User interface for a three-dimensional colour ultrasound imaging system

• US 20060173326A1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Thiele, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,648,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/440
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• 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: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8988 Colour Doppler imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems

Abstract

A three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system color user interface generates a volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image. The ultrasound image is manipulable using three-dimensional image compositing functions. The interface presents to the user three-dimensional image controls for controlling the ultrasound image. The three-dimensional image controls have an operational similarity to two-dimensional image controls for controlling a two-dimensional ultrasound image. The interface further relates the three-dimensional ultrasound image controls to the plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions for manipulating the ultrasound images. Additionally, the interface presents to the user a three-dimensional color image control for controllably manipulating the ultrasound image using three-dimensional image using compositing functions such as a color flow mapping function, a color flow overlay function for mapping fluid flow direction, a depth-based velocity visualization color mapping function; and an absolute velocity representation function for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, comprising the steps of:

generating a multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of an ultrasound object, said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image manipulable using a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting to the user a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image controls for controlling said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image, said three-dimensional image controls having an operational similarity to two-dimensional image controls for controlling a two-dimensional ultrasound image; and

relating said plurality of multi-color three-dimensional ultrasound image controls to control said plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions for manipulating said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of said ultrasound object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting a plurality of three-dimensional image responses from operation of said three-dimensional ultrasound image controls, said plurality of three-dimensional image responses being similar to image responses of a two-dimensional ultrasound imaging system and controlling said three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image using said three-dimensional compositing functions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically offsetting selected three-dimensional ultrasound image controls for causing said three-dimensional image responses to be similar to image responses of a two-dimensional ultrasound imaging system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of automatically offsetting a wall filter control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of automatically offsetting a smoothing control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of automatically offsetting a color compositing gain control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

7. A method for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, comprising the steps of:

generating a multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of fluid flow relating to an ultrasound object, said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image being manipulable using a plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting to the user a multi-color three-dimensional color image control for controllably manipulating said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image using said plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions, said three-dimensional image compositing functions selected from the group consisting essentially of;

a color flow mapping function for mapping fluid flow relating to said ultrasound object;

a color flow overlay function for mapping fluid flow direction relating to said ultrasound object;

a depth-based velocity visualization color mapping function for mapping fluid flow depth relating to said ultrasound object; and

an absolute velocity representation function for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of presenting to the user said color flow overlay function for mapping fluid flow direction relating to said ultrasound object as an overlay function of overlaying forward and reverse flows.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of presenting to the user said depth-based velocity visualization color mapping function for mapping fluid flow depth relating to said ultrasound object, wherein a light color associates with a velocity physically closer to a predetermined observation point and darker color associates with velocity physically farther away from said predetermined observation point.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of presenting to the user said an absolute velocity representation function for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object wherein said absolute velocity representation function uses absolute velocity to represent selected characteristics of flow pathologies associated with said ultrasound object, said absolute velocity being independent of flow direction.

11. A system for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, comprising:

generating instructions for generating a multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of an ultrasound object, said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image manipulable using a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting instructions for presenting a plurality of three-dimensional image controls for controlling said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image, said multi-color three-dimensional image controls having an operational similarity to two-dimensional image controls for controlling a two-dimensional ultrasound image; and

relating instructions for relating said plurality of multi-color three-dimensional ultrasound image controls to said plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions for manipulating said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of said ultrasound object.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising the step of presenting a plurality of three-dimensional image responses from operation of said multi-color three-dimensional ultrasound image controls, said image responses being similar to image responses of a two-dimensional ultrasound imaging system and controlling said three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image using said multi-color three-dimensional compositing functions.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions for automatically offsetting selected three-dimensional ultrasound image controls for causing said three-dimensional image responses to be similar to image responses of a two-dimensional ultrasound imaging system.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions for automatically offsetting a wall filter control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions for automatically offsetting a smoothing control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions for automatically offsetting a color compositing gain control associated as one of said automatically offset three-dimensional image controls.

17. A system for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, comprising:

generating instructions for generating a multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of fluid flow relating to an ultrasound object, said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image manipulable using a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting instructions for presenting a multi-color three-dimensional color image control for controllably manipulating said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image using said plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions, said multi-color three-dimensional image compositing instructions selected from the group consisting essentially of;

color flow mapping instructions for mapping fluid flow relating to said ultrasound object;

color flow overlay instructions for mapping fluid flow direction relating to said ultrasound object;

depth-based velocity visualization color mapping instructions for mapping fluid flow depth relating to said ultrasound object; and

absolute velocity representation instructions for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions for mapping fluid flow direction relating to said ultrasound object as an overlay function for overlaying forward and reverse flows.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions for mapping fluid flow depth relating to said ultrasound object, wherein a first color associates with a velocity physically closer to a predetermined observation point and a second color associates with velocity physically farther away from said predetermined observation point.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object using absolute velocity to represent selected characteristics of flow pathologies associated with said ultrasound object, said absolute velocity being independent of flow direction.

21. A storage medium comprising a system for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, the system comprising:

generating instructions for generating a multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of an ultrasound object, said multi-color three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image being manipulable using a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting instructions for presenting to the user a plurality of multi-color three-dimensional image controls for controlling said a three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image, said multi-color three-dimensional image controls having an operational similarity to two-dimensional image controls for controlling a two-dimensional ultrasound image; and

relating instructions for relating said plurality of three-dimensional ultrasound image controls to said plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions for manipulating said three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of said ultrasound object.

22. The storage medium of claim 21, further comprising data storing the state of at least one of said three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system controls at a predetermined time and in a format for subsequent recall of both the state of the three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image and the associated state of three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system controls.

23. A storage medium comprising a system for interfacing a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system with a user, the system comprising:

generating instructions for generating a three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image of fluid flow relating to an ultrasound object, said three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image manipulable using a plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions;

presenting instructions for presenting to the user a three-dimensional color image control for controllably manipulating said three-dimensional volumetrically-rendered ultrasound image using said plurality of three-dimensional image compositing functions, said three-dimensional image compositing instructions selected from the group consisting essentially of;

color flow mapping instructions for mapping fluid flow relating to said ultrasound object;

color flow overlay instructions for mapping fluid flow direction relating to said ultrasound object;

depth-based velocity visualization color mapping instructions for mapping fluid flow depth relating to said ultrasound object; and

absolute velocity representation instructions for mapping absolute fluid flow velocity relating to said ultrasound object.