Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Hewlett-packard Company

Michael Peszynski

David G Miller

Ivan Salgo

Bernard Joseph Savord

Steven Scampini

Heather Beck

Dino Francesco Cuscuna

John Bench Caswell

Michael J Wight

Kathryn Therese Jinks

Roger Dugas

Hubert K Yeung

Rodney J Solomon

Martin K Mason

Timothy Savord

Matthew Rielly

Heather Knowles

David Chang Garner

Heather Beck Knowles

John J Merlo

An ultrasound probe includes a housing configured to be grasped by a user, a transducer array coupled to the housing and configured to obtain ultrasound data, and an acoustic window disposed over the transducer array. The acoustic window comprises an end surface configured to contact a subject. The end surface comprises a compound shape including one or more curved sections and one or more straight sections. Associated methods, devices, and systems are also provided.

Acoustic window with compound shape for ultrasound probe

Ultrasound probe

An ultrasound probe () having an operational indicator assembly () for indicating operational data relating to the ultrasound probe (), and especially data relating to the sterility of the ultrasound probe (), is provided. The ultrasound probe () has a housing () fabricated from materials suitable for internal and non-internal medical use. At least one ultrasound transducer () is housed by the housing () and positioned to direct ultrasound energy along a propagation path to the patient. The operational indicator assembly () indicates operational data relating to the ultrasound probe () to an operator thereof, and especially data relating to the disinfection status of the ultrasound probe ().

Ultrasound probe having a disinfection status indicator

A semi-invasive ultrasound imaging system for imaging biological tissue includes a transesophageal probe or a transnasal, transesophageal probe connected to a two-dimensional ultrasound transducer array, a transmit beamformer, a receive beamformer, and an image generator. The two-dimensional transducer array is disposed on a distal portion of the probe's elongated body. The transmit beamformer is connected to the transducer array and is constructed to transmit several ultrasound beams over a selected pattern defined by azimuthal and elevation orientations. The receive beamformer is connected to the transducer array and is constructed to acquire ultrasound data from the echoes reflected over a selected tissue volume. The tissue volume is defined by the azimuthal and elevation orientations and a selected scan range. The receive beamformer is constructed to synthesize image data from the acquired ultrasound data. The image generator is constructed to receive the image data and generate images that are displayed on an image display. Preferably, the image generator is constructed to generate, from the image data, several orthographic projection views over the selected tissue volume.

Transesophageal and transnasal, transesophageal ultrasound imaging systems

A three dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to guide or observe the operation of an invasive medical device () in three dimensions. An interventional system () is used to operate the invasive medical device () and produces spatially-based information relating to the activity of the invasive medical device (). The spatially-based information from the interventional system () is merged into the three dimensional ultrasonic image data to produce a live three dimensional image of the invasive medical device () or its activity. In one embodiment the locations where the activity of the invasive medical device () is performed is recorded and displayed in the three dimensional ultrasonic image. The three dimensional ultrasonic image may be shown as an anatomical volume rendered image or as a wire frame model () of the anatomy. In another embodiment an integrated three dimensional ultrasonic imaging and invasive device system is described.

Guidance of invasive medical devices by three dimensional ultrasonic imaging

Control mechanism () for an endoscope including first and second independently rotatable control knobs (), an inner pinion shaft () fixed to the first control knob (), an outer pinion shaft () fixed to the second control knob () and coaxial with the inner shaft () and an intermediate shaft () arranged at least partially inside of the outer shaft () and at least partially around the inner shaft (). O-rings () between the intermediate shaft () and the inner and outer shafts () seal the interior of the endoscope and transfer torque from the inner or outer shaft () to the intermediate shaft (), which is grounded against rotation and therefore does not transfer torque to the other shaft (). A non-cross-coupling control mechanism is achieved in which the rotation of one control knob and its associated shaft does not have any effect on the other control knob and associated shaft.

Control mechanism for an endoscope

A three dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to guide or observe the operation of an invasive medical device () in three dimensions. The invasive medical device () is shown in a detailed ultrasonic image and the balance of the volumetric region () in which the device is located is shown in a wide field of view. The detailed and wide fields of view may be displayed separately or overlapping in spatial alignment on an image display (). The wide field of view may be shown in two or three dimensions. A quantified display may be shown together with the wide and detailed anatomical displays. The detailed view may also be shown in an enlarged or zoomed format.

