JPH0767448B2 - Water tank for medical ultrasonic device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device which is frequently used for mammary gland diagnosis and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a living tissue is irradiated with ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic waves are reflected from the boundary surface between different tissues. By converting the intensity of the reflected wave into an electric signal and displaying it on a monitor, a tomographic image of the living tissue can be obtained.

By the way, an acoustic coupling agent is used to prevent attenuation and reflection between an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver (hereinafter referred to as "probe") and a living body. Has been done. In particular, mechanical scanning is more difficult to adhere to a living body than electronic scanning, and a water bag or a water tank is indispensable.

A conventional example of a water bag and a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device will be described below.

FIG. 4 shows a water bag 1 used for scanning a relatively narrow range in a precision inspection or the like, and water 2 is generally used as an acoustic coupling agent. Then, the water bag 1 is brought into contact with the subject 3 and the probe 4 installed inside the water bag 1
Can be scanned in the direction of the arrow in the figure to obtain a tomographic image of the subject 3. Further, it is general that the position of the tomographic plane can be changed by shifting the probe 4 in a direction perpendicular to the arrow direction in the figure and parallel to the water surface.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional water tank 5. The water tank 5 shown in FIG. 5 is provided with an opening 6 at the top thereof and stores water 2 as an acoustic coupling agent therein.
The probe 4 is installed inside. This water tank 5 is used for a relatively wide range of scanning, and unlike the case of the water bag 1 in FIG. 4, the water tank 5 is located below the subject 3.
This is because the large amount of water 2 reduces the burden on the subject 3 and prevents the overall configuration from increasing.

FIG. 6 shows a water tank 7 as another example of the conventional example. The difference between the water tank 7 and the water tank 5 shown in FIG. 5 is that the opening 6 has a sound close to the living tissue of the subject 3. That is, the flexible thin film 8 having the characteristics and having good adhesion is stretched. This water tank 7 is also used for the same purpose as the water tank 5.

The features of the water tanks 5, 7 among the above-mentioned water bags 1, water tanks 5, 7 will be described below.

In the water tank 5 shown in FIG. 5, since the subject 3 and the water 2 are in direct contact with each other, it is easy to obtain a relatively good image quality by the current ultrasonic technology.

In the aquarium 7 shown in FIG. 6, especially in the diagnosis of flexible living tissues such as mammary glands, the body surface of the subject 3 is pressed against the thin film 8 and approaches a direction perpendicular to the direction of ultrasonic wave reflection of ultrasonic waves. It is possible to improve sensitivity, reduce artifacts, and improve the depth of field.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in the propagation of ultrasonic waves, the range of S in which the sound velocity of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the probe 4 is narrowed is relatively excellent in resolution and the range of S is short, so that the field of view of the living body is small. The shallower the better. In the figure, Y
Indicates the spread of the speed of sound.

[0012]

The water tanks 5 and 7 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 have the characteristics as described above. Among them, the water tank 5 shown in FIG. Due to the contact, there is a problem that the subject 3 gets wet, or a foreign substance is mixed in the water 2 to cause image deterioration of the tomographic plane due to ultrasonic waves. Moreover, it is difficult to obtain a high-quality image due to the movement of the living tissue due to the respiration of the subject 3.

On the other hand, in the case of the water tank 7 shown in FIG.
Has a convex shape on the lower side, the body surface of the subject 3 cannot be sufficiently pressed by the thin film 8. Therefore, the body surface does not approach at right angles to the traveling direction of the ultrasonic waves, and There is a problem that the depth of field cannot be improved due to a large amount of reflection and deterioration of sensitivity and the occurrence of artifacts. When the region to be imaged is the breast, the size of the region causes poor adhesion to the thin film 8 and affects the depth of field described above.
There is a problem that the image quality deteriorates.

When bubbles are generated inside the thin film 8,
There is a problem that the image quality deteriorates.

In addition, wrinkles may be formed on the thin film 8 and air may enter between the subject 3 and the thin film 8 to cause deterioration of image quality, and the vicinity of the armpit of the breast is also important when diagnosing breast cancer or the like. This area has a problem that air is easily mixed with the thin film 8 and a desired visual field cannot be obtained.

The above-mentioned various drawbacks are prominent in the case of a mass examination or the like in which a large number of subjects 3 are treated per day and the failure to take data is not allowed.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to prevent the size of the entire structure from increasing while reducing the burden on the subject, and to take advantage of the thin film to minimize the defects. It is an object of the present invention to provide a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device that can contribute to obtaining a high-quality tomographic image.

