Methods and apparatus for ultrasound imaging with automatic color image positioning

• US 6,464,640 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Guracar, Ismayil M., Jackson, John I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Maolin
• Application Number:
  US09/478,659
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/443, 600/447, 600/455, 600/454, 378/135-138, 358/350
• US Class Current: 600/453
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/895 characterised by the transmitted frequency spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8988 Colour Doppler imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52023 Details of receivers
• 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 7/52038 involving non-linear properties of the propagation medium or of the reflective target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52063 Sector 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: G01S 7/52073 Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52074 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen displays; Combination of multiple images or of images and alphanumeric tabular information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for quantifying and displaying ultrasound signals in an ultrasonic system are provided. A first signal value for each of at least one spatial location in a region of interest is acquired at a first time, and the signal values are summed to obtain a first surface integral value. A second signal value for each of said at least one spatial location in said region of interest is acquired at a second time, and the second signal values are summed to obtain a second surface integral value. The first surface integral value is summed with the second surface integral value to obtain a time based integral. The time based integral is displayed. Other quantities based on any of various ultrasound parameters, such as Doppler energy, Doppler velocity and B-mode intensity, are calculated and displayed as quantities or as waveforms as a function of time. Furthermore, various comparisons of quantities and waveforms are provided. Image plane data or other ultrasound data are used in the calculations. Finally, a histogram data structure is provided to aid calculation of the various quantities.

Claims

1. A method of positioning a color image on an ultrasound display comprising the steps of:

selecting a region of interest within an at least two-dimensional ultrasound image on a display;

assigning an area of color measurement and display with a controller to encompass said region of interest, the region of interest associated with at least one different geometric characteristic than the area of color measurement; and

mapping a color image onto said display for said area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of determining a sector shape that entirely encompasses said region of interest and assigning said area of color measurement and display as said sector shape.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining said sector shape comprises determining a smallest sector shape that entirely encompasses said region of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping step comprises the steps of acquiring an ultrasound signal value from the group of:

Doppler energy, Doppler velocity, Doppler variance and B-mode intensity for color display and mapping a color associated with said ultrasound signal value onto said area of color display.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said assigning step comprises the step moving said area of color measurement and display to encompass said region of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning said area of measurement and display for said two-dimensional ultrasound image display as encompassing the region of interest with said controller.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting a volume region of interest of a three dimensional ultrasound image display.

8. An ultrasound apparatus for positioning a color image position on a display comprising:

said display including a two-dimensional ultrasound image display and a region of interest within the image display;

a microprocessor operatively connected to said display for assigning a color display to encompass said region of interest and causing said display to include said color display, the region of interest associated with at least one different geometric characteristic than the color display.