Selectably compounding and displaying breast ultrasound images
First Claim
1. A method for acquiring, processing and presenting breast ultrasound information to a user comprising the steps of:
- scanning at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s breast tissue with an ultrasonic transducer array to generate sonographic image information of the tissue in a first angle and a second angle with respect to the transducer array;
storing said sonographic image information of the tissue in the first angle and the second angle in a storage system;
providing one or more image selection buttons that allow the user to select whether displayed sonographic images correspond to the first angle, the second angle, or are a compound of sonographic information in at least the first and second angles;
receiving user input indicative of the user'"'"'s selection with respect to the displayed images; and
in response to the received user input, displaying sonographic images corresponding to the first angle, corresponding to the second angle, or which are a compound of sonographic information in at least the first and second angles, thereby facilitating analysis of the patient'"'"'s breast tissue by the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Acquiring, processing and presenting breast ultrasound information to a user is described. Breast tissue is scanned with an ultrasonic transducer array to generate sonographic image information of the tissue in multiple angles using beamsteering techniques. Sonographic image information is stored in a storage system. One or more image selection buttons are provided that allow the viewer to select which angle or compound image should be displayed. In response to user input, sonographic images are displayed in the desired views, thereby facilitating analysis of the patient'"'"'s breast tissue by the user. The sonographic image information can be processed real-time, in response to and according to user input. Image selection buttons are described which can soft buttons displayed to the user. The appearance of the soft button can change to indicate the type of image being displayed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for acquiring, processing and presenting breast ultrasound information to a user comprising the steps of:
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scanning at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s breast tissue with an ultrasonic transducer array to generate sonographic image information of the tissue in a first angle and a second angle with respect to the transducer array; storing said sonographic image information of the tissue in the first angle and the second angle in a storage system; providing one or more image selection buttons that allow the user to select whether displayed sonographic images correspond to the first angle, the second angle, or are a compound of sonographic information in at least the first and second angles; receiving user input indicative of the user'"'"'s selection with respect to the displayed images; and in response to the received user input, displaying sonographic images corresponding to the first angle, corresponding to the second angle, or which are a compound of sonographic information in at least the first and second angles, thereby facilitating analysis of the patient'"'"'s breast tissue by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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an ultrasound image acquisition device having at least one ultrasonic transducer array providing sonographic information of a patient'"'"'s breast in a first angle and a second angle with respect to the transducer array; an image processing and display station coupled with the image acquisition device to receive said sonographic information therefrom, said station comprising; a display device configured to display sonographic images and one or more image selection buttons responsive to a user selection to select whether the displayed sonographic images correspond to the first angle, the second angle, or are compounded from sonographic information in at least the first and second angles; a user input device adapted to respond to a user selection to select the one or more image selection buttons; and a processing system in communication with said display device and said user input device, said processing system configured to receive the user'"'"'s selection of the one or more image selection buttons, and in response display sonographic images that correspond to the first angle, the second angle, or are compounded from sonographic information in at least the first and second angles. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer program stored on a tangible medium, comprising:
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computer code for scanning at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s breast tissue with an ultrasonic transducer array to generate sonographic image information of the tissue in a first angle and a second angle with respect to the transducer array; computer code for providing one or more image selection buttons that respond to a user selection to select whether displayed sonographic images are in the first angle, the second angles, or a compound of at least the first and second angles; computer code for receiving user input indicative of the user'"'"'s selection with respect to the displayed images; and computer code for displaying, in response to the received user input, sonographic images corresponding to the first angle, the second angle, or that are a compound of sonographic information in at least the first and second angles, thereby facilitating analysis of the patient'"'"'s breast tissue by the user.
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Specification