[0018]

Medical ultrasound device for aquariums according to claim 1, wherein in order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of, in medical ultrasound device aquariums that houses the acoustic coupling agent within the water tank body, said water tank An opening is provided in the upper part of the main body, and in the opening
It is characterized in that a convex thin film is attached to an upper side, and a bubble removing means for removing bubbles generated inside the water tank body is provided on an upper side portion of the convex thin film .

Further, in the water tank for a medical ultrasonic device according to claim 2, the bubble removing means is a tube connected to the water tank body or the thin film, and the water level of the acoustic coupling agent which is interposed in the tube is equal to or more than that. It is characterized in that it is provided with a bubble vent valve arranged at the above height.

[0020]

According to the water tank for a medical ultrasonic device according to claim 1 having the above-mentioned structure, the thin film is provided in the opening provided in the upper part of the water tank body, and the acoustic coupling agent is housed inside the water tank body. Even if the liquid amount of the acoustic coupling agent is increased, the weight of the liquid is not added to the subject, and the burden on the subject is reduced. Further, since a mechanism for suspending the water tank body is not necessary, it is possible to prevent the overall structure from becoming large.

By making the thin film convex upward, the body surface of the subject can be sufficiently pressed by the thin film. As a result, the body surface approaches a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the ultrasonic waves, the reflection of the ultrasonic waves on the body surface is reduced, sensitivity is improved, and artifacts are reduced. It leads to the improvement of depth.

When bubbles are generated inside the water tank body, the bubbles are removed by the bubble removing means. This can prevent image quality deterioration.

According to the water tank for a medical ultrasonic device of the present invention, since the bubble vent valve is arranged at a height equal to or higher than the water level of the acoustic coupling agent, the water tank inside the tank main body is provided. Even if bubbles are generated, the bubbles can be easily removed by the valve operation, and image deterioration can be prevented.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the water tank 10 has an opening 1 at the top.
1a is provided and three doorways 11 are provided on the side and bottom.
It has a water tank main body 11 provided with b, 11c and 11d.

A thin film 1 having a convex shape on the upper side is formed in the opening 11a.
2 is attached by an annular lid 13.

The lid 13 has a steel body 13b inside and is formed by covering the periphery thereof with a flexible elastic body 13a. The water 14 as an acoustic coupling agent housed inside the aquarium body 11 is externally formed. In addition to preventing leaks to the subject, it also plays a role of protecting the subject 3.

An inlet / outlet port 12a is provided on the upper side of the thin film 12, and a bubble removal valve (bubble removal device) 16 is attached to the inlet / outlet port 12a via a tube (bubble removal device) 15. Further, since the bubble vent valve 16 easily removes bubbles generated inside the water tank body 11,
It is arranged at a height equal to or higher than the water level of the water 14 in the water tank body 11.

A probe 4 is incorporated in the water tank body 11, and a tomographic image of the subject 3 is obtained by scanning the probe 4 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 17 is a temperature control means, that is, a heater, which is desirably arranged inside the water tank body 11, and keeps the water temperature of the water 14 close to the body temperature.

The water tank 10 is equipped with a pressure control means A. That is, a circulation pipe 18 is connected between the entrances 11b and 11c of the water tank body 11 to form a circulation water passage for the water 14, and the circulation pipe 18 is connected with a three-way switching valve 19 and a pump 20. . A spare tank 21 containing water 14 is connected to the three-way switching valve 19. 23 is three switching terminals 23a, 23b, 23
A remote changeover switch having a three-way switching valve 19 and a pump 20 for controlling the pump 20, and 24 is an inlet / outlet port 11d of the water tank body 11.
Is a drain valve connected to the pipe via a pipe 25.

Next, the operation of the water tank 10 having the above structure will be described.

When the water pressure in the water tank 10 is to be increased, the remote changeover switch 23 of the pressure control means A is changed over to the changeover terminal 2.
3a, the three-way switching valve 19 is operated to close the flow path connecting the inlet / outlet port 11c and the auxiliary tank 21, and the pump 20 is driven. In this state, the spare tank 2
The water 14 in 1 is pressure-fed in the water tank main body 11 by the pump 20 through the circulation pipe 18 and the inlet / outlet port 11b, so that the water pressure in the water tank 10 rises.

The remote selector switch 23 is switched to the position of the selector terminal 23b when the water pressure in the water tank 10 reaches a predetermined pressure. At this time, the three-way switching valve 19 closes the flow path from the spare tank 21 to the circulation pipe 18 and also connects the entrance 11
A flow path connecting c and the pump 20 is formed, so that the water 14 whose pressure has been raised to a predetermined pressure circulates in the circulation pipe 18 and the water tank 10, and the pressure is kept constant.

