Catheter assembly, intravascular ultrasound imaging device and intravascular ultrasound image generation method

Abstract

The invention provides a catheter assembly, an intravascular ultrasonic imaging device and an intravascular ultrasonic image generation method. The catheter assembly is used for at least movably collecting ultrasonic echo signals of vascular tissue. The catheter assembly comprises a shell, an ultrasonic transducer, a displacement sensor and a driving part. A containing cavity is formed in the shell. The ultrasonic transducer is arranged in the containing cavity and used for transmitting ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue and receiving ultrasonic echo signals formed by reflection of the vascular tissue. The displacement sensor is arranged in the containing cavity and used for obtaining position information in the moving process when the shell moves in the vascular tissue. The two ends of the driving part are connected with the ultrasonic transducer and the displacement sensor correspondingly, and the driving part is used for driving the ultrasonic transducer to rotate in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the structure of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device is effectively simplified while the signal acquisition effect of the catheter assembly is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and in particular to a catheter assembly, an intravascular ultrasonic imaging device and a method for generating an intravascular ultrasonic image. Background Art

[0002] When using an ultrasonic imaging device to collect images inside a blood vessel, it is necessary to insert a catheter containing a miniature ultrasonic transducer into the blood vessel. The ultrasound host is connected to the catheter through a catheter controller. The catheter controller can send high-voltage excitation pulses to the ultrasonic transducer located at the distal end of the catheter, and at the same time, the drive shaft inside the catheter can drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate at high speed. After receiving the high-voltage excitation pulse, the ultrasonic transducer can send out ultrasonic pulses and receive ultrasonic echo signals reflected by the vascular tissue. The catheter controller can amplify, digitally collect and pre-process the received ultrasonic echo signals and transmit them to the ultrasound host, so that the vascular image processing and display can be realized in the ultrasound host. Through the continuous rotation and retraction spiral scanning of the ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasound host can process the ultrasonic echo signals to generate a two-dimensional image of the cross section of the blood vessel and a two-dimensional image of the long axis, thereby realizing a 360-degree ultrasonic scanning of the cross section of the blood vessel.

[0003] However, the catheter controller contains many components for controlling the rotation of the ultrasonic transducer and emitting high-voltage excitation pulses, which occupies a large volume. Correspondingly, in order to facilitate rotation and retraction, a drive shaft needs to be set in the catheter. This makes the catheter structure complex and the controllability poor. In summary, the traditional ultrasonic imaging device has a complex structure and is not easy to use. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to at least partially solve the problems existing in the prior art, according to one aspect of the present invention, a catheter assembly is provided. The catheter assembly is used to at least movably collect ultrasonic echo signals of vascular tissue, and the catheter assembly includes a shell, an ultrasonic transducer, a displacement sensor and a driving member. A accommodating cavity is formed in the shell. The ultrasonic transducer is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to transmit ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by the reflection of the vascular tissue. The displacement sensor is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the displacement sensor is used to obtain position information during the movement process when the displacement occurs in the vascular tissue. The two ends of the driving member are respectively connected to the ultrasonic transducer and the displacement sensor, and the driving member is used to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially.

[0005] In the catheter assembly of the present invention, when the catheter assembly is extended into the vascular tissue, the driving member can drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially, so that the ultrasonic transducer can fully emit ultrasonic pulses to the surroundings of the vascular tissue and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by the reflection of the vascular tissue, and the catheter assembly can movably collect the ultrasonic echo signals of the vascular tissue, and the displacement sensor can obtain its position information during the displacement process by means of magnetic field positioning, and then the displacement information of the ultrasonic transducer connected to the displacement sensor can be determined, and the ultrasonic echo signal is combined with the displacement information of the ultrasonic transducer and converted into image information, thereby obtaining the ultrasonic image of the vascular tissue. In this way, the positioning method of the ultrasonic transducer can be simplified by means of magnetic field positioning of the displacement sensor, and the radiation effect on the patient caused by external contrast positioning is reduced, which effectively improves the patient's experience and convenience of use, and the driving member for driving the ultrasonic transducer to rotate and the displacement sensor for determining the position of the ultrasonic transducer can be integrated into the catheter housing, the catheter assembly can completely collect the intravascular ultrasonic signal of a specific vascular segment, and the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device can no longer be provided with a catheter controller, that is, while ensuring the signal collection effect of the catheter assembly, the structure of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device is also effectively simplified.

[0006] Exemplarily, the catheter assembly further includes a connecting member, the connecting member having a first mover end and a first stator end, the driving member is connected to the first mover end, and the displacement sensor is connected to the first stator end.

[0007] Exemplarily, the catheter assembly also includes a signal rotation coupling device, which has a second movable end and a second stator end, the second movable end is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and the second stator end is connected to the analog hardware unit, and the signal rotation coupling device is used to transmit the ultrasonic signal between the ultrasonic transducer and the analog hardware unit; wherein the analog hardware unit is arranged in the catheter controller or the host for ultrasonic excitation.

[0008] Exemplarily, the ultrasonic transducer is attached to the side wall of the driving member so as to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially via the driving member; or, the catheter assembly further includes a rotating member, and the driving member is connected to the ultrasonic transducer via the rotating member so as to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided an intravascular ultrasonic imaging device, comprising an ultrasonic host and a catheter assembly as described above, wherein the ultrasonic host is electrically connected to a driving member and an ultrasonic transducer, respectively, and is used to send a control signal to the driving member and to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer, and the ultrasonic host comprises a magnetic field generating unit, and the magnetic field generating unit is used to form a magnetic field that senses the current generated by a displacement sensor to determine the position of the displacement sensor in vascular tissue.

