detecting a motor position for detecting the position of the moved motor is provided.

[0015]

[Action]

 By moving the slide knob to move the motor back and forth and changing the distance between the ultrasonic transducer and the mirror, the effective focal length of the ultrasonic probe can be changed to clearly observe images at different distances. It can be so. This fluctuation of the focal length can be grasped from the data of the movement amount of the motor from the encoder.

[0016]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. In the figure, 21 is a sliding knob for sliding the motor 4 back and forth to move the mirror 2 in the axial direction of the ultrasonic probe 11, and 22 is a bearing for receiving the sliding driving wire 3.

Reference numeral 23 is an encoder for detecting the amount of movement of the motor 4, and 24 is an encoder output for outputting data of the number of revolutions of the encoder 23 proportional to the amount of movement of the motor 4 to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is the main body. It is a terminal.

Reference numeral 25 is a stopper provided so that the encoder 23 does not come off due to the forward movement of the motor 4. The operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. The motor 4 can be moved back and forth by the slide knob 21. This movement of the motor 4 also moves the mirror 2 back and forth, and the distance L from the ultrasonic transducer 1 is increased._MChanges. Where L _M Changes the effective focal length L_BAlso changes, and the focus position 16 in FIG. 3 moves.

The amount of movement of the motor 4 is detected by the encoder 23 and output from the encoder output terminal 24 to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body. The movement of the motor 4 is restricted by the stopper 25 to prevent the encoder 23 from coming off the motor shaft.

When the motor 4 is moved back and forth by the slide knob 21 and the effective focal length of the ultrasonic transducer 1 is changed, the encoder 23 changes the amount of movement of the motor 4 proportional to the change in the effective focal length by ultrasonic waves. Output to the diagnostic device body.

This encoder output is input to the main body as the movement amount of the mirror 2, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus displays the focus position inside the subject based on the input data, and at the same time, the acoustic propagation medium 5 and the inside of the subject are examined. The initial settings are changed to eliminate the distance measurement error of imaging caused by the difference in sound velocity of.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the fixed focus can be moved in the depth direction by moving the position of the mirror 4. More outputting the movable amount delta L _M as an offset amount L _M + ΔL _M by the encoder 23, it is possible to obtain an accurate image, it is is possible to force improves the diagnostic accuracy of early cancer or the like .

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the embodiment, the case where the ultrasonic vibrator is a concave vibrator is shown, but it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to the case where the ultrasonic vibrator is equipped with an acoustic lens.

[0024]

[Effect of device]

 As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to adjust the focal position of the ultrasonic beam emitted from the ultrasonic probe, which is a small-diameter probe, in accordance with the medical condition, and to make a diagnosis. As the accuracy can be improved, the practical effect is great.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic probe using a conventional small-diameter probe, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an ultrasonic wave emission direction.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image obtained by an ultrasonic probe using a small diameter probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ultrasonic Transducer 2 Mirror 3 Drive Wire 4 Motor 5 Sound Propagation Medium 21 Slide Knob 23 Encoder

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An ultrasonic transducer (1) having a fixed focus, and a mirror (2) for deflecting ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic transducer (1) at a substantially right angle and irradiating the inside of a subject. And a motor (4) connected to the mirror (2) by a driving wire (3) for rotating the mirror (2) over the entire circumference, and at least the ultrasonic transducer (1) Ultrasonic probe which is a small-diameter probe filled with an acoustic propagation medium (5) having acoustic characteristics of a velocity substantially equal to the acoustic propagation velocity of ultrasonic waves propagating in the subject between the mirror and the mirror (2). In the child, a slide knob (21) for moving the motor (4) in the axial direction, and a motor position detection unit for detecting the position of the motor (4) moved by the slide knob (21). It is specially equipped with an encoder (23). An ultrasonic probe to be.