Three-array hand-held bladder scanner and use method

Abstract

A three-array hand-held bladder scanner and a use method. The three-array hand-held bladder scanner comprises a hand-held bladder scanner body constructed by means of a probe housing (5), a body front shell (6), and a body rear shell (7), and further comprises: a three-array transducer group and support seats (4) matching the three-array transducer group, which are arranged in the probe housing (5); and a controller arranged in the body and communicatively connected to the three-array transducer group. The three-array transducer group comprises a first transducer (1), a second transducer (2) and a third transducer (3) which are arranged in a cambered structure; the first transducer (1) is arranged at a central position of a probe and passes through the axis of the probe to be continuously arranged into an integral structure; the second transducer (2) and the third transducer (3) are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the first transducer (1) along the cambered surface and intersect at the axis of the probe, and an included angle of 90 degrees is formed between the second transducer (2) and third transducer (3) and the first transducer (1) in space. The three-array hand-held bladder scanner is free of a driving motor and a moving part, thereby reducing product energy consumption, avoiding part wear, and prolonging the endurance time of the bladder scanner.

Description

Three-array handheld bladder scanner and application method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices and more particularly to a small-sized (home use) three-array handheld bladder scanner and an application method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Choosing the right time for catheterization requires accurate measurement of bladder urine volume. Currently, the main method for measuring bladder urine volume is ultrasound echometry, which determines bladder boundary information. This information is then used to reconstruct the bladder structure and calculate bladder volume. A probe scans the patient's bladder, and the resulting ultrasound echo signals are processed and transmitted to a computer system, which identifies image boundaries and calculates bladder volume to measure bladder urine volume.

[0003] In existing ultrasonic devices, the control head mainly uses a motor to drive a single-element sensor or a sensor array to rotate for three-dimensional scanning. The probe and the host are separate structures, that is, the probe only performs information collection, and the information processing and conversion are all completed by the external host. This approach has the following disadvantages:

[0004] 1. The drive motor consumes about 50% of the battery power, resulting in a shorter battery life;

[0005] 2. The bladder needs to be accurately located during the pre-scan before the scan is performed, and the scan takes a long time to complete;

[0006] 3. The image quality produced by the single-chip sensor is low, and the image recognition algorithm has high requirements;

[0007] 4. Wear of rotating parts will increase system errors and affect measurement accuracy;

[0008] 5. The split structure takes up a lot of space, is inconvenient to use, and is complicated to operate.

[0009] Summary of the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to solve at least the above problems and / or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages which will be described hereinafter.

[0011] To achieve these objectives and other advantages of the present invention, a three-array handheld bladder scanner is provided, comprising a handheld bladder scanner body constructed by a probe housing, a front body shell, and a rear body shell, and further comprising:

[0012] A three-array transducer group and a supporting base matched therewith are arranged in the probe housing;

[0013] a controller disposed inside the fuselage and communicatively connected to the three array transducer groups;

[0014] The three-array transducer group includes: transducer I, transducer II, and transducer III arranged in an arc-shaped structure;

[0015] The transducer I is arranged at the center of the probe and is continuously arranged through the axis of the probe to form an integral structure;

[0016] The transducer II and transducer III are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the transducer I along the arc surface, and intersect at the axis of the probe, forming a 90° angle with the transducer I in space.

[0017] Preferably, the transducer I comprises a plurality of crystal elements I arranged in parallel in the same direction along its arc surface, and each crystal element I is arranged at equal angles according to a set spacing;

[0018] The transducer II and transducer III include multiple crystal elements II arranged in parallel in the same direction along their arc surfaces. Each crystal element II is arranged at equal angles according to a set spacing, and the crystal elements on the arc surfaces of transducer II and transducer III are symmetrical in spatial layout.

[0019] Preferably, the front shell of the fuselage is provided with a display screen and a communication interface which are in communication connection with the controller.

[0020] Preferably, at least two anti-sliding blocks are provided on the outer wall of the rear shell of the fuselage;

[0021] A lanyard hole is provided at the junction of the rear shell of the fuselage and the front shell of the fuselage.

[0022] A method for applying a three-array handheld bladder scanner, comprising:

[0023] The transducer I scans the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information I, and the software system on the controller performs calculations on the ultrasonic information I to obtain a cross-sectional image I and / or data I in one direction;

[0024] Transducers II and III scan the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information II. The software system on the controller calculates and processes the ultrasonic information II to obtain a section image II and / or data II, and a section image III and / or data III perpendicular to the scanning section of transducer I.

