JPH07327998A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To collect image information of three-dimensional space with an ultrasonic probe by rotating the sectorial scanning section of ultrasonic beams around its central axis and making the relative rotating angle detectable. CONSTITUTION:A case 4' of the ultrasonic probe is formed into double structures of an inside cylinder 10 and an outside cylinder 9. The inside cylinder 10 is coupled freely rotatably coupled coaxially within the outside cylinder 9. A transducer 3 is integrally fixed into the inside cylinder 10 and further, the revolving shaft 11 of the inside cylinder 10 is provided with an encoder for detecting the relative rotating angle of the inside cylinder 10 with respect to the outside cylinder 9. The ultrasonic probe is so formed that the rotating angle signal detected by the encoder 13 is transmitted via a cable 5. As a result, the sectorial scanning section of the ultrasonic beams is rotated around its central axis and the relative rotating angle thereof is made detectable, by which the collection of the image information of the three-dimensional space is made possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe which scans and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam in a fan shape in the body to measure a tomographic image of a diagnostic region in a subject in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, In particular, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe capable of rotating a fan-shaped scanning section of an ultrasonic beam around its central axis and detecting its relative rotation angle to collect image information in a three-dimensional space.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional ultrasonic probe of this type, for example, a mechanical sector scanning ultrasonic probe, converts electrical signals into ultrasonic signals and vice versa, as shown in FIG. A transducer 3 having a transducer 1 for scanning the ultrasonic beam 2 from the transducer 1 in a fan shape, a case 4 for enclosing and protecting the transducer 3 inside, and a transducer 3 connected to the transducer 3 and inserted into the transducer 3. It consisted of a cable 5 for transmitting an electric signal to be output. Here, the vibrator 1 is formed, for example, in the shape of a single disc, and is formed in a concave surface so that the focal point is located at a position several cm to several tens cm in front thereof. And transducer 3
Has a magnet coil 6 and an arm 7 driven by the magnet coil 6, and by pushing and pulling the arm 7 connected to the vibrator 1 with the magnet coil 6, the vibrator 1 is moved. The ultrasonic beam 2 is swung like a pendulum to scan the ultrasonic beam 2 in a fan shape. The cable 5 is connected to an ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit provided in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (not shown).

[0003]

However, in such a conventional ultrasonic probe, the transducer 3 swings the transducer 1 like a pendulum to scan the ultrasonic beam 2 in a fan shape. Therefore, the tomographic image thus collected and imaged is a planar image that is cut out in a fan shape with the transducer 1 as the apex in one cross section in the subject. Therefore, when three-dimensionally obtaining information in the direction perpendicular to the one planar image, the entire ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 4 is tilted about the contact point with the subject surface. As shown in FIG. 5, it was necessary to shake the fan-shaped scanning section 8 with a certain width w or to rotate it about the contact point.

When the ultrasonic probe is tilted or rotated as described above, the scanning cross section to be visualized also changes accordingly, and the image before the change disappears in ordinary processing of a two-dimensional image. It was something that ended up. Further, even if an attempt is made to return the scanning cross section to the position before the change, it may not be possible to return it accurately to the original position because the amount of change is unknown. Further, even when trying to obtain three-dimensional image information with the above ultrasonic probe, for example, every time the fan-shaped scanning section 8 shown in FIG. 5 is moved to a different section, the relative positional relationship with the section observed immediately before is clarified. If the image information is not taken in as described above, the collected image information cannot be used and a desired three-dimensional image cannot be reconstructed.

Therefore, the present invention copes with such a problem and rotates the fan-shaped scanning section of the ultrasonic beam around its central axis and makes it possible to detect the relative rotation angle thereof to obtain the image information of the three-dimensional space. It is intended to provide an ultrasonic probe that can be collected.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention has an oscillator that mutually converts between an electric signal and an ultrasonic signal. A transducer that scans the ultrasonic beam of
In an ultrasonic probe comprising a case for enclosing and protecting the transducer inside and a cable for transmitting an electric signal input / output to / from the transducer, the case is a dual case of an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder is rotatably connected coaxially inside the outer cylinder, and the transducer is integrally fixed inside the inner cylinder. Angle detecting means for detecting the relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder is provided, and the rotation angle signal detected by this angle detecting means is sent out through the cable.

