A passive acoustic system for evaluating the in vivo performance of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy

这项研究生产了一种传感器系统，用于识别体外冲击波碎石术(ESWL)设备的最佳位置，并在治疗过程中识别结石的破碎程度。ESWL是一种治疗肾脏、输尿管、唾液管和胆结石疾病的方法。体外产生的声波冲击波被用来将结石粉碎成小尺寸，这样它们就可以更容易地通过身体或使用药物溶解。本发明的目的是允许碎石机的临床操作员使用被动传感技术更准确地确定何时应该结束治疗。它由一个被动声学压力传感器组成，可以在治疗期间放置在患者身边。随着冲击波碎石术的进行，传感器会拾取结石产生(和散射)的声学信号，以及发生在结石附近的声空化效应产生的信号。通过监测这些信号的特征，可以监测入射的碎石机电击是否对准目标，以及石块空化发生的程度。

The research has produced a sensor system for identifying the optimum positioning of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) equipment and for identifying the degree of fragmentation of the stone as the treatment proceeds. ESWL is a treatment used for patients suffering renal, ureteric, salivary duct and gall stone disease. An acoustic shockwave - generated outside the body - is used to fragment the stones to a small size so that they can more easily pass through the body or be dissolved using drugs. The intention of this invention is to allow the clinical operator of the lithotripter machine to determine more accurately when the treatment should be ended using a passive sensing technique. It consists of a passive acoustic pressure sensor that can be placed against the patient during treatment. The sensor picks up the acoustic signals generated by (and scattered from) the stone as the shockwave lithotripsy is progressed as well as signals resulting from an effect known as acoustic cavitation that occurs close to the stone. By monitoring characteristics of these signals it is possible to monitor whether the incident lithotripter shock is on-target and the degree to which stone cavitation has occurred.