[0025] The software system performs three-dimensional reconstruction based on the acquired section image I, section image II, and section image III to obtain a complete three-dimensional bladder model;

[0026] The software system converts the reconstructed three-dimensional model to obtain real-time urine volume and gives corresponding operation suggestions based on the urine volume.

[0027] Preferably, the three-dimensional reconstruction process is:

[0028] S1. The software system performs binarization processing on the collected cross-sectional images I, II and III respectively;

[0029] S2. The software system determines the continuity and position of pixel values ​​on each image, and obtains the corresponding bladder image I, bladder image II, and bladder image III in each image;

[0030] S3, the software system calculates the lengths of the left and right pixels in the bladder image I to find the position of the perpendicular midline in the bladder image I;

[0031] S4. The software system calculates the upper and lower intersection points of the bladder boundary and the perpendicular median line;

[0032] S5, the software system finds the bladder boundary point from bladder image II and bladder image III;

[0033] S6. The software system smoothly connects the bladder boundary points, upper intersection points, and lower intersection points through spline interpolation to obtain a three-dimensional bladder model constructed by closing the bladder image II and the bladder image III.

[0034] Preferably, the real-time urine volume is obtained by:

[0035] The software system simulates cutting the constructed 3D bladder model into n cubes or cuboids in the three mutually perpendicular directions of X, Y, and Z to calculate the bladder volume using the following formula to obtain the urine capacity in the bladder: V = V1 × n + δ

[0036] In the above formula, V1 is the volume of each cube or cuboid, and δ is the volume compensation coefficient of the incomplete cube or cuboid at the edge of the bladder.

[0037] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The three-array handheld ultrasonic bladder scanner of the present invention has no drive motor and no moving parts, which reduces product energy consumption, avoids component wear, and significantly increases the endurance and service life of the bladder scanner. Specifically, it has the following effects:

[0038] 1. The bladder scanner of the present invention is a three-array handheld integrated structure. Compared with the traditional split bladder scanner, it is simple and quick to operate; it has a compact appearance and is easy to carry.

[0039] 2. The transducer of the present invention has an arc-shaped structure and does not need to be rotated or swung. Each scan can obtain images and data of two mutually perpendicular sections.

[0040] 3. The present invention is a one-button operation, which reduces the difficulty of operation compared to traditional multi-button bladder scanners. Patients or non-professionals can measure by themselves without the need for professional medical staff. The scanning time is short and the scanning speed is fast, which improves work efficiency.

[0041] 4. The measurement results can be displayed in real time on the display of this machine or on a mobile terminal.

[0042] 5. The present invention has no motor drive and no mechanical moving parts, which reduces energy consumption, is noiseless during operation, avoids wear and tear of parts, extends the service life and endurance of the product, and improves measurement precision and accuracy.

[0043] 6. The outer wall of the rear shell of the body is designed with 3 or more anti-sliding blocks. When holding the bladder scanner, the fingers are held between the anti-sliding blocks to ensure the stability of one-handed holding and prevent slipping.

[0044] There is a lanyard hole at the junction of the top and the back of the fuselage, which is convenient for carrying.

[0045] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will be reflected in part from the following description and will be understood by those skilled in the art through study and practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the present invention;

[0047] FIG2 is a rear view of the present invention;

[0048] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a transducer and a transducer support seat of the present invention;

[0049] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement direction of the transducer and the wafer of the present invention;

[0050] FIG5 is a processing flow chart of the software system of the present invention;

[0051] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a scanning section of transducer I of the present invention;

[0052] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the software system of the present invention stitching the cross-sectional images scanned by transducer II and transducer III;

[0053] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the software system of the present invention performing block calculation on the bladder model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The present invention will be described in further detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can implement the invention with reference to the description.

[0055] It should be understood that terms such as “having,” “including,” and “comprising” used herein do not prescribe the existence or addition of one or more other elements or combinations thereof.

