JPH0724308U - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide an ultrasonic probe capable of changing the focal length of the probe in the short axis direction. [Structure] An acoustic lens unit having different focal lengths is detachably attached to an ultrasonic probe main body provided with a vibrator.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a probe used in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus radiates ultrasonic waves into the body and diagnoses the state inside the body by the reflected waves. In order to improve the performance of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it is necessary to focus the ultrasonic beam at the depth position of the diagnostic site. As a method of focusing the ultrasonic beam, there is a dynamic focus method that uses an acoustic lens or wavefront synthesis is performed by driving the individual transducers arranged in an array with a predetermined delay time to drive them. , Generally, these were combined and focused. Figure 3 shows the method of beam focusing in a conventional ultrasonic probe. In the figure, reference numeral 11 is a vibrator, and an acoustic lens 30 is provided on the transmitting / receiving surface side via a matching layer 31. The oscillators 11 are arrayed, and the beam is focused in the array direction (X direction) by the dynamic focus method (shown by f2 in the figure). That is, the probe is focused in the long axis direction by the dynamic focus method. On the other hand, in the minor axis direction (Y direction) of the probe orthogonal to this, the beam is focused by the lens action of the acoustic lens 30 (shown by f1 in the figure).

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the conventional probe, the beam can be focused at an arbitrary focal length by adjusting the delay time in the X direction for focusing by the dynamic focus method. However, since the focal length of the acoustic lens 30 is constant, the beam focusing in the Y direction is fixed at a constant depth. That is, in the Y direction, beam focusing was possible only at the focal length determined by the acoustic lens. Therefore, it was not possible to focus and diagnose the beams in both the X and Y directions at an arbitrary position inside the body with one probe. If it is desired to focus a beam in both X and Y directions for diagnosis, it is necessary to prepare a probe having a plurality of different acoustic lenses. For each diagnosis, the probe cable is connected to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. There was a problem of having to replace it with the connector on the main body, and a problem of having to prepare many expensive probes.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to easily perform a beam in both X and Y directions at an arbitrary depth position in the body without exchanging the probe main body. The object is to provide a probe capable of focusing.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention adopts the following configuration in order to achieve such an object. That is, the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention is characterized in that an acoustic lens having a different focal length is replaceably attached to an ultrasonic probe main body having a transducer.

Hereinafter, how the ultrasonic probe of this structure works will be described.

[0007]

[Action]

 In the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, the transducer body is provided with the transducer, and the acoustic lens is detachably attached to the transmitting / receiving surface of the transducer. It is possible to focus the beam on the target area for diagnosis by preparing the acoustic lens of and preparing and mounting the acoustic lens that focuses the beam at the depth of the diagnosis region.

[0008]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a probe main body, and 20 is an acoustic lens portion. The probe body 10 is provided with a large number of transducers 11 arranged in an array, and the transmitting and receiving surfaces of the transducers 11 are exposed from one end surface of the housing 12 of the probe body 10. Further, groove portions 13 are formed on both side surfaces of the housing 12.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 which is a cross-sectional view of the acoustic lens portion 20, the acoustic lens portion 20 is provided with an acoustic lens 22 made of silicone rubber on one end surface of the lens case 21. Water 24 and silicone rubber 23 as a matching layer are attached to the. On the side opposite to the surface of the lens case 21 on which the silicone rubber 22 is provided, there is a convex portion 24 for attaching and detaching to the probe main body 10. The convex portion 24 is fitted into the groove portion 13 of the probe main body 10. As a result, the acoustic lens unit 20 is fixed to the probe main body 10. At this time, the transmitting / receiving surface of the transducer 11 on the probe body 10 side and the silicone rubber 23 on the acoustic lens 20 side are in close contact with each other.

In the acoustic lens portion 20 having such a structure, a plurality of acoustic lenses 20 having different focal lengths due to different shapes of the silicon rubber 22 are provided.

When a doctor makes a diagnosis, first, an acoustic lens is selected according to the depth of the diagnosis region and attached to the probe body 10. As a result, the beam on the short axis side of the probe can be focused at the target depth. Subsequently, the probe main body 10 to which the appropriate acoustic lens unit 20 is attached is applied to the diagnostic part of the subject, and ultrasonic waves are emitted. At this time, the delay time is adjusted to focus the beam in the long-axis direction of the diagnosis site. By the above operation, the beam can be focused in both the short axis side and the long axis side of the probe.

Although silicon rubber is used as the acoustic lens and water and silicon rubber are used as the matching layer in this embodiment, the materials are not limited to this. Further, although the linear type is shown as the probe, other types may be used.

Further, a structure in which the groove portion and the convex portion are fitted to each other is used as the attachment / detachment mechanism of the probe main body and the acoustic lens portion, but the structure is not limited to this, and any structure that can be easily attached / detached may be used. It can be anything.

[0014]

[Effect of device]

 According to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, the beam can be focused to an arbitrary depth simply by replacing the acoustic lens part, which is easy to replace, so that the resolution of the part to be diagnosed can be increased to perform more accurate diagnosis. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the short axis direction of an acoustic lens unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a beam focusing method in a conventional ultrasonic probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Probe body 11: Transducer 12: Housing 20: Acoustic lens part 22: Silicon rubber

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An ultrasonic probe body having a vibrator,
An ultrasonic probe characterized in that acoustic lenses having different focal lengths are replaceably attached.