Patent Publication Number: US-2016235389-A1

Title: Us imaging apparatus with an antibacterial and/or an antimicrobial embedded in or on a surface thereof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following generally relates to ultrasound imaging and more particularly to an ultrasound imaging apparatus with an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial embedded in and/or on a surface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Ultrasound imaging provides useful information about the interior characteristics of an object or subject such as a human or animal patient. Generally, an ultrasound imaging device includes at least a transducer array configured to emit ultrasound signals and receive echo signals. The transducer array is behind an acoustic window, which is placed in contact with a patient (e.g., directly or indirectly through an acoustic gel or the like) for an ultrasound procedure. 
     Where the patient has a contaminate such as pathogenic bacteria, a microbe, a fungi, etc., the ultrasound imaging device can become contaminated with the pathogenic bacteria, a microbe, a fungi, etc. Ultrasound imaging device are not single use devices. As such, the same ultrasound imaging device may be used with a plurality of different patients over the course of a day. As a consequence, the ultrasound imaging device can be a source of cross contamination between patients. 
     An approach to mitigating cross contamination between patients has been to clean the ultrasound imaging device between patients. For example, one approach is to manually clean at least a portion of the ultrasound imaging device that comes into contact with patients with a fabric or wipe that includes a cleaner, a disinfectant, etc. However, ultrasound imaging devices have lines, recesses, groves, pockets, etc. in which a contaminate can enter, and fabrics and wipes are not well-suited for removing contaminates from such areas. 
     Unfortunately, a pathogenic bacteria, a microbe, a fungi, etc. in such areas and/or elsewhere on a manually “cleaned” ultrasound imaging device can be a source of cross contamination between patients. In view of at least the above, there is an unresolved need for another(s) approach for mitigating cross contamination between patients. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the application address the above matters, and others. 
     In one aspect, an ultrasound imaging apparatus includes a housing. The housing includes a plurality of sides. The plurality of sides includes a material with at least one of an antibacterial or an antimicrobial agent thereon. The housing further includes an acoustic window of one of the sides. The housing further includes a transducer array of transducing elements disposed within the sides and adjacent to the acoustic window. 
     In another aspect, an ultrasound imaging apparatus includes a probe with a surface with an antibacterial or an antimicrobial integrated therein, the probe enclosing a transducer array and including a first communications interface, wherein the surface of the probe includes at least one recess. The ultrasound imaging apparatus further includes a console, including: transmit circuitry configured to transmit control signals to the transducer elements, receive circuitry configured to receive echo signals to the transducer elements, a beamformer that processes the receive echo signals and produces ultrasound images, and a complementary communications interface. 
     In another aspect, a single enclosure hand held ultrasound imaging apparatus includes a housing with a surface having an antibacterial or an antimicrobial coating therein, the housing enclosing a transducer array, transmit circuitry, receive circuitry, a beamformer, a control and a display. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize still other aspects of the present application upon reading and understanding the attached description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The application is illustrated by way of example and not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an example ultrasound imaging apparatus with a transducer enclosed in a housing with an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial embedded in and/or on a surface thereof; 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an example in which the housing is part of a probe that houses the transducer array and that connects to a separate console; 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an example the probe; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  schematically illustrate an example in which the ultrasound imaging apparatus is a single elongate hand held scanner; and 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates an example method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Initially referring to  FIG. 1 , an example ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  is illustrated. 
     As described in greater detail below, the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial material applied as an additive to a material of a housing and/or as a coating to a surfaces of the housing and/or other components of the apparatus  100 . The antibacterial and/or antimicrobial material may facilitate mitigating cross contamination between patients by the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100 . 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  includes a transducer array  102  with a one or two dimensional array of transducer elements  104 . The transducer elements  104  are configured to transmit ultrasound signals and receive echo signals. Examples of suitable arrays include square, circular, irregular and/or rectangular arrays, linear, curved, etc., fully populated or sparse, etc. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes transmit circuitry  106  that generates a set of pulses that are conveyed to the transducer elements  104 . The set of pulses actuates a corresponding set of the transducer elements  104 , causing the transducer elements  104  to transmit ultrasound signals, e.g., into an examination or scan field of view. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes receive circuitry  108  that receives echoes generated in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals from the transducer elements  104 . The echoes, generally, are a result of the interaction between the emitted ultrasound signals and the structure (e.g., tissue cells, flowing blood cells, etc.) in the scan field of view. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes a controller  110  that controls one or more of the transmit circuitry  106  or receive circuitry  108 . Such control can include identifying and/or controlling at least one ultrasound imaging function such as selecting an imaging mode of operation (e.g., A-mode, B-mode, etc.), initiating scanning, etc. Such control can be based on an input indicative of a user selection. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes a user interface (UI)  112 . The UI  112  includes one or more input devices (e.g., a button, a knob, a slider, a touch pad, etc.) and/or one or more output devices (e.g., a display screen, lights, a speaker, etc.). The user interface  112  can be used by a user to select an imaging mode of operation, initiate scanning, etc. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes beamformer  114  that processes the echoes, e.g., by applying time delays and weights to output signals of the channels and summing the time delayed and weighted signals, and/or otherwise beamforming received echoes. For B-mode, in one instance, the beamformer  114  generates a sequence of focused, coherent echo samples along focused scanlines of a scanplane. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes scan converter  116  that converts the output of the beamformer  114  (e.g., the sequence of focused, coherent echo samples along focused scanlines of a scanplane) to generate data for display, for example, by converting the data to the coordinate system of the display. The scan converter  116  can be configured to employ analog and/or digital scan converting techniques. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  further includes a rendering engine  118  that visually presents the converted data via a display monitor  120 . Such presentation can be in an interactive graphical user interface (GUI), which allows the user to selectively rotate, scale, and/or manipulate the displayed data. Such interaction can be through a mouse or the like, and/or a keyboard or the like, touch-screen controls and/or the like, and/or other known and/or approach for interacting with the GUI. 
     The beamformer  114 , the scan converter  116  and/or other component of the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  can be implemented via a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, central processing unit, etc.) executing one or more computer readable instructions encoded or embedded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium such as physical memory. The processor can execute a computer readable instructions carried by a carrier wave, a signal, or other transitory medium. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example configuration  200  of the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  in which the transducer array  102  and the transducing elements  104  are housed in a probe  202  and the remaining components are located external to the probe  202 . In this example, a console  204  houses the transmit and receive circuitry  106  and  108 , the controller  110 , at least a portion of the UI  112 , the beamformer  114 , the scan converter  116  and the rendering engine  118 . 
     The console  204  and the display  120  are affixed to a mobile cart  206 , which include movers  208  such as wheels, casters, etc. In another configuration, the cart  206  does not include movers, but instead is configured to rest on a table, desk, etc., attach to a wall, a support device, etc. The probe  202  electrically communicates with the console  204  through complementary interfaces via at least one of a cable  210  (as shown in the illustrated example), wireless technology, etc. For a cable, the complementary interfaces include complementary mechanical components. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example configuration of the probe  202  and a sub-portion of the cable  210 . The probe  202  includes a single enclosure elongate housing  302 . The housing  302  has a long axis  304  and a short axis  306 , which is transverse to the long axis  304 . The housing  302  includes a first end region  308  at one end of the longitudinal axis  304  and a second end region  310  (which opposes the first end region  308 ) at the opposing end of the longitudinal axis  304 . 
     The housing  302  includes a plurality of sides, which are referred to herein as a front  312 , a back  314 , a top  316 , a bottom  318 , a left  320 , and a right  322  for distinguishing the sides from each other, but can be referred to otherwise. The front and back sides  312  and  314  oppose each other; the top and bottom sides  316  and  318  oppose each other, and the left and right sides  320  and  322  oppose each other. The left, right, top and bottom sides  320 ,  322 ,  316  and  318  extend between the top and bottom sides  316  and  318 , forming volumetric cavity there within, which supports and/or encloses at least the transducer array  102  and other electrical and/or mechanical components. 
     The housing  302  further includes an acoustic window  324  disposed at the front side  312 . In one instance, the acoustic window  324  is integrated, e.g., in a cut out or recess, and is part of the front side  312  and/or the housing  302 . The transducer array  102  is behind the acoustic window  324 , with a transducing surface of the transducer array  102  facing the acoustic window  324 . The transducing surface emits and/or receives ultrasound through the acoustic window  324 . A control button  326  is configured to control at least an ultrasound imaging function. The control  326  is likewise integrated in the housing  302 . In a variation, the control  326  is omitted. 
