KR102549574B1 - Focused ultrasound apparatus and method for non-interference between treatment ultrasound signal and image ultrasound signal - Google Patents

Abstract

A non-interference method between a focused ultrasound device and an ultrasound signal is disclosed. In the focused ultrasound device according to an embodiment, when a treatment module acquires timing information about a section in which a treatment ultrasound pulse actually occurs and transmits the obtained timing information to an imaging module, the imaging module generates image ultrasonic pulses in a section where no treatment ultrasound pulse is generated. As a result, the device may be operated so that the treatment ultrasound signal of the treatment module and the image ultrasound signal of the image module do not interfere with each other.

Description

{Focused ultrasound apparatus and method for non-interference between treatment ultrasound signal and image ultrasound signal}

The present invention relates to diagnosis and treatment technology using ultrasound, and more particularly, to image scanning and treatment technology using Focused Ultrasound (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.

Korean Registered Patent No. 10-0972708 (July 21, 2010)

According to an embodiment, the device can be operated so that the treatment ultrasound signal of the treatment module and the image ultrasound signal of the image module do not interfere with each other by using the timing information of the focused ultrasound in the treatment module, and a separate timing controller for this is unnecessary. We propose a non-interference method between a focused ultrasound device and an ultrasound signal.

A focused ultrasound device according to an embodiment includes a treatment module that acquires timing information for a section in which a treatment ultrasound pulse actually occurs, and receives the timing information from the treatment module to produce an image ultrasound pulse in a section in which a treatment ultrasound pulse is not generated. Include an imaging module that occurs.

The treatment module includes a signal extraction unit for extracting an active period of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of the therapeutic ultrasound transducer and a summing unit for calculating the logical sum of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation period of each channel to obtain the entire therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation period. can include

The signal extractor may include an attenuator for attenuating therapeutic ultrasound pulses generated in each channel and an envelope extractor for extracting an envelope of each attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse.

The summing unit transmits the image pulse activation signal to the imaging module in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section, and the imaging module may generate an image ultrasound pulse in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section according to the image pulse activation signal.

The focused ultrasound device receives the signal extracted through the signal extractor and the reference signal as inputs, compares them with each other, and outputs the extracted signal as a logic signal if the signal has a value equal to or greater than the reference signal value, and a reference signal is supplied to the comparator. It may further include a standard providing unit that provides.

The reference providing unit may be a digital-to-analog converter capable of varying the reference signal value.

According to another embodiment, a non-interference method between ultrasound signals includes extracting, by a treatment module, an activation section of a therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of a therapeutic ultrasound transducer, and the treatment module activates the therapeutic ultrasound pulse of each channel. Calculating a logical sum of the intervals to obtain an entire therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation interval, and generating, by an imaging module, image ultrasound pulses in a interval excluding the entire therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation interval.

The step of extracting the activation section of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse may include attenuating the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel and extracting an envelope of each attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse.

In the step of extracting the active section of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse, the comparator receives each extracted envelope signal and the reference signal as inputs, compares them with each other, and outputs the extracted signal as a logic signal if the signal has a value greater than or equal to the reference signal value. may further include.

The interference-free method between ultrasound signals further includes transmitting, by the treatment module, an image pulse activation signal to the imaging module in a section other than the entire treatment ultrasound activation section, and in the step of generating the image ultrasound pulse, the imaging module, According to the image pulse activation signal, image ultrasound pulses may be generated in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section.

According to an interference-free method between a focused ultrasound device and an ultrasound signal according to an embodiment, the equipment is operated so that a therapy ultrasound signal of a treatment module and an image ultrasound signal of an image module do not interfere with each other, and a treatment operation using the therapy ultrasound is performed. A diagnostic image can be obtained, so that the user can easily perform the procedure.

In the case of an interleaving method that schedules an image ultrasound transmission time and a therapy ultrasound transmission time with a therapeutic ultrasound PRF and a duty, a separate timing controller is required and control is difficult. However, according to the non-interference method between the focused ultrasound device and the ultrasound signal according to an embodiment, since a separate timing controller is not required, control is simple and economical.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a focused ultrasound (FUS) device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic focusing device for explaining a non-interference operation between ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an attenuator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an envelope extractor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a comparator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a diagram illustrating waveforms of signals generated over time of a focused ultrasound device constituting n channels according to an embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a diagram showing waveforms of signals generated for non-interference between ultrasound signals of a focused ultrasound device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
8 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a non-interference method between ultrasonic signals 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 is a diagram showing the configuration of a focused ultrasound (FUS) device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a focused ultrasound device 1 includes a treatment module 10 and an imaging module 12 .

