JPS6282944A - Scanner of ultrasonic endoscope - 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] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to an ultrasound endoscope that is inserted into the body to perform diagnosis based on ultrasound tomograms. This invention relates to improvements to scanning devices for ultrasound endoscopes.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of device is as shown in FIG. 4, for example.
Various optical system members are arranged inside the tip a of the insertion section, and an ultrasonic transducer C is built in, and the ultrasonic waves emitted from the transducer C are transmitted.

A device is known in which scanning is performed mechanically by rotating a scanning member, for example, a vibrator holder d. (Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-78805).

This type of device requires eight questions to detect the rotation angle of the scanning member d and a reference direction serving as a reference for the rotation angle in order to know the scanning direction of the ultrasonic waves, but conventionally, the rotation angle information and 1.
(The rotation angle and 2 & quasi-direction are detected by a display body e that records mold direction information and rotates together with the scanning member d, and one detector f that reads the information and outputs the above two information signals. Ta.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional ultrasonic endoscope scanning device described above outputs two information signals from one detector, so when processing that signal, two information signals are output. The signal processing circuits had to be separated, which made the signal processing circuit complicated and caused an increase in the cost of this type of device, which is produced in small quantities in a wide variety of ways.

However, if a rotation angle detector and a reference direction detector are separately installed inside the tip of the insertion tube, the tip of the insertion tube becomes large, which is a serious drawback for ultrasound endoscopes that are inserted into the body and require miniaturization. Therefore, as mentioned above, conventionally, in order to prevent the distal end of the insertion portion from becoming large, the signal processing circuit has been made complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides a scanning A position of an ultrasound endoscope that can be compactly stored within the tip of the insertion section and can perform signal processing using a medium-sized circuit. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] [In order to achieve the first objective, the ultrasound endoscope scanning device of the present invention has an ultrasonic vibrator installed inside the tip of the insertion section, and the vibration In an ultrasonic endoscope scanning device that rotates and scans ultrasonic waves emitted from a child using a rotationally driven scanning member, rotation angle information and a reference for the rotation angle), (direction information and direction information) are used. is recorded and rotates together with the scanning member, and a rotation angle detection stage F and a reference direction detection stage 1 detect the rotation angle information and reference direction information and output respective detection signals. It is characterized in that it is integrally provided opposite to the display body indicated in -1-.

[Operation] When the scanning member is rotationally driven, the display body on which the rotation angle information and reference direction information are recorded rotates, and the rotation angle detection means and the reference direction detection means read this information and detect each of them. The rotation angle detection means and the reference direction detection means are integrated, so they can be placed inside the tip of the insertion tube as compactly as a single conventional detector. It can be stored.

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3.
Be happy.

FIG. 2 shows the insertion section distal end 1 of the ultrasound endoscope according to the present invention, and the insertion section distal end 1 is connected to the distal end of a flexible tube 2 connected to a known operating section (not shown). .

In the figure, reference numeral 3 denotes the tip body, and a tip cap 4 made of synthetic resin or the like with high ultrasonic propagation efficiency is attached to the tip body 3 in a liquid-tight manner. A storage chamber 5 is formed and filled with a liquid having high ultrasonic propagation efficiency.

Further, a transducer holder 6 is rotatably supported as a scanning member on the tip body 3, and one end of a flexible shaft 7 made of, for example, a tightly wound coil is connected to the transducer holder 6. The other end of the flexible wheel shaft 7 passes through the flexible tube 2 and is connected to the output shaft of a motor 8 at the operating section.

An ultrasonic transducer 9 is attached to the transducer holder 6, and the ultrasonic transducer 9 is provided to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in the radial direction of the tip cap 4.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a signal cable for transmitting an ultrasonic driving signal to the M-wave transducer 9 as well as a received echo wave, and this signal cable IO is inserted into the flexible shaft 7 and connected to the operating section. and is connected to an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver circuit (not shown).

