Technicare Corporation

Echocath Inc.

Cobe Laboratories, Inc.

Ultra Med, Inc.

Catheter Technology Co.

Bayard G Gardineer

David Vilkomerson

James A Heringes

Reuben S Mezrich

George W Leber

David H Vilkomerson

William S Trimmer

Andreas Hadjicostis

Francis A Debernardis, Jr

John W Bogan

Paul Mandel

Charles W Howlett

A disposable interventional medical device assembly for use with a color ultrasonic imaging system or other ultrasonic systems sensitive to motion. The assembly includes an interventional medical device having an elongated member for insertion into an interior region of a body under investigation, and piezo driver assembly coupled to the member of the interventional medical device. The driver assembly produces a vibratory oscillation which causes the member to exhibit a flexural motion in response thereto, the flexural motion having a zero amplitude point and a maximum amplitude point, wherein the driver assembly is coupled to the member at a point located between the zero amplitude point and the maximum amplitude point of the member's flexural motion. In one embodiment of the present invention, the interventional medical device can be a biopsy needle wherein the elongated member is the shaft of the biopsy needle. Also described is an ultrasonic imaging system which includes the earlier described disposable interventional medical device assembly and a scanner for detecting the flexural motion of the member of the disposable interventional medical device when the member is inserted into an interior region of a body under investigation. The system generate an image of the interior region of the body under investigation in which the flexural motion is locatively represented.

Drive apparatus for an interventional medical device used in an

A scanning system that is forward looking that uses ultrasound for intraluminal imaging. A transducer that emits ultrasonic signals is nutatably mounted on the tip of a probe. The front mounted transducer enables intraluminal scanning of an oncoming area or volume as the probe moves to a selected position in a lumen or body cavity. Cables are used to nutate the transducer so as to provide spiral or raster scanning patterns. The cables are driven by programmable electromagnetic drives. Three dimensional images are then obtained from the reflected ultrasonic signals.

Apparatus and method for forward looking volume imaging

A VIBER vibrating mechanism is coupled to a cannula or needle and operates to provide flexural vibrations to move the needle and to enable detection of the position of a needle within a body of interest by a color ultrasound imaging system. The VIBER mechanism exhibits multiple modes of oscillation when energized. The VIBER mechanism is excited to exhibit predetermined oscillations at a given frequency in the X plane, a predetermined oscillation at another frequency in the Y plane and still another frequency of oscillation in the Z plane. In this manner, the VIBER mechanism device exhibits motion in all three planes, which motion is detectable by a conventional color ultrasound imaging system. The frequency of oscillation is a function of the entire system, namely the VIBER mechanism, the needle or cannula which is attached to the VIBER mechanism and the tissue. The resonant frequency is preferred as it provides larger vibrational amplitudes. In this manner, a resonant frequency is controlled by means of a feedback control loop, whereby the frequency applied to the VIBER mechanism is monitored to determine resonance and is held at the resonant frequency as the VIBER mechanism or needle is moved. The vibration in the representative planes causes a typical conventional color ultrasound imaging system to display the vibration or movement by means of a color variation. By viewing the display, a system operator, such as a physician can visualize the location of the needle because of the color indication provided by the display.

Apparatus and method for locating an interventional medical device with

An ultrasonic transducer for use in locating devices with an ultrasonic imaging system which is sensitive over a broad range of angles of incident acoustic beams, such as those beams emitted in ultrasonic systems, has a curved surface, and is an annular member in shape. The elongated catheter or other device passes through the opening of the annular transducer. Based on the shape of such transducers and the wavelength used, the response of the transducers is a function of the angle of the insonifying beam to the catheter axis. The particular response of such transducers is shown to depend on the curvature of the annular marker, with the radius of curvature chosen on the basis of the wavelength used in the ultrasonic scanning system; between 2-50 wavelengths.

Annular ultrasonic transducers employing curved surfaces useful in

A peristaltic pump comprising a removable platen having a cylindrical passage about a platen axis, a flexible tube mounted on the inner surface and forming a loop around the platen axis, a rotor mounted on and extending from a housing for rotation about the platen axis, and a roller mounted on the rotor so as to squeeze the tube against the platen as the rotor rotates, the roller having an axis that is at an angle relative to that of the platen axis to cause the platen to be biased in the direction of the platen axis by the roller as the rotor rotates.

