Patent · US Expired

System of therapeutic ultrasound and real-time ultrasonic scanning

US4932414A · kind A · utility

215Cited by
14References
44Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateNov 2, 1987
Grant dateJun 12, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 2, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S128/916
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system is described for obtaining in real-time cross-sectional and 3-dimensional images of a body under study using ultrasonic energy. A piezoelectric transducer is positioned to emit ultrasonic energy and receive echo pulses. The transducer is electronically swept or physically rotated to produce a series of sectored scan planes which are separated by a known angular distance. The echo pulses are processed to produce an ultrasonic image in pseudo 3-dimensional display. By using data from one scan plane, processed as a B-scan image, cross-sectional data can be obtained. Such is combined in a display with an overlay to visually portray the object and positioning information or comparative data. The system is combined with a computer for data analysis and a therapeutic transducer for treatment.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.