Volume rendering quality adaptations for ultrasound imaging

• US 20060020207A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Pagoulatos, Nikolaos, Lindh, Thomas B., Gauss, Roderick C., McDermott, Bruce A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,601,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/456
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems

Abstract

Rendering quality parameter values are automatically set or adjusted as a function of acquisition ultrasound parameter values. The rendering quality is automatically selected based on the acquisition quality, such as providing for a higher quality or quality rendering for slower acquisitions. More than two rendering states are provided for a respective, more than two different quality settings. For example, different quality settings are provided for streaming (non-repetitive on-going rendering), manipulation (edits of a rendered image), frozen and animation states (repetitive or looped rendering). Since the frozen state is less limited by processing time, the frozen state may be rendered with a highest quality or quality. The rendering is provided with two different sampling density variables, such as an in-plane or XY sampling density and a viewing direction or z sampling density. The separation may allow for a more versatile trade-off between image quality and performance. A Boolean flag indicates whether an adaptive sampling algorithm is to be used, and/or a threshold controls interpolation. Fewer than all the pixels or in-plane spacial locations are used for rendering along the viewing direction. Where little difference is provided between two or more rendered pixels, a pixel or pixels in between may be interpolated rather than rendered. The Boolean flag indicates whether the adaptive interpolation is to be used. The threshold indicates the amount of difference between pixel values that is acceptable to avoid rendering and provide interpolation. An optimal trade-off between rendering image quality and speed can be found by changing two or more rendering quality parameters based on the active display layout or number of images being displayed substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the method comprising:

(a) setting at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value;

(b) scanning the volume as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value;

(c) setting with a processor at least one rendering quality parameter value as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value; and

(d) rendering an ultrasound image from data acquired by the scan of (b), the rendering being a function of the at least one rendering quality parameter value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises setting the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value as a value for one of:

an azimuthal beam spacing, an elevational beam spacing, a frame spacing, a depth, an imaging frequency, parallel beam processing and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises setting the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value in response to user input.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) controlling (a) with a single quality control, the single control operable to select the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value from a range of settings;

wherein (c) is performed free of user input in addition to (e).

5. The method of claim 4 wherein (e) comprises controlling with the single control, the single control indicating a range of image qualities, the selected at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value and set at least one rendering quality parameter value corresponding to an indicated image quality of the range of image qualities.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises setting at least four ultrasound acquisition parameter values as values for four of:

an azimuthal beam spacing, an elevational beam spacing, a frame spacing, a depth, a 2D field-of-view, a 3D field-of-view, and/or an imaging frequency;

wherein (b) comprises scanning as a function of the values.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein (c) comprises setting the at least one rendering quality parameter as a value for one of:

in-plane sampling density, viewing direction sampling density, flag for the in-plane adaptive sampling, adaptive sampling threshold, an interpolation density and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein (c) comprises setting values for in-plane sampling density and viewing direction sampling density as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises setting an acquisition speed and wherein (c) comprises substantially matching a rendering speed to the acquisition speed.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein (c) comprises automatically setting the at least one rendering quality parameter value as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein (b) and (d) are repetitively performed in a streaming state of operation, a sequence of ultrasound images being generated in the streaming state;

further comprising;

(e) switching to a frozen state of operation, a frozen ultrasound image statically displayed in the frozen state;

(f) altering the at least one rendering quality parameter value, the alteration increasing a quality of the frozen image relative to the ultrasound images of the sequence.

12. A system for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the system comprising:

one or both of a beamformer system and a controller operable to scan the volume as a function of at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value as a value selected for one of;

an azimuthal beam spacing, an elevational beam spacing, a frame spacing, a depth, a 2D field-of-view, a 3D field-of-view, an imaging frequency, parallel beam processing and combinations thereof; and

a three-dimensional rendering processor operable to render an ultrasound image representing the volume from data acquired by the beamformer as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value, the rendering being a function of at least one rendering quality parameter value, the at least one rendering quality parameter value being set as a function of the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value, the at least one rendering quality parameter value set as a value for one of;

in-plane sampling density, viewing direction sampling density, an interpolation density and combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the beamformer system is operable to scan as a function of at least four ultrasound acquisition parameter values as values for at least four of:

an azimuthal beam spacing, an elevational beam spacing, a frame spacing, a depth and an imaging frequency;

wherein the three-dimensional rendering processor is operable to set values for in-plane sampling density and viewing direction sampling density as a function of the at least four ultrasound acquisition parameter values.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a user input connected with the beamformer system and the three-dimensional rendering processor, the user input operable for indicating a range of image qualities, the selected at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value and the set least one rendering quality parameter value corresponding to an indicated image quality of the range of available qualities.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the three-dimensional rendering processor is operable to automatically substantially match a rendering speed to an acquisition speed, the rendering speed responsive to the at least one rendering quality parameter value and the acquisition speed responsive to the at least one ultrasound acquisition parameter value.