An example of the above transducer is a mechanical sector scanning type having a disk-shaped single plate vibrator.

Further, another example of the above transducer is a phased array sector electronic scanning type or a convex electronic scanning type in which a large number of strip-shaped small vibrators are arranged.

[0009]

The ultrasonic probe constructed as described above holds the outer cylinder portion of the case formed in the double structure of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, which are coaxially and rotatably coupled, while maintaining the inside. The inner cylinder to which the transducer is integrally fixed is rotated, the relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder is detected by the angle detecting means provided on the rotation shaft of the inner cylinder, and the detected rotation angle signal is transmitted to the cable. To send through. This makes it possible to rotate the fan-shaped scanning cross section of the ultrasonic beam around its central axis and detect its relative rotation angle, and collect image information in the three-dimensional space.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention. This ultrasonic probe fan-shaped scans and transmits / receives an ultrasonic beam into the body in order to measure a tomographic image of a diagnosis site in a subject in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. As shown in FIG. It consists of a transducer 3, a case 4 ', and a cable 5.

The transducer 3 serves as a main body for transmitting / receiving the ultrasonic beam 2 into / from the subject, and has a transducer therein for converting between an electric signal and an ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic beam 2 from the vibrator is scanned in a fan shape (see reference numeral 8). Although not shown, the transducer 3 has therein a vibrator made of a piezoelectric material such as piezoelectric ceramic (PZT), and a backing material that suppresses acoustic radiation to the back side of the vibrator.
It has an acoustic lens that focuses the ultrasonic beam to an appropriate depth in the living body, and an acoustic matching layer for maximizing the ultrasonic transmission efficiency over the required frequency band between the transducer and the acoustic lens. The transducer 3 is, for example, a mechanical sector scanning type having a disk-shaped single-plate vibrator, and like the prior art example shown in FIG. 4, a single disk-shaped vibrator is provided. 1 and magnet coil 6
And an arm 7, the fan-shaped scanning section 8 is formed by swinging the vibrator 1 in a pendulum shape, and the intensity distribution state of acoustic discontinuity points in the fan-shaped scanning section 8 is detected. It is supposed to do.

The transducer 3 is enclosed in a case 4 '. The case 4 ′ is for protecting the transducer 3 by enclosing it inside, and the operator holds and operates this portion, and is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape.

A cable 5 is connected to the top of the case 4 '. The cable 5 is for transmitting an electric signal input / output to / from the transducer 3, and is designed to connect between an ultrasonic transmitting / receiving circuit provided in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (not shown) and the transducer 3. .

Here, in the present invention, the case 4'is formed in a double structure of an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder is coaxially and rotatably coupled inside the outer cylinder. Has been done. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the outer cylinder 9 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an upper end closed and a lower end opened, and a cylindrical inner cylinder 10 is formed inside the outer cylinder 9 with a predetermined gap. Are fitted. A rotary shaft 11 projects from the upper end of the inner cylinder 10 at the center position.
1 is fitted in a hole formed in the central axis of the upper portion of the outer cylinder 9, and bearings 12, are provided in the root portion of the rotary shaft 11 and in the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 9 and the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 10, respectively. 12, ... are interposed, and they are coaxially and rotatably coupled. In addition,
The transducer 3 is integrally fixed inside the inner cylinder 10 at the lower end thereof.

An encoder 13 is attached to the rotary shaft 11 of the inner cylinder 10. This encoder 1
Reference numeral 3 serves as an angle detecting means for detecting a relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder 10 with respect to the outer cylinder 9, and an appropriate gap is provided in a top portion 14 having a slightly smaller diameter at an upper end portion of the outer cylinder 9. The cap 14 is attached to cover the top portion 14
The rotation angle is detected by magnetic or optical means. A hole through which the cable 5 is inserted is provided at the center of the encoder 13, and the cable 5 inserted into the rotary shaft 11 of the inner cylinder 10 is drawn through this hole to the outside. The angle signal of the relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder 10 detected by the encoder 13 is sent to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (not shown) via the cable 5.

