JP5283343B2 - Ultrasound endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope optical image observation means provided at the distal end portion of the distal end hard portion of the insertion portion, and an ultrasonic probe arranged on the outer peripheral side at a position on the bending portion side from the arrangement portion of the solid-state imaging element. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope provided with the above.

  The ultrasonic endoscope has a configuration in which an endoscope optical image observation means and an ultrasonic probe are attached to a distal end hard portion of an insertion portion into a body cavity or the like. A so-called electronic scanning type in which ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a predetermined direction and these ultrasonic transducers are sequentially driven has been widely used. An observation field of view in the endoscope optical image observation means is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 in which the front of the distal end hard portion of the insertion portion is the field of view and the ultrasonic scanning surface by the ultrasonic probe is in a ring shape. ing.

Here, in Patent Document 1, the wiring for transmitting a signal input to and output from the ultrasonic probe is not connected directly from each ultrasonic transducer of the ultrasonic probe but connected via a flexible substrate. Like to do. And in order to disperse the stress which acts on this flexible substrate, a pair of hook-like reinforcement members which sandwich the flexible substrate in the radial direction of the curved portion are provided.
JP 2003-325527 A

  As shown in Patent Document 1, the solid-state imaging device is disposed in the vicinity of the distal end surface of the distal end hard portion, and the ultrasonic probe is formed in an intermediate portion of the distal end portion main body. The solid-state imaging device is positioned at or near the distal end surface portion of the distal end hard portion in order to form an image of light from the objective optical system disposed inside the observation window provided on the distal end surface of the distal end hard portion. . Therefore, the positional relationship between the solid-state imaging device and the ultrasonic probe is such that the solid-state imaging device is located at the tip side or overlapping portion with respect to the ultrasonic probe in the axial direction of the insertion portion.

  The solid-state imaging device is connected to a cable (imaging device-side cable: CCD signal cable in Patent Document 1) for connecting to a processor device provided on the base end side, and one end of the imaging device-side cable is connected to the solid-state imaging device. The other end is a connector (video signal connector portion and light guide connector portion) for connecting to the processor device. On the other hand, the ultrasonic probe is also provided with a cable (ultrasonic side cable) for connecting to an ultrasonic image processing apparatus for processing an ultrasonic image provided on the proximal end side. Instead of connecting, as described above, a flexible board is provided between the ultrasonic transducer and the cable, and the cable and the flexible board serve as an ultrasonic signal transmission path. Image signals are exchanged.

  From the positional relationship between the ultrasonic probe and the solid-state imaging device, the imaging device-side cable and the solid-state imaging device overlap with the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic-side cable in the axial direction. Since the signal of the ultrasonic image is weaker than the signal of the endoscope optical image, the signals of the solid-state image sensor and the image sensor side cable are regarded as noise in the ultrasonic probe or the ultrasonic side when there is such a positional relationship. There is a possibility of being taken into the cable. In particular, in recent years, since the number of pixels of the solid-state image sensor is increasing, the frequency of the drive control signal (CCD signal transfer clock) for driving the solid-state image sensor is extremely high. For this reason, there is a possibility that the image quality of the ultrasonic image is significantly deteriorated due to noise caused by the drive control signal.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the influence of noise on an ultrasonic image due to a signal of an endoscope optical image.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention is provided in connection with a main body operation unit, and has an insertion part composed of a soft part, a bending part, and a distal end hard part. An endoscope optical image observing means having a solid-state image sensor is disposed on the distal end hard portion constituting the distal end hard portion, and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in an arc shape or on the outer circumference on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end hard portion. An ultrasonic endoscope in which ultrasonic transmission / reception units arranged in a shape are arranged, and in order to transmit a signal of the solid-state imaging device , a signal line connected to a substrate of the solid-state imaging device is connected to a base of the insertion unit. and the image sensor signal transmission path extending toward the end side, are connected to the respective ultrasonic transducers, in order to transmit ultrasonic signals from the ultrasonic transducers, electrodes of the ultrasonic vibrator A flexible board with a wiring pattern connected to the Comprising a plurality of signal lines extending toward the insertion portion proximal end side is connected to the wiring pattern of the flexible substrate, and an ultrasonic signal transmission path which is shielded by bundling the plurality of signal lines, the ultrasonic The signal transmission path is not shielded from the distal end side including each of the ultrasonic transducers and the flexible substrate to a predetermined position, and is bundled and shielded from the predetermined position. In order to prevent or suppress the signal transmitted to the path from being taken in as noise into the ultrasonic transducer and the ultrasonic signal transmission path, the ultrasonic transducer is disposed and the unshielded ultrasonic wave A portion where the signal transmission path and the imaging element signal transmission path overlap is covered with an imaging element side shield member.

