Ultrasonic monitoring system and method

• US 6,673,018 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Zvi M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/064,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/440, 600/441, 600/443, 600/447
• US Class Current: 600/440
• 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: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• 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 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for use in a diagnostic ultrasound system are disclosed. A display device has a first window for displaying live ultrasound images and a second window for displaying a reference cine image. The reference cine image is an image captured prior to the currently displayed live ultrasound images. The images of the first and second windows are synchronized by ECG gating. The apparatus and methods may be employed to image the heart, providing operators with a way to monitor the heart and detect subtle changes in heart condition from the time that a reference image was captured.

Claims

1. A diagnostic ultrasound system comprising:

an ultrasound probe;

a processor for receiving data from said ultrasound probe to form display signals associated with a live ultrasound image and a reference cine image,

an apparatus for displaying a plurality of images comprising;

a single display device having a first window for displaying said live ultrasound image and a second window for displaying said reference cine image;

wherein the images displayed in the first and second windows are synchronized by ECG gating to the ECG of said live ultrasound image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the images displayed in the first and second windows are images of a heart.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, and comprising a third window:

wherein the third window displays a reference cine image of the heart;

wherein a view of the heart displayed in the second window is different from a view of the heart displayed in the third window; and

wherein the images displayed in the first, second, and third windows are synchronized by ECG gating.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference cine image is captured manually.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the display device displays an amount of time that has elapsed since capture of the reference cine image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference cine image is captured and recaptured at a pre-determined interval.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the display device displays at least one of an amount of time that has elapsed since capture of the reference cine image and an amount of time since initiating administration of anesthesia.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display device has a window for displaying medical data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the medical data displayed includes one of ECG data, blood pressure data, and a breathing monitor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, and comprising a window for displaying annotations.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, and comprising third and fourth windows, wherein:

the third and fourth windows display reference cine images;

at least one of the reference cine images is captured and re-captured at a pre-determined interval;

at least one of the reference cine images is captured manually; and

the images displayed in the first, second, third, and fourth windows are synchronized by ECG gating and are images of a heart.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference cine image is continuously updated so that the reference cine image lags behind the live ultrasound image by a pre-determined amount of time.

13. In a diagnostic ultrasound system, an apparatus for displaying a plurality of images of the heart comprising:

a single display device having a first window for displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart, a second window for displaying a reference cine image of a first view of the heart, and a third window for displaying a reference cine image of a second view of the heart;

wherein the images displayed in the first, second, and third windows are synchronized by ECG gating.

14. In a diagnostic ultrasound system, an apparatus for displaying a plurality of images of the heart comprising:

a single display device having a first window for displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart and a second window for displaying a reference cine image of the heart;

wherein the images displayed in the first and second windows are synchronized by ECG gating;

wherein the reference cine image is captured and re-captured at a predetermined interval; and

wherein the display device displays at least one of an amount of time that has elapsed since capture of the reference cine image and an amount of time that has elapsed since initiating administration of anesthesia.

15. In a diagnostic ultrasound system, an apparatus for displaying a plurality of images of the heart comprising:

a single display device having a first window for displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart, a second window for displaying a reference cine image of a first view of the heart, and a third window for displaying a reference cine image of a second view of the heart;

wherein the images displayed in the first, second, and third windows are synchronized by ECG gating; and

wherein at least one of the reference cine images is continuously updated so that the at least one reference cine image lags behind the live ultrasound image by a pre-determined amount of time.

16. A method for displaying a plurality of images in a diagnostic ultrasound system, the method comprising:

displaying a live ultrasound image on a monitor;

simultaneously displaying a reference cine image on the monitor; and

synchronizing, by ECG gating, the live ultrasound image and the reference cine image.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the live ultrasound image and the reference cine image are images of the heart.

18. The method of claim 17, and comprising the step of:

displaying a second reference cine image;

wherein a view of the heart displayed in the first reference cine image is different from a view of the heart displayed in the second reference cine image.

19. The method of claim 17, and comprising the step of capturing the reference cine image manually.

20. The method of claim 17, and comprising the step of capturing and re-capturing the reference cine image at a pre-determined interval.

21. The method of claim 16, and comprising the step of displaying at least one of an amount of time that has elapsed since capture of the reference image and an amount of time that has elapsed since initiating administering anesthesia.

22. The method of claim 16, and comprising the step of displaying medical data, wherein the medical data includes one of ECG data, blood pressure data, and a breathing monitor.

23. The method of claim 16, and comprising the step of continuously updating the reference cine image so that the reference cine image lags behind the live ultrasound image by a pre-determined amount of time.

24. The method of claim 16, and comprising the steps of:

displaying second and third reference cine images;

capturing at least one of the reference cine images manually; and

capturing and re-capturing at least one of the reference cine images at a pre-determined interval.

25. The method of claim 16, and comprising the step of displaying annotations.

26. A method for displaying a plurality of images of the heart in a diagnostic ultrasound system, the method comprising:

displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart on a monitor;

simultaneously displaying a first reference cine image of the heart on the monitor;

simultaneously displaying a second reference cine image of the heart on the monitor; and

synchronizing, by ECG gating, the live ultrasound image and the first and second reference cine images;

wherein a view of the heart displayed in the first reference cine image is different from a view of the heart displayed in the second reference cine image.

27. A method for displaying a plurality of images of the heart in a diagnostic ultrasound system, the method comprising:

displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart on a monitor;

capturing and re-capturing a reference cine image of the heart at a predetermined interval;

simultaneously displaying the reference cine image of the heart on the monitor;

displaying an amount of time that has elapsed since capture of the reference cine image; and

synchronizing, by ECG gating, the live ultrasound image and the reference cine image.

28. A method, for displaying a plurality of images of the heart in a diagnostic ultrasound system, the method comprising:

displaying a live ultrasound image of the heart on a monitor;

simultaneously displaying a first reference cine image of the heart on the monitor;

simultaneously displaying a second reference cine image of the heart on the monitor, wherein a view of the heart displayed in the first reference cine image is different from a view of the heart displayed in the second reference cine image;

synchronizing, by ECG gating, the live ultrasound image and the first and second reference cine images; and

continuously updating at least one of the first and second reference cine images so that the at least one reference cine image lags behind the live ultrasound image by a pre-determined amount of time.