Programmable phase velocity in an ultrasonic imaging system

• US 20070083110A1
• Filed: 10/09/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sonowise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonowise, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Tony, Lin, Shengtz, Hue, Phung
• Application Number:
  US11/246,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/585 Automatic set-up of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52049 using correction of medium-induced phase aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52071 Multicolour displays; using colour coding; Optimising colour or information content in displays, e.g. parametric imaging

Abstract

An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object includes a beam former that provides a phase velocity adjustment function for producing an ultrasonic image with a programmable phase velocity. The ultrasonic image scanning system further includes a beam profile analysis function for calculating an optimal phase velocity with a user controller to adjust the phase velocity until a scan image of best image quality is achieved. Alternately, the system may provide an automatic phase velocity-scanning controller for automatically scanning through a range of phase velocities and selecting a best phase velocity generating a scanning image of a best quality. The system further includes a region of interest (ROI) controller for a user to select a region for scanning with a specific focal area for optimizing the phase velocity. The system may further provide a maximum gradient analyzer for selecting an image of a best quality in optimizing the phase velocity. A digital controller may also provide a real time programmable control by applying different control algorithms with combination of phase velocity and attenuation adjustment. A hardness computational processor is implemented to determine a tissue hardness using the phase velocity and in combination with the attenuation parameter.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object comprising:

a beam former includes a phase velocity adjustment function for producing an ultrasonic image with a programmable phase velocity.

2. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a beam profile analysis function for calculating an optimal phase velocity.

3. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user controller for a user of said ultrasonic image scanning system to adjust said phase velocity.

4. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

an automatic phase velocity scanning controller for automatically scanning through a range of phase velocities and selecting a best phase velocity generating a scanning image of a best quality.

5. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a region of interest (ROI) controller for a user to select a region for scanning with a specific focal area for optimizing said phase velocity.

6. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a maximum gradient analyzer for selecting an image of a best quality in optimizing said phase velocity.

7. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a digital controller for providing a real time programmable control.

8. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a digital controller for providing a real time linear-array programmable control.

9. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a digital controller for providing a real time curve-linear-array programmable control.

10. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a digital controller for providing a real time phase-array-probe programmable control.

11. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said beam former further comprising a phase velocity and attenuation adjustment controller for producing said ultrasonic image with an adjustable phase velocity and amplitude attenuation.

12. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

said beam former further includes a hardness computational processor for determining a tissue hardness using said phase velocity in combination with an attenuation parameter.

13. A method for applying an ultrasound energy to acquire an ultrasonic image comprising:

changing a phase velocity in a beam forming process until a best-focused image is acquired.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

applying said phase velocity with said best-focused image to represent an ultrasound phase velocity in a tissue for interpolating a tissue hardness estimation.

15. The method of claim 13 further wherein:

said step of determining said best-focused image comprising a step of determining said best-focused image by an operator.

16. The method of claim 13 further wherein:

said step of determining said best-focused image comprising a step of determining said best-focused image by a computer aided estimation.

17. The method of claim 13 further wherein:

said step of determining said best-focused image comprising a step of determining said best-focused image by a computer aided estimation with a maximum gradient calculation.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

said step of interpolating said tissue hardness estimation further comprising a step of applying said ultrasound phase velocity in said tissue and an attenuation in said tissue for performing a tissue hardness estimation.

19. The method of claim 13 further wherein:

said step of determining said best-focused image comprising a step of applying an algorithm in a processor connected to a beam former for searching and determining said best-focused image.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein:

said step of interpolating said tissue hardness estimation further comprising a step of constructing a nonlinear mapping table to translate said phase velocity into a plurality of tissue hardness indexes.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein:

said step of translating said phase velocity into a plurality of tissue hardness indexes further comprising a step of implementing a color-coded B-mode image representing said plurality of different hardness indexes.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

applying said phase velocity for a geometry distance and area calculation for carrying out a three-dimensional hardness image.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein:

said step of determining said best-focused image comprising a step of determining said best-focused image by a digital controller for providing a real time programmable control.