Indianapolis Center for Advanced Research, Inc.

Indianapolis Center for Advanced Research, Inc. Non-Profit

Indianapolis Center for Advanced Research, Inc. (Icfar)

Reginald C Eggleton

Francis J Fry

Warren L Williamson

Kenneth W Johnston

The present invention relates to an ultrasound visualization system which has a capability of microscopic examination of tissue within the body without the need for removal of the tissue. A transducer, capable of producing and receiving high frequency acoustical beams is positioned within a needle. The acoustical beams are directed radially from the needle and are focused on a point which is outside of the needle and in the tissue. The microscope can be operated in either the pulse echo or pulse reflection mode. The needle can be inserted into a patient, and the acoustical beams are scanned to produce highly magnified images of cellular features of internal tissue or features of tissue architecture and structure helpful to the determination of tissue pathology.

Acoustic microscope

A method and apparatus employing zero order Raman-Nath diffraction information to visualize the longitudinal character of an acoustic field. The method includes the steps of directing a first portion of a beam of coherent light at normal incidence to a reflective mirror, propogating an acoustic field within a medium to interact with the first portion of the beam, detecting signals derived from the acousto-optical interaction from which phase change and amplitude change information in the reflected zero order diffraction component of the laser beam can be derived after its return pass through the acoustic field and then generating a two-dimensional raster scan representation of the acoustic field from the detected light signals. The apparatus correspondingly includes a rigid reflective mirror, a coherent light source, an interferometer for splitting a beam from the light source into a first and a second portion and then for directing the first portion at normal incidence to the reflective mirror and intercepting at least the phase-modulated zero order diffraction component of the reflected first portion after its double pass through the acoustic field, and an optical photodetector, translator and display system for visually displaying signals derived from the phase change information in the reflected zero order diffraction component of the first portion of the beam after its passage through the acoustic field.

Method and apparatus employing zero order Raman-Nath diffraction

A digital electronic system for improving the resolution of dynamic range-handling capacity for received ultrasound in reflection or transmission imaging systems. This system provides a means for preventing loss of structural detail in the display by minimizing the overlapping of signals resulting from the transducer bandwidth and pulse length. It also makes use of a (positive or negative) peak detector to recognize and print as a single point the presence of point targets. With the present technology, a point target may be represented in a B-mode display on several successive scan lines resulting in an abnormally large representation on the display. The actual target is represented by the peak point of the envelope of a series of scan lines in which the point target is displayed. The objective is to print only one point which corresponds with the actual position of the point target with an intensity that corresponds to the intensity of the received signal. To accomplish this objective the received signal amplitudes are continually digitized and stored so that three successive lines of data can be compared. When a legitimate maximum is identified, a corresponding six-bit word is coupled to a PROM. Within the PROM are eight transfer functions, one of which is selected by a three-bit word address to the PROM and the selected function performs dynamic range compression of the received ultrasound. The four-bit PROM output couples first to a converter and from there to a suitable display means.

Peak detector for resolution enhancement of ultrasonic visualization

A digital electronic system for improving the resolution and dynamic range-handling capacity for received ultrasound in reflection or transmission imaging system. This system provides a means for preventing loss of structural detail in the display by minimizing the overlapping of signals resulting from the transducer bandwidth and pulse length. It also makes use of a (positive or negative) peak detector to recognize and print as a single point the presence of point targets. With the present technology, a point target may be represented in a B-mode display on several successive scan lines resulting in an abnormally large representation on the display. The actual target is represented by the peak point of the envelope of a series of scan lines in which the point target is displayed. The objective is to print only one point which corresponds with the actual position of the point target and with an intensity that corresponds to the intensity of the received signal. In general, dynamic range compression is required to prevent the wide intensity range of the received ultrasound from either saturating or overdriving the display. To accomplish this objective the received signal amplitudes are continually digitized and stored so that three successive lines of data can be compared. At any given instant of time, three resolution elements from each of these three successive lines are compared. A signal to print is transmitted to the display if the center resolution element of the three-by-three array is equal to or in excess of the surrounding eight resolution elements. The amplitude of the displayed point is established by a transfer function programmed into the system.

Ultrasonic transmission imaging apparatus utilizing a pair of focused, large aperture transducers colinearly aligned and facing one another on opposite sides of a target. The receiving transducer and transmitting transducer are positioned to have a common focal point within the target. The transmitting transducer is energized by a continuous noncoherent noise source, and ultrasonic images are formed from the intensity modulation of the transmitted ultrasound at the receiving transducer.

Ultrasonic imaging

Ultrasonic probe apparatus for real time B-mode sector scan examination of a cross section of a structure such as the human heart. A transducer is pivotally mounted near an end of an elongated housing, and linkage means are provided in the housing for oscillating the transducer about an axis whose plane is approximately perpendicular to the longest dimension of the housing. Means are provided for causing the transducer to produce ultrasonic pulses which are reflected by interfaces of the object under examination, and the echoes from these interfaces are returned through the transducer to a B-mode display system. A B-mode sector sweep circuit is provided to produce a B-mode display of the echo pattern received from the structure being observed.

Display circuitry for ultrasonic imaging

Cardioscan probe

An ultrasonic apparatus is used for diagnosis and therapy of patients being treated for post-myocardial infarction. The instrument administers treatment prescribed by the physician in response to signs and symptoms continuously being monitored by the diagnostic portion of the instrument. Both the diagnosis and the treatment are non-invasive and atraumatic in nature. The diagnostic portion of the instrument is sensitive to conditions which are potentially hazardous to the patient's life, such as premature ventricular contractions, low cardiac output, and formation of secondary lesions, and initiates treatment capable of reversing these undesirable conditions. An ultrasonic transduer for producing low level ultrasound is positioned upon the chest of the patient and is acoustically coupled to the skin. The extent of the damage to the myocardium as well as the abnormal performance of the heart is reduced through the use of low level acoustical dosages applied in the manner prescribed by the physician and upon the patient's response to treatment. A computer is used to administer the treatment strategy programed into the machine which can distinguish between the various combinations of symptoms and responses of the patient to provide the prescribed optimal treatment for the particular set of circumstances and conditions which exist at any instant in time. Various non-invasive diagnostic input devices are also applied to the skin of the patient as a basis of control of the low intensity sound.

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Reginald C Eggleton