MEDICAL IMAGING USER INTERFACE AND CONTROL SCHEME

• US 20070038088A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sonetics Ultrasound, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonetics Ultrasound, Inc.
• Inventors: Rich, Collin, Goebel, Clement
• Application Number:
  US11/462,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038088A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5276 due to motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52077 with means for elimination of unwanted signals, e.g. noise or interference
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention includes a method of capturing a series of images of a subject patient with a medical probe having a magnification factor, a frame rate, and an image resolution. The method includes the determining a relative motion between a subject patient and a medical probe and comparing the relative motion to a threshold. The method also includes, the method includes selecting a motion mode for the medical probe and capturing a first series of images of the subject patient with the medical probe in the motion mode if the relative motion is greater than the threshold. The method also includes selecting a stability mode for the medical probe and capturing a second series of images of the subject patient with the medical probe in the stability mode if the relative motion is less than the threshold.

Claims

1. A method of capturing a series of images of a subject patient with a medical probe having a magnification factor, a frame rate, and an image resolution, comprising the steps of:

determining a relative motion between a subject patient and a medical probe and comparing the relative motion to a threshold;

if the relative motion is greater than the threshold, selecting a motion mode for the medical probe and capturing a first series of images of the subject patient with the medical probe in the motion mode; and

if the relative motion is less than the threshold, selecting a stability mode for the medical probe and capturing a second series of images of the subject patient with the medical probe in the stability mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining relative motion or stability between a subject patient and a medical probe includes monitoring the relative motion between the subject patient and the medical probe.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of monitoring includes capturing an initial series of images of the subject patient with the medical probe and analyzing the initial series of images.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of analyzing the initial series of images includes at least one image-processing step selected from the group consisting of tracking motion, correlating frames, and tracking speckles.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of monitoring includes at least one motion-detecting step selected from the group consisting of sensing acceleration forces, sensing Doppler effects, and sensing magnetic fields.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing a first and second series of images of the subject patient include capturing a first and second series of images with an ultrasonic transducer as the medical probe.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of displaying the first series of images if the relative motion is greater than the threshold;

and displaying the second series of images if the relative motion is less than the threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a motion mode for the medical probe includes decreasing the magnification factor of the medical probe.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a motion mode for the medical probe includes increasing the frame rate of the medical probe.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting a motion mode for the medical probe further includes decreasing the image resolution of the medical probe.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting a motion mode for the medical probe further includes decreasing the magnification factor of the medical probe.

12. A medical probe comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer adapted to capture a series of images of a subject patient with a magnification factor, a frame rate, and an image resolution; and

a motion detector adapted to monitor the motion of the medical probe.

13. The medical probe of claim 12, wherein the motion detector is a sensor selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, a Hall effect sensor, an RF sensor, and an optical sensor.

14. The medical probe of claim 13, further comprising a processor connected to the motion detector, adapted to determine the motion of the medical probe, to compare the motion to a threshold, to select a motion mode for the medical probe if the motion is greater than the threshold, and to select a stability mode for the medical probe if the motion is less than the threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor is adapted to allow modification of the threshold by the user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor is adapted to dynamically modify the threshold.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the magnification factor of the medical probe in the motion mode is less than the magnification factor of the medical probe in the stability mode.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the frame rate of the medical probe in the motion mode is greater than the frame rate of the medical probe in the stability mode.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the image resolution of the medical probe in the motion mode is less than the image resolution of the medical probe in the stability mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the magnification factor of the medical probe in the motion mode is less than the magnification factor of the medical probe in the stability mode.