Peristaltic pump

There is disclosed an ultrasonic scanning apparatus for directing ultrasonic energy towards a body under investigation, such as the body of a person. The scanning apparatus consists of a focussed ultrasonic transducer which is capable of radiating a beam of ultrasonic energy in a given direction. The beam emanating from the transducer impinges upon at least one surface of a rotating reflector where the rotating reflector directs the beam relatively perpendicular to the direction of the beam as propagated from the transducer. The redirected beam can then be further focussed or reflected to further shape the beam prior to directing the beam towards the body under investigation.

Ultrasonic scanning apparatus and techniques

A solid steel stylet is carried coaxially within a hollow biopsy needle. The stylet carries a matching layer at its tip, such that when the needle and stylet are inserted into the body, ultrasound energy impinging on the needle tip is converted to pressure waves which are conveyed back up the stylet. An ultrasound transducer located outside the body is coupled to receive sonic energy from the stylet, and to convert it to electrical energy for coordination with, and superposition upon the image of the system.

Passive ultrasound needle probe locator

A composite film pack and image storage and retrieval system includes inversely nesting inner and outer envelopes, with a disk film record enclosed within both. For photographic exposure purposes, the inner envelope is at least partially withdrawn and the disk is provided with suitable exposure to apply the sequential images thereto. Thereupon, the inner envelope is reinserted for secure transit of the disk to a development station. Upon development, the inner envelope may be discarded and the outer envelope foreshortened and utilized as a permanent storage and display vehicle.

Storage and record system for a large number of associated images

An annular fitting for connecting an immersion heater into a circulating fluid system which includes a groove cut across the threads on the inside of the fitting and a hole through the fitting wall in fluid communication with the groove. The groove and the hole permit a small quantity of fluid to bleed past the base of the heater to reduce the build up of bubbles around the base of the heater.

Plumbing fitting

A circular ultrasound transducer is divided into separate semi-circular transducer elements. Each element is separately operable, and each is aligned with similarly configured lens segments having different focal zones.

Ultrasound scanner having compound transceiver for multiple optimal focus

A combination vanity screen and patient support couch extension. The vanity screen includes two overlapping panels, an upright support panel and a pivoting extension panel. The overlapping edge of the support panel is hinged to the back of the extension panel so that the extension panel may pivot from an upright position in generally coplanar alignment with the support panel to a horizontal position in generally coplanar alignment with the primary patient support couch so as to act as a support couch extension. The upright panel and the extension panel are locked in a coplanar relationship by a door knob which includes a bolt and a striker plate mounted in confronting relationship on the upright panel and the overlapping edge of the extension panel. The free end of the extension panel includes a support bar, which rests on projections extending from the primary support couch, and a latch, which locks the free end of the extension panel to the projections so that the couch extension may be locked in the horizontal position. A counterbalance mechanism is provided to facilitate the movement of the extension panel between its vertical and horizontal positions.

Combination vanity screen and patient support couch extension

There is disclosed a patient support system for orienting the patient's breast and adjacent axilla region with respect to an ultrasound mammary scanning apparatus while the breast is suspended. A patient support platform is supported on top of a cabinet enclosing the ultrasound system which includes a transducer tank in which a transducer and sonic lens is submerged in water. The platform includes an aperture to permit the patient's breast to suspend into a pool of water defined by a flexible bag supported about the aperture by means of a frame. The bag drapes down and contacts the surface of the water in the transducer tank to provide a continuous transmission medium for the ultrasound from the transducer to the breast. The platform is specially contained to comfortably support the patient and restrain the patient against rolling or sliding. An adjustable headrest extends over the aperture and a step platform, kneeling bench and vanity screen, which can be converted to a support platform extension, permit different sized patients to conveniently use the apparatus.

Patient support apparatus for ultrasound mammary scanning apparatus

Ultrasound breast scanning and diagnosis is achieved by suspending the breast in a water pool, in which is immersed a wide aperture transducer/lens assembly. The water path is defined by two separate segments, an upper one, into which the breast is suspended, contained by a flexible sonically transparent bag member, and the lower being contained in a longitudinally movable tank which is filled to contact with the bag member portion protruding into the tank.

Ultrasound mammary scanning apparatus

In an ultrasound imaging system employing a moving or oscillating transducer, actual transducer position is detected periodically, rather than continuously. A magnet is caused to oscillate with the transducer, and periodic alignment of the magnet with a fixedly mounted Hall effect switch provides synchronization data for sonic pulse generation, pulse-echo receipt, and image assembly and display.

Growing community of inventors

Skillman, NJ, United States of America

Bayard G Gardineer