[0010] The intravascular ultrasound imaging device of the present invention has the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned catheter assembly. In addition, the magnetic field generating unit can provide a stable magnetic field environment to more accurately determine the specific position of the displacement sensor in the vascular tissue, effectively improving the matching degree between the position of the ultrasonic transducer and the ultrasonic echo signal it receives. The magnetic field positioning method can not only reduce the radiation impact on the patient caused by the in vitro contrast positioning of the traditional intravascular ultrasound imaging device, but also improve the patient's experience and the convenience of the operator. The ultrasound host can be electrically connected to the driving part and the ultrasonic transducer respectively, and send a control signal to the driving part and obtain the ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer, thereby providing a basis for the stable operation of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device, the accurate acquisition and processing of the ultrasonic signal, and effectively ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the ultrasonic imaging of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0011] Exemplarily, a catheter interface is formed at the proximal end of the catheter assembly, and a docking port matched with the catheter interface is provided on the ultrasound host so as to plug the catheter assembly into the ultrasound host.

[0012] Exemplarily, the catheter assembly further includes a first conductive member, two ends of which are respectively connected to the driving member and the ultrasound host, and the ultrasound host sends a control signal to the driving member through the first conductive member.

[0013] Exemplarily, the ultrasound host includes an analog hardware unit, which is used for ultrasound excitation and preprocessing of ultrasound echo signals received by the ultrasound transducer.

[0014] Exemplarily, the intravascular ultrasound imaging device also includes a catheter controller, and the ultrasound host is electrically connected to the catheter assembly through the catheter controller. An analog hardware unit is provided in the catheter controller, and the analog hardware unit is used for ultrasonic excitation and preprocessing of the ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer.

[0015] Exemplarily, a retraction mechanism connected to the catheter assembly is also provided in the catheter controller, and the retraction mechanism is used to drive the catheter assembly to move away from the vascular tissue.

[0016] Exemplarily, the ultrasound host further includes a digital signal processing unit, which is electrically connected to the displacement sensor and is used to analyze spatial position information of the displacement sensor.

[0017] Exemplarily, the ultrasound host also includes an image processing and display unit, which is electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer and the digital signal processing unit, respectively, and is used to process and display the ultrasound image based on the spatial position information of the displacement sensor output by the digital signal processing unit.

[0018] Exemplarily, the ultrasound host also includes a timing control unit, which is electrically connected to the driving member, the ultrasonic transducer and the magnetic field generating unit respectively, and the timing control unit is used to control the timing of the driving member's circumferential rotation, the ultrasonic transducer's emission of ultrasonic pulses and reception of ultrasonic echo signals, and the magnetic field generating unit's generation of a magnetic field.

[0019] Exemplarily, the ultrasound host further includes a level conversion unit, which is electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer and is used to match the level signals of the ultrasound host and the ultrasound transducer.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for generating an intravascular ultrasound image is provided, which is applied to the intravascular ultrasound imaging device as described above, and the generating method comprises:

[0021] Acquire a plurality of first position information generated in time sequence when the displacement sensor moves in the vascular tissue;

[0022] Determine, according to the plurality of first position information, a plurality of second position information of the ultrasonic transducers respectively corresponding thereto;

[0023] Matching the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer with the plurality of second position information corresponding thereto respectively, so as to obtain a plurality of matched ultrasonic image signals;

[0024] generating a plurality of ultrasound images based on the plurality of ultrasound image signals;

[0025] Multiple ultrasound images are spliced ​​in time sequence to obtain a time-series ultrasound image of vascular tissue.

[0026] In the method for generating intravascular ultrasound images of the present invention, during the withdrawal process in the vascular tissue, the displacement sensor can sequentially obtain the first position information corresponding to the current position at a preset time interval. Since the displacement sensor and the ultrasonic transducer have a relatively fixed positional relationship, multiple second position information of the ultrasonic transducer can be determined according to the multiple first position information, and then the multiple ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer during the withdrawal process can be matched one by one with the multiple second position information, so that multiple ultrasonic image signals can be sequentially obtained according to the withdrawal path of the ultrasonic transducer. After the multiple ultrasonic image signals are converted into ultrasonic images respectively, the multiple ultrasonic images are combined and spliced ​​to obtain a complete time-series ultrasound image of the vascular tissue, and then a long-axis image, video, three-dimensional reconstruction image, etc. can be formed. In this way, by accurately matching the ultrasonic echo signal and position information of the ultrasonic transducer, a more accurate ultrasound image can be generated, which can not only ensure the quality and accuracy of the ultrasound image, but also help the operator to better understand the specific condition of the vascular tissue. In addition, the above method can also provide an ultrasound image of the vascular tissue in real time, which is of great help to the dynamic monitoring of the vascular tissue.

[0027] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention, it can be implemented according to the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the embodiments of the present invention in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0029] Figure 1 A block diagram of a catheter assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 A first structural block diagram of an intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 A second structural block diagram of an intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic flow chart of a method for generating an ultrasonic image of vascular tissue according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Among them, the components represented by the reference numerals in the figures are:

[0034] 1. Catheter assembly; 10. Shell; 11. Displacement sensor; 12. Driving member; 13. Ultrasonic transducer; 14. Rotating member; 15. Catheter interface; 16. Water inlet; 17. Guide wire inlet; 18. Guide wire outlet; 2. Ultrasonic host; 21. Magnetic field generating unit; 22. Analog hardware unit; 23. Digital signal processing unit; 24. Timing control unit; 25. Level conversion unit; 26. Image processing and display unit; 3. Catheter controller; 31. Retraction mechanism; 4. First conductive member; 5. Second conductive member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present invention more obvious, the exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0036] In the following description, a large amount of details are provided so that the present invention can be thoroughly understood. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the following description only exemplarily illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention can be implemented without one or more such details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features well known in the art are not described in detail.

