Ultrasound probe and ultrasound diagnostic device

Abstract

To accurately and visually recognize a position of a vibrator unit from the outside of an ultrasonic probe.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic probe 2 includes: a vibrator unit 22 for transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves; an oscillation mechanism part 23 for oscillating the vibrator unit 22; an acoustic window 211 which is arranged on the ultrasonic-waves transmission-direction side of the vibrator unit 22 and which has ultrasonic and optical transmittivity; and a light source part 25 which is stationarily installed in a position on the side in a direction opposite to an ultrasonic-wave transmission direction of the vibrator unit 22 and which emits light to the acoustic window 211 via the vibrator unit 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnostic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, ultrasonic diagnostic devices have been widely used to inspect the inside of a subject by irradiating ultrasonic waves to the inside of the subject using an ultrasonic probe and receiving and analyzing the reflected waves. Ultrasonic diagnostic devices can inspect a subject non-destructively and non-invasively, and are therefore widely used for various purposes, including medical inspections and inspections of the inside of building structures.

[0003] Also known is a mechanical scanning type ultrasound probe that has a transducer unit having multiple transducers housed in a housing of the ultrasound probe body (head part) and a swinging mechanism for the transducer unit, which swings (reciprocating rotational motion) the transducer unit in a predetermined range on an arc to obtain a reception signal of a three-dimensional ultrasound image. However, in conventional mechanical scanning type ultrasound probes, it is difficult for an operator such as a doctor to confirm from the outside the position of the transducer unit relative to the acoustic window of the housing of the ultrasound probe body, and it is also difficult to know the range in which the transducer unit is moving during swinging, making it difficult to know where to place the ultrasound probe on the patient's body surface.

[0004] For this reason, an ultrasonic probe is known in which a position indicator (electronic indicator) of an LED (Light Emitting Diode) array is provided on the side of the case serving as the housing, and an LED on the position indicator lights up to indicate the current position of the transducer unit (see Patent Document 1).

[0005] Also known is an ultrasonic probe in which an illuminant is attached to an acoustic element serving as a transducer unit, and as the acoustic element oscillates, light output from the illuminant passes through an acoustic window in the housing, so that the oscillation range of the acoustic element is projected onto the surface of the acoustic window (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-253578 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2009-201550 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the ultrasonic probe of Patent Document 1 does not directly show the actual position of the transducer unit, but shows an image of the position, and there is a demand for showing the exact position of the transducer unit.

[0008] In addition, in the ultrasonic probe of Patent Document 2, in order to install a light emitter in the transducer unit as a moving part, it is necessary to newly install a movable wiring in the transducer unit, and the light emitter and wiring are required to have durability against swinging, etc. In reality, only the light emitter is strongly projected on the acoustic window, and the external shape of the transducer unit itself is difficult to recognize.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to accurately visually recognize the position of a transducer unit from outside an ultrasonic probe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the ultrasonic probe of the invention described in claim 1 comprises: A transducer unit for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; a swing mechanism for swinging the transducer unit; an acoustic window that is disposed on a side of the transducer unit in a direction in which the transducer unit transmits ultrasonic waves and is transparent to ultrasonic waves and light; The acoustic window is provided with a light source unit that is fixedly provided at a position opposite to the transmission direction with respect to the transducer unit and that emits light to the acoustic window through the transducer unit.

[0011] The invention described in claim 2 is the ultrasonic probe described in claim 1, The transducer unit has a light transmitting portion that emits light incident from the light source portion to the acoustic window at an origin position of oscillation.

[0012] The invention described in claim 3 is the ultrasonic probe described in claim 2, The light transmitting portion is a light receiving unit to which light is incident from the light source unit; The transducer unit has a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the transducer unit, and has a light emitting portion that emits light incident from the light receiving portion.

[0013] The invention described in claim 4 is the ultrasonic probe described in claim 3, The light transmitting portion has a surface that is light blocking other than the light receiving portion and the light emitting portion.

[0014] The invention described in claim 5 is the ultrasonic probe described in claim 3 or 4, The light emitting portion is subjected to a roughening process.

[0015] The invention described in claim 6 is the ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The transducer unit has a transducer array in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in one direction, The light source section has a plurality of light sources arranged in a direction corresponding to the arrangement direction of the transducers of the transducer array.

[0016] The invention described in claim 7 is the ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The light source unit has a light source capable of emitting light of a plurality of colors.

[0017] The invention described in claim 8 is the ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The light source unit includes a surface light source.

[0018] The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the invention described in claim 9 comprises: An ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and an image processing unit that generates ultrasound image data based on a reception signal from the ultrasound probe.