When lowering the pressure in the water tank 10, the remote selector switch 23 is switched to the position of the selector terminal 23c. At this time, the pump 20 stops and the three-way switching valve 19
Operates to form a flow path from the inlet / outlet port 11c to the auxiliary tank 21, and closes the flow path to the pump 20. Therefore, the water 14 in the water tank 10 returns to the spare tank 21 from the inlet / outlet port 11c, and the water pressure in the water tank 10 decreases.

By adjusting the water pressure in the water tank 10 by the pressure control means A in this manner, the contact pressure between the thin film 12 and the subject 3 is set to an optimum value corresponding to the size of the subject 3. It becomes possible to do.

Therefore, in addition to the original characteristic of the thin film 12 that the subject 3 does not come into direct contact with the water 14 and the subject 3 does not get wet, the increase / decrease in the water pressure (water amount) in the water tank 10 is different for each subject 3. It becomes possible, the incident angle of the ultrasonic wave irradiated from the probe 4 to the subject 3 is improved, and the depth of field is reduced, so that the image quality of the ultrasonic image is improved.

Further, it is possible to finely adjust the pressure for each subject 3 with respect to a soft portion such as a breast having individual differences and softness, so that the close contact between the armpit and the breast size is improved and the thin film 12 is formed. There is no risk of wrinkling.

Further, by increasing the water pressure in the water tank 10, it is possible to put a weight on the thin film 12 of the water tank 10, the movement of living tissue accompanying breathing is almost eliminated, and the subject 3 and the thin film 12 are separated from each other. Bubbles are not generated between them and a high quality image can be obtained.

In particular, the subject 3 is placed on the thin film 12 and brought into close contact with the water pressure in the water tank 10 raised to a certain extent, and then the pressure is reduced by a small amount until the next required portion (armpit) comes into close contact with the thin film 12. Is preferable for obtaining a good image.

When bubbles occur between the thin film 12 and the water 14, the bubble vent valve 16 is opened to remove the bubbles. This makes it possible to remove air bubbles, which impede the use of the ultrasonic device, from passing through the ultrasonic waves from the inside of the thin film in the opening of the water tank.

Further, the water 14 is heated by the heater 17 to the subject 3
Can be raised to near body temperature. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the discomfort felt when the subject comes into close contact with the thin film and feels cold. Further, since the thin film is softened by being warmed, the adhesion to the subject can be further enhanced.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of the embodiment shown in FIG. Portions having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The water tank 10A shown in FIG.
Is different from the three-way switching valve 19 as the pressure control means A.
The spare tank 21 is removed, and instead, the bellows-shaped bag pump 26 is connected to the water tank body 11 via the inlet / outlet port 11e.

In this water tank 10A as well, by operating the bag pump 26 in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure to adjust the water pressure in the water tank 10A, it contributes to obtaining a high-quality ultrasonic image as in the water tank 10. I will get it.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as described above, but can be applied to various modifications and various ultrasonic apparatuses within the scope of the claims. Needless to say.

[0048]

According to the invention described in claim 1 described above in detail, since the opening provided in the upper part of the aquarium body is provided with a thin film and the acoustic coupling agent is housed inside the aquarium body,
It is possible to prevent the overall structure from becoming large while reducing the burden on the subject, and by making the thin film convex upward, it is possible to sufficiently compress the body surface of the subject with the thin film, and inside the aquarium body Even if bubbles are generated, they can be removed, so that the incident angle of ultrasonic waves, the depth of field can be improved, image quality can be prevented, and the advantages of the thin film can be used to minimize defects and obtain high-quality tomographic images. It is possible to provide a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device that can contribute to obtaining the above.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the bubble vent valve is arranged at a height equal to or higher than the water level of the acoustic coupling agent, even if bubbles are generated inside the water tank body. The bubbles can be easily removed, and image quality deterioration can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing focusing and spreading of ultrasonic waves.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional water bag.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional water tank.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a conventional water tank.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 10A Water tank 11 Water tank body 12 Thin film 14 Water as acoustic coupling agent 15 Tube (bubble removing means) 16 Bubble removing valve (bubble removing means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A medical ultrasound device for aquariums that houses the acoustic coupling agent within the water tank body, open at the top of the water tank body
A mouth is provided and a convex thin film is attached to the opening.
In addition, a water tank for a medical ultrasonic device is provided with an air bubble removing means for removing air bubbles generated inside the water tank body on the upper side of the convex thin film . 2. The bubble eliminator comprises a tube connected to the water tank body or the thin film, and a bubble eliminator valve interposed in the tube and arranged at a height equal to or higher than the water level of the acoustic coupling agent. The water tank for a medical ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein