Application of a coupling agent in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography and the coupling agent

Abstract

This invention discloses the application of a coupling agent in the skin preparation process of ultrasound tomography. The coupling agent involves deep cleaning of the skin, ensuring it is fully hydrated and free of surface debris to improve skin coupling. A 1mm thick semi-oily coupling agent is then evenly applied to the skin surface, which is subsequently immersed in water. The coupling agent partially dissolves in the water, forming a coupling matching layer with gradually varying acoustic impedance between the water medium and the skin. This improves sound penetration efficiency and solves the problem mentioned in the background art where the skin condition affects image clarity and accuracy during ultrasound tomography.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasound imaging technology, specifically to the application of a coupling agent in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography and the coupling agent itself. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with advancements in electronic technology and piezoelectric crystal processing, ultrasound tomography has been increasingly applied clinically, particularly in the field of musculoskeletal ultrasound. Ultrasound tomography is generally based on a ring probe, using water as a coupling agent. The limb being scanned is placed in a bucket of water, with the ring probe surrounding it; both the probe and the limb are submerged. Because ultrasound waves attenuate rapidly in air, water is used as a medium to guide the ultrasound waves emitted by the probe into the body. Then, the ultrasound interacts with the body, producing reflection, scattering, and transmission signals, which are received by the probe. These signals are then calculated using a reconstruction algorithm, thus completing the ultrasound tomography of the human body. Figure 1 The image shown is an ultrasound tomographic image of the mid-thigh section, clearly displaying the anatomical structures such as muscles, bones, and nerves in the cross-section, helping doctors better understand human information and make more accurate diagnoses.

[0003] The condition of the skin plays a crucial role in the clarity and accuracy of the image during imaging. This effect manifests in two main ways: First, water often produces numerous air bubbles that adhere to the skin surface. These bubbles can block the transmission of ultrasound waves, preventing them from reaching the tissue and affecting image resolution. Second, as a relatively resilient tissue, the skin has a higher acoustic impedance compared to surrounding tissues. This results in more ultrasound reflections at the skin surface, reducing the energy transmitted into the body and thus impacting image quality. Figure 1 As shown, the adhesion of air bubbles and hair interference on the skin surface degrade the image quality.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides an application of a coupling agent in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, aiming to improve skin coupling and enhance the image quality of the ultrasound tomography system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an application of a coupling agent in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography and the coupling agent itself, so as to solve the problem mentioned in the background art that the state of the skin affects the clarity and accuracy of the image during ultrasound tomography.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An application of a coupling agent in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Step S1: Deep skin cleansing; cleanse the patient's skin in the area to be imaged to keep it clean and fully moisturized;

[0008] Step S2: Coupling agent application; Apply oily coupling agent evenly to the skin surface treated in step S1, then immerse it completely in water. After the coupling agent partially dissolves in the water, a coupling matching layer with gradually varying acoustic impedance is formed between the water medium and the skin.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution, step S1, the deep skin cleansing process specifically includes:

[0010] 1) Scrubbing; scrub the area to be imaged to minimize the amount of dead skin cells and oily secretions on the skin surface;

[0011] 2) Thoroughly immerse the skin in water after washing to ensure that even the tiny grooves on the skin's surface are fully moistened, thus reducing the amount of air trapped inside.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, if the time for deep skin cleansing is T, then T≥5min.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the coupling agent in step S2 is a semi-oily coupling agent.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the coating thickness of the coupling agent in step S2 is 1 mm.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, step S1, the deep skin cleansing process, involves washing the skin with ordinary soap.

