Ultrasound imaging using apparent point-source transmit transducer
Inventors
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Assignees
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MAUI ImagingMAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
MAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
Publication Number
US-12426855-B2
Publication Date
2025-09-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparent point-source transmit transducers comprises a substantially constant-thickness shell of piezoelectric material in a shape of a spherical-section. Such transducers may be sized such that a single apparent point-source transmit transducer may produce ultrasound waveforms with substantial energy in a medium to be imaged. Use of such transducers in three-dimensional ping-based imaging may permit deeper and higher quality imaging than may be possible with conventional transducers.
Core Innovation
The described invention relates to ping-based (point-source) ultrasound imaging that transmits three-dimensional ultrasound wavefronts using an apparent point source located somewhere other than a surface of a transmit array. The transmit array comprises a constant-thickness spherical-cap shell of piezoelectric material, producing wavefronts that appear to originate from a spherical center point not on the transducer surface. The apparent point-source geometry enables beamforming using ellipsoid loci for three-dimensional imaging.
The document describes how transmitter geometry, including convex dome-shaped and concave bowl-shaped constant-thickness spherical-cap shells, affects the apparent transmit wavefront and the relationship between apparent and physical distances. For concave and convex apparent point-source cases, beamforming accounts for the transmission time accounting for a distance between the apparent point source and the surface of the transmit array, including an apparent path segment adjustment. This framing supports three-dimensional sub-image generation from received echoes using the transmission time from the apparent point-source location to scatterers.
The invention further describes multiple-aperture ultrasound imaging in which three-dimensional sub-image layers are coherently combined to form a three-dimensional image having improved image quality relative to the three-dimensional sub-images. The document also states coherent and incoherent summation approaches for image-layer combining (ILC), including combining layers derived from sub-images. System and probe architectures include a three-dimensional spherically-shaped transmit array with one or more omnidirectional transmit transducer elements and a first receive array comprising omnidirectional receive transducer elements, including probe concepts such as multiple-aperture 2D/3D probes and intracavity/intravascular/intraurethral probe concepts.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim contains inventive features totaling a three-dimensional spherically-shaped transmit array with omnidirectional elements producing a wavefront from an apparent point source not on the transmit array surface, a first omnidirectional receive array receiving echoes, and beamforming electronics that generate three-dimensional sub-images using transmission time accounting for the apparent point-source distance and then coherently combine the sub-images into a three-dimensional image with improved image quality relative to the sub-images.
Apparent point-source three-dimensional spherically-shaped transmit array
A three-dimensional spherically-shaped transmit array comprising one or more omnidirectional transmit transducer elements, configured to transmit a three-dimensional ultrasound wavefront to insonify a region of interest with a point source location that appears to have originated from an apparent point source that lies somewhere other than a surface of the transmit array.
Omnidirectional first receive array for echo acquisition
A first receive array comprising a plurality of omnidirectional receive transducer elements, configured to receive echoes of the three-dimensional ultrasound wavefront from one or more scatterers within the region of interest.
Transmission-time beamforming with apparent point-source distance accounting
Beamforming electronics configured to produce a three-dimensional sub-image of the one or more scatterers within the region of interest from received echoes at each of the plurality of omnidirectional receive transducer elements based on a transmission time of the three-dimensional ultrasound wavefront from the point source location to the one or more scatterers and to the plurality of omnidirectional receive transducer elements, the transmission time accounting for a distance between the apparent point source and the surface of the transmit array.
Coherent combination of sub-images into improved image quality
The beamforming electronics configured to coherently combine the three-dimensional sub-images to form a three-dimensional image of the one or more scatterers within the region of interest, the three-dimensional image having improved image quality relative to the three-dimensional sub-images.
Across the independent claim, the core coverage is an omnidirectional three-dimensional spherically-shaped transmit array that creates an apparent point source not on the transmit surface, paired with an omnidirectional receive array and beamforming electronics that use transmission time accounting for apparent point-source distance to form three-dimensional sub-images that are then coherently combined into a three-dimensional image with improved image quality.
Stated Advantages
The coherently combined three-dimensional image has improved image quality relative to the three-dimensional sub-images.
Documented Applications
Ping-based (point-source) 2D/3D/4D ultrasound imaging using an apparent point-source transmit wavefront.
Three-dimensional imaging in probe architectures including 2D/3D multiple-aperture probes with omnidirectional receive elements and continuous curved transducer array concepts.
Intracavity ultrasound probe concepts and intravascular/intraurethral probe concepts.
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