KR20100045205A - Apparatus, method and system forming ultrasound image using inported ultrasound generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus, a method, and a system for forming an ultrasound image are provided to continuously monitor a body by inserting a transmission device into the body by wireless. CONSTITUTION: An ultrasonic image device(120) includes a receiving unit(121), a generating unit(123), a supplying unit(125), a storage unit(122), and a controller(124). The receiver receives an ultrasonic signal from a transmission device(110) inserted into the body. The generator generates the ultrasonic image using the received ultrasonic signal. The supply unit supplies the power to a transmission device. The storage unit stores the received ultrasonic signal and ultrasonic image. The controller controls the transmission device by wireless.

Description

Ultrasonic imaging apparatus, method and system using an implantable ultrasonic transmitter {APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGE USING INPORTED ULTRASOUND GENERATOR}

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging apparatus, a method and a system, and more particularly, to an ultrasound imaging apparatus, a method and a system using an ultrasonic transmitter inserted into an object.

An ultrasound imaging system is an apparatus that transmits an ultrasound signal from a body surface of a subject to a predetermined part of the body and obtains an image of a soft tissue tomography or blood flow by using information of an ultrasonic signal reflected from tissue in the body. These ultrasound imaging systems are compact, inexpensive, real-time displayable, and have high stability due to no exposure to X-rays. It is widely used with other image diagnosis apparatuses, such as an apparatus and a nuclear medical diagnostic apparatus.

In this case, the ultrasonic probe which is responsible for transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic signal generally includes an ultrasonic transmitter for generating an ultrasonic signal transmitted into the subject and an ultrasonic receiver for receiving the reflected ultrasonic signal.

However, when an ultrasound image is obtained using the probe of this general type, attenuation occurs due to reflection of the ultrasound signal between the surface of the probe and the skin surface, thereby degrading the quality of the ultrasound image.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, method and system that eliminates attenuation caused by reflection generated between a probe and a skin surface by generating an ultrasonic signal using an inserted transmission device inside an object.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method, and system for reducing attenuation due to a traveling distance of an ultrasound signal by receiving an ultrasound signal transmitted through an object.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method and system capable of continuously monitoring an object by wirelessly inserting a transmitter for generating an ultrasound signal.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method and system for generating a higher quality ultrasound image by reducing attenuation of an ultrasound signal.

An ultrasound imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is a receiver that is located outside the object and receives an ultrasound signal from a transmitter inserted into the object, the ultrasound signal is transmitted through the object-and the received ultrasound It includes a generator for generating an ultrasound image using a signal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the ultrasound imaging apparatus further includes a supply unit for supplying power to the transmitter and a storage unit for storing the received ultrasound signal and the ultrasound image.

In addition, according to one side of the present invention, the transmitter is wirelessly inserted into the object, and the supply unit wirelessly supplies power to the transmitter.

In addition, the ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a transmitting device that is inserted into the object to generate an ultrasound signal and receives the ultrasound signal transmitted through the object located outside the object, the received ultrasound signal Ultrasonic imaging device for generating an ultrasound image by using.

In addition, the ultrasound image generating method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of generating an ultrasonic signal in a transmitting apparatus inserted inside the object, receiving the ultrasonic signal transmitted through the object from the outside of the object and the received Generating an ultrasound image using the ultrasound signal.

One embodiment of the present invention to provide an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method and system that can eliminate the attenuation caused by the reflection generated between the probe and the skin surface by generating an ultrasonic signal using the inserted transmission device inside the object. Can be.

One or more exemplary embodiments may provide an ultrasound imaging apparatus, a method, and a system capable of reducing attenuation due to a traveling distance of an ultrasound signal by receiving an ultrasound signal transmitted through an object.

One embodiment of the present invention may provide an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method and system capable of continuously monitoring an object by wirelessly inserting a transmitter for generating an ultrasound signal.

One embodiment of the present invention can provide an ultrasound imaging apparatus, method and system capable of generating a higher-quality ultrasound image by reducing the attenuation of the ultrasound signal.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the contents described in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited or limited to the embodiments.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an ultrasound imaging system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Conventional ultrasonic probes generally include a transmitter for transmitting ultrasonic signals to an object through a plurality of transducers and a receiver for receiving ultrasonic signals reflected from the object. However, this method has a problem involving attenuation according to reflection and traveling distance.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the ultrasound imaging system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be composed of a transmitter 110 and an ultrasound imaging apparatus 120.

The transmitter 110 is inserted below the surface 130 of the object, that is, inside the object to generate the ultrasound signal 111. As a result, the ultrasound signal 111 may be reflected inside the object or may pass through the object and diverge out of the object. If the object is a body according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasound signal 111 generated inside the body may pass through or reflect the tissue inside the body and may be emitted outside the body, ie, outside the skin.

In this case, the transmitter 110 may be wirelessly connected to the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 and may receive power from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 in a wireless manner. One example of such a wireless power supply is a light type, which is generally used by converting an optical signal into electrical energy. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 110 may convert and use the optical signal provided from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 into electrical energy. In detail, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 generates ultraviolet rays or visible rays using electrical energy and transmits them to the transmission apparatus 110, and the transmission apparatus 110 collects optical signals and transmits the collected optical signals to electrical energy. The module can be powered by a module that converts In this case, the transmitter 110 may be connected to a predetermined module for receiving the optical signal on the external surface of the object.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 110 is wired to the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 to receive power from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 in a wired manner or to supply power through a battery included therein. Can be supplied.

In addition, the transmitter 110 may generate an ultrasound signal 111 according to wireless control from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120. Of course, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting device 110 continuously generates the ultrasonic signal 111 according to a predetermined method without wireless control, or receives the ultrasonic signal by receiving wired control from the ultrasonic imaging device 120. 111).

The ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 receives the ultrasound signal 111 transmitted through the object and generates an ultrasound image using the ultrasound signal 111. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 includes a receiver 121, a storage 122, a generator 123, a controller 124, and a supply 125.

The receiver 121 may receive the ultrasound signal 111 from the transmitter 110 positioned outside the object and inserted into the object. At this time, the ultrasound signal 111 is received through the object. In detail, the ultrasound signal 111 may be generated by the transmitter 110 and reflected and received inside the object, or may be directly transmitted and received without reflection. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver 121 may include a sensor for detecting the position of the receiver 121 and generating position information on the detected position. In detail, the receiver 121 is included in a predetermined reception probe connected to the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 by wire, and the sensor detects the position of the reception probe to generate location information.

The generator 123 may generate an ultrasound image by using the received ultrasound signal 111.

For example, the generator 123 may generate ultrasound image data based on the received ultrasound signal 111 and may generate an ultrasound image using the ultrasound image data. In this case, the ultrasound image data may be formed based on location information of a plurality of points existing on each scan line and data obtained at each point, and the ultrasound image data may be coordinates or vertical scans on the XY coordinate system of each point. Angle information of each scan line with respect to the line, data obtained at each point, and the like.

In addition, the generation unit 123 may extract ultrasound image data necessary to form an ultrasound image based on the position information and the image setting information generated by the sensor, and generate an ultrasound image based on the extracted ultrasound image data. have. In this case, the image setting information includes scan interval information for extracting ultrasound image data necessary for generating an ultrasound image, and scan range information for setting an area for forming an ultrasound image, and the image setting information is manually or automatically. It may be preset information. In addition, the ultrasound image may be a 3D ultrasound image or a panoramic ultrasound image.

However, generating the ultrasound image according to the aforementioned method is only an embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention extends to various embodiments of generating the ultrasound image using the ultrasound signal 111. will be.

The storage unit 122 may include at least one of the received ultrasound signal 111, location information, ultrasound image data, and ultrasound image.

The controller 124 may control the transmitter 110 by wireless or wired, and may control the receiver 121. That is, the controller 124 may transmit the ultrasound signal 111 to the object through the transmitter 110 and control the reception unit 121 to receive the ultrasound signal 111 transmitted from the object. However, as described above, when the transmitter 110 generates the ultrasonic signal 111 by itself according to a predetermined method, the control unit 124 receives the ultrasonic signal 111 by referring to the predetermined method. 121 can be controlled.

The supply unit 125 may supply power to the transmitter 110. In detail, the supply unit 125 may supply power in a wireless manner or a wired manner. In this case, an example of a wireless power supply may be a wireless power supply by light. However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 110 may supply power by itself using an internal battery. In addition, the supply unit 125 may supply power to the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an ultrasound image generating method according to an exemplary embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the ultrasound image generating method may be performed in steps S201 to S203. In this case, step S201 may be performed by the transmitter 110, step S202, and step S203 by the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120, respectively.

In operation S201, the transmitter 110 may generate an ultrasonic signal inside the object. In detail, the transmitter 110 may be inserted or implanted into the object to generate the ultrasound signal. In this case, the transmitter 110 may be wirelessly inserted into the object. In other words, the transmitter 110 may be separately inserted into the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 and wirelessly inserted into the object. However, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting apparatus 110 may be connected to the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 by wire and may be inserted or implanted inside the object.

In addition, the transmitter 110 may receive the wired or wireless control from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 to generate the ultrasound signal. That is, the transmitting device 110 may generate the ultrasonic signal by itself, or may generate the ultrasonic signal under the control of the ultrasonic imaging device 120. Therefore, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may generate an ultrasound signal by wirelessly controlling the transmitter 110 inserted into the object. In this case, the subject may be a body.

