Medical diagnostic ultrasound system and method

• US 6,312,381 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Kevin S., Urbano, Joseph A., Lannutti, Anthony P., Knell, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MAULIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/396,487
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/458, 600/455, 600/443, 600/438, 600/449
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8909 using a static transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52034 Data rate converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52044 Scan converters

Abstract

A diagnostic ultrasound system and method for providing temporally accurate EKG data with imaging is provided. The EKG data is linked to imaging data. The frame of data of imaging data contains EKG data in a line of information. Additional EKG data may be provided separately from the imaging data. A scan converter processes both the EKG data and imaging data at substantially the same time, maintaining temporal accuracy. The EKG data provided comprises an entire trace so that the trace on the display appears to be smoothly updated.

Claims

1. A diagnostic ultrasound method for generating an EKG display, the method comprising the acts of:

(a) transferring EKG data linked with ultrasound data to a scan converter;

(b) processing the EKG data with the scan converter; and

(c) scan converting the ultrasound data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises transferring the EKG data as part of a frame of ultrasound data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein (a) comprises transferring the EKG data in a line of the frame, the ultrasound data comprising a plurality of lines of data within the frame.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises transferring EKG data comprising data representing about two seconds.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises transferring EKG data comprising an entire EKG trace.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) transferring an entire EKG trace with each frame of ultrasound data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) transferring additional EKG data separate from ultrasound data.

8. A diagnostic ultrasound system for generating an EKG display, the system comprising:

a scan converter operable to receive EKG data linked with ultrasound data, to process the EKG data, and to scan convert the ultrasound data; and

a display operable to display an EKG trace responsive to the EKG data and an image responsive to the ultrasound data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the EKG data and the ultrasound data are formatted in a same frame of data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the EKG data comprises a line of the frame and the ultrasound data comprises a plurality of lines of data of the frame.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the EKG data represents about two seconds.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the EKG data comprising an entire EKG trace.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein an entire EKG trace is linked with each frame of ultrasound data.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising additional EKG data transferred to the scan converter separate from ultrasound data.