JPH11197155A - Ultrasonic wave piercing probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the work of inserting a piercing needle to the desired part of a wide area of the body. SOLUTION: Cuts 54 are respectively provided on both ends of a vibrator part 52 and a piercing needle holder 58 is fitted there. Thus, the piercing needle 58 is inserted from both ends to an image area positioned under the main part of the vibrator part 52. The insertion angle to a living body of the respective piercing needles 58 can be changed in a prescribed range. By that and by making the piercing needle 58 insertable from the plural parts, the work of the sampling or the like of a sample for a living body inspection is performed without moving the vibrator part 52 to a tissue right under the skin once captured in the image area.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic puncture probe used in operations such as needle biopsy with a puncture needle and injection of a contrast medium, and more particularly to facilitation of the operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of medical treatment and the like, operations of inserting a puncture needle into a living body to collect a test sample from the inside of the living body and injecting a contrast agent into the living body are performed. The ultrasonic puncture probe enables the position of the puncture needle in the living body to be visually recognized in an ultrasonic image in real time. This allows the puncture needle to be inserted while avoiding an organ other than the target organ, and the above-mentioned operation is performed safely and reliably.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional ultrasonic puncture probe. FIG. 4 (a) (b) (c)
Is a top view, a side view, and a bottom view of the probe, respectively. The main part of this conventional device is an electronic linear scanning type vibrator part 2 which is in contact with a living body. The vibrator part 2 is provided with a notch 4 for passing a puncture needle. The notch 4 is provided in a portion of the vibrator portion 2 that is close to one side. The vibrator array is arranged in a portion (main portion 6) closer to the center of the notch 4 of the vibrator portion 2. On the other hand, a portion (end portion 8) of the vibrator portion 2 which is located on the opposite side to the main portion 6 with respect to the cut 4 is provided with a dummy vibrator array in order to acoustically match the main portion 6. Is provided. This dummy transducer array does not need to be driven,
No wiring is applied. Therefore, the biological image of the ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the vibrator unit 2 has a predetermined range centered on the region directly below the main unit 6.

The ultrasonic puncture probe has a cut 4 through which a puncture needle is pierced into a living body so that the distal end of the puncture needle is placed in a living body area below the main portion 6 which is an area displayed in an ultrasonic image. It is configured such that it can be easily and securely guided. The notch 4 is formed, for example, in an inverted triangular (or inverted trapezoidal) side shape in which the opening on the top surface is large and the opening on the bottom surface is small. By doing so, the area of the vibrator array provided on the bottom surface of the vibrator part 2 can be ensured, and the puncture needle can be inserted into the living body at various inclination angles.

For example, a puncture needle holder 10 shown in FIG. The puncture needle holder 10 is provided with a guide that slidably holds the puncture needle in its axial direction, and the guide is formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the living body. With this guide, the effect of easily and reliably guiding the puncture needle to the living body region where the ultrasonic image is formed is sufficiently achieved. In addition,
By preparing a plurality of types of puncture needle holders 10 having different inclination angles of the guide and replacing them as necessary,
The insertion position of the puncture needle can be changed within a range where an ultrasonic image is formed.

In the conventional ultrasonic puncture probe, the bottom surface of the vibrator part 2 has a U-shape because of the notch 4. The bottom surface is provided with a silicon lens 12 that converges ultrasonic waves, including the end 8.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a state in which a conventional ultrasonic puncture probe is used in contact with a living body. In the figure, for example, 60
The puncture needle holder 10 for guiding the puncture needle 22 at an angle of ° is fitted. The main part 6 of the vibrator part 2 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is brought into contact with the skin above the tissue 26 directly under the skin 26 in the living body 20, for example, which is a target for collecting a biopsy sample. Thus, it is possible to perform a treatment such as sampling while capturing the tissue 26 immediately below the skin within the range in which the ultrasonic image is formed (image region 30).

[0008]

Conventionally, when performing a procedure such as taking a biopsy sample at a different position in a living body, the puncture holder 10 has to be replaced with one having a different guide inclination, or the vibrator section 2 has to be replaced. Had to be moved. Of these, replacing the puncture needle holder 10 has a problem that the operation becomes complicated.

Further, there is a problem that the work of moving the vibrator portion 2 and reapplying it to the living body is troublesome. Specifically, for example, when the transducer unit 2 is moved while the target position to be sampled is already displayed on the ultrasonic image, it is necessary to find the target position again from the moved image. There may be a problem that efficiency is deteriorated.