     The ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  includes regions that can receive a contaminate. For example, a contaminate may enter a region  328  between a support  330  and a head  332 , a region  334  between the control button  326  and the top side  316 , a recessed region  336  of the top side  316  in which the control  326  resides, a region  338  which defines in recess in the left side  320  (or a corresponding recess in the right side  322 ), a region  340  between the head  332  and a body  342 , a region  344  that includes a recess in the side  320 , and/or other region. In general, these regions include split lines, small details, etc. where traditional wiping with a fabric or cloth with a cleaner is difficult or not possible. 
     The illustrated housing  302  further includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent or substance at least on components that face the patient and/or the user. This includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial substance in connection with the acoustic window  324 , the sides  312 - 322 , and/or the cable  210 . An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. For example, an antimicrobial agent includes disinfectants that kill microbes on non-living surfaces to prevent the spread of illness. An antibacterial is a type of antimicrobial that may kill, inhibit, slow down, stall, etc. the growth of pathogenic bacteria, microbes and/or fungi. 
     The housing  302 , in one instance, includes a polymer with the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent at least in and/or on components that face the patient and/or the user. In one instance, the polymer is infused with nano-particles of an element(s) with biocompatible antibacterial and/or antimicrobial properties. For example, a resin with an embedded antibacterial and/or antimicrobial additive can be added to the polymer. A suitable resin is a commercially available resin. Examples of such resins include Xenoy™ LNP67001XXH AM, LEXAN™ EXL LNP D7001 XH AM, and LTL ColorRX PC-1000RX. One such resin includes silver (Ag), silver-titanium oxide (Ag—TiO), copper (Cu), etc. based nanoparticles as the active additive. 
     In another instance, the polymer (e.g., the sides  312 - 322  of the housing  302 ) is coated (e.g., a conformal coating) with the nano-particles of an element(s) with biocompatible antibacterial and/or antimicrobial properties. The antibacterial layer/coating can be applied through painting, dipping, spraying, physical vapor deposition, vacuum arc deposition, sputtering, etc. The active substance of the layer/coating can include Ag, Ag—TiO, Cu, etc. based nanoparticles as the active additive. In general, any biocompatible agent with antibacterial and/or antimicrobial properties can be used. 
     In one instance, the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial of the housing  202  facilities killing and/or inhibiting the growth of contaminates on the housing  302 . This includes contaminates in the regions  328 ,  334 ,  336 ,  338 ,  340 ,  344  and/or other regions in which a contaminate may enter and not be removed with fabric or wipe that includes a cleaner, a disinfectant, etc. As such, the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial of the housing  302  may facilitate mitigating cross contamination between patients, where the probe  302  is used with two patients where the first patient is contaminated with a pathogenic bacteria, microbes and/or fungi. A fabric, wipe, etc. may be used in conjunction with the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial. 
     The probe  202 , in between patients, may optionally be placed in an ultraviolet light box that includes a source of ultraviolet light and a support. The source is disposed in the box such that an emitter of the ultraviolet light emits the ultraviolet light towards the support, and the support is configured to support the probe  202  so that at least a predetermined region of interest of the probe  202  (e.g., at least the window  324 , etc.) is exposed to the ultraviolet light. The exposure to the ultraviolet light enhances the antimicrobial effect of any silver on the surfaces  212 - 230  of the housing  302 . In general, silver has a relative low redox potential, being easily reduce to metal particles in the present of the ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light box can be portable and brought to each patient along with the probe  202  or fixed at a location. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the cable  210  is fixedly attached to the housing  302 . In a variation, the housing  302  and the cable  210  include complementary connectors configured to mechanically and electrically engage and create an electrical path there between. In either instance, the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial can also be embedded in a material of the cable  210 , e.g., as a resin additive, an applied layer, etc., similar to the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial on the housing  302 . The other end of the cable likewise includes a connector complementary to a connector of the console  204 . 
     Additionally or alternatively, the display  120 , the console  204  (including, e.g., the keyboard, touch pad, keypad, trackball, etc.), the mobile cart  206 , and/or other components of the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  can similarly include an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent or substance at least on a component that contacts the patient and/or the user. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a variation in which the ultrasound imaging apparatus  100  is a single enclosure elongate hand held ultrasound imaging scanner  400 . 
