Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of velocity and power data using average or median pixel projections
First Claim
1. A system for three-dimensional imaging of an object volume containing moving ultrasound scatterers, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes;
means for acquiring imaging data derived at least in part from ultrasound echoes reflected by the ultrasound scatterers, each imaging datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes;
a scan converter for storing imaging data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes;
a computer for retrieving a source imaging data set from the imaging data stored in said scan converter and for projecting average imaging data computed from the imaging data in said source imaging data set onto an image plane so as to form a projected average imaging data set;
a display monitor; and
a video processor for displaying a projected image on said display monitor, said projected image being a function of at least a portion of said projected average imaging data set.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A three-dimensional image of flowing fluid or moving tissue using velocity or power Doppler data is displayed by using an ultrasound scanner that collects velocity or power data in a cine memory to form a volume of pixel data. Average or median pixel values are projected on an image plane by casting rays through the data volume. As the ray passes through each scan plane, a data value is assigned to the ray at that point. At each scan plane, the assigned pixel data value is tested to see if it exceeds a noise threshold. For a given ray, pixel data values above the detection threshold are accumulated until a pixel data value falls below the detection threshold. A minimum number of pixel data values exceeding the threshold are required for each ray before the average of the accumulated values is processed and/or the median value is selected. When all pixels along a given ray have been tested, the projection is complete and the average or median projection is then displayed. Uniformity within the projected image and the sharpness of edges are enhanced by projecting average or median pixel values instead of maximum pixel values.
65 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for three-dimensional imaging of an object volume containing moving ultrasound scatterers, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes; means for acquiring imaging data derived at least in part from ultrasound echoes reflected by the ultrasound scatterers, each imaging datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; a scan converter for storing imaging data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; a computer for retrieving a source imaging data set from the imaging data stored in said scan converter and for projecting average imaging data computed from the imaging data in said source imaging data set onto an image plane so as to form a projected average imaging data set; a display monitor; and a video processor for displaying a projected image on said display monitor, said projected image being a function of at least a portion of said projected average imaging data set. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system for three-dimensional imaging of an object volume containing moving ultrasound scatterers, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes; means for acquiring imaging data derived at least in part from ultrasound echoes reflected by the ultrasound scatterers, each imaging datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; a scan converter for storing imaging data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; a computer for retrieving a source imaging data set from the imaging data stored in said scan converter and for projecting median imaging data discriminated from the imaging data in said source imaging data set onto an image plane so as to form a projected median imaging data set; a display monitor; and a video processor for displaying a projected image on said display monitor, said projected image being a function of at least a portion of said projected median imaging data set. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A method for three-dimensional imaging of an object volume containing moving ultrasound scatterers, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting ultrasound beams into said object volume; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes; acquiring imaging data derived at least in part from ultrasound echoes reflected by the ultrasound scatterers, each imaging datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; storing imaging data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; retrieving a source imaging data set from the stored imaging data; projecting average imaging data computed from the retrieved source imaging data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected average imaging data set; and displaying a projected image which is a function of a projected imaging data set and which, in turn, comprises at least a portion of said projected average imaging data set. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for three-dimensional imaging of an object volume containing moving ultrasound scatterers, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting ultrasound beams into said object volume; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes; acquiring imaging data derived at least in part from ultrasound echoes reflected by the ultrasound scatterers, each imaging datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; storing imaging data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; retrieving a source imaging data set from the stored imaging data; projecting median imaging data discriminated from the retrieved source imaging data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected median imaging data set; and displaying a projected image which is a function of said projected median imaging data set. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification