Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100156244 | METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS AND OTHER COMPONENTS - The invention features methods for the manufacture of electrical components such as ultrasound transducers. In particular, the inventions provides methods of patterning electrodes, e.g., in the connection of an ultrasound transducer to an electrical circuit; methods of depositing metal on surfaces; and methods of making integrated matching layer for an ultrasound transducer. The invention also features ultrasound transducers produced by the methods described herein. | 06-24-2010 |
20100298709 | METHOD FOR NONLINEAR IMAGING OF ULTRASOUND CONTRAST AGENTS AT HIGH FREQUENCIES - This invention employs multiple ultrasound pulse firings of either alternating phase and/or amplitude to detect nonlinear fundamental and subharmonic signals from microbubble contrast agents within living tissue, at high frequencies (≧15 MHz), e.g., with a linear array transducer. It can be shown that the contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) decreases with increasing ultrasound frequency because of nonlinear ultrasound propagation in tissue. However, using the subharmonic signal in addition to the nonlinear fundamental harmonic component, rather than the conventional second harmonic used at lower frequencies, provides appreciable signal strength to overcome the limitations of nonlinear tissue propagation. Additionally, the method provides for the ability to switch, at some desired frequency above 20 MHz, into a purely alternating phase inversion acquisition, in combination with bandpass filtering of the subharmonic frequency band, minimizing the losses in CTR as the frequency increases. This maintains contrast sensitivity for more limited fields of view, as penetration depth will be limited at higher frequencies. Thus, within the same micro-ultrasound imaging system, many applications of microbubble detection can be achieved with a wide range of frequencies that covers both resolution and sensitivity requirements. | 11-25-2010 |
20110054292 | SYSTEM FOR PHOTOACOUSTIC IMAGING AND RELATED METHODS - Photoacoustic imaging systems and methods that allow for the creation of three-dimensional (3D) images of a subject are described herein. The systems include one or more optical fibers attached to an ultrasound transducer. Ultrasonic waves are generated by laser light emitted from the optical fiber(s) and detected by the ultrasound transducer. 3D images are acquired by ultrasound signals from a series of adjacent scan planes or frames that are then stacked together to create 3D volume data. | 03-03-2011 |
20110054321 | METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZATION OF BREATHING SIGNAL WITH THE CAPTURE OF ULTRASOUND DATA - A method for producing an ultrasound image comprises monitoring the subject's respiration cycle or waveform, acquiring ultrasound data from the subject, producing an ultrasound image from the received ultrasound data received during the time when the subject's motion due to breathing had substantially stopped. | 03-03-2011 |
20110057545 | HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND MATCHING LAYER COMPRISING CYANOACRYLATE - In one aspect, matching layers for an ultrasonic transducer stack having a matching layer comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In another aspect, the matrix material is loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In another aspect, an ultrasound transducer stack comprises a piezoelectric layer and at least one matching layer. In one aspect, the matching layer comprises a composite material comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In a further aspect, the composite material can also comprise a matrix material loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In a further aspect, a matching layer can also comprise cyanoacrylate. | 03-10-2011 |
20110144494 | METHODS FOR ACQUISITION AND DISPLAY IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING - In general, the invention provides methods for use in the acquisition and display of ultrasound images. In particular, the invention provides methods for displaying ultrasound images using a persistence algorithm, gating ultrasound acquisition based on subject respiration, triggering ultrasound acquisition based on subject ECG, and destroying bubble contrast agents during imaging. The methods may be employed with any suitable ultrasound system. | 06-16-2011 |
20130083981 | OVERLAY IMAGE CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT - A method of creating an image difference overlay comprises identifying a loop of reference images of a subject and identifying a loop of data images of the subject. The loop of image data can be identified after an event, such as the administration of contrast agent to the subject. A reference loop image frame is compared to one or more data loop image frames and the reference loop frame is associated with a data loop image frame which closely resembles the data loop image frame. Each of the associated frames can then be processed and used to create an image difference overlay frame. | 04-04-2013 |
20130096434 | METHODS FOR ACQUISITION AND DISPLAY IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING - In general, the invention provides methods for use in the acquisition and display of ultrasound images. In particular, the invention provides methods for displaying ultrasound images using gating of ultrasound acquisition based on subject respiration and/or triggering ultrasound acquisition based on subject ECG. The methods may be employed with any suitable ultrasound system. | 04-18-2013 |
20130181574 | HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND MATCHING LAYER COMPRISING CYANOACRYLATE - In one aspect, matching layers for an ultrasonic transducer stack having a matching layer comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In another aspect, the matrix material is loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In another aspect, an ultrasound transducer stack comprises a piezoelectric layer and at least one matching layer. In one aspect, the matching layer comprises a composite material comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In a further aspect, the composite material can also comprise a matrix material loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In a further aspect, a matching layer can also comprise cyanoacrylate. | 07-18-2013 |
20130184581 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CAPTURE AND DISPLAY OF BLOOD PRESSURE AND ULTRASOUND DATA - An ultrasonic imaging system comprises a processing system and an ultrasound imaging probe that is configured to transmit ultrasound energy into a selected portion of a subject and to receive echoes therefrom and to transmit data signals representative thereof to the processing system. The system further comprises a blood pressure sensor that is configured to measure the blood pressure of the subject and to transmit data signals representative thereof to the processing system. The processing system can processes the received ultrasound data signals to generate an ultrasound image and the received blood pressure data signals to generate a blood pressure trace. The processing system can also display the ultrasound image and blood pressure trace in a display image in which portions of the ultrasound image are displayed in temporal synchrony with portions of the blood pressure trace. | 07-18-2013 |
20130190591 | PHOTOACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER AND IMAGING SYSTEM - The invention disclosed herein features a photoacoustic scan head that includes laser fibers integrated into the housing of an arrayed ultrasound transducer using an optically transparent epoxy or other resin. The light-emitting ends of the fibers are positioned adjacent to the front surface of the transducer and direct laser light onto a subject being scanned by the transducer. The light beams generated by the fibers may be angled to intersect the acoustic field generated by the transducer so as to generate a photoacoustic effect in the region scanned by the transducer. | 07-25-2013 |
20140346329 | PHOTOACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER WITH OPTICAL FEEDBACK - A photoacoustic ultrasound transducer receives excitation light on a bundle of optical fibers. The optical fibers in the bundle are divided to direct the excitation light onto light bars positioned on either side of an imaging stack. A small portion of the optical fibers direct a portion of the excitation light onto an optical sensor that is located within the transducer housing. | 11-27-2014 |