Diagnosis method and ultrasound information display system therefor

• US 20040138559A1
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: U-System Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: U-System Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Shih-Ping, Cheng, Xiangyong
• Application Number:
  US10/466,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138559A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/62 Semi-transparency

Abstract

A method and system for screening and/or diagnosing a tumor in a subject breast using ultrasonically obtained image information is described. A user interface displays a three-dimensional view of the tumor suspended within a three-dimensional semitransparent view of a breast, the tumor suspended at a position corresponding to the actual position of the tumor inside the breast. A larger, close-up view of the tumor is also provided that a user can manipulate (e.g., rotate, enlarge, etc.) for clearer analysis. A semi-transparent view of the opposing breast is placed adjacent to the semi-transparent view of the subject breast in a manner that reflects the actual positioning of the breasts on the patient'"'"'s body, or in a manner that emulates a mammogram-like view of the breasts. Alternatively or in conjunction therewith, the user interface displays an animated sequence of ultrasound slices including a highlighted visual indicator of the tumor and an iconic probe position indicator synchronized with the animated sequence.

Claims

1. A user interface for facilitating observation of a tumor using ultrasound information derived from an ultrasonic scan of a subject breast containing the tumor, the ultrasound information including a segmented volumetric representation of the tumor, the ultrasound information further including tumor position information, comprising:

a display controller; and

a display device coupled to the display controller displaying a first image, said first image including a three-dimensional view of the tumor and a three-dimensional semitransparent view of a breast outline such that the tumor appears suspended in space inside the breast outline at a position corresponding to the tumor position information.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the breast outline corresponds to that of a prosthetic breast having an outer shape roughly equivalent to an outer shape of the subject breast.

3. The user interface of claim 1, the ultrasound information further including a surface representation of the subject breast, wherein said breast outline corresponds to said surface representation of the subject breast.

4. The user interface of claim 1, the subject breast being that of a patient, the patient also having an opposing breast, said display device further displaying a second image, the second image including a three-dimensional view of a breast outline corresponding to the opposing breast.

5. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the breast outline for the second image corresponds to that of a prosthetic breast having an outer shape roughly equivalent to an outer shape of the opposing breast.

6. The user interface of claim 4, the ultrasound information further comprising information derived from an ultrasonic scan of the opposing breast, the ultrasound information including a surface representation of the opposing breast, wherein the breast outline for the second image corresponds to the surface representation of the opposing breast.

7. The user interface of claim 4, the first and second images corresponding to frontal views of the subject breast and the opposing breast, the second image being positioned adjacent to the first image in a manner that reflects the actual positions and orientations of the subject and opposing breasts on the patient.

8. The user interface of claim 4, the first and second images corresponding to mammogram-like views of the subject breast and the opposing breast, the second image being positioned adjacent to the first image in a manner that reflects a mammogram-like representation of the subject and opposing breasts.

9. The user interface of claim 8, said first and second images corresponding to side views of the subject breast and the opposing breast such that said mammogram-like views are of the mediolateral oblique type.

10. The user interface of claim 1, the display device displaying a third image near the first image, the third image including a close-up three dimensional view of the tumor suspended in space.

11. The user interface of claim 10, further comprising a user input device receiving a view manipulation command from a user, the close-up three-dimensional view in the third image being scaled and/or rotated in accordance with said view manipulation command.

12. A user interface for facilitating observation of breast tissue using ultrasound information derived from an ultrasonic scan of a breast, the ultrasound information including a time sequence of frames, the ultrasound information further including probe location information corresponding to each frame, said user interface comprising:

a display controller; and

a display device coupled to the display controller displaying a first animation comprising the time sequence of frames, said display device further displaying a second animation near said first animation comprising a visual probe position indicator derived from the probe location information, the visual probe position indicator being synchronized with the time sequence of frames.

13. The user interface of claim 12, the visual probe position indicator comprising a probe icon superimposed upon a breast icon at a location corresponding to the probe location information.

14. The user interface of claim 12, the display device further displaying a graphical progress indicator indicating a time progress of said first and second animations, said graphical progress indicator facilitating control of said first and second animations by a user.

15. The user interface of claim 12, the ultrasound information including lesion segmentation information corresponding to a lesion in the breast, wherein a visual representation of the lesion segmentation information is displayed in the first animation at locations corresponding to the lesion.

16. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the visual representation of the lesion segmentation information comprises a high-contrast line drawn around the lesion.

17. A method for diagnosing a tumor in a subject breast, comprising:

ultrasonically scanning the subject breast using an ultrasound probe and a three-dimensional probe position indicator to produce ultrasound readings;

segmenting the tumor using the ultrasound readings, including deriving a tumor location and a three-dimensional volumetric representation of the tumor; and

displaying a first image on a display device, the first image including a three-dimensional view of the tumor appearing suspended within a three-dimensional semitransparent view of a breast outline at a position corresponding to the tumor location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying a second image on the display device near the first image, the second image including a close-up three dimensional view of the tumor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving one or more view manipulation commands from a user;

scaling the tumor in the second image in accordance with the view manipulation commands; and

rotating the tumor in the second image in accordance with the view manipulation commands.

20. The method of claim 19, the subject breast being that of a patient, the patient also having an opposing breast, the method further comprising displaying a third image on the display device near the first image, the third image including a three-dimensional view of a breast outline corresponding to the opposing breast, the first and third images corresponding to side views of the subject breast and the opposing breast, respectively, such that said first and third images collectively form a mammogram-like representation of the breasts.

21. A user interface for facilitating observation of a tumor using ultrasound information derived from an ultrasonic scan of a subject breast containing the tumor, the ultrasound information including a segmented volumetric representation of the tumor, the ultrasound information further including tumor position information, comprising:

means for controlling a display means; and

a display means coupled to the means for controlling and displaying a first image, said first image including a three-dimensional view of the tumor and a three-dimensional semitransparent view of a breast outline such that the tumor appears suspended in space inside the breast outline at a position corresponding to the tumor position information.