SYSTEM AND METHOD TO IDENTIFY AND MEASURE ORGAN WALL BOUNDARIES

• US 20070276254A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/204 Determining bladder volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• 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 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• 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 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20101 Interactive definition of point of interest, landmark or seed
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20116 Active contour; Active surface; Snakes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20161 Level set
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 : Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/149 : involving deformable models, e.g. active contour models

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for acquiring, processing, and presenting boundaries of a cavity-tissue interface within a region-of-interest in an ultrasound image based upon the strength of signals of ultrasound echoes returning from structures within the region-of-interest. The segmentation of boundaries of cavity shapes occupying the region-of-interest utilizes cost function analysis of pixel sets occupying the cavity-tissue interface. The segmented shapes are further image processed to determine areas and volumes of the organ or structure containing the cavity within the region-of-interest.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonic imaging of a region-of-interest within a subject, comprising:

exposing the region-of-interest with ultrasound energy delivered from an ultrasonic transceiver emitting an ultrasound frequency acoustically coupled and placed against a surface location of the subject;

collecting ultrasound echoes by the ultrasonic transceiver from tissue at least partially surrounding a cavity in the region-of-interest;

presenting an image of the cavity on a display in proportion to the strength of the signals of the ultrasound echoes;

selecting image pixel sets occupying regions near a cavity-tissue interface; and

determining a boundary between the cavity-tissue interface based upon extracting positional information from a cost function analysis of pixels in the image pixel sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the region-of-interest includes repositioning the transceiver in relation to the region-of-interest from the positional information of the cavity presented on the display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein exposing the region-of-interest is modified by algorithms executed by a computer readable medium operated by a microprocessor device in signal communication with the display and the transceiver.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the positional information of the cavity is conveyed to directional indicators associated with the transceiver to direct a user to a subsequent surface location of the subject to reposition the transceiver for re-exposing the region-of-interest with ultrasound energy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the boundary between the cavity-tissue interface utilizing the cost function analysis is governed by the shape of the cavity, including shapes having a substantially spherical and substantially cylindrical appearance.

6. A system for ultrasonic imaging of a region-of-interest within a subject, comprising:

an ultrasound transceiver configured to deliver ultrasound pulses having a fundamental frequency to and acquire ultrasound echoes returning from structures within the region-of-interest;

a microprocessor device in signal communication with the transceiver;

a display in signal communication with the microprocessor device and the transceiver; and

a computer readable medium having algorithms configured to detect, analyze, and present a boundary of a cavity-tissue interface within the region-of-interest.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the algorithms configured for presenting the boundary of the cavity-tissue interface include sub-algorithms analyzing pixel sets associated with the cavity-tissue interface.