Flow characteristic imaging in medical diagnostic ultrasound

• US 20080269611A1
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AMID SRL, Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: AMID SRL, Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Pedrizzetti, Gianni, Tonti, Giovanni
• Application Number:
  US12/148,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20080269611A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/454
• 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 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8977 using special techniques for image reconstruction, e.g. FFT, geometrical transformations, spatial deconvolution, time deconvolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52038 involving non-linear properties of the propagation medium or of the reflective target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52071 Multicolour displays; using colour coding; Optimising colour or information content in displays, e.g. parametric imaging

Abstract

Flow is characterized in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging. The flow information over time for each spatial location may be broken down into component parts using Fourier analysis. For example, the average or steady state component of the flow at each location may be determined and used for imaging. The first harmonic may likewise be used. Imaging using one or more component parts of the flow information over time may provide diagnostically useful information. In addition or independently, the flow information may be analyzed to identify a vortex. The vortex characteristics may provide diagnostically useful information.

Claims

1. A method for characterizing flow in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising:

detecting flow values for each of a plurality of cardiac locations over at least a portion of a heart cycle;

time-decompositing the flow values for each of the cardiac locations into Fourier components; and

generating an image, representing the cardiac locations, as a function of at least one of the Fourier components.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow values for at least an entire heart cycle are detected, wherein the at least one of the Fourier components comprises a steady state Fourier component, and wherein generating the image comprises generating the image as a function of the steady state Fourier component.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the Fourier components comprises a first harmonic, and wherein generating the image comprises generating the image as a function of the first harmonic.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting flow values comprises detecting velocity as a function of intensity returns from contrast agents.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting flow values comprises determining vorticity of velocity information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the image comprises color mapping as a function of the at least one of the Fourier components.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein generating the image further comprises indicating velocity trajectory, velocity streamlines, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

reducing out-of plane velocity information, the velocity streamlines being a function of remaining velocity information;

wherein generating the image comprises generating a two-dimensional image.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining vortex information as a function of the at least one Fourier component.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining vortex information comprises determining a location, size, strength, or combinations thereof of at least one vortex.

11. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for characterizing flow in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

determining flow for a plurality of locations in a heart over a period;

calculating an average flow field for the period; and

displaying the average flow field.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein determining flow comprises determining vorticity for the locations.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein calculating the average flow field comprises determining a DC component of a Fourier series for the flow over the period.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprising:

identifying a vortex in the average flow field; and

determining a characteristic of the vortex.

15. A method for characterizing flow in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising:

detecting, with ultrasound, flow values for each of a plurality of cardiac locations; and

calculating vortex information as a function of the flow values, the vortex information corresponding to a vortex associated with a plurality of the cardiac locations.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein calculating vortex information comprises determining a location, size, strength, or combinations thereof of the vortex.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the flow values for at least an entire heart cycle are detected, further comprising:

time-decompositing the flow values for each of the cardiac locations into Fourier components, including a steady state Fourier component; and

generating an image, representing the cardiac locations, as a function of the steady state Fourier component;

wherein calculating as a function of the flow values comprises calculating as a function of the steady state Fourier component.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein detecting flow values comprises determining vorticity of velocity information, and wherein calculating comprises identifying a region of relatively high vorticity as a function of a vorticity density.

19. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for characterizing flow in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

determining flow, for a plurality of locations in a heart, from ultrasound information;

extracting at least one characteristic of a vortex from the flow; and

outputting the at least one characteristic of the vortex.

20. The computer readable media of claim 19 wherein extracting the at least one characteristic comprises determining a location, size, strength, or combinations thereof of the vortex.

21. The computer readable media of claim 19 wherein determining flow comprises determining vorticity for at least an entire heart cycle for each of the locations;

further comprising;

time-decompositing the vorticity for each of the cardiac locations into Fourier components, including a steady state Fourier component; and

wherein extracting comprises identifying, as a function of the steady state Fourier component, the vortex associated with a plurality of the locations.