The focused ultrasound device 1 according to an exemplary embodiment may perform a treatment operation using the treatment ultrasound of the treatment module 10 and simultaneously obtain a diagnosis image using the image ultrasound of the imaging module 12 .

As one of the methods for obtaining an ultrasound diagnosis image through the imaging module 12 while operating the treatment module 10, the pulse operation of the treatment module 10 and the imaging module 12 receives the PRF and Duty of the treatment ultrasound from the user. A method of controlling in real time may be used. However, for this, a timing controller such as a synchronizer that receives the therapeutic ultrasound PRF and duty and controls it in real time is required, and even if it is controlled, the actual individual pulse control time and the timing and delay of outputting the actual pulse occur. There is difficulty in image sequence control.

The focused ultrasound apparatus 1 according to an exemplary embodiment recognizes the information of the treatment ultrasound signal so that the treatment ultrasound signal does not interfere with the image ultrasound signal, and in this case, a separate timing controller is not required. To this end, the focused ultrasound device 1 acquires timing information on a section in which a therapeutic ultrasound pulse actually occurs through the treatment module 10 in real time and transmits it to the imaging module 12, and the imaging module 12 transmits timing information to the imaging module 12. Information is received from the treatment module 10 and an image ultrasound pulse sequence is generated in a section where no treatment ultrasound pulse is generated. Accordingly, there is an effect that a separate timing controller is not required and control is simplified.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the focused ultrasound device 1 having the above-described characteristics will be described in detail.

The treatment module 10 includes a treatment ultrasound transducer 100, a treatment ultrasound pulse generator 102, a signal extraction unit 104, a comparator 108, and a reference agent. It may include a study 109 and summation unit 110. The signal extractor 104 may include an attenuator 105 and an envelope detector 106 .

The imaging module 12 includes an image transducer 120, a transmit/receive switch (T/R switch) 122, a diagnostic ultrasound pulse generator 124, a signal processing unit ( 126), an image processing unit 128 and a display unit 129.

The therapeutic ultrasound pulse generator 102 generates a driving signal having a pulse with a predetermined pulse repetition frequency (PRF, hereinafter referred to as 'PRF') and duty, thereby generating the therapeutic ultrasound transducer 100 send to

The therapeutic ultrasound transducer 100 converts the electrical waveform, which is a drive signal received from the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generator 102, into therapeutic ultrasound and transmits the therapeutic ultrasound to the tissue, thereby increasing the local tissue temperature through ultrasonic energy transfer in the tissue. let me bring Therapeutic ultrasound may be High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).

The image transducer 120 transmits image ultrasound into the tissue and extracts an echo signal reflected from the tissue according to a short-pulse electrical signal, which is a drive signal received from the diagnostic ultrasound pulse generator 124 . The image transducer 120 receives the echo signal until the next pulse is generated and transmits it to the transceiver 122 .

The focused ultrasound device 1 may have a structure in which the image transducer 120 is located in the center and the therapeutic ultrasound transducer 100 is arranged in the periphery. However, the structures of the image transducer 120 and the therapeutic ultrasound transducer 100 are not limited thereto and may be variously modified.

The signal extractor 104 extracts an active section of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of the therapeutic ultrasound transducer 100 . The signal extractor 104 may include an attenuator 105 and an envelope extractor 106 . The attenuator 105 attenuates the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel without changing impedance, and the envelope extractor 106 extracts the envelope of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse attenuated through the attenuator 105. The signal extractor 104 may be replaced with a low pass filter (LPF).

The summing unit 110 performs a logical sum operation on the therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation intervals of each channel to obtain the entire therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation interval. The summing unit 110 transmits the image pulse activation signal to the imaging module 12 in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section, and the imaging module 12 transmits the entire diagnostic ultrasound pulse generator 124 according to the image pulse activation signal. Image ultrasound pulses may be generated in a section other than a treatment ultrasound activation section.

The treatment module 10 according to an embodiment may further include a comparator 108 and a reference providing unit 109 . The treatment module 10 attenuates the signal without a change in impedance using the attenuator 105 in each channel, and obtains the active section of each channel using the envelope extractor 106 and the comparator 108, and the summing unit 110 After obtaining the entire treatment ultrasound activation period by performing a logical OR operation on the activation period of all channels, the timing information of the activation period is transmitted to the imaging module 12. The imaging module 12 generates an image pulse sequence during a period in which the therapeutic ultrasound pulse is not activated.

