KR102541586B1 - Ultrasonic test system and ultrasonic test method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are an ultrasonic test system and a method thereof. The ultrasonic test system according to one embodiment comprises: an accommodation device configured to form an accommodation space for accommodating an ultrasonic transfer medium, and having an inclined surface at one side thereof; a specimen located to be inclined in the accommodation device for the purpose of an ultrasonic test; a holder configured to hold the specimen; a movement stage configured to move the holder; a rotary stage configured to rotate the holder; and an ultrasonic treatment head including a transducer performing imaging and treatment at the same time, and assembled to be inclined by allowing a contact surface to come in contact with the inclined surface of the accommodation device.

Description

Ultrasonic test system and method thereof {Ultrasonic test system and ultrasonic test method thereof}

The present invention relates to a non-clinical research technique using ultrasound, and more particularly, to an image ultrasound test technique using focused ultrasound (hereinafter referred to as FUS) for image-guided therapy.

Ultrasound signals can be used to treat biological tissues such as cancer, tumors, and lesions. Treatment using ultrasound is a method of treating lesions by irradiating ultrasonic signals to lesions in the human body. Compared to a general surgical operation or chemotherapy method, ultrasound treatment may cause less damage to a patient's trauma and realize a non-invasive treatment. Examples of its application include liver cancer, bone sarcoma, breast cancer, pancreas cancer, kidney cancer, soft tissue tumor, and pelvic tumor ) and so on.

Ultrasound can be used for non-clinical research purposes. Conventional ultrasonic research equipment includes an ultrasonic diagnostic device for identifying a target of a test object and an ultrasonic treatment device for treating the target. At this time, after treatment is performed at the first target position of the specimen, in order to proceed with treatment at the next position, the specimen must be moved and manipulated.

In addition, since the ultrasonic treatment head is positioned horizontally with the target position of the test object in the conventional ultrasonic research equipment, the size of the ultrasonic treatment head is limited in order to maintain breathing of the small test object.

Furthermore, in the conventional ultrasonic research equipment, the movement of the specimen is limited to only the translational movement of the x, y, and z axes, so in order to change the position of the target in three dimensions, the position of the specimen fixed to the cradle is changed and then the test is performed. Since the test has to be performed, the test time is delayed and inconvenience occurs due to operation.

According to an embodiment, when performing an ultrasound test for the purpose of ultrasound research, ultrasound diagnosis and ultrasound treatment can be performed simultaneously, the test body does not need to be moved to move the target location of the test body, and the breathing stability of the test body can be improved. An ultrasonic test system and its method are proposed.

An ultrasonic test system according to an embodiment includes an accommodation device that forms an accommodation space for accommodating an ultrasound transmission medium and has an inclined surface at one side, a test body inclined in the accommodation device for the purpose of ultrasonic testing, and a test body. A cradle for mounting, a moving stage for moving the cradle, and a rotation stage for rotating the cradle; and

It includes a transducer that simultaneously performs imaging and treatment, and includes an ultrasonic treatment head that is tilted and assembled by contacting a contact surface to an inclined surface of a receiving device.

After the test object is fixed in the initial position, the ultrasonic treatment head moves the target of the test object to the next treatment position through mechanical movement of the transducer aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head without moving the cradle to move the target of the test object to the next treatment position. can be moved

The ultrasonic treatment head includes a treatment transducer and an imaging transducer located at the center of the treatment transducer, a structure in which the treatment transducer and the imaging transducer are physically aligned, and a first mechanism for steering the mechanical movement of the entire structure. and a second mechanism for steering the mechanical movement of the imaging transducer or therapy transducer alone within the structure.

The first mechanism may include a structure rotation mechanism for steering the rotation of the entire structure and a structure tilting mechanism for steering the tilting movement of the entire structure.

The ultrasonic test system further includes a laser beam that provides a focal position of the focused ultrasound and confirms an initial position of a target in the test specimen, and moves the target of the specimen to the focal position using at least one of a moving stage and a rotation stage. can

The ultrasonic test system may further include a degassing device for degassing the ultrasonic transmission medium.

The ultrasonic test system may further include a temperature control device for adjusting the temperature of the test object.

