Ultrasonic probe and aligned needle guide system

Abstract

A side-fire ultrasonic probe includes an alignment feature that, when used to connect the probe with a needle guide for intra-cavity medical procedures, enables alignment of a needle in an imaging plane of an ultrasonic transducer. The alignment feature is configured such that alignment of the needle within the imaging plane is accomplished when a protective sheath is disposed between the alignment feature and the needle guide. This configuration can be used with high frequency ultrasonic arrays having frequency distributions centered at about 20 MHz, and for medical procedures, such as biopsying organs or other bodily intra-cavity structures, and delivering intra-cavity therapies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasonic probe assembly comprising:
 a probe housing having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis;   an ultrasonic transducer array disposed within the distal end of the probe housing, the transducer array configured to produce a plurality of ultrasonic waves that form an ultrasonic imaging plane;   a protective sheath configured to enclose at least the distal end of the probe housing and prevent contamination of the housing;   a needle guide alignment feature disposed on a surface of the probe housing; and   a needle guide connected to the probe housing over the protective sheath using the needle guide alignment feature, the needle guide configured to guide at least one needle into the ultrasonic imaging plane.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of probe housing comprises a face angled with respect to the longitudinal axis by at least 5° for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducer array and a body structure. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 2 , wherein the face is angled about 13° with respect to the longitudinal axis for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducer array and a prostate. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the needle guide comprises at least two channels configured to guide needles translated through the channels at two different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe housing. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a dimensional variation of the alignment feature, a dimensional variation of the needle guide, and a dimensional variation of the protective sheath total about 250 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer array is configured to produce ultrasonic waves having a frequency distribution centered at about 20 MHz. 
     
     
         7 . An ultrasonic probe comprising:
 a probe housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis;   an ultrasonic transducer array disposed within the distal end of the housing, the transducer array configured to produce a plurality of ultrasonic waves that form an ultrasonic imaging plane; and   a needle guide alignment feature disposed on a surface of the housing, the needle guide alignment feature configured to secure a needle guide to the housing with a protective sheath therebetween, wherein the needle guide is arranged to guide a needle within the ultrasonic imaging plane when the needle guide is attached to the housing.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 7 , wherein the needle guide comprises at least two channels configured to guide needles translated through the channels at two different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe housing. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 7 , wherein a dimensional variation of the alignment feature, a dimensional variation of the needle guide, and a dimensional variation of the protective sheath total about 250 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 7 , wherein the distal end comprises a face angled with respect to the longitudinal axis by at least 5° for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducer array and a body structure. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 10 , wherein the face is angled about 13° with respect to the longitudinal axis for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducer array and a prostate. 
     
     
         12 . The ultrasonic probe of  claim 7 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer array is configured to produce ultrasonic waves having a frequency distribution centered at about 20 MHz. 
     
     
         13 . A biopsy assembly comprising:
 a probe housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis;   an ultrasonic transducer array disposed within the distal end of the probe housing, the transducer array configured to produce a plurality of ultrasonic waves that form an ultrasonic imaging plane;   a needle guide alignment feature disposed on a surface of the probe housing; and   a needle guide configured to couple to the probe housing by the needle guide alignment feature with a protective sheath therebetween, the needle guide including at least one needle guide arranged to guide a needle into the ultrasonic imaging plane when the needle guide is coupled to the probe housing.   
     
     
         14 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 13 , wherein wherein the needle guide comprises at least two channels configured to guide needles translated within the channels at two different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe housing. 
     
     
         15 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a dimensional variation of the alignment feature, a dimensional variation of the needle guide, and a dimensional variation of the protective sheath total about 250 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the distal end comprises a face angled with respect to the longitudinal axis by at least 5°, thereby configured to facilitate acoustic coupling with a body structure. 
     
     
         17 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the face is angled approximately 13° with respect to the longitudinal axis, thereby configured to facilitate acoustic coupling with a prostate. 
     
     
         18 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising an ultrasonic transducer array disposed within the distal end of the cylindrical housing and configured to produce a plurality of ultrasonic waves. 
     
     
         19 . The biopsy assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer array is configured to produce ultrasonic waves having a frequency distribution centered at about 20 MHz. 
     
     
         20 . An ultrasonic probe assembly comprising:
 an ultrasonic probe configured to image a bodily structure located in an imaging plane of the probe, the probe having a longitudinal axis;   means for guiding a needle into the imaging plane of the ultrasonic probe at one of multiple angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe;   means for physically preventing contamination of the ultrasonic probe during use within a patient; and   means for coupling the guiding means to the ultrasonic probe through the contamination prevention means.