[0019] The invention described in claim 10 is the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described in claim 9, A control unit changes the lighting or blinking state of the light source unit according to an operating state of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[0020] The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the invention described in claim 11, The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7; an image processing unit that generates ultrasound image data based on a reception signal from the ultrasound probe, A control unit changes the color of the light emitted from the light source unit depending on an operating state of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, the position of the transducer unit can be accurately recognized visually from outside the ultrasound probe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1A is a front view showing the appearance of an ultrasonic probe body according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3](a) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the left. (b) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the left. (c) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is at the origin position. (d) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is at the origin position. (e) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the right. (f) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the first embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the right. [Figure 4] 11 is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of an ultrasonic probe body according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a perspective view showing an ultrasonic probe body of a second embodiment excluding an acoustic window. FIG. [Figure 6] (a) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the left. (b) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the left. (c) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is at the origin position. (d) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is at the origin position. (e) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the right. (f) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body of the second embodiment in a position where the light source unit is emitting light and the transducer unit is rotated to the right. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view showing an ultrasonic probe body of a first modified example excluding an acoustic window. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 is a front view showing an ultrasonic probe body of a second modified example excluding an acoustic window. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The first and second embodiments and modifications of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples.

[0024] (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3(f). First, a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 of the present embodiment.

[0025] The ultrasound diagnostic device 100 of this embodiment is installed in a medical facility such as a hospital, and is a device that scans a subject such as a patient's living body with ultrasound to obtain ultrasound image data. As shown in Fig. 1, the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 includes an ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1 and an ultrasound probe 2. The ultrasound probe 2 is a mechanical scanning type ultrasound probe having a swing mechanism of a transducer unit for obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) image (volume image) as an ultrasound image. The ultrasound probe 2 is connected to the ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1 to enable transmission and reception of control signals and data with the ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1, and power supply from the ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1.

[0026] The ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 1 includes a control unit 11, a transmission / reception unit 12, an image processing unit 13, a display control unit 14, a display unit 15, an operation input unit 16, a storage unit 17, etc. The ultrasonic probe 2 includes an ultrasonic probe main body 2a, a cable 2b, and a connector 2c. The ultrasonic probe main body 2a is the main body (head) of the ultrasonic probe 2. The cable 2b is a signal line and a power supply cable that connects between the ultrasonic probe main body 2a and the connector 2c. The connector 2c is a connector unit on the ultrasonic probe 2 side, has a plug connector, and is electrically connected to a receptacle connector (not shown) provided on the ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 1.

[0027] The ultrasonic probe main body 2a includes a transducer unit 22, a swing mechanism 23, a position detection unit 24, a light source unit 25, etc. The transducer unit 22 includes a transducer array 221, in which a backing material, a ground electrode, the transducer array 221, an electrode, an acoustic matching layer, and an acoustic lens are laminated in this order, and has a configuration that can swing around a rotation axis. The connector 2c includes a drive circuit unit 26, a swing control unit 27, etc. The transducer array 221 includes a plurality of transducers (acoustic elements) that are one-dimensionally arranged and fixed in a predetermined arrangement direction (scanning direction, azimuth direction).

[0028] The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and controls the overall operation of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100. The CPU controls each part of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100. The RAM is a volatile memory that temporarily stores various information in a writable and readable manner. The ROM is a non-volatile memory in which various information and programs are stored in a readable manner. More specifically, the control unit 11 reads out a specified program from various programs stored in the ROM using the CPU, expands it in the RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program.

[0029] For example, in response to an operation input from an operator such as a doctor or engineer via the operation input unit, the control unit 11 turns on the light source unit 25 via the swing control unit 27 and swings the transducer unit 22, while transmitting and receiving ultrasound for a three-dimensional image from the transducer unit 22 (transducer array 221) via the transmission / reception unit 12, and controls the image processing unit 13 and the display control unit 14 to generate three-dimensional ultrasound image data from the received signal obtained via the transmission / reception unit 12 and display it as a three-dimensional ultrasound image on the display unit 15.

[0030] The transmitting / receiving unit 12 scans each transducer of the transducer array 221 of the transducer unit 22 under the control of the control unit 11, generates a drive signal for sequentially generating and emitting (transmitting) ultrasonic waves from a desired transducer, and outputs the drive signal to the transducer array 221, and obtains an electrical signal related to the ultrasonic waves (echoes) reflected by a subject such as a patient and incident on the transducer from the transducer array 221. The transmitting / receiving unit 12 performs various processes, such as adjusting and delaying the timing of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves for each transducer. The transmitting / receiving unit 12 also amplifies the received signal and digitally converts it at a predetermined sampling frequency, and performs processes such as delaying the signal by a desired timing for each transducer, performing phasing addition, and generating sound ray data.

[0031] The image processing unit 13 performs processing to generate diagnostic ultrasound image data based on the sound ray data acquired from the transmitting / receiving unit 12 under the control of the control unit 11. The ultrasound image data generated by the image processing unit 13 includes live B (Brightness) mode image data and a series of video data thereof to be displayed on the display unit 15 in almost real time, and particularly includes ultrasound image data (three-dimensional B-mode image data) relating to a three-dimensional structure acquired using the ultrasound probe 2 for generating a three-dimensional B-mode image. The position data of the transducer unit 22 of the ultrasound probe 2 acquired from the control unit 11 is used to generate the three-dimensional B-mode image data.

[0032] Based on the control of the control unit 11, the display control unit 14 performs coordinate conversion of the ultrasound image data output from the image processing unit 13 to generate an image signal, and causes the display unit 15 to display an ultrasound image (in particular, a three-dimensional B-mode image) based on the image signal.

[0033] The display unit 15 is a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescent (EL) display, or the like. The display unit 15 is equipped with a display screen using any of various display methods such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, an inorganic EL display, a plasma display, and a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, and a drive unit for driving the display unit 15. The display unit 15 displays the display screen (each display pixel) according to display information input from the control unit 11 and image signals of ultrasound image data generated by the display control unit 14, and displays menus and statuses related to ultrasound diagnosis, and measurement data based on received ultrasound on the display screen. Also, one or more lamps (such as LED lamps) may be provided, and a configuration may be adopted in which the lighting state indicates whether the power is on or off, etc.

[0034] The operation input unit 16 is an operation device such as a push button switch, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a touch pad, or a combination of these, and receives an operation input from an operator who is a user of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100, and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation input to the control unit 11. Alternatively, in addition to or instead of the above-mentioned configuration, the operation input unit 16 may include a touch sensor (touch panel) provided on the display screen of the display unit 15, detect a touch operation on the display screen of the display unit 15, and output an operation signal related to the type and position of the operation.

[0035] The operation input unit 16 and the display unit 15 may be provided integrally with the housing of the ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 1, or may be attached externally via an RGB cable, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable, an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) (HDMI is a registered trademark) cable, etc. Also, the ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 1 may be provided with only an operation input terminal and a display output terminal, and conventional peripheral devices for operation and display may be connected to these terminals for use.

[0036] The storage unit 17 is configured with a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc., and stores various information such as ultrasound image data in a readable and writable manner.

[0037] The rocking mechanism section 23 includes a motor 231 and a mechanism (pulley, belt, etc.) for converting the rotation of the motor 231 into rocking of the transducer unit 22, and drives the motor 231 by a drive signal input via the drive circuit section 26 under the control of the rocking control section 27, and transmits the rotational force of the motor 231 to the transducer unit 22 to rock the transducer unit 22. The motor 231 is configured, for example, with a stepping motor whose rotation amount is controllable.

[0038] The position detection unit 24 detects the rotational position of the transducer unit 22 (motor 231) and outputs the detected rotational position information to the swing control unit 27. The position detection unit 24 has, for example, a rotary encoder that can detect a relative rotation angle, and an origin sensor that can detect an absolute fixed position.

[0039] The light source unit 25 has an LED light source that emits light based on the control of the swing control unit 27. In the present embodiment, the light source unit 25 has two light sources 251 and 252, as described later.

[0040] The drive circuit section 26 is a circuit section that generates a drive signal for the motor 231 and outputs it to the motor 231 based on the control of the swing control section 27 .

[0041] The swing control unit 27 is an electronic circuit having, for example, a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, etc., and controls the drive circuit unit 26 and the light source unit 25 based on the control of the control unit 11. This electronic circuit may be an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The swing control unit 27 reads out a specified program from various programs stored in the ROM by the CPU, expands it in the RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program. For example, based on the position information of the transducer unit 22 acquired from the position detection unit 24, the swing control unit 27 instructs the drive circuit unit 26 on the rotation direction and rotation amount of the motor 231 to generate a drive signal so as to swing the transducer unit 22 within a predetermined rotation range, and rotates the motor 231 according to the generated drive signal.

[0042] Furthermore, the swing control unit 27 turns on the light source unit 25 at least during scanning (during swing) of the transducer unit 22. The swing control unit 27 may be configured to keep the light source unit 25 constantly on when the connector 2c is connected to the ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 1.

[0043] For each part of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100, a part or all of the functions of each functional block can be realized as a hardware circuit such as an integrated circuit. An integrated circuit is, for example, an LSI (Large Scale Integration), and an LSI may be called an IC (Integrated Circuit), a system LSI, a super LSI, or an ultra LSI depending on the degree of integration. The method of integrating the integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor, or may use an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells inside the LSI. Also, a part or all of the functions of each functional block may be executed by software. In this case, the software is stored in one or more storage media such as a ROM, an optical disk, or a hard disk, and the software is executed by a processor.

[0044] Next, the internal configuration of the ultrasonic probe body 2a will be described with reference to Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b). Fig. 2(a) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2a. Fig. 2(b) is a see-through side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body 2a.

[0045] 2(a) and 2(b), the ultrasonic probe body 2a has a housing 21 in addition to a transducer unit 22, a swing mechanism section 23, a position detection section 24, and a light source section 25. In addition, in Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b), the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are based on the ultrasonic probe body 2a, and the same applies to the subsequent drawings.