Next, the use and operation of the ultrasonic probe thus constructed will be described. First, the operator holds the outer cylinder 9 of the case 4'with one hand, brings the ultrasonic probe close to the target site of the subject, and presses the transducer 3 to one point on the body surface to fix it. . In this state, by driving an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (not shown), the transducer in the transducer 3 is operated, and the ultrasonic beam is fan-shaped scanned and transmitted / received into the subject, as shown by hatching in FIG. Then, a fan-shaped scanning section 8 is obtained. Then with the other hand, encoder 1
By holding the outer peripheral surface of 3 and rotating as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1, the transducer 3 is rotated in the same direction via the rotating shaft 11 and the inner cylinder 10 shown in FIG. Then, the fan-shaped scanning section 8 formed by the transducer 3 also rotates as shown by an arrow B in FIG. 1, and a conical scanning solid body 15 is formed. At this time, case 4 '
The outer cylinder 9 is held by one hand of the operator and fixed at a fixed position, and the relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder 10 with respect to the outer cylinder 9 is detected momentarily by the encoder 13 and is detected. The rotation angle signal is sent to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (not shown) via the cable 5. As a result, according to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, a scanning figure having a three-dimensional conical shape (see reference numeral 15 in FIG. 1) is obtained, and the relative positional relationship of the fan-shaped scanning section 8 that changes sequentially is recognized. It is possible to collect image information in the three-dimensional space while doing so.

FIG. 3A shows the transducer 3
FIG. 3 shows a bottom view when a mechanical sector scanning type having a disk-shaped single plate vibrator is used as
(B) is a bottom view of the case where a phased array sector electronic scanning type or a convex electronic scanning type in which a large number of strip-shaped small vibrators are arranged in a line is used as the transducer 3.

[0018]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above,
While holding the outer cylinder part of the case formed in the dual structure of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder that are rotatably connected on the same axis, the inner cylinder to which the transducer is integrally fixed is rotated, The relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder can be detected by the angle detection means provided on the rotation shaft of the cylinder, and the detected rotation angle signal can be sent out via the cable. This makes it possible to rotate the fan-shaped scanning cross section of the ultrasonic beam around its central axis and detect its relative rotation angle, and collect image information in the three-dimensional space. Therefore,
By using the image information collected in this way, a desired three-dimensional image of the subject can be reconstructed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the three-dimensional shape of the diagnosis site can be easily grasped.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a double structure of a case of the ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing two forms of the ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of a scanning section when three-dimensional image information is to be obtained by a conventional ultrasonic probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transducer 2 ... Ultrasonic beam 3 ... Transducer 4 '... Case 5 ... Cable 8 ... Fan-shaped scanning cross section 9 ... Outer cylinder 10 ... Inner cylinder 11 ... Rotating shaft 12 ... Bearing 13 ... Encoder 15 ... Scan solid

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transducer having an oscillator for mutually converting between an electric signal and an ultrasonic signal, and a transducer for scanning an ultrasonic beam from the oscillator in a fan shape, and a case for enclosing the transducer and protecting it. And a cable connected to the transducer for transmitting an electric signal input / output to / from the transducer, wherein the case is formed in a double structure of an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder is The transducer is integrally and rotatably coupled coaxially inside the outer cylinder, and the transducer is integrally fixed inside the inner cylinder. Further, the rotation angle of the inner cylinder is the relative rotation angle of the inner cylinder to the outer cylinder. An ultrasonic probe characterized in that angle detecting means for detecting is provided, and a rotation angle signal detected by the angle detecting means is sent out through the cable. 2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is a mechanical sector scanning type having a disk-shaped single plate transducer. 3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is a phased array sector electronic scanning type or a convex electronic scanning type in which a large number of strip-shaped small vibrators are arranged.