Elastography Probe Positioning for Perpendicular Liver Stiffness Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liver stiffness measurement devices face challenges in accurate probe positioning due to the small diameter of the probe tip, leading to potential misdiagnosis and variability in measurements, which is exacerbated by the difficulty in maintaining consistent contact and perpendicularity during examinations.
Innovation Solution
A device with an applicator featuring a position maintenance mechanism to ensure the transducer remains perpendicular to the body, coupled with an adjustable and ergonomic design to enhance contact surface and stability, thereby improving measurement accuracy and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a small diameter probe tip is used, then the device can be more compact and easier to handle, but the positioning accuracy and contact consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a positioning device that extends in a dimension perpendicular to the probe axis, using a positioning surface that contacts the body at a distance from the probe tip. This adds a spatial dimension to the positioning mechanism, allowing the small probe tip to maintain accurate positioning through the extended positioning surface rather than relying solely on the tip's small size.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device acts as an intermediary between the operator's hand and the probe tip. The positioning surface serves as a mediator that ensures consistent contact with the body, while the positioning means (such as a groove or ridge) mediates the alignment between the probe axis and the body surface, solving the positioning accuracy problem without changing the probe tip dimensions.
2Reliability
If the probe tip is pressed firmly to maintain contact, then the measurement reliability improves, but the probe tilts and the operator's attention is diverted from the screen
Solution Approach 1:
The contact function is segmented into two separate components: the positioning surface that provides stable body contact and the probe tip that performs the measurement. This segmentation allows the positioning surface to bear the contact force while the probe tip remains free to detect, eliminating the tilt problem and allowing the operator to focus on the screen without compromising measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device serves as an intermediary that decouples the contact maintenance function from the measurement function. The positioning surface maintains consistent contact with the body, while the positioning means ensures the probe axis remains perpendicular to the body surface, allowing the operator to focus on the display without manually adjusting probe position or orientation.
3Productivity
If the operator focuses on the screen during examination, then the measurement process is streamlined, but the probe positioning and contact consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device is designed to self-maintain proper positioning without operator intervention. The positioning surface automatically adapts to the body contour, and the positioning means (groove or ridge) self-aligns the probe axis with the body surface, allowing the operator to focus entirely on the screen while the system maintains positioning accuracy through its own structural features.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical positioning process is replaced with a passive mechanical positioning system. Instead of requiring the operator to manually adjust and maintain probe position, the positioning device uses its structural features (positioning surface and positioning means) to automatically ensure correct alignment, substituting human mechanical adjustment with a self-aligning mechanical system that frees the operator's attention.
4Length of moving object
If the probe is designed with a small diameter, then the device is more compact, but the contact surface area is reduced leading to sliding and measurement distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface area is expanded by introducing a positioning surface that extends in a dimension perpendicular to the probe axis. This creates a larger contact area without increasing the probe diameter, as the positioning surface adds a spatial dimension to the contact interface, allowing the small-diameter probe to maintain stable contact and prevent sliding.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact function is segmented into the probe tip (for measurement) and the positioning surface (for stable contact). This segmentation allows the probe tip to remain small in diameter while the positioning surface provides the necessary contact area, separating the measurement function from the contact stability function and resolving the contradiction between compactness and contact area.
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 solution ensures reliable and consistent liver stiffness measurements by maintaining proper probe positioning, reducing variability, and enhancing user experience through improved ergonomics and larger contact surface area.
Implementation Method 1
a shear wave emitter adapted to generate a low-frequency elastic wave
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasound transducer adapted to acquire ultrasound signals to determine the stiffness of the organ based on the propagation of the generated low-frequency elastic wave
Data Source
AI summary
A device for measuring the stiffness of an organ of a subject, the measuring device including a measurement casing which includes a) a shear wave emitter adapted to generate a low-frequency elastic wave, and b) an ultrasound transducer adapted to acquire ultrasound signals to determine the stiffness of the organ based on the propagation of the generated low-frequency elastic wave, and an applicator extending from the measurement casing, the applicator being adapted to be placed against a part of a body of the subject, the applicator including a position maintenance device for maintaining the transducer perpendicular to the part of the body of the subject.