Contrast-agent enhanced color-flow imaging
First Claim
1. A method for imaging contrast agents, comprising:
- transmitting power-modulated ultrasonic pulses comprising a predetermined transmit sequence having a plurality of transmit lines into a patient'"'"'s body;
receiving a plurality of ultrasonic echoes comprising contrast-agent generated echoes and tissue-generated echoes from the patient'"'"'s body;
processing the received ultrasonic echoes to generate a plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals responsive to both the contrast-agent generated and tissue-generated echoes;
processing the plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals to suppress tissue-generated echoes;
processing the plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals to suppress stationary contrast-agent generated echoes;
applying the plurality of contrast-agent generated echo signals to a color-flow algorithm to generate a plurality of data points responsive to contrast-agent motion; and
displaying the plurality of data points over time.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for enhanced color-flow imaging of contrast-agent perfused blood vessels and other tissues within a patient'"'"'s body are disclosed. The method generally comprises, introducing one or more contrast agents into the body, power-modulating transmit pulses into the body, receiving echoes from the body, processing the received echoes to reduce tissue-generated echoes and echoes from stationary contrast agent, using a color-flow processor to generate a color-encoded display responsive to contrast-agent motion. The method may be implemented by a system with a an excitation-signal source, a transducer, an ultrasound-processing system having multiple image processors including a color-flow processor, as well as, a clutter filter, and an arbiter, and a display-processing system.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for imaging contrast agents, comprising:
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transmitting power-modulated ultrasonic pulses comprising a predetermined transmit sequence having a plurality of transmit lines into a patient'"'"'s body;
receiving a plurality of ultrasonic echoes comprising contrast-agent generated echoes and tissue-generated echoes from the patient'"'"'s body;
processing the received ultrasonic echoes to generate a plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals responsive to both the contrast-agent generated and tissue-generated echoes;
processing the plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals to suppress tissue-generated echoes;
processing the plurality of ultrasonic-echo signals to suppress stationary contrast-agent generated echoes;
applying the plurality of contrast-agent generated echo signals to a color-flow algorithm to generate a plurality of data points responsive to contrast-agent motion; and
displaying the plurality of data points over time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An ultrasound-imaging system, comprising:
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means for reducing tissue-generated ultrasonic echo signals;
means for reducing stationary contrast-agent generated ultrasonic-echo signals; and
means for imaging moving contrast-agent generated ultrasonic-echo signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An improved ultrasound-imaging system, comprising:
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an excitation-signal source configured to generate a power-modulated transmit-line sequence;
a transducer coupled to the excitation-signal source, the transducer configured to emit a plurality of ultrasonic-pulses responsive to the power-modulated transmit-line sequence into a medium and to convert a plurality of received ultrasonic echoes responsive to both tissue and one or more contrast agents within the medium to a plurality of echo signals;
an ultrasound-processing system coupled to the transducer, the ultrasound-processing system configured to reduce tissue-generated ultrasonic-echo signals and reduce stationary contrast-agent generated ultrasonic-echo signals, while passing ultrasonic-echo signals generated from moving contrast agent; and
a display-processing system coupled to the ultrasound-processing system, the display-processing system configured to receive and generate a graphic representation responsive to the ultrasonic-echo signals generated from moving contrast agent. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification