Integrated ultrasound imaging system

• US 20070167705A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teratech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teratech Corporation
• Inventors: Brodsky, Michael, Chiang, Alice, Kyle, Albert
• Application Number:
  US11/498,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20070167705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• 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 8/0808 for diagnosis of the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/28 Details of apparatus provided for in groups G01R33/44 - G01R33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4814 MR combined with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 : Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for performing integrated ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging procedures on a patient. An ultrasound probe is used within an MRI system to provide both imaging modalities for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Claims

1. A medical imaging system comprising:

an ultrasound imaging system;

a magnetic resonance imaging system; and

a controller connected to the ultrasound imaging system and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the controller actuating synchronized acquisition of an ultrasound image and an MRI image.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a shielded ultrasound transducer probe.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a shielded interface housing connected to the transducer probe and a processing system, the interface housing having a beamformer circuit, and a cable connecting the interface housing to the processing system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a timing system to control an acquisition sequence of an ultrasound image and an MRI image.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein a fiber optic cable connects the interface housing and the processing system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound imaging system further comprises a probe positioned within a coil assembly of the MRI system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller synchronously operates the ultrasound imaging system and the MRI imaging system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller actuates synchronized simultaneous acquisition of an ultrasound image and an MRI image.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller actuates synchronous gated acquisition of ultrasound data and MRI data.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface housing is connected to a computer using a standard communications interface.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a body mounting device with which an ultrasound transducer probe can be mounted to a body of a subject.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the body mounting device comprises a harness.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the harness positions the probe relative to a heart of the subject.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a support surface on which a subject is positioned relative to a coil assembly of the MRI system.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising a probe device for insertion into a subject.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the probe device comprises a catheter, such that a position of the catheter in a body of the subject can be imaged.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the probe device comprises an endoscope.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the probe device comprises a biopsy device.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the MRI system is programmed to generate a navigator signal.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is programmed to perform Doppler imaging of a region of interest.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound image and the MRI image are registered.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the ultrasound image and the MRI image can be overlayed on a display device.

23. The system of claim 3 wherein the interface housing has an interference shield.

24. The system of claim 3 wherein the interface housing has an IEEE 1394 standard communication circuit that transmits beamformed data.

25. The system of claim 3 wherein the interface housing further houses a memory circuit and an interface controller circuit connected to the beamformer circuit.

26. The system of claim 3 wherein the interface housing is connected to the transducer probe with a shielded cable.

27. The system of claim 3 wherein the interface housing further houses a transmit and receive circuit that communicates with the transducer probe, and further houses a preamplifier circuit and time gain compensation (TGC) circuit.

28. The system of claim 3 wherein the processing system includes a processor that performs scan conversion and Doppler processing.

29. The system of claim 3 wherein the processing system further comprises a memory and a standard communication interface that receives and transmits signals to the interface housing.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein an ultrasound transducer probe is positioned for cardiac imaging.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound image is a spectral Doppler image.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound probe acquires a three-dimensional image of a volume of interest.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein an ultrasound transducer probe is positioned for brain imaging.

34. The system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound system performs a treatment operation on a region of interest.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the treatment operation comprises a thermal treatment with MRI monitoring of temperature of the region of interest.

36. A method for imaging a regional interest comprising:

positioning a transducer probe relative to a subject, the transducer probe being connected to an ultrasound imaging system;

positioning the subject and the transducer probe within a coil assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system; and

obtaining an ultrasound image and an MRI image of a region of interest within the subject using a controller connected to the ultrasound imaging system and the magnetic resonance imaging system.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising providing a shielded ultrasound transducer probe.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising providing a shielded interface housing connected to the transducer probe and a processing system, the interface housing having a beamformer circuit and a fiber optic connection to the processing system.

39. The method of claim 36 further comprising actuating a timing system to control an acquisition sequence.

40. The method of claim 36 further comprising registering the ultrasound image and the MRI image.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the MRI system triggers an ultrasound image acquisition.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein the ultrasound system triggers an MRI image acquisition.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein the acquisition of MRI data and ultrasound data is synchronous.

44. The method of claim 36 wherein the ultrasound image and MRI image are overlayed on a display.

45. The method of claim 39 wherein the acquisition of MRI data and ultrasound data is synchronous and simultaneous.

46. The method of claim 36 further comprising using navigator MRI signals to identify a moving object to be imaged.

47. The method of claim 36 further comprising performing treatment on a region of interest with the ultrasound imaging system.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising thermally treating the region of interest with the ultrasound system.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising monitoring the treatment with the MRI system.

50. A method of registering ultrasound and magnetic resonance images comprising

registering an ultrasound image with a magnetic resonance (MR) image;

and

overlaying the ultrasound image and the MR image.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the images are cardiac images.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the ultrasound image is a Doppler image.