Curved Passive Acoustic Driver for MRE Shear Wave Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flat passive acoustic drivers are ineffective in penetrating deep tissues, limiting the accuracy of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in detecting cancer and other diseases in small, deep organs such as the kidneys, ovaries, and pancreas due to poor shear wave penetration.
Innovation Solution
A curved passive acoustic driver design that includes a housing member with a vibrating member permanently retaining a curved shape, which converts oscillating acoustic energy from an active driver into shear waves for improved penetration and imaging capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If a flat passive acoustic driver is used, then the device complexity is low and ease of manufacture is high, but the penetration depth into deep tissues is insufficient and measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the passive acoustic driver, transforming it from a flat planar structure to a curved surface. This curvature enables better acoustic coupling with deep tissues and improves shear wave penetration depth while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through curved molding techniques.
2Measurement precision
If a flat passive acoustic driver is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the diverging angle of shear waves is large reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The curved geometry of the passive acoustic driver focuses the acoustic energy and reduces the diverging angle of generated shear waves. This improves the precision of stiffness measurements in deep organs while the curvature can be achieved through standard molding processes.
3Reliability
If a flat passive acoustic driver is used, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to detect diseases in small deep organs is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The curved passive acoustic driver improves reliability for detecting diseases in small deep organs by enhancing shear wave penetration and reducing beam divergence. The curved design focuses acoustic energy more effectively into deep tissues, enabling reliable detection in organs like the pancreas and kidneys.
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 curved passive acoustic driver significantly reduces the diverging angle of shear waves, enhancing their penetration depth and accuracy, allowing for the reliable detection of conditions in deeper tissues and organs, including those previously inaccessible with flat drivers, thereby improving diagnostic capabilities in MRE.
Implementation Method 1
The passive acoustic driver is acoustically connected to the active acoustic driver and is configured to receive the oscillating acoustic energy and to convert it into shear waves
Data Source
AI summary
An acoustic driver system includes an active acoustic driver and a passive acoustic driver. The active acoustic driver is configured to produce oscillating acoustic energy. The passive acoustic driver is acoustically connected to the active acoustic driver and is configured to receive the oscillating acoustic energy and to convert it into shear waves. The passive acoustic driver includes a housing member and a vibrating member. The housing member includes a housing member cavity. The vibrating member is disposed at least partially within the housing member cavity. The vibrating member permanently retains a curved shape while disposed within the housing member cavity.