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AssigneesInserm (Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale), Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Superieure De Physique Et De Chimie Industrielles De La Ville De Paris
InventorsClément Papadacci, Mickael Tanter, Hugues Favre, Mathieu Pernot
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While 3D ultrasound imaging is becoming a powerful tool in medical field, the main drawback is the difficulty to image large 3D volume, mainly related to the dimensions of the 2D array of transducers. In order to not lose in spatial resolution, it is necessary to use an array of transducers, wherein the size of the transducers does not exceed the wavelength of the ultrasound wave. Such requirement leads to dimensions of array for imaging large 3D volume which are not reachable or at too high cost with the current technology. The present disclosure overcomes the above technology limitation by using greater transducers, and where each transducer has a reception surface with a curved shape or is fitted with an acoustic lens. Such configuration of transducers leads to 2D array of transducers suitable for imaging large 3D volume, as a brain or a heart, with high resolution and high sensitivity.
Ultrasound 3D imaging probe comprising an array having transducers, each transducer being configured for at least acquiring a backscattered ultrasonic wave from a region to image in a medium following an ultrasound emission in said medium, said backscattered ultrasonic wave having a central frequency corresponding to a wavelength λ when said backscattered ultrasonic wave is propagated in said medium, said array forming an array surface adapted to be placed in contact with said medium and each transducer having a reception surface for at least receiving said backscattered ultrasonic waves, wherein each transducer has a shape in the array surface which defines an inscribed circle having a diameter larger than 2λ, and wherein each transducer:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.