[0010] The reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave from the living body can be reflected again toward the living body at the vibrator portion 2 abutted on the living body. This multiple reflection may adversely affect the ultrasound image. In particular, by providing the notch 4 at the end of the vibrator portion 2, a portion where only a multiple reflection occurs even though the vibrator array is not disposed at the end of the vibrator portion 2 and is not effective for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. And there is a problem that the ultrasonic image characteristics are deteriorated. Also, there is a problem that multiple reflections may occur even in a portion of the vibrator portion 2 effective for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and the ultrasonic image characteristics are deteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic puncture probe which can easily perform a puncture operation on a wide body part and can obtain good ultrasonic image characteristics. And

[0012]

An ultrasonic puncture probe according to the present invention is characterized in that the vibrator has a plurality of cuts at the end of the vibrator, into which a puncture needle holder can be fitted. According to the present invention, it is possible to insert a plurality of puncture needles into a plurality of living body parts corresponding to images transmitted and received by the transducer unit using ultrasonic waves.

[0013] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the vibrator portion includes:
The vibrator section has the cuts at one end and the other end, respectively.

An ultrasonic puncture probe according to the present invention is characterized in that the vibrator portion has a vibrator array disposed inside the cut. According to the present invention, the vibrator array is arranged at the central portion of the vibrator portion, and the cuts are arranged around the vibrator array. That is, since the irregular layout in which the vibrator array is arranged across the cut does not occur, the present probe can be easily configured.

The ultrasonic puncture probe according to the present invention is characterized in that the vibrator portion has a sound absorbing member for absorbing the ultrasonic wave on the bottom surface of a portion outside a portion where the vibrator array is arranged. A cut is formed in the vibrator portion outside the portion where the vibrator array is arranged. The ends of the vibrator portion are required to form the cut, even if no vibrator array is located there. However, the end where the transducer array is not arranged causes multiple reflection of the ultrasonic reflected wave from the living body. According to the present invention, the sound absorbing member is provided on the bottom surface of the end portion, so that the reflected wave from the living body is prevented from being reflected again on the living body.

An ultrasonic puncture probe according to the present invention has a spacer between the vibrator portion and the living body part, and a contact surface of the spacer to the living body part is the bottom surface of the vibrator part. And non-parallel. By providing a distance between the vibrator part and the living body,
When the puncture needle is inserted obliquely, the puncture needle is used to adjust the insertion position of the puncture needle with respect to the living body region projected by the ultrasonic echo. The spacer is basically made of a material whose acoustic impedance with the living body is similar,
Some mismatch at the interface between the living body and the spacer is inevitable. In that case, multiple reflections may occur between the boundary surface and the bottom surface of the vibrator portion. According to the present invention, since these two planes are not parallel, if the number of multiple reflections between them is repeated, the reflected wave will escape outside the area where the transducer array is arranged, and the multiple reflection will occur. Adversely affects the ultrasonic image characteristics.

[0017]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic puncture probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
(A), (b), and (c) are a top view, a side view, and a bottom view of the probe, respectively. The main part of the present device is an electronic linear scanning type vibrator part 52 that comes into contact with a living body. The shape of the vibrator portion 52 is rectangular, and cutouts 54 for passing a puncture needle are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction. That is, the present device has two cuts 54.

The notch 54 is formed, for example, in an inverted triangular (or inverted trapezoidal) side shape in which the upper opening is large and the bottom opening is small. By doing so, the area of the vibrator array provided on the bottom surface of the vibrator part 52 can be ensured, and the puncture needle can be inserted into the living body at various inclination angles.

The vibrator array has these two cuts 5
4 is disposed in an inner portion (main portion 56) sandwiched between the four. In particular, the transducer array is disposed near the bottom surface of the main portion 56, and a predetermined area below the transducer array is displayed as an ultrasonic image. The space above the transducer array in the main portion 56 is used for wiring to each transducer element constituting the transducer array.

In the present apparatus, in order to secure the wiring space for the vibrator element as large as possible and to facilitate the wiring work and the configuration of the apparatus, the side of the cut 54 near the main portion 56 is formed on the bottom of the vibrator section 52. It is formed perpendicular to or approximately perpendicular to it. On the other hand, the side face near the end of the vibrator part 52 is inclined so that it faces upward, and it is possible to guide the puncture needle to a region below the main part 56.

