US 5,488,955 A · Magnetostriction transducer and an intraoperative probe for acoustic imaging

Abstract

This invention is a magnetostriction transducer and an intraoperative probe for acoustic imaging. The magnetostriction transducer has a coil and a magnetostriction element deposited on a portion of the acoustic waveguide that is inserted inside the coil. The magnetic field of the coil threads into the magnetostriction element and, due to the alternating magnetic field, the magnetostriction element changes its length at a rate equal to the frequency of the magnetic field. These length changes excite, among others, longitudinal waves in the core of the acoustic waveguide. The intraoperative probe has an array of acoustic waveguides bonded together. Each acoustic waveguide in the intraoperative probe has a transducer, such as a magnetostriction transducer of a piezoelectric transducer, that couples acoustic signals into the acoustic waveguides. The intraoperative probe can image the body without the extra hardware needed to rotate an acoustic waveguide by stepping an acoustic beam across the aperture of the intraoperative probe. This invention has the advantage of imaging internal organs without exposing them to danger of leakage currents.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A magnetostriction transducer for medical use, comprising:

A. a cladded-core acoustic waveguide means for transmitting an acoustic signal from a proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means into a body and for transmitting a reflected acoustic signal from the body to the proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means;
B. a first generating means for generating a first alternating magnetic field at the proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means;
and
C. a magnetostriction element means, attached to the proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means, for converting the first alternating magnetic field into the acoustic signal and for coupling the acoustic signal into the proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means, and for converting the reflected acoustic signal into a reflected alternating magnetic field.

1 more element

An intraoperative probe for acoustic imaging, comprising:

a plurality of cladded-core acoustic waveguide means for transmitting an acoustic signal from a proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means into a body and for transmitting a reflected acoustic signal from the body to the proximal end of the cladded-core acoustic waveguide means, the plurality of cladded-core acoustic waveguide means are bonded together into an array;
a plurality of generating and coupling means, each generating and coupling means is attached to the proximal end of one cladded-core acoustic waveguide means, each for generating the acoustic signal and coupling the acoustic signal into the proximal end of the attached cladded-core acoustic waveguide means;
and
a means for controlling the plurality of generating and coupling means and so the acoustic signals form an acoustic beam for acoustic imaging.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Magnetostriction transducer and an intraoperative probe for acoustic imaging

Life of this patent

Magnetostriction transducer and an intraoperative probe for acoustic imaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19