[0016] A high-efficiency coupling agent for ultrasound tomography comprises the following components: glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, hydroxyethyl acrylate / sodium acryloyldimethyl thiosulfate copolymer, polysorbate-60, sorbitan isostearate, decanol polyether-7, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, PPG-26-butanol polyether-26, water, and vanillyl butyl ether.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, the coupling agent comprises 10-40% glycerol, 1-5% 1,3-propanediol, 5-10% hydroxyethyl acrylate / sodium acryloyldimethyl thiosulfate copolymer, 1-2% polysorbate-60, 1-2% sorbitan isostearate, 2-3% decanol polyether-7, 1-4% PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, 1-2% PPG-26-butanol polyether-26, 1-5% vanillyl butyl ether, and the remainder is water.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0019] This invention provides an application of a coupling agent in the skin preparation process of ultrasound tomography. By deeply cleaning the skin to ensure it is fully hydrated and removing all skin flakes to improve the skin coupling state, a 1mm thick semi-oily coupling agent is evenly applied to the skin surface and then immersed in water. The coupling agent partially dissolves in the water, forming a coupling matching layer with a gradually varying acoustic impedance between the water medium and the skin. This improves the efficiency of sound penetration and solves the problem mentioned in the background art where the condition of the skin affects the clarity and accuracy of the image during ultrasound tomography. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 Ultrasound imaging images of skin surface with air bubbles and hair interference;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process of performing ultrasound tomography on a test limb after skin treatment using the skin treatment method of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a graph showing the transmission rate as a function of acoustic impedance ratio.

[0023] Figure 4 The application of a coupling agent of the present invention in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography was tested on the lower leg of an adult. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] This invention provides a technical solution: the method for efficient coupling of ultrasound tomography provided by this invention includes a skin cleansing process, which has two steps. First, the skin needs to be thoroughly washed with ordinary soap for more than 5 minutes to allow the skin to fully absorb water and completely remove skin flakes. The second step involves applying a special coupling agent. This special coupling agent differs from traditional water-based coupling agents; it is a semi-oil-based coupling agent. A 1mm thick layer of this oil-based coupling agent is evenly applied to the skin surface, and then the skin is immersed in water. The coupling agent partially dissolves in the water, forming a coupling matching layer with gradually varying acoustic impedance between the water medium and the skin, thus improving the efficiency of sound penetration.

[0026] The special coupling agent application process consists of two parts. First, the special coupling agent is a semi-oil-based coupling agent, unlike traditional water-soluble coupling agents. It can better wet the skin because the skin usually secretes hydrophobic oily substances, and the coupling agent has an acoustic impedance closer to that of the skin, which can reduce ultrasound reflection and increase transmittance, thereby improving image quality. Second, the coupling agent application process requires uniformly applying a 1mm thickness of the coupling agent to the skin surface, covering the entire skin surface of the limb to be scanned. After application, it is immersed in an aqueous medium for imaging. After immersion in the aqueous medium, unlike traditional water-soluble coupling agents which completely dissolve in water and form a turbid liquid, this coupling agent partially dissolves in water and forms a uniform and stable concentration gradient on the skin surface, which is maintained for a longer period of time. This avoids ultrasound reflection caused by excessive differences in interface acoustic impedance, and helps the sound signal to be transmitted better.

[0027] The skin cleansing process includes thorough scrubbing and ample hydration to minimize dead skin cells and oily secretions on the skin surface, while ensuring adequate hydration even in the fine grooves of the skin to reduce trapped air. The special coupling agent, in terms of its composition, contains 10-40% glycerin, 1-5% 1,3-propanediol, 5-10% hydroxyethyl acrylate / sodium acryloyldimethyl thiosulfate copolymer, 1-2% polysorbate-60, 1-2% sorbitan isostearate, 2-3% decanol polyether-7, 1-4% PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, 1-2% PPG-26-butanol polyether-26, 1-5% vanillyl butyl ether, with the remainder being water.

