Three-dimensional imaging system

• US 5,964,707 A
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Imaging Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Life Imaging Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Fenster, Aaron, Dunne, Shane, Larsen, Janpeter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/149,443
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 600/443, 600/445, 600/459, 128/916, 345/419
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8945 using transducers mounted for linear mechanical movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52025 for pulse systems G01S7/52034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52034 Data rate converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5206 Two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction; B-scan display
• 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 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/008 Cut plane or projection plane definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

A three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe to direct ultrasound waves to and to receive reflected ultrasound waves from a target volume of a subject under examination. The ultrasound probe is swept over the target volume along a linear scanning path and the reflected ultrasound waves are conveyed to a computer wherein successive two-dimensional images of the target volume are digitized. The digitized two-dimensional images can be used to generate a three-dimensional image with virtually no delay. A user interface allows a user to manipulate the displayed image. Specifically, the entire displayed image may be rotated about an arbitrary axis, a surface of the displayed image may be translated to provide different cross-sectional views of the image and a selected surface of the displayed image may be rotated about an arbitrary axis. All of these manipulations can be achieved via a single graphical input device such as a mouse connected to the computer.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system for use with a transducer and a display, comprising:

an input for inputting ultrasound signals from the transducer; and

a processor for (i) receiving the ultrasound signals input by said input, (ii) causing the storage of the received ultrasound signals as a plurality of two-dimensional image data, (iii) causing the stored two-dimensional image data to be assigned to at least one display model, (iv) causing a perimeter of the at least one assigned display model to be displayed on the display, (v) causing the display to display an image corresponding to a portion of the stored two-dimensional image data on a visible image face of the model perimeter, (vi) determining a depth value associated with pixels of the image displayed on the visible image face, and (vii) causing the storage of the determined depth values with their associated pixels as three-dimensional image data.