Miniature ultrasound probes for diagnostic imaging in the esophagus

临床环境中常规使用的超声技术采用标准配置的设备，用于广泛的应用。虽然这对于使用体外探头的常规成像是足够的，但是仍然存在许多当前标准配置和图像分辨率不令人满意的临床设置，例如，对食管壁进行成像以用于诊断和引导介入。该研究项目解决了工程和科学方面的挑战，在创建微超声探头和实施组织弹性成像技术（高分辨率）成像的食管。微超声成像，使用高频换能器阵列，提供更好的分辨率，因为较短的波长，但在增加衰减和降低图像深度的成本。这种权衡可以通过将微型超声探头放置在感兴趣的部位来克服，在这种情况下，是一种经过6 mm内窥镜端口安装并定位以成像食管壁的螺旋换能器阵列。微型微型超声探头成为可能，因为设备尺寸与波长成比例，但微尺度尺寸引入了制造挑战。常规成像频率下的超声弹性成像现在常规用于检测组织中的病变。为了使高分辨率弹性成像具有令人满意的信噪比，必须克服用于测量组织硬度的压缩脉冲的增加的衰减。我们的假设是，这些挑战可以克服使用高性能压电晶体复合材料，以增加输出功率从微型高频阵列，结合先进的电气互连技术，最大限度地减少所占用的体积互连和电缆在探头。 本研究计划的具体目标是：1。为了创建集成到内窥镜探头中的微型、微型超声换能器阵列2.为了实现高分辨率超声弹性成像技术测量组织硬度与微型超声探头的长期目标的研究是开发一个平台技术的微型超声探头和组织表征技术的制造，在生物医学成像的许多应用的潜力。

Ultrasound technologies used routinely in clinical contexts employ standard configurations of devices for a broad range of applications. While this is sufficient for conventional imaging using extracorporeal probes, there are remain many clinical settings for which the current standard configurations and image resolution are unsatisfactory, for example, imaging the esophageal wall for diagnosis and guiding intervention. This research programme addresses the engineering and scientific challenges in creating miniaturised probes and implementing tissue elastography techniques for micro-ultrasound (high resolution) imaging of the esophagus.Micro-ultrasound imaging, using high frequency transducer arrays, affords better resolution because of the shorter wavelength, but at the cost of increased attenuation and decreased image depth. This trade-off can be overcome by placing a micro-ultrasound probe at the site of interest, in this case, a miniaturised transducer array that fits through a 6-mm endoscope port and positioned to image the wall of the esophagus. Miniature micro-ultrasound probes become possible because device dimensions scale with the wavelength, but the micro-scale dimensions introduce fabrication challenges. Ultrasound elastography at conventional imaging frequencies is now routinely used for detecting lesions in tissue. In order for high resolution elastography to have satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio, the increased attenuation of the compressing pulses used to measuring tissue stiffness must be overcome. Our hypothesis is that these challenges can be overcome using high performance piezocrystal composites to increase output power from miniature high frequency arrays, combined with advanced electrical interconnect technique that minimise the volume occupied by the interconnects and cabling in a probe. The specific aims of this research programme are: 1. To create miniature, micro-ultrasound transducer arrays integrated into endoscopic probes 2. To implement high resolution ultrasound elastography techniques for measuring tissue stiffness with the micro-ultrasound probesThe long term goal of the research is to develop a platform technology for fabrication of miniature ultrasound probes and tissue characterisation techniques, with potential for adoption across many applications in biomedical imaging.