General Electric Company

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Jean-Francois Gelly

Charles Edward Baumgartner

Frederic Lanteri

Bruno Hans Haider

Serge Gerard Calisti

Lowell Scott Smith

Charles Gerard Woychik

Kjell Kristoffersen

David Martin Mills

Hans Garmann Torp

Robert Stephen Lewandowski

Kenneth Wayne Rigby

Alexander Sokulin

Reinhold Bruestle

Sigmund Frigstad

Geir Ultveit Haugen

Alan Tai

Jean Pierre Malacrida

Stephen Edwardsen

Jean Bulte

Gilles Thouret

Julia Labrune

Delphine Cotta

Ryan Rindler

Anne Cecile Dagonneau

A system and method for monitoring ultrasound probe health is provided. The method includes acquiring test data from a plurality of elements of an ultrasound probe by, for each of the plurality of elements, transmitting an ultrasonic signal from one of the elements and receiving a signal on two or more of the elements based on the transmitted ultrasonic signal. The method includes automatically analyzing the test data from the elements to determine a health report for the ultrasound probe. The health report includes a health status for each of a plurality of components of the ultrasound probe. At least one of the components is not part of a transducer array. The method includes automatically displaying the health report on a display device. The health report includes information for at least one of the components.

Method and system for monitoring ultrasound probe health

A transducer array for an ultrasound probe is provided. The transducer array includes a plurality of transducer elements. Each of the transducer elements have an acoustic stack configured to generate ultrasound signals. The transducer array includes a front layer having a base and a transmission surface. The front layer is mounted to the acoustic stacks of the plurality or transducer elements. The transmission surface includes a linear incline. The transmission surface is configured to emit the ultrasound signals.

Ultrasound transducer for imaging systems

A method for forming an acoustical stack for an ultrasound probe comprises partly dicing a single crystal piezoelectric material to form single crystal pieces that are partly separated by a plurality of kerfs. The single crystal piezoelectric material comprises a carrier layer. The kerfs are filled with a kerf filling material to form a single crystal composite and the carrier layer is removed. At least one matching layer is attached to the single crystal composite, and dicing within the kerfs is accomplished to form separate acoustical stacks from the single crystal composite.

Method for forming an acoustical stack for an ultrasound probe

A method for correcting ultrasound data includes acquiring ultrasound data using an ultrasound probe having a plurality of transducer elements associated with a plurality of channels that include conductive pathways and communicating the ultrasound data as received ultrasound signals along the conductive pathways of the channels. The method further includes determining a crosstalk signal that is generated in one or more of the channels by at least one of communication of the received ultrasound signals along the channels or vibration of one or more of the transducer elements. In one aspect, the method also includes modifying one or more subsequently acquired ultrasound signals that are communicated along the channels based on the crosstalk signal.

Method and system for correcting ultrasound data

An acquisition component is provided that includes an audible sound sensor configured to receive audible sounds within a sensing area and a multi-element ultrasound transducer configured to emit ultrasound signals and to receive reflections of the ultrasound signals in the same sensing area. The audible sound sensor and the multi-element ultrasound transducer may be configured to be simultaneously operable.

Methods and apparatus for combined audible and ultrasound inspection of objects, including patients

An ultrasound transducer element includes a piezoelectric layer, a front end body, and a backing layer assembly. The piezoelectric layer extends between opposite front and back sides and is configured to transmit acoustic waves from the front side. The front end is body disposed proximate to the front side of the piezoelectric layer and is configured to emit the acoustic waves out of a housing. The backing layer assembly is disposed proximate to the back side of the piezoelectric layer. The backing layer assembly includes a first thermally conductive mesh disposed in a matrix enclosure. The first thermally conductive mesh is positioned to conduct thermal energy away from the piezoelectric layer. In one aspect, the first thermally conductive mesh is a grid of elongated strands of a metal or metal alloy material oriented in at least one of transverse or oblique directions.

Ultrasound transducer element and method for providing an ultrasound transducer element

A system for improving the acoustic performance of an ultrasound transducer by reducing artifacts within the acoustic spectrum is disclosed. The system includes an acoustic layer having an array of acoustic elements, a dematching layer coupled to the acoustic layer and having an acoustic impedance greater than an acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer, and an interposer layer coupled to the dematching layer and comprising a substrate and a plurality of conductive element. The interposer layer is formed to have an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the dematching layer. The ultrasound transducer also includes an integrated circuit coupled to the interposer layer and electrically connected to the array of acoustic elements through the dematching layer and the interposer layer.

Ultrasound transducer with improved acoustic performance

An acoustical stack for an ultrasound probe comprises a piezoelectric layer having top and bottom sides and a plurality of matching layer sections forming a matching layer structure. Each of the matching layer sections comprises a spring layer comprising a first material and a mass layer comprising a second material that is different than the first material. The spring layer within the matching layer section that is positioned closest to the piezoelectric layer is thinner than the spring layer within the other matching layer sections.

Method for forming a matching layer structure of an acoustic stack

A method for manufacturing an acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer comprises using a user defined center operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer that is at least about 2.9 MHz. A piezoelectric material and a dematching material are joined with an assembly material to form an acoustical connection therebetween. The piezoelectric material has a first acoustical impedance and *at least one of* an associated piezoelectric rugosity (Ra) and piezoelectric waviness (Wa). The dematching material has a second acoustical impedance that is different than the first acoustical impedance and at least one of an associated dematching Ra and dematching Wa. The piezoelectric and dematching materials have an impedance ratio of at least 2. The assembly material has a thickness that is based on the center operating frequency and at least one of the piezoelectric Ra, piezoelectric Wa, dematching Ra and dematching Wa.

Method for optimized dematching layer assembly in an ultrasound transducer

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Mougins, France

Jean-Francois Gelly