16. A method for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the method comprising:

(a) providing three or more different rendering states for user selection, each of the three different rendering states corresponding to a respective three different quality settings; and

(b) rendering a three-dimensional representation of the volume in one of the three different rendering states.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing a frozen state where an ultrasound image is statically displayed, the frozen state having a highest quality of the three different rendering states.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing a streaming state where a sequence of ultrasound images are displayed and a frozen state where an ultrasound image is statically displayed, the statically displayed ultrasound imaging having a higher quality than the ultrasound images of the sequence.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein (b) comprises rendering the sequence of ultrasound images in the streaming state as a function of:

in-plane sampling density, viewing direction sampling density, an interpolation density, a flag for interpolation, an interpolation threshold and combinations thereof;

further comprising;

(c) switching from the streaming state to the frozen state in response to user input;

(d) altering one of;

the in-plane sampling density, the viewing direction sampling density, the interpolation density, the flag for interpolation, the interpolation threshold and combinations thereof;

(e) rendering the statically displayed ultrasound image in the frozen state as a function of the alteration of (d).

20. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing a streaming state where a sequence of ultrasound images are displayed, a manipulation state wherein at least one ultrasound image is displayed in response to a change in a rendering parameter, and a frozen state where an ultrasound image is statically displayed, the statically displayed ultrasound imaging having a higher quality than the ultrasound images of the sequence and the ultrasound images of the sequence having a higher quality than the at least one ultrasound image displayed in response to a change in a rendering parameter.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing three different combinations of values for at least two of the following parameters:

in-plane sampling density, viewing direction sampling density, an interpolation density, a flag for interpolation, an interpolation threshold or number of simultaneously displayed images, the three different combinations of values corresponding to the three or more different quality settings.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing different image quality and performance settings as a function of the three or more different rendering states.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(c) automatically adjusting between the three or more different quality settings in response to a user selection of a different one of the three different rendering states.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein (a) comprises providing an animation state where a repeating sequence of ultrasound images are displayed, the animation state having a different quality than at least another two of the three different rendering states, the animation state being a first of the three different rendering states.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein (a) comprises providing the animation state, providing a streaming state where a non-repeating sequence of ultrasound images are displayed, a manipulation state wherein at least one ultrasound image is displayed in response to a change in a rendering parameter, and a frozen state where an ultrasound image is statically displayed, the statically displayed ultrasound imaging having a different quality than the ultrasound images of the non-repeating sequence and the repeating sequence and the ultrasound images of the repeating sequence having a different quality than the ultrasound images of the non-repeating sequence.

26. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(c) receiving user input of a selection of the one of the three different rendering states;

wherein the rendering of (b) is performed in response to the user input.

27. The method claim 16 further comprising:

(c) setting an in-plane sampling density different than a viewing direction sampling density for at least one of the three different rendering states, the in-plane sampling density and viewing direction sampling density being quality settings.

28. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(c) setting one of;

a Boolean flag for interpolation, a threshold for interpolation or combinations thereof for each of the three different rendering states, the Boolean flag and threshold being quality settings.

35. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(c) automatically transitioning from one of a manipulation or a streaming state to a frozen state after a time period.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

(d) setting the time period as a function of acquisition parameter values.

29. A method for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the method comprising:

(a) setting an in-plane sampling density as a separate variable than a viewing direction sampling density; and

(b) rendering a three-dimensional ultrasound representation as a function of the in-plane sampling density and the viewing direction sampling density.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein (a) comprises setting the in-plane sampling density as a different value than the viewing direction sampling density.

31. A method for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the method comprising:

(a) setting one of;

a Boolean flag for interpolation, a threshold for interpolation or combinations thereof, the Boolean flag indicating whether any interpolation occurs and the threshold indicating when possible interpolation is to be performed; and

(b) rendering a three-dimensional ultrasound representation as a function of the one of the Boolean flag, the threshold, the interpolation density or the combination thereof.

32. A method for adapting rendering quality for ultrasound imaging of a volume, the method comprising:

(a) determining a number of three-dimensional representations for substantially simultaneous display;

(b) setting at least two different rendering parameters as a function of the number.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein (a) comprises resetting the number, and wherein (b) comprises altering at least one of:

in-plane sampling density, viewing direction sampling density, an interpolation density, a flag for interpolation, an interpolation threshold or combinations thereof.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein (a) comprises determining the number as two or more, and wherein (b) comprises setting the rendering quality as a function of a speed.