SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO IMPROVE CLARITY IN ULTRASOUND IMAGES

• US 20070232908A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dudycha, Stephen, McMorrow, Gerald, Yang, Fuxing, Wang, Yanwei, Bloch, Susannah
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,322 B2
• 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 8/0833 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 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5276 due to motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20192 Edge enhancement; Edge preservation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 : Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 : Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/269 : using gradient-based methods

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for image clarity of ultrasound-based images are described wherein motion sections are compensated with the still sections of the region of interest. Velocity map analysis of regions-of-interest is determined to compensate for instrument motion from motions attributable to structures within the region of interest. Methods include image processing algorithms applied to collected echogenic data sets and the dispensers that use apply air-expunged sonic coupling mediums.

Claims

1. A system to improve image clarity in ultrasound images comprising:

an ultrasound transducer connected with a microprocessor configured collect and process echoes returning from at least two ultrasound-based images from a scanned region-of-interest,

wherein motion sections are compensated with the stationary sections within the scanned region of interest.

2. A method to improve image clarity in ultrasound images comprising:

acquiring at least two ultrasound images from a region of interest of a subject;

segmenting the region of interest;

determining the motion and still sections of the region of interest; and

compensating for the motion section within the region of interest.

3. A system for visualizing a cannula trajectory comprising:

a processing and display generating system

an ultrasound probe connected to the processing and display generating system;

a first camera attached to the ultrasound probe that takes images in a first direction and is in signal communication with the processing and display generating system; and

a second camera attached to the ultrasound probe via a member that takes images in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the images taken by the first camera, the second camera being in signal communication with the processing and display generating system,

wherein the placement of the first camera and the second camera is such that the first camera and the second camera can both take images of a cannula when the cannula is placed before the cameras and the first camera, the second camera, and the ultrasound probe are geometrically placed such that the cannula trajectory can be related to an ultrasound image.

4. A method for visualizing a cannula trajectory comprising:

scanning tissue containing a target vein using an ultrasound probe;

displaying a cross-sectional ultrasound image of the target vein;

recording a first image of a cannula using a first camera;

recording a second image of the cannula using a second camera;

processing the first image and the second image to determine the trajectory of the cannula; and

displaying a representation of the determined trajectory of the cannula on the ultrasound image