Method and Apparatus for Forming a Guide Image for an Ultrasound Image Scanner

• US 20080187193A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hoctor, Ralph Thomas, Bolorforosh, Mirsaid Seyed
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/12 Acquisition of 3D measurements of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

A method for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object to be scanned during an ultrasound scan. The method comprises insonifying the object, receiving return echoes from the object, processing the return echoes to generate a data set representing the object, comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models, selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the step of comparing and displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

Claims

1. A method for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object to be scanned during an ultrasound scan, comprising:

insonifying the object;

receiving return echoes from the object;

processing the return echoes to generate a data set representing the object;

comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models;

selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the step of comparing; and

displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of insonifying the object comprises free hand motion of a transducer probe to insonify the object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of insonifying the object further comprises compensating for perturbations induced by non-uniform motion of the transducer probe.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the return echoes further comprises producing a free hand scan model of the object responsive to the data set, and wherein the step of comparing the data set further comprises comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models further comprises correlating the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models and the step of selecting further comprises determining one of the plurality of shape models with the highest correlation.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

insonifying regions of the object;

receiving return echoes from the regions of the object; and

displaying a current scan plane responsive to the return echoes from the regions of the object on the guide image, wherein the guide image comprises a three dimensional image and the current scan plane comprises a plane intersecting the guide image.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying a two-dimensional image of the current scan plane.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying the guide image further comprises displaying the guide image at a first resolution and the step of displaying the two-dimensional image of the current scan plane comprises displaying the image of the current scan plane separate from the guide image at a second resolution greater than the first resolution.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of displaying the current scan plane further comprises correlating the return echoes from the regions of the object and the return echoes from the object to determine a location of the current scan plane relative to the guide image.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the return echoes further comprises correlating the return echoes from a plurality of substantially parallel scan planes.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data set comprises a three dimensional data set.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of comparing further comprises generating a potential field responsive to the data set, applying the potential field to a model surface to conform the model surface to the potential field and comparing the model surface to the plurality of shape models.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of applying the potential field to the model surface further comprises filtering the data set.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the guide image further comprises displaying the guide image with labels identifying features thereof.

17. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for generating ultrasonic energy during a first scan, for receiving first echoes from the object and for generating first signals responsive to the first echoes;

a processor for generating a data set according to the first signals, the data set representing the object, the processor for selecting a best fit shape model from among a plurality of shape models responsive to the data set; and

a first display for displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

18. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers comprise a one dimensional array of transducers or a two-dimensional array of transducers.

19. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the model comprises a deformable model defined by mass elements and connectors between mass elements.

20. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein responsive to the data set the processor generates a free hand scan model for correlating with the plurality of shape models to select the best fit shape model.

21. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein during a second scan the plurality of ultrasonic transducers receive second echoes from scan planes of the object, wherein a location of the scan plane is displayed on the guide image.

22. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first display depicts a three-dimensional image of the guide image and a two-dimensional indication of the location of scan plane.

23. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 22 wherein a second display depicts a two-dimensional image responsive to the second echoes.

24. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise at least one of static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects and static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

25. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first display further comprises labels identifying features of the guide image.

26. A computer software code for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object responsive to insonifying the object during a first scan, comprising:

a software module for receiving first return echoes from the object responsive to insonifying the object during the first scan;

a software module for processing the first return echoes to generate a data set representing the object;

a software module for comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models;

a software module for selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the software module for comparing; and

a software module for displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

27. The computer software code of claim 26 further comprising a software module for compensating perturbations induced by non-uniform motion of a transducer probe during insonifying the object.

28. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for processing the return echoes further comprises producing a free hand scan model of the object responsive to the data set, and wherein the software module for comparing the data set further comprises comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models.

29. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models further comprises correlating the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models and the software module for selecting further comprises determining one of the plurality of shape models with the highest correlation.

30. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for receiving return echoes further receives second return echoes from the object responsive to a second scan, and wherein the software module for displaying further displays a current scan plane, responsive to the second return echoes, on the guide image, and wherein the guide image comprises a three dimensional image and the current scan plane comprises a plane intersecting the guide image.

31. The computer software code of claim 30 wherein the software module for displaying further generates a separate two-dimensional image of the current scan plane.

32. The computer software module of claim 30 wherein the software module for displaying further correlates the second return echoes and the first return echoes to display the current scan plane on the guide image.

33. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for processing the first return echoes correlates the first return echoes from a plurality of substantially parallel scan planes.

34. The computer software code of claim 26 further comprising a computer software code database storing the plurality of shape models, wherein the plurality of shape modules comprise static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects and static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

35. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for comparing further generates a potential field responsive to the data set, applies the potential field to a model surface to conform the model surface to the potential field and compares the model surface to the plurality of shape models.

36. The computer software code of claim 35 wherein the software module for applying the potential field to the model surface further comprises filtering the data set.

37. The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for displaying the guide image further displays guide image labels identifying features of the guide image.