JPS61244335A - Probe through rectum - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (b) Industrial application fields The present invention relates to a transrectal probe.

(b) Prior art and its problems A conventional linear electronic scanning type transrectal probe of this type is shown in FIG. 4. In this transrectal probe a, an array transducer C is provided in the insertion portion inserted into the subject.

In this conventional example, the array transducers C are provided at only I locations in the circumferential direction of the insertion section, so there is only one scanning plane, and therefore, it is possible to scan in other directions, for example, in the In order to observe the region behind the diagnostic region, the probe a
You have to rotate it 180 degrees, and there is a problem that you cannot observe multiple places at the same time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable simultaneous observation of parts in multiple directions.

(C) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention arranges array transducers at multiple locations along the circumferential direction in the insertion section inserted into the subject. There is.

(D) Function In the transrectal probe of the present invention, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by each array transducer provided at a plurality of locations along the circumferential direction of the insertion section, and each The echo signals are simultaneously displayed on the same screen as diagnostic images.

(e) Examples Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear electronic scanning transrectal probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. The linear electronic scanning type transrectal probe l of this embodiment includes a rod-shaped insertion section 2 to be inserted into a human body as a subject, and a first electrode at a position facing the insertion section 2 along the circumferential direction. , second array vibrators 4a and 4b are provided, respectively. In addition, 6 is the 11th second array vibrator 4a.

This is a cable for transmitting a drive signal to the array transducers 4b and for transmitting echo signals output from both arrayed transducers 4a and 4b to the main body of the apparatus (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wave transmitting/receiving circuit to which this transrectal probe is connected. In the figure, reference numeral 10a denotes a first oscillator that generates a drive signal for exciting and driving the first array oscillator 4a.
The wave transmitting circuit lob is a second wave transmitting circuit that generates a drive signal for exciting and driving the second array vibrator 4b. Also,
12a is a first receiving circuit that amplifies and detects an echo signal output in response to the ultrasonic wave received from the first array transducer 4a, and 12b corresponds to the ultrasonic wave received from the second array transducer 4b. This is a second receiving circuit that amplifies and detects the echo signal output from the second receiver. 14a is a first Δ/D converter that digitizes the echo signal amplified and detected by the first receiving circuit 12a;
b is a second A/D converter that digitizes the echo signal amplified and detected by the second wave receiving circuit 12b. Further, 16 is a digital scan converter that stores the echo signals digitized by the 11th and second A/D converters 14a and +4b as image data, and I8 is image data read out at TV speed from the digital scan converter I6. This is a CRT monitor that displays images. Also, 20 is the first
1 This is a control circuit that controls the operations of the second wave transmitting circuit 10aS 10b and the digital scan converter 16.

In this wave transmitting/receiving circuit, a drive signal is output from the first wave transmitting circuit 10a based on a control signal from the control circuit 20, and this drive signal is given to the first array vibrator 4a. Similarly,
A drive signal is output from the second wave transmitting circuit tab, and this drive signal is given to the second array vibrator 4b. This results in
The first and second array transducers 4a and 4b are excited and driven, and ultrasonic waves are emitted from the array transducers. Echoes of the ultrasound reflected from various parts of the subject are received again by the eleventh second array transducers 4a and 4b. 1st. The second array transducers 4a and 4b each output an echo signal corresponding to the received echo, and the echo signal output from the first array transducer 4a is sent to the first receiver circuit 12a, and the second array transducer The echo signal output from the child 4b is sent to the second receiving circuit 12b.
are input respectively. 11th second wave receiving circuit 12a, 1
The echo signals respectively amplified and detected by the second A/D converters 14a and 14b are digitized by the eleventh and second A/D converters 14a and 14b, and then sent to the digital scan converter 16 and stored therein. The data of each echo signal stored in the digital scan converter 16 is appropriately read out by the control circuit 20 at the TV scanning speed, and the read echo signal data is sent to the CRT monitor 18. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the CRT monitor 18 simultaneously displays diagnostic images C1 and C2 based on the ultrasound waves transmitted and received by the first and second array transducers 4a and 4b on the same screen B. Ru.

In the case of -1-, the scanning order of the ultrasonic waves is to alternately excite and drive the eleventh and second array transducers 4a and 4b for scanning, or to scan the first array transducer 4a from full run to after completion. Next, the second array vibrator 4b may be scanned.

In this embodiment, the array transducers 4a and 4b are
Although one is provided, the present invention is not limited to this, and a larger number may be provided. In addition, although the first and second wave transmitting circuits 10a and 10b are provided individually corresponding to the first and second array transducers 4a and 4b, only one wave transmitting circuit is used, and the The connection to the second array vibrators 4a and 4b may be switched.

(F) Effects As described in ``2'', according to the present invention, a plurality of arrayed transducers are arranged in mutually different directions along the circumferential direction of the insertion section, and ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by each arrayed transducer are used. Since diagnostic images are displayed, parts in multiple directions can be observed simultaneously. Therefore, effects such as being able to perform diagnosis more easily than in the past are exhibited.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a conventional example. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear electronic scanning transrectal probe, and FIG. A block diagram of a wave transmitting/receiving circuit connected to a transrectal probe, FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of a display screen, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a linear electronic scanning type transrectal probe. . ■... Linear electronic scanning type transrectal probe, 2... Insertion section, 4a, 4b... Array transducer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a linear electronic scanning type transrectal probe in which an array transducer is provided in the insertion section inserted into the subject, the array transducer is arranged at multiple locations along the circumferential direction in the insertion section. A transrectal probe characterized by: