3D ULTRASOUND SYSTEM FOR EXTENDING VIEW OF IMAGE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE 3D ULTRASOUND SYSTEM

• US 20120065513A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: LEE, Kwang-hee
• Application Number:
  US13/230,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52065 Compound scan display, e.g. panoramic imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10136 3D ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20101 Interactive definition of point of interest, landmark or seed
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30044 Fetus; Embryo
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods

Abstract

A 3D ultrasound system and a method for operating the same. The 3D ultrasound system includes a scanning unit which generates a plurality of volume images with respect to an object by using ultrasound signals; a processor which identifies a first point with respect to a first volume image from among the plurality of volume images and identifies a second point with respect to a second volume image from among the plurality of volume images; and a control unit which overlaps the first and second volume images based on the first and second points.

Claims

1. A 3D ultrasound system comprising:

a scanning unit which generates a plurality of volume images with respect to an object by using ultrasound signals;

a processor which identifies a first point with respect to a first volume image from among the plurality of volume images and identifies a second point with respect to a second volume image from among the plurality of volume images; and

a control unit which overlaps the first and second volume images based on the first and second points.

2. The 3D ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is input a landmark regarding the object and identifies the first and second points respectively in the first and second volume images in correspondence to the landmark.

3. The 3D ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein, in a case where n landmarks (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) are input, the control unit rotates the first and second volume images, compares a first symbol which connects the first points existing in the first volume image and a second symbol which connects the second points existing in the second volume image, and overlaps the first and second volume images at a rotated position at which the first and second symbols overlap in a permissible range as a result of the comparison.

4. The 3D ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the control unit rotates the first and second volume images, compares a first coordinate of the first point in the first volume image and a second coordinate of the second point in the second volume image, and overlaps the first and second volume images at a rotated position at which the first and second points overlap in a permissible range as a result of the comparison.

5. The 3D ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a rendering unit which renders the overlapping first and second volume images into a single image and displays the single image.

6. The 3D ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a matching unit which determines sagittal views respectively with respect to the first and second volume images and may perform template matching at m points (m is a natural number) in the first and second volume images with the determined sagittal views,

wherein energy of a polygon template, which is generated by performing the template matching, is measured with respect to each of the m points in the first and second volume images with the determined sagittal views, and

the first and second volume images overlap based on a point at which relatively small energy is measured.

7. A method of operating a 3D ultrasound system, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of volume images with respect to an object by using ultrasound signals;

identifying a first point with respect to a first volume image from among the plurality of volume images and a second point with respect to a second volume image from among the plurality of volume images; and

overlapping the first and second volume images based on the first and second points.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving input of a landmark regarding the object,

wherein the first and second points are identified respectively in the first and second volume images in correspondence to the landmark.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, in a case where n landmarks (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) are input, the first and second volume images are rotated, a first symbol which connects the first points in the first volume image and a second symbol which connects the second points in the second volume image are compared, and the first and second volume images overlap at a rotated position at which the first and second symbols overlap in a permissible range as a result of the comparison.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and second volume images are rotated, a first coordinate of the first point in the first volume image and a second coordinate of the second point in the second volume image are compared, and the first and second volume images overlap at a rotated position at which the first and second points overlap in a permissible range as a result of the comparison.

11. The method of claim 7, further rendering the overlapping first and second volume images into a single image and displaying the single image.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining sagittal views respectively with respect to the first and second volume images and performing template matching at m points (m is a natural number) in the first and second volume images with the determined sagittal views,

wherein, in a case where the landmark is not input, energy of a polygon template, which is generated by performing the template matching, is measured with respect to each of the m points in the first and second volume images with the determined sagittal views, and

the first and second volume images overlap based on a point at which relatively small energy is measured.