Conformable Ultrasound Patch for Curvilinear Tissue Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound imaging technologies face challenges in effectively imaging curvilinear body parts, such as breasts, due to the difficulty in maintaining consistent contact and accurately capturing 3D images of shifting tissues.
Innovation Solution
A conformable ultrasound patch is developed, featuring a flexible elastomeric substrate with embedded phased arrays of rigid piezoelectric ultrasound transducers. This patch adheres to the skin via Van der Waals forces, allowing for beam steering and accurate 3D imaging of curvilinear body parts without the need for gel or adhesives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a rigid ultrasound transducer array is used, then imaging precision is improved, but adaptability to curvilinear surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by embedding rigid piezoelectric ultrasound transducers within a flexible elastomeric substrate. The substrate acts as a flexible shell that can conform to curvilinear body surfaces while protecting and positioning the rigid transducer elements, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining imaging precision and adapting to curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining rigid piezoelectric transducer elements with a flexible elastomeric substrate. This composite structure integrates the advantages of both rigid materials (for precise ultrasound imaging) and flexible materials (for conformability to curved surfaces), directly addressing the technical contradiction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the patch conforms to curved skin surfaces, then adaptability is improved, but stress and strain on the patch increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elastomeric substrate serves as a compliant shell that can deform to match curved skin surfaces without transmitting excessive stress to the embedded transducers. This allows the patch to maintain conformability while protecting the internal components from damaging stress and strain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by using the flexible substrate as a buffer layer between the rigid transducers and the skin surface. This cushioning layer absorbs and distributes mechanical stress before it reaches the sensitive transducer elements, preventing damage during conforming to curved surfaces.
3Area of stationary object
If phased arrays steer beams through wide angles, then imaging coverage is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ultrasound imaging task into multiple segments by using multiple phased array transducers positioned at different locations on the flexible substrate. Each phased array handles a specific angular sector, allowing wide overall coverage while maintaining precision within each segmented field of view through localized beam steering.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ultrasound patch achieves accurate, real-time 3D imaging of soft tissues, even on curved surfaces, by steering ultrasound beams through wide angles and using localization techniques to determine the 3D positions of the phased arrays, thereby enhancing imaging capabilities and reducing stress and strain on the patch.
Implementation Method 1
The phased arrays may transmit an ultrasound beam into tissue and may measure ultrasound echoes that reflect from the tissue
Implementation Method 2
measure ultrasound echoes that reflect from the tissue
Implementation Method 3
phased arrays of rigid piezoelectric ultrasound transducers are embedded
Implementation Method 4
How long it takes for the pulses to reach the given phased array may be measured
Implementation Method 5
The patch may adhere to the skin due to Van der Waals forces, without any gel or adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound patch may conform to a curved surface of a large, curvilinear part of a human body, and may capture ultrasound images of underlying tissue for detection of disease. The patch may comprise a flexible, elastomeric substrate, in which phased arrays of piezoelectric ultrasound transducers are embedded. The phased arrays may steer ultrasound beams through a wide angle to image a large volume of tissue. Mechanical deformation of the flexible substrate as it conforms to a curvilinear body part may change the relative 3D positions of the phase arrays. However, localization may be performed to detect these 3D positions. Data captured by the phased arrays may be processed, to create an ultrasound image of the underlying tissue. A semi-flexible, intermediate layer may partially encapsulate each phased array, to distribute stress at an interface between the rigid phased array and more flexible substrate.