RU2125836C1 - Ultrasonic diagnostic complex for formation and visualization of three-dimensional pictures - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medical ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. SUBSTANCE: ultrasonic transducer of echotomoscope is fixed on surface of patient's body, and is moved along one coordinate when pictures are being taken. Positioning device includes step motor with reduction gear, ball-type hinge with suspension and locks of moving parts. Equipment part incorporates step motor control unit, echotomoscope ultrasonic signal transducer, second unit of on-line storage, second processor, read-only storage unit, videocontroller, and second display. Movement of ultrasonic transducer is controlled by processor through step-motor control unit. Two-dimensional pictures coming from echotomoscope ultrasonic output are recorded in on-line storage unit synchronously with movement of ultrasonic transducer. Three-dimensional file visualized by means of videocontroller and display is formed as a result of interaction between processor and on-line storage unit. Subsequent processing and various presentations of file are realized by means of programs contained in read-only storage unit. EFFECT: reduced time of three-dimensional picture formation. 2 cl, 5 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to medical ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, and more specifically to ultrasonic means for the formation and visualization of three-dimensional images of internal organs during non-invasive medical examinations of patients.

 A three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device is known (US patent N 5 396890 dated 09/30/93, class A 61 B 8/00), which, in addition to a planar (two-dimensional) image obtained using a standard scanning system such as an echo tomoscope, provides the construction and visualization of three-dimensional images by forming a coordinated package of two-dimensional images of the investigated object.

 This device contains an ultrasonic sensor (ultrasonic sensor), a transceiver of ultrasonic probe signals, an ultrasound scanning device, a three-dimensional positioning device with a decoder for determining the current position of the ultrasonic sensor, the movement of which is carried out by the doctor-operator in the direction of interest, and a transducer ( converter), a memory unit, a processor and a display for demonstrating both two-dimensional and three-dimensional images.

 The known device requires considerable time to calculate the current coordinates of the ultrasonic sensor when it moves in space and, therefore, the total time spent on the construction of three-dimensional images. This drawback of the analogue is mainly determined by the construction of a positioning device, which is a system of spatially distributed sensors that fix the current position of the ultrasonic sensor in a given coordinate system. In addition, the movement of the ultrasound sensor by the hand of the operator-operator almost completely eliminates the possibility of an exact repetition of the trajectory of movement during subsequent examinations, which essentially eliminates the repeatability of the final examination results.

 In fact, the closest analogue has the same drawbacks (EPS patent N 0452532 B1 dated 04/20/90, class A 61 B 8/14, G 10 11/00), selected as a prototype, since it is characterized by a maximum set of features similar to the set essential features of this invention.

 Ultrasonic diagnostic device - the prototype contains an ultrasonic sensor, a transmitter and a receiver of probing signals, a scanning control device, a synchronization control unit, an ADC, a converter, a processor, a memory unit, a display control device and a display, as well as a positioning device consisting of an ultrasonic sensor holder, a fixed base and two rods interconnected by rotating joints in which angular sensors are installed, and a determinant (calculator) of the position of the ultrasonic sensor in three-dimensional second coordinate system, which receives information from the angular position decoder. Despite the fact that in the prototype the ultrasonic sensor is rigidly fixed in the holder of the positioning device, the free movement of the ultrasonic sensor by the hand of a doctor-operator makes it necessary to determine (calculate) the current coordinates of the ultrasonic sensor to form a coordinated package of two-dimensional images and the results of the examination are practically eliminated same as in the aforementioned US patent.

 The proposed invention solves the problem of reducing the time for constructing three-dimensional images and ensuring the repeatability of examination results, the result being achieved by program-controlled movement of the ultrasound sensor over a given research area, and the role of the doctor-operator is reduced to installing an ultrasound sensor fixed in the holder of the positioning device, to the initial fixed position.

 To achieve this technical result, an ultrasound diagnostic complex consisting of a two-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus (UDD) containing an ultrasonic sensor (ultrasound probe), the input of which is connected to the transmitter of the probing signals, and the output is connected to the receiver of the reflected signals, the scanning control device connected its output with the control inputs of the transmitter and receiver, the ADC, the input of which is connected to the signal output of the receiver, and the output is connected to series-connected a circuit consisting of an image signal converter, a first processor, a first RAM block, the second signal output of which is connected to a second signal input of the first processor, a display control device and a first display, a synchronization control unit, one of whose outputs is connected to the synchronization inputs of the scan control device , and the rest, respectively, to the synchronization inputs of the ADC, converter, processor and display control device, the output of which is the UDA TV-output, as well as a positioning device, consisting of a fixed base and two rods interconnected by rotating joints, and a holder in which an ultrasonic sensor is mounted and rigidly fixed, a TV-signal converter connected in series with its signal input to the UDA TV-output is introduced, the second block RAM, a second processor having an external control input, a video controller and a second display, as well as a long-term memory unit connected by its input and output to the second input and second, respectively at the output of the second processor, a stepper motor control unit (ST), a stepper motor with a gearbox and a ball joint with a suspension, while the third output of the second processor is connected to the second input of the TV signal converter, the fourth output of the second processor is connected to the second input of the second RAM block , the fifth and sixth outputs of the second processor are connected respectively to the first and second inputs of the SD control unit, the second output of the video controller is connected to the third input of the second processor, the first output of the control unit The stepper motor is connected to the fourth input of the second processor, and the remaining four are connected to the corresponding windings of the stepper motor, the stepper motor with the gear installed and rigidly mounted on the suspension of the ball joint, which is installed at the end of the second rod, a holder with an ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the gear axis, and the rotating joints and the ball joint are provided with clamps.

