Apparatus for obtaining a three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomic structures through the acquisition of echographic images
First Claim
1. An apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional echographic images comprising:
- a two-dimensional image scanning means having a piezoelectric transducer contained in an echographic probe, having means for movement in predetermined angular increments for a predetermined number of times;
means for digitalization of each two-dimensional image produced by said two-dimensional image scanning means;
means for recording each two-dimensional image and the angular position of the recorded image;
means for selecting in all the two-dimensional images, the vectors of horizontal pixels corresponding to a current polar plane;
means for transformation of said vector coordinates from polar to cartesian coordinates;
means for vector interpolation and construction of a polar image consisting of pixels;
means for incrementing the polar plane number;
means for recording in memory the three-dimensional matrix of pixels; and
means for display of two-dimensional echographic images obtained by selecting a section plane of the three-dimensional matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus that allows the three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomic structures through the acquisition of two-dimensional echographic images produced by the real-time processing of signals reflected and/or scattered by said structures when these are hit by a beam of ultrasound generated, according to a predetermined scanning plane, by a piezoelectric transducer contained within an echographic probe. According to the invention, the scanning plane, in which the sector-scan transducer emits the beam of ultrasound, rotates through an angle of 180°, with intermediate angular increments having a predetermined amplitude and frequency, around the longitudinal axis of the probe, while the latter remains fixed relative to the examined anatomic structure, there being provided means for the actuation and the control of the rotation of the scanning plane. The rotation of the scanning plane with respect to the probe may be obtained either mechanically by means of a motor that rotates the transducer through a predetermined angle, said motor being also arranged to provide the scanning motion to the transducer itself, or electronically by using a transducer constituted by a matrix or array of piezoelectric elements and by selecting a vector of said elements rotating around the longitudinal axis of the probe.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional echographic images comprising:
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a two-dimensional image scanning means having a piezoelectric transducer contained in an echographic probe, having means for movement in predetermined angular increments for a predetermined number of times; means for digitalization of each two-dimensional image produced by said two-dimensional image scanning means; means for recording each two-dimensional image and the angular position of the recorded image; means for selecting in all the two-dimensional images, the vectors of horizontal pixels corresponding to a current polar plane; means for transformation of said vector coordinates from polar to cartesian coordinates; means for vector interpolation and construction of a polar image consisting of pixels; means for incrementing the polar plane number; means for recording in memory the three-dimensional matrix of pixels; and means for display of two-dimensional echographic images obtained by selecting a section plane of the three-dimensional matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus for obtaining three dimensional echographic images of an anatomic structure from a series of successively produced two dimensional echographic images comprising
an echographic probe having an ultrasound transducer contained as part of said probe; -
means to produce, according to a predetermined scanning plane, two dimensional echographic images through real-time processing of signals reflected and scattered by the anatomic structure when the structure is hit by a beam of ultrasound, connected to said ultrasound transducer; scanning control means connected to said probe, said means to produce two dimensional images including means for processing of received echographic signals and for the display of a two dimensional image from said signals; means for rotating the scanning plane, connected to said ultrasound transducer, wherein said ultrasound transducer produces said ultrasound beam through an overall angle by intermediate angular increments, having predetermined amplitude and frequency, around the longitudinal axis of said probe, while said probe remains stationary with respect to the anatomic structure; means for the actuation and control of a scanning sequence connected to said means for rotating the scanning plane; said ultrasound transducer having an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said probe; motor means connected to a rotatable support upon which said ultrasound transducer is mounted to transmit to said support angular displacements having a predetermined amplitude up to an overall rotation of 180 degrees; motion transmission means connected to said motor means to provide a rotating movement, having a predetermined amplitude along the scanning plane, around said axis of said transducer as a center of rotation; clutch means between said transmission means and said rotatable support for said probe for imparting to said rotatable support an angular displacement having the predetermined amplitude; means for control of said means to produce the two dimensional images, said means to provide rotating movement, and detection of the angular position of the said means to provide rotating movement. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for obtaining three dimensional echographic images of an anatomic structure from a series of successively produced two dimensional echographic images comprising
an echographic probe having a transducer contained as part of said probe; -
means to produce, according to a predetermined scanning lane, two dimensional echographic images through real-time processing of signals reflected and scattered by the anatomic structure when the structure is hit by a beam of ultrasound, connected to said transducer; scanning control means connected to said probe, said means to produce two dimensional images including means for processing of received echographic signals and for the display of a two dimensional image from said signals; means for rotating the scanning plane, connected to said transducer, wherein said transducer produces said ultrasound beam through an overall angle by intermediate angular increments, having predetermined amplitude and frequency, around the longitudinal axis of said probe, while said probe remains stationary with respect to the anatomic structure; means for the actuation and control of a scanning sequence connected to said means for rotating the scanning plane; and delay means for an electrocardiographic signal for starting acquisition of scans with presettable delays in order to record a three dimensional block of information in selected phases during a whole cardiac cycle. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification