System, method and medium for acquiring and generating standardized operator independent ultrasound images of fetal, neonatal and adult organs
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display at least one anatomic plane of an organ, comprising:
- moving an ultrasonic transducer to obtain an ultrasound image of a reference anatomic plane of the organ; and
using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship relating the reference anatomic plane and the least one anatomic plane to automatically retrieve and display the at least one anatomic plane.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and medium for standardizing a manner of acquisition and display of ultrasound images. In one embodiment of the invention, a volumetric image of an organ is acquired in a standardized manner. Relationships such as formulas are utilized to automatically generate anatomical planes of interest within the volume that can be displayed independent of the user.
73 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display at least one anatomic plane of an organ, comprising:
-
moving an ultrasonic transducer to obtain an ultrasound image of a reference anatomic plane of the organ; and
using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship relating the reference anatomic plane and the least one anatomic plane to automatically retrieve and display the at least one anatomic plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display an ultrasound image of a fetal heart, comprising:
-
a) using a device associated with an ultrasonic system to rotate an image in a transverse plane of a four-chamber view of a fetal heart about a Z-axis of a coordinate system in which an X-axis is a horizontal axis, a Y-axis is a vertical axis, and the Z-axis points in a perpendicular direction with respect to a plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis, so a spine of the fetus is in a substantially 6 o'"'"'clock position, and an apex of the heart is in a left upper quadrant;
b) using the device to move a reference point in the transverse plane to the spine, thereby bringing a longitudinal view of the spine in a sagittal view, and a vertical view of the spine in a coronal view;
c) using the device to rotate the image in the coronal view about the Z-axis until a section of a mid-thoracic spine is aligned substantially vertically in a coronal plane, and a section of the mid-thoracic spine posterior to the heart is aligned substantially horizontally in a sagittal plane;
d) utilizing the device to position the reference point in the transverse plane at a crux of the heart, at the level of the insertion of the medial leaflet of the tricuspid valve into the septum; and
e) using a predetermined mathematical relationship to automatically retrieve and display one or more planes of interest of the fetal heart. - View Dependent Claims (8)
-
-
9. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display an ultrasound image of a fetal abdomen, comprising:
-
moving an ultrasonic transducer to obtain an ultrasound image of an axial view of a fetal abdomen at a level of a plane of an abdominal circumference;
opening an acquisition box of the image so the fetal abdomen is contained within the box;
utilizing an acquisition angle sufficiently wide so the image comprises a view of a sacrum inferiorly and a diaphragm superiorly; and
using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship to automatically retrieve and display one or more planes of interest of the fetal abdomen. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for displaying a volumetric scan of a fetal abdomen, comprising:
-
a) using a device associated with an ultrasonic system to rotate an image in an abdominal circumference about a Z-axis of a coordinate system in which an X-axis is a horizontal axis, a Y-axis is a vertical axis, and the Z-axis points in a perpendicular direction with respect to a plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis, so a spine of the fetus is in a substantially 6 o'"'"'clock direction, and a stomach is in a left abdomen;
b) using the device to move a reference point in the transverse plane to the spine, thereby bringing a horizontal view of the spine in a sagittal plane, and a vertical view of the spine in a coronal plane;
c) using the device to rotate the image in the coronal view about the Z-axis until a section of the mid-lumbar spine is aligned substantially vertically in a coronal plane and horizontally in a sagittal plane;
d) utilizing the device to position the reference point in the transverse plane at a center of the fetal abdomen; and
e) using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship to automatically retrieve and display one or more planes of interest of the fetal abdomen. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display an ultrasound image of a fetal head, comprising:
-
moving an ultrasonic transducer to obtain an ultrasound image of an axial view of a fetal head at a level of a plane of a level of lateral ventricles;
opening an acquisition box of the image so the fetal head is contained within the box;
utilizing an acquisition angle sufficiently wide so the image comprises a view of an upper spine inferiorly and a top of the fetal head superiorly; and
using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship to automatically retrieve and display one or more planes of interest of the fetal head. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method for displaying a volumetric scan of a fetal head, comprising:
-
a) using a device associated with an ultrasonic system to rotate an image including lateral ventricles about a Z-axis of a coordinate system in which an X-axis is a horizontal axis, a Y-axis is a vertical axis, and the Z-axis points in a perpendicular direction with respect to a plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis, so an inter-hemispheric fissure is aligned substantially horizontally and a frontal portion of a fetal brain is positioned at a right portion of the image with respect to an observer'"'"'s viewpoint;
b) using the device to rotate the image in a sagittal plane about the Z-axis until a fetal face is in a military position;
c) utilizing the device to rotate the image in a coronal plane about the Z-axis until an inter-hemispheric fissure is aligned substantially horizontally;
d) utilizing the device to position a reference point at a midpoint of the inter-hemispheric fissure; and
e) using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship to automatically retrieve and display one or more planes of interest of the fetal head. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method for utilizing sonography equipment to acquire and display at least one anatomic plane of a neonatal organ, comprising:
-
moving an ultrasonic transducer to obtain an ultrasound image of a reference anatomic plane of the neonatal organ; and
using at least one predetermined mathematical relationship relating the reference anatomic plane and the least one anatomic plane to automatically retrieve and display the at least one anatomic plane of the neonatal organ. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification