Pivot Guide for Ultrasound Transducer Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking and positioning ultrasound transducers in three-dimensional ultrasound imaging are expensive and complex, limiting their accessibility and affordability for acquiring 3D ultrasound data, particularly for diagnostic purposes like elastography and intercostal imaging.
Innovation Solution
The development of an ultrasound transducer assembly with protrusions that indent the skin to secure the transducer in place, allowing for pivotal movement about a defined axis, combined with a guide that couples to the transducer and includes a pivot axis aligned with the imaging plane, enabling efficient acquisition of 3D ultrasound data sets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expensive six degree-of-freedom tracking systems are used, then three-dimensional ultrasound imaging capability is achieved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
A guide structure acts as an intermediary between the transducer and the patient's body. The guide includes a pivot axis that mechanically defines the rotation axis, and protrusions that contact the patient's skin to establish a fixed pivot point, thereby providing three-dimensional positioning capability without requiring complex electronic tracking systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic/optical tracking systems with a simple mechanical guide structure. The guide's physical geometry (pivot axis and protrusions) directly establishes the three-dimensional positioning, substituting mechanical constraints for electronic measurement systems
2Stability of the object's composition
If the transducer is pressed against the patient's skin for imaging, then contact stability is achieved, but skin indentation and patient discomfort occur
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: a pivot axis for defining rotation, protrusions for establishing the pivot point on the patient's skin, and a transducer mounting portion. This segmentation allows the protrusions to be optimized specifically for minimal skin indentation while maintaining positioning stability
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions are designed with specific local properties (shape, size, material) optimized for gentle skin contact. The local quality of these contact elements provides sufficient positioning stability without causing excessive skin indentation or patient discomfort
3Productivity
If the transducer is constrained to pivot about a fixed axis, then three-dimensional volume imaging is enabled, but transducer movement freedom is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure enables dynamic pivoting motion of the transducer about the fixed pivot axis. The transducer can rotate freely about this axis during the imaging procedure, allowing the operator to dynamically adjust the imaging angle while maintaining consistent three-dimensional geometric relationships for accurate volume reconstruction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
Example embodiments of the described technology provide an apparatus for pivoting an ultrasound transducer. The apparatus may comprise a body which defines a cavity. The cavity may be shaped to receive an end of the ultrasound transducer. The apparatus may also comprise first and second protrusions. The first and second protrusions may each extend longitudinally outwards from respective first and second opposing ends of the body. The first and second protrusions may be configured to depress tissue surrounding a region of a patient to be imaged by the ultrasound transducer.