     In this example, the transducer array  102 , the transmit and receive circuitry  106  and  108 , the controller,  110 , the UI  112 , the beamformer  114 , the scan converter  116 , the rendering engine  118  and the display  120  are included, supported and/or integrated with a housing  402 . The housing  402  has a long axis  404  and a short axis  406 , which is transverse to the long axis  404 . The housing  402  includes a first end region  408  at one end of the longitudinal axis  404  and a second end region  410  (which opposes the first end region  408 ) at the opposing end of the longitudinal axis  404 . 
     The housing  402  includes a plurality of sides, which are referred to herein as a front  412 , a back  414 , a top  416 , a bottom  418 , a left  420 , and a right  422  for distinguishing the sides from each other, but can be referred to otherwise. The front and back sides  412  and  414  oppose each other; the top and bottom sides  416  and  418  oppose each other, and the left and right sides  420  and  422  oppose each other. The left and right sides  420  and  422  respectively extend between the top and bottom sides  416  and  418 , and the left, right, top and bottom sides  420 ,  422 ,  416  and  418  are between front and back sides  412  and  414 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view showing the back, right and bottom sides  414 ,  422  and  418 . The back  414  includes a display screen  424  configured to visually present ultrasound imaging and/or other data. The display screen  424  is integrated in the back  414 , e.g., in a cut out or recess therein, and is part of the back  414  and/or the single housing  402 . A control  426  is configured to control at least an ultrasound imaging function of the ultrasound imaging scanner  400 . The control  426  is integrated in the back  414 , e.g., in a cut out or recess therein, and is part of the back  414  and/or the housing  402 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view showing the front, the top and the left sides  412 ,  416  and  420 . The front  412  includes an acoustic window  428 , which is integrated in the front  412 , e.g., in yet another cut out or recess, and is part of the front  412  and/or the housing  402 . In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the second end region  408  represents a handle portion of the ultrasound imaging scanner  400 . An example of a hand held is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,776, entitled “Intuitive Ultrasonic Imaging System and Related Method Thereof,” and filed on Mar. 6, 2003, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     Similar to the housing  302 , the housing  402  includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial substance at least on components that face the patient and/or the user. This includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial substance in connection with the acoustic window  428 , the sides  412 - 422 . Also similar to the housing  302 , the housing  402  may include a polymer with an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial substance at least on components that face the patient and/or the user. Likewise, the polymer can be is infused or coated with nano-particles of an element(s) with biocompatible antibacterial and/or antimicrobial properties such as Ag, Ag—TiO, (Cu), etc. 
     The ultrasound imaging scanner  400  includes regions that can receive a contaminate. For example, a contaminate may enter a region  440  between the display  424  and the back side  414 , a region  442  between the control  426  and the back side  414 , a region  444  between the window  428  and the front side  416 , at a region  446  of the front side  416 . Similarly, the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial of the housing  402  facilities removal of contaminates from the housing  402  and thus facilitates mitigating cross contamination between patients and can be used with other cleaners, disinfectants, etc. Furthermore, the ultrasound imaging scanner  400  can be placed in the ultraviolet light box and exposed to ultraviolet light. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method. 
     It is to be appreciated that the order of the following acts is provided for explanatory purposes and is not limiting. As such, one or more of the following acts may occur in a different order. Furthermore, one or more of the following acts may be omitted and/or one or more additional acts may be added. 
     At  602 , an ultrasound imaging apparatus with a transducer array enclosed in a housing, which includes and/or is coated with a material that includes an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent, is obtained. 
     At  604 , the ultrasound imaging apparatus is employed to scan a first object with a pathogenic bacteria, microbes, fungi, etc. As discussed herein, the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial kills and/or inhibits the pathogenic bacteria, microbes, fungi, etc. 
     At  606 , after scanning the object, the ultrasound imaging apparatus is exposed to ultraviolet light. As discussed herein, this may enhance the effect of the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial kills on the pathogenic bacteria, microbes, fungi, etc. In a variation, this act is omitted. 
     At  608 , the ultrasound imaging apparatus is employed to scan a second different object. As discussed herein, by killing and/or inhibiting the pathogenic bacteria, microbes, fungi, etc., the antibacterial and/or antimicrobial facilitates mitigating cross contamination between the first and second objects. 
     The application has been described with reference to various embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading the application. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, including insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.