Guidance of invasive medical devices by wide view three dimensional ultrasonic imaging

A three dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to guide or observe the operation of an invasive medical device () in three dimensions. The appearance of the invasive device () in the three dimensional ultrasonic image is enhanced to be more readily observable by a clinician. The enhancement is produced by transmitting a greater ultrasonic beam density in a subvolumetric region including the invasive device () than in the surrounding portion of the volumetric region (). The beam density may be uniformly high in the subvolumetric region and uniformly low in the surrounding region, or may taper from a relatively high beam density around the invasive device () to a minimum beam density at distances removed from the invasive device ().

Guidance of invasive medical devices by high resolution three dimensional ultrasonic imaging

A cooling system for an ultrasonic imaging system is provided, the ultrasonic imaging system having a probe for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals through a tip of the probe to and from biological tissue contacting the tip at an outer surface of the tip. The cooling system includes a conduit for circulating cooling medium therein, and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the circulating cooling medium and having means for removing heat from the circulating cooling medium, wherein at least a portion the conduit is in proximity to or contacts the outer surface of the probe tip. In a first embodiment the conduit includes an inlet fluid line extending from the heat exchanger to the tip of the probe for providing the circulating cooling medium from the heat exchanger to the probe tip, and an outlet cooling line extending from the tip of the probe to the heat exchanger for providing circulating cooling medium from the probe tip to the heat exchanger. In a second embodiment the heat exchanger is housed in the probe. In a third embodiment, the probe is housed within a housing, wherein a portion of the conduit extends from the tip of the probe along an external surface of the housing.

Method and apparatus for cooling a contacting surface of an ultrasound probe

A system and method for controlling the heat of an ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. In the presently preferred embodiments, the system and method controls the temperature of the transducer by changing operating system parameters based on feedback from temperature sensing elements placed in the transducer. The chosen mutable system parameters may be preset by the construction of the ultrasonic system, under the control of the ultrasonic system user, or a combination of the two. In several exemplary embodiments, the one or more mutable system parameters are altered by an amount proportionate to the difference between the current temperature and a preferred operating temperature. In another exemplary embodiment, the system switches to a lower power imaging mode when the temperature feedback indicates a threshold temperature has been reached.

Imaging ultrasound transducer temperature control system and method using feedback

An ultrasound imaging system including an electromagnetically protected ultrasound TEE probe, a display for displaying ultrasound images, a housing including a transducer connector including at least one connection and a computer for processing electrical signals representative of received ultrasound echoes. The TEE probe includes a probe housing including an imaging sensor, an outer acoustic lens, a cable interconnect and an internal metal shield which surrounds the sensor and cable interconnect, and a cable including electrical conductors and electromagnetic cable shielding, the electrical conductors electrically connected to the cable interconnect at a first end, and the electrical conductors and the cable shielding are electrically connected to a transducer connector at a second end.

RFI-protected ultrasound probe

A system and method for controlling the heat of an ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. In the presently preferred embodiments, the system and method controls the temperature of the transducer by changing operating system parameters based on feedback from temperature sensing elements placed in the transducer. The chosen mutable system parameters may be preset by the construction of the ultrasonic system, under the control of the ultrasonic system user, or a combination of the two. In one exemplary embodiment, a different mutable system parameter is altered based on which imaging mode the system is using. In two other exemplary embodiments, the one or more mutable system parameters are altered by an amount proportionate to the difference between the current temperature and a preferred operating temperature. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the system switches to a lower power imaging mode when the temperature feedback indicates a threshold temperature has been reached.

Ultrasonic tee probe with two dimensional array transducer

A system and method for controlling the heat of an ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. The presently preferred embodiments of the present invention control the temperature of the transducer face by changing the imaging modes of the system. In a preferred embodiment, feedback from temperature sensing elements placed in the transducer is used to determine when to switch from a higher power imaging mode to a lower power imaging mode. In another preferred embodiment, the system switches from a higher power imaging mode to a lower power imaging mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. In yet another preferred embodiment, the system switches to a &ldquo;mixed&rdquo; imaging mode, where the system cycles rapidly between a higher power imaging mode and a lower power imaging mode, and the resulting data is combined to form a single image.

Imaging ultrasound transducer temperature control system and method

A system and method for controlling the heat of an ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. In the presently preferred embodiments, the operator selects one or more mutable system parameters of the ultrasound system which will be changed if either the temperature becomes too great, or at the operator's command, or both.

Growing community of inventors

Newburyport, MA, United States of America

Michael Peszynski