Reference numeral 11 denotes a display body in which rotation angle information and reference direction information serving as a reference for the rotation angle are recorded, and which is integrally attached to the end of the vibrator holder 6 described in 1-1. As shown in FIG. 1, as the rotation angle information recording section 12, a light reflecting section 12a having a mirror surface or a white color and a non-reflecting section 12b having a black color are formed radially in an intersecting pattern along the rotation direction. , the reference direction information recording section 1 is located close to the outside thereof.
3, a non-reflective portion 13b is formed at one location on the surface consisting of the light reflective portion 13a. This reference direction information recording section 13
may be provided close to the inside of the rotation angle information recording section 12, or the non-reflective section may be a light transmitting section; in this case, it may be formed by a method such as vapor deposition of metal on a glass plate or the like. I can do it.

Reference numeral 15.16.17 indicates an optical fiber serving as a rotation angle detection means and reference direction detection means for reading the rotation angle information and reference direction information, and 14 indicates the optical fiber 15.16.17 which is provided facing the display body 11. This support pipe 14 is rotatably provided around its tube axis, and an illumination optical fiber /<-15 is connected to a rotation angle information recording section at the center of the tube axis. 12 and the reference direction information recording section 13, and light receiving optical fibers 16 and 17 are arranged around the illumination optical fiber 15 at a predetermined angle (for example, 135 degrees) to each other. A light receiving optical fiber 16 faces the rotation angle information recording section 12 as a rotation angle detection means, and another light receiving optical fiber 17 faces the direction information recording section 13 as a reference direction detection means. FIG. 3 shows their positional relationship.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a fixing screw for fixing the support pipe 14. When assembling the support pipe 14 to the tip body 3, the support pipe 14 is rotated and the receiving optical fiber 1 is fixed.
6. After adjusting so that 17 is in the proper positional relationship with respect to the rotation angle information recording section 12 and reference direction information recording section 13 on the display body 11, tighten the fixing screw 18 to fix it. . An illumination optical fiber 15 is disposed at the center of the tube axis of the rotatable support pipe 14, and light receiving optical fibers are arranged around the illumination optical fiber 15 at a predetermined angle for detecting the rotation angle and reference direction. 16.17
By arranging this, the positional relationship with respect to the display body 11 can be easily finely adjusted and assembled.

The other end of the optical fiber 15, 16, 17 passes through the flexible tube 2 and is guided to the operating section, and a light emitting element 19 is provided facing the end of the illumination optical fiber 15. Light-receiving elements 20.21 are arranged facing each other at the ends of the light-receiving optical fibers 16.17, and these light-emitting elements 19 and light-receiving elements 20.21 are connected to a signal control circuit 22.

In addition, a known observation window 23 and an illumination window 24 are provided on the side of the tip body 3, and in combination with other known means such as an image guide fiber, the side of the tip body 3 can be viewed from the operation unit side. It is now possible to observe. Next, the operation of an unimplemented example will be explained.

The tip 1 of the insertion portion is inserted into the body, and the side surface of the tip cap 4 is brought into close contact with the body wall of the target region. The motor 8 is driven to rotate the transducer holder 6 via the flexible shaft 7, thereby rotating the ultrasonic transducer 9, and driving the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving circuit (not shown) to generate tlj (sonic wave vibration). Child 9 to M
It transmits ig waves and receives its echo waves.

In parallel with this, one light emitting element 19 is turned on. The light passes through the illumination optical fiber 15 and irradiates the rotation angle information recording section 12 and the reference direction information recording section 13 of the display body 11. When the light reflection section 12a of the rotation angle information recording section 12 is irradiated, the reflected q# light enters the light receiving optical fiber 16 for rotation angle detection, is received by the light receiving element 20, and is reflected in the reference direction information recording section 13. When the light reflecting part 13a is irradiated, the reflected light is 2! Optical fiber 17 for receiving light for direction detection
and is received by the light receiving element 21. In addition, display body 1
1 rotates so that the non-reflective parts 12b and 13b are completely irradiated, the light is absorbed and is not received by the light receiving elements 20 and 21.