[0056] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention and do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "I" and "II" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0057] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and limited, the terms "installed", "provided with", "sleeved / connected", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal connection of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] A three-array handheld bladder scanner, the structure of which is shown in Figures 1-4, includes: transducer I1, transducer II2, transducer III3, transducer support 4, probe housing 5, front housing 6, rear housing 7, and a controller (not shown) with a related control software system. The controller is connected to a button 9 on the body, thereby achieving a one-button operation design, reducing operational difficulty, shortening scanning time, and increasing scanning speed. The coordination of the controller and the button allows signal transmission, processing, calculation, and display to be performed locally, thus taking up less space.

[0060] Among them, transducer I1, transducer II2, and transducer III3 are installed on the transducer support base 4 inside the probe and fixed as a whole; transducer I1, transducer II2, transducer III3, transducer support base 4, and probe housing 5 are assembled to form the probe of the bladder scanner. In specific applications, transducer I, transducer II, and transducer III each contain multiple crystal element arrays arranged in parallel in the same direction along their arc surfaces, and each crystal element is arranged at equal angles according to a set spacing, and the center lines of three or more transducer arrays are arranged in a vertical double section.

[0061] Furthermore, the three-array transducer of the present scheme is arranged in an arc surface structure, transducer I is arranged at the center of the probe, and is continuously arranged through the axis of the probe to form an integral structure, transducer II and transducer III are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the center of transducer I along the arc surface, intersecting at the axis of the probe, and designed at a 90° angle to transducer I, and the curvature of the wafer surface of transducer II and transducer III is the same and symmetrically arranged; transducer II and transducer III have the same number of wafers, each containing 40 or more wafers arranged in parallel in the same direction along its arc surface, each wafer is arranged at equal angles according to a set spacing, and in terms of spatial layout, the wafers on the arc surface of transducer II and transducer III are a symmetrical structure.

[0062] Working principle: In actual application, transducer I contains 96 or more crystal elements 11 arranged in parallel in the same direction along its arc surface. Each crystal element is arranged at an equal angle according to a set spacing. The ultrasonic information detected by its scanning is processed by the system to form a complete cross-sectional image I and data I; the ultrasonic information detected by transducer II and transducer III is processed by the system to obtain cross-sectional image II and / or data II, cross-sectional image III and / or data III perpendicular to the cross-sectional surface scanned by transducer I; therefore, each scan of the bladder scanner simultaneously scans two mutually perpendicular cross-sectional surfaces of the bladder, and further combines with cross-sectional image I to obtain complete images and data of the two mutually perpendicular cross-sectional surfaces. A complete three-dimensional model of the bladder is constructed through system calculation. By calculating the three-dimensional bladder model, the real-time urine volume in the bladder is obtained, and the real-time measurement results are displayed.

[0063] The technical effects of this embodiment are:

[0064] First, this solution uses a multi-array transducer to obtain multi-section scanning information instead of a motor drive. The lack of moving parts reduces energy consumption, avoids component wear, extends the product's service life and endurance, and improves measurement accuracy.

[0065] Secondly, the bladder scanner of the present invention is a three-array handheld integrated structure, which is simpler and faster to operate than traditional split-type bladder scanners; it has a compact appearance and is easy to carry.

[0066] Thirdly, the transducer of the present invention has an arc-shaped structure and does not need to be rotated or swung. Each scan can obtain images and data of two mutually perpendicular sections.

[0067] Fourthly, the one-button operation reduces the difficulty of operation compared to traditional multi-button bladder scanners. Patients or non-professionals can measure by themselves without the need for professional medical staff. The scanning time is short and the scanning speed is fast, which improves work efficiency.

[0068] Example 2

[0069] This embodiment 2 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and its specific structure is shown in Figures 1-2. It discloses the following improvements based on embodiment 1:

[0070] The front shell of the fuselage is provided with a display screen 8 and a communication interface 10 which are in communication with the controller.

[0071] Working Principle: The bladder scanner of the present invention is a three-array integrated handheld structure that integrates signal acquisition, processing, display and control systems into a single handheld body. It has a compact structure and a small appearance. The body's built-in display shows real-time bladder images, urine volume data and operation suggestions.

[0072] The body is provided with a data communication interface 10, which has both data transmission and charging functions. It can not only transmit data but also charge the battery. A waterproof cover is provided at the data communication interface to prevent liquids and debris from entering the device.

[0073] In addition to displaying measured urine volume data and cross-sectional images on the device's display, the bladder scanner in this solution can also be connected to a mobile terminal via wired or wireless means. More detailed scan images, urine volume data, and operational recommendations can be viewed on the mobile terminal's dedicated app. The mobile terminal's dedicated app also allows for the use of phantom calibration and phantom measurement modes to verify system errors, providing support for equipment production inspection, in-use verification, and third-party testing.

[0074] In this mode, the measurement results can be displayed in real time on the display of this machine or on a mobile terminal.

[0075] Example 3

[0076] This embodiment 3 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and its specific structure is shown in FIG2 . It discloses the following improvements based on the embodiment 1:

[0077] At least two anti-sliding blocks 12 are provided on the outer wall of the rear shell of the fuselage;

[0078] A lanyard hole 13 is provided at the junction of the rear shell and the front shell of the fuselage, which is convenient for carrying.

[0079] Working principle: The outer wall of the rear shell 7 of the body is designed with three or more anti-slip blocks 11. When holding the bladder scanner, the thumb holds the front of the bladder scanner, and the other four fingers hold between the anti-slip blocks 11 to ensure the stability of single-handed holding and prevent slipping.

[0080] Example 4

[0081] A method for applying a three-array handheld bladder scanner, comprising:

[0082] The transducer I scans the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information I, and the software system on the controller performs calculations on the ultrasonic information I to obtain a cross-sectional image I and / or data I in one direction;

[0083] Transducers II and III scan the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information II. The software system on the controller calculates and processes the ultrasonic information II to obtain a section image II and / or data II, and a section image III and / or data III perpendicular to the scanning section of transducer I.

[0084] The software system performs three-dimensional reconstruction based on the acquired section image I, section image II, and section image III to obtain a complete three-dimensional bladder model;

[0085] The software system converts the reconstructed three-dimensional model to obtain real-time urine volume and provides corresponding operation suggestions based on the urine volume. The operation suggestions here include but are not limited to: when the measured urine volume is greater than or equal to the set value, the system will prompt: please catheterize or urinate in time; when the measured urine volume is less than the set value, the system will prompt: urine volume is low, catheterization is not needed for the time being (or the system will not prompt operation suggestions).

[0086] This solution uses a bladder scanner to perform a dual-section scan of the bladder, obtaining information from two mutually perpendicular sections of the bladder. After system processing and analysis, a three-dimensional bladder model is constructed, the urine volume in the bladder is calculated, and the urine volume in the bladder can be measured.

[0087] Example 5

[0088] This embodiment 5 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which discloses the following improvements based on the embodiment 4:

[0089] The processing flow of the 3D reconstruction is shown in FIG5 , and includes:

[0090] S1. The software system performs binarization processing on the collected cross-sectional images I, II and III respectively;

[0091] S2. The software system determines the continuity and position of pixel values ​​on each image, and obtains the corresponding bladder image I, bladder image II, and bladder image III in each image;

[0092] S3, as shown in FIG6 , the software system calculates the lengths of the left and right pixels in the bladder image I 14 to find the position of the perpendicular midline 15 in the bladder image I;

[0093] S4. As shown in Figure 6, the software system calculates the upper intersection point A and the lower intersection point B of the bladder boundary and the perpendicular midline;

[0094] S5. As shown in FIG6-7, the software system finds boundary points C, D, E, and F on the bladder boundary 18 from bladder image II 16 and bladder image III 17, and urine 19 is present in the bladder.

[0095] S6. As shown in FIG7-8, the software system smoothly connects the bladder boundary points, upper intersection points, and lower intersection points by spline interpolation to obtain a three-dimensional bladder model 20 constructed by closing the bladder image II and the bladder image III.

[0096] The real-time urine volume is obtained as follows:

[0097] As shown in Figure 8, the software system simulates cutting the constructed 3D bladder model into n cubes or cuboids in the three mutually perpendicular directions of X, Y, and Z to calculate the bladder volume using the following formula to obtain the urine capacity in the bladder: V = V1 × n + δ

[0098] In the above formula, V1 is the volume of each cube or cuboid, and δ is the volume compensation coefficient of the incomplete cube or cuboid at the edge of the bladder. In practical applications, δ can be a constant of 5.

[0099] In this example, the software system stitches together the images obtained by transducer II and transducer III to simulate the bladder structure. Specifically, as shown in the figure, a dot matrix close to the bladder boundary is set between points C, A, and E, and between points D, B, and F. Splines are then used to smoothly connect the dot matrix between C, A, and E and the dot matrix between D, B, and F, respectively. This method obtains the bladder boundary information in the gap between transducers II and III. This boundary, together with the bladder images obtained from the scanning sections of transducers II and III, forms the complete bladder boundary and image information in another direction, completing the three-dimensional reconstruction.

