Ultrasound Based Method and Apparatus to Determine the Size of Kidney Stone Fragments Before Removal Via Ureteroscopy

A system for use by an operator for calculating a size of an in vivo object, the in vivo object comprises a proximal surface and a distal surface, the system comprising:

• a device comprising an elongate body with a distal end configured to be inserted within a patient and positioned proximate to the in vivo object, the distal end of the device including one or more acoustic transducers for emitting an interrogation pulse, and wherein the one or more acoustic transducers are configured for collecting a reflected acoustic signal;
• a controller in communication with the device and configured to:
• receive operator input for energizing the acoustic transducer of the in vivo device to generate the interrogation pulse;
• collect a first reflected acoustic signal portion generated in response to the interrogation pulse, the first reflected acoustic signal portion comprising a portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the proximal surface of the in vivo object;
• and
• collect a second reflected acoustic signal portion generated in response to the interrogation pulse, the second reflected acoustic signal portion comprising a portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the distal surface of the in vivo object;
• quantitatively calculate the size of the in vivo object as a function of:
• (1) a time interval between the portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the proximal surface of the in vivo object and the portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the distal surface of the in vivo object, and (2) an approximate speed of sound in the in vivo object, wherein the approximate speed in the in vivo object is different than a speed in a material surrounding the in vivo object.

A method for calculating a size of an in vivo object, wherein the in vivo object comprises a proximal surface and a distal surface, the method comprising:

• aligning an acoustic transducer of a device with the in vivo object such that an interrogation pulse from the acoustic transducer travels at least to a proximal surface of the in vivo object;
• energizing the acoustic transducer of the in vivo device to generate the interrogation pulse;
• collecting a first reflected acoustic signal portion generated in response to the interrogation pulse, the first reflected acoustic signal portion comprising empirical data including a portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the proximal surface of the in vivo object;
• collecting a second reflected acoustic signal portion generated in response to the interrogation pulse, the second reflected acoustic signal portion comprising either:
• (1) a portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from the distal surface of the in vivo object or (2) a portion of the interrogation pulse reflected from a tissue surface supporting the distal surface of the in vivo object;
• quantitatively calculating the size of the in vivo object as a function of:
• a total time duration starting from a start of the first reflected acoustic signal portion and ending with an end of the second reflected acoustic signal portion.