JPS5941732B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic device for the human body, etc. using guar gum as a couplant - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic device characterized in that a guar gum gel layer is interposed as a medium when an ultrasonic oscillator is brought into contact with the skin surface of a test site of a patient. The feature of this method is that by bringing the oscillator into close and faithful contact with the affected skin surface, it is possible to obtain clear and detailed diagnostic images that are superior to conventional methods.

Ultrasound diagnostic method in the medical field is an anatomical measurement and function (motor examination) of internal tissues, organs, etc., using the reflection characteristics and acoustic characteristics of internal tissues using ultrasonic pulse reflected waves.
It is a method for examining gallstones, brain tumors, liver cirrhosis, cancer, fetuses, and other conditions. It is required that an ultrasonic oscillator, generally called a probe, be brought into contact with the surface of the patient's test area as closely as possible.

For this purpose, water, oils, and jelly-like substances have traditionally been used as couplants between the probe and the surface of the test area, but water dries too quickly due to body temperature, and oils such as olive oil In the case of jelly-like substances, there were problems with contamination during removal, difficulty with cleaning after implementation, and the clarity of diagnostic images was not sufficient. The present invention focuses on the properties of guar gum gel, which has recently been used in many industrial sectors and was introduced in weekly magazines as a strange toy, and utilizes this as a couplant for ultrasound diagnosis. As a result, it has been possible to overcome the conventional difficulty in contacting irregularities such as suture sites after surgery, and has also overcome the drawbacks of the conventional media mentioned above. I was able to solve the problem.

What is guar gum?
"Complete Book of Food Chemicals" (Food Chemicals Codex) No.
The name listed in the edition is a water-soluble natural polysaccharide isolated from the endosperm of the guar bean, an annual legume grown in India and Pakistan, and its composition is as follows. Being: Galactomatuan 78
~82% Crude protein 4-5% Crude fiber 1.5-2% Ash 0.5-0.9% Ether extract 0.5-0.75% Moisture 10-13
% Arsenic o Heavy metals 0 The powder of the above substance is dispersed in water to form a dispersion liquid having a pH of 5.4 to 6.4, and by adding a small amount of borax, it can be easily formed into a gel-like body.

This gel-like material has excellent acid, salt, and chemical resistance, is non-toxic, and is compatible with other vegetable gums, agar, gelatin, starch, etc., and is commonly known in polysaccharide chemistry. In addition to being able to lead to various derivatives, thickening and insolubilization can also be achieved quite freely by using a crosslinking agent. The guar gum gel used in the present invention includes the above-mentioned modified products and mixtures, as long as the guar gum gel does not lose its properties as a couplant.

To carry out the present invention, as shown in the attached Figure 1, guar gum gel is uniformly applied to the surface of the patient's test area to an appropriate thickness.
It is recommended to apply 1 to 20 U and press the probe on top of it to generate ultrasonic waves, but on the other hand, it is recommended to apply it to the contact surface of the probe and cover it with a thin film of synthetic resin, etc. It is also possible to make it oscillate by pressing it against it.

Furthermore, when examining the entire abdominal organ, it is also possible to provide a frame that surrounds the entire abdominal organ and pour the guar gum gel body into the frame to examine the entire abdomen. The thickness of the guar gum gel layer applied varies depending on the application area, but
A thickness range of 1 to 20 mm is usually appropriate; if this range is exceeded, the clarity of the image may deteriorate.

Also, since this product is a gel-like substance, it can be applied along the contours of the body, allowing the entire probe to be depicted, allowing for a wider area to be photographed than with conventional water or oil.

Example 1 A patient with pancreatic disease who had surgery in the abdomen was made to lie down on his back, and about 50% of guar gum gel was applied to the skin surface where the pancreas was located.
Apply to a thickness of ~10 mm.

The probe of a linear electronic scanning ultrasonic diagnostic device (model EIJB-21 manufactured by Hitachi) is pressed against this coated surface, and the switch is turned on to oscillate ultrasonic waves. When this was recorded on film as a real-time image, a clear image was obtained. When this was compared with images obtained when the same device was applied to the same patient using olive oil as a medium, clear differences were seen in terms of details. Example 2 A patient with liver disease was made to lie on his back, and approximately 5 m7 of guar gum gel was applied to the skin surface where the liver area existed! Apply to a thickness of t.

The probe of a linear electronic scanning ultrasonic diagnostic device (SAL-10A model manufactured by Toshiba) is pressed against this coated surface, and the switch is turned on to oscillate ultrasonic waves. When this was recorded on film as a real-time image, a clear image was obtained.

When this was compared with an image obtained when the same device was applied to the same patient using water as a medium, there were clear differences in detail. Example 3 A woman in the second trimester of pregnancy is placed on her back, and in order to diagnose the position and development of the fetus, the position of the placenta, etc., guar gum gel can be applied to the skin surface where these areas are located to flatten the undulations of the abdomen. Apply the coating to a thickness of 5 to 10 mm, and
0 type) probe and turn on the switch to generate ultrasonic waves.

When this was recorded on film as a real-time image, a clear image was obtained. When this was compared with an image obtained when the same device was applied to the same patient using jelly as a medium, clear differences were seen in terms of details. The results of Examples 1, 2, and 3 above, as well as Competitor's Product A using a gel body as a couplant, are shown in the table below as measured acoustic impedance values. Incidentally, the higher the acoustic impedance value, the less scattering of sound waves, which means that a clearer image can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the diagnostic method of the present invention. 1: Ultrasonic oscillator, 2: Guar gum gel body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic device for the human body, etc., characterized in that a guar gum gel body with a thickness of 1 to 20 mm is attached to an ultrasonic oscillator as a couplant.