Photoacoustic endoscopic probe and surgical robot

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of photoacoustic endoscopic probe and surgical robot, wherein photoacoustic endoscopic probe includes: fixed component;Ultrasonic transducer component, be located on fixed component;Light source transmission component, including two optical fiber fixed plate and the optical fiber bundle being located on optical fiber fixed plate, two optical fiber fixed plate are located on fixed component and are respectively located on the two sides of ultrasonic transducer component, optical fiber fixed plate is equipped with optical fiber groove and multiple optical fiber holes being communicated with optical fiber groove, multiple optical fiber holes are sequentially spaced along the length direction of optical fiber fixed plate, optical fiber bundle includes optical fiber bundle main body and the optical fiber extending from optical fiber bundle main body, optical fiber bundle main body is located in optical fiber groove, optical fiber is correspondingly housed in optical fiber hole, optical fiber fixed plate is relatively ultrasonic transducer component and is inclined to set, make the ultrasonic area of ultrasonic transducer component and the illumination area of light source transmission component overlap. By adopting the above technical scheme, effectively reduce the overall size of probe, solve the problem that light source distribution is not accurate, uneven.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of surgical robots, and more specifically, to a photoacoustic endoscope probe and a surgical robot. Background Technology

[0002] Early and accurate diagnosis of gastrointestinal malignancies and chronic inflammatory diseases is a key challenge that urgently needs to be addressed in the current clinical diagnosis and treatment system. These diseases often present with hidden early symptoms and are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, significantly reducing the patient's treatment response rate and long-term survival rate. Therefore, there is an urgent need for diagnostic technologies that are safe, accurate, and timely.

[0003] Currently, the clinical "gold standard" for diagnosing the aforementioned diseases is endoscopic-guided invasive tissue biopsy. However, this technique has significant, unavoidable limitations, failing to meet the clinical demand for minimally invasive and precise early diagnosis: First, the procedure relies on mechanical cutting for sampling, easily inducing complications such as mucosal bleeding, perforation, and infection, especially for patients with coagulation disorders or submucosal lesions, where the procedure poses a serious safety threat; Second, the sampling process relies on visual positioning by the physician, which is highly random, leading to a persistently high rate of missed diagnoses for flat early-stage cancers, with published literature confirming a missed diagnose rate of 23%-30%; Third, traditional biopsies only provide static tissue morphology information and cannot capture key features closely related to the pathological progression of the disease in real time (such as abnormal microvascular proliferation, changes in hemoglobin concentration gradients, and hemodynamic disturbances), greatly limiting the efficiency of accurate assessment of disease progression stages and the timeliness of dynamic monitoring of treatment response.

[0004] To address the technical limitations of invasive biopsies, researchers in this field have developed photoacoustic computational tomography (PACT), a revolutionary solution to the challenges of early diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. Its core principle is to utilize endogenous pigments in biological tissues (such as the specific absorption characteristics of hemoglobin to 532nm wavelength laser light) to generate ultrasound waves under laser excitation. These ultrasound signals are received by an ultrasonic transducer array and reconstructed using algorithms to form a three-dimensional tomographic image. This technology combines the advantages of high optical contrast and strong acoustic penetration: firstly, based on the specific absorption spectral characteristics of hemoglobin molecules, its microvascular network imaging contrast is significantly superior to traditional ultrasound imaging or optical coherence tomography, clearly revealing the vascular distribution characteristics of lesion areas; secondly, sound waves have low scattering characteristics in biological tissues, supporting non-invasive detection of occult lesions in the submucosa of the digestive tract (detection depth ≥5mm), overcoming the bottleneck of limited penetration depth in traditional optical imaging. Compared to other non-invasive imaging modalities, PACT technology can simultaneously analyze multi-dimensional functional parameters such as vascular density distribution, blood oxygen metabolism status, and blood flow velocity field in the lesion area. It can provide direct molecular pathological evidence for early cancer variant hyperplasia and inflammatory activity grading. It is considered to have the potential to promote the transformation of gastrointestinal endoscopic diagnosis from the traditional "blind sampling" mode to a new paradigm of "targeted visualization virtual biopsy".

[0005] However, when applying PACT technology to gastrointestinal endoscopic imaging, existing solutions face key technical bottlenecks: to achieve effective light excitation and ultrasound signal reception, existing endoscopic probes need to integrate an ultrasound probe and an array of optical fibers. The arrangement of these two components results in an excessively large overall probe size, making it difficult to adapt to the physiological structure of the digestive tract (especially narrow areas such as the colon, rectum, and small intestine), thus making its practical clinical application extremely impractical. At the same time, the existing array of optical fibers lacks targeted optimization, resulting in an inaccurate and uneven distribution of the light source in the detection area, further affecting imaging resolution and lesion identification accuracy, severely restricting the large-scale application of PACT technology in early gastrointestinal diagnosis. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a photoacoustic endoscope probe and surgical robot to solve the technical problems of large size and uneven light source distribution in the existing photoacoustic endoscope probe.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: Firstly, a photoacoustic endoscope probe is provided, comprising: Fixed components; An ultrasonic transducer assembly is disposed on the fixed assembly; A light source transmission assembly includes two fiber optic fixing plates and a fiber optic bundle disposed on the fiber optic fixing plates. The two fiber optic fixing plates are disposed on the fixing assembly and respectively on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer assembly. Each fiber optic fixing plate has a fiber optic groove and a plurality of fiber optic holes communicating with the fiber optic groove. The plurality of fiber optic holes are arranged sequentially at intervals along the length direction of the fiber optic fixing plate. The fiber optic bundle includes a fiber optic bundle body and optical fibers extending from the fiber optic bundle body. The fiber optic bundle body is disposed in the fiber optic groove, and the optical fibers are correspondingly accommodated in the fiber optic holes. The fiber optic fixing plates are inclined relative to the ultrasonic transducer assembly, so that the ultrasonic region of the ultrasonic transducer assembly overlaps with the illumination region of the light source transmission assembly.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, on the one hand, the two fiber optic fixing plates are respectively set on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer component and are designed with an inclination to ensure that the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer component overlaps with the illumination area of ​​the light source transmission component, avoiding misalignment of photoacoustic signal transmission and reception, significantly improving the accuracy of imaging, and providing reliable signal guarantee for lesion feature identification; on the other hand, the fiber optic fixing plates position the main body of the fiber bundle through fiber slots and arrange the fibers through multiple spaced fiber holes, which not only ensures the orderly installation of the fibers, but also avoids the crowded arrangement of each component on the fixing component by combining the inclination setting, effectively reducing the overall size of the probe, adapting to the use needs of narrow parts of the digestive tract lumen, and at the same time, the multiple fiber holes spaced along the length direction enable the light signal emitted by the fiber to uniformly cover the detection area, solving the problem of inaccurate and uneven distribution of the light source, further optimizing the imaging resolution and lesion display effect, and promoting the practical application feasibility of photoacoustic endoscopy technology in the diagnosis of digestive tract diseases.

[0009] In one embodiment, the bending radius of the optical fiber is 4mm-8mm; and / or, the core diameter of the optical fiber is 40um-60um; and / or, the cladding of the optical fiber is 115um-135um; and / or, the coating of the optical fiber is 235um-255um.

[0010] In one embodiment, the number of optical fibers is 20-24.

[0011] In one embodiment, the diameter of the fiber optic hole is 0.1mm-0.2mm; and / or the distance between two adjacent fiber optic holes is 0.5mm-0.7mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the light source transmission assembly further includes UV adhesive disposed in the fiber groove of the fiber fixing plate, the UV adhesive being used to fix the fiber bundle in the fiber groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer assembly defines a plane of symmetry, the ultrasonic region is perpendicular to the plane of symmetry, and two fiber optic fixing plates are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer assembly based on the plane of symmetry, with the fiber optic fixing plates forming an angle of 10°-30° with the plane of symmetry.

[0014] In one embodiment, the fixing component includes a fixing base, the fixing base having two inclined slots and a mounting slot located between the two inclined slots, the two inclined slots being symmetrically arranged based on the plane of symmetry, the fiber optic fixing plate being disposed in the corresponding inclined slot, and the ultrasonic transducer being disposed in the mounting slot.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fixing component further includes a cover disposed on the fixing base, wherein the fixing base and the optical fiber fixing plate are aluminum alloy structures, and the cover is a three-dimensional printed structure.

[0016] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer assembly includes an ultrasonic transducer and a flexible line connector connected to the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the center frequency of the ultrasonic transducer is 6-7 MHz and the bandwidth is greater than 70%.

[0017] Secondly, a surgical robot is provided, including a surgical robot body and the aforementioned photoacoustic endoscope probe, wherein the photoacoustic endoscope probe is connected to the surgical robot body.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the surgical robot of this embodiment has the advantage of miniaturization, in addition to the advantages of the photoacoustic endoscope probe of the above embodiment. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the photoacoustic endoscope probe provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of one perspective of the photoacoustic endoscope probe provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front view of the fiber optic fixing plate of the photoacoustic endoscope probe provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4This is an exploded view of the photoacoustic endoscope probe provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The labels for the attached figures are as follows: 1. Fixing components; 2. Ultrasonic transducer components; 3. Light source transmission components; 31. Fiber optic fixing plate; 32. Fiber optic bundle; 11. Fixing base; 12. Inclined groove; 13. Mounting groove; 14. Cover; 21. Ultrasonic transducer; 22. Flexible circuit connector; 311, Fiber optic slot; 312, Fiber optic port; 321, Fiber optic bundle body; 322, Fiber optic cable. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the technical problem to be solved, the technical solution, and the beneficial effects of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model.

[0026] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be located directly on or indirectly on the other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly or indirectly connected to the other component.

[0027] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and do not indicate that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating relative importance or the number of technical features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. The specific implementation of this utility model is described in more detail below with reference to specific embodiments: like Figures 1 to 3 As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention provides a photoacoustic endoscope probe, comprising: Fixed component 1; The ultrasonic transducer 2 is mounted on the fixed assembly 1; The light source transmission component 3 includes two fiber optic fixing plates 31 and a fiber optic bundle 32 disposed on the fiber optic fixing plates 31. The two fiber optic fixing plates 31 are disposed on the fixing component 1 and respectively disposed on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer component 2. The fiber optic fixing plates 31 are provided with fiber optic grooves 311 and multiple fiber optic holes 312 communicating with the fiber optic grooves 311. The multiple fiber optic holes 312 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the length direction of the fiber optic fixing plates 31. The fiber optic bundle 32 includes a fiber optic bundle body 321 and fiber optics 322 extending from the fiber optic bundle body 321. The fiber optic body 321 is disposed in the fiber optic groove 311, and the fiber optics 322 are correspondingly accommodated in the fiber optic holes 312. The fiber optic fixing plates 31 are inclined relative to the ultrasonic transducer component 2, so that the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer component 2 overlaps with the illumination area of ​​the light source transmission component 3.

[0029] Specifically, the structure of this photoacoustic endoscope is based on a fixed component 1 as the supporting carrier. The ultrasonic transducer 2 is directly assembled on the fixed component 1. At the same time, the light source transmission component 3 forms a cooperative assembly relationship with the fixed component 1 and the ultrasonic transducer 2. The light source transmission component 3 includes two fiber optic fixing plates 31 and fiber bundles 32 disposed on the fiber optic fixing plates 31. The two fiber optic fixing plates 31 are installed on the fixed component 1 and are located on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 2. The fiber optic fixing plates 31 have fiber optic grooves 311 and multiple fiber optic holes 312 connected to the fiber optic grooves 311. The multiple fiber optic holes 312 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the length of the fiber optic fixing plates 31. The fiber bundles 32 are composed of fiber optic bodies 321 and fiber optics 322 extending from the fiber optic bodies 321. The fiber optic bodies 321 are embedded in the fiber optic grooves 311 for positioning. The fiber optics 322 are accommodated one-to-one in the fiber optic holes 312 to ensure stable extension direction. The fiber optic fixing plates 31 are tilted relative to the ultrasonic transducer 2, thereby constructing a structured assembly system for each component.

[0030] Its working principle is based on the functional coordination of each component. The optical fiber body 321 transmits the optical signal to the optical fiber 322 extending into the optical fiber hole 312 through the positioning function of the optical fiber slot 311. The optical fiber 322 emits the optical signal under the guidance of the optical fiber hole 312. Since the optical fiber fixing plate 31 is tilted relative to the ultrasonic transducer 2, the illumination area formed by the optical signal emitted by the optical fiber 322 is precisely overlapped with the ultrasonic area covered by the ultrasonic transducer 2 when it is working. When the light in the illumination area acts on the digestive tract tissue, the endogenous substances in the tissue absorb the light energy and generate a photoacoustic signal. This photoacoustic signal is exactly in the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer 2 and is effectively received by the ultrasonic transducer 2, thus providing a signal basis for subsequent imaging.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, on the one hand, the two fiber optic fixing plates 31 are respectively set on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 2 and are designed with an inclination to ensure that the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer 2 overlaps with the illumination area of ​​the light source transmission component 3, avoiding misalignment of photoacoustic signal transmission and reception, significantly improving the accuracy of imaging, and providing reliable signal guarantee for lesion feature identification; on the other hand, the fiber optic fixing plate 31 positions the fiber optic body 321 through the fiber optic groove 311 and arranges the fiber optic 322 through multiple spaced fiber optic holes 312, which not only ensures the orderly installation of the fiber optic 322, but also avoids the crowded arrangement of each component on the fixing component 1 by combining the inclination setting, effectively reducing the overall size of the probe, adapting to the use requirements of narrow parts of the digestive tract lumen, and at the same time, the multiple spaced fiber optic holes 312 along the length direction enable the light signal emitted by the fiber optic 322 to uniformly cover the detection area, solving the problem of inaccurate and uneven distribution of the light source, further optimizing the imaging resolution and lesion display effect, and promoting the practical application feasibility of photoacoustic endoscopy technology in the diagnosis of digestive tract diseases.

[0032] In one embodiment, the bending radius of the optical fiber 322 is 4mm-8mm; and / or, the core diameter of the optical fiber 322 is 40um-60um; and / or, the cladding of the optical fiber 322 is 115um-135um; and / or, the coating of the optical fiber 322 is 235um-255um.

[0033] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the optical fiber 322 included in its light source transmission component 3 has clearly defined physical structural parameters. Specifically, the bending radius of the optical fiber 322 ranges from 4mm to 8mm, the core diameter ranges from 40um to 60um, the cladding thickness ranges from 115um to 135um, and the coating thickness ranges from 235um to 255um. Furthermore, it is preferred to use a bend-resistant multimode optical fiber 322. The structural parameters of this preferred optical fiber 322 are precisely set as a bending radius of 6mm, a core diameter of 50um, a cladding thickness of 125um, and a coating thickness of 245um. These parameters together constitute the core structural features of the optical fiber 322, which are compatible with the size of the optical fiber hole 312 of the optical fiber fixing plate 31, the arrangement requirements of the optical fiber bundle 32, and the overall assembly space of the fixing component 1, forming a structural synergistic match.

[0034] From a working principle perspective, the bending radius of fiber 322, set at 4mm-8mm (preferably 6mm), ensures that fiber 322 can achieve stable bending without structural damage when the fiber optic fixing plate 31 is tilted and the probe is adapted to the bending environment of the digestive tract lumen. This avoids fiber 322 breakage or damage to the optical transmission path due to excessive bending. The core diameter design of 40um-60um (preferably 50um) balances the optical signal transmission volume with the miniaturization requirements of fiber 322. It ensures sufficient light energy is transmitted through fiber 322 to the detection area for effective illumination, while avoiding excessive space occupation due to an excessively large core diameter. The cladding is 115um- The combination of 135um (preferably 125um) and coating layer 235um-255um (preferably 245um) achieves two objectives: firstly, the cladding isolates the optical signal of the fiber 322 core from the external environment, preventing light energy leakage; secondly, the coating layer enhances the mechanical strength and wear resistance of the fiber 322, reducing damage to the fiber 322 when the probe moves within the digestive tract. In particular, the preferred bend-resistant multimode fiber 322, with its 6mm bendable radius and low loss characteristics, further ensures minimal energy loss during optical signal transmission during bending, guaranteeing stable light intensity in the illumination area and providing a sufficient signal source for the ultrasonic transducer 2 to receive photoacoustic signals.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solutions, the bending radius of the optical fiber 322 is set within the range of 4mm-8mm, and a bending-resistant optical fiber 322 with a preferred bending radius of 6mm is selected. This effectively improves the adaptability of the probe in narrow lumens or curved parts of the digestive tract, avoiding the inability to flexibly adjust the angle of the probe due to the excessive rigidity of the optical fiber 322. At the same time, the low-loss characteristic reduces light energy waste, ensuring uniform and sufficient light intensity in the illumination area. This solves the problem of insufficient illumination caused by the large bending loss of traditional optical fiber 322. The core diameter of 40um-60um (preferably 50um) is coordinated with the parameters of the cladding and coating layers. While ensuring light transmission efficiency, the overall diameter of the optical fiber 322 is further controlled. Combined with the arrangement design of the optical fiber fixing plate 31, the overall size of the probe is effectively compressed to meet the miniaturization requirements of digestive tract endoscopy. The mechanical protection of the coating layer extends the service life of the optical fiber 322 and reduces the maintenance cost of the probe. The overall parameter design optimizes the performance of the photoacoustic endoscopy probe from multiple aspects such as light transmission stability, probe adaptability, and service life, providing more reliable technical support for the accurate diagnosis of digestive tract diseases.

[0036] In one embodiment, the number of optical fibers 322 is 20-24.

[0037] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the number of optical fibers 322 included in its light source transmission component 3 is limited to 20-24, and more preferably 22. This number is designed to match the number of optical fiber holes 312 opened on the optical fiber fixing plate 31. That is, the optical fiber fixing plate 31 needs to be processed with 20-24 (preferably 22) optical fiber holes 312 arranged sequentially and spaced along the length direction, so that each optical fiber 322 can be accurately accommodated in an independent optical fiber hole 312. At the same time, combined with the assembly structure in which the two optical fiber fixing plates 31 are respectively located on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer component 2, the 20-24 (preferably 22) optical fibers 322 can be evenly and symmetrically arranged on the optical fiber fixing plates 31 on both sides. This avoids installation interference caused by excessive crowding of optical fibers 322 on the fixing plate, and also matches the overall size design of the fixing component 1, ensuring the compactness of the probe structure.

[0038] In terms of working principle, the fiber bundle 32 composed of 20-24 optical fibers 322 can form a multi-channel optical signal transmission path. After the optical fiber body 321 is positioned by the optical fiber slot 311, each optical fiber 322 is guided through the corresponding optical fiber hole 312 to stably transmit the optical signal to the detection area. The configuration of 20-24 fibers can ensure that the optical signal forms a sufficient coverage area in the illumination area, avoiding the illumination blind spot caused by too few optical fibers 322. The preferred 22 optical fibers 322 is an optimized choice based on the uniformity of light intensity and transmission efficiency - it will not cause local light intensity to be too low due to insufficient quantity, nor will it cause optical interference between optical fibers 322 due to excessive quantity. With the inclined design of the optical fiber fixing plate 31, the optical signals emitted by 20-24 (preferably 22) optical fibers 322 can be accurately superimposed on the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer 2, ensuring that the tissue in this area can be fully excited to generate photoacoustic signals.

[0039] By adopting the above technical solution, firstly, the number range of 20-24 optical fibers 322 effectively balances the illumination coverage and probe size, avoiding an increase in the probe's radial size due to too many optical fibers 322, or insufficient illumination due to too few. The preferred number of 22 optical fibers 322 further optimizes the uniformity of light intensity distribution, ensuring no significant difference in brightness within the illuminated area, solving the problem of inaccurate distribution of traditional light sources, and providing a uniform signal foundation for subsequent imaging. Secondly, the coordinated transmission of multiple optical fibers 322 can improve the utilization rate of light energy. Compared to a small number of optical fibers 322, 20-24 (preferred) optical fibers 322 can significantly improve the light energy utilization rate. The 22 optical fibers 322 can transmit more light energy to the detection area, ensuring that substances such as hemoglobin in the tissue fully absorb the light energy and generate a strong and stable photoacoustic signal, thereby improving the signal reception quality of the ultrasound transducer 2, reducing imaging noise, and improving the accuracy of lesion identification. Finally, the optimal number of 22 fibers has been verified in practice. While ensuring the above effects, it can also simplify the assembly process of the fiber bundle 32, reduce the risk of assembly errors caused by an excessive number of optical fibers 322, improve the consistency and reliability of probe production, and further promote the feasibility of clinical application of photoacoustic endoscope probes.

[0040] In one embodiment, the diameter of the fiber optic hole 312 is 0.1mm-0.2mm; and / or, the distance between two adjacent fiber optic holes 312 is 0.5mm-0.7mm.

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the fiber optic holes 312 on the fiber optic fixing plate 31 of the light source transmission component 3 have clearly defined key dimensional parameters: the diameter of the fiber optic hole 312 ranges from 0.1mm to 0.2mm, and the spacing between two adjacent fiber optic holes 312 along the length of the fiber optic fixing plate 31 ranges from 0.5mm to 0.7mm. These two sets of parameters are structurally compatible with the structural dimensions of the optical fiber 322 (such as a coating layer of 235um-255um and a core diameter of 40um-60um) and the number of optical fibers 322 (20-24 fibers), resulting in an optical fiber diameter of 0.1mm-0.2mm. The hole 312 can tightly clamp the optical fiber 322, preventing the optical fiber 322 from shaking or shifting within the hole. At the same time, it is compatible with the size range of the coating layer of the optical fiber 322, ensuring stable assembly of the optical fiber 322. The design of adjacent spacing of 0.5mm-0.7mm, combined with the length of the optical fiber fixing plate 31 and the number of optical fibers 322, allows 20-24 optical fibers 322 to be evenly arranged along the length of the fixing plate. This avoids the reduction of the structural strength of the fixing plate due to excessive density of the optical fiber holes 312, and also prevents the optical fiber 322 from being loosely arranged and occupying too much assembly space due to excessive spacing. In this way, it coordinates with the assembly requirements of the fixing component 1 and the ultrasonic transducer component 2, ensuring the compactness of the overall probe structure.

[0042] In terms of working principle, the setting of the fiber optic aperture 312 diameter of 0.1mm-0.2mm serves two purposes. First, the tight clamping action ensures that the fiber optic cable 322 always maintains the preset tilt angle and extension direction during probe use, preventing the illumination area from deviating from the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer 2 due to the displacement of the fiber optic cable 322, thus ensuring the accurate correspondence between photoacoustic signal generation and reception. Second, this diameter range can reduce the gap between the fiber optic cable 322 and the aperture wall, reducing the risk of light signal leakage from the gap during transmission and ensuring that light energy is effectively conducted to the detection area. The spacing of 0.5mm-0.7mm between adjacent fiber optic holes 312 ensures that the light signals emitted by each fiber 322 overlap appropriately in the illumination area without obvious blind spots. If the spacing is too small, the light signals of adjacent fibers 322 will be excessively superimposed, resulting in excessively high local light intensity and uneven light distribution. If the spacing is too large, there will be blank areas in the illumination, which cannot cover the entire range of the ultrasound area. The spacing of 0.5mm-0.7mm allows the light signals of multiple fibers 322 to uniformly cover the detection range of the ultrasound transducer 2. Combined with the tilted setting of the fiber optic fixing plate 31, it further ensures that the illumination area and the ultrasound area completely overlap. When the light signal acts on the digestive tract tissue, the photoacoustic signal generated by the absorption of light energy by the endogenous substances in the tissue can be completely received by the ultrasound transducer 2, providing continuous and uniform signal input for subsequent imaging algorithms.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, firstly, the compatibility between the 0.1mm-0.2mm diameter of the fiber aperture 312 and the size of the fiber 322 coating effectively improves the stability of the fiber 322 assembly, reduces imaging deviation caused by fiber 322 loosening, and simultaneously reduces light leakage loss, ensuring sufficient light intensity in the illumination area. This solves the problem of light energy waste caused by improper aperture in traditional fiber 322 assembly. Secondly, the 0.5mm-0.7mm spacing design between adjacent fiber apertures 312 directly optimizes the uniformity of light source distribution, eliminates illumination blind spots and excessively high local light intensity, and ensures consistent photoacoustic signal intensity across all tissue regions. This design avoids imaging artifacts caused by uneven light distribution, significantly improving the clarity and resolution of lesion imaging, especially beneficial for the feature identification of small lesions. Finally, the coordinated design of the two sets of size parameters effectively controls the size of the fiber fixing plate 31 while ensuring stable assembly of the fiber optic 322 and uniform distribution of the light source. This avoids the fixing plate being too large due to dense or large holes, and ensures that the required fiber optic 322 arrangement is completed within the limited plate length, thereby compressing the overall radial size of the probe and making it more suitable for endoscopic operations in narrow gastrointestinal tracts. This further breaks through the technical bottleneck of the traditional PACT endoscopic probe being too large, improving the feasibility of clinical applications.

[0044] In one embodiment, the light source transmission assembly 3 further includes ultraviolet adhesive disposed in the fiber groove 311 of the fiber fixing plate 31, the ultraviolet adhesive being used to fix the fiber bundle 32 in the fiber groove 311.

[0045] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the light source transmission component 3 adds a UV adhesive to the original fiber fixing plate 31 and fiber bundle 32. The UV adhesive is specifically disposed inside the fiber groove 311 of the fiber fixing plate 31, and its assembly position completely coincides with the placement area of ​​the fiber body 321. That is, after the fiber body 321 is embedded in the fiber groove 311, the UV adhesive fills the gap between the fiber body 321 and the inner wall of the fiber groove 311, forming a wrapping fixing structure for the fiber body 321. This design makes the UV adhesive the core structural connector connecting the fiber bundle 32 and the fiber fixing plate 31, and it is adapted to the groove shape of the fiber groove 311 and the outer dimensions of the fiber body 321, further improving the structured assembly system of the light source transmission component 3.

[0046] From a working principle perspective, the UV adhesive's mechanism of action is based on its photocuring properties: after the optical fiber body 321 is accurately placed into the optical fiber slot 311 of the optical fiber fixing plate 31, liquid UV adhesive is injected into the slot. At this time, the UV adhesive can fully fill the tiny gaps between the optical fiber body 321 and the slot wall. Subsequently, UV light irradiation triggers the UV adhesive curing reaction. The cured UV adhesive forms a solid connection structure with stable mechanical strength, firmly fixing the optical fiber body 321 in the optical fiber slot 311, preventing the optical fiber body 321 from shifting axially or radially during probe use; simultaneously, because the optical fiber body 321 is... After the UV adhesive is fixed, the position remains constant. The optical fiber 322 extending from the optical fiber body 321 to the optical fiber hole 312 can also maintain the preset tilt angle and extension direction. This ensures that the illumination area formed by the light signal emitted by the optical fiber 322 continuously and accurately overlaps with the ultrasonic area of ​​the ultrasonic transducer 2, providing structural support for the stable generation and reception of photoacoustic signals. When the light signal acts on the digestive tract tissue, the photoacoustic signal generated by the endogenous substances in the tissue absorbing the light energy can be stably within the detection range of the ultrasonic transducer 2, avoiding signal loss or distortion caused by the displacement of the illumination area due to the displacement of the optical fiber 322.

[0047] By adopting the above technical solution, firstly, the fixing effect of the UV adhesive significantly improves the stability of the fiber bundle 32 assembly. Compared with traditional mechanical clamping or bonding methods, the UV adhesive does not exhibit significant stress deformation after curing and can tightly adhere to the fiber body 321 and the fiber groove 311 wall, effectively preventing the fiber bundle 32 from shifting during probe operation, thereby avoiding illumination area displacement and ensuring imaging consistency and accuracy. This solves the problem of imaging quality fluctuations caused by the easy loosening of the fiber 322 in traditional light source transmission components 3. Secondly, the UV adhesive is a liquid-filled and then cured adhesive, which can adapt to irregular gaps between the fiber body 321 and the fiber groove 311, achieving stable fixation without the need for high-precision dimensional processing of the fiber groove 311 or the fiber body 321. This reduces the processing difficulty and cost of components, while the rapid curing process significantly improves the assembly efficiency of the probe, facilitating mass production. Furthermore, the cured UV adhesive exhibits excellent chemical stability and biocompatibility, making it resistant to degradation or the release of harmful substances in the complex environment of the digestive tract. This ensures that the optical transmission performance of the fiber optic cable 322 is not affected, and also guarantees the safety of the probe. Finally, the addition of the UV adhesive does not increase the radial dimension of the light source transmission component 3; it is fixed only by filling the internal gaps, avoiding the problem of increased probe size due to the addition of a fixing structure. This further maintains the miniaturization advantage of the probe, ensuring its suitability for use in narrow lumens of the digestive tract, and overall improving the structural reliability and clinical application value of the photoacoustic endoscope probe.

