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US4478083A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Plane reconstruction ultrasound tomography device
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1983-06-13
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Granted: 1984-10-23
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Expires: 2003-06-13
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasound tomography device for scanning an object under examination from a plurality of directions. Coronal slice images of the plane areas near or at the female breast wall are obtained. Ultrasound lobes from ultrasound transducers are electronically directed or mechanically positioned to obliquely strike the coronal slice located at or near the breast wall. A full image of the coronal slice plane is reconstructed through section by section combination of the images obtained from the several ultrasound lobes.
Inventors
- 👤 Dieter Hassler
- 👤 Elmar Trautenberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:53
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/08; A61B8/0825; A61B8/13; A61B8/14; A61B8/40; A61B8/406; A61B8/44; A61B8/4477; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/915
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An ultrasound tomography device having an ultrasound transmitting/receiving system for line scanning of an object to be examined from different angular directions about an axis of rotation, said transmitting/receiving system comprising, in combination: (a) ultrasound transducer means for line scanning an object to be examined from different angular directions about said axis of rotation and at different tilting angles with respect to a coronal-plane of said object to be examined; (b) adjustable forcusing means, associated with said transducer means, for focusing said transducer means at various object depths in coronal-like scanning planes; (c) adjustable positioning means, associated with said transducer means, for adjusting the tilting angles of the respective transmitting/receiving lobes of said transducer means; and (d) time gate circuit means, coupled to said transducer means, for acquiring signal data received by said transducer means from different depths in successive time periods in coordination with the tilting angle of said transducer means, whereby said focusing depths, said tilting angles and said time gated signal acquisition are controlled to provide a coronal like scanning plane of the object to be examined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
An ultrasound tomography device having an ultrasound transmitting/receiving system for line scanning of an object to be examined from different angular directions about an axis of rotation, said transmitting/receiving system comprising, in combination: (a) ultrasound transducer means for line scanning an object to be examined from different angular directions about said axis of rotation and at different tilting angles with respect to a coronal-plane of said object to be examined; (b) adjustable forcusing means, associated with said transducer means, for focusing said transducer means at various object depths in coronal-like scanning planes; (c) adjustable positioning means, associated with said transducer means, for adjusting the tilting angles of the respective transmitting/receiving lobes of said transducer means; and (d) time gate circuit means, coupled to said transducer means, for acquiring signal data received by said transducer means from different depths in successive time periods in coordination with the tilting angle of said transducer means, whereby said focusing depths, said tilting angles and said time gated signal acquisition are controlled to provide a coronal like scanning plane of the object to be examined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said ultrasound transducers is provided with converter elements, said converter elements being controllable in groups so that said ultrasound transducer is operable in a line scanning mode to permit said object to be examined to be line scanned from different angular directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 2, comprised of one such ultrasound transducer and operable as a linear array which is rotatable around said object to be examined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 2, comprised of one such ultrasound transducer and wherein said ultrasound transducer is an electronically controlled sector scanner array which is rotatable around said object to be examined.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 2, comprised of one such ultrasound transducer, said transducer further comprising an electronically controllable ring array which surrounds said object to be examined and which is controllable to allow continuous switching of said converter elements along the surfaces of said ring array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein said positioning means include a ring disk, wherein said ultrasound transducers are arranged peripherally around said ring disk in a swivelable mode; and wherein said positioning means further comprise tilting means to allow adjustment of the orientation of said transducers with respect to said object to be examined.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 6, wherein said ring disk rotates around said object to be examined.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein said focusing means to permit focusing at various object depths comprise apertures of different sizes to realize the various focusing depths.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 8, wherein said differently sized apertures comprise ultrasound transmitting/receiving surfaces of different sizes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 8, wherein said apertures comprise transducers having set outer measurements and a matrix-like arrangement of elements; and wherein the number of elements activated determines an aperture size.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprise mechanical means for positioning said ultrasound transducers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprise electronic means for adjusting and setting the direction of ultrasound waves originating in said ultrasound transducer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ultrasound tomography device as recited in claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprise both mechanical and electronic means for adjusting and setting the direction of said ultrasound waves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4105018A
Cited
US4272991A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-10-23 | 1988-04-23 | 1988-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-10-23 | 1992-04-23 | 1992-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-10-23 | 1996-04-23 | 1996-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |