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

该研究产生了一种传感器系统，用于识别体外冲击波碎石（ESWL）设备的最佳定位，并用于识别治疗过程中结石的破碎程度。体外冲击波碎石术是一种治疗肾结石、输尿管结石、唾液管结石和胆结石的方法。在体外产生的声冲击波用于将结石破碎到小尺寸，以便它们可以更容易地穿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者使用无源感测技术更准确地确定何时应当结束治疗。它由一个被动声压传感器组成，可以在治疗过程中紧贴患者放置。传感器拾取在冲击波碎石术进行时由结石产生（和从结石散射）的声信号以及由在结石附近发生的称为声空化的效应产生的信号。通过监测这些信号的特性，可以监测入射碎石机冲击是否在目标上以及结石空化发生的程度。

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.