A puncture needle holder 58 as shown in FIG. Puncture needle holder 5
The guide 8 is provided with a guide for slidably holding the puncture needle in the axial direction thereof, and the guide is formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the living body. With this guide, the main part 56
Easy puncture needle into the living body area where the lower ultrasound image is formed,
The effect of reliably guiding is sufficiently achieved. It is to be noted that a plurality of types of puncture needle holders 58 having different guide inclination angles are prepared, and they are exchanged as needed, so that the insertion position of the puncture needle can be changed within a range where an ultrasonic image is formed. Can be. The angle of inclination of the guide can be, for example, 90 °, 60 °, 30 °, or the like.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present embodiment is used in contact with a living body. In the figure, puncture needle holders 58 for guiding the puncture needle 62 at an angle of, for example, approximately 60 ° with respect to the surface of the living body 60 are respectively fitted into the cuts 54 at both ends of the vibrator part 52. The main portion 56 of the vibrator portion 52 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves is brought into contact with the skin on the tissue 64 directly below the skin in the living body 60, for example, which is a target for collecting a biopsy sample. Accordingly, it is possible to perform a treatment such as sampling while capturing the tissue immediately below the skin 64 within the ultrasonic image forming range (image area 66).

Although the length of the vibrator array is various, the larger the size, the wider the image area 66, which is convenient because the operator can easily grasp the shape and the like of the living tissue. For example, the length is about several tens mm. Now, when the vibrator array becomes large and the interval between the two cuts 54 widens, the puncture needle 62 inserted from the cut 54 located at one end of the image area 66 is positioned on the opposite side to the cut 54 in the image area 66. It is difficult to puncture the place to be punctured even if the insertion angle of puncture needle 62 is changed. However, in this case, in this case, by inserting the puncture needle 62 from another notch 54 located on the opposite side without moving the vibrator part 52 without moving the vibrator part 52, Necessary treatment such as inspection sample collection can be performed.

Next, based on FIG.
The structure of the bottom surface will be described. The bottom surface of the vibrator part 52 of the present device is roughly divided into three parts. One is a center bottom surface 70 which is a bottom surface of the main portion 56 where the transducer array is provided, and the other two are side bottom surfaces 72 and 74 located on both sides of the center bottom surface 70, respectively. The center bottom surface 70 is interposed between transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves between the transducer array and the living body, and a convex-shaped silicon lens 76 for converging the ultrasonic waves is adhered thereto.

On the other hand, the side bottom surfaces 72 and 74 are not necessary in that sense because ultrasonic waves are not transmitted and received, but they are inevitably formed when the notch 54 is formed in the vibrator portion 52. That is, the puncture needle holder 5 attached to the vibrator portion 52
The end 68 of the vibrator part 52 is required to support the vibrator 8.
2, 74 are formed.

Now, from the vibrator array to the center bottom surface 70
Ultrasonic waves radiated through the body are reflected and scattered by the living body.
This apparatus originally receives the reflected wave by the transducer array and obtains a signal for ultrasonic image formation. But,
A part of the reflected wave goes to the side bottom surfaces 72 and 74.
If this is reflected on the side bottom surfaces 72 and 74 and returns to the living body again, that is, if multiple reflection occurs, the characteristics of the ultrasonic image may be deteriorated. In order to solve this inconvenience, the present device is provided with, for example, sheet-like sound absorbing members 78 and 80 on the side bottom surfaces 72 and 74 to prevent reflected waves from the living body from returning to the living body again. The sound absorbing member is made of, for example, the same material as the silicon lens 76, for example, 1 to 2 mm.
Sheet.

The sound absorbing member is preferably provided on the entire bottom surface not involved in transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves. For example, at the portion where the cut 54 is provided, there is a bottom surface 82 connecting the side bottom surface and the center bottom surface.
8, 80 may be L-shaped so as to cover not only the side bottom surfaces 72, 74 but also the bottom surface 82.

When the tissue immediately below the skin into which the puncture needle 62 is to be inserted is shallow from the surface of the living body, the apparatus is provided with a standoff (spacer) between the vibrator section 52 and the living body. The standoff adjusts the insertion position of the puncture needle 62 with respect to the living body region projected by the ultrasonic echo when the puncture needle 62 is inserted obliquely by providing a distance between the vibrator part 52 and the living body 60. Has a function.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a state in which the present device provided with a standoff is used in contact with a living body. When the standoff 90 is provided, the insertion position of the puncture needle 62 into the living body can be moved more toward the center of the image area 66 than when the standoff 90 is not provided. That is, even when the target depth of the needle tip of the puncture needle 62 is shallow, an echo image of the needle tip can be obtained near the center of the image area 66, and the operation is easy.

