Wearable ultrasound imaging device for imaging the heart and other internal tissue

Abstract

A stretchable and flexible imaging device that conforms to a shape of patient tissue to which it is attached includes a stretchable and flexible encapsulation substrate and superstrate that is removably attachable to patient tissue. An ultrasound transducer array is disposed between the substrate and superstrate for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves. The transducer elements are arranged so that data from the received ultrasound waves is processable into an ultrasound image of specified patient tissue. A stretchable and flexible electrical interconnect layered structure is disposed between the superstrate or substrate and the transducer array and is operatively coupled to the transducer elements such that the electrical interconnect layered structure is configured to address the transducer elements. A controller is configured to implement a beamforming algorithm. The controller is in operative communication with the electrical interconnect layered structure for generating the ultrasound images of the specified patient tissue.