The comparator 108 receives the signal extracted through the signal extractor 104 and the reference signal as inputs, compares them with each other, and outputs the extracted signal as a logic signal if the signal has a value greater than or equal to the reference signal value. The reference providing unit 109 provides a reference signal to the comparator 108 . For example, a reference value of 0.4V is provided to the comparator 108, and the comparator 108 outputs a logic signal 1 when the signal extracted through the signal extractor 104 is greater than or equal to 0.4V. The reference providing unit 109 may be a digital-to-analog converter capable of varying a reference signal value.

An attenuator 105, an envelope extractor 106, a comparator 108, a reference providing unit 109 and a summing unit 110 are formed in the feedback path.

The transceiver 122 of the imaging module 12 switches between a transmission mode and a reception mode of the imaging module 12, and is electrically connected to the image transducer 120 to receive ultrasonic echo signals in the reception mode.

The signal processor 126 processes the received ultrasonic echo signal. For example, the signal processor 126 may include a low noise amplifier (LNA) and an analog to digital converter (ADC). The low noise amplifier receives the ultrasonic echo signal from the image transducer 120 through the transceiver 122 and amplifies the received signal to a minimum noise level. The A/D converter converts the ultrasonic echo signal output from the low noise amplifier into a digital signal and transmits it to the image processing unit 128. The imaging module 12 outputs an ultrasound image through the display unit 129 after image processing through the image processing unit 128 .

2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic focusing device for explaining a non-interference operation between ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the treatment module has n channels (CH), attenuators 105-1, 105-2, ..., 105-n are respectively applied to individual channels (1, 2, ..., n). The signal is attenuated without a change in impedance using the envelope extractor (106-1, 106-2, ..., 106-n) and the comparator (108-1, 108-2, ..., 108-n) respectively. Calculate the active interval of the channel.

Although FIG. 2 shows n reference providing units 109-1, 109-2, ..., 109-n, only a single reference providing unit 109 can be used when the reference signal values in each channel are the same. can

Next, the treatment module calculates an OR operation of the active sections of all channels through the summing unit 110 and transmits the calculated OR value to the imaging module 12 . The imaging module 12 executes an image pulse sequence during a period in which the therapeutic ultrasound pulse is not activated.

3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an attenuator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, since the treatment module configures a feedback path of a high voltage signal, an attenuator 105 is configured to attenuate the level of the signal without affecting output impedance matching. shall.

As shown in FIG. 3, the attenuator 105 may be configured in a T-type, and has resistance values R1 and R2 that satisfy the formula below.

Here, K is 10 ^α/20 , and α is the amount of attenuation (dB).

4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an envelope extractor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the envelope extractor 106 includes an extractor diode, a capacitor (C), and a resistor (R).

The envelope extractor 106 is normally used as an input of a communication Amplitude Modulation (AM) demodulator, but is used here to generate an active section of a pulse output by using an attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse signal as an input.

When passing through the extractor diode, the negative region of the signal is removed, the signal in the positive section is charged in the capacitor C, and the envelope signal appears in the resistor R.

The RC time constant value must be sufficiently long so that the envelope signal can be maintained, and must satisfy the following equation.

1/Fc << RC << 1/W

Here, Fc: carrier frequency, W: maximum modulation frequency (maximum FUS PRF).

5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a comparator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 5, since the signal that has passed through the envelope extractor 106 is an attenuated analog signal of a high voltage pulse, it is used as an input for the OR operation of the summation unit 110. In order to input a signal, an analog signal must be converted into a logic signal (TTL, CMOS). When a voltage Vi higher than a certain reference voltage Vref is input through the comparator 108, a logic 1 (HIGH) signal can be output.

As shown in FIG. 5, the comparator 108 can be configured as an OP amp capable of outputting logic 1 when a value greater than the reference voltage (Vref) is received, and the value of the reference voltage (Vref) can be varied. The reference providing unit 109 may be a digital to analog converter (DAC).

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating waveforms of signals generated according to time of a focused ultrasound device constituting n channels according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6 , the treatment module 10 of the focused ultrasound device extracts an envelope signal from each of the treatment ultrasound channels CH1, CH2, ..., CH N constituting n channels.

Subsequently, the treatment module 10 performs a logical sum operation on each envelope signal through the summing unit 110 to obtain an entire treatment ultrasound activation section, and activates an image pulse to generate an image ultrasound pulse in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section. The signal is transmitted to the imaging module 12. At this time, the imaging module 12 receives the image pulse activation signal and processes the image ultrasound pulse only in a section in which the therapeutic ultrasound does not operate.

