JPS6125445Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention is a high-speed scanning system that allows the movement of a living body to be observed in real time and also allows for easy switching to indicate the direction of the probe. The present invention relates to a probe for ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.

The so-called high-speed scan method, which is the usual electronic scan method or mechanical scan method in ultrasound diagnosis, is
It is rapidly becoming popular because it allows the observation of movements within the body and is effective in diagnosing the functions of the body.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a schematic system diagram of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this type. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 1, ultrasonic pulses are emitted toward a living body 14 by an ultrasonic transducer group 2 included in an ultrasound probe 1, and the ultrasound signals reflected by the living body are It is converted into an electrical signal again by the ultrasonic transducer group 2, and the reflected echo signal 1
7 and is input to the receiver/amplifier 3. Reception/
The signal amplified by the amplifier 3 is sequentially stored in the image memory/scanning method conversion circuit 7, and simultaneously read out using a scanning method suitable for the output monitor 9.

On the other hand, the output signal 9 from the direction mark generator 8, which generates an electrical signal for displaying a mark indicating the direction of the probe, as shown in the upper left of the real-time image shown in FIG. After the switch 10 makes the direction of the probe coincide with the direction of the mark, the probe is guided to the mixer 11.

In the switch, the signal from the scanning method conversion circuit 7 and the signal from the direction mark changeover switch 9 are mixed to form one image, which is then sent to the monitor 13 for display. be done.

Further, in this device, the image memory and scanning method conversion circuit 7 are controlled by the switch 6, and when the switch 6 is turned OFF, writing of new data to the image memory is stopped;
The image at the moment it is turned off is stored in the image memory and displayed on the monitor 9 as a still image.

Although the electronic scan system has been described above, the mechanical scan system is also comprised of substantially the same system.

In that case, the ultrasonic transducer group 2 in the figure is formed by only one transducer 2, which is rotated or moved in sectors by a drive device (not shown). It has a structure that makes you feel like you're being forced to do it.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a receiver/amplifier 3, a pulse generator 4, a control circuit 5, an image memory/scanning method conversion circuit 7, a direction mark generator 8, and a direction mark changeover switch 10 are the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. 12
is equipped with.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this type, a changeover switch 10 is used to change the direction of the mark indicating the direction of the probe.
was installed in the main body 12 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and was installed separately from the ultrasonic probe 1.

When using this device clinically, a doctor or laboratory technician should hold only the probe 1 and monitor the monitor 13.
Diagnosis is carried out by applying the probe 1 to the living body while observing. However, when the probe is removed from the living body, the moving image displayed on the monitor cannot display the living body. Moreover, with this conventional device, even if you want to change the direction of the mark that indicates the direction of the probe, the switch is attached to the main body of the ultrasound diagnostic device, making it inconvenient to operate. It was hot.

The present invention was developed in view of this, and it solves these shortcomings by incorporating a changeover switch into the probe to change the direction of the mark that indicates the direction of the probe. be.

That is, an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 1 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 3 and 4 that have the same symbols as those in FIG. 1 have the same effects as the components in FIG.
The explanation will be omitted as appropriate. Therefore, in FIGS. 3 and 4, the probe 15 is the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, and in FIG. This device is the same as the device shown in FIG. 1, except that in FIG. It has the structure and function of

In the ultrasonic probe 15 according to the present invention, the position of the switch is determined so that it is easiest for a doctor or a laboratory technician to operate the probe. In this way, when using the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention,
During clinical diagnosis, the direction of the probe 15 can be displayed on the monitor 13 together with the ultrasonic diagnostic image.
This has the advantage that the entire device can be easily operated.

In the above description, the monitor 9 was explained as a separate element from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus main body 8, but even if the monitor 9 is included in the main body 8, the probe of the present invention can be used in the same way. Needless to say.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a static and dynamic ultrasound diagnostic device using a conventional high-speed scanning ultrasound probe, and Figure 2 shows the direction of the probe simultaneously displayed on the ultrasound image. Examples of images, Figures 3 and 4, are
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a static and dynamic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention. 1... Conventional high-speed scan ultrasonic probe, 2
...Ultrasonic transducer or transducer group, 3...Reflected echo signal receiver/amplifier,
4... Pulse generator, 5... Control circuit, 6... Changeover switch, 7... Image memory/scanning method conversion circuit, 8... Direction mark generator, 9... Output signal,
10...Direction mark changeover switch, 11...Mixer, 12...Main body of ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, 13...Monitor, 14...Living body, 15...High-speed scan ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, 16 ...pulse signal,
17...Reflected echo signal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It is characterized by comprising an ultrasonic transducer or a group of transducers that mutually convert an electric signal and an ultrasonic signal, and a changeover switch for switching the direction of a mark indicating the direction of the probe. , an ultrasonic probe for high-speed scanning ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.