The stand-off 90 is basically made of a material having an acoustic impedance similar to that of a living body, such as water. However, some misalignment at the interface between the living body and the standoff 90 is unavoidable. as a result,
Multiple reflections may occur between the boundary surface and the bottom surface of the vibrator portion. In order to solve this inconvenience, the present device has a vibrator unit 5.
2 and the contact surface of the standoff 90 with the living body surface are made non-parallel. That is, the standoff 90 is configured in a trapezoidal shape in which the top surface and the bottom surface form a predetermined angle with each other.

Since these two surfaces are non-parallel, each time reflection occurs between the two surfaces, the reflected wave moves in the horizontal direction and finally escapes outside the area where the transducer array is arranged. Therefore, the adverse effect of the multiple reflection on the ultrasonic image characteristics is reduced. FIG. 3 shows a case where the upper surface of the standoff 90 has an inclination in the longitudinal direction of the vibrator part 52 with respect to the bottom surface, but the inclination direction is not limited to this, and for example, the width of the vibrator part 52 It may be inclined in the direction. For example, in the configuration inclined in the width direction, the reflected wave reaches the outside of the area where the transducer array is arranged with a smaller number of times than in the case where the arrangement is inclined in the longitudinal direction, and the effect of reducing the adverse effect of multiple reflection is high. Be expected.

Although the above description has been made with reference to a linear scanning type ultrasonic puncture probe, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a convex scanning type.

[0034]

According to the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present invention,
A plurality of cuts into which the puncture needle holder can be fitted are provided at the end of the vibrator portion. Therefore, a surgical operation can be performed on a wide range of the living body area while the vibrator part 52 is kept in contact with the living body, and the effect of improving work efficiency can be obtained.

According to the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present invention, the vibrator array is disposed on the bottom surface of the vibrator portion of the vibrator portion inside the cut. Therefore, it is not necessary to dispose the vibrator array across the cuts, so that an effect of facilitating the assembling operation can be obtained.

Further, according to the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present invention, the sound absorbing member is provided on the bottom surface of the end of the vibrator portion where the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves are not performed. Thereby, the multiple reflection of the reflected wave from the living body is reduced, and the effect of improving the ultrasonic image characteristics is obtained.

Further, according to the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present invention, the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer provided between the vibrator portion and the living body part are configured to be non-parallel, whereby the multiple reflection of the reflected wave from the living body is prevented. It is possible to obtain the effect of reducing and improving the ultrasonic image characteristics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic puncture probe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present embodiment is used in contact with a living body.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the ultrasonic puncture probe of the present embodiment provided with a standoff is used in contact with a living body.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional ultrasonic puncture probe.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a state in which a conventional ultrasonic puncture probe is used in contact with a living body.

[Explanation of symbols]

52 vibrator part, 54 notch, 56 main part,
58 puncture needle holder, 62 puncture needle, 68 end, 70
Center bottom, 72, 74 Side bottom, 76 Silicon lens, 78, 80 Sound absorbing member, 90 Standoff.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A puncture needle holder having a guide for slidably holding a puncture needle in an axial direction thereof, and an ultrasonic wave between the puncture needle and a living body part in which the puncture needle is inserted, the bottom surface facing the living body part An ultrasonic puncture probe comprising: a vibrator unit for transmitting and receiving the vibrator; wherein the vibrator unit has a plurality of cuts at an end of the vibrator unit that can fit the puncture needle holder. Sonic puncture probe. 2. The ultrasonic puncture probe according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator section has the cuts on one end side and the other end side of the vibrator section, respectively. 3. The ultrasonic puncture probe according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator section is provided with a vibrator array inside a portion inside the cut. 4. The ultrasonic puncture probe according to claim 3, wherein the vibrator portion has a sound absorbing member that absorbs the ultrasonic wave on the bottom surface of a portion outside a portion where the vibrator array is arranged. Ultrasonic puncture probe featuring. 5. The ultrasonic puncture probe according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer between the vibrator portion and the living body portion, wherein a contact surface of the spacer to the living body portion is the vibrator portion. An ultrasonic puncture probe, which is non-parallel to the bottom surface.