WO2004062460A2

WO2004062460A2 - Ultrasound coupling pad

Info

Publication number: WO2004062460A2
Application number: PCT/GB2004/000102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heather Elizabeth Moores
Original assignee: Heather Elizabeth Moores
Priority date: 2003-01-14
Filing date: 2004-01-13
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Also published as: GB0300742D0; WO2004062460A3

Abstract

An ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel material.

Description

Ultrasound Coupling Pad

This invention relates to an ultrasound coupling pad for use in particular, but not exclusively, with ultrasound scans.

In medical ultrasound scanning a transducer head is placed in contact with the patient's skin, and ultrasonic sound waves are emitted. The returning signal is received and an image of the inside of the patient can be produced.

It is necessary to ensure that the transducer head is in complete contact with the skin, and that there are no air pockets. The presence of air pockets eliminates the signal, and no image can be received. Therefore, it is common to use a coupling gel, which is spread over the patient's skin.

However, the gels currently used suffer from a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the gel must be spread over the area of the patient's skin to be scanned. The gel is unpleasant to the touch and can be sticky, which makes the procedure unpleasant for the patient. Further, once the scan is complete, the gel must be removed, which can take some time, is also unpleasant and consumes a large quantity of paper towels.

The gels are also inefficient. It is known to encounter air pockets in the gel, which then requires further spreading, usually with the transducer head, in order to get a good signal. In addition, the image created from the ultrasonic signals can be weak when transmitted through the gels, and certain parts of the anatomy are not readily scannable, for example the pancreas.

Finally, the gels can cause allergic skin reactions, in particular eczema. It has been found that those who come into regular contact with the commonly used gels, in particular ultrasound practitioners, can suffer these reactions. The present invention is intended to overcome some of these problems.

Therefore, according to the present invention an ultrasound coupling device comprises a pad of solid gel material.

Preferably, the pad can be constructed from the same material as a defibrillation pad. These pads are commonly known, and are used to transmit electrical pulses into a patient in order to resuscitate them. Any defibrillation pad can be used with the present invention, but in one construction the coupling pad is constructed from the same material as the 3M ™ Defib-Pad model 2346N, which is constructed in the USA by 3M Health Care, St. Paul, MN.

The pad may be placed on the skin of the patient, and can be used with known transducer heads.

In a preferred embodiment the pads are provided in a number of sizes for different scans. The pads are preferably substantially 24cm by 24cm or substantially 40cm by 40cm for non obstetric scans, and substantially 60cm by 60cm for obstetric scans.

Preferably the pads can be used to scan and/or to provide treatment to humans or animals. However, the pads can also be used when ultrasound is employed to scan inanimate materials, for example it can be used inter alia when checking the internal structures of engineering materials, or during archaeological examination.

The invention can be performed in various ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a cross sectional side view of a coupling material according to the present invention. ln Figure 1 an ultrasound coupling device comprises a pad of solid gel material 1. The pad 1 is constructed from the same material as the 3M Defib-Pad model 2346N. The pad 1 is 24cm by 24cm in size.

In use, as shown in Figure 1, the pad 1 is placed flat onto a human patient's skin 2. The ultrasonic transducer head 3 (which is shown in cross section, but no internal workings are shown as they are well known) is then placed into direct contact with the upper facing surface of the pad 1, and the scan begins. The head 3 is moved back and forth around the pad, as shown by arrows A, in order to gain the required ultrasound image fύr diagnosis.

The structure of the pad 2 ensures that an air-tight bridge exists between the head 3 and the skin 2. It has been found that with this arrangement superior ultrasound scans can be made.

In a comparison test a complete scan was made of a human body, first with the pad, then with conventional gels.

Both scans demonstrated good through transmission and return transmission qualities, which produced good diagnostic quality images.

However, the images produced when the pad was used also demonstrated excellent near field image quality, and there was little or no near field reverberation as experienced with the conventional gel. Anatomical outlines were clearly demonstrated, especially with organs which are traditionally difficult to visualise such as the pancreas. Vascular images appeared clearer and Doppler colour flow also demonstrated a vast improvement on vessel wall definition, which can be important in the detection of pathology.

Ultrasound is also used as a treatment, in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted to an area of the body in order to assist healing. It will be appreciated that the pad described above can be used with this procedure, or any other procedures in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted into a human or animal patient.

In addition, as described above, the pad could be used when scanning inanimate materials, for example when checking the internal structures of engineering materials, or during archaeological examination.

Thus a ultrasound coupling pad is provided which significantly increases the diagnostic potential of an ultrasound scan. In addition, as no gels are used, the patient does not have to be covered in unpleasant gel, and be cleaned up afterwards. Further, those practitioners who suffer from an allergic reaction to the conventional gel will no longer be exposed to it.

Claims

1. An ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel mateπal.

2. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 1 in which the pad comprises a flexible layer of sold gel material which is placed on the skin of a human or animal patient, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use.

3. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 2 in which the pad is square in shape and has sides of between 24cm and 60cm in length.

4. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 3 in which the pad has sides 24cm in length.

5. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 3 in which the pad has sides of 40cm in length.

6. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 3 in which the pad has sides of 60cm in length.

7. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the pad is constructed from a material with substantially the same physical properties and surface texture as a defibrillation pad.

8. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 7 in which the pad comprises a 3M ™ Defib-Pad model 2346N.

9. An ultrasound coupling device as claimed in Claim 1 in which the pad is placed on the surface of an inanimate object, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use.

10. An ultrasound coupling device substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

11. An ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel material, in which the pad comprises a flexible layer of material which is placed on the skin of a human or animal patient, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use, for use in a method including the following steps:

1) Laying the pad flat onto the patient's skin,

2) Placing an ultrasound transducer head against the pad,

3) Moving the ultrasound transducer head across the surface of the pad to acquire an ultrasound image of the patient.

12. An ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel material, in which pad is placed on the surface of an inanimate object, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use, for use in a method including the following steps:

1) Laying the solid gel pad flat onto the surface of the inanimate object,

2) Placing an ultrasound transducer head against the pad,

3) Moving the ultrasound transducer head across the surface of the pad to acquire an ultrasound image of the inanimate object.

13. An ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel material, in which the pad comprises a flexible layer of material which is placed on the skin of a human or animal patient, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use, for use in a method including the following steps:

1) Laying the pad flat onto a patient's skin,

2) Placing an ultrasound transducer head against the pad,

3) Moving the ultrasound transducer head across the surface of the pad to provide an ultrasound treatment to the patient.

14. The use of a defibrillation pad for the manufacture of an ultrasound coupling device comprising a pad of solid gel material, in which the pad comprises a flexible layer of material which is placed on the skin of a human or animal patient, in use, and across which an ultrasound transducer head is moved, in use, for use in a diagnostic or a medical treatment ultrasound process.