Region of interest methods and systems for ultrasound imaging
First Claim
1. A method for automatically selecting an ultrasound image from a set of ultrasound images, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles;
(b) selecting a first ultrasound image from a first set of ultrasound images associated with a first heart cycle; and
(c) automatically selecting an ultrasound image from each of the other sets of ultrasound images by comparing at least one visual characteristic of the first ultrasound image with at least one visual characteristic of the ultrasound images in each of the other sets.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, at least one visual characteristic from a selected image is used to automatically select an ultrasound image from a set of images from a plurality of heart cycles. In another embodiment, motion correction is performed on ultrasound images that are automatically selected from a plurality of ultrasound images associated with the same phase of the heart cycle. In yet another embodiment, ultrasound images are automatically selected from a set of images based on a time interval that is within a tolerance range from a reference phase of the heart cycle. In another embodiment, a stored user-preference of a phase of the heart cycle is used to automatically select an ultrasound image from a set of images. In yet another embodiment, a user-defined region of interest is placed on an ultrasound image associated with a selected phase of a heart cycle.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. A method for automatically selecting an ultrasound image from a set of ultrasound images, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles;
(b) selecting a first ultrasound image from a first set of ultrasound images associated with a first heart cycle; and
(c) automatically selecting an ultrasound image from each of the other sets of ultrasound images by comparing at least one visual characteristic of the first ultrasound image with at least one visual characteristic of the ultrasound images in each of the other sets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 87, 88)
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17. A method for motion correcting a set of ultrasound images associated with a phase of a heart cycle, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles;
(b) selecting a phase of a heart cycle;
(c) for each of the plurality of sets, automatically selecting an ultrasound image that is associated with the selected phase of the heart cycle; and
(d) performing motion correction on the automatically-selected ultrasound images. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for motion correcting a set of ultrasound images associated with a phase of a heart cycle, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of ultrasound images associated with a single phase of a heart cycle; and
(b) performing motion correction on the plurality of ultrasound images. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for automatically selecting ultrasound images associated with a phase of a heart cycle, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles, wherein each ultrasound image is characterized by a time interval between an acquisition time of the ultrasound image and a reference phase in the heart cycle;
(b) selecting a phase of the heart cycle, wherein the selected phase is characterized by a time interval between the selected phase and the reference phase; and
(c) automatically selecting a plurality of ultrasound images from each heart cycle that are characterized by a time interval that is within a tolerance range of the time interval between the selected phase and the reference phase. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for automatically selecting ultrasound images associated with a phase of a heart cycle, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles;
(b) retrieving a stored user-preference of a phase of the heart cycle; and
(c) for each of the plurality of sets of ultrasound images, automatically selecting an ultrasound image that is associated with the phase specified in the stored user-preference. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method for automatically selecting ultrasound images associated with a phase of a heart cycle, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of sets of ultrasound images associated with a respective plurality of heart cycles;
(b) selecting a phase of a heart cycle;
(c) for each of the plurality of sets, automatically selecting an ultrasound image that is associated with the selected phase of the heart cycle; and
(d) placing at least one user-defined region of interest on an ultrasound image associated with the selected phase of the heart cycle. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification