Bolus control for contrast imaging with 3D
First Claim
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1. A method of perfusion analysis using ultrasound contrast agents, comprising the steps of:
- introducing contrast agent into the bloodstream of a patient under examination in order to perfuse a volume of interest;
identifying the volume of interest and a destruction volume, proximate the volume of interest, which supplies blood to the volume of interest, by scanning the volume of interest and destruction volume using low mechanical index (MI);
destroying at least the contrast agent in the blood supply within the destruction volume using high MI ultrasound in order to destroy contrast agent within blood present in the destruction volume such that said present blood is contrast-agent-depleted, which destruction volume includes the blood supply; and
imaging the volume of interest using low MI ultrasound substantially simultaneously as the contrast-agent-depleted blood from the destruction volume perfuses the volume of interest, causing an exchange within the volume of interest, of contrast-agent-laden blood with contrast-agent-depleted blood.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to contrast imaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for ultrasound contrast imaging in which a high-MI signal destroys contrast agent in a blood supply region of the heart after previously infused thoroughly with contrast agent enhanced blood, and a portion of the heart other than the blood supply region is imaged with low MI ultrasound to track the decrease in contrast agent containing blood due to perfusion into the “other then the blood supply region” by blood from the blood supply region, as a function of time.
28 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of perfusion analysis using ultrasound contrast agents, comprising the steps of:
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introducing contrast agent into the bloodstream of a patient under examination in order to perfuse a volume of interest;
identifying the volume of interest and a destruction volume, proximate the volume of interest, which supplies blood to the volume of interest, by scanning the volume of interest and destruction volume using low mechanical index (MI);
destroying at least the contrast agent in the blood supply within the destruction volume using high MI ultrasound in order to destroy contrast agent within blood present in the destruction volume such that said present blood is contrast-agent-depleted, which destruction volume includes the blood supply; and
imaging the volume of interest using low MI ultrasound substantially simultaneously as the contrast-agent-depleted blood from the destruction volume perfuses the volume of interest, causing an exchange within the volume of interest, of contrast-agent-laden blood with contrast-agent-depleted blood. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 40)
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15. A method for conducting ultrasound perfusion studies on myocardial tissues utilizing ultrasound contrast agents, comprising the steps of:
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infusing a patient'"'"'s blood with contrast agent;
transmitting low-MI ultrasound pulses into a region of interest (ROI) within the patient'"'"'s heart, and receiving ultrasound echoes of the pulses, to highlight the presence of blood infused with the contrast agent in myocardial tissues disposed in the ROI;
determining an imaging volume within the ROI, from which it is desired to quantify perfusion data for the imaging volume;
determining a destruction volume within the ROI, proximate the imaging volume, which destruction volume is determined to include substantially any blood, which might perfuse the imaging volume in the region;
transmitting high-MI ultrasound pulses to the destruction volume to destroy all contrast agent present therein, and substantially simultaneously imaging the imaging volume using low-MI ultrasound pulses; and
calculating perfusion data for the imaging volume based on an assessment of a rate of decrease of a volume of contrast-agent-laden blood therein as the contrast-agent-depleted blood perfuses the imaging volume. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 41)
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22. A ultrasound imaging system for conducting perfusion analysis of myocardial tissue volumes utilizing ultrasound contrast agents, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer for transmitting low-MI ultrasound pulses into a region of a patient'"'"'s heart, and receiving ultrasound echoes of the pulses, to highlight the presence of blood infused with the contrast agent in the region; and
a selector within a user interface to the ultrasound system for allowing a user;
1) to choose an imaging volume in the region, 2) to choose a destruction volume within the region, wherein the destruction volume is a volume in th region proximate the imaging volume through which contrast-agent-laden blood perfuses the imaging volume, 3) to automatically scan the destruction volume with high MI ultrasound to destroy contrast agent in blood present therein, and 4) to automatically scan the imaging volume with low MI ultrasound;
wherein said automatic scan of said imaging volume is conducted substantially immediately at completion of said automatic scanning of the destruction volume to detect a perfusion of non-contrast-agent-laden blood thereinto. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 42, 43, 44)
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26. A ultrasound imaging system for conducting perfusion analysis of myocardial tissue volumes utilizing ultrasound contrast agents, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer for transmitting low-MI ultrasound pulses into a region of a patient'"'"'s heart, and receiving ultrasound echoes of the pulses, to highlight the presence of blood infused with the contrast agent in the region; and
a selector within a user interface to the ultrasound system for allowing a user;
5) to choose an imaging volume in the region, 6) to choose a destruction volume within the region, wherein the destruction volume is a volume in th region proximate the imaging volume through which contrast-agent-laden blood perfuses the imaging volume, 7) to automatically scan the destruction volume with high MI ultrasound to destroy contrast agent in blood present therein, and 8) to automatically scan the imaging volume with low MI ultrasound;
wherein said automatic scan of said imaging volume is conducted substantially immediately at completion of said automatic scanning of the destruction volume and includes scanning at least two intersecting planes and a related volume to detect a perfusion of non-contrast-agent-laden blood thereinto. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification