Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/54—Control of the diagnostic device
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/13—Tomography
  • A61B8/14—Echo-tomography
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/46—Ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic devices with special arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B8/467—Ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic devices with special arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient characterised by special input means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V33/00—Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
  • F21V33/0064—Health, life-saving or fire-fighting equipment
  • F21V33/0068—Medical equipment
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
  • G01S7/52—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
  • G01S7/52—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00
  • G01S7/52017—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00 particularly adapted to short-range imaging
  • G01S7/52023—Details of receivers
  • G01S7/52033—Gain control of receivers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/30—Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
  • A61B2090/309—Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure using white LEDs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/46—Ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic devices with special arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B8/461—Displaying means of special interest
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
  • F21Y2101/00—Point-like light sources
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
  • G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
  • G01S15/89—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications for mapping or imaging
  • G01S15/8906—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
  • G01S15/8909—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration
  • G01S15/8915—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array
  • G01S15/8925—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays

Definitions

• This invention relates to medical diagnostic ultrasound systems and, in particular, to ultrasound systems with controls for time gain compensation of received ultrasonic echo signals.
• Attenuation problem is to amplify the received echo signals as a function of the time at which they are received: echoes returning later from the time of transmit are amplified more greatly than those received earlier from shallower depths.
• TGC time gain compensation
• STC sensitivity time control
• the columnar orientation is immediately seen to correspond to successively greater depths of the image.
• the switches are generally slide switches with a center position which sets a nominal gain for the corresponding image depth.
• the slide switches can be moved laterally in either direction to apply more or less than the nominal gain at each depth.
• the gain profile can be set nonlinearly to vary the gain in relation to the anatomical makeup of the region of the body being imaged.
• ultrasound systems gain profiles can be stored for particular imaging applications and recalled, applied, and adjusted by the slide switches as appropriate to produce an image of uniform brightness and grey shades over the depth of the image as described in US Pat. 5,482,045 (Rust et al . )
• Ultrasound exams are often performed in a darkened room so that the sonographer can most easily discern the appearance of the images and subtle structures and functions (e.g., blood flow) being images.
• the control are often back-lit to aid visibility.
• the TGC controls can be lighted in various ways. But even with effective back-lighting, the sonographer is often not able to distinguish the specific positions of the TGC switches. In particular, it is frequently difficult for the sonographer to see whether the TGC switches are still set in their nominal center positions or have been adjusted to a different gain setting.
• illumination is uniquely controlled or modulated when a switch is in its center position as by color or brightness modulation or control.
• the sonographer is thereby readily able to visualize the gain setting of the switches from their orientation pattern and to immediately discern those switches which are set in their nominal center positions.
• FIGURE 1 illustrates the control panel of an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system.
• FIGURE 2 is a detailed view of the TGC control of the ultrasound system of FIGURE 1 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present
• FIGURE 3 illustrates in block diagram form the major components of an ultrasound system including
• FIGURES 4a and 4b illustrate illuminated TGC controls of the present invention when viewed in a darkened room.
• FIGURES 5a and 5b illustrate implementations of the present invention by pulse width modulation and color control of an LED on a TGC control.
• an ultrasound system control panel 28 is shown in a perspective view.
• the user selects the desired procedure by using the controls on the control panel 28. This may involve interaction with a menu of parameters and performance choices shown on the display monitor 62 using the trackball and a select button on the control panel to select the desired parameters.
• the system Upon selection of an imaging procedure the system will select an optimal TGC characteristic stored in the system memory for the procedure and apply it to the TGC circuitry as described below.
• the TGC circuitry will then control the gain of the TGC amplifier in the system's signal path in accordance with this optimal TGC
• the system will also supply graphical information to the image display so that a visual representation of the optimal TGC characteristic will be shown on the image display 62 adjacent to the image.
• This TGC curve then illustrates the relative amounts of gain applied to echoes returning from progressively deeper depth of the image region.
• the optimal, predetermined TGC characteristic will be displayed and used to control the amplifier of the TGC circuitry when the slide switches 20 on the control panel are vertically aligned in their central position 36 as shown in FIG. 2. If the clinician finds that variation from the predetermined characteristic is needed to better image a particular patient, the clinician will move the slide switches to the right or left to reset the slope segments of the TGC gain characteristic. As the switches are moved the changes are communicated from the control panel 28 to the TGC circuitry, which applies the incremental changes to the predetermined
• the variation from the predetermined characteristic is indicated by the new physical positions of the switches on the control panel and the final TGC characteristic is shown on the display screen.
• a uniform gain adjustment over the full image depth is applied by adjusting a gain control adjustment 26.
• the ultrasound probe includes a two dimensional array transducer 500 and a micro- beamformer 502.
• the present invention may be used with probes employing either one dimensional or two dimensional transducer arrays.
• the micro-beamformer contains circuitry which controls the signals applied to groups of elements ("patches") of the array transducer 500 and does some combining of the echo signals received by elements of each group.
• Micro- beamforming in the probe advantageously reduces the number of conductors in the cable 503 between the probe and the ultrasound system and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,479 (Savord et al . ) and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,048 (Pesque) .
• the probe is coupled to the scanner 310 of the ultrasound system.
• the scanner includes a beamform controller 312 which is responsive to a user control on the control panel, such as a probe select control, and provides control signals to the microbeamformer
• the beamform controller also control the beamforming of received echo signals by its coupling to the analog- to-digital (A/D) converters 316 and a beamformer 116. Echo signals received by the probe are amplified by preamplifier and an amplifier of the TGC (time gain control) circuitry 314, then digitized by the A/D converters 316. The digitized echo signals are then formed into beams by the beamformer 116.
• A/D analog- to-digital
• the echo signals from individual elements or patches of elements of the array 500 are then processed by an image processor 318 which performs digital filtering, B mode detection, and/or Doppler processing, and can also perform other signal processing such as harmonic separation, speckle reduction through frequency compounding, digital gain (including digital TGC) and other desired image or signal processing.
• image processor 318 which performs digital filtering, B mode detection, and/or Doppler processing, and can also perform other signal processing such as harmonic separation, speckle reduction through frequency compounding, digital gain (including digital TGC) and other desired image or signal processing.
• the echo signals produced by the scanner 310 are coupled to a display subsystem 320 which processes the echo signals for display in the desired image format.
• the echo signals are processed by an image line processor 322 which is capable of sampling the echo signals, splicing segments of beams into
• the image lines of each image are scan converted into the desired image format by a scan converter 324 which performs R-theta conversion as is known in the art.
• the images are then stored in an image memory 328 from which they can be displayed on the display 150.
• the images in memory are also overlayed with graphics to be displayed with the images, such as the TGC characteristic described above, which are generated by a graphics generator 330 which is responsive to a user control.
• Individual image frames or image frame sequences can be stored in a cine memory 326 during capture of image loops.
• each slider switch 22 of the TGC controls is lighted with an LED 10 mounted on the slider of the switch as shown in FIGURE 2.
• Each slider has a range of control dictated by the extent of a cutout 24 in the control panel along which the slider can travel laterally.
• the uppermost slider corresponding to the shallowest depth
• the gains applied at the deeper depths are all nominal gain settings.
• the illuminated LEDs on the switch sliders will make this visibly clear even in a darkened room.
• each LED 10 produces a
• FIGURE 5a illustrates a potentiometer 12 of a TGC slider switch with a slider arm 14.
• the differential amplifier 16 switches to a low output, which disables the input of a pulse width modulator 17.
• the LED 10 is driven by a steady voltage, producing a bright illumination.
• the differential amplifier 16 switches to a high output, enabling the pulse width modulator 17, which drives the LED 10 with a pulse width modulated pulse train. The LED illumination is then dimmer.
• Another approach to illumination variation is to vary the color of the light of the LED when the slider 22 is in its center position.
• the differential amplifier 16 causes the LED to be illuminated with a predetermined color such as red.
• a color controller 17 that selects the color of an RGB LED, or by varying the color temperature of the LED 10.
• the color controller 17 selects a different color for an RGB LED, white instead of red, for instance, or changes the color temperature to a different one than used in the centered position.
• Each TGC control will produce a value (digital or analog) depending upon its setting, which is coupled to an illumination controller.
• illumination controller compares the digital value against the known value of the center position setting. If the two values are not equal the
• difference value is used to control the pulse width modulation duty cycle and/or frequency to dim the illumination.
• modulators are used to control the duty cycle or frequency of each color of an RGB LED to produce virtually any desired color.
• FIGURES 4a and 4b illustrate the effect of such color modulation.
• FIGURE 4a illustrates a series of lights on eight TGC sliders. The settings range from a low gain at the shallow depths by the top sliders, which are set to the left of center, and ranging down to greater than nominal gains at the deepest depths where it is seen that the lower-most sliders have been moved to the right. This curved pattern of white LEDs gives little indication of which sliders were untouched and remain in their nominal gain positions. But in the example of FIGURE 4b, the LEDs for the third, fifth, and sixth sliders 26, 27, and 28 are modulated to produce a reddish color (as represented by the dotted patterns), which clearly stand out in relation to the other white LEDs. The sonographer can see at a glance that no adjustment has been made to the nominal gains at these depths.

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• 2014
  • 2014-09-10 RU RU2016114739A patent/RU2686918C2/ru active
  • 2014-09-10 CN CN201480051599.XA patent/CN105555199B/zh active Active
  • 2014-09-10 US US15/022,392 patent/US9861343B2/en active Active
  • 2014-09-10 EP EP14777854.2A patent/EP3046477B1/en active Active
  • 2014-09-10 JP JP2016543473A patent/JP6336089B2/ja active Active
  • 2014-09-10 BR BR112016005796-1A patent/BR112016005796B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2014-09-10 WO PCT/IB2014/064360 patent/WO2015040524A1/en not_active Ceased
• 2017
  • 2017-12-27 US US15/855,098 patent/US10925584B2/en active Active

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