[0048] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer 2 is defined with a plane of symmetry, the ultrasonic region is perpendicular to the plane of symmetry, and two fiber optic fixing plates 31 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 2 based on the plane of symmetry, with the fiber optic fixing plates 31 forming an angle of 10°-30° with the plane of symmetry.

[0049] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the ultrasonic transducer 2 first defines a symmetrical plane, which provides a reference for the arrangement of the core components of the probe. Its ultrasonic region (i.e., the effective range within which the ultrasonic transducer 2 can receive signals) is spatially perpendicular to this symmetrical plane. The two fiber optic fixing plates 31 of the light source transmission component 3 are symmetrically assembled on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 2 with this symmetrical plane as the center, and each fiber optic fixing plate 31 forms an angle of 10°-30° with the symmetrical plane, preferably 20°. This symmetrical arrangement and angle design makes the fiber optic holes 312 and the fiber optics 322 on the two fiber optic fixing plates 31 form a mirror distribution, which not only matches the overall assembly space of the fixing component 1, but also ensures that the extension direction and light emission angle of the fiber optics 322 on both sides are symmetrical. At the same time, combined with the previously defined structural parameters such as the number of fiber optics 322 and the size of the fiber optic holes 312, they together constitute a symmetrical and precise structural system for the probe in terms of spatial layout.

[0050] Please refer to the following: Figure 4In one embodiment, the fixing component 1 includes a fixing base 11, which has two inclined slots 12 and an installation slot 13 located between the two inclined slots 12. The two inclined slots 12 are symmetrically arranged based on a symmetrical plane. The fiber optic fixing plate 31 is disposed in the corresponding inclined slot 12, and the ultrasonic transducer component 2 is disposed in the installation slot 13.

[0051] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the fixing component 1 uses the fixing base 11 as the core support carrier. The fixing base 11 has two types of functional grooves formed through integrated processing or precision molding: two inclined grooves 12 and one mounting groove 13. The grooves are distributed in a regular "middle, sides" layout, meaning the mounting groove 13 is located precisely in the middle of the two inclined grooves 12, and the two inclined grooves 12 are arranged in a strictly symmetrical manner with respect to the symmetrical plane of the ultrasonic transducer component 2. The groove shape and size of the inclined grooves 12 are perfectly matched to the outer contour of the fiber optic fixing plate 31, ensuring that the fiber optic fixing plate 31 can be tightly embedded in the corresponding... Positioning is achieved within the inclined groove 12; the depth and width of the mounting groove 13 are matched with the thickness and width of the ultrasonic transducer 2, so that the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be stably embedded in the mounting groove 13, forming a structured assembly pattern of "ultrasonic transducer 2 in the center and fiber optic fixing plates 31 symmetrically distributed on both sides". This layout is in line with the previous design requirement that the fiber optic fixing plates 31 are tilted relative to the ultrasonic transducer 2 (10°-30° angle, preferably 20°). The tilt angle of the inclined groove 12 has been preset to adapt to the tilt requirement of the fiber optic fixing plates 31, and the structural premise of overlapping of the lighting area and the ultrasonic area can be met without additional adjustment.

[0052] In one embodiment, the fixing component 1 further includes a cover 14 disposed on the fixing base 11, wherein the fixing base 11 and the optical fiber fixing plate 31 are aluminum alloy structures, and the cover 14 is a three-dimensional printed structure.

[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the fixing component 1 adds a cover 14 to the fixing base 11. The cover 14 is assembled on top of the fixing base 11 in a detachable or integrated manner, forming an encapsulated protective structure for the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the fiber optic fixing plate 31 mounted on the fixing base 11. At the same time, the materials of each component are clearly distinguished. The fixing base 11 and the fiber optic fixing plate 31 are both made of aluminum alloy, and the selection of aluminum alloy material is compatible with the structural support function that they need to undertake. The cover 14 is formed by three-dimensional printing process, and its structural outline is precisely matched with the overall shape of the fixing base 11 and the internal components. It can tightly cover the inclined groove 12, the mounting groove 13 and the components assembled in the groove on the fixing base 11, forming a complete fixing system of "base bearing, cover 14 encapsulating". Moreover, the material selection and structural design together meet the requirements of probe miniaturization, lightweighting and structural stability.

[0054] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 2 includes an ultrasonic transducer 21 and a flexible line connector 22 connected to the ultrasonic transducer 21. The center frequency of the ultrasonic transducer 21 is 6-7 MHz and the bandwidth is greater than 70%.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment of the photoacoustic endoscope probe, from a structural perspective, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 2 consists of a core functional component, the ultrasonic transducer 21, and a signal transmission component, the flexible circuit connector 22. The two form a stable functional connection. The flexible circuit connector 22 directly connects to the signal pins of the ultrasonic transducer 21 through welding, bonding, or plug-in interfaces to achieve bidirectional transmission of electrical signals. The key performance parameters of the ultrasonic transducer 21 are clearly defined, with the center frequency ranging from 6 to 7 MHz, preferably 6.5 MHz, and its operating bandwidth needing to be greater than 70%. This parameter design is compatible with the overall miniaturization requirements of the probe, the detection depth of digestive tract tissue (≥5 mm), and the imaging resolution requirements. The external dimensions of the ultrasonic transducer 21 match the specifications of the mounting groove 13 on the fixed base 11, ensuring that it can be tightly embedded in the mounting groove 13. The flexibility and thinness of the flexible circuit connector 22 allow it to conform to the structural contour of the fixed base 11, avoiding the occupation of extra space and not affecting the overall size control of the probe.

[0056] Secondly, a surgical robot is provided, including a surgical robot body and the aforementioned photoacoustic endoscope probe, wherein the photoacoustic endoscope probe is connected to the surgical robot body.

[0057] By adopting the above technical solution, the surgical robot of this embodiment has the advantage of miniaturization, in addition to the advantages of the photoacoustic endoscope probe of the above embodiment.

[0058] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A photoacoustic endoscope probe, characterized in that, include: Fixed components; An ultrasonic transducer assembly is mounted on the fixed assembly; A light source transmission assembly includes two fiber optic fixing plates and a fiber optic bundle disposed on the fiber optic fixing plates. The two fiber optic fixing plates are disposed on the fixing assembly and respectively on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer assembly. Each fiber optic fixing plate has a fiber optic groove and a plurality of fiber optic holes communicating with the fiber optic groove. The plurality of fiber optic holes are arranged sequentially at intervals along the length direction of the fiber optic fixing plate. The fiber optic bundle includes a fiber optic bundle body and optical fibers extending from the fiber optic bundle body. The fiber optic bundle body is disposed in the fiber optic groove, and the optical fibers are correspondingly accommodated in the fiber optic holes. The fiber optic fixing plates are inclined relative to the ultrasonic transducer assembly, so that the ultrasonic region of the ultrasonic transducer assembly overlaps with the illumination region of the light source transmission assembly.

2. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The optical fiber has a bending radius of 4mm-8mm; and / or, the core diameter of the optical fiber is 40um-60um; and / or, the cladding of the optical fiber is 115um-135um; and / or, the coating of the optical fiber is 235um-255um.

3. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of optical fibers is 20-24.

4. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The axial direction of the optical fiber aperture is perpendicular to the optical fiber aperture, and the diameter of the optical fiber aperture is 0.1mm-0.2mm; and / or, the distance between two adjacent optical fiber apertures is 0.5mm-0.7mm.

5. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The light source transmission assembly also includes ultraviolet adhesive disposed in the fiber groove of the fiber fixing plate, the ultraviolet adhesive being used to fix the fiber bundle in the fiber groove.

6. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transducer assembly defines a plane of symmetry, the ultrasonic region is perpendicular to the plane of symmetry, and two fiber optic fixing plates are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer assembly based on the plane of symmetry, with the fiber optic fixing plates forming an angle of 10°-30° with the plane of symmetry.

7. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The fixing component includes a fixing base, on which two inclined slots are provided and an installation slot is located between the two inclined slots. The two inclined slots are symmetrically arranged based on the plane of symmetry. The optical fiber fixing plate is disposed in the corresponding inclined slot, and the ultrasonic transducer component is disposed in the installation slot.

8. The photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The fixing component also includes a cover on the fixing base. The fixing base and the optical fiber fixing plate are aluminum alloy structures, and the cover is a three-dimensional printed structure.

9. The photoacoustic endoscope probe according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transducer assembly includes an ultrasonic transducer and a flexible circuit connector connected to the ultrasonic transducer. The center frequency of the ultrasonic transducer is 6-7 MHz, and the bandwidth is greater than 70%.

10. A surgical robot, characterized in that, It includes a surgical robot body and a photoacoustic endoscope probe as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the photoacoustic endoscope probe is connected to the surgical robot body.

Images