EP2084702B1 - Verfahren zur erzeugung mechanischer wellen durch herstellung einer akustischen grenzflächen-strahlungskraft - Google Patents

Verfahren zur erzeugung mechanischer wellen durch herstellung einer akustischen grenzflächen-strahlungskraft Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2084702B1
EP2084702B1 EP07866491.9A EP07866491A EP2084702B1 EP 2084702 B1 EP2084702 B1 EP 2084702B1 EP 07866491 A EP07866491 A EP 07866491A EP 2084702 B1 EP2084702 B1 EP 2084702B1
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medium
waves
acoustic
interface
mechanical
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP2084702A2 (de
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Mathieu Pernot
David Savery
Jérémy BERCOFF
Claude Cohen-Bacrie
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SuperSonic Imagine SA
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SuperSonic Imagine SA
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/18—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound
    • G10K11/26—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning
    • G10K11/30—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the general field of medical imaging.
  • the invention is concerned with the generation of mechanical waves within a viscoelastic medium, such mechanical waves being capable of being imaged in order to determine the properties of the viscoelastic medium.
  • the present invention thus relates more precisely to the field of elastography.
  • This medical imaging technique makes it possible to map the mechanical properties of a viscoelastic medium and to quantify the rheology of the viscoelastic medium.
  • a mechanical stimulus is generated and causes the displacement of the tissues.
  • the measurement of the spatiotemporal response is advantageously carried out thanks to an imaging modality, for example by ultrasound or magnetic resonance, etc.
  • mechanical excitation In transient elastography, mechanical excitation consists of a short mechanical impulse or a small number of impulses created either on the surface of the body, or even inside the tissue.
  • the quality of transient elastography images crucially depends on the amplitude of the displacements that can be generated by excitatory mechanical stimulation.
  • the displacements resulting from the mechanical excitation must be large enough to be measurable with a minimum of errors, while remaining limited to avoid any harmful effect in the environment, in particular when it is a question of biological tissue.
  • transient elastography where the mechanical stress of the observed medium is created by a force of acoustic radiation.
  • This radiation force is obtained by focusing an ultrasonic beam inside the medium.
  • the focusing of the beam can here take place in a single zone of the medium or successively in a plurality of zones of the medium.
  • the focal point, on which the ultrasonic beam converges, is then moved at a speed greater than the speed of propagation of the elastic waves to generate an elastic wave of displacement of maximum amplitude of the order of 10 to 100 ⁇ m.
  • This displacement wave then propagates in the medium.
  • the measurement of wave propagation properties observed by ultrasound, MRI or another imaging method, makes it possible to determine mechanical quantities characteristic of tissues investigated. It is possible to determine, among other things, a shear modulus or a viscosity, etc.
  • the displacement generated by the acoustic radiation force is linked to the energy deposited in the tissue, and the amplitude of the mechanical wave generated is therefore limited by the maximum acoustic power that can be sent into the environment observed without altering thermally or mechanically the fabric.
  • the ultrasonic solution offers a simplicity of manipulation, a reproducibility of the way in which the stress is generated, an assurance as for the synchronization of the excitation with the imagery and an assurance as for the localization of the excitation, but suffers from a lack of power.
  • US5477736 (A ) describes an ultrasonic transducer which generates waves with a focusing inside a medium to be analyzed.
  • US5903516 (A ) discloses a generator of an acoustic radiation force using two secant waves.
  • DE4229631 (A1 ) relates to a lens comprising a variable focus.
  • the present invention relates to a method for imaging a viscoelastic medium according to claim 1 and an imaging probe according to claim 10.
  • the present disclosure proposes to overcome such drawbacks by proposing a method for generating mechanical waves within a viscoelastic medium according to claim 1 comprising a step of generating an acoustic radiation force within the viscoelastic medium by application of acoustic waves focused on an interface delimiting two zones having distinct acoustic properties.
  • the amplitudes of the induced displacements are higher than with a simple ultrasonic stress by focusing within a tissue.
  • acoustic waves are focused to the depth and towards a surface interface.
  • the interface on which the acoustic waves are focused can be a gel / skin or water / skin separation surface or even water / membrane / skin, etc.
  • the membrane can be a membrane deformable or not.
  • the interface can also be located between a solid medium and a liquid medium inside the imaged tissue, or between two media with different acoustic properties inside the tissue. This is, for example, the case with a biological medium comprising a cyst.
  • the amplitude of the displacements generated is of the order of 100 ⁇ m.
  • the step of generating an acoustic radiation force is coupled with a step of imaging the medium, the coupling being such that the propagation of the mechanical waves generated in the medium is image.
  • Wave propagation imagery can be performed in one, two or three dimensions.
  • an elastography measurement of the medium is carried out. This is the preferred application of the invention, focusing at the interface according to the invention allowing a remarkable improvement in the quality of the imaging thus carried out.
  • the acoustic waves are ultrasonic waves.
  • the ultrasonic frequencies are, in fact, adapted to the generation of a radiation force allowing the creation of shear waves within a medium.
  • shear waves are commonly used in elastography.
  • Such shear waves belong to mechanical waves as generated according to the method of the invention and it is these which are generally imaged according to the elastographic methods.
  • the interface on which the acoustic waves are focused is an interface present between two zones of distinct acoustic properties present within the viscoelastic medium.
  • the interface on which the acoustic waves are focused is an artificial membrane placed in contact with the surface of the viscoelastic medium and surrounding a so-called coupling medium placed between a device intended to apply the acoustic waves and the surface of the viscoelastic medium, the coupling medium and the viscoelastic medium defining two zones of distinct acoustic properties.
  • This characteristic is particularly advantageous in applications where the presence of an artificial medium is necessary. This is the case, in particular, in focused ultrasound therapy methods where a thin membrane surrounding a coupling medium is generally used to make contact with the biological tissue.
  • an elastographic mode is advantageously used where an imaging of the medium and of the propagation of the shear waves is carried out. In this way, the viscoelastic properties of the tissue are then evaluated and monitored during a therapeutic treatment.
  • Such monitoring is particularly relevant because it is well known that the elasticity of biological tissues changes when they are denatured after thermal cell necrosis.
  • the artificial membrane has a composition chosen to minimize the contrast of acoustic impedance while increasing the amplitude of the mechanical waves.
  • the artificial membrane has a thickness chosen to minimize the contrast of acoustic impedance while increasing the amplitude of the mechanical waves.
  • an artificial membrane for example the membrane of a water pocket
  • the technique according to the invention is therefore very advantageous for elastographic imaging of the skin, for example at the level of a melanoma or superficial lesions such as for example certain lesions of the breast.
  • the artificial membrane has a non-uniform composition and determined spatially so as to increase the amplitude of the mechanical waves in a region of interest of the viscoelastic medium.
  • the artificial membrane may have a non-uniform thickness and spatially determined so as to increase the amplitude of the mechanical waves in a region of interest of the viscoelastic medium.
  • acoustic waves focused on an interface delimiting two zones having distinct acoustic properties is carried out successively at a plurality of points of the interface, this plurality of points and the succession of the focal points being determined so increasing the amplitude of the mechanical waves in a region of interest of the viscoelastic medium.
  • the method is coupled with an ultrasonic treatment method to monitor the effect of the treatment.
  • the ultrasonic treatment method is capable of being controlled as a function of the results of the stage of imaging the medium.
  • the disclosure also relates to an imaging probe carrying the transducer according to the invention and an artificial membrane intended to be partially placed in contact with the surface of a viscoelastic medium and intended to surround a so-called coupling medium placed between a generation device. acoustic waves and a viscoelastic medium to serve as an interface during the implementation of a method according to the invention.
  • the figure 1 schematically illustrates the generation of mechanical waves in a medium 11 using a method according to the invention.
  • the method is applied using a transducer 12 applying acoustic waves focused at an interface 13.
  • the focusing of the waves is shown diagrammatically in the plane in a conventional manner by two dotted lines which are substantially hyperbolic symmetrical with respect to the center line of the transducer 12 and which approach each other at the focusing depth. According to the method of the invention, this focusing depth is precisely chosen as corresponding to the depth of the interface.
  • Focused waves are ultrasonic waves.
  • the interface 13 is produced using an artificial membrane surrounding an artificial medium 14.
  • the transfers of momentum between the media 14 and 11 allow the creation of an acoustic radiation force 15 which, pressing on the interface 13 of the medium 11, will push it and generate a mechanical wave within the medium 11 .
  • the medium is therefore mechanically stimulated by using an acoustic radiation force 15 generated at the interface 13 of two media 11 and 14 having different acoustic properties.
  • a surface radiation force 15 is generated locally on the interface 13, which causes the displacement of the medium 11 located nearby.
  • ⁇ I vs 14 1 + R - 1 - R vs 14 vs 11 , where R is the reflection coefficient (in terms of energy) of the interface 13, c 14 and c 11 are the ultrasonic celerities in the media 14 and 11, and I is the energy of the incident ultrasonic beam.
  • the volume V is then subjected to a volume force F vol due to the acoustic absorption in the medium 11, and subjected to a surface force F surf on the section A due to the contrast between the two media 14 and 11.
  • the surface force F surf is written
  • the volume radiation force created by absorption can be written as a first approximation
  • an elastic membrane for this purpose, in order to increase the speed contrast, one can for example use an elastic membrane.
  • a membrane could, for example, be made from latex, polyurethane, silicone, etc. It can be seen that the latex is particularly well suited for the manufacture of a membrane useful in the implementation of the invention.
  • the transducer 12 is capable of performing a step of ultra fast imaging of the medium 11. Depending on the transducer, the image can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. It can also be reduced to one dimension (a line of sight) if a simple stationary transducer element is used.
  • This ultra-fast ultrasonic imaging step is coupled with the step of applying ultrasonic waves focused at the membrane 13. The occurrences of these steps are then synchronized as a function of the speed of propagation of the mechanical waves created by application of ultrasonic waves.
  • Such a semi-infinite solid is a medium 11 of isotropic elastic propagation.
  • Four types of waves can then propagate: three volume waves and one surface wave.
  • the volume waves consist of a head wave, a compression wave and a shear wave.
  • the figure 2 schematically illustrates the directivity of the shear waves generated by a source zone 26, on which ultrasonic waves are focused, situated on an interface 23, placed on the surface of a medium 21.
  • the ultrasonic radiation force 25 generates shear waves according to directivity lobes 27 and 27 ′, the maxima of which are located at 35 ° from the normal at the interface 23 and which illustrate these mechanical shear waves.
  • the main lobe is located at 35 ° relative to the normal at the interface 23 when we consider a medium whose mechanical characteristics are typical of biological tissues.
  • the surface wave or Rayleigh R wave, is in reality capable of being detected in volume because it has a normal evanescent component, along the Z axis. This component extends over a depth of about one wavelength, about 1 cm in biological media.
  • the surface wave therefore has a speed almost identical to that of shear waves.
  • the figure 3 presents a first embodiment of an artificial membrane according to the invention.
  • This embodiment is particularly suitable for being combined with a method of focused ultrasound therapy.
  • a therapy method requires the presence of a coupling medium between ultrasonic transducers and a biological medium.
  • a coupling medium is generally a water bag consisting of a membrane filled with water and which can be advantageously used to implement the invention.
  • the embodiment of the invention presented on the figure 3 precisely overcomes this drawback by allowing mechanical shear waves to be generated in a biological medium 31, despite the presence of the water bag.
  • the assembly presented on the figure 3 uses an imaging probe 38 carrying ultrasonic transducers 32.
  • This imaging probe 38 is applied to a water bag, defining a coupling medium 34 surrounded by a membrane 34 '.
  • the water bag is placed on the surface of a biological medium 31, for example a breast, thus defining an interface 33.
  • the method according to the invention uses the interface effect at the level of the membrane 34 ′ to create mechanical waves, more precisely shear waves in the medium 31.
  • Such a scanning probe imaging 38 is then programmed not only to carry out the treatment but also to, punctually, trigger a measure of elasticity by carrying out a step of generating mechanical waves and, successively, in a synchronized manner, a step of imaging the medium 31.
  • the invention makes it possible to adjust the parameters of the interface as a function of the observation that one wishes to make of the medium 31.
  • the radiation force 35 generated on the interface 33 between the two media 34 and 31 depends on other parameters that can be adjusted by the experimenter.
  • the interfacial radiation force depends, in fact, on the ratio of the acoustic impedances, on the ratio of the speeds of sound in the two media or, again, on the thickness of the membrane.
