# US 11,076,839 B2 · Ultrasonic inspection phantom and method of manufacturing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,839 B2 - Document ID: US11076839B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/202,177 - Filed: 2018-11-28 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-07 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Tatsuya Niimi; Takashi Matsumura; Takuya Saito - Inventors: Tatsuya Niimi; Takashi Matsumura; Takuya Saito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076839B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/587: {Calibration phantoms} - G09B 23/286: {for scanning or photography techniques, e.g. X-rays, ultrasonics} - A61B 2017/3413: {guided by ultrasound} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract An ultrasonic inspection phantom includes ultrasonic inspection phantom including a hydrogel including water, a polymer, and a mineral. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic inspection phantom, comprising: a hydrogel comprising water, a polymer, and a water swellable laminate clay mineral, wherein the water swellable laminate clay mineral is included in an amount of from 1 to 7.15 percent by mass to a total amount of the ultrasonic inspection phantom, and the water is enclosed in a three-dimensional network structure of a complex combination of the polymer and the water swellable laminate clay mineral. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, further comprising: a metal oxide having a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or greater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 2, wherein the metal oxide comprises silica. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 2, wherein the metal oxide comprises alumina-containing silica. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic inspection phantom includes a pseudo lesion mimicking a lesion caused in a living tissue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 5, wherein ultrasonic propagation in the pseudo lesion is slower than in the ultrasonic inspection phantom excluding the pseudo lesion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 6, wherein the pseudo lesion comprises a metal oxide having a specific surface area of 150 m2/g or greater. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 7, wherein the metal oxide comprises silica. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 7, wherein the metal oxide comprises alumina-containing silica. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic inspection phantom has a self-healing property. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method for training for puncture treatment of ultrasonic inspection, the method comprising: performing an ultrasonic inspection, puncture treatment, or both, on the ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing the ultrasonic inspection phantom of claim 1, the method comprising: forming the ultrasonic inspection phantom using a liquid material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the forming of the ultrasonic inspection phantom comprises casting the liquid material into a mold, and hardening the liquid material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the forming of the ultrasonic inspection phantom comprises fabricating the ultrasonic inspection phantom by a 3D printer using the liquid material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the 3D printer employs an inkjet method or stereolithography. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the water swellable laminate clay mineral comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of water swellable smectite and water swellable mica. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the water swellable laminate clay mineral comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of water swellable hectorite, water swellable montmorillonite, water swellable saponite, and water swellable synthesized mica. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the water swellable laminate clay mineral is included in an amount of from 1 to 7.06 percent by mass to a total amount of the ultrasonic inspection phantom. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic inspection phantom includes a pseudo lesion mimicking a lesion caused in a living tissue, and a non-pseudo lesion, the pseudo lesion comprises a metal oxide comprising silica having a specific surface area of 150 m2/g or greater, and the non-pseudo lesion does not comprise the metal oxide. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the polymer has at least one group selected from the group consisting of an amide group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, a tetramethyl ammonium group, a silanol group, and an epoxy group. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic inspection phantom according to claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polymerized product of at least one polymerizable monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamides, N-substituted acrylamide derivatives, N,N-di-substituted acrylamide derivatives, N-substituted methacrylamide derivatives, N,N-di-substituted methacrylamide derivatives, 2-etylhexyl(meth)acrylate (EHA), 2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate (HEA), 2-hydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate (HPA), acryloyl morpholine (ACMO), caprolactone-modified tetrahydrofurfuryl(meta)acrylate, isobonyl(meth)acrylate, 3-methoxybutyl(meth)acrylate, tetrahydro furfuryl(meth)acrylate, lauryl(meth)acrylate, 2-phenoxyethyl(meth)acrylate, isodecyl(meth)acrylate, isooctyl(meth)acrylate, tridecyl(meth)acrylate, caprolactone(meth)acrylate, ethoxyfied nonylphenol(meth)acrylate, and urethane(meth)acrylate.