  As described above, the noise from the image sensor signal transmission path is acquired as noise by the ultrasonic transducer and the ultrasonic signal transmission path by providing the image sensor side shield member, and the ultrasonic image It is possible to prevent or suppress the deterioration of the image quality and acquire a high-quality ultrasonic image.

  Here, in the ultrasonic signal transmission path, a flexible substrate is connected to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers constituting the ultrasonic probe, and each ultrasonic transducer is connected to a cable via the flexible substrate. Yes. Therefore, unlike the shielded cable, the ultrasonic transducer and the flexible substrate are easily affected by noise caused by a signal transmitted to the image sensor signal transmission path. Therefore, a shield member is provided in at least a portion of the imaging element signal transmission path that overlaps the ultrasonic signal transmission path.

  The imaging element side shield member is disposed at a position where the ultrasonic transducer including the wiring pattern that is not substantially shielded and the flexible substrate are located. Therefore, it is desirable to provide this image sensor side shield member so as to cover not only the image sensor signal transmission path but also the solid-state image sensor. In addition, the imaging element side shield member is not disposed only in a portion where the ultrasonic signal transmission path including the ultrasonic transducer and the flexible substrate and the imaging element signal transmission path overlap, and the imaging is slightly extended from the boundary portion. It is preferable to provide an element side shield member. The shield member is connected to a ground wire, and this ground wire is routed to the main body operation portion side alone or together with the shield portion of another mechanism. As a specific example of the image sensor side shield member, a metal pipe, a wound metal tape, a metal mesh, or a metallic paint can be used.

  In the ultrasonic endoscope, an imaging element side shield member is provided in a portion where the ultrasonic transducer and the ultrasonic signal transmission path overlap with the solid-state imaging element and the imaging element signal transmission path in the axial direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent or suppress a solid-state image sensor, a drive signal in the image sensor signal transmission path, and the like from being taken in as noise with respect to the ultrasonic signal, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the image quality of the ultrasonic image.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic endoscope is roughly composed of a main body operation unit 1, an insertion unit 2, and a universal cord 3. The ultrasonic endoscope includes a light source device, an endoscope optical image signal processing device (a processing device such as a processor device that processes an image signal from a solid-state image sensor), and an ultrasonic image processing device (ultrasonic endoscope). And a processing apparatus for processing a sonic image) are connected to form an overall system. The universal cord 3 is pulled out from the main body operation unit 1 and branches in the middle, and is connected to the light source device so as to be detachable, and the connection connector 3b is detachably connected to the endoscope optical image signal processing device. And a connector 3c detachably connected to the ultrasonic image processing apparatus.

  The main body operation unit 1 can be held by an operator or the like with one hand, is provided with a bending operation means 4 and a treatment instrument introduction unit 5 and is equipped with operation buttons such as an air / water supply button 6 and a suction button 7. In addition, various switches 8 are also provided.

  The insertion portion 2 is a cord-like member having a predetermined length provided connected to the main body operation portion 1 and is inserted into the body of the subject. The insertion portion 2 is a flexible portion 2a that bends in an arbitrary direction along the insertion path in the body cavity or the like from the connecting portion to the main body operation portion 1, and is curved at the tip of the flexible portion 2a. The part 2b is connected, and the distal end hard part 2c is connected to the curved part 2b. The bending portion 2b can be bent up and down and left and right by remote control in order to point the distal end hard portion 2c in a desired direction. For this purpose, the main body operation unit 1 is provided with a bending operation means 4 and is controlled so that the bending portion 2b is bent by an operator's operation and the distal end hard portion 2c is directed in a desired direction.

  FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2. Endoscopic optical image observation means 11 faces the distal end surface of the distal end hard portion 2 c, and the endoscope optical image observation means 11 has an objective lens 12, a prism 13, and a solid-state image sensor 14. The subject image taken in from the objective lens 12 is imaged on the solid-state image sensor 14 with the optical path bent at a right angle by the prism 13. The solid-state image sensor 14 is mounted on a substrate 15, and a circuit pattern that is electrically connected to the solid-state image sensor 14 is formed on the substrate 15. A plurality of image sensor signal lines 16 are connected to the electrodes of this circuit pattern. The image sensor signal line 16 is composed of a wiring covered with an insulating tube. Since the circuit pattern of the substrate 15 also transmits the signal of the endoscope optical image, the circuit pattern of the substrate 15 and the image sensor signal line 16 become an image sensor signal transmission path. The plurality of image sensor signal lines 16 are extended toward the bending portion 2b, inserted into the universal cord 3 from the main body operation portion 1, and finally connected to the connection connector 3b.

  From the distal end surface of the insertion portion 2, a configuration is adopted in which various treatment tools such as a high-frequency treatment tool can be derived. For this reason, a treatment instrument derivation opening 21 is provided at the distal end of the insertion section 2, and a connection pipe 22 connected to the treatment instrument insertion tube from the treatment instrument introduction section 5 of the main body operation section 1 is provided. The distal end hard portion 2c has a main body block 23a. The main body block 23a is made of a metal material such as stainless steel. The endoscope optical image observation means 11 is attached to the treatment tool outlet opening 21. Yes. In addition, in order to ensure the electrical insulation of the surface of the distal end hard portion 2c, the body block 23a is fitted with a distal end cap 23b made of an electrically insulating member such as a synthetic resin.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 30 is mounted as an ultrasonic probe for electronic scanning in the radial direction at a position proximal to the mounting portion of the distal end cap 23b in the distal end hard portion 2c. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 30 includes a large number of ultrasonic transducers 31 arranged in an arc shape (or circumferential shape) on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end hard portion 2 c, and the ultrasonic transducer 31 is an axis of the insertion portion 2. Longer in the direction. A backing layer 32 is mounted on the inner surface side of the row of ultrasonic transducers 31 and an acoustic lens 33 is mounted on the outer surface side.

  Electrodes are formed on both the front and back surfaces of each ultrasonic transducer 31, and one side, for example, the surface side is a common electrode 34, and the common electrode 34 of each ultrasonic transducer 31 is connected to all the ultrasonic transducers 31. Has been. The back side is an individual electrode 35. The individual electrode 35 is an electrode that is individually connected to each ultrasonic transducer 31. The individual electrodes 35 of these ultrasonic transducers 31 are not directly connected to wiring, but are mounted on a flexible substrate 36 as shown in FIG.

  A wiring pattern is formed on the flexible substrate 36, and an electrode 37 is formed at an end thereof, and an ultrasonic signal line 38 is connected to each of the electrodes 37. These ultrasonic signal lines 38 are composed of wiring covered with an insulating tube, and are bundled by an ultrasonic shield cable 39 every predetermined number. Therefore, the wiring pattern formed on the flexible substrate 36 and the ultrasonic signal line 38 constitute an ultrasonic signal transmission path.

  Since a large number of ultrasonic transducers 31 are arranged in a circumferential shape or an arc shape, the number of ultrasonic signal lines 38 is also large. For this reason, a large number of ultrasonic signal lines 38 are divided and bundled into about 2 to 4 ultrasonic side cables (in the case of being divided into four ultrasonic side cables, the intervals are 90 degrees each. Arranged). Each of the ultrasonic cables has its own function of protecting the ultrasonic signal line 38 from noise, and therefore becomes an ultrasonic shield cable 39. The ultrasonic side shield cable 39 extends from the curved portion 2b to the connection connector 3c connected to the ultrasonic image processing apparatus.

  As described above, in the ultrasonic signal transmission path, the ultrasonic transducer 31 is connected to the ultrasonic signal line 38 by the flexible substrate 36 and is shielded by a predetermined number of ultrasonic signal lines 38. Since it is after being bundled as the ultrasonic shield cable 39, the ultrasonic shield cable 39 is not provided from the distal end side to a predetermined position in the axial direction of the insertion portion 2. However, the imaging element signal transmission path composed of the circuit pattern of the solid-state imaging element 14 and the substrate 15 and the imaging element signal line 16 also overlaps with the portion where the unshielded ultrasonic transmission path is located. Is inserted.

  Therefore, the image sensor signal line 16 is covered with the image sensor side shield member 17. In addition, the image sensor side shield member 17 includes the solid-state image sensor 14, the substrate 15, and the image sensor signal line 16, and is composed of a wound metal tape. Thus, it extends toward the proximal end in the axial direction, that is, toward the curved portion 2b. The image sensor side shield member 17 is connected to a ground wire (not shown). The ground wire extends from the insertion portion 2 through the main body operation portion into the universal cord 3 and is held at the ground potential. In addition, the imaging element side shield member 17 is provided in this way in order to prevent noise from entering the unshielded ultrasonic transmission path of the portion including the ultrasonic transducer 31 and the flexible substrate 36. In addition, the imaging element signal line 16 has a shield function added to protect it from noise caused by the electromagnetic field of the high-frequency treatment instrument led out from the treatment instrument lead-out opening 21.

  Here, in the ultrasonic signal transmission path, the flexible substrate 36 is substantially positioned in front of the position bundled as the ultrasonic shield cable 39, and for this reason, the flexible board 36 is ahead of the position bundled as the ultrasonic shield cable 39. Since the filling rate in the insertion portion 2 is low at the side, specifically, at the front side of the bending portion 2b in the insertion portion 2, the imaging element side shield member 17 is robust and reliable. The metal tape can be tightly wound so as to exhibit an electrical shielding function. As a result, it is possible to surely prevent noise from being mixed in the ultrasonic signal transmission path, so that the ultrasonic image can be clearly displayed on the monitor, and the inspection and diagnosis accuracy can be improved.

  The imaging element side shield member can be composed of not only the above-described wound metal tape but also a metal pipe, a metal mesh, a metallic paint, or the like. Further, the ground wire connected to the shield member is not limited to a single one provided, and for example, when the entire insertion portion 2 of the ultrasonic endoscope is shielded, the ground wire is connected to the shield member. You may comprise so that it may connect to a part.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an ultrasonic endoscope. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip. It is a top view of the flexible substrate connected to an ultrasonic transducer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body operation part 2 Insertion part 11 Endoscope optical image observation means 14 Solid-state image sensor 16 Image sensor signal line 17 Endoscope side shield cable 18 Image sensor side shield member 31 Ultrasonic transducer 36 Flexible substrate 38 Ultrasonic signal line 39 Ultrasonic shielded cable

Claims (4)

An endoscope optical image that is provided in connection with the main body operation unit and has an insertion part composed of a soft part, a bending part, and a hard tip part , and has a solid-state imaging device in the hard tip part that constitutes the insertion part. In the ultrasonic endoscope in which an observation means is provided and an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in an arc shape or a circumferential shape is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end hard portion,
In order to transmit the signal of the solid-state image sensor , a signal transmission path from the solid-state image sensor , the image sensor signal transmission path extending toward the base end side of the insertion portion,
Connected to each of the ultrasonic transducers , and extended toward the proximal end side of the insertion portion to transmit an ultrasonic signal from each of the ultrasonic transducers, and connected to the ultrasonic transducers It is not shielded from the tip side to a predetermined position, is bundled from this predetermined position, and is a shielded ultrasonic signal transmission path ,
The image sensor signal transmission path extends through the position where the ultrasonic transducer is disposed in the axial direction of the insertion portion. Of the image sensor signal transmission path, the ultrasonic transducer and The ultrasonic signal transmission path until shielded and the imaging element signal transmission path are provided so as to include an overlapping portion, and a signal transmitted to the imaging element signal transmission path is the ultrasonic transducer and a shooting image element side shield member that to prevent or suppress the incorporated as noise to the ultrasonic signal transmission path,
The ultrasonic signal transmission path includes a flexible substrate on which a wiring pattern connected to the electrode of the ultrasonic transducer is formed, and is connected to the wiring pattern of the flexible substrate and extends toward the proximal end side of the insertion portion. It is composed of a plurality of signal lines to be output and a cable in which the plurality of signal lines are bundled. Provided,
An ultrasonic endoscope characterized by that .   The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element side shield member is provided so as to cover the solid-state imaging element together with the imaging element signal transmission path.   The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element side shield member is connected to a ground wire.   The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element side shield member is one of a metal pipe, a wound metal tape, a metal mesh, or a metallic paint.

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