The ultrasound testing system may further include an electronic signal generator configured to drive the therapeutic transducer to emit focused ultrasound waves, and a controller configured to drive the electronic signal generator and each mechanism to steer a focus of the focused ultrasound waves. there is.

An ultrasonic test method according to another embodiment includes fixing a test object located in an accommodation space to an initial position through movement of a holder for the purpose of an ultrasonic test, and placing an ultrasonic treatment head at a first target position of the test object fixed in the initial position. irradiation of ultrasound for diagnosis and treatment using ultrasound, moving the target of the specimen to the second target position, which is the next treatment position, through the mechanical movement of the transducers arranged in the ultrasonic treatment head; and irradiating ultrasound to a second target location using an ultrasound treatment head for ultrasound diagnosis and treatment.

According to the ultrasound test system and method according to an embodiment, when an ultrasound test is performed for the purpose of ultrasound research, ultrasound diagnosis and ultrasound treatment may be simultaneously performed.

Since the test body does not have to be moved to move the target position of the test body, the test period is shortened and the operation is easy. For example, in order to move the target of the test body to the next treatment position after the test body is fixed in the initial position, the test body has to be moved conventionally. The target of the specimen can be moved to the next treatment position through mechanical steering.

To this end, the mechanical movement of the treatment transducers and imaging transducers within the ultrasound treatment head may be steered. In this case, the treatment transducer and the imaging transducer may be mechanically steered together, and the treatment transducer and the imaging transducer may be mechanically steered, respectively. The mechanical steering is capable of rotational and tilting motions for the treatment transducers and imaging transducers, and rotational motions for the imaging transducers.

Through mechanical adjustment including rotation and tilt of the structure in which the physical positions of the treatment transducer and the imaging transducer are aligned, the treatment range can be expanded, and the treatment area can be confirmed and treated within a short time. Furthermore, since the ultrasonic treatment head can be automatically aligned with the target, there is no need to change the transducer according to the treatment environment and various body environments.

When controlling mechanical steering, by using a pulley/belt structure, a gear structure, or a composite structure thereof, it is possible to reduce noise, secure durability, and achieve miniaturization of the ultrasonic treatment head. Accuracy can be increased by implementing mechanical steering and electronic steering together.

In addition, since the ultrasonic treatment head is tilted, it is possible to widen the respiration stable area of the specimen and expand the size range of the ultrasonic transducer, which has been limited.

Furthermore, since the test body can be rotated using the rotation stage, the desired target position can be easily adjusted in three dimensions, so there is no need to separate the test body from the cradle and the test time can be shortened.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing the appearance of an ultrasonic testing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a view showing an example of focusing a test object through a tilting operation of an ultrasonic treatment head according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of an ultrasonic treatment head according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a view showing the structure of a structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a view showing the structure of a structure from which a case is removed according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
8 and 9 are views showing the upper surface of the structure for showing the entire rotation operation of the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
10 to 12 are diagrams showing the structure of a structure for showing the entire tilting operation of the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
13 is a view showing the internal structure of an ultrasonic treatment head for showing a rotational motion of an imaging probe according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
14 is a view showing the structure of a structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
15 is a view showing the structure of a structure from which a case is removed according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
16 and 17 are views showing the upper surface of a structure for showing the entire rotational operation of the structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
18 is a view showing the structure of a structure for showing the entire tilting operation of the structure and the internal structure of the ultrasonic treatment head for showing the rotational operation of the imaging probe according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
19 is a view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic treatment head seen in an operating state according to an embodiment of the present invention;
20 is a diagram showing the flow of an ultrasonic test method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the present embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

In describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted, and the terms described later will be used in the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are defined in consideration of the functions of and may vary depending on the user's or operator's intention or custom. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

Combinations of each block of the accompanying block diagram and each step of the flowchart may be executed by computer program instructions (execution engine), and these computer program instructions are executed by a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device. Since it can be mounted, the instructions executed through the processor of a computer or other programmable data processing device create means for performing the functions described in each block of the block diagram or each step of the flowchart.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing device to implement functionality in a particular way, such that the computer usable or computer readable memory The instructions stored in are also capable of producing an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the functions described in each block of the block diagram or each step of the flow chart.

