Methods and system for shading a two-dimensional ultrasound image
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- generating a flat, 2D image from a 2D dataset including scalar image values without height values, the 2D dataset acquired with an ultrasound imaging system;
determining a gradient of height values from the scalar image values;
applying shading to the flat, 2D image using the determined gradient; and
displaying the shaded flat, 2D image, having a 3D appearance, via a display screen of the ultrasound imaging system, wherein the 2D dataset is a color Doppler dataset and the scalar image values are only a power component from the color Doppler dataset, wherein determining the gradient includes, for each pixel of the flat, 2D image generated from the 2D dataset including the scalar image values, converting a first scalar image value of the scalar image values included in the 2D dataset to a corresponding height value using a relationship between the first scalar image value and the height value, where the relationship is one of a linear relationship or a monotonic function, and where the height value represents a height value of the first scalar image value but does not include height data.
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Abstract
Various methods and systems are provided for shading a 2D ultrasound image, generated from ultrasound data, using a gradient determined from scalar values of the ultrasound image data. As one example, a method includes correlating image values of a dataset acquired with an ultrasound imaging system to height values; determining a gradient of the height values; applying shading to a 2D image generated from the dataset using the determined gradient; and displaying the shaded 2D image.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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generating a flat, 2D image from a 2D dataset including scalar image values without height values, the 2D dataset acquired with an ultrasound imaging system; determining a gradient of height values from the scalar image values; applying shading to the flat, 2D image using the determined gradient; and displaying the shaded flat, 2D image, having a 3D appearance, via a display screen of the ultrasound imaging system, wherein the 2D dataset is a color Doppler dataset and the scalar image values are only a power component from the color Doppler dataset, wherein determining the gradient includes, for each pixel of the flat, 2D image generated from the 2D dataset including the scalar image values, converting a first scalar image value of the scalar image values included in the 2D dataset to a corresponding height value using a relationship between the first scalar image value and the height value, where the relationship is one of a linear relationship or a monotonic function, and where the height value represents a height value of the first scalar image value but does not include height data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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accessing a 2D dataset acquired with an ultrasound imaging system via a color Doppler ultrasound mode, the 2D dataset including a scalar, power component value and a velocity value, for each pixel of a flat, 2D image generated from the 2D dataset, the velocity value converted to a color value; interpreting the flat, 2D image as a relief image by converting the scalar, power component value for each pixel to a height value using a scalar valued function, the converting including selecting pixels of the flat, 2D image that include color data and converting the scalar, power component value for each selected pixel to the height value using the scalar valued function which includes one of a linear function, a logarithmic function, or a sigmoid function; determining a gradient of each height value; shading the color value of each pixel of the flat, 2D image using a surface normal of each determined gradient; and displaying the shaded, flat 2D image via a display screen of the ultrasound imaging system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A color Doppler ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
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an ultrasound probe; a display device; and a processor communicatively connected to the ultrasound probe and the display device and including instructions stored in memory that, when executed during operation of the ultrasound imaging system, cause the processor to; access a color Doppler 2D dataset, including only 2D scalar data and no 3D data, acquired with the ultrasound probe from the memory; generate a flat, 2D image from the 2D dataset, where each pixel of the flat, 2D image includes a scalar power component value and a velocity value; convert the velocity value of each pixel to a color value and convert the scalar, power component value of each pixel to a scalar, height value via a scalar valued function, including selecting pixels of the flat, 2D image that include a color value and converting the scalar, power component value for each selected pixel to the scalar, height value using the scalar valued function which includes one of a linear function, a logarithmic function, or a sigmoid function; determine a gradient surface normal for each scalar, height value; shade the color value of each pixel of the flat, 2D image using the gradient surface normal; and display the shaded flat, 2D image via the display device. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification