JP2000201929A - Ultrasonic probe and application thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the action of acoustic lenses variable in an ultrasonic probe. SOLUTION: A coupler 12 is detachably mounted to a probe body 10. The coupler 12 is provided with a second acoustic lens 20, and a first acoustic lens 14 and the second acoustic lens 20 are jointed in the mounted state of the coupler 12. The action of the acoustic lenses can therefore be switched. A coupling agent is injected between both lenses.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe and a method of using the same, and more particularly to adjusting the operation of an acoustic lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic probe has a built-in ultrasonic transducer,
Ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer is a single transducer or an array transducer. If the latter array transducer is electronically scanned, the ultrasonic beam can be electronically scanned, thereby forming a two-dimensional data acquisition area.

[0003] A backing layer is generally formed on the back side of an ultrasonic transducer, and a matching layer and an acoustic lens are provided on the front side thereof. The acoustic lens is provided to focus the ultrasonic beam, but in rare cases, an acoustic lens for diffusion is also used. If an acoustic lens is used, the beam convergence in a direction orthogonal to the electronic scanning direction of the ultrasonic beam can be improved. Incidentally, in focusing the ultrasonic beam in the electronic scanning direction, an electronic focusing technique is generally used.

[0004]

It has been pointed out that the conventional ultrasonic probe is provided with a fixed acoustic lens, and therefore cannot control the depth of the focus point by the acoustic lens. For example, in short-range measurement, in order to improve the resolution, it is desirable to use an acoustic lens having a larger curvature while narrowing the aperture through which ultrasonic waves pass. Was impossible.

A patent application related to the present application is Japanese Patent Application No. 10-8787.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an ultrasonic probe capable of changing the function of an acoustic lens.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe whose aperture and focus depth can be adjusted.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic probe comprising a probe main body and a coupler detachably mounted on the probe main body. The main body has a first acoustic lens having an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface, and the coupler has a second acoustic lens joined to the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface.

According to the above configuration, the operation of the acoustic lens as a whole can be switched by attaching and detaching the second acoustic lens. For example, the form of the ultrasonic beam and the depth of the focus point can be physically switched. It is.

Preferably, the second acoustic lens covers the entire surface of the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface. Preferably, the second acoustic lens covers a part of the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface, and the periphery of the second acoustic lens is an aperture limiting part for attenuating ultrasonic waves. Preferably, a coupling medium is injected between the first acoustic lens and the second acoustic lens.

Further, the method of using the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention includes a step of applying a coupling medium to an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface of the first acoustic lens of the probe main body; Attaching a coupler having a second acoustic lens, thereby bringing the back surface of the second acoustic lens into close contact with the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface via the coupling medium,
It is characterized by having.

According to the above configuration, the change in acoustic impedance between the acoustic lenses can be reduced, and the reflection and attenuation of ultrasonic waves can be reduced.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention. The ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment is roughly composed of a probe main body 10 and a coupler 12 detachably attached thereto. The probe main body 10 can be used alone. An acoustic lens 14 is provided on the distal end surface of the probe body 10,
Ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received while the living body contact surface 14A of the acoustic lens 14 is in contact with the living body surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the coupler 12 is mounted on the probe body 10,
The inner surface 20A of the second acoustic lens 20 provided on the coupler 12 is in close contact with the living body contact surface 14A. Prior to such close contact, the first acoustic lens 14 will be described in detail later.
A jelly-shaped coupling member or the like is applied between the second acoustic lens 20 and the second acoustic lens 20.

The coupler 12 has the second acoustic lens 20 as described above.
By bonding to the acoustic lens 14, the function of the acoustic lens can be changed. That is, the shape of the ultrasonic beam and the depth of the focus point can be changed. For example, the focus point can be made shallow or deep. It is also possible to improve the resolution by reducing the size of the aperture for transmitting and receiving waves.

A rib 16 is formed on the probe main body 10, and engaging portions 22A and 22B at both ends of the coupler 12 are engaged with the rib 16. As a result, the coupler 12 can be detachably attached to the probe main body 10.

FIG. 2 shows a coupler 1 viewed from the living body contact side.
2 is shown. As shown in the drawing, the coupler 12 has a second acoustic lens 20 formed extending along the scanning direction, and focuses the ultrasonic beam by the action of both the first acoustic lens 14 and the second acoustic lens 20. Can be planned. Here, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the length of the second acoustic lens 20 in the scanning direction is the first acoustic lens 1.
4, the width of the second acoustic lens 20 is set to be narrower than that of the first acoustic lens 14 in a direction orthogonal to the direction. That is, by narrowing the opening width in such a direction, it is possible to increase the resolution particularly in a short-range ultrasonic diagnosis. At least its periphery is formed of an ultrasonic attenuation (absorption) member for limiting the aperture.

FIG. 3 shows that the probe body 10 has a coupler 12.
Is shown in a cross-sectional view in a state where is mounted. An array transducer 3 including a plurality of transducers is provided in the probe body 10.
6, a matching layer 34 is provided on the living body side. The first acoustic lens 14 described above is provided on the living body side of the matching layer 34. On the other hand, a backing layer 40 is provided on the back side of the array transducer 36.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first acoustic lens 1
4, the second acoustic lens 20 has a larger curvature in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. That is, by using the second acoustic lens 20, it is possible to set the focus point at a shorter distance.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment.
In the coupler 112 according to this embodiment, the first
A second acoustic lens 120 having a smaller curvature than the acoustic lens 114 is used. As shown in FIG.
First acoustic lens 114 in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
The size of the second acoustic lens 120 and the size of the second acoustic lens 120 are the same, and the widths of both lenses are also the same in the scanning direction.

As described above, by attaching and detaching the coupler, it is possible to additionally join the second acoustic lens to obtain a focusing function of the ultrasonic beam which cannot be obtained only by the first acoustic lens.

Prior to mounting the coupler 12, a jelly-like coupling agent for performing acoustic coupling is applied to the living body contact surface 14A of the probe main body 10, and thereafter the coupler 12 is attached to the probe main body 10. Be attached. Then, a coupling agent is interposed between the first acoustic lens 14 and the second acoustic lens 20, whereby unnecessary scattering and attenuation of ultrasonic waves can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a coupler viewed from a living body.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a coupler according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 probe body, 12 coupler, 14 first acoustic lens, 20 second acoustic lens.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Koichiro Fujii 6-22-1, Mury, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo Aloka Inc. F-term (reference) 4C301 EE07 GB30 5D019 AA00 GG03

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe comprising: a probe main body; and a coupler detachably mounted on the probe main body, wherein the probe main body includes a first acoustic lens having an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface. A second member to be joined to the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface.
An ultrasonic probe having an acoustic lens. 2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the second acoustic lens covers an entire surface of the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface. 3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the second acoustic lens covers a part of the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface, and an aperture limiting section around the second acoustic lens for attenuating the ultrasonic wave. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that: 4. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein
An ultrasonic probe, wherein a coupling medium is injected between the first acoustic lens and the second acoustic lens. 5. A step of applying a coupling medium to an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface of a first acoustic lens of a probe main body, and mounting a coupler having a second acoustic lens to the probe main body, A step of bringing the back surface of the second acoustic lens into close contact with the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface via the coupling medium.