Apparatus and method for visualizing ultrasonic images
First Claim
1. A system for visualizing internal images of a body in relation to an instrument within the body, said images having been acquired by an ultrasound imaging transducer, the system comprising:
- first spatial determinator means for determining spatial positional information of the instrument comprising a position and an orientation of the instrument in a frame of reference and for sending a first spatial signal representing the spatial positional information of the instrument;
second spatial determinator means for determining spatial positional information of the ultrasound imaging transducer comprising a position and an orientation of the ultrasound imaging transducer in the frame of reference and for sending a second spatial signal representing the spatial positional information of the transducer;
mapping means for receiving the first spatial signal and the second spatial signal and generating a first mapping signal indicative of the position and orientation of the instrument relative to the position and orientation of the images;
image processing means for receiving the first mapping signal and signals representing the images acquired by the transducer and generating processed images from a view which is spatially related to the position of the instrument; and
display means for displaying the processed images.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for visualizing internal images of an anatomical body. Internal images of the body are acquired by an ultrasound imaging transducer. The position and orientation of the ultrasound imaging transducer is tracked in a frame of reference by a spatial determinator. The position of the images in the frame of reference is determined by calibrating the ultrasound imaging transducer to produce a vector position of the images with respect to a fixed point on the transducer. This vector position can then be added to the position and orientation of the fixed point of the transducer in the frame of reference determined by the spatial determinator. The position and orientation of a medical instrument used on the patient are also tracked in the frame of reference by spatial determinators. The position and orientation of the instrument is mapped onto the position and orientation of the images. This information is used to generate processed images from the images acquired by the transducer. The processed images are generated from a view spatially related to the position of the instrument. The system is expandable so that more than one instrument and more than one transducer can be used.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A system for visualizing internal images of a body in relation to an instrument within the body, said images having been acquired by an ultrasound imaging transducer, the system comprising:
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first spatial determinator means for determining spatial positional information of the instrument comprising a position and an orientation of the instrument in a frame of reference and for sending a first spatial signal representing the spatial positional information of the instrument; second spatial determinator means for determining spatial positional information of the ultrasound imaging transducer comprising a position and an orientation of the ultrasound imaging transducer in the frame of reference and for sending a second spatial signal representing the spatial positional information of the transducer; mapping means for receiving the first spatial signal and the second spatial signal and generating a first mapping signal indicative of the position and orientation of the instrument relative to the position and orientation of the images; image processing means for receiving the first mapping signal and signals representing the images acquired by the transducer and generating processed images from a view which is spatially related to the position of the instrument; and display means for displaying the processed images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification