Method and appartus for controlling ultrasound system display

• US 20060020202A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Miller, Steven Charles, Mathew, Prakash Parayil, Angle, Michelle Ganiere
• Granted Patent: US 7,717,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• 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: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52073 Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52074 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen displays; Combination of multiple images or of images and alphanumeric tabular information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52084 related to particular user interfaces special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467

Abstract

A method for operating a medical imaging system is provided. The method includes receiving an image data set of a region of interest in a first dimensional representation, reducing the dimensionality of the image data set to a second dimensional representation, selecting a feature of interest in the second dimensional representation, and generating an image of the selected feature in the first dimensional representation.

Claims

1. A method for operating an ultrasound imaging system, said method comprising:

receiving an image data set of a region of interest in a first dimensional representation;

reducing the dimensionality of the image data set to a second dimensional representation;

selecting a feature of interest in the second dimensional representation; and

generating an image of the selected feature in the first dimensional representation.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein receiving an image data set of a region of interest comprises:

receiving an image data set of a region of interest in a three-dimensional representation

selecting a view perspective of the image data set; and

generating a plurality of planar slices of image data of the three-dimensional data set, an axis of the planar slices being orthogonal to the selected view perspective.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising generating a difference map of respective pixels of each adjacent pair of planar slices.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein receiving an image data set of a region of interest comprises:

receiving an image data set of a region of interest in a four-dimensional representation

selecting a view perspective of the image data set; and

generating a plurality of volume datasets of image data of the four-dimensional data set relative to the selected view perspective.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising generating a difference map of respective pixels of each temporally adjacent pair of volume datasets.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein reducing the dimensionality of the image data set comprises generating a difference map of respective pixels of each adjacent pair of planar slices using at least one of an intensity projection map, a sum of absolute differences, a maximum intensity projection map, a minimum intensity projection map, an average intensity projection map, an integrated projection map, a first local maximum projection map, and an arbitrarily weighted projection map.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising outputting a display of the first dimensional representation and the second dimensional representation concurrently.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising outputting a display of a second dimensional representation index indicator.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein selecting a feature of interest in the second dimensional representation comprises:

outputting a display of a second dimensional representation index indicator; and

manipulating an index selector to align the index indicator with a portion of the feature of interest.

10. An ultrasound system comprising:

an ultrasound probe having at least one transducer for transmitting pulses to an object;

a processor programmed to receive image data in a first dimensionality and convert the image data to a second dimensionality;

a viewpoint selector coupled to a user input of said ultrasound system to control a view of converted image data; and

a display system configured to display an ultrasound image portion and a reduced dimensionality image portion.

11. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a view perspective selector for orienting the received image data based on a selected image axis.

12. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said view perspective selector is configured to at least one of flip and rotate said received image data about said selected image axis.

13. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said view perspective selector comprises a pointing device.

14. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to receive a user view command from said view perspective selector.

15. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said ultrasound image portion is configured to display ultrasound images and difference maps of ultrasound image data.

16. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said processor is configured to convert the image data to a second dimensionality using at least one of an intensity projection map, a sum of absolute differences, a maximum intensity projection map, a minimum intensity projection map, an average intensity projection map, an integrated projection map, a first local maximum projection map, and an arbitrarily weighted projection map.

17. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said reduced dimensionality image portion is configured to display an indication of difference between adjacent pairs of image slices of the received image data.

18. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said reduced dimensionality image portion is configured to display an indication of difference between temporally adjacent pairs of image volumes of the received image data.

19. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said display system comprises an image display that is wearable by a user.

20. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said processor is programmed to receive image data over a period of time.

21. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said difference map of received image data over a period of time comprises a linear map of the received image data indicative of an amount of image change between images over the period of time.

22. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said display system is configured to display an ultrasound image portion and a reduced dimensionality image portion concurrently.

23. A method for processing ultrasound data, said method comprising:

receiving multidimensional ultrasound data representing an image;

generating a reduced dimension data set from the multidimensional ultrasound data;

selecting a feature of interest in the reduced dimension data set; and

displaying the image of the feature of interest.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set from the multidimensional ultrasound data comprises creating a difference map from the received multidimensional ultrasound data.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set from the multidimensional ultrasound data comprises generating a N-1 dimension data set from a received N dimension data set.

26. A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein the value of N is one of three and four.

27. A method in accordance with claim 23 further comprising configuring the data for display as a holographic image

28. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein receiving multidimensional ultrasound data representing an image comprises receiving multidimensional ultrasound data only from a selected region of interest

29. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set from the multidimensional ultrasound data comprises using an intensity projection map, a sum of absolute differences, a maximum intensity projection map, a minimum intensity projection map, an average intensity projection map, an integrated projection map, a first local maximum projection map, and an arbitrarily weighted projection map to generate the reduced dimension data set.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set from the multidimensional ultrasound data comprises generating a reduced dimension data set that is configured for user navigation.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set that is configured for user navigation comprises generating a reduced dimension data set that is configured for angle planar reformatting to provide different views.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31 wherein generating a reduced dimension data set that is configured for angle planar reformatting to provide different views comprises reformatting the a reduced dimension data set dynamically.