System and method for post-processing ultrasound color doppler imaging
First Claim
1. A system for ultrasonic image processing, comprising:
- a comparator for comparing at least one Doppler parameter input to a threshold value and outputting a result, said result used as a first mask;
a spatial filter coupled to said comparator for producing a second mask;
a classification operator coupled to said spatial filter for generating a third mask; and
a multi-parameter generator coupled to said comparator, said spatial filter, and said classification operator for accepting any of said masks.
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Abstract
A system for ultrasonic imaging that includes a comparator for comparing at least one Doppler parameter input to a threshold value and generating a first mask. The comparator has a threshold value associated with each Doppler parameter input. A spatial filter is coupled to the comparator and produces a second mask, and a classification operator is coupled to the spatial filter and generates a third mask. The classification operator can effectively compare a value of a given pixel to the value of any nearby neighboring pixels and reclassify any given non-majority pixel to a majority value of the nearby neighboring pixels. An embodiment of the invention further includes a multi-parameter generator that outputs at least one Doppler parameter. The multi-parameter generator has a functional relationship based on at least one Doppler parameter input and at least one of any of the masks. A second spatial filter is coupled to receive the Doppler parameter input.
86 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A system for ultrasonic image processing, comprising:
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a comparator for comparing at least one Doppler parameter input to a threshold value and outputting a result, said result used as a first mask;
a spatial filter coupled to said comparator for producing a second mask;
a classification operator coupled to said spatial filter for generating a third mask; and
a multi-parameter generator coupled to said comparator, said spatial filter, and said classification operator for accepting any of said masks.
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2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second spatial filter coupled to receive said at least one Doppler parameter input.
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3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial low-pass filter.
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4. The system of claim 2, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial high-pass filter.
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5. The system of claim 2, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial band-pass filter.
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6. The system of claim 2, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial multi-stage combination filter.
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7. The system of claim 2, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a functional relationship based on said at least one Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter.
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8. The system of claim 7, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a mathematical combination on said at least one Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter with at least one of any of said masks.
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9. The system of claim 7, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a mathematical combination on said at least one Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter with said at least one Doppler parameter input.
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10. The system of claim 1, wherein said threshold value is an adjustable value.
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11. The system of claim 1, wherein said threshold value is a fixed value.
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12. The system of claim 1, wherein said spatial filter is a spatial low-pass filter.
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13. The system of claim 1, wherein said spatial filter is comprised of an azimuth filter and a range filter.
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14. The system of claim 1, wherein said third mask is coupled to said spatial filter.
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15. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a functional relationship based on said at least one Doppler parameter input and at least one of any of said masks.
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16. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a mathematical combination on said at least one Doppler parameter input with at least one of any of said masks.
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17. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-parameter generator produces an output according to a weighting applied to each of said first, second, and third masks and to said at least one Doppler parameter input.
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18. A method for ultrasonic image processing comprising:
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comparing at least one Doppler parameter input with an associated threshold value and outputting a result based on said comparison;
generating a first mask using said result;
generating a second mask by spatially filtering said first mask;
generating a third mask by classifying said second mask; and
applying a multivariable function to at least one of said masks to produce at least one Doppler parameter output.
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19. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one Doppler parameter input is spatially filtered through a second spatial filter.
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20. The method of claim 19, wherein said second spatial filter comprises a spatial low-pass filter.
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21. The method of claim 19, wherein said second spatial filter comprises a spatial high-pass filter.
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22. The method of claim 19, wherein said second spatial filter comprises a spatial band-pass filter.
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23. The method of claim 19, wherein said second spatial filter comprises spatial multi-stage filtering.
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24. The method of claim 18, wherein said spatial filtering step filters said first mask using a spatial low-pass filter.
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25. The method of claim 18, wherein said spatial filtering step filters said first mask using a spatial azimuth filter and a range filter.
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26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of spatially filtering said third mask.
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27. The method of claim 18, wherein said classifying is based on effectively comparing a given Doppler parameter input value with values of any nearby neighboring pixels.
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28. The method of claim 18, wherein said associated threshold value may be chosen to emphasize a particular feature.
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29. The method of claim 18, wherein said multivariable function is chosen to include a functionality based on said at least one Doppler parameter input.
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30. The method of claim 19, wherein said multivariable function is chosen to include a functionality based on said at least one Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter.
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31. The method of claim 18, wherein said multivariable function includes a functionality based on at least one of any of said masks.
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32. The method of claim 26, wherein said multivariable function includes a functionality based on said third mask being coupled to said spatial filter.
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33. A system for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
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a comparator for comparing at least one Doppler parameter input to a threshold value and outputting a result, said result used for generating a first mask, said comparator having at least one threshold value associated with each of said at least one Doppler parameter input;
a spatial filter coupled to said comparator for producing a second mask;
a classification operator coupled to said spatial filter for generating a third mask, said classification operator capable of effectively comparing a value of a given pixel to a value of any nearby neighboring pixels and reclassifying any given non-majority pixel to a majority value of said nearby neighboring pixels;
a second spatial filter coupled to receive said Doppler parameter input; and
a multi-parameter generator for outputting at least one Doppler parameter, said multi-parameter generator being coupled to said at least one Doppler parameter input, said comparator, said spatial filter, said classification operator, and said second spatial filter, and having a functional relationship based on at least one said Doppler parameter input and at least one of any of said masks.
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34. The system of claim 33, wherein said multi-parameter generator has a functional relationship based on at least one said Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter.
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35. The system of claim 33, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial low-pass filter.
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36. The system of claim 33, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial high-pass filter.
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37. The system of claim 33, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial band-pass filter.
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38. The system of claim 33, wherein said second spatial filter is a spatial multi-stage combination filter.
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39. The system of claim 33, wherein said spatial filter is a spatial low-pass filter.
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40. The system of claim 33, wherein said spatial filter is comprised of an azimuth filter and a range filter.
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41. The system of claim 33, wherein said third mask is coupled to said spatial filter.
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42. A method for ultrasonic image processing comprising:
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comparing at least one Doppler parameter input with an associated threshold value and outputting a result based on said comparison;
generating a first mask using said result;
spatially filtering said first mask with a spatial filter and generating a second mask;
classifying said second mask, said classifying including effectively comparing a value of a given pixel to a value of any nearby neighboring pixels and reclassifying any given non-majority pixel to a majority value of said nearby neighboring pixels;
generating a third mask by classifying said second mask; and
applying a multi-parameter function to output at least one Doppler parameter, said multivariable function being chosen to include a functionality based on said at least one Doppler parameter input and at least one of any of said masks.
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43. The method of claim 42, wherein said at least one Doppler parameter input is spatially filtered through a second spatial filter.
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44. The method of claim 42, wherein said spatial filtering step filters said first mask using a spatial low-pass filter.
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45. The method of claim 42, wherein said filtering step filters said first mask using an azimuth filter and a range filter.
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46. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of coupling said third mask to said spatial filter.
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47. The method of claim 42, wherein said threshold value is chosen to emphasize a particular feature.
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48. The method of claim 42, wherein said multivariable function is chosen to include a functionality based on said at least one Doppler parameter input that is modified by said second spatial filter.
Specification