 In this case, the control unit for the stepper motor contains the first and second buffer coordinators (BS), the signal inputs of which are respectively the first and second inputs of the stepper motor control unit, a frequency generator connected in series with the input connected to the output of the first BS, a key management circuit, a pulse counter, and RAM codes SH control and the SH winding control key block, the four outputs of which are the corresponding outputs of the SH control unit, as well as the control controller, the input of which is connected to the output of the second BS, and its three The odes are connected respectively to the second inputs of the key management circuit, pulse counter and RAM of the control codes for the SD, while the second output of the pulse counter is connected to the third input of the key management circuit, the second output of which is connected to the second input of the first BS, and the second output of the first BS is the first output control unit ШД.

 Additionally introduced blocks and nodes provide program-controlled movement of the ultrasonic sensor and the formation of a coordinated package of two-dimensional images necessary for restoring a three-dimensional array essentially parallel to the process of visualizing two-dimensional images on the display of a typical echo tomoscope (two-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device).

 The proposed ultrasound diagnostic complex is illustrated by the drawings shown in FIG. 1-5.

In FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of UDC;
in FIG. 2 is a structural kinematic diagram of a positioning device;
in FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of forming a three-dimensional data array;
a) a series of two-dimensional ultrasound images,
b) synthesized 3D array,
in FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a stepper motor control unit;
in FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the control pulses of the stepper motor windings;
In FIG. 1 ultrasonic sensor 1 is connected to the output of the transmitter 6 and the input of the receiver 7. The output of the receiver is connected to the input of the ADC 8, the output of the ADC is connected to the converter 9. The output of the converter is connected to the first processor 12. The first processor is connected to the synchronization control unit 11 and the first operational unit memory 13, the output of which through the display control device 14 is connected to the first display 15. The synchronization control unit is connected by its outputs to the scan control device 19, the ADC and the display control device 14. The output of the control device the display, which is a TV output, is connected to the input of the TV signal converter 16, the output of which is connected to the second random access memory block 17, the second processor 18, the video controller 20 and the second display 22. The second processor is connected to the TV- converter by the control outputs signals, the second block of random access memory, two outputs - with the control unit ШД 19, as well as other input and output connected to the long-term memory unit 21. The control unit of the stepper motor one of its output is connected to and processor information input, and four others with ШД 5 windings, on the gearbox axis of which the holder 3 of the ultrasonic sensor is fixed.

 The control unit ШД consists of the first 28 and second 34 buffer coordinators (BS). The inputs of the BS are connected respectively to the outputs of the second processor. The external output of the first BS is also connected to the corresponding input of the second processor, and the internal output is connected to the frequency generator 29 in series, the key management circuit 30, the pulse counter 31, the RAM of the control codes SH 32, the four outputs of which are connected to the SH windings. The output of the second buffer coordinator is connected to the control controller 35, one of the outputs of which is connected to the key management circuit 30, the second to the pulse counter 31 and the third to the RAM of the control codes SH. In this case, the second output of the pulse counter 31 is connected to the second input of the circuit 30, and the second output of the circuit 30 is connected to the internal input of the first buffer matcher 28.

 The operation of the ultrasound diagnostic complex (Fig. 1) is as follows. The probe signal generated from the pulses set by the synchronization control unit 11 in accordance with the sequence diagram embedded in the scanning control device 10 is emitted, and then after reflection is received by the ultrasonic sensor 1, amplified in the receiving device 7 and converted into an ADC 8 into a digital signal. Next, this signal through the converter 9, performing interlinear interpolation, enters the first processor 12 and after additional processing is recorded in the first block of RAM 13 and then in the required format it enters the display control device 14, from where, together with service information, is displayed on the screen of the first display 15 in the form of a two-dimensional ultrasound image of the sensed organ. Additional processing in the first processor 12 is performed through the first block of RAM 13, the second signal input of which is connected to the second signal input of the first processor, which ensures the required quality of two-dimensional images. The doctor-operator, holding an ultrasound sensor in his hand, conducts a routine examination of the patient using the observed two-dimensional image, finds the internal organ or part of interest, and determines the initial and final position of the ultrasound sensor 1 when taking a three-dimensional image. Then the operator installs and secures the ultrasonic sensor 1 in the holder 3 of the positioning device (Fig. 2).