[0046] In FIG. 2(b), the rotational position where the transducer unit 22 extends in the z-axis direction is defined as the origin position of the transducer unit 22. The transducer unit 22 has a transducer unit body 220 and side plates 222 and 223. The transducer unit body 220 is a main body of the transducer unit 22 including the transducer array 221 and the like. The side plate 222 is a plate portion provided at the end of the transducer unit body 220 in the -x direction at the origin position. The side plate 223 is a plate portion provided at the end of the transducer unit body 220 in the +x direction at the origin position. The material of the side plates 222 and 223 is resin such as plastic material (acrylic plate), and in this embodiment, it is assumed that they have a light blocking property for visible light.

[0047] The housing 21 houses the transducer unit 22, the swing mechanism 23, the position detector 24, and the light source 25 inside. The housing 21 has an acoustic window 211, a grip 212, and a frame 213. The acoustic window 211 is a part of the housing 21 on the +z direction side, and is arranged on the front side of the transducer unit 22 (the ultrasonic transmission direction side of the transducer unit 22, the +z direction side), and is made of a material such as a resin that transmits ultrasonic waves and transmits light (visible light) (for example, a visible light transmittance of 10% or more). Therefore, the acoustic window 211 transmits ultrasonic waves emitted from the transducer unit 22 and propagated through a coupling liquid 214 described later to the subject, and transmits ultrasonic waves reflected by the subject to the subject, and propagates to the transducer unit 22 via the coupling liquid 214 described later. The acoustic window 211 transmits light emitted from the light source unit 25 and reflects the outer shape of the transducer unit 22 (the outer shape and contour of the surface (surface of the acoustic lens) from which the ultrasonic waves are emitted). The acoustic window 211 has a shape corresponding to the arc-shaped transducer unit 22, and has, for example, a dome shape that does not interfere with the oscillation of the transducer unit 22.

[0048] The grip portion 212 is a portion on the -z direction side of the housing 21, and is a portion that is gripped by an operator. The frame 213 holds the rocking mechanism portion 23. The acoustic window 211 and the frame 213 form an internal space that houses the transducer unit 22 and part of the rocking mechanism portion 23. This internal space is filled with coupling liquid 214, together with the transducer unit 22 and part of the rocking mechanism portion 23. Therefore, the transducer unit 22 is rocked in the coupling liquid 214.

[0049] The coupling liquid 214 is basically made of a material such as a liquid having a property of transmitting light (visible light) (visible light transmittance). The material of the coupling liquid 214 is, for example, butanediol, but is not limited thereto, and may be oil such as silicone oil or other materials. Therefore, the coupling liquid 214 transmits the light emitted from the light source unit 25.

[0050] The light source section 25 has light sources 251 and 252 separate from the transducer unit 22. The light sources 251 and 252 are LED light sources that emit one color of light (visible light). The color of the visible light of the light sources 251 and 252 is, for example, blue or white, but is not limited thereto. The light source 251 is fixedly provided on the frame 213 on the -x direction side and rear side (the side opposite to the ultrasonic wave transmission direction of the transducer unit 22, the -z direction side) of the transducer unit 22, and emits visible light to the front side (the ultrasonic wave transmission direction side of the transducer unit 22, the +z direction side). The light source 252 is fixedly provided on the frame 213 on the +x direction side and rear side (-z direction side) of the transducer unit 22, and emits visible light to the front side (the +z direction side).

[0051] The rocking mechanism 23 has a rotation axis on the -z direction side of the transducer unit 22, and rotates and rocks the transducer unit 22 perpendicular to the xz plane about the rotation axis as shown by the double arrow in FIG. 2(b).

[0052] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 3(a) to Fig. 3(f). Fig. 3(a) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2a in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22 is rotated to the left. Fig. 3(b) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body 2a in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22 is rotated to the left. Fig. 3(c) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2a in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22 is at the origin position. Fig. 3(d) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body 2a in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22 is at the origin position. Fig. 3(e) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2a in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22 is rotated to the right. FIG. 3(f) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe main body 2a in a position where the light source section 25 is turned on and the transducer unit 22 is rotated to the right.

