Instrument having enhanced ultrasound visibility
AssigneeBTG International Limited
InventorAnton Emmanuel Arulraj Joseph
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An instrument (10) for ultrasonic imaging comprises a probe (12) for insertion into a material (62) containing a liquid. The probe (12) has a coating comprising a carrier material (30) and a quantity of reactive material (32) which, upon contacting a reactant produce a quantity of bubbles (62) adjacent the coating for reflecting ultrasonic energy. In one application the probe (12) comprises a biopsy needle and the coating is positioned towards a sharp distal end thereof (14a) thereby to facilitate the guiding and positioning thereof. Alternatively, the coating can be provided along the entire length of the instrument (10) or at descrete portions along its length.
Claims25
An instrument insertable into a medium and capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising:
- an elongate member, for insertion into said medium and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor;
- bubble generating means, for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region;
- and
- a coating at said region, said bubble generating means being contained within said coating thereby to generate said bubbles within said coating and release them for passage therethrough.
A method of determining the position of an instrument insertable into a medium and capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising an elongate member for insertion into said medium and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor, bubble generating means for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, and a coating at said region, said bubble generating means being contained within said coating thereby to generate said bubbles within said coating and release them for passage therethrough, the discrete mobile bubbles being detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region;
- said method including the steps of:
- (a) inserting said instrument into a medium;
- (b) creating said plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region;
- (c) positioning an ultrasound transducer on a surface of the medium and transmitting an ultrasonic signal in a direction substantially towards said instrument thereby to cause at least some of said signals to be reflected by said bubbles and collecting said reflected signal in said transducer;
- (d) converting the reflected ultrasound signal into an electrical signal suitable for creating a display on a video monitor;
- and
- (e) displaying a video image from said signal, thereby to provide a visual representation of the position of said instrument.
An instrument insertable into a medium and capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising:
- an elongate member, for insertion into said medium and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor;
- bubble generating means, for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, said bubble generating means comprising a reactive substance which upon interaction with a reactant acts to produce said discrete mobile bubbles, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region.
An instrument insertable into a medium and capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising:
- an elongate member, for insertion into said medium and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor;
- bubble generating means, for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, said bubble generating means comprising an effervescent material which, upon contacting fluid, effervesces thereby to create said discrete mobile bubbles, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region.
Method of conducting an investigation of a desired region in a human being, comprising the steps of:
- inserting into a human being in said desired region to create a plurality of bubbles an instrument capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising an elongate member suitable for insertion into said human being and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor, bubble generating means for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region;
- and a coating at said region, said bubble generating means being contained within said coating thereby to generate said bubbles within said coating and release them for passage therethrough;
- positioning an ultrasound transducer on a surface of said human being and transmitting an ultrasonic signal in a direction substantially towards said instrument, thereby to cause at least some of said signals to be reflected by said bubbles and collecting said reflected signal in said transducer;
- converting the reflected ultrasound signal into an electrical signal suitable for creating a display on a video monitor;
- and
- displaying a video image from said signal thereby to provide a visual representation of the position of the instrument.
Method of conducting an investigation of a desired region in a human being, comprising the steps of:
- inserting into a human being in said desired region to create a plurality of bubbles an instrument capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising an elongate member suitable for insertion into a human being and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor, bubble generating means for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, said bubble generating means comprising a reactive substance which upon interaction with a reactant acts to produce said discrete mobile bubbles, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region;
- positioning an ultrasound transducer on a surface of said human and transmitting an ultrasonic signal in a direction substantially towards said instrument, thereby to cause at least some of said signals to be reflected by said bubbles and collecting said reflected signal in said transducer;
- converting the reflected ultrasound signal into an electrical signal suitable for creating a display on a video monitor;
- and
- displaying a video image from said signal thereby to provide a visual representation of the position of the instrument.
Method of conducting an investigation of a desired region in a human being, comprising the steps of:
- inserting into a human being in said desired region to create a plurality of bubbles an instrument capable of being detected with ultrasonic imaging equipment comprising an elongate member suitable for insertion into said human being medium and having a region the position of which it is desirable to monitor, bubble generating means for generating a plurality of discrete mobile bubbles at said desired region, said bubble generating means comprising an effervescent material which, upon contacting fluid, effervesces thereby to create said discrete mobile bubbles, whereby said discrete mobile bubbles are detectable by ultrasonic imaging equipment thereby to give an accurate indication of the position of said region;
- positioning an ultrasound transducer on a surface of said human and transmitting an ultrasonic signal in a direction substantially towards said instrument, thereby to cause at least some of said signals to be reflected by said bubbles and collecting said reflected signal in said transducer;
- converting the reflected ultrasound signal into an electrical signal suitable for creating a display on a video monitor;
- and
- displaying a video image from said signal thereby to provide a visual representation of the position of the instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.