High speed volumetric ultrasound imaging system
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for simultaneously displaying in real time, an image of at least one section of variable thickness of a three dimensional object having a range of acoustical properties, said at least one cross section being any cross section of said object and selected by a viewer viewing said displayed image, said apparatus comprising:
- means adapted for radiating said object with a plurality of sonic beams such that each beam of said plurality of sonic beams generates a wave reflected from a plurality of locations distributed in all regions of said object;
means for resolving said wave into a plurality of echo data, each echo datum of said plurality of echo data representing intensity of reflection of one of said plurality of sonic beams from one of said plurality of locations in said object respectively;
scan converter means for storing each said datum at one of a plurality of addresses in a memory of said scan converter means, each one of said plurality of addresses corresponding to one of said plurality of locations in said object respectively;
means for displaying said image of said at least one section including a screen with a plurality of display locations and terminal means for receiving a plurality of signals and displaying each signal as brightness at a respective one of said plurality of display locations corresponding to said image;
buffer memory means for storing each said echo datum from said scan converter memory then transferring each said echo datum so as to apply a series of said plurality of signals to said terminal means of said display means;
said buffer memory means having buffer memory addresses, each buffer memory address corresponding to one of said display locations respectively;
means operated by said viewer for selecting a set of addresses in said scan converter memory of said scan converter corresponding to said at least one section in said object selected by said viewer;
an address pointer means for matching each buffer memory address to a memory address in said memory of said scan converter means belonging to said set of memory addresses in said scan converter memory and transferring to each said buffer memory address said datum stored in said memory address of said scan converter memory respectively;
means for providing data stored in said buffer memory address to said terminal means of said display means.
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Abstract
A high speed method for presenting display of images obtained from a volumetric scanner in which multiple slices of object space are displayed simultaneously in real time thereby enabling a viewer to study relationships between various parts of the object. The slices are selectable by the viewer manipulating an icon on the display screen. Accordingly C-scans or B scans may be selected as well as I scans in which the scan plane has a selected orientation. Multiple I scans may be selected and viewed in perspective so that the viewer has an impression of a three dimensional display. Color and spectral doppler is incorporated with the scans to provide additional information of dynamic properties.
166 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for simultaneously displaying in real time, an image of at least one section of variable thickness of a three dimensional object having a range of acoustical properties, said at least one cross section being any cross section of said object and selected by a viewer viewing said displayed image, said apparatus comprising:
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means adapted for radiating said object with a plurality of sonic beams such that each beam of said plurality of sonic beams generates a wave reflected from a plurality of locations distributed in all regions of said object; means for resolving said wave into a plurality of echo data, each echo datum of said plurality of echo data representing intensity of reflection of one of said plurality of sonic beams from one of said plurality of locations in said object respectively; scan converter means for storing each said datum at one of a plurality of addresses in a memory of said scan converter means, each one of said plurality of addresses corresponding to one of said plurality of locations in said object respectively; means for displaying said image of said at least one section including a screen with a plurality of display locations and terminal means for receiving a plurality of signals and displaying each signal as brightness at a respective one of said plurality of display locations corresponding to said image; buffer memory means for storing each said echo datum from said scan converter memory then transferring each said echo datum so as to apply a series of said plurality of signals to said terminal means of said display means; said buffer memory means having buffer memory addresses, each buffer memory address corresponding to one of said display locations respectively; means operated by said viewer for selecting a set of addresses in said scan converter memory of said scan converter corresponding to said at least one section in said object selected by said viewer; an address pointer means for matching each buffer memory address to a memory address in said memory of said scan converter means belonging to said set of memory addresses in said scan converter memory and transferring to each said buffer memory address said datum stored in said memory address of said scan converter memory respectively; means for providing data stored in said buffer memory address to said terminal means of said display means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for simultaneously displaying in real time, an image of at least one cross section of a three dimensional object having a range of acoustical properties, said at least one cross section being any cross section of said object and selected by a viewer viewing said displayed image, said method including the steps:
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(a) radiating said object with a plurality of sonic beams such that one of each said beam generates a total wave reflected from locations in all regions of said object; (b) resolving said total wave into echo data, each said datum of said echo data representing intensity of reflection of said sonic beam from one of a second plurality of locations in said object respectively; (c) storing each said datum at one of said second plurality of memory addresses in a scan converter memory, each one of said first plurality of memory addresses corresponding to one of said first plurality of locations in said object respectively; (d) selecting a set of addresses in said scan converter memory corresponding to said at least one cross section in said object selected by said viewer; (e) matching buffer memory addresses of a buffer memory to said set of memory address in said scan converter memory; (f) transferring to each said buffer memory address said datum stored in said scan converter memory address respectively; (g) sending echo data from said buffer memory to a means for displaying said echo data as brightness on a display screen wherein said coordinates on said display screen correspond to addresses in said buffer memory. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. An apparatus for simultaneously displaying in real time, an image of at least one cross section of a three dimensional object having a range of acoustical properties, said at least one cross section being any cross section of said object selected by a viewer, said apparatus comprising:
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means for producing a first plurality of echo data from a plurality of locations, one datum of said plurality of data from one of said first plurality of locations respectively, said plurality of locations being distributed throughout an entire volume occupied by said object; a memory means having a first plurality of memory addresses for storing each said datum in one of said first plurality of memory addresses respectively, said memory means operably coupled to said means for producing; means for selecting a second plurality of memory addresses from said first plurality of memory addresses, said second plurality of memory addresses having one to one correspondence with a second plurality of locations selected from said first plurality of locations and lying on said at least one cross section; means for displaying said echo data stored in said second addresses as brightness levels on a screen with positions on said screen mapped one to one to locations in said second plurality of locations such that said image of said at least one cross section is displayed on said screen. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification