A61B8/4272

Ultrasound transducer tile registration

An ultrasound imaging system (1) comprises an ultrasound transducer array (100) comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer tiles (101a-d), each of said tiles having an independently adjustable orientation such as to conform an ultrasound transmitting surface to a region of a body (50) including a foreign object such as a pacemaker, a stent, or an interventional tool (200). Using a known spatial arrangement of a plurality of features (201-204) of the foreign object (200), the respective ultrasound images generated by the ultrasound transducer tiles are registered in order to generate a composite image, in which the position and orientation of the foreign object in the individual images is superimposed. The position and orientation of an interventional tool may be determined for each image using object recognition algorithms or using acoustic feedback information provided by at least three ultrasound sensors (201-204) arranged in a known spatial arrangement on the interventional tool.

CRANIAL IMPLANT DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS FOR MONITORING BIOMETRIC DATA
20220296375 · 2022-09-22 ·

Provided herein are cranial implant devices that include a cranial implant housing configured for subgaleal scalp implantation within, beneath, and/or over at least one cranial opening of a subject. The cranial implant housing comprises a substantially anatomically-compatible shape and is fabricated from one or more sonolucent materials that permit transmission of mechanical waves through the sonolucent materials when the cranial implant device is subgaleally implanted. The cranial implant housing also includes a pressure sensor operably connected to the cranial implant housing, which pressure sensor is configured to sense intracranial pressure (ICR). The cranial implant housing also includes at least a first controller operably connected to the pressure sensor, which first controller is configured to selectively effect the pressure sensor to sense the ICR within a cranium of the subject to generate ICP data and to transmit the ICP data to an ICP data receiver. In addition, the cranial implant housing also includes a power source operably connected or connectable at least to the first controller. Other aspects are directed to various related systems, computer readable media, and methods.

PORTABLE ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM WITH ACTIVE COOLING
20220244365 · 2022-08-04 ·

An ultrasound imaging system includes a thermally conductive frame and a number of electronic components and a display that are sealed within the frame. The frame further includes a plenum extending through the frame with surfaces that are thermally coupled to the electronic components and the display. An active cooling mechanism, such as one or more fans, moves air through the plenum to remove heat generated by the electronic components and display. The plenum is environmentally sealed so that moisture, dust, air or other contaminants drawn into the plenum do not contact the sealed electronic components and display in the frame.

ACOUSTIC WINDOW WITH COMPOUND SHAPE FOR ULTRASOUND PROBE

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.

Ultrasound signal processing device and ultrasound signal processing method
11413012 · 2022-08-16 · ·

An ultrasound signal processing device includes a transmitter that causes transducers to transmit an ultrasound beam, a receiver that, based on reflected waves received by reception transducers, generates reception signal sequences corresponding to the reception transducers, and a delay-and-sum section that, for a reference observation point in a region of interest, calculates delay times of reflected wave arrival to each of the reception transducers from the reference observation point as reference delay times and generates acoustic line signals by using the reference delay times corresponding to the reception transducers. For one or more dependent observation points in the region of interest that are contiguous in a depth direction from the reference observation point, the delay-and-sum section generates acoustic line signals by applying the reference delay times corresponding to the reception transducers.

NON-INVASIVE, REAL-TIME, BEAT-TO-BEAT, AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
20220249055 · 2022-08-11 ·

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an ambulatory system for determining a cardiac parameter at a fixed location within the cardiovascular system of a subject. The system comprises a wearable sensor including an ultrasound transducer. The wearable sensor can contact the skin of the subject and be positioned proximate to the fixed location. The system comprises a data collection module that is in communication with the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound transducer is configured to detect a pressure wave passing through the fixed location. The data collection module is configured to collect data relating to the pressure wave passing through the fixed location, analyse the pressure wave, and determine at least one cardiac parameter based on the analysis.

Ultrasonic probe coupling assembly and ultrasonic probe assembly

An ultrasonic probe coupling assembly (1) and an ultrasonic probe mechanism are disclosed. The ultrasonic probe coupling assembly (1) includes a probe sleeve (11) and a solid-state coupling member (12). The probe sleeve (11) is sleeved on an ultrasonic probe (2). The solid-state coupling member (12) is fixed in the probe sleeve (11). One side of the solid-state coupling member (12) is located in the probe sleeve (11) for fitting to the ultrasonic probe (2), and the other side is protruded from the probe sleeve (11) to be in contact with the skin. The ultrasonic probe mechanism includes the ultrasonic probe coupling assembly (1) and the ultrasonic probe (2).

Breast imaging ultrasound systems and methods
11389135 · 2022-07-19 · ·

A breast imaging ultrasound system for ultrasound imaging of a body includes: scanning uniform sub-volumes of a mammalian breast with an ultrasound transducer having a fixed focal number (FN), acquiring ultrasonic images of portions of the target volume, the acquired images having the same voxel resolution, and processing the ultrasonic images, thereafter providing a 2D or 3D image of the target volume using constant size volume pixels (Voxels).

HYDROGEL COMPOSITION FOR A SEMI-RIGID ACOUSTIC COUPLING MEDIUM IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING
20220106424 · 2022-04-07 ·

Disclosed are compositions and articles for a semi-rigid hydrogel material that provides an acoustic coupling medium for ultrasound diagnostic and treatment techniques. In one aspect, a hydrogel material for an acoustic coupling medium includes a sodium alginate block copolymer, a dimethylacrylamide monomer, and water. In some implementations, the sodium alginate block copolymer is present in an amount of about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, the dimethylacrylamide monomer is present in an amount of about 1 wt % to about 40 wt %, and the water is present in an amount of at least about 50 wt % of the total weight of the hydrogel composition.

Method for detecting vascular obstruction and system using the same

A method for detecting vascular obstruction and a system using the same are provided. The method includes steps of: detecting a blood vessel through a probe to generate a reference signal before the blood vessel is obstructed, wherein the probe is configured to transmit or receive ultrasonic waves; detecting the blood vessel through the probe to generate a detection signal; performing Fourier transformation on the reference signal to generate a reference power spectrum, and performing Fourier transformation on the detection signal to generate a detection power spectrum; transforming the reference power spectrum into a reference time-frequency spectrogram, and transforming the detection power spectrum into a detection time-frequency spectrogram; judging a similarity between the reference time-frequency spectrogram and the detection time-frequency spectrogram, and judging whether the blood vessel is obstructed or not according to the similarity.