[0037] In order to fully understand the embodiments of the present invention, detailed structures will be presented in the following description. Obviously, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, but in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other embodiments.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, a catheter assembly 1 is provided, which can effectively simplify the structure of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device while ensuring the signal collection effect of the catheter assembly. A catheter assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the catheter assembly 1 is used to at least movably collect ultrasonic echo signals of vascular tissue, and the catheter assembly 1 includes a shell 10, an ultrasonic transducer 13, a displacement sensor 11 and a driving member 12. A accommodating cavity is formed in the shell 10. The ultrasonic transducer 13 is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the ultrasonic transducer 13 is used to transmit ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by the reflection of the vascular tissue. The displacement sensor 11 is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the displacement sensor 11 is used to obtain position information during the movement process when the displacement occurs in the vascular tissue. The two ends of the driving member 12 are respectively connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the displacement sensor 11, and the driving member 12 is used to drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially.

[0040] It should be noted that Figure 1 The catheter assembly in the figure is a simplified drawing. The actual catheter assembly is a long tubular structure, and its overall length can be more than one meter, so as to penetrate deep into the blood vessel for signal collection.

[0041] The displacement sensor 11 may be located at the distal end of the accommodating cavity, and the proximal end of the displacement sensor 11 may be connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13 via the driving member 12. The distal end may be represented as the end away from the operator. Similarly, the proximal end may be represented as the end close to the operator.

[0042] The displacement sensor 11 can move after being acted upon by an external force and obtain position information in real time. Since the displacement sensor 11 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 have a relatively fixed positional relationship, the position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be determined.

[0043] The shape of the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be a long strip, and the driving member 12 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially along its axis, thereby fully emitting ultrasonic pulses to the blood vessel tissue, so as to obtain the signal of the blood vessel cross section.

[0044] Further, the displacement sensor 11 and the driving member 12 are fixedly connected in the axial direction, and the driving member 12 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially along its axis. Through this arrangement, the ultrasonic transducer 13 rotates while the displacement sensor 11 does not follow the rotation. In addition, the displacement sensor 11, the driving member 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 can move in the accommodating cavity under the action of external force, for example: the driving member 12 is connected to the pulling member, and the pulling member extends to the outside of the catheter assembly 1 (it can be extended near the catheter interface 15). The user pulls the pulling member outside the catheter assembly 1 to make the displacement sensor 11, the driving member 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 withdraw in the accommodating cavity. In some cases, the user can also directly pull the part of the catheter assembly 1 outside the body to make the part of the catheter assembly 1 inside the body (i.e., in the vascular tissue) withdraw as a whole, that is, drive the displacement sensor 11, the driving member 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 to withdraw. It can be seen that this arrangement of the displacement sensor 11, the driving element 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 can realize the rotation and retraction of the ultrasonic transducer 13 to achieve spiral retraction, and then collect information on multiple cross sections of a certain blood vessel segment; at the same time, the displacement sensor 11 can follow the retraction process to obtain the position of the ultrasonic transducer 13 when collecting signals.

[0045] The driving member 12 may be composed of a permanent magnet and a coil, the size of the driving member 12 may be less than 0.8 mm, and the rotation speed of the driving member 12 may be greater than 30 times / second, thereby ensuring the miniaturization of the driving member 12 while ensuring the driving efficiency of the driving member 12. The driving member 12 may be a motor, which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0046] The ultrasonic transducer 13 is composed of a piezoelectric material, a matching layer and a backing material. According to the piezoelectric and inverse piezoelectric effects, the ultrasonic signal can be converted into electric sound and sound electricity, and ultrasonic pulses can be emitted and ultrasonic echo signals can be received. The piezoelectric material can be a piezoelectric ceramic, a piezoelectric single crystal, a composite material or a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) material, etc., preferably a ceramic composite material or a piezoelectric single crystal material, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0047] A water injection port 16 connected to the accommodating cavity may be provided on the proximal side wall of the housing 10, and water may be injected into the accommodating cavity through the water injection port 16 to couple the ultrasonic signal of the ultrasonic transducer 13. A guide wire inlet 17 may be provided at the distal end of the housing 10, and a guide wire outlet 18 may be provided on the side wall of the housing 10 near the guide wire inlet 17. Through the cooperation of the guide wire, the guide wire inlet 17 and the guide wire outlet 18, the catheter assembly 1 may be transported to the vascular tissue.

[0048] The shell 10 may be made of plastic material, so as to provide support and protection for the components inside it. The material of the area near the ultrasonic transducer 13 may be a sound-transmitting material to reduce the impact on the transmission of ultrasonic signals.

[0049] The catheter assembly 1 of the present invention, when the catheter assembly 1 is extended into the vascular tissue, the driving member 12 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially, so that the ultrasonic transducer 13 can fully emit ultrasonic pulses to the surroundings of the vascular tissue and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by the reflection of the vascular tissue, and the catheter assembly can movably collect the ultrasonic echo signals of the vascular tissue, and the displacement sensor 11 can obtain its position information during the displacement process by means of magnetic field positioning, and then the displacement information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 connected to the displacement sensor 11 can be determined, and the ultrasonic echo signal is combined with the displacement information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 and converted into image information, thereby obtaining an ultrasonic image of the vascular tissue. In this way, the positioning method of the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be simplified by means of magnetic field positioning, and the radiation effect on the patient caused by in vitro contrast positioning is reduced, which effectively improves the patient's experience and convenience.

[0050] In addition, the traditional intravascular ultrasound imaging device is equipped with a catheter controller, which is relatively large in size. Moreover, when using the ultrasound imaging device to explore the patient's blood vessels, in order to ensure the imaging quality of the blood vessel image, the catheter controller needs to be placed close to the catheter. In this way, medical staff usually need to place the catheter controller on the patient's bed, which greatly occupies the patient's use space and affects the treatment of the patient. Moreover, there is a risk of the catheter controller falling, which has a great impact on the patient's use safety. A drive shaft is set in the traditional catheter assembly, and the drive shaft is connected to the catheter controller. The catheter controller drives the front ultrasonic transducer to rotate and retract with the help of the drive shaft. This intravascular ultrasound imaging device has a complex structure and must be equipped with a catheter controller. The solution provided in this embodiment can integrate the driving member 12 for driving the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate and the displacement sensor 11 for determining the position of the ultrasonic transducer 13 into the catheter assembly 1, and transfer the functions traditionally implemented by the catheter controller to the catheter assembly 1. At the same time, a special design is performed based on the requirement of small size of the catheter assembly 1. This not only ensures that the catheter assembly 1 can completely collect the intravascular ultrasonic signal of a specific blood vessel segment, but also allows the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device to no longer be equipped with a catheter controller. That is, while ensuring the signal collection effect of the catheter assembly 1, the structure of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device is effectively simplified.