7 is a diagram illustrating waveforms of signals generated for non-interference between ultrasound signals of a focused ultrasound apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 7, when the treatment module 10 generates a pulse having a treatment ultrasound PRF (eg, 1,000 ms) as a driving signal, treatment ultrasound pulse 1 and treatment through the envelope extractor 106 After obtaining the envelope signals of the ultrasound pulse 2, the summation unit 110 performs a OR operation on the envelope signal of the ultrasound pulse 1 and the envelope signal of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse 2. Next, an image pulse trigger signal is generated and transmitted to the imaging module 12 in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound pulse activation section, which is logically summed, and the imaging module 12 generates the entire treatment ultrasound pulse activation section according to the image pulse trigger signal. An image pulse sequence is generated in a section except for .

8 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a non-interference method between ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8 , the treatment module 10 of the focused ultrasound device 1 extracts an activation section of a treatment ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of the treatment ultrasound transducer 100 (810).

Subsequently, the treatment module 10 performs a logical sum operation on the treatment ultrasound pulse activation intervals of each channel to obtain the entire treatment ultrasound pulse activation interval (820).

Subsequently, the imaging module 12 generates image ultrasound pulses in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound pulse activation section (830).

In step 810 of extracting the active section of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse, the treatment module 10 may attenuate the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel and then extract the envelope of each attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse. Furthermore, the treatment module 10 may receive each of the extracted envelope signals and the reference signal as inputs of a comparator, compare them with each other, and output the extracted signal as a logic signal if the signal has a value greater than or equal to the reference signal.

Furthermore, the treatment module 10 further includes transmitting an image pulse activation signal to the imaging module 12 in a section other than the entire treatment ultrasound activation section, and in step 830 of generating an image ultrasound pulse, imaging The module 12 may generate ultrasound image pulses in a section excluding the entire therapeutic ultrasound activation section according to the image pulse activation signal.

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 (10)

For no interference between the therapeutic ultrasound signal and the focused ultrasound signal. a treatment module for obtaining timing information about a section in which a treatment ultrasound pulse actually occurs; and
an imaging module that receives timing information from the treatment module and generates image ultrasound pulses in a section where no treatment ultrasound pulses are generated;
A focused ultrasound device comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment module
A signal extraction unit for extracting an activation section of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of the therapeutic ultrasound transducer; and
a summation unit for calculating the logical sum of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation intervals of each channel to obtain the entire therapeutic ultrasound pulse activation interval;
A focused ultrasound device comprising a. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal extraction unit
an attenuator for attenuating the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel; and
an envelope extractor for extracting an envelope of each attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse;
A focused ultrasound device comprising a. The method of claim 2, wherein the summing unit
Transmits an image pulse activation signal to the imaging module in a section other than the entire treatment ultrasound activation section,
imaging module
A focused ultrasound device, characterized in that for generating image ultrasound pulses in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section according to an image pulse activation signal. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the focused ultrasound device
A comparator that receives the signal extracted through the signal extractor and the reference signal as inputs, compares them with each other, and outputs the extracted signal as a logic signal if the signal has a value greater than or equal to the reference signal value; and
a reference providing unit providing a reference signal to the comparator;
A focused ultrasound device further comprising a. The method of claim 5, wherein the reference providing unit
A focused ultrasound device, characterized in that it is a digital-to-analog converter capable of varying the reference signal value. In the non-interference method between a therapeutic ultrasound signal and a focused ultrasound signal using a focused ultrasound device, the focused ultrasound device
Extracting, by a treatment module, an activation section of a treatment ultrasound pulse generated in each channel of a treatment ultrasonic transducer;
Calculating, by a treatment module, a logical sum operation of the treatment ultrasound pulse activation section of each channel to obtain a total treatment ultrasound pulse activation section; and
generating, by an imaging module, image ultrasound pulses in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound pulse activation section;
Non-interference method between ultrasonic signals comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of extracting the active period of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse
Attenuating the therapeutic ultrasound pulse generated in each channel; and
extracting the envelope of each attenuated therapeutic ultrasound pulse;
Non-interference method between ultrasonic signals comprising a. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of extracting the activation period of the therapeutic ultrasound pulse
Receiving each of the extracted envelope signals and the reference signal as inputs to a comparator, comparing them with each other, and outputting the extracted signal as a logic signal if the extracted signal has a value greater than or equal to the reference signal value;
Non-interference method between ultrasonic signals, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 8, wherein the method of interference-free between ultrasonic signals
Transmitting, by the treatment module, an image pulse activation signal to the imaging module in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section; Including more,
The step of generating the image ultrasound pulse is
An interference-free method between ultrasound signals, characterized in that the imaging module generates image ultrasound pulses in a section excluding the entire treatment ultrasound activation section according to the image pulse activation signal.

Images