Ultrasound image acquisition with synchronized reference image
First Claim
1. A method for displaying images based on a physiologic cycle, comprising the following steps:
- acquiring a first image loop comprising a first sequence of image frames along a first scan plane through a patient during a first time span;
storing said first image loop in memory;
continuously monitoring a physiologic cycle of said patient;
acquiring a second image loop comprising a second sequence of image frames along a second scan plane through said patient during a second time span subsequent to said first time span; and
concurrently displaying said first and second image loops in dependence on a result of said continuous monitoring step.
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Abstract
A system and a method for guiding and helping an ultrasound scanner user to acquire the correct projection/cut-plane when acquiring images of a physiological structure for comparison with previously acquired images. The ultrasound scanner screen area is divided in two parts, where one part is showing a reference image loop and the other part is showing the live image loop. The correct reference image loop is automatically retrieved from the image frame memory based on which cell in the stress protocol is active. The reference image loop is cycled with a speed which is automatically set by the software based on the current heart rate given by the live ECG acquisition. The display of the reference loop is “reset” (starting from the first image in the loop) at QRS trigger detection from the live ECG signal.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for displaying images based on a physiologic cycle, comprising the following steps:
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acquiring a first image loop comprising a first sequence of image frames along a first scan plane through a patient during a first time span;
storing said first image loop in memory;
continuously monitoring a physiologic cycle of said patient;
acquiring a second image loop comprising a second sequence of image frames along a second scan plane through said patient during a second time span subsequent to said first time span; and
concurrently displaying said first and second image loops in dependence on a result of said continuous monitoring step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An imaging system comprising:
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a monitor for continuously monitoring a physiologic cycle of a patient and outputting electrical signals representing characteristics of said physiologic cycle;
a transducer array comprising a multiplicity of transducer elements for transmitting wave energy in response to electrical activation and transducing returned wave energy into electrical signals;
a display monitor;
memory storing a reference image loop comprising a first sequence of image frames acquired along a scan plane through a patient; and
a computer programmed to perform the following steps;
retrieving said reference image loop from said memory;
controlling said transducer array to acquire a live image loop comprising a second sequence of image frames during a second time span subsequent to said first time span; and
controlling said display monitor to concurrently display said first and second image loops in dependence on an output of said monitor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for displaying images based on a physiologic cycle, comprising:
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means for acquiring a first image loop comprising a first sequence of image frames along a first scan plane through a patient during a first time span;
memory for storing said first image loop;
a monitor for continuously monitoring a physiologic cycle of said patient;
means for acquiring a second image loop comprising a second sequence of image frames along a second scan plane through said patient during a second time span subsequent to said first time span; and
means for concurrently displaying said first and second image loops in dependence on an output of said monitor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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- 16. An imaging system programmed to concurrently display reference and live image loops in synchronism, wherein said reference image loop was acquired in a scan plane which corresponds to a desired scan plane for acquisition of said live image loop.
Specification