In operation S202, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may receive the ultrasound signal transmitted through the object from the outside of the object.

In this case, the ultrasonic signal may be generated by the transmitter and reflected in the object and received, or may be directly transmitted and received without reflection. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may receive the ultrasound signal through a wired probe connected by wire, and detect the position of the probe by a sensor included in the receiver probe. Location information can be generated.

In operation S203, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may generate an ultrasound image by using the received ultrasound signal. In detail, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may generate the ultrasound image by further using the position information and the image setting information together with the ultrasound signal.

In addition, the matters not mentioned with respect to the steps S201 to S203 may be easily inferred by those skilled in the art from the same or described above with reference to FIG. 1 and will not be described below.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an ultrasound image generating method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasound image generating method may be performed in steps S301 to S305. In this case, step S301, step S303 to step S305 may be performed by the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 and step S302 by the transmitter 110, respectively.

In operation S301, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may supply power to the transmitter.

In detail, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may supply power in a wireless manner or a wired manner. In this case, an example of a wireless power supply may be a wireless power supply by light. However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 110 may supply power by itself using an internal battery. Also, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may supply power for self operation.

In operation S302, the transmitting apparatus 110 generates an ultrasound signal inside the object, and in operation S303, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 receives the ultrasound signal transmitted through the object from outside the object, In operation S304, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may generate an ultrasound image by using the received ultrasound signal.

Since the steps S302 to S304 may be easily inferred from the same or described above with respect to the above-described steps S201 to S203, the descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In operation S305, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may store the received ultrasound signal and the ultrasound image. Also, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may store location information and ultrasound image data.

In addition, although not shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may expose the ultrasound image.

In detail, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may expose the ultrasound image generated by using the ultrasound signal transmitted through the object to the user using a predetermined display device. In this case, when the object is a body, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 120 may expose an ultrasound image inside the body to the user.

The ultrasound image collection method according to the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer means and recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and magnetic disks, such as floppy disks. Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

As described above, the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains various modifications and variations from such descriptions. This is possible.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the claims below but also by the equivalents of the claims.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an ultrasound imaging system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an ultrasound image generating method according to an exemplary embodiment.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an ultrasound image generating method according to an exemplary embodiment.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

110: transmitter

120: ultrasonic imaging device

121: receiver

Claims (18)

A receiver which is located outside the object and receives an ultrasonic signal from a transmitter inserted into the object, wherein the ultrasonic signal is received through the object; and A generator for generating an ultrasound image by using the received ultrasound signal Ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, A supply unit for supplying power to the transmitter; And Storage unit for storing the received ultrasound signal and the ultrasound image Ultrasound imaging device further comprising. The method of claim 1, The transmitting device, An ultrasound imaging apparatus, characterized in that is wirelessly inserted into the object. The method of claim 1, The supply unit, Ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that for supplying power wirelessly to the transmitter. The method of claim 1, The object, Ultrasound imaging apparatus, characterized in that the body. The method of claim 1, Control unit for wirelessly controlling the transmitter Ultrasound imaging device further comprising. A transmitter inserted into the object to generate an ultrasonic signal; And An ultrasound imaging apparatus positioned outside the object to receive the ultrasound signal passing through the object and generating an ultrasound image using the received ultrasound signal Ultrasound imaging system comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein The transmitting device, Ultrasonic imaging system characterized in that the power is wirelessly supplied from the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The method of claim 7, wherein The transmitting device, Ultrasound imaging system, characterized in that the wireless insertion into the object. The method of claim 7, wherein The object, Ultrasound imaging system, characterized in that the body. The method of claim 7, wherein The transmitting device, Ultrasonic imaging system characterized in that the wireless control from the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. Generating an ultrasonic signal in a transmitter inserted into the object; Receiving the ultrasound signal transmitted through the object from outside the object; And Generating an ultrasound image by using the received ultrasound signal Ultrasonic image generation method comprising a. The method of claim 12, Supplying power to the transmitter; And Storing the received ultrasound signal and ultrasound image Ultrasonic image generation method further comprising. The method of claim 12, The transmitting device, Ultrasonic image generation method characterized in that the wireless insertion into the object. The method of claim 12, The step of supplying power to the transmitter, Ultrasonic image generation method characterized in that for supplying power wirelessly to the transmitter. The method of claim 12, The object, Ultrasound image generation method characterized in that the body. The method of claim 12, The generating of the ultrasonic signal in the transmitter inserted into the object may include: Ultrasonic image generation method characterized in that to generate an ultrasonic signal by wirelessly controlling the transmitting device inserted into the object. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for executing the method of any one of claims 12 to 17 is recorded.

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