[0053] When scanning a three-dimensional B-mode image of a subject, in the ultrasound diagnostic device 100, the control unit 11 turns on the light source unit 25 of the ultrasound probe main body 2a and swings the transducer unit 22 through the swing control unit 27 in response to an input from the operator via the operation input unit 16, while transmitting and receiving ultrasound from the transducer unit 22 under the control of the transmission and reception unit 12, the image processing unit 13, and the display control unit 14 to generate three-dimensional B-mode image data and display it on the display unit 15. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3(b), when the light sources 251 and 252 of the light source unit 25 emit light while the transducer unit 22 is in a position rotated to the left (-x direction side), visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22, and the visible light travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and one light image La1 is projected on the acoustic window 211 as shown in FIG. 3(a). On the acoustic window 211, a dark area Da1 excluding the light image La1 indicates the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 3(d), when the light sources 251, 252 emit light while the transducer unit 22 is at the origin position, the visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22 and travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and two light images La2 are projected on the acoustic window 211 as shown in Fig. 3(c). On the acoustic window 211, the dark area Da2 excluding the light image La2 becomes an image showing the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 3(f), when the light sources 251, 252 emit light while the transducer unit 22 is in a position rotated to the right (+x direction), the visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22 and travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and a light image La3 is projected on the acoustic window 211 as shown in Fig. 3(e). On the acoustic window 211, a dark area Da3 excluding the light image La3 indicates the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22. In this way, the operator can visually recognize the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22 indicated by the light images La1 to La3 (dark areas Da1 to Da3) of the visible light of the light sources 251, 252 in response to the oscillation of the transducer unit 22.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, the ultrasound probe 2 includes the transducer unit 22 that transmits and receives ultrasound, the swing mechanism 23 that swings the transducer unit 22, the acoustic window 211 that is arranged on the ultrasound transmission direction side (+z direction side, front side) of the transducer unit 22 and has ultrasound and light permeability, and the light source unit 25 that is fixedly installed at a position opposite to the ultrasound transmission direction of the transducer unit 22 (-z direction side, rear side) and emits light to the acoustic window 211 through the transducer unit 22. The ultrasound diagnostic device 100 includes the ultrasound probe 2 and an image processing unit 13 that generates ultrasound image data based on a received signal from the ultrasound probe 2.

[0057] Therefore, the visible light emitted from the light source unit 25 projects the outline of the transducer unit 22 onto the acoustic window 211 as dark areas Da1, Da2, and Da3 of the light images La1, La2, and La3, allowing the operator to accurately visually recognize the outline and position of the transducer unit 22 from outside the ultrasound probe 2.

[0058] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 6(f). First, the device configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of an ultrasonic probe body 2d. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an ultrasonic probe body 2a excluding an acoustic window 211.

[0059] An ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 as a device configuration of this embodiment has a configuration in which the ultrasonic probe body 2a of the ultrasonic probe 2 of the above-mentioned first embodiment is replaced with an ultrasonic probe body 2d of this embodiment. Therefore, in the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100, the same parts as those of the above-mentioned first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and their description is omitted, and the different parts (ultrasound probe body 2d) will be mainly described.

[0060] 4 and 5, the ultrasonic probe main body 2d includes a housing 21, a transducer unit 22d, a swing mechanism section 23, a position detection section 24 (not shown in FIG. 4), and a light source section 25. The transducer unit 22d has a configuration in which the side plates 222 and 223 in the transducer unit 22 of the above-described first embodiment are replaced with side plates 222d and 223d as light transmitting sections of the present embodiment.

[0061] Side plate 222d is a plate provided at the end in the -x direction of transducer unit body 220 at the origin position. Side plate 223d is a plate provided at the end in the +x direction of transducer unit body 220 at the origin position. The material of side plates 222d, 223d is resin such as plastic material (acrylic plate), and has visible light transparency in this embodiment.

[0062] The side plate 222d has a light receiving unit 224 and a light emitting unit 226. The light receiving unit 224 is a protruding end portion on the lower side (-z direction side) of the side plate 222d, and is disposed at a position facing the light source 251 in the transducer unit 22d at the origin position, and receives light (visible light) emitted from the light source 251. As shown in Fig. 5, the visible light received (incident) by the light receiving unit 224 travels inside the side plate 222d as indicated by the thick arrow.

[0063] The light emitting unit 226 is an arc-shaped end portion on the upper side (+z direction side) of the side plate 222d, and is disposed at a position facing the light source 251, where the light (visible light) incident from the light receiving unit 224 is emitted in the front direction (+z direction) in the transducer unit 22d at the origin position. The light emitting unit 226 is roughened by sandblasting or the like, and diffusely reflects visible light.

[0064] In addition, the surfaces of the side plate 222d, excluding the light receiving portion 224 and the light emitting portion 226, are light-shielded to prevent leakage of visible light to the outside from the side plate 222d. For example, the surfaces of the side plate 222d are coated with a light-shielding material such as a light-shielding paint for plastics.

[0065] Side plate 223d has light receiving section 225 and light emitting section 227, which are similar to light receiving section 224 and light emitting section 226. Light receiving section 225 is disposed at a position facing light source 252 in transducer unit 22d at the origin position.

[0066] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6(a) to Fig. 6(f). Fig. 6(a) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2d in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22d is rotated to the left. Fig. 6(b) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body 2d in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22d is rotated to the left. Fig. 6(c) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2d in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22d is at the origin position. Fig. 6(d) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasonic probe body 2d in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22d is at the origin position. Fig. 6(e) is a front view showing the appearance of the ultrasonic probe body 2d in a position where the light source unit 25 is emitting light and the transducer unit 22d is rotated to the right. FIG. 6(f) is a transparent side view including a partial cross section of the ultrasound probe main body 2d in a position where the light source section 25 is turned on and the transducer unit 22d is rotated to the right.

[0067] When scanning three-dimensional B-mode image data of a subject, in the ultrasound diagnostic device 100, the control unit 11 turns on the light source unit 25 of the ultrasound probe main body 2d and swings the transducer unit 22d through the swing control unit 27 in response to an input from the operator via the operation input unit 16, while transmitting and receiving ultrasound from the transducer unit 22d under the control of the transmitting and receiving unit 12, the image processing unit 13, and the display control unit 14 to generate three-dimensional B-mode image data and display it on the display unit 15. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the light sources 251 and 252 of the light source unit 25 emit light in a state in which the transducer unit 22d is in a position rotated to the left (−x direction side), the visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22 and travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and one light image Ld1 is projected on the acoustic window 211 as shown in FIG. 6(a). On the acoustic window 211, a dark area Dd1 excluding the light image Ld1 indicates the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 6(d), when the light sources 251 and 252 emit light while the transducer unit 22 is at the origin position, the visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22, the visible light travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and the visible light incident on the light receiving units 224 and 225 is emitted from the light emitting units 226 and 227 on the side plates 222d and 223d. As shown in FIG. 6(c), two light images Ld2 are projected on the acoustic window 211. The two light images Ld2 include bright linear light images extending in the y-axis direction as viewed from the +z direction at positions corresponding to the light emitting units 226 and 227. On the acoustic window 211, the dark portion Dd2 excluding the light image Ld2 becomes an image showing the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22, and in particular, the linear light image of the light image Ld2 makes the boundary with the dark portion Dd2 (the outer shape of the transducer unit 22) clearer.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 6(f), when the light sources 251, 252 emit light while the transducer unit 22 is in a position rotated to the right (+x direction), the visible light is blocked by the transducer unit 22 and travels in the direction of the thick arrow, and as shown in Fig. 6(e), a light image Ld3 is projected on the acoustic window 211. On the acoustic window 211, a dark area Dd3 excluding the light image Ld3 indicates the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22. In this way, the operator can visually recognize the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22 that are clearly indicated by the light images Ld1-Ld2 (dark areas Dd1-Dd3) of the visible light of the light sources 251, 252 in response to the oscillation of the transducer unit 22.

[0070] As described above, according to this embodiment, the transducer unit 22d has side plates 222d and 223d that emit light incident from the light source unit 25 to the acoustic window 211 at the origin position of the swing. Therefore, at the origin position of the swing, the external shape of the transducer unit 22 is projected on the acoustic window 211 as the dark area Dd2 of the light image Ld2 by the visible light emitted from the light source unit 25, so that the operator can accurately and clearly visually recognize the origin position of the swing and the external shape and position of the transducer unit 22 from outside the ultrasound probe 2.

[0071] Further, the side plates 222d, 223d have light receiving sections 224, 225 to which light is incident from the light source section 25, and light emitting sections 226, 227 having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the transducer unit 22d and emitting the light incident from the light receiving sections 224, 225. Therefore, the operator can visually recognize the origin position of the oscillation and the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22 from the outside of the ultrasound probe 2 accurately and more clearly.

[0072] Moreover, the side plates 222d, 223d have light-shielding properties on the surfaces other than the light receiving parts 224, 225 and the light emitting parts 226, 227. Therefore, the light incident from the light receiving parts 224, 225 is emitted to the light emitting parts 226, 227 without leaking, so that the outer shape (contour) of the transducer unit 22 at the origin position of the oscillation can be effectively illuminated.

[0073] Furthermore, the light emitting parts 226 and 227 are roughened. Therefore, light can be effectively emitted from the light emitting parts 226 and 227, and the outer shape (contour) of the transducer unit 22 at the origin position of the oscillation can be effectively illuminated.

[0074] (First Modification) A first modified example of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a front view showing an ultrasonic probe body 2e excluding an acoustic window 211.

[0075] First, the device configuration of this modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 7. An ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 as the device configuration of this embodiment has a configuration in which the ultrasonic probe body 2a of the ultrasonic probe 2 of the above-mentioned first embodiment is replaced with an ultrasonic probe body 2e of this modified example. Therefore, in the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100, the same parts as those of the above-mentioned first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, their description is omitted, and the different parts (ultrasound probe body 2e) will be mainly described.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 7, the ultrasonic probe body 2e has a configuration in which the light source section 25 in the ultrasonic probe body 2a of the first embodiment is replaced with a light source section 25e of this modification. The light source section 25e has light sources 251e and 252e. The light source 251e is a light source of a plurality of LEDs arranged in the y-axis direction along the back side (-z direction side) of the transducer unit 22 and the side plate 222. The light source 252e is a light source of a plurality of LEDs arranged in the y-axis direction along the back side (-z direction side) of the transducer unit 22 and the side plate 223. That is, at the origin position of the transducer unit 22, the arrangement direction (scanning direction) of the plurality of elements of the transducer array 221 and the arrangement direction of the plurality of light sources of the light source 251e or 252e are parallel to each other when viewed from the +z direction.

[0077] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 of this modification will be described. When scanning three-dimensional B-mode image data of a subject, in the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100, in response to an input from an operator via the operation input unit 16, the control unit 11, via the swing control unit 27, turns on the light source unit 25e of the ultrasonic probe main body 2e and swings the transducer unit 22, while transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves from the transducer unit 22 under the control of the transmitting and receiving unit 12, the image processing unit 13, and the display control unit 14 to generate three-dimensional B-mode image data and display it on the display unit 15. At this time, the control unit 11, via the swing control unit 27, uniformly turns on the light sources 251e, 252e of the light source unit 25e of the ultrasonic probe main body 2e to uniformly illuminate the entire transducer unit 22.

[0078] Alternatively, the control unit 11 may turn on only one light source on the transducer side corresponding to a display channel (e.g., 1ch as a channel at one end of the transducer array 221) of the transducer array 221 corresponding to the display orientation of the ultrasound image displayed on the display unit 15 of the ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1, among the light sources of the light sources 251e and 252e, via the swing control unit 27. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may turn on multiple light sources near the transducers corresponding to the display channels of the ultrasound diagnostic device main body 1, among the light sources of the light sources 251e and 252e, via the swing control unit 27.

[0079] As described above, according to this modification, the transducer unit 22 has the transducer array 221 in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in one direction. The light source section 25e has light sources 251e and 252e arranged in a direction corresponding to the arrangement direction of the transducers of the transducer array 221. Therefore, the entire transducer unit 22 is uniformly illuminated, so that the operator can visually recognize the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22 from the outside of the ultrasound probe 2 more accurately.

[0080] (Second Modification) A second modified example of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a front view showing an ultrasonic probe body 2f excluding an acoustic window 211.

[0081] First, the device configuration of this modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 8. An ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 as the device configuration of this embodiment has a configuration in which the ultrasonic probe body 2a of the ultrasonic probe 2 of the above-mentioned first embodiment is replaced with an ultrasonic probe body 2f of this modified example. Therefore, in the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100, the same parts as those of the above-mentioned first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, their description is omitted, and the different parts (ultrasound probe body 2f) will be mainly described.

[0082] 8, the ultrasonic probe body 2f has a configuration in which the light source section 25 in the ultrasonic probe body 2a of the first embodiment is replaced with a light source section 25f of this modification. The light source section 25f has light sources 251f and 252f. The light source 251f is a plurality of light sources of LEDs arranged in the y-axis direction along the side plate 222 on the rear side (-z direction side) of the transducer unit 22. The light source 252f is a plurality of light sources of LEDs arranged in the y-axis direction along the side plate 223 on the rear side (-z direction side) of the transducer unit 22.

[0083] Each of the light sources 251f and 252f emits visible light of one color among a plurality of colors. For example, each of the light sources 251f and 252f can emit blue, yellow, or red visible light. Note that the color pattern and the number of colors that each of the light sources 251f and 252f can emit visible light of are not limited to this example.

[0084] In this way, at the origin position of the transducer unit 22, the arrangement direction (scanning direction) of the multiple elements of the transducer array 221 is parallel to the arrangement direction of the multiple light sources of the light sources 251f and 252f when viewed from the +z direction.

[0085] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 of this modification will be described. When scanning three-dimensional B-mode image data of a subject, in the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100, the control unit 11, in response to an input from an operator via the operation input unit 16, turns on the light source unit 25f of the ultrasonic probe main body 2f via the swing control unit 27 and swings the transducer unit 22, while transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves from the transducer unit 22 under the control of the transmitting and receiving unit 12, the image processing unit 13, and the display control unit 14 to generate three-dimensional B-mode image data, which is displayed on the display unit 15. At this time, the control unit 11 changes the color of the visible light emitted from the ultrasonic probe main body 2f according to the operating state of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 100 via the swing control unit 27.

[0086] For example, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100, the control unit 11, via the swing control unit 27, turns on the light sources 251f, 252f in blue (emits blue visible light) during an operating state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 is scanning a subject with swinging of the transducer unit 22, turns on the light sources 251f, 252f in yellow (emits yellow visible light) during an operating state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 is freezing, and turns on the light sources 251f, 252f in red (emits red visible light) during an operating state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 is malfunctioning.

[0087] The combination of the type of operation state and the color of the visible light emitted from the light source is not limited to the above example. The control unit 11 may be configured to change the emission color of the light sources 251f and 252f and turn them on in response to one operation state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 via the swing control unit 27.