[0051] In some embodiments, the catheter assembly 1 further includes a connector (not shown in the figure), the connector having a first mover end and a first stator end, the driving member 12 is connected to the first mover end, and the displacement sensor 11 is connected to the first stator end.

[0052] The connecting member may specifically be a rotary transformer or a slip ring. Of course, the driving member 12 and the displacement sensor 11 may also be connected via a bearing, which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the displacement sensor 11 can be connected to the first stator end of the connecting member, and the driving member 12 can be connected to the first mover end of the connecting member. In this way, not only can a reliable connection be formed between the displacement sensor 11 and the driving member 12, but also when the driving member 12 drives the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate, the displacement sensor 11 can be avoided from rotating, so that the displacement sensor 11 can collect reliable axial position information, effectively ensuring the signal collection effect of the catheter assembly 1, and then ensuring the effect and reliability of the ultrasonic image.

[0054] In some embodiments, the catheter assembly also includes a signal rotation coupling device (not shown in the figure), the signal rotation coupling device has a second mover end and a second stator end, the second mover end is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13, and the second stator end is connected to the analog hardware unit 22. The signal rotation coupling device is used to transmit the ultrasonic signal between the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22; wherein the analog hardware unit 22 is arranged in the catheter controller or the host for ultrasonic excitation.

[0055] The proximal end of the signal rotation coupling device can be constructed as the second mover end, and the distal end of the signal rotation coupling device can be constructed as the second stator end. In some cases, it can also be that the proximal end of the signal rotation coupling device is constructed as the second stator end, and the distal end of the signal rotation coupling device is constructed as the second mover end. The analog hardware unit 22 can be connected to the second stator end through a cable to achieve wired transmission between the analog hardware unit 22 and the ultrasonic transducer 13.

[0056] Ultrasonic excitation means that the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be stimulated to generate and emit ultrasonic pulses. Specifically, the analog hardware unit 22 can send an electrical energy signal to the ultrasonic transducer 13 so that the ultrasonic transducer 13 converts the electrical energy signal into mechanical vibration, thereby generating ultrasonic pulses. Further, the ultrasonic signal transmitted between the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22 may include: an ultrasonic excitation signal sent by the analog hardware unit 22 to the ultrasonic transducer 13, and an ultrasonic echo signal sent by the ultrasonic transducer 13 to the analog hardware unit 22.

[0057] The ultrasonic transducer 13 can continuously rotate circumferentially to emit ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue. The analog hardware unit 22 can be set in the catheter controller or the host, and the signal rotation coupling device can realize the non-contact transmission of ultrasonic signals between the circumferentially rotating ultrasonic transducer 13 and the stationary analog hardware unit 22.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the signal rotation coupling device can realize non-contact ultrasonic signal transmission between the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22, thereby reducing the wear and performance loss caused by the circumferential rotation of the ultrasonic transducer 13. In addition, the ultrasonic transducer 13 can stably transmit ultrasonic signals under high-speed rotation, effectively improving the stability and accuracy of ultrasonic signal transmission. In addition, there is a method in the related art that the source of the excitation signal is set in the catheter assembly, and the volume of the source of the excitation signal is large, so the volume of the catheter assembly in this method is often large, which is not convenient for the catheter assembly to move in the blood vessel. In the above embodiment, the source of the excitation signal (that is, the analog hardware unit 22) is located in the catheter controller or the main machine, and then the excitation signal is transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer 13 by wired means with the help of the signal rotation coupling device, and the volume of the catheter assembly does not need to be very large, which is more in line with the use requirements of intravascular ultrasonic signal acquisition.

[0059] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer 13 is attached to the side wall of the driving member 12 so as to drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially via the driving member 12; or Figure 1 As shown, the catheter assembly 1 further includes a rotating member 14, and the driving member 12 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 13 via the rotating member 14 to drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially.

[0060] The ultrasonic transducer 13 can be arranged on the side of the driving member 12, so that the driving member 12 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially. This method can keep the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the driving member 12 in a relatively static state, effectively avoid the position deviation of the ultrasonic transducer 13, and ensure the stability of the collected signal.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown, the catheter assembly 1 may further include a rotating member 14 , two ends of which are respectively connected to the driving member 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 , and the driving member 12 drives the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially through the rotating member 14 .

[0062] The shape of the rotating member 14 can be a rod, and the driving member 12 can drive the rod-shaped rotating member 14 to rotate along its axial direction, thereby driving the ultrasonic transducer 13 connected to the rotating member 14 to rotate circumferentially. The rotating member 14 can be a rotating shaft, etc., which is not specifically limited in this application. Exemplarily, the rotating member 14 is a hard structure to prevent the ultrasonic transducer 13 from shifting in position during the rotation process, thereby ensuring the stability of the collected signal.

[0063] Exemplarily, the ultrasonic transducer 13 may be oriented perpendicular to the axis of the catheter assembly, that is, the ultrasonic pulse emitted by the ultrasonic transducer 13 is oriented perpendicular to the blood vessel wall, thereby achieving reliable acquisition of the blood vessel cross-sectional image.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the driving member 12 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate circumferentially, which not only ensures that the driving force generated by the driving member 12 is effectively transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer 13, but also enables the ultrasonic transducer 13 to emit ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue in all directions, significantly improving the effect and efficiency of the ultrasonic transducer 13 in emitting ultrasonic pulses and receiving ultrasonic echo signals, thereby effectively improving the signal acquisition effect of the catheter assembly 1.

