Ultrasound method and apparatus for examining dense tissues, in

Surgery – Truss – Pad

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Details

12866007, A61B 800

Patent

active

051158132

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a measurement method for examining dense tissue with the help of ultrasound.
The invention also relates to a measurement apparatus for the implementation of the method.
In conventional methods, the examination of dense tissue is performed using X-ray machines. Also apparatuses for measuring dense tissue by means of ultrasound are known in the art. The publication JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND (No. 13, October 1985, pages 597...600, article "Development and Application of an Ultrasonic Imaging System for Dental Diagnosis"), describes an ultrasound measurement method for examining teeth.
Because of the health hazards involved with X-rays, it is impossible to obtain real-time information about the treatment operation; instead, one must be satisfied with single pictures. Conventionally, the preparation of exposing and developing an X-ray picture takes a relatively long time, about 7...10 minutes. The ultrasound equipment currently used in medicine applications further require a computer which must be able to perform relatively complicated computations, and even with a powerful computer it is, e.g., impossible to reliably define the form of the root channel of a tooth or the position of a broach needle in the channel.


SUMMARY

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art technology and to provide a completely novel ultrasound-based measurement method and apparatus for examining dense tissue.
The invention is based on subjecting the dense tissue under examination to low-frequency vibration. A high-frequency ultrasound transmitted to the tissue is modulated by the low-frequency vibration. The reflected ultrasound signal is processed by timed gating, and the vibration signal component is band pass filtered for further processing. Interfaces of the dense tissue are revealed by the amplitude maxima of the processed signal.
Consequently, the method in accordance with the invention provides for a real-time localization of tissue interface profiles as well as treatment instruments during the treatment operation. The apparatus is easy to use and is harmless to the patient. Furthermore, the apparatus is cost-effective in terms of attained resolution and ease of use.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, detailed description the invention will be set forth in more detail by means of the exemplifying embodiments in accordance with the attached drawings, wherein
FIG. 1 shows a measurement system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 shows a computer-processed image obtained by means of the system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 3 shows in a block diagram the measurement system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 4 shows in a block diagram one measurement channel in the system illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows a timing diagram of the signals over one vibrating cycle in the measurement system illustrated in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 shows in a perspective view another measurement system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 7 shows in a partially diagrammatic top view the operation of the system illustrated in FIG. 6.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Using a laboratory setup illustrated in FIG. 1, a tooth under examination was scanned by means of an X-Y table 1 under a transducer 3 mounted to a drill arm 2. The X-Y table was controlled by a computer 4 via stepper motors 5 attached to the table's micrometer screws. In addition, between the stepper motors 5 and the computer 4, there was attached a separate controller 6, which served as a buffer amplifier for the stepper motors 5. The transducer 3 was a focused 5 MHz ultrasound transducer. Normally, the ultrasound transducer 3 comprises both a transmitter and a receiver section. Currently, most transducers are made of a ceramic piezoelectric material. A needle probe 7 was attached to the metal foil of a miniature buzzer 8 with the help of contact cement. The miniature buzzer 8 was driven by an oscillator 9, which had an oscillating frequ

REFERENCES:
patent: 4610255 (1986-09-01), Shimura et al.

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