And since the computer program instructions can also be loaded on a computer or other programmable data processing device, a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device to create a computer-executed process to create a computer or other programmable data processing device. It is also possible that the instructions for performing the data processing apparatus provide steps for executing the functions described in each block of the block diagram and each step of the flowchart.

In addition, each block or each step may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing specified logical functions, and in some alternative embodiments may refer to blocks or steps. It should be noted that it is also possible for functions to occur out of order. For example, two blocks or steps shown in succession may in fact be performed substantially concurrently, or the blocks or steps may be performed in the reverse order of their corresponding functions, if necessary.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention exemplified below may be modified in many different forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing the appearance of an ultrasonic testing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the ultrasonic test system includes an ultrasonic treatment head 1, a test body 100, a cradle 200, an x-axis movement stage 301, a y-axis movement stage 302, a z-axis movement stage 303, rotation stage 304, containment device 400, temperature control device 500, degassing device 600, and laser beams 701 and 702.

The accommodating device 400 forms an accommodating space for accommodating the ultrasonic transmission medium 410 between the focused ultrasonic radiation surface. The receiving device 400 has a structure that blocks the ultrasonic radiation surface. The ultrasonic transmission medium may consist of degassed water or the like. When the ultrasonic transmission medium 410 is water, the containment device may be a water bath. The receiving device 400 has one side inclined, and the ultrasonic treatment head 1 is coupled and mounted on the inclined surface. The inclined surface of the receiving device 400 may have an opening space, and the opening space may be coupled to the edge of the ultrasonic radiation surface of the treatment transducer in the ultrasonic treatment head in a sealed state, so it is not limited to the illustrated bar.

The test body 100 is tilted in the housing device 400, and is mounted and fixed on the holder 200.

The moving stages 301 , 302 , and 303 move the cradle 200 . The movement stages 301 , 302 , and 303 may include an x-axis movement stage 301 that moves in the x-axis, a y-axis movement stage 302 that moves in the y-axis, and a z-axis movement stage 303 that moves in the z-axis. The rotation stage 304 rotates the cradle 200 .

In the ultrasonic therapy head 1, an imaging transducer and a therapy transducer are physically aligned within a structure to perform imaging and treatment simultaneously. The ultrasonic treatment head 1 is assembled by tilting the contact surface in contact with the inclined surface of the receiving device 400. Since the positions of the test body 100 and the ultrasonic treatment head 1 are inclined, the size range of the ultrasonic treatment head 1 can be expanded, and the breathing stable position of the test body 100 can be further secured.

The cradle 200 is used to fix the test body 100 in its initial position. At this time, the specimen 100 may be moved to the initial position by manipulating the cradle 200. The operation of the cradle 200 can be both automatic and manual. The movement of the specimen 100 can be performed not only in translation using the moving stages 301, 302, and 303, but also in rotation using the rotation stage 304, so that the specimen 100 is moved to an initial position or the specimen 100 is moved from an initially fixed position ( 100), the position can be changed in three dimensions when the target is changed. Accordingly, the test time can be shortened.

After the specimen 100 is fixed in its initial position, imaging and treatment are performed on the specimen 100 using the transducer of the ultrasonic treatment head 1 . Then, in order to move the target of the test body 100 to the next treatment position, the test body 100 had to be moved through the cradle 200 in the related art. However, in the ultrasonic test system according to an embodiment, the specimen 100 is fixed to the holder 200 without manipulation of the holder 200, and the specimen 100 is fixed to the holder 200 as it is, and the specimen ( 100) may be moved to the next treatment position. Accordingly, it is not necessary to move the test body 100 to move the target position. Mechanical movement of the transducer can be performed automatically. The mechanical motion includes at least one of tilting and rotational motions, and after fixing the test body 100, the focus position may be changed to a desired target without manipulating the cradle 200. The internal structure of the ultrasonic treatment head 1 will be described later in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 .

The temperature controller 500 automatically adjusts the temperature to maintain the temperature of the test object 100 equal to the body temperature of the test object 100. The degassing device 600 performs degassing of an ultrasonic transmission medium, for example water.

The laser beams 701 and 702 indicate the reference position of the focused ultrasound and are used for moving and confirming the target of the test body 100 to the reference position. The test body 100 is fixed to the cradle 200, and the target of the test body 100 may be moved to a reference position using the moving stages 301, 302, and 303 and the rotation stage 304. At this time, the target of the test body 100 may be three-dimensionally positioned using the rotation stage 304 .

3 is a view showing an example of focusing a test object through a tilting operation of an ultrasonic treatment head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , the ultrasonic treatment head 1 is assembled by tilting on the inclined surface of the receiving device 400, and the test body 100 is fixed to the cradle 200. The target of the specimen 100 fixed to the cradle 200 can be moved to the focus position 900 indicated by the laser beams 701 and 702 using the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis stages 301, 302, and 303, and the rotation stage 304 ) to position the desired target.

The target of the specimen 100 fixed in the initial position is mechanically steering (tilt, rotation) of the ultrasonic treatment head 1 without a separate stage movement or rotation to go to the next treatment position after treatment (additional focal length steering operation is possible) It is possible to adjust the focus position 900 only.

The tilted ultrasonic treatment head 1 can increase the level of the ultrasonic transmission medium 410 (the level at which the test subject can breathe), thereby increasing the size of the ultrasonic treatment head 1, which was limited in size.

Hereinafter, based on the drawings to be described later, the fact that the ultrasonic treatment head can simultaneously perform imaging and treatment and mechanical steering including tilt and rotation will be described in detail through a description of the configuration and operation of the ultrasonic treatment head.

4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of an ultrasonic treatment head according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , the ultrasonic treatment head 1 includes an imaging transducer 3 , a treatment transducer 4 , a first mechanism, a second mechanism and a housing 12 . After physically aligning the positions of the imaging transducer 3 and the treatment transducer 4 , the structure 2 may be provided by assembling them. The first mechanism may include a structure rotation mechanism (5) and a structure tilting mechanism (6), and the second mechanism may include an imaging transducer rotation mechanism (7).

The treatment transducer 4 is configured to emit focused ultrasound for treatment to a test subject. As shown in FIG. 4 , the treatment transducer 4 may have a focused ultrasound radiating surface formed in a concave curved shape with a central point at the bottom thereof. At this time, the focused ultrasound radiation surface may have a predetermined thickness and be formed in a substantially hemispherical shape. The treatment transducer 4 generates a focused ultrasound signal (FUS) and focuses it on a focal region. The treatment transducer 4 may have an array structure composed of a plurality of pieces, and the plurality of treatment transducers constituting the array may be arranged in a random form.

The treatment transducer 4 may be used for treatment purposes, such as tissue destruction, drug delivery, and the like, which is a treatment using ultrasound imaging called Image Guided Therapy. As one of the ultrasound image-guided treatments, there is a treatment method that more accurately hits a specific treatment area (eg, cancer cells) with a treatment agent. For example, when nanoparticles contain a therapeutic agent and are sent to the treatment area through blood vessels by intravenous injection, etc., and then, through the treatment transducer 4, ultrasonic energy harmless to the human body is exposed to the nanoparticles containing the therapeutic agent. As the bubbles of the particles burst, the therapeutic agent contained in them is delivered to a specific treatment area. This method is a treatment method that intensively increases the concentration of a therapeutic agent in a specific treatment area, and can increase the efficacy of existing therapeutic agents several times. However, the present invention is not limited to drug delivery, and can be used in all ultrasound technologies capable of ultrasound treatment. Of course, it can also be used in various treatment methods such as thermal treatment and nerve stimulation in the field of drug delivery.

The imaging transducer 3 is for acquiring a diagnostic image of the test object. The researcher can perform focused ultrasound treatment on the test subject while checking the diagnostic image acquired by the imaging transducer 3. The imaging transducer 3 may be configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal to a test object and receive an ultrasonic signal reflected from the test object. For example, the imaging transducer 3 may include a piezoelectric element or the like embedded in a cylindrical casing. Ultrasonic waves may be transmitted and received through the lower surface of the imaging transducer 3 . The imaging transducer 3 may be inserted through the center of the focused ultrasound radiation surface of the therapy transducer 4 . To this end, an insertion hole for inserting the imaging transducer 3 may be formed in the center of the focused ultrasound radiation surface of the treatment transducer 4 .