[0065] According to another aspect of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, an intravascular ultrasound imaging device is also provided, including an ultrasound host 2 and the catheter assembly 1 as described above, the ultrasound host 2 is electrically connected to the driving member 12 and the ultrasound transducer 13 respectively, the ultrasound host 2 is used to send a control signal to the driving member 12, and to obtain an ultrasound echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer 13, the ultrasound host 2 includes a magnetic field generating unit 21, the magnetic field generating unit 21 is used to form a magnetic field that senses the current generated by the displacement sensor 11 to determine the position of the displacement sensor 11 in the vascular tissue.

[0066] The magnetic field generating unit 21 can emit a magnetic field of a certain intensity and cover a certain range. The displacement sensor 11 can generate a weak current in the magnetic field formed by entering the magnetic field generating unit 21, so that the magnetic field generating unit 21 can determine the position information of the displacement sensor 11 according to the current size when the displacement sensor 11 is at different positions in the magnetic field. Since there is a relatively fixed positional relationship between the displacement sensor 11 and the ultrasonic transducer 13, the position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be determined.

[0067] In some other embodiments, the position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 may be determined by coil positioning or Hall sensor positioning, which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the driving member 12 for driving the ultrasonic transducer 13 to rotate and the displacement sensor 11 for determining the position of the ultrasonic transducer 13 are integrated into the catheter assembly 1, and the functions traditionally realized by the catheter controller are transferred to the catheter assembly 1 for realization. At the same time, a special design is performed based on the requirement of the small size of the catheter assembly 1. In this way, it can not only ensure that the catheter assembly 1 can completely collect the intravascular ultrasonic signal of a specific blood vessel segment, but also enable the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device to no longer be provided with a catheter controller, that is, while ensuring the signal collection effect of the catheter assembly 1, the structure of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device is also effectively simplified. In addition, the magnetic field generating unit 21 can provide a stable magnetic field environment to more accurately determine the specific position of the displacement sensor 11 in the vascular tissue, effectively improve the matching degree between the position of the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the ultrasonic echo signal received, and the magnetic field positioning method can not only reduce the radiation impact on the patient caused by the in vitro contrast positioning of the traditional intravascular ultrasonic imaging device, but also improve the patient's experience and the convenience of the operator. The ultrasound host 2 can be electrically connected to the driving component 12 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 respectively, and send control signals to the driving component 12 and obtain the ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer 13, thereby providing a basis for the stable operation of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device and the accurate acquisition and processing of ultrasonic signals, and effectively ensuring the accuracy and reliability of ultrasonic imaging of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0069] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, a catheter interface 15 is formed at the proximal end of the catheter assembly 1 , and a docking port matched with the catheter interface 15 is provided on the ultrasound host 2 so as to plug the catheter assembly 1 into the ultrasound host 2 .

[0070] The catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 can be directly connected or indirectly connected. Exemplarily, the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 can be connected by the second conductive member 5. Specifically, the proximal end of the catheter assembly 1 can be formed with a catheter interface 15, and the distal end of the second conductive member 5 can be formed with a docking port adapted to the catheter interface 15. Through the catheter interface 15 of the catheter assembly 1 and the docking port of the second conductive member 5, the transmission of the signal between the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 can be realized. The second conductive member 5 can be specifically a wire or a cable, etc., and the present application does not specifically limit this. The catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 can be connected by the second conductive member 5, which can not only ensure the stability and transmission speed of the signal transmission, but also avoid the radio frequency interference of the environment to the signal. Of course, in some other embodiments, the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 can be transmitted by wireless. Exemplarily, wireless transceivers can be respectively provided in the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2, and the wireless generator can be transmitted by wireless network or Bluetooth.

[0071] The material of the catheter interface 15 can be a wear-resistant metal material, so as to improve the stability of the connection between the catheter component 1 and the corresponding connection object, and improve the service life of the catheter component 1.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the catheter assembly 1 can be quickly and conveniently connected to the connection port of the ultrasound host 2 through the catheter interface 15, so that the convenience of disassembly and assembly of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device can be achieved. In addition, through the direct connection between the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasound host 2, the stability of the connection between the two can be guaranteed, and the occurrence of signal transmission interruption due to unstable connection can be reduced, which effectively improves the convenience and reliability of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0073] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the catheter assembly 1 further includes a first conductive member 4 , two ends of which are respectively connected to the driving member 12 and the ultrasound host 2 , and the ultrasound host 2 sends a control signal to the driving member 12 through the first conductive member 4 .

[0074] The first conductive member 4 can enable the ultrasound host 2 to accurately send a control signal to the driver 12, thereby achieving accurate control of the driver 12. The reliability of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device can be greatly improved by accurately controlling the driver 12. In addition, by adjusting the length of the first conductive member 4, the distance between the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasound host 2 can be flexibly adjusted, so that the intravascular ultrasound imaging device can meet different usage scenarios or usage needs, effectively improving the practicality of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0075] The first conductive member 4 may specifically be a wire or a cable, etc., which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the electrical connection between the driver 12 and the ultrasound host 2 is achieved through the first conductive member 4, which not only allows the control signal emitted by the ultrasound host 2 to be quickly and accurately transmitted to the driver 12, thereby achieving precise control of the driver 12, but also ensures the stability and transmission speed of the control signal during transmission, avoids radio frequency interference of the control signal in the environment, and further improves the reliability of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0077] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the ultrasound host 2 includes an analog hardware unit 22 , and the analog hardware unit 22 is used for ultrasound excitation and preprocessing the ultrasound echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer 13 .

