ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COLOR RECONSTRUCTION IMAGE

• US 20130070999A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• 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, Yun Hee
• Application Number:
  US13/700,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• 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 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• 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: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52071 Multicolour displays; using colour coding; Optimising colour or information content in displays, e.g. parametric imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77

Abstract

There is disclosed an embodiment for providing a color reconstruction image. An ultrasound data acquisition unit transmits a ultrasound signal to a target object and receive an echo signal reflected from the target object to acquire ultrasound data. A user interface receives input information from a user. A processor is in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit and the user interface. The processor is configured to form a color Doppler mode image and a color map by using the ultrasound data, detects pixels corresponding to colors within a region of interest set in the color map from the color Doppler mode image based on the input information and forms a color reconstruction image represented by the colors corresponding to the detected pixels.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit a ultrasound signal to a target object and receive an echo signal reflected from the target object to acquire ultrasound data;

a user interface configured to receive input information from a user; and

a processor in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit and the user interface, the processor being configured to form a color Doppler mode image and a color map by using the ultrasound data, detect pixels corresponding to colors within a region of interest set in the color map from the color Doppler mode image based on the input information and form a color reconstruction image represented by the colors corresponding to the detected pixels.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the color map is a map to indicate the velocities of the target object in terms of colors, the color map being configured to indicate the relative velocities of the target object in the color Doppler mode image.

3. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the input information includes position and size information of the region of interest set upon the color map.

4. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the processor comprising:

an image forming section configured to form the color Doppler mode image and the color map by using the ultrasound data; and

an image processing section configured to detect pixels corresponding to colors of a region of interest set upon the color map from the color Doppler mode image based on the input information and form the color reconstruction image by performing an image processing for representing the colors corresponding to the detected pixels upon the color Doppler mode image.

5. The ultrasound system of claim 3, wherein the image processing section is further configured to:

calculate maximum and minimum velocities corresponding to the region of interest based on the color map;

form velocity information including the maximum and minimum velocities; and

form a synthetic image by synthesizing the color reconstruction image, the color map and the velocity information.

6. A method of providing a color reconstruction image comprising:

a) acquiring ultrasound data of a target object;

b) forming a color Doppler mode image and a color map by using the ultrasound data;

c) receiving input information from a user;

d) detecting pixels corresponding to colors within a region of interest set in the color map from the color Doppler mode image based on the input information; and

e) forming a color reconstruction image represented by the colors corresponding to the detected pixels.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the color map is a map to indicate the velocities of the target object in terms of colors, the color map being configured to indicate the relative velocities of the target object in the color Doppler mode image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the input information includes position and size information of the region of interest set upon the color map.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

f) calculating maximum and minimum velocities in the region of interest based on the color map;

g) forming velocity information including the maximum and minimum velocities; and

h) forming a synthetic image by synthesizing the color reconstruction image, the color map and the velocity information.

10. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor performs a color reconstruction image providing method of an ultrasound system, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

a) acquiring ultrasound data of a target object;

b) forming a color Doppler mode image and a color map by using the ultrasound data;

c) receiving input information from a user;

d) detecting pixels corresponding to colors within a region of interest set in the color map from the color Doppler mode image based on the input information; and

e) forming a color reconstruction image represented by the colors corresponding to the detected pixels.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

f) calculating maximum and minimum velocities corresponding to the region of interest based on the color map;

g) forming velocity information including the maximum and minimum velocities; and

h) forming a synthetic image by synthesizing the color reconstruction image, the color map and the velocity information.