The housing 12 accommodates the components of the ultrasonic treatment head 1 . The lower side of the housing 12 according to an embodiment may be opened to expose the focused ultrasound radiation surface of the treatment transducer 4 . The focused ultrasound radiation surface may be formed such that an edge is coupled to the lower opening of the housing 12 to block the lower opening of the housing 12 .

The ultrasonic treatment head 1 according to an embodiment steering the mechanical motion of the entire structure through a first mechanism for a structure in which the imaging transducer 3 and the treatment transducer 4 are physically aligned, and 2 Mechanisms can steer the independent mechanical movement of imaging transducers or therapeutic transducers within the structure.

The first mechanism may include a structure rotation mechanism 5 for steering the rotation of the entire structure and a structure tilting mechanism 6 for steering the tilting movement of the entire structure. The second mechanism may include an imaging transducer rotation mechanism 7 that steers single rotation of the imaging transducer 3 .

The structure rotation mechanism 5, the structure tilting mechanism 6, and the imaging transducer rotation mechanism 7 may perform mechanical steering using a pulley/belt structure, a gear structure, a composite structure, and the like. The composite structure is a combination of a pulley/belt structure and a gear structure, for example, the structure rotation mechanism 5 is a pulley and connection structure, and the structure tilting mechanism 6 is a gear structure.

Hereinafter, a mechanical steering operation of an ultrasonic treatment head using a pulley/belt structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5 .

Referring to FIG. 5, the ultrasonic treatment head 1 provides a mechanical move function for the entire structure including the imaging transducer 3 and the treatment transducer 4, and the imaging transducer 3 Alternatively, a mechanical movement function for the therapy transducer 4 alone may be provided. For example, providing mechanical rotation (Pan) and mechanical tilting (Tilt) functions for the entire structure including the imaging transducer 3 and the therapeutic transducer 4, and the imaging transducer 3 or the therapeutic transducer (4) It provides a mechanical rotation (Pan) function for the sole. A connection may be used for the aforementioned mechanical movement. For example, the ultrasonic treatment head 1 has a structure of a first motor 50 and a first connection part 51 to provide a mechanical rotation (Pan) function for the entire structure, and the entire structure tilts (Tilt) function It has a structure of a second motor 60 and a second connection part 61 to provide a third motor 70 and a third connection part 71 to provide a single rotation (Pan) function of the imaging transducer 3. ) structure. At this time, each connection part (51, 61, 71) may be a belt.

6 is a view showing the structure of a structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a view showing the structure of a structure from which a case is removed according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , an imaging transducer 3 and a therapeutic transducer 4 are aligned and restrained within the structure 2 . To this end, structure 2 includes an aligner for physically aligning imaging transducers 3 and therapy transducers 4 within structure 2 . The aligner includes, for example, a case 9 for accommodating at least a part of the structure 2, and a vertically erected fixing device 90-1, 90-2 for fixing the case 9 and the structure 2. can include At this time, the first fixing device 90-1 couples and fixes the case 9 and the structure 2. The second fixing device 90-2 is coupled and fixed only to the case 9, and the second motor 60 mounted on the second fixing device 90-2 is separated from the structure 2 by the second connection part 61 ), the structure 2 can be tilted left and right by the rotation of the second connection part 61 when the second motor 60 is driven. The second connection part 61 may be a belt.

The upper end of the case 9 includes a fixed shaft 54 and a first fixed pulley 52 fixed to the fixed shaft 54, and the first fixed pulley 52 is controlled by a first connection part 51. It has a structure wound together with the motor pulley of one motor (50). When the first motor 50 rotates, the first fixing pulley 52 connected to the first connection portion 51 rotates due to the rotation of the first connection portion 51, so that the treatment transducer 4 and the imaging transducer The structure (2) including (3) is rotated at the same time. The first connection part 51 may be a belt. An embodiment of rotation of the structure will be described later with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

In the structure 2, the second motor 60 is mounted on the second fixing device 90-2 formed in the vertical direction. When the second motor 60 is driven, the structure 2 fixed to the second fixing pulley 62 is tilted left and right by the rotation of the second connection part 61 . The second connection part 61 may be a belt. An embodiment of the tilting structure will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12 .

On the other hand, the imaging transducer 3 has a third fixing pulley 72 fixed to one end (eg, lower end), and the third fixing pulley 72 is connected to a third motor ( 70) has a structure wound together with the motor pulley. When the third motor 70 rotates, the third fixing pulley 72 connected to the third connection portion 71 rotates due to the rotation of the third connection portion 71 to rotate the imaging transducer 3 alone. can The third connection part 71 may be a belt. An embodiment of single rotation of the imaging transducer 3 will be described later with reference to FIG. 13 .

8 and 9 are views showing the upper surface of the structure for showing the entire rotation operation of the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 , the entire structure 2 can freely rotate 180 degrees in a clockwise direction (CW) and 180 degrees in a counterclockwise direction (CCW), a total of 360 degrees. For example, in the structure 2 of FIG. 8, when the first motor 50 rotates clockwise by 90 degrees, as shown in FIG. The first fixing pulley 52 connected to rotates 90 degrees clockwise so that the structure 2 to which the first fixing pulley 52 is mounted rotates 90 degrees clockwise.

10 to 12 are diagrams showing the structure of a structure for showing the entire tilting operation of the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

10 to 12, the second motor 60 is mounted on the second fixing device 90-2 formed in the vertical direction. At this time, when the second motor 60 is driven, the structure 2 fixed to the second fixing pulley 62 is tilted left and right due to the rotation of the second connection part 61 . At this time, the tilting angle may be 10 degrees left and right, but is not limited thereto.

13 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the ultrasound treatment head for showing the rotational operation of the imaging transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 13 , the imaging transducer 3 has a third fixing pulley 72 fixed to one end (eg, lower end), and the third fixing pulley 72 is connected by a third connection part 71. It has a structure wound together with the motor pulley of the third motor (70). When the third motor 70 rotates, the third fixing pulley 72 connected to the third connection portion 71 rotates due to the rotation of the third connection portion 71 to rotate the imaging transducer 3 alone. can

14 is a view showing the structure of a structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a view showing the structure of a structure from which a case is removed according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 , description will be given mainly on contents different from those of the first embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 .

14 and 15, the structure rotating mechanism 5 includes a first gear 101, a first motor 50 and a second gear 102, and at least one first connection part 51 can include The first connection part 51 may be a gear.

The first gear 101 is horizontally fixed to the top of the structure 2 . The first motor 50 is spaced apart from the first gear 101 at a predetermined interval to provide power for rotation of the entire structure. The second gear 102 is coupled to the first motor 50 to rotate. At this time, when the first motor 50 is driven, the second gear 102 directly rotates the first gear 101, or at least one or more connecting the first gear 101 and the second gear 102 By rotating the first gear 101 through the first connection portion 51, the imaging transducer 3 and the treatment transducer 4 in the structure 2 may be rotated together.

The structure tilting mechanism 6 includes a third gear 103, a second motor 60, and a fourth gear (not shown), and may include at least one second connection part 61. The second connection part 61 may be a gear.

The third gear 103 is vertically fixed to one side of the structure 2 . The second motor 60 is spaced apart from the third gear 103 at a predetermined interval to provide power for rotation of the entire structure. A fourth gear (not shown) is coupled to the second motor 60 to rotate. At this time, when the second motor 60 is driven, the fourth gear (not shown) directly rotates the third gear 103, or at least connects the third gear 103 and the fourth gear (not shown). As the third gear 103 is rotated through one or more second connection parts 61, the imaging transducer 3 and the treatment transducer 4 in the structure 2 may be tilted together.

The imaging transducer rotating mechanism 7 includes a fifth gear 105, a third motor 70, and a sixth gear 106, and may include at least one third connection part (not shown). The third connecting portion (not shown) may be a gear.