  • the figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of an artificial membrane according to the invention.
  • the membrane 44 'providing the interface 43 is such that it is possible to confine and amplify the amplitude and directivity of the mechanical waves in an area of interest 66 located in a medium 41 .
  • a non-constant thickness and composition membrane is used. Spatialization of the surface sources can, in fact, be carried out using a membrane whose thickness and / or composition is non-homogeneous at the interface 43 with the medium 41.
  • FIGS. 4a and 4b thus describe a particular embodiment for a membrane 44 'surrounding a coupling medium 44, capable of focusing the mechanical waves on an area of interest 66.
  • the figure 4a is a AA cup and the figure 4b is a partial top view as seen according to section BB.
  • the area of interest 66 is located at a depth Z and the characteristics of the membrane 44 'are determined as a function of this depth Z in terms of thickness or composition.
  • the thickness of the membrane 44 ' is increased over a crown zone 49 represented on the figure 4b , so that the area of interest 66 and the crown 49 form a cone of approximately 35 °.
  • the axial displacements add up and, by propagation, are of a maximum amplitude in the zone of interest 66, placed in each of the main emission lobes of the membrane sources.
  • heterogeneities of the membrane 44 ′ can be produced according to variable geometries, not only in a crown, but also in a rectangle, etc. Instead of a continuous relief surface, spikes can also be arranged in a crown.
  • FIG 5 presents a particular embodiment of the invention where a biological interface 53 present within a biological medium 51 is used according to the method of the invention.
  • transducers 52 are used to apply ultrasonic waves focused at the interface 53, that is to say at the depth of the interface and in the direction of the latter.
  • the ultrasonic waves generate a surface radiation force 55 which induces mechanical shear waves within a biological medium 54 included in the biological medium 51.
  • the transducers 52 are then used to image the propagation of these shear waves and deduce from this observation the mechanical properties of the medium 54.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)
  • Surgical Instruments (AREA)
  • General Electrical Machinery Utilizing Piezoelectricity, Electrostriction Or Magnetostriction (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Bildgebendes Verfahren für ein viskoelastisches Medium [11], umfassend einen Schritt des Erzeugens einer Schallstrahlungskraft [15] in dem viskoelastischen Medium [11], die die Ausbreitung mechanischer Wellen in dem Medium erzeugt, und einen Schritt der ultraschnellen Bildgebung des Mediums [21], der mit dem Schritt des Erzeugens verbunden ist, wobei der Schritt des Erzeugens durch Anwenden von Ultraschallwellen, die auf eine Schnittstelle [13, 33, 53], die zwei Bereiche [11, 14] begrenzt, die verschiedene akustische Eigenschaften aufweisen, fokussiert werden, ausgeführt wird,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schritt des Erzeugens einer Schallstrahlungskraft mechanische Kompressions- und Scherwellen erzeugt,
    der Schritt der Bildgebung des Mediums [21] ein Schritt der Ultraschallbildgebung ist und
    wobei das Eintreten des Schrittes des Erzeugens der Schallstrahlungskraft [15] und das Eintreten des Schrittes der Bildgebung des Mediums [21] in Abhängigkeit von den Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeiten der mechanischen Wellen, die in dem Medium [21] erzeugt werden, je nach dem Abbilden der Ausbreitung der mechanischen Wellen [27], die in dem Medium [21] erzeugt werden, synchronisiert werden.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die die Schnittstelle [53], auf die die Schallwellen fokussiert werden, innerhalb des viskoelastischen Mediums [11] vorhanden ist.
  3. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Schnittstelle [33], auf die die Schallwellen fokussiert werden, eine künstliche Membran [34'] ist, die in Kontakt mit der Oberfläche des viskoelastischen Mediums [31] angeordnet wird, und ein Koppelmedium [34] umgibt, das zwischen der Vorrichtung [38, 32], die dazu bestimmt ist, die Schallwellen anzuwenden, und dem viskoelastischen Medium [31] angeordnet wird, wobei das Koppelmedium [34] und das viskoelastische Medium [31] die zwei Bereiche mit verschiedenen akustischen Eigenschaften definiert.
  4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die künstliche Membran [34'] eine Zusammensetzung aufweist, die ausgewählt wird, um den akustischen Impedanzkontrast zu minimieren und dabei gleichzeitig die Amplitude der mechanischen Wellen zu erhöhen.