The on/off signals from these light receiving elements 20 and 21 are processed by the signal control circuit 22, and the rotation angle of the transducer holder 6 is detected from the output signal of the light receiving optical fiber 16 for rotation angle detection. ) & forward directions of the transducer holder 6 are detected from the output signal of the light-receiving optical fiber 17. By repeating signal processing of the rotation angle information signal, reference direction detection signal, and echo wave signal, reproduction scanning is performed and an ultrasonic tomographic image is displayed on a monitor (not shown).

In the above embodiment, the scanning member was the transducer holder 6 equipped with the ultrasonic transducer 9, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the scanning member may be provided facing the ifi acoustic transducer. and is rotated by a motor. tfl
The display body 1'1 may also be a sound wave reflector.
is not limited to being directly stacked on the scanning member, but may be sunk so that the display body it rotates together with the scanning member.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the scanning device for an l1lfla wave endoscope of the present invention, the rotation angle detection means and the reference direction detection means each independently output a rotation angle detection signal and a reference direction detection signal. , the signal processing circuit has become very simple,
Wide variety - Suitable for production.Moreover, the one-stage rotational direction detection stage and the reference direction detection means are integrally provided facing the display, so the tip of the insertion part is compact and does not cause unnecessary pain to the operator. In addition, there are advantages such as ease of assembly and adjustment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the component parts of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the tip of the insertion portion of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a display body and a lighting device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing the positional relationship with a light-receiving optical fiber, and a side sectional view of a scanning device of a conventional ultrasound endoscope. ■...Insertion part tip 3...Tip body 6...
Transducer holder 7... iIr j Axis 8... Motor 9... Ultrasonic transducer 10... Signal cable 11... Display body 12... Rotation angle information recording section 13... J , Ii Power direction information recording section 12a13a...Light reflecting section 12b, 13b...Non-reflection section L4...Supporting vibe 15...Optical fiber for illumination 16.17...Optical fiber for light reception 19... Light-emitting element 20.21...Light-receiving son Patent applicant Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic transducer is provided inside the distal end of the insertion section, and ultrasonic waves emitted from the transducer are rotationally scanned by a rotationally driven scanning member. In the scanning device, a display body is provided which records rotation angle information and reference direction information serving as a reference for the rotation angle and rotates together with the scanning member, and also detects the rotation angle information and reference direction information and performs each detection. A scanning device for an ultrasound endoscope, characterized in that a rotation angle detection means and a reference direction detection means that output signals independently are provided integrally facing the display body. 2. The rotation angle detection means and the reference direction detection means each include an illumination means for irradiating light onto the display body and a light reception means for receiving reflected light from the display body of the illumination light. A scanning device for an ultrasonic endoscope as described in Section 1. 3. The scanning device for an ultrasound endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the illuminating means and the light receiving means are both optical fibers. 4. The above optical fibers are arranged in one support pipe, with the illumination optical fiber at the center of the tube axis, and the light receiving optical fibers for rotation angle detection and reference direction detection around the illumination optical fiber. The scanning device for an ultrasound endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the scanning device is arranged at a predetermined angle. 5. The rotation angle information is recorded along the rotational circumferential direction of the display body, the reference direction information is recorded close to the outside or inside thereof, and the pipe axis center of the support pipe is opposed to the boundary between them. A scanning device for an ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the scanning device is disposed in the ultrasonic endoscope. 6. The scanning device for an ultrasound endoscope according to claim 5, wherein the support pipe is rotatable about its tube axis and can be fixed at any rotational position. 7. The rotation angle information and the reference direction information are both recorded by forming a light reflecting part and a light absorbing part on the display body. The scanning device for an ultrasound endoscope according to item 1.