Mechanical shear wave generation for ultrasonic elastography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023181162-A1
Application number	US-202117923962-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2020
Publication date	Jun 15, 2023
Grant date	—

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

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 an ultrasound probe; a vibration motor assembly; and
a vibration isolation element adapted to couple the vibration motor assembly to the probe attachment element.

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

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a plurality of springs.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a plurality of tension springs.

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

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the vibration isolation element further comprises a rubber band.

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

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

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration motor assembly further comprises:
a sleeve; a slider adapted to move freely in the sleeve; and a vibration motor coupled to the slider, wherein the sleeve is coupled to the probe attachment element by the vibration isolation element.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
a vibration motor mount, wherein the vibration motor mount is coupled to the slider, wherein the vibration motor is mounted to the vibration motor mount, and wherein the vibration motor mount is further adapted to couple vibration energy to a body for shear wave generation.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration motor assembly further comprises:
a sleeve retained in place by an elastic compound; a slider adapted to move freely in the sleeve; a vibration motor coupled to the slider; 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 probe attachment element further comprises one or more straps.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the probe attachment element further comprises a pair of shells adapted to conform to the shape of an ultrasound probe when attached together.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61B8/0825

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

• A61B8/485 Primary

  involving measuring strain or elastic properties · 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

• A61B5/0051

  by applying vibrations · CPC title