Mechanical shear wave generation for ultrasonic elastography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12364463-B2
Application number	US-202117923962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2020
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system performs elastography using mechanically generated vibrations from a vibration assembly attached to an ultrasound probe. An attachment member attaches the vibration assembly to the probe. A vibration motor is mounted in a motor mount and applies vibration energy to the body in which shear waves are to be measured, at a location adjacent to the probe. The vibration motor mount is coupled to the attachment member by a vibration isolation element such as a spring, rubber band, or elastic compound which isolates the probe from deleterious vibration energy from the vibration motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating shear wave vibrations which are to be detected by an ultrasound probe comprising:
a probe attachment element adapted to attach the apparatus to the ultrasound probe, wherein the probe attachment element comprises a pair of shells adapted to encompass at least a portion of the ultrasound probe when the pair of shells are attached to each other;
a vibration motor configured to generate vibration energy;
a vibration motor assembly, the vibration motor assembly comprising: (1) a sleeve; and (2) a slider adapted to move freely in the sleeve;
a vibration isolation element adapted to couple the vibration motor assembly to the probe attachment element; and
a vibration motor mount comprising the vibration motor and coupled to one end of the slider, wherein the vibration motor mount couples the generated vibration energy to a body to generate the shear wave vibration, and wherein the vibration motor mount is moveable by the generated vibration energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is coupled to the probe attachment element by the vibration isolation element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the probe attachment element further comprises one or more straps.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a plurality of springs.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a plurality of tension springs.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises an elastic band.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a rubber band.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises an elastic filling.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises silicone rubber.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration motor assembly further comprises:
an elastic compound retaining the sleeve in place;
and
a body engagement member mounted on the slider,
wherein the elastic compound further comprises the vibration isolation element.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of magnets adapted to urge the body engagement member into contact with a body by the force of repelling magnets, wherein the probe attachment element further comprises a container adapted to contain the elastic compound.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the container further comprises a cylinder; and
wherein the elastic compound further comprises silicone rubber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration motor assembly comprises a frame encompassing the sleeve.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the vibration isolation element is configured to suspend the sleeve within the frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the slider is configured to move freely within the frame.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the vibration motor is positioned outside the frame.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient member configured to exert a resilient force biasing the vibration motor mount into contact with the body.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the resilient member is a compression spring or a magnet configuration.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Atalla Mostafa Abdelaziz Ali
• Erkamp Ramon Quido
• Nguyen Man M

Classifications

• A61B8/42

  Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient · CPC title

• A61B5/0051

  by applying vibrations · CPC title

• A61B8/0825

  for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography · CPC title

• A61B8/085

  for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules · CPC title

• A61B8/4209

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title