Ultrasonic bone testing with copolymer transducers

a transducer and ultrasonic technology, applied in the field of ultrasonic bone testing with copolymer transducers, can solve the problems of high labor intensity of the transducer, large amount of machining, gluing, etc., and achieve the effects of reducing manufacturing steps, reducing labor intensity, and reducing manufacturing costs

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-05-12
WILSON KEVIN +7
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] In the apparatus and method of the invention, the use of piezoelectric copolymer disks as transducers affords significant economies, as well as effective performance. The piezoelectric copolymer material requires fewer manufacturing steps and is less variable in ultrasonic properties than conventional ceram...

Problems solved by technology

These transducers are extremely labor-intensive to manufacture, requi...

Method used

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  • Ultrasonic bone testing with copolymer transducers
  • Ultrasonic bone testing with copolymer transducers
  • Ultrasonic bone testing with copolymer transducers

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0041] The invention will be described in detail, for purposes of illustration, as embodied in apparatus and methods for testing the calcaneal (heel) bone of living human subjects or patients, including both dry and wet systems, such embodiments representing currently especially preferred practice. In a broader sense, however, the invention is not limited thereto, but may be employed e.g. to measure SOS and / or BUA to test other bones in other portions (e.g., limbs or extremities) of the human body, and to test bones of living animals other than humans.

Dry System

[0042] An embodiment of the apparatus of the invention may be incorporated in a dry system for ultrasonic bone testing, generally of the type set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,228 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 477,580 filed Jun. 7, 1995, Ser. No. 08 / 866,804 filed May 30, 1997 (allowed), and Ser. No. 09 / 277,838 filed Mar. 26, 1999 (which also describes wet systems for ultrasonic bone testing), the entire disclosu...

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Abstract

Ultrasonic bone testing apparatus including a pair of spaced piezoelectric copolymer transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy through a bone-containing portion of a human or other animal disposed between the transducers, and circuitry for detecting an electrical signal generated by the receiving transducer in response to reception of ultrasonic energy. The transducers are disks of the copolymer supported by rigid rings spaced inwardly of their peripheries. A method of determining a characteristic of bone in a bone-containing portion of an animal includes positioning a pair of piezoelectric copolymer ultrasonic transducers respectively on opposite sides of, and ultrasonically coupling both transducers to, the animal portion, and transmitting ultrasonic energy through the animal portion including the bone to be tested from one transducer to the other. The animal portion may be a human heel.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the priority benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) (1), of applicants' copending U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 140,638, filed Jun. 23, 1999, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to apparatus and methods for testing characteristics of animal bones, for example human bones, by transmitting ultrasonic energy through bone tissue to be tested. [0003] The testing of bone tissue characteristics such as bone mineral density (BMD) in living humans is widely utilized in present-day medical practice to determine whether and to what extent a patient has osteoporosis or other bone disease. One convenient and effective way of testing bone tissue characteristics is by transmitting ultrasonic energy through a bone in a patient's limb or extremity, between ultrasonic transducers respectively disposed on opposite sides of the limb or extremity...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A61B8/00A61B8/08
CPCA61B8/0875A61B8/4483A61B8/4281
Inventor WILSON, KEVINWANG, HONGSTEIN, JAYTHOMPSON, MITCHELLKUBIERSCHKY, KLAUSPARK, KYUNGCABRAL, DICKMACGIBBON, GLEN
Owner WILSON KEVIN
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