Automated detection of asymptomatic carotid stenosis
First Claim
1. A method for determining peak velocity of fluid flowing in a blood vessel, said method comprising:
- (a) measuring a set of spatially proximate ultrasound images along said blood vessel, wherein said set of ultrasound images are measured with an ultrasound transducer, wherein each of said ultrasound images is of a planar cross-section of said blood vessel, and wherein each of said ultrasound images provides a Doppler-generated velocity map of said fluid in said planar cross-section;
(b) determining an uncorrected peak velocity of said fluid, wherein said uncorrected peak velocity is located at or near one of said planar cross-sections;
(c) identifying a high velocity center in each of a plurality of said ultrasound images;
(d) calculating a Doppler angle based on said high velocity centers of said ultrasound images; and
(e) correcting said peak velocity based on said calculated Doppler angle.
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Abstract
Peak blood velocity measurement for automated stenosis detection is provided. Ultrasound measurements of the peak blood velocity are corrected by a calculation of the Doppler angle, which exists from misalignment of the ultrasound transducer axis and the true blood velocity. The direction of the blood velocity and the Doppler angle are found by imaging a set of planar cross-sections of a blood vessel, such as the carotid artery, to obtain velocity maps of the blood flowing in the blood vessel. Peak blood velocity can be correlated with an amount of stenosis therefore accurate peak blood velocity measurements are necessary for medical diagnosis. Automated stenosis detection allows for implementation in many medical settings. A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer array is also provided to measure the planar cross-sectional images.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining peak velocity of fluid flowing in a blood vessel, said method comprising:
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(a) measuring a set of spatially proximate ultrasound images along said blood vessel, wherein said set of ultrasound images are measured with an ultrasound transducer, wherein each of said ultrasound images is of a planar cross-section of said blood vessel, and wherein each of said ultrasound images provides a Doppler-generated velocity map of said fluid in said planar cross-section; (b) determining an uncorrected peak velocity of said fluid, wherein said uncorrected peak velocity is located at or near one of said planar cross-sections; (c) identifying a high velocity center in each of a plurality of said ultrasound images; (d) calculating a Doppler angle based on said high velocity centers of said ultrasound images; and (e) correcting said peak velocity based on said calculated Doppler angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device for determining peak velocity of fluid flowing in a blood vessel, said device comprising an array of ultrasound transducers,
wherein said array is divided into multiple sub-arrays, wherein each of said sub-arrays produces a planar cross-sectional ultrasound image of said blood vessel, wherein each of said ultrasound images provides a velocity map of said fluid in said planar cross-section, wherein an uncorrected peak velocity of said fluid is determined from said ultrasound images, wherein said uncorrected peak velocity is located at or near one of said planar cross-sections produced by said sub-arrays, wherein a high velocity center is identified in each of said ultrasound images, wherein a Doppler angle is calculated based on said high velocity centers of said ultrasound images, and wherein said peak velocity is corrected based on said calculated Doppler angle.
Specification