  5. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die künstliche Membran [34'] eine Dicke aufweist, die ausgewählt wird, um den akustischen Impedanzkontrast zu minimieren und dabei gleichzeitig die Amplitude der mechanischen Wellen zu erhöhen.
  6. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 3 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die künstliche Membran [34'] eine ungleichmäßige Zusammensetzung aufweist und räumlich derart bestimmt wird, um die Amplitude der mechanischen Wellen [27] in einem Bereich von Interesse des viskoelastischen Mediums [31] zu erhöhen.
  7. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 3 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die künstliche Membran [34'] eine ungleichmäßige Dicke [49] aufweist und räumlich derart bestimmt wird, um die Amplitude der mechanischen Wellen [27] in einem Bereich von Interesse [66] des viskoelastischen Mediums [31] zu erhöhen.
  8. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Anwenden von Ultraschallwellen, die auf die Schnittstelle [13, 33, 53] fokussiert werden, nacheinander an mehreren Punkten der Schnittstelle [13,33,53] durchgeführt wird, wobei die mehreren Punkte und die Abfolge der Fokussierungen derart bestimmt werden, um die Amplitude der mechanischen Wellen [27] in einem Bereich von Interesse des viskoelastischen Mediums [31] zu erhöhen.
  9. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verfahren der Ultraschallbehandlung geeignet ist, um in Abhängigkeit von den Ergebnissen des Schrittes der Bildgebung des Mediums gesteuert zu werden.
  10. System, umfassend eine Bildgebungssonde (38), die Wandler (32) trägt, um mechanische Wellen in dem viskoelastischen Medium [31] zu erzeugen, und die programmiert ist, um das Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 3 bis 7 anzuwenden, wobei das Eintreten des Schrittes des Erzeugens von einer Schallstrahlungskraft [15] und das Eintreten des Schrittes der ultraschnellen Ultraschallbildgebung des Mediums [31] in Abhängigkeit von den Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeiten der mechanischen Wellen, die in dem Medium [31] erzeugt werden, synchronisiert werden, und eine künstliche Membran [34'] aufweist, die dazu bestimmt ist, teilweise in Kontakt mit der Oberfläche des viskoelastischen Mediums [31] angeordnet zu werden und dazu bestimmt ist, ein Koppelmedium [34] zu umgeben, das zwischen der Sonde [38] zum Erzeugen der Schallwellen und dem viskoelastischen Medium [31] angeordnet ist, um als Schnittstelle [33] zu dienen.
EP07866491.9A 2006-10-25 2007-10-25 Verfahren zur erzeugung mechanischer wellen durch herstellung einer akustischen grenzflächen-strahlungskraft Active EP2084702B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0654502A FR2907692B1 (fr) 2006-10-25 2006-10-25 Procede de generation d'ondes mecaniques par generation de force de radiation acoustique inferfaciale.
US88323307P 2007-01-03 2007-01-03
PCT/FR2007/052247 WO2008050072A2 (fr) 2006-10-25 2007-10-25 Procede de generation d'ondes mecaniques par generation de force de radiation acoustique interfaciale

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US (1) US8037766B2 (de)
EP (1) EP2084702B1 (de)
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CA (1) CA2667527C (de)
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CA3218014A1 (en) 2015-04-24 2016-10-27 Les Solutions Medicales Soundbite Inc. Connection device for mechanical waveguides
CN111449629B (zh) * 2020-04-28 2023-04-25 北京信息科技大学 一种光学相干弹性成像方法及装置

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US5903516A (en) * 1996-05-08 1999-05-11 Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research Acoustic force generator for detection, imaging and information transmission using the beat signal of multiple intersecting sonic beams

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US20080276709A1 (en) 2008-11-13
FR2907692A1 (fr) 2008-05-02
CA2667527A1 (en) 2008-05-02
CA2667527C (en) 2016-06-21
US8037766B2 (en) 2011-10-18
CN101589426B (zh) 2013-03-20
FR2907692B1 (fr) 2009-10-30
WO2008050072A3 (fr) 2008-06-19
EP2084702A2 (de) 2009-08-05
CN101589426A (zh) 2009-11-25
WO2008050072A2 (fr) 2008-05-02

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