[0028] The condition of the skin plays a crucial role in the clarity and accuracy of the image during imaging. This effect manifests in two main ways: First, water often produces numerous air bubbles that adhere to the skin surface. These bubbles can block the transmission of ultrasound waves, preventing them from reaching the tissue and affecting image resolution. Second, as a relatively resilient tissue, the skin has a higher acoustic impedance compared to surrounding tissues. This results in more ultrasound reflections at the skin surface, reducing the energy transmitted into the body and thus impacting image quality. Figure 1 As shown, the adhesion of air bubbles and hair interference on the skin surface degrade the image quality.

[0029] like Figure 2As shown, this coupling agent, when immersed in water, forms a matching layer with gradually varying acoustic impedance, reducing ultrasound reflection. The principle is that the coupling agent, applied and adhered to the skin surface, gradually dissolves in the water on the side in contact with it due to molecular diffusion, forming a concentration gradient from the skin to the water medium. Since the penetration rate of sound waves at the interface between two media depends on the difference in acoustic impedance, the greater the difference, the lower the penetration rate. Along the concentration gradient formed by the coupling agent dissolving in water, higher concentrations result in higher density and higher acoustic impedance, while lower concentrations result in lower density and lower acoustic impedance. This effectively creates a transitional bridge between the low acoustic impedance water medium and the high acoustic impedance skin, effectively improving the transmission rate of ultrasound waves.

[0030] The principle behind how concentration gradients can effectively improve ultrasound transmission is as follows: Assuming water and skin are in direct contact, Z2 > Z1, resulting in a significant difference in acoustic impedance and a transmission rate of approximately 70%. Therefore, when an ultrasound wave with an energy of 100 is incident, only 70 energy penetrates the tissue. If a transition medium exists between water and skin, with an acoustic impedance satisfying Z2 > Z3 > Z1, the ultrasound transmission rate between water and the transition medium is 85%, and the transmission rate between the transition medium and the skin is also 85%. In this case, the ultrasound energy penetrating the skin is 72.25, which is greater than the case where the skin is in direct contact with water. Increasing the gradient makes this transition smoother, improves impedance matching, and consequently increases the penetration energy. Especially when the acoustic impedance ratio is close to 1, the transmission coefficient is close to 1 (see [reference]). Figure 3 ).

[0031] This method was used to perform imaging tests on the adult lower leg, and the test results are as follows: Figure 4 As shown, in the unprocessed state, the skin exhibits high brightness, indicating strong sound wave reflection and preventing signals from penetrating the tissue. Structures such as the tibia and fibula are not fully displayed, and muscle structures appear relatively dark. After partial processing, the skin's reflectivity significantly decreases, revealing a double-layered structure with much clearer and more complete internal structures compared to the unprocessed state. After complete processing, the skin's reflectivity decreases significantly, internal structures are clearly displayed, and image quality is greatly improved.

[0032] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. The application of a coupling agent in the skin preparation process of ultrasound tomography, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: Deep skin cleansing; cleanse the patient's skin in the area to be imaged to keep it clean and fully moisturized; Step S2: Coupling agent application; Apply a semi-oily coupling agent evenly to the skin surface treated in step S1, then immerse it completely in water. After the coupling agent partially dissolves in the water, a coupling matching layer with a gradually varying acoustic impedance is formed between the water medium and the skin.

2. The application of the coupling agent according to claim 1 in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, characterized in that, In step S1, the deep skin cleansing process specifically includes: 1) Scrubbing; scrub the area to be imaged to minimize the amount of dead skin cells and oily secretions on the skin surface; 2) Thorough immersion in water; after washing, immerse the skin thoroughly in water to ensure that even the tiny grooves on the skin's surface are adequately moistened, thus reducing the amount of air trapped inside.

3. The application of the coupling agent according to claim 1 in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, characterized in that, If the time for deep skin cleansing is T, then T≥5min.

4. The application of the coupling agent according to claim 1 in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, characterized in that, In step S2, the coating thickness of the coupling agent is 1 mm.

5. The application of the coupling agent according to claim 1 in the skin processing of ultrasound tomography, characterized in that, The deep skin cleansing process in step S1 involves washing the skin with ordinary soap.

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