 The positioning device is designed in such a way that allows the operator to freely install the ultrasound sensor 1 in any place in a pre-selected examination area. To do this, the operator releases all the latches 27 and, manipulating the relatively stationary base 23 with rods 24 and 25, interconnected by rotating joints, as well as a ball joint 26 with a suspension on which a stepper motor with a gearbox 5 is fixed, on the axis 4 of which is mounted and the holder 3 of the ultrasonic sensor 1 is fixed, sets the ultrasonic sensor 1 to a preselected initial position. After that, the operator operator fixes the rods and the ball joint with the suspension and gives an external command to the second processor 18 to move the ultrasonic sensor. By this command, the second processor 18 issues a control command to the TV signal converter 16 to start recording TV frames and a control command to the control unit of the stepper motor 19, according to which, in accordance with the settings previously recorded from the second processor 18 (frequency code, number of pulses, codes for the duration of pulses and the magnitude of the shifts between pulses) a cyclogram of the power supply of the stepper motor 5 is developed, which moves the ultrasonic sensor on the surface of the patient's body. From the TV signal converter, each complete frame is digitally recorded in the second random access memory block 17. By the time the ultrasound sensor 1 is finished moving, the second series of ultrasound images 17 contains the entire series of ultrasonic two-dimensional images in accordance with a given number of pulses (the number of positions of the ultrasonic sensor 1).

 On the screen of the second display 22, the series registration process is displayed by indicating the serial number of the registered slice and a moving marker on the ruler indicating the position of the ultrasonic sensor. After slices are registered in the second processor, a three-dimensional image is synthesized, for which two adjacent two-dimensional slices of the registered series are sequentially copied from the second memory block 17 to the second processor 18, interlayer interpolation is performed and rewritten back to the second memory block 17. By the end of the synthesis in the second block RAM 17 recorded formed a three-dimensional array - three-dimensional ultrasound image. FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of the synthesis algorithm by the example of scanning a patient’s body surface with a linear ultrasound sensor. In this case, two-dimensional images of the recorded series are located in space in the polar coordinate system in the form of a fan diverging from the axis of rotation of the sensor (axis of the gearbox), and located through a discrete angle d. Then the intersection lines of the series images with planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the sensor form rays emanating from the center of rotation and also located through the angles d. The resulting images in these planes are constructed by circular interpolation between the rays. For the synthesis of a three-dimensional array accepted bill (voksel) data representation. A bill of exchange is a countdown occupied by one point in a three-dimensional array. The use of a bill model of data representation allows us to switch from images in planes to thin slices with a thickness of one bill and, considering a three-dimensional array as a set of single-voxel slices, summarize them. It should be noted that the entire series of registered two-dimensional slices remains in the second memory block 17 and can be viewed on the second display 22.

Let us explain in more detail the operation of the stepper motor control unit (Fig. 4). The block consists of the first buffer coordinator (BS) S8, the second BS 34, the frequency generator 29, the control controller 35, the key management circuit 30, the pulse counter 31, the random access memory 32 of the stepper motor control codes (ST), the block of keys for controlling the windings of the ST ( 33). Through the first BS 28 to the frequency generator, programmatically from the second processor 18, before registration, the number of pulses that must be supplied to the windings of the stepper motor and the frequency of their arrival to these windings is set. Through the second buffer coordinator 34 and the control controller 35 in the RAM control codes 32 are recorded the duration of these pulses and their shift relative to each other. In the case under consideration, it is specified: the pulse duty cycle is 2, the shift between the pulses is equal to half the pulse duration. These parameters are selected to provide maximum power on the SHD 5 shaft. SD 5 contains four windings. In FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of the pulses arriving at these windings from the key block 33 of the control of the windings of the stepper motor. The programmed number of pulses corresponds to the programmed angle of rotation of the sensor, the frequency of arrival of pulses is the speed of rotation of the axis of the gearbox reducer. The discreteness of the angular displacement of the axis of the ШД reducer (ultrasonic sensor) with a single pulse is equal to
Δ = δ / N,
where δ is the pitch of the seam;
N is the gear ratio of the gearbox.

 For software-defined discreteness of registration of two-dimensional ultrasound images Δp, the number of pulses for turning the axis of the gearbox of positioning device 2 by this (Δp) angle is equal to the ratio of Δp to Δ. This number is recorded in the pulse counter 31 through the control controller 35. From the frequency generator 29 to the pulse counter 31 through the subtracting input pulses are received with a programmed frequency (which determines the speed of rotation of the axis of the gearbox reducer). As soon as the specified number of pulses is calculated, the pulse counter generates a signal "end of account" in the key management circuit 30. Key management circuit 30 in response to it generates a signal "Ready", which is transmitted through the first BS 28 to the second processor 18.

