# US 2021/0278515 A1 · Transmitting/receiving dual-mode focused ultrasonic transducer and microbubble cavitation image visualization method using same

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- Number: US 2021/0278515 A1
- Document ID: US20210278515A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/326,721
- Filed: 2021-05-21
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-28
- Assignees: Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation
- Applicants: Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation
- Inventors: Juyoung PARK; Chang Zhu JIN; Hyung Kyu HUH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278515A1

## CPC

- A61B 8/481: {involving the use of contrast agents, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream}
- G01S 7/52039: {exploiting the non-linear response of a contrast enhancer, e.g. a contrast agent (diagnostic techniques involving the use of contrast agents A61B8/481)}
- A61B 8/0808: {for diagnosis of the brain}
- A61B 8/4444: {related to the probe}
- A61B 8/4461: {Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe}
- A61B 8/4477: {using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes}
- A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements}
- A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image}
- A61N 7/00: Ultrasound therapy (lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 {; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092})
- A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia
- G01S 7/5202: {for pulse systems}
- G01S 7/524: Transmitters
- G01S 7/526: Receivers
- G01S 7/6281: {Composite displays, e.g. split-screen, multiple images}
- G01S 15/8913: {using separate transducers for transmission and reception}
- G01S 15/8929: {using a three-dimensional transducer configuration}
- A61N 2007/0039: {using microbubbles}
- A61N 2007/0052: {using the same transducer for therapy and imaging}
- A61N 2007/0065: {Concave transducers}
- A61N 2007/0078: {with multiple treatment transducers}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

This application relates to a transmitting/receiving dual-mode focused ultrasonic transducer and a microbubble cavitation image visualization method using the transducer. In one aspect, a plurality of mounting holes are formed in a transducer body with a limited area according to the Fibonacci pattern that allows for the maximum number of objects to be mounted in the transducer body. A plurality of transducer elements are mounted in the mounting holes so as to form a transducer element arrangement having highly nonlinearity. According to various embodiments, microbubble cavitation can be induced and visualized by using a small number of receiving elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transmitting/receiving dual-mode focused ultrasonic transducer, comprising:
a transducer body having a concave curved shape and having a plurality of mounting holes formed in a Fibonacci pattern; and
a plurality of transducer elements configured to be detachably mounted in the plurality of mounting holes, respectively, to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transducer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transducer elements are configured so that a transmitter and a receiver are arranged in a coaxial shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The transducer of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is formed in a cylindrical shape having a ring shape when viewed from the top, and the receiver is configured to be mounted on an inner circumference of the transmitter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The transducer of claim 2, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are made of piezoelectric elements having different resonant frequencies from each other.

### Claim 5

A microbubble cavitation image visualization method using a transmitting/receiving dual-mode focused ultrasonic transducer including a transmitter and a receiver, the method comprising:
inputting an external trigger signal to the transducer;
transmitting, by the transmitter, a sine wave signal having a frequency f0 in the form of a tone burst to microbubbles for a predetermined time;
receiving, by the receiver, a signal reflected from the microbubbles;
calculating an image frame by transmitting the reflected signal to a beamforming unit; and
collecting the image frame calculated by a video stack construction unit, to configure one video stack.