[0100] Compared with the existing technology, this solution has a simple structure and compact size through this structural design, which can be used in home or outdoor scenes. During use, only one scan is needed to complete the three-dimensional reconstruction of the bladder. Compared with the existing multiple scans, its operation is simpler and effectively reduces the professional requirements for the operator.

[0101] The above solution is only an illustration of a preferred embodiment, but is not limited thereto. When implementing the present invention, appropriate replacements and / or modifications can be made according to user needs.

[0102] The number of devices and processing scales described herein are intended to simplify the description of the present invention. Applications, modifications, and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0103] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and exemplary embodiments. They can be applied to a variety of fields suitable for the present invention. Further modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A three-array handheld bladder scanner, comprising a handheld bladder scanner body constructed by a probe housing, a front housing, and a rear housing, characterized in that: Also includes: A three-array transducer group and a supporting base matched therewith are arranged in the probe housing; A controller disposed inside the fuselage and communicatively connected to the three-array transducer group; The three-array transducer group includes: transducer I, transducer II, and transducer III in an arc-surface structure layout; The transducer I is arranged at the center of the probe and is continuously arranged through the axis of the probe to form an integral structure; The transducer II and transducer III are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the transducer I along the arc surface, and intersect at the axis of the probe, forming a 90° angle with the transducer I in space.

2. The three-array handheld bladder scanner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The transducer I comprises a plurality of crystal elements I arranged in parallel in the same direction along its arc surface, and each crystal element I is arranged at equal angles according to a set spacing; The transducer II and transducer III include a plurality of crystal elements II arranged in parallel in the same direction along their arc surfaces, each crystal element II is arranged at equal angles at a set interval, and the crystal elements on the arc surfaces of transducer II and transducer III are symmetrical structures in terms of spatial layout.

3. The three-array handheld bladder scanner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The front shell of the fuselage is provided with a display screen and a communication interface which are connected to the controller for communication.

4. The three-array handheld bladder scanner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: At least two anti-sliding blocks are arranged on the outer wall of the rear shell of the fuselage; A hanging rope hole is arranged at the junction of the rear shell of the fuselage and the front shell of the fuselage.

5. A method for using the three-array handheld bladder scanner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: include: The transducer I scans the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information I, and the software system on the controller processes the ultrasonic information I to obtain a cross-sectional image I and / or data I in one direction; Transducer II and transducer III scan the bladder to obtain ultrasonic information II, and the software system on the controller calculates and processes the ultrasonic information II to obtain a section image II and / or data II, a section image III and / or data III perpendicular to the section scanned by transducer I; The software system performs three-dimensional reconstruction based on the acquired section image I, section image II, and section image III to obtain a complete three-dimensional bladder model; The software system converts the reconstructed three-dimensional model to obtain the real-time urine volume, and gives corresponding operation suggestions based on the urine volume.

6. The method for using the three-array handheld bladder scanner as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The processing flow of the three-dimensional reconstruction includes: S1. The software system performs binarization processing on the collected section image I, section image II, and section image III respectively; S2, the software system obtains the corresponding bladder image I, bladder image II, and bladder image III in each image based on the continuity and position judgment of the pixel values ​​on each image; S3, the software system calculates the lengths of the left and right pixels in the bladder image I to find the position of the perpendicular midline in the bladder image I; S4. The software system obtains the upper and lower intersection points of the bladder boundary and the perpendicular midline by calculation; S5, the software system finds the bladder boundary point from bladder image II and bladder image III; S6. The software system smoothly connects the bladder boundary points, upper intersection points, and lower intersection points by spline interpolation to obtain a three-dimensional bladder model constructed by closing the bladder image II and the bladder image III.

7. The method for using the three-array handheld bladder scanner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The real-time urine volume is obtained in the following manner: The software system simulates cutting the constructed 3D bladder model into n cubes or cuboids in three mutually perpendicular directions of X, Y, and Z to calculate the bladder volume using the following formula to obtain the urine capacity in the bladder: V=V1×n+δ In the above formula, V1 is the volume of each cube or cuboid, and δ is the volume compensation coefficient of the incomplete cube or cuboid at the edge of the bladder.

Images