Yokogawa Medical Systems, Limited

Yokogawa Hokushin Electric Corp.

Yokogawa Electric Works, Ltd.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation

Keiki Yamaguchi

Shinichi Sano

Yasuhito Takeuchi

Toru Shimazaki

Takao Higashiizumi

Hideto Iwaoka

Tadashi Ogawa

Yuji Inoue

Tadashi Sugiyama

Naoki Seki

Shozo Tomita

Ryo Takahashi

Shigeru Matsumura

Kazuya Hoshino

Haruo Kurochi

Yoshihiko Watanabe

Takao Jibiki

Yasuro Takiura

Hideaki Uno

Noriaki Yamada

Yuichi Hirota

Masahiko Hasumi

Jiro Namikawa

Masami Imamoto

Hiromichi Akimoto

Mineo Yamanaka

Takahiko Ishihara

Masayoshi Mitamura

Tooru Shimizu

Kazuyuki Tomarikawa

Shiro Mori

Edward L Gow

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Image diagnosis apparatus

Received ultrasonic phase matching circuit

Apparatus for recording CT images directly on a recording medium without

CRT multiformat camera

An NMR imaging domain is required to have a uniform distribution of static magnetic field. However, it is very difficult to generate a uniform magnetic field for an entire imaging domain, which is usually a spherical domain. The invention advantageously, exploits the requirement that to obtain imaging the static magnetic field need only be uniform as the slicing part. Thus, sufficient uniformity of static magnetic field is obtained in the invention by providing one or more shim coils to a static magnetic field generating coil and selectively controlling current to be applied to each shim coil in relation to data defining the imaging domain.

NMR imaging apparatus

An object which can provide a reference for measuring the intensity of a primary magnetic field, is positioned in the vicinity of a subject being examined. A variation in the primary magnetic field intensity is detected, based on a frequency shift of data observed of the object, and is used to control the primary magnetic field intensity, or reference frequency for phase detection, or to correct image data. In this manner image quality is prevented from being degraded due to the variation of the primary magnetic field intensity.

NMR apparatus compensated for primary field changes

The static magnetic fields of an NMR imaging apparatus should be maintained constant in intensity in order to obtain satisfactory NMR images. Coils used to generate the static magnetic fields, and the supporting frames therefor, are subject to heat expansion due to changes in the temperature, which causes fluctuations in the intensity of the generated static magnetic fields. In the invention, the temperatures of the coils, frames, atmosphere and cooling water, and the amount of cooling water, are detected, and the energizing current for the static magnetic field coils is selectively controlled, based on the detected quantities, to thereby maintain constant the intensity of the generated static magnetic fields.

NMR image forming apparatus

In ultrasonic transmission from and reception by an array probe in a phased array sonar, when an ultrasonic beam is directed substantially in front of the array probe, an ultrasonic wave having a high center frequency f.sub.o, or a bandwidth extending into higher frequencies, is transmitted and/or received in order to insure a high image resolution. When the ultrasonic beam is steered sideways, an ultrasonic wave having a lower center frequency f.sub.o, or a higher frequency range cutoff in relation to a steering angle .theta., is transmitted and/or received in order to increase the angle at which grating lobes are generated and hence prevent such grating lobes from entering the angle range of the field of view.

Azimuth adaptive phased array sonar

A rotate/rotate type X-ray computerized tomograph system employing a single-phase transformer as a high tension voltage supply whereby the secondary voltage of the single phase transformer is rectified and applied across the anode and cathode of an X-ray tube. Such a system, advantageously, is compact and lightweight and employs components which are substantially less costly than those of the prior art.

X-ray computerized tomograph

An ultrasonic probe for puncture treatments is constructed in a manner that a guide member, for guiding a puncture needle, is provided on a side surface of an ultrasonic probe of a linear scanning type, with a needle being positioned by the guide member to be movable at right angles to the surface of the body of a patient, and a beam of ultrasonic wave is emitted by the probe in a direction oblique to the length dimension of the needle. The probe may be positioned obliquely to the needle, in which case, an acoustic coupling member of a wedge shape is inserted in the gap formed between the emitting end of the probe and the body. Alternatively, the probe may be positioned parallel with the needle in which case a wedge shaped member capable of deflecting the ultrasonic waves, is placed on the emitting end of the probe, and a wedge shaped acoustic coupling member is connected to the deflecting member so as to deflect the ultrasonic waves to be oblique to the needle within the body. The needle may be an acupuncture needle, a cannula, a tube, or the like.

Ultrasonic probe for puncture treatment

An X-ray detector, used in an X-ray computerized tomograph systems, and method of making the same. The X-ray detector has a casing filled with gas for detecting X-rays, and flat signal electrode plates and bias electrode plates are disposed alternately at regular intervals within the casing to form a number of spatially partitioned detection chambers. When X-rays enter the detection chambers after being transmitted through an object under examination, the X-ray energy is converted into electric current flowing across the electrodes of the signal electrode plates, whereby the transmitted X-ray can be detected by an output circuit. Improvements are provided to enable the signal electrode plates and the bias electrode plates to be more densely packed into the casing, thereby to obtain higher resolution X-ray computerized tomograms. In one embodiment, the signal electrode plate comprises an electrically conductive plate or substrate, insulating layers on both sides of the substrate, and electrodes on the other sides of the insulating layers. In another embodiment, flat insulating plates are used to securely attach and suitably position alternately, the signal and bias plates. In a further embodiment, electrically conductive rubber cords are used to connect the respective signal and bias plates to a read out circuit. Cut-outs and insulating devices may be used on the signal and bias plates or in the flat plates, to suitably connect and prevent erroneous connection of the cord to other than the associated plates. In a further embodiment, the signal plates have protrusions and printed circuit boards are provided with suitable electrical circuit patterns for connecting the signal plates to the read-out circuit. In another embodiment, a jig comprising two oppositely disposed blocks having channels therein for holding the side edges of the bias and signal plates, is provided, with the blocks being electrically insulating and substantially X-ray transparent.

X-ray detector and method of making same

An apparatus for examining an input signal current from an X-ray detector in a computerized tomograph, wherein an apparatus is used to once charge a capacitor in each of a plurality of channels with the input signal current, and to read the charged voltage later to measure the strength of the respective input signals. To eliminate the effects of cross-talk, leakage current, and off-set factors, a reset switch alone or together with associated circuit elements are used. In one embodiment the reset switch is used to discharge distributed capacitance after reading of one channel capacitor and before the discharging of the next channel capacitor. In another embodiment the true input signal together with error factors are first measured and stored, and then the error factors are measured, and then such error factors are subtracted from the stored combined signal, to produce an output signal which reflects the true input signal. In another embodiment, the error factors are first measured, averaged and stored, and then the true input signal together with error factors are measured and stored, and then the two stored signals are retrieved and the error factor removed, thereby to produce an output signal which reflects the true input signal.

Multichannel current measuring apparatus for X-ray computerized tomograph

An ultrasonic probe, such as for use in ultrasonography, comprising a support having a front end, which may be held against a human body, and a central groove in the side thereof for guiding a puncture needle to move therethrough, and an array of rectangular ultrasonic transducer elements mounted on and lying flatwise on the front end, wherein one or more ultrasonic transducer elements are located adjacent to an open end of the groove at the front end between the other transducer elements, whereby the image display of the needle is improved.

Ultrasonic needle housing probe with continuous locator array

The invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging system for diagnostic use or non-destructive testing. The system comprises a first array of ultrasonic transducers coupled to the object space wherein objects under examination are located or distributed; a second array of ultrasonic transducers coupled to a reconstitution space wherein the acoustic images of the objects are to be replicated; and time inversion means. The time inversion means has a set of waveform memories which first captures the ultrasonic signals from said objects, typically echos produced in response to suitable excitation, via said first array of ultrasonic transducers with suitable amplification and preconditioning as necessary. Then readouts of these signals are provided inversely in time which drive the second array of ultrasonic transducers with said time inverted signals to reproject inversely propagating ultrasonic wavetrains forming replicated acoustic images of the objects. By optically monitoring the ultrasonic energy distribution in said reconstitution space, via an opto-acoustic interaction effect, the system enables the observation of the object images in real time on each complete acquisition of said ultrasonic signal set at the first array of transducers, i.e. one complete picture per each echo sounding, which means in case of a medical diagnostic system of up to several thousand pictures per second.

Ultrasound imaging system

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Keiki Yamaguchi