The fifth gear 105 is fixed to the imaging transducer 3 horizontally. The third motor 70 is spaced apart from the fifth gear 105 at a predetermined interval to provide power for rotation of the entire structure. The sixth gear 106 is coupled to the third motor 70 to rotate. At this time, when the third motor 70 is driven, the sixth gear 106 directly rotates the fifth gear 105, or at least one or more connecting the fifth gear 105 and the sixth gear 106 As the fifth gear 105 is rotated through the third connecting portion (not shown), the imaging transducer 3 can be rotated independently.

16 and 17 are views showing the upper surface of the structure for showing the entire rotation operation of the structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 16 and 17 , description will be mainly made on contents different from those of the first embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 .

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17 , the entire structure 2 can freely rotate 180 degrees in a clockwise direction (CW) and 180 degrees in a counterclockwise direction (CCW), a total of 360 degrees. For example, in the structure 2 of FIG. 16, when the first motor 50 rotates 90 degrees clockwise, as shown in FIG. 17, the second gear 102 operates when the first motor 50 is driven. By rotating the first gear 101 clockwise by 90 degrees through at least one first connecting portion 51 connecting the first gear 101 and the second gear 102, the structure 2 rotates clockwise. will rotate 90 degrees.

18 is a view showing the structure of the structure for showing the entire tilting operation of the structure and the internal structure of the ultrasound treatment head for showing the rotational operation of the imaging transducer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 18 to 19 , description will be given mainly on contents different from those of the first embodiment of FIGS. 10 to 13 .

18 to 19, the second motor 60 is mounted on the second fixing device 90-2 formed in the vertical direction. At this time, when the second motor 60 is driven, the fourth gear (not shown) directly rotates the third gear 103, or at least connects the third gear 103 and the fourth gear (not shown). As the third gear 103 is rotated through one or more second connection parts 61, the structure 2 is tilted left and right. At this time, the tilting angle may be 10 degrees left and right, but is not limited thereto.

In the imaging transducer 3, when the third motor 70 is driven, the sixth gear 106 directly rotates the fifth gear 105, or the fifth gear 105 and the sixth gear 106 rotate As the fifth gear 105 is rotated through at least one third connecting portion (not shown), the imaging transducer 3 can be rotated independently.

19 is a view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic treatment head seen in an operating state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 19 , the ultrasonic treatment head further includes an electronic signal generator 13 and a controller 14 in the configurations of FIGS. 4 and 5 .

The electronic signal generator 13 is configured to drive the therapy transducer 4 to emit focused ultrasound waves. The controller 14 is configured to drive the electronic signal generator 13 and each motor 50, 60, 70 of the mechanism to steer the focus of the focused ultrasound. Controller 14 may be, for example, a programmed computer or microcontroller. The controller 14 may receive image data from the imaging transducer 3 to automatically perform steering. For example, the controller 14 may direct the electronic signal generator 13 and each motor 50, 60, 70 of the mechanism to compensate for physiological movements of the target while scanning the target area along a predetermined path in focus. can drive Steering through the electronic signal generator 13 of the controller 14 corresponds to electronic steering, and steering through a mechanism corresponds to mechanical steering. That is, the ultrasonic treatment head according to an embodiment may use a hybrid combination of electronic and mechanical steering.

20 is a diagram showing the flow of an ultrasonic test method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 20 , in the ultrasonic test system, the specimen 100 located in the accommodation space 400 is fixed to an initial position through the movement of the cradle 200 for the purpose of ultrasonic testing (2010).

Then, the ultrasonic test system irradiates ultrasonic waves for ultrasonic diagnosis and treatment using the ultrasonic treatment head 1 to the first target position of the test body 100 fixed at the initial position (2020).

Subsequently, the ultrasonic test system moves the target of the test object to the second target position, which is the next treatment position, through mechanical movement of the transducers aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head (2030). At this time, without manipulating the cradle 200, the specimen 100 is fixed to the cradle 200 as it is, and the target of the specimen 100 is moved to the next treatment position through mechanical movement of the transducers aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head 1. can be moved to Accordingly, it is not necessary to move the test body 100 to move the target position. Mechanical movement of the transducer can be performed automatically.

In step 2030 of performing a mechanical movement on the ultrasonic treatment head 1, a structure in which the treatment transducer 4 and the imaging transducer 3 are aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head 1 may be mechanically steered. For example, the ultrasound treatment head 1 may use a structure of a pulley and a first connection part 51 or a gear structure to steer the mechanical rotation of the entire structure, and a structure of a pulley and a second connection part 61 It is possible to steer the mechanical tilting movement of the entire structure by using or using a gear structure. Furthermore, the physical rotation of the imaging transducer 3 or the treatment transducer 4 within the structure may be independently steered. For example, the imaging transducer 3 may be formed by using a structure of a pulley and a third connection part 71 or a structure of a gear so as to obtain an image of a treatment area using ultrasound emitted from the imaging transducer 3. can be mechanically steered alone.

Subsequently, the ultrasonic test system irradiates ultrasonic waves to the moved second target position of the test object for ultrasonic diagnosis and treatment using the ultrasonic treatment head 1 (2040).

So far, the present invention has been looked at mainly by its embodiments. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to understand that the present invention may be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from a descriptive point of view rather than a limiting point of view. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims (9)

In the ultrasonic test system for non-clinical research,
An accommodation device that forms an accommodation space for accommodating an ultrasonic transmission medium and has an inclined surface at one side;
A test body inclined and positioned in the containment device for the purpose of ultrasonic testing and capable of breathing;
A cradle for mounting the test body;
a moving stage for moving the cradle;
a rotation stage for rotating the cradle; and
an ultrasonic treatment head including a transducer that performs imaging and treatment at the same time, and is tilted and assembled by contacting a contact surface with an inclined surface of the receiving device; including,
The specimen and ultrasonic treatment head are tilted, thereby expanding the size range of the ultrasonic treatment head and securing a stable breathing position for the specimen,
After positioning the target of the specimen at the first target position through the movement and rotation of the cradle, the first target of the specimen is aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head without movement and rotation of the cradle to move the first target of the specimen to the second target, which is the next treatment position. An ultrasonic test system, characterized in that for moving the first target of the test body to the second target position through the mechanical movement of the transducer. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic treatment head
therapeutic transducers; And an imaging transducer located in the center of the treatment transducer; Including, a structure in which the treatment transducer and the imaging transducer are physically aligned;
A first mechanism for steering the mechanical movement of the entire structure; and
a second mechanism for steering the mechanical movement of the imaging transducer or therapy transducer alone within the structure;
Ultrasonic test system comprising a. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first mechanism
A structure rotation mechanism that steers the rotation of the entire structure; and
Structure tilting mechanism for steering the tilting movement of the entire structure;
Ultrasonic test system comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test system
A laser beam confirming an initial position of a target in a test body by providing a focal position of focused ultrasound; Including more,
The ultrasonic test system, characterized in that for moving the target of the test body to the focus position using at least one of the moving stage and the rotating stage. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test system
a degassing device for degassing the ultrasonic transmission medium;
Ultrasonic test system further comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test system
A temperature control device that controls the temperature of the test body;
Ultrasonic test system further comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test system
an electronic signal generator configured to drive the therapy transducer to emit focused ultrasound waves; and
a controller configured to drive the electronic signal generator and each mechanism to steer the focus of the focused ultrasound;
Ultrasonic test system further comprising a. In the ultrasonic test method using an ultrasonic test system for non-clinical research,
A step of fixing a test object located in an accommodation space for the purpose of an ultrasonic test and capable of breathing in an initial position through movement and rotation of a cradle;
irradiating ultrasonic waves to a first target position of a test object fixed in an initial position using an ultrasonic treatment head for ultrasonic diagnosis and treatment;
Moving the target of the test body to the second target position, which is the next treatment position, through mechanical movement of the transducers aligned in the ultrasonic treatment head; and
irradiating ultrasonic waves to the moved second target position of the test body for ultrasonic diagnosis and treatment using an ultrasonic treatment head; Including,
The accommodation space is formed in a housing device having one side with an inclined surface, the test body is positioned inclined in the housing device, and the ultrasonic treatment head is tilted and assembled by contacting the contact surface with the inclined surface of the housing device, so that the ultrasonic treatment head An ultrasonic test method characterized by expanding the size range and securing a stable breathing position of the test body.

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