US 7,841,983 B2 · Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of transducer units which are two-dimensionally arranged to transmit/receive an ultrasonic wave to/from hard tissue; a transceiver unit which receives an echo signal for each transducer unit from the plurality of transducer units; a surface point specifying unit which specifies a surface point corresponding to a surface of the hard tissue for each echo signal; and a form data generator unit which generates form data of hard tissue surface on the basis of a plurality of surface points obtained two-dimensionally from the echo signals of the plurality of transducer units.

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Claims14

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transducer units which are two-dimensionally arranged to transmit/receive an ultrasonic wave to/from a bone fragment of a bone including a fractured portion and the bone fragment;
a transceiver unit which forms an ultrasonic beam and receives an echo signal for each of the transducer units from the plurality of transducer units;
a surface point specifying unit which specifies, for each ultrasonic beam, a surface point corresponding to a bone surface based on the echo signal corresponding to the ultrasonic beam;
an echo tracking processing unit which performs tracking of the surface point on the ultrasonic beam;
and
a form data generator unit which generates form data of the bone on the basis of a plurality of surface points obtained two-dimensionally from a plurality of ultrasonic beams corresponding to the plurality of transducer units;
wherein
the form data generator unit uses a composite model wherein the two bone fragments are a rigid body and the fractured portion is a viscoelastic body as a bone fracture model to generate as the form data position data indicating a general position era surface of the bone fragment and orientation data indicating an orientation of the surface of the bone fragment on the basis of the plurality of surface points obtained two-dimensionally;
and
the form data generator unit determines using said composite model first displacement data indicates a change in position data of the first bone fragment involved in the external action, and second displacement data indicating a change in position data of the second bone fragment involved in the external action.

7 more elements

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

a first probe which is provided with a plurality of transducers for transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave to/from a first bond fragment between two bone fragments with a fractured portion therebetween, the plurality of transducers being arranged two-dimensionally;
a second probe which is provided with a plurality of transducers for transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave to/from a second bone fragment between the two bone fragments, the plurality of transducers being arranged two-dimensionally;
a probe coupling unit which mutually fixes the first probe and the second probe;
a transceiver unit which obtains an echo signal for each transducer from the plurality of transducers of the first probe and further obtains an echo signal for each transducer from the plurality of transducers of the second probe;
a surface point specifying unit which specifies a surface point corresponding to a surface of a bone for the each echo signal for each of the first bone fragment and the second bone fragment;
and
a form data generator unit which generates form data of a surface of the first fragment on the basis of the plurality of surface points obtained two-dimensionally from echo signals of the plurality of transducers of the first probe, and further generates form data of a surface of the second fragment on the basis of the plurality of surface points obtained two-dimensionally from echo signals of the plurality of transducers of the second probe, wherein
the form data generator unit uses a composite model in which the two bone wherein the two bone fragments are a rigid body and the fractured portion is a viscoelastic body as a bone fracture model to generate the form data;
an external action is applied to the two bone fragments, and
the form data generator unit determines using said composite model first displacement data indicates a change in position data of the first bone fragment involved in the external action, and second displacement data indicating a change in position data of the second bone fragment involved in the external action.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,079 words

Summary806 words

#1. Technical Field

#The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and in particular to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is used for diagnosis of hard tissue such as bone.

#2. Related Art

Brief description of the drawings6 figures

#Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall structure of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an echo signal of a bone surface;

Detailed description5,154 words

#Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by reference to the figures.

#FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing overall structure of the apparatus.

#In this embodiment, a probe 10a and a probe 10b are ultrasonic probes used while in contact with a surface of the body of a subject 50. Alternatively, an ultrasonic probe which is inserted into the subject may be used. The probe 10a and the probe 10b each transmit and receive a plurality of ultrasonic beams 40 to and from a bone (reference numerals 52a, 52b, 54) within the body of the subject 50. The bone is formed of two bone fragments 52a, 52b with a fractured portion 54 therebetween. The bone to be observed in this embodiment is, for example, the tibia. Of course, a bone other than the tibia or hard tissue other than bone may be observed. Also, the probe 10a and the probe 10b are mutually fixed by way of a probe connector 11. Specifically, relative positions and orientations between the probe 10a and the probe 10b are fixed.

Facts

Application

11/390,788Filed 28 Mar 2006

Priority

JP 2005-10303131 Mar 2005

Published

US 2006/0241447 A126 Oct 2006

Granted

30 Nov 2010

Term ends

4 Feb 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 678 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification9 codes

A61B 8/0875
Clinical applications: for diagnosis of bone
A61B 5/6843
Specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface: monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
G01S 7/52017
Of systems according to group G01S15/00: particularly adapted to short-range imaging
G01S 15/8925
Using a transducer array: the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays

Timeline

31 Mar 2005Priority claimedJP 2005-103031
28 Mar 2006Application filedUS 11/390,788
28 Mar 2006Assigned to Aloka Co., Ltd., University of Tokyo, theassignment of assignor's interest
26 Oct 2006PublishedUS 2006/0241447 A1
30 Nov 2010GrantedUS 7,841,983 B2
25 Jan 2012Assigned to Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.change of name
6 Mar 2017Assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
4 Feb 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 678 days of adjustment

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

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Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims14

Description6,079 words

Drawings

Classification9 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,079 words