 This signal indicates that you are ready to receive the next TV frame. The second processor 18 sends a command to the TV signal converter 16 to register the closest in time TV-ultrasound image, and also sends the next discrete displacement to the control unit 19. The pulses of the power supply are distributed to the 4 outputs of the control key block 33 through the corresponding addressing recorded in the RAM 32 from the control controller 35. Registration continues until the specified number of ultrasound images is recorded. After registration is completed and a three-dimensional data array is formed, the operator, using the appropriate software recorded in the long-term memory unit 2I, sets the processing modes of this array and its corresponding visualization.

 Thus, from the description of the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic complex, it follows that the introduction of additional units providing program-controlled movement of the ultrasound sensor along a given path eliminates time-consuming and complex computational operations to determine the current coordinates of the ultrasound sensor operator hand-moved, having place in the prototype, and provides multiple repetition of the selected trajectory of movement of the ultrasonic sensor, which ultimately allows you to observe the dynamics of changes in the structure studied organs of patients for a long time in the same conditions (foreshortening).

 The specific implementation of the inventive device is carried out mainly on the basis of standard purchased devices, components and blocks. Thus, blocks 1.6-15 of FIG. 1 make up any ultrasonic echo sounder currently used for ultrasound diagnostic examinations, such as the Aloka-500; the TV signal converter 16 is manufactured by Videoscan, blocks 17, 18, 2O, 21, 22 are included in any personal computer or workstation and have all of those shown in FIG. 1 signal and control inputs and outputs. The stepper motor control unit consists of widespread electronic elements and components; the manufacture of a fixed base 23, rods 24, 25, a ball joint with a suspension 26, a holder 3 of an ultrasonic sensor 7 is carried out on conventional mechanical machines and does not present any technical difficulties.

Claims (2)

 1. Ultrasonic diagnostic complex for the formation and visualization of three-dimensional images, consisting of a two-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus containing an ultrasonic sensor, the input of which is connected to the transmitter of the probing signals, and the output is connected to the receiver of the reflected signals, the scanning control device connected to its output with the transmitter control inputs and a receiver, an analog-to-digital converter, the input of which is connected to the signal output of the receiver, and the output is connected to an ice-connected circuit consisting of an image signal converter, a first processor, a first random access memory block, the second signal output of which is connected to the second signal input of the first processor, display control device and first display, a synchronization control unit, one of whose outputs is connected to the device synchronization inputs scan control, and the rest, respectively, to the synchronization inputs of an analog-to-digital converter, converter, processor and control device the output, the output of which is the TV output of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, as well as a positioning device consisting of a fixed base and two rods connected by rotating joints, and a holder in which an ultrasonic sensor is mounted and rigidly fixed, characterized in that a TV-signal converter connected in series, connected by its signal input to the TV-output of the ultrasonic sensor, a second RAM block, a second processor having an external input control, video controller and a second display, as well as connected to the second output and the second input of the second processor with its input and output, a long-term memory unit, a stepper motor control unit, a stepper motor with a gearbox and a ball joint with a suspension, while the third output of the second the processor is connected to the second input of the TV signal converter, the fourth output of the second processor is connected to the second input of the second RAM block, the fifth and sixth outputs of the second processor are connected respectively to the first and second inputs of the stepper motor control unit, the second output of the video controller is connected to the third input of the second processor, the first output of the stepper motor control unit is connected to the fourth input of the second processor, and the remaining four to the corresponding windings of the stepper motor, and the stepper motor with gearbox is installed and rigidly fixed to the suspension of the ball joint, which is installed on the end of the second rod, a holder with an ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the gearbox axis, and the rotating joint The ball and ball joint are provided with clamps.  2. The diagnostic complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the stepper motor control unit comprises first and second buffer coordinators, the signal inputs of which are respectively the first and second inputs of the stepper motor control unit, a frequency generator connected in series, the input of which is connected to the output of the first buffer a coordinator, a key management circuit, a pulse counter, random access memory of the stepper motor control codes and a block of keys for controlling the windings of the stepper motor, h the output gate of which are the corresponding outputs of the stepper motor control unit, as well as the control controller, the input of which is connected to the output of the second buffer matcher, and its three outputs are connected respectively to the second inputs of the key control circuit, pulse counter, and random access memory of the stepper motor control codes, when the second output of the pulse counter is connected to the third input of the key management circuit, the second output of which is connected to the second input of the first buffer glasovatelya and the second output of the first buffer is a first output of the matcher stepper motor control unit.

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