[0078] Ultrasonic excitation means that ultrasonic pulses can be generated and emitted by the ultrasonic transducer 13. Specifically, an electrical energy signal can be sent to the ultrasonic transducer 13 so that the ultrasonic transducer 13 converts the electrical energy signal into mechanical vibration, thereby generating ultrasonic pulses. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to set additional components for realizing ultrasonic excitation in the catheter assembly 1, and the ultrasonic transducer 13 can generate ultrasonic pulses, which can effectively simplify the structure of the catheter assembly 1, and at the same time make the catheter assembly 1 meet the requirements of a small outer diameter, thereby making the catheter assembly 1 more clinically practical and feasible.

[0079] The analog hardware unit 22 can pre-process the ultrasonic echo signal, including amplification or filtering, so as to effectively improve the quality of the ultrasonic echo signal and reduce noise interference, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of ultrasonic imaging.

[0080] The analog hardware unit 22 can also flexibly adjust parameters such as the signal waveform, pulse width, amplitude and frequency of the ultrasonic excitation to adapt to different vascular tissue thicknesses.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the analog hardware unit 22 can effectively improve the quality of the ultrasonic echo signal and enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the ultrasonic echo signal, which can not only improve the accuracy of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device, but also ensure the flexibility and practicality of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0082] In some embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, the intravascular ultrasound imaging device also includes a catheter controller 3, and the ultrasound host 2 is electrically connected to the catheter assembly 1 through the catheter controller 3. An analog hardware unit 22 is provided in the catheter controller 3, and the analog hardware unit 22 is used for ultrasound excitation and preprocessing of the ultrasound echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer 13.

[0083] The catheter controller 3 can be connected to the ultrasound host 2 and the catheter assembly 1 respectively through the second conductive member 5 .

[0084] The structure of the catheter controller 3 in the present application is simple. Compared with the traditional catheter controller that needs to realize rotation and withdrawal control, it does not have the rotation control function and the digital signal processing function, and can achieve lightweight. Specifically, the traditional catheter controller is provided with analog hardware, digital signal processing hardware, a rotation mechanism and a withdrawal mechanism. The ultrasonic pulses emitted by the ultrasonic transducer and the received ultrasonic echo signals can be processed by the analog hardware and the digital signal processing hardware. The driving shaft can be controlled to drive the front ultrasonic transducer to rotate and withdraw by the rotation mechanism and the withdrawal mechanism. However, the present application can integrate the digital signal processing function and the rotation withdrawal function of the ultrasonic transducer 13 into the catheter assembly 1 and the ultrasonic host 2 respectively, and only the analog hardware unit 22 is set in the catheter controller 3. In this way, not only can the intensity of the ultrasonic signal and the processing speed of the ultrasonic signal be guaranteed, but also the lightweight setting of the catheter controller 3 can be achieved, which greatly improves the use of the operator and the use experience of the patient.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the analog hardware unit 22 can be arranged in the catheter controller 3, so that the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22 can have a shorter ultrasonic signal transmission distance, thereby reducing the attenuation of the ultrasonic signal during the transmission process and maintaining the integrity and strength of the ultrasonic signal. In addition, the catheter controller 3 including the analog hardware unit 22 has a small volume, and can also ensure the safety and convenience of using the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0086] In some embodiments, the catheter assembly 1 includes a signal rotation coupling device (not shown in the figure), the signal rotation coupling device has a second mover end and a second stator end, the ultrasonic transducer 13 is connected to the second mover end, and the analog hardware unit 22 is connected to the second stator end. The signal rotation coupling device is used to transmit the ultrasonic signal between the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22.

[0087] The proximal end of the signal rotation coupling device can be configured as the second mover end, and the distal end of the signal rotation coupling device can be configured as the second stator end. The analog hardware unit 22 can be connected to the second stator end through a cable to achieve wired transmission between the analog hardware unit 22 and the ultrasonic transducer 13.

[0088] When the intravascular ultrasound imaging device performs ultrasound imaging on vascular tissue, the ultrasound transducer 13 can continuously rotate circumferentially to emit ultrasound pulses to the vascular tissue, the analog hardware unit 22 can be set in the ultrasound host 2, and the signal rotation coupling device can realize non-contact transmission of ultrasound signals between the circumferentially rotating ultrasound transducer 13 and the stationary analog hardware unit 22.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the signal rotation coupling device in the ultrasonic host 2 can realize non-contact ultrasonic signal transmission between the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the analog hardware unit 22, thereby reducing the wear and performance loss caused by the circumferential rotation of the ultrasonic transducer 13. In addition, the ultrasonic transducer 13 can stably transmit ultrasonic signals under high-speed rotation, effectively improving the stability and accuracy of ultrasonic signal transmission.

[0090] In some embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, a retraction mechanism 31 connected to the catheter assembly 1 is also provided in the catheter controller 3, and the retraction mechanism 31 is used to drive the catheter assembly 1 to move away from the vascular tissue.

[0091] The retraction mechanism 31 can be connected to the catheter interface 15 at the proximal end of the catheter assembly 1 and drive the catheter assembly 1 to move in a direction close to the operator until the catheter assembly 1 moves away from the vascular tissue.

[0092] Exemplarily, the retraction mechanism 31 can be a driving motor and a rack, and the driving motor can drive the rack to move, thereby driving the catheter assembly 1 connected to the rack to retract. Of course, the retraction mechanism 31 can also be other mechanical structures that can drive the catheter assembly 1 to retract, and this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0093] Further, the accommodating chamber of the catheter assembly 1 may also be provided with a retraction shaft, one end of which is connected to the displacement sensor 11, the driving member 12 and / or the ultrasonic transducer 13, and the other end is connected to the retraction mechanism 31. This structure allows the retraction mechanism 31 to drive the ultrasonic transducer 13 to retract in the accommodating chamber. In some cases, the accommodating chamber of the catheter assembly 1 may not be provided with a retraction shaft, and after the catheter assembly 1 is connected to the catheter controller 3, the catheter controller 3 can drive the catheter assembly 1 to retract as a whole.

[0094] The catheter controller 3 including the analog hardware unit 22 and the retraction mechanism 31 can satisfy the front-end processing of the ultrasound signal and the automatic retraction of the catheter. In addition, the retraction mechanism 31 can also quickly move the catheter assembly 1 away from the vascular tissue according to the position information fed back by the displacement sensor 11 in real time, effectively ensuring the safety and reliability of the use of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device. The position information fed back by the displacement sensor 11 during the retraction process can specifically be the spatial position of the displacement sensor 11 during the retraction process and the retraction speed.

[0095] Of course, in some other embodiments, the catheter assembly 1 can also be manually moved away from the vascular tissue. By cooperating with the catheter assembly 1 and the withdrawal mechanism 31 or manually withdrawing, an ultrasonic image of the vascular tissue can be quickly and efficiently acquired.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer 13 can emit ultrasonic pulses in real time during the withdrawal process and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by the reflection of the vascular tissue, and the withdrawal mechanism 31 can ensure that the ultrasonic transducer 13 is withdrawn at a uniform and stable speed, thereby improving the effect and accuracy of ultrasonic imaging of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device, thereby improving the automation level and convenience of use of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device. In addition, the mechanical connection structure of the withdrawal mechanism 31 is simple, which greatly reduces the difficulty and cost of manufacturing the catheter controller 3.

[0097] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasound host 2 further includes a digital signal processing unit 23 , which is electrically connected to the displacement sensor 11 , and is used to analyze the spatial position information of the displacement sensor 11 .

[0098] The digital signal processing unit 23 may perform digital processing on the signal generated by the displacement sensor 11 , which may specifically include digital detection or digital filtering, so as to analyze the spatial position information of the displacement sensor 11 .

[0099] In the above embodiment, the digital signal processing unit 23 is electrically connected to the displacement sensor 11 and analyzes the spatial position information of the displacement sensor 11, thereby determining the spatial position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 through the displacement sensor 11, effectively improving the effect and accuracy of ultrasonic imaging of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0100] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the ultrasonic host 2 also includes a timing control unit 24, which is electrically connected to the driving member 12, the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the magnetic field generating unit 21 respectively. The timing control unit 24 is used to control the timing of the driving member 12 rotating in a circumferential direction, the ultrasonic transducer 13 transmitting ultrasonic pulses and receiving ultrasonic echo signals, and the magnetic field generating unit 21 generating a magnetic field.

[0101] The timing control unit 24 can accurately control the operation timing of the driving member 12, the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the magnetic field generating unit 21, ensuring the synchronization of the ultrasonic transducer 13 in emitting ultrasonic pulses and circumferential rotation, and the coordination of the circumferential rotation of the ultrasonic transducer 13 and the change of the magnetic field.

[0102] The timing control unit 24 can also dynamically adjust the timing of ultrasonic excitation and receiving ultrasonic echo signals of the ultrasonic transducer 13 to adapt to different ultrasonic imaging requirements and conditions, effectively improving the flexibility and practicality of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0103] The timing control unit 24 can be specifically constructed using electronic components such as timers, comparators, registers, digital logic circuits, or can be implemented using processor chips such as single-chip microcomputers, microprocessors, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLA) and their peripheral circuits, and this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0104] In the above embodiment, through the precise timing control of the timing control unit 24, the synchronization of the operation of various components in the intravascular ultrasound imaging device can be ensured, so that more accurate ultrasound images can be obtained, further improving the accuracy and reliability of ultrasound imaging of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0105] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasound host 2 further includes a level conversion unit 25 , which is electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer 13 , and is used to match the level signals of the ultrasound host 2 and the ultrasound transducer 13 .

[0106] In the above embodiment, the level conversion unit 25 can not only provide electrical energy to the various components in the intravascular ultrasound imaging device, but also match components with different voltage levels, ensuring that the various components in the ultrasound host 2 and the ultrasound transducer 13 can operate at an appropriate voltage, avoiding damage to the various components, thereby improving the compatibility, safety and reliability of the intravascular ultrasound imaging device.

[0107] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasound host 2 also includes an image processing and display unit 26, which is electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer 13 and the digital signal processing unit 23 respectively. The image processing and display unit 26 is used to process and display the ultrasound image based on the spatial position information of the displacement sensor 11 output by the digital signal processing unit 23.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the image processing and display unit 26 can process the spatial position information of the displacement sensor 11 and the ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer 13 to obtain a corresponding ultrasonic image, which greatly facilitates the operator's use of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device and effectively improves the practicality and convenience of the intravascular ultrasonic imaging device.

[0109] According to another aspect of the present invention, Figure 4 As shown, a method for generating an intravascular ultrasound image is also provided, which is applied to the intravascular ultrasound imaging device as described above. The execution subject may be an ultrasound host. The generating method includes steps S110 to S150.

[0110] Step S110: Acquire a plurality of first position information generated in time sequence when the displacement sensor moves in the vascular tissue.

[0111] Step S120: determining a plurality of second position information of the ultrasonic transducers respectively corresponding to the plurality of first position information.

[0112] Step S130: Matching the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer with the plurality of second position information corresponding thereto respectively, to obtain a plurality of matched ultrasonic image signals.

[0113] Step S140: generating a plurality of ultrasound images based on the plurality of ultrasound image signals.

[0114] Step S150: splicing the multiple ultrasound images in time sequence to obtain a time sequence ultrasound image of the vascular tissue.

[0115] After the time-series ultrasound images are obtained, the time-series ultrasound images may be output and displayed.

[0116] In the above embodiment, during the withdrawal process in the vascular tissue, the displacement sensor 11 can sequentially obtain the first position information corresponding to the current position at a preset time interval. Since the displacement sensor 11 and the ultrasonic transducer 13 have a relatively fixed positional relationship, multiple second position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13 can be determined according to the multiple first position information, and then the multiple ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer 13 during the withdrawal process can be matched one by one with the multiple second position information, so that multiple ultrasonic image signals can be sequentially obtained according to the withdrawal path of the ultrasonic transducer 13. After the multiple ultrasonic image signals are converted into ultrasonic images respectively, a complete time-series ultrasonic image of the vascular tissue can be obtained by combining and splicing the multiple ultrasonic images, and then a long-axis image, video, three-dimensional reconstructed image, etc. can be formed. In this way, by accurately matching the ultrasonic echo signal and position information of the ultrasonic transducer 13, a more accurate ultrasonic image can be generated, which can not only ensure the quality and accuracy of the ultrasonic image, but also help the operator to better understand the specific condition of the vascular tissue. In addition, the above method can also provide an ultrasonic image of the vascular tissue in real time, which is of great help to the dynamic monitoring of the vascular tissue.

[0117] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made therein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as required by the appended claims.

[0118] For ease of description, the term "connection" may be used here to describe the relationship between one or more elements or features shown in the figures and other elements or features. It should be understood that "connection" may include direct connection or indirect connection via other elements or features, and this article is intended to include all of these situations.

[0119] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, it indicates the presence of features, steps, operations, parts, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0120] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the numbers used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0121] The present invention has been described by the above embodiments, but it should be understood that the above embodiments are only for the purpose of example and description, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the scope of the described embodiments. In addition, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and more variations and modifications can be made according to the teachings of the present invention, and these variations and modifications all fall within the scope of the protection claimed by the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly, characterized in that: The catheter assembly is used for at least movably collecting ultrasonic echo signals of vascular tissue, and the catheter assembly comprises: A housing having a receiving cavity formed therein; An ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer being disposed in the accommodating cavity, the ultrasonic transducer being used to transmit ultrasonic pulses to the vascular tissue and receive ultrasonic echo signals formed by reflection from the vascular tissue; a displacement sensor, the displacement sensor being disposed in the accommodating cavity and being used for acquiring position information during movement when the displacement sensor is displaced in the vascular tissue; and A driving member, two ends of which are respectively connected to the ultrasonic transducer and the displacement sensor, and the driving member is used to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially.

2. The catheter assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The catheter assembly further includes a connecting member, wherein the connecting member has a first mover end and a first stator end, the driving member is connected to the first mover end, and the displacement sensor is connected to the first stator end.

3. The catheter assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The catheter assembly also includes a signal rotation coupling device, which has a second mover end and a second stator end, the second mover end is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and the second stator end is connected to the analog hardware unit. The signal rotation coupling device is used to transmit the ultrasonic signal between the ultrasonic transducer and the analog hardware unit; wherein the analog hardware unit is arranged in the catheter controller or the host for ultrasonic excitation.

4. The catheter assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The ultrasonic transducer is attached to the side wall of the driving member so as to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially via the driving member; or, the catheter assembly further includes a rotating member, and the driving member is connected to the ultrasonic transducer via the rotating member so as to drive the ultrasonic transducer to rotate circumferentially.

5. An intravascular ultrasound imaging device, characterized in that: The invention comprises an ultrasonic host and a catheter assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ultrasonic host is electrically connected to the driving member and the ultrasonic transducer respectively, the ultrasonic host is used to send a control signal to the driving member and obtain the ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer, and the ultrasonic host comprises a magnetic field generating unit, the magnetic field generating unit is used to form a magnetic field that induces the current generated by the displacement sensor to determine the position of the displacement sensor in the vascular tissue.

6. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A catheter interface is formed at the proximal end of the catheter assembly, and a docking port matched with the catheter interface is arranged on the ultrasound host so as to plug the catheter assembly into the ultrasound host.

7. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The catheter assembly further includes a first conductive member, two ends of which are respectively connected to the driving member and the ultrasound host, and the ultrasound host sends a control signal to the driving member through the first conductive member.

8. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ultrasound host comprises an analog hardware unit, and the analog hardware unit is used for ultrasound excitation and preprocessing the ultrasound echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer.

9. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The intravascular ultrasound imaging device also includes a catheter controller, the ultrasound host is electrically connected to the catheter assembly through the catheter controller, and an analog hardware unit is provided in the catheter controller, and the analog hardware unit is used for ultrasound excitation and preprocessing the ultrasound echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer.

10. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The catheter controller is also provided with a retraction mechanism connected to the catheter assembly, and the retraction mechanism is used to drive the catheter assembly to move away from the vascular tissue.

11. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ultrasound host further includes a digital signal processing unit, which is electrically connected to the displacement sensor and is used to analyze spatial position information of the displacement sensor.

12. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The ultrasound host also includes an image processing and display unit, which is electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer and the digital signal processing unit respectively, and is used to process and display the ultrasound image based on the spatial position information output by the digital signal processing unit.

13. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ultrasonic host also includes a timing control unit, which is electrically connected to the driving member, the ultrasonic transducer and the magnetic field generating unit respectively, and is used to control the timing of the driving member rotating in a circumferential direction, the ultrasonic transducer transmitting ultrasonic pulses and receiving ultrasonic echo signals, and the magnetic field generating unit generating a magnetic field.

14. The intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ultrasonic host further includes a level conversion unit, which is electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer and is used to match the level signals of the ultrasonic host and the ultrasonic transducer.

15. A method for generating an intravascular ultrasound image, characterized in that: Applied to the intravascular ultrasound imaging device according to any one of claims 5 to 14, the generating method comprises: Acquire a plurality of first position information generated in time sequence when the displacement sensor moves in the vascular tissue; Determine, according to the plurality of first position information, a plurality of second position information of the ultrasonic transducers respectively corresponding thereto; Matching the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer with the plurality of second position information corresponding thereto respectively, so as to obtain a plurality of matched ultrasonic image signals; generating a plurality of ultrasound images based on the plurality of ultrasound image signals; The multiple ultrasound images are spliced ​​in time sequence to obtain a time-series ultrasound image of the vascular tissue.

Images