[0088] As described above, according to this modification, the light source unit 25f has the light sources 251f, 252f capable of emitting light of a plurality of colors. The ultrasound diagnostic device 100 includes the ultrasound probe 2, the image processing unit 13 that generates ultrasound image data based on a signal received from the ultrasound probe 2, and the control unit 11 that changes the color of the light emitted from the light source unit 25f according to the operating state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100. Therefore, the operator can visually recognize the operating state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 according to the color of the light image on the acoustic window 211.

[0089] The above-described embodiment and modified examples are merely examples of suitable ultrasound probes and ultrasound diagnostic devices according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0090] For example, in the above embodiment and modified example, the control unit 11 is configured to turn on the light source of the ultrasound probe 2 in the ultrasound diagnostic device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the light source may be configured to blink. For example, in the ultrasound diagnostic device 100, the length of the blinking time and interval and the length of the off time may be changed and set in advance according to the type of operation state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 (e.g., scan, freeze, failure), and the control unit 11 may turn on or blink the light source according to the changed length of the on time and off time via the swing control unit 27 according to the operation state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100. According to this configuration, the light image can be made to blink to effectively display the outer shape and position corresponding to the transducer unit, and the outer shape and position of the transducer unit can be accurately and effectively visually recognized from the outside of the ultrasound probe. In addition, the operator can visually recognize the operation state of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 according to the lighting and blinking of the light image of the acoustic window 211.

[0091] In the above embodiment and modification, the light source unit of the ultrasound probe 2 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 100 is configured to have an LED light source, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a light source other than an LED may be used as the light source. In particular, the light source is not limited to a light source with a small light-emitting area such as an LED, and may be a surface light source such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED). According to this configuration, the surface light source of the light source unit of the ultrasound probe 2 can illuminate a wide range as a surface, reducing unevenness in the light image of the acoustic window 211 and expanding the range of the light image other than the dark area corresponding to the transducer unit, and the operator can visually recognize the outer shape and position of the transducer unit 22 from the outside of the ultrasound probe 2 accurately and more clearly. In addition, since the surface light source consumes less power, the ultrasound probe 2 (ultrasonic diagnostic device 100) can be made more energy-efficient.

[0092] In addition, at least two of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be combined. For example, in the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the light source of the light source unit may be blinked, or a surface light source may be used as the light source.

[0093] Furthermore, the detailed configurations and detailed operations of the components constituting the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100 in the above-described embodiment and modified examples can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 100 Ultrasound diagnostic equipment 1. Ultrasound diagnostic device body 11 Control section 12 Transmitter / receiver 13 Image processing section 14 Display control section 15 Display section 16 Operation input section 17 Memory section 2 Ultrasonic probe 2a,2d,2e,2f Ultrasonic probe body 21 Case 211 Acoustic Window 212 Grip section 213 Frame 214 Coupling Fluid 22,22d Transducer unit 220 Transducer unit body 221 Transducer Array 222,223,222d,223d side plate 224,225 Light receiving part 226,227 Light emitting part 23 Swing mechanism 231 Motor 24 Position detection unit 25,25e,25f Light source section 251,252,251e,252e,251f,252f light source 2b Cable 2c Connector 26 Drive circuit section 27 Swing control section

Claims

1. A transducer unit for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; a swing mechanism for swinging the transducer unit; an acoustic window that is disposed on a side of the transducer unit in a direction in which the transducer unit transmits ultrasonic waves and light; an ultrasonic probe comprising: a light source unit that is fixedly installed at a position on the opposite side of the transmission direction of the transducer unit and that emits light to the acoustic window through the transducer unit.

2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the transducer unit has a light transmitting portion that emits light incident from the light source portion to the acoustic window at an origin position of the oscillation.

3. The light transmitting portion is a light receiving unit to which light is incident from the light source unit; The ultrasonic probe according to claim 2 , further comprising: a light emitting section having a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the transducer unit, the light emitting section emitting light incident from the light receiving section.

4. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 3 , wherein the light transmitting portion has a surface having a light blocking property other than the light receiving portion and the light emitting portion.

5. 5. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting portion is subjected to a roughening process.

6. The transducer unit has a transducer array in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in one direction, The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the light source section has a plurality of light sources arranged in a direction corresponding to an arrangement direction of the transducers of the transducer array.

7. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the light source unit has a light source capable of emitting light of a plurality of colors.

8. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the light source unit has a surface light source.

9. An ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and an image processing unit that generates ultrasound image data based on a reception signal from the ultrasound probe.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a control unit that changes a lighting or blinking state of the light source unit depending on an operating state of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

11. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7 ; an image processing unit that generates ultrasound image data based on a reception signal from the ultrasound probe, An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a control unit that changes a color of light emitted from the light source unit according to an operating state of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

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