EP0654244A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Articulated needle guide for ultrasound imaging and method of using same
Assignee: Ultra-Guide Ltd
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Filing: 1994-11-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-07
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus configured to direct a medical needle onto a target inside a living body as indicated by an ultrasound imaging device includes an ultrasound transducer and a needle guide holding the medical needle, both attached to a vertical post by movable arms, an ultrasound imaging device and a computer-controller. The arms are provided with links connected by universal joints which permit positioning by the physician of the transducer and the needle guide in any place on the body in the desired direction. The position of the components is indicated to the computer controller by sensors mounted in the joints of the arms or by wireless transmission. The transducer issues signals regarding the target point to the imaging device which transmits the information to the computer controller, the latter adjusting the angular direction of the needle trajectory onto the target. The physician places the transducer on the body in accordance with the image of the target projected on the screen of the imaging device, and places the needle point on the skin close to the target, whereupon the direction of the needle trajectory is automatically adjusted by the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoav Paltieli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/42; A61B8/4209; A61B8/4218; A61B34/00; A61B34/70; A61B8/08; A61B8/0833; A61B8/0841; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B17/3403; A61B2017/3405; A61B2017/3409; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3983; A61B34/10; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/4472
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
402 words
Apparatus for performing needle biopsy or aspiration by automatically controlling the direction of a medical needle towards a target as indicated by an ultrasound imaging device, the apparatus comprising, a post provided with means for its firm positioning on a horizontal surface near a patient, said post being provided with a vertical, cylindrical portion, a first arm adapted to permit manual positioning of an ultrasound transducer on any portion of a patient's body, said arm including a horizontal link movable along and around said vertical portion of said post, an allaround movable link having its one end attached to said horizontal link by universal joint means, and an ultrasound transducer attached to the second end of said movable link by universal joint means, a second arm adapted to permit manual positioning of a medical needle held by a needle guide on any portion of a patient's skin, said arm including a horizontal link movable along and around said vertical post portion, an allaround movable link having its one end attached to said horizontal link by universal joint means, and a needle guide attached to the other end of said link by universal joint means, a shaft carrying said needle guide by means of links, movable in one common plane, said shaft being rotatably mounted in said universal joint means, and servo motor means for rotating said shaft and said needle guide, two links connecting said needle guide to the end of said shaft and servo motor means for changing the angle of said needle guide in a plane as defined by the angular position of said shaft, ultrasound generating and imaging means connected to said ultrasound transducer, sensor means provided on said two arms adapted to sense and to transmit signals regarding the position of each said arm in respect of a predesignated zero position, sensor means provided on said universal joint means adapted to sense and to transmit signals regarding the angular deviation of each said universal joint means from a predesignated zero position, electronic computing, image processing and controlling means adapted to compute the relative position of said tranducer and said needle guide from signals received from said sensors, to compute the position of said target in the patient's body from signals received from said ultrasound generating and imaging device, and to control the direction of said needle guide towards said target by signals issued to said two servo motors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said universal joint means are ball-and-socket joints.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said needle guide is provided with two long, spaced apart lugs for connection to said rotatable shaft by means of said two links.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of Claim 3, wherein said lugs are pivotally connected to said needle guide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of Claim 3, wherein said lugs are rigidly connected to said needle guide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
The apparatus of Claim 3, wherein said links connecting said needle guide to said rotatable shaft include a first link having its one end rigidly and removably attached to one lug on said needle guide and its other end pivotally attached to said rotatable shaft, and a second link having its one end rigidly and removably attached to said second lug on said needle guide and its other end rigidly connected to said rotatable shaft, said second link having its length varied by said servo motor means, thereby changing the angular position of said needle guide and said medical needle in respect to the skin surface in the direction of the target.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of Claim 6, wherein said second link includes a sleeve and a bar slidingly movable inside said sleeve by means of said servo-motor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said post is mounted on a heavy base supported by and movable on caster wheels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
329 words
Apparatus for performing needle biopsy or aspiration by automatically controlling the direction of a medical needle towards a target as indicated by an ultrasound imaging device, the apparatus comprising a post provided with means for its firm positioning on a horizontal surface near a patient, said post being provided with a vertical, cylindrical portion, a first arm adapted to permit manual positioning of an ultrasound transducer on any portion of a patient's body, said arm including a horizontal link movable along and around said vertical portion of said post, an allaround movable link having its one end attached to said horizontal link by universal joint means, and an ultrasound transducer attached to the second end of said movable link by universal joint means, a second arm adapted to permit manual positioning of a medical needle held by a needle guide on any portion of a patient's skin, said arm including a horizontal link movable along and around said vertical post portion, an allaround movable link having its one end attached to said horizontal link by universal joint means, and a needle guide attached to the other end of said link by universal joint means, a shaft carrying said needle guide by means of links, movable in one common plane, said shaft being rotatably mounted in said universal joint means, and servo motor means for rotating said shaft and said needle guide, two links connecting said needle guide to the end of said shaft and servo motor means for changing the angle of said needle guide in a plane as defined by the angular position of said shaft, ultrasound generating and imaging means connected to said ultrasound transducer, wireless transmitting units, such as radio, ultrasound, infrared or any other light transmitting or reflecting unit, or mounted on each said needle, holder or said needle and on said ultrasound transducer, receiving means for detecting signals issued by said wireless transmitting units, provided with means for transmitting said signals to said computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said ultarsound transducer is provided with three spaced-apart infrared-ultrasonic transponder units each having a different triggering code, and wherein said controller means is provided with at least three spaced-apart transceivers each configured to communicate with one of said three transponders by coded infrared signals and to compute the position of said transducer from ultrasonic responses received from said transponders.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of Claim 9, wherein said needle guide is provided with two spaced-apart infrared-ultrasonic transponders each ahving a different triggering code, and wherein said controller means is provided with atleast three spaced-apart transceivers each configured to communicate with one of said two transponders by coded infrared signals and to adjust the position of said needle guide to effect the needle point to be directed onto the target as indicated by said ultarsound transducer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as defined in any of the preceding Claims, wherein said computer is configured to indicate the required trajectory of said needle on the screen of said ultrasound imaging device.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein said computer is configured to issue directions to the physician regarding interception of the target by said needle
Claim 14
Independent Claim
26 words
The apparatus for needle biopsy or aspiration as defined in Claims 1 through 13 and substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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