US 4,406,153 A · Ultrasonic beam characterization device

Abstract

An ultrasound beam charcterization device is provided which may be employed during manufacture of diagnostic ultrasound equipment or during use thereof in the field in order to determine the beam profile of the ultrasonic transducer. The device includes a substantially air tight enclosure or box, having therein a thin element characterized by the properties of substantially uniform acoustic scattering and a different back scatter coefficient than the surrounding filler medium. The element is preferably oriented along or parallel to the axis of radiation of the transducer, and is advantageously in the form of a synthetic resin cellular foam material having a relatively high scattering level, which may be embedded in a different foam of lower scattering level. A reticulated cellular foam and salt solution fill the remaining volume of the preferred device, thereby permitting the imaging of transducer beam profiles in a tissue equivalent material.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic beam characterization device for characterizing an ultrasonic beam directed along an axis of radiation, said device comprising:

a substantially air-tight enclosure;
and
means within said enclosure for profiling and imaging said ultrasonic beam when the latter is directed therethrough,
said means comprising an elongated, thin element formed of material having substantially uniform acoustic scattering properties with a plurality of acoustic scattering sites throughout the physical structure thereof, said element being oriented substantially along or parallel to said axis of radiation, and a filler material disposed about said element, said element having a different back scatter coefficient than said filler material.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ultrasonic beam characterization device

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic beam characterization device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15