Noise estimation method and apparatus for noise adaptive ultrasonic image processing
First Claim
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1. A noise-adaptive method for processing a medical diagnostic ultrasonic image, said method comprising:
- (a) acquiring a medical diagnostic ultrasonic image set;
(b) forming a filtered image set from the image set, said filtered image set having a selectively enhanced noise component as compared with the image set;
(c) generating a noise parameter as a function of both of;
the image set acquired in (a) and the filtered image set having the selectively enhanced noise component formed in (b);
(d) using the noise parameter in ultrasonic image processing selected from the group of;
noise adaptive image processing in addition to (b) and selecting a response function as a function of the noise parameter.
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Abstract
A noise-adaptive method for processing an ultrasonic image set forms a filtered image set having a selectively enhanced noise component as compared to the original image set. A noise parameter is generated as a function of the image set and the filtered image set, and then the noise parameter is used in ultrasonic image processing. A background noise image is generated from the noise parameter and the original image and is used in ultrasonic image processing.
39 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A noise-adaptive method for processing a medical diagnostic ultrasonic image, said method comprising:
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(a) acquiring a medical diagnostic ultrasonic image set;
(b) forming a filtered image set from the image set, said filtered image set having a selectively enhanced noise component as compared with the image set;
(c) generating a noise parameter as a function of both of;
the image set acquired in (a) and the filtered image set having the selectively enhanced noise component formed in (b);
(d) using the noise parameter in ultrasonic image processing selected from the group of;
noise adaptive image processing in addition to (b) and selecting a response function as a function of the noise parameter.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A noise-adaptive medical diagnostic ultrasonic image processing system comprising:
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a filter responsive to a medical diagnostic ultrasonic image set and operative to form a filtered image set having a selectively enhanced noise component as compared to the image set;
a first circuit responsive to both of the image set input to the filter and the filtered image set formed by the filter to have a selectively enhanced noise component and operative to generate a noise parameter in response thereto; and
a second circuit operative to use the noise parameter in ultrasonic image processing, the second circuit operative to either perform noise adaptive image processing in addition to the filtering of the filter and select a response function as a function of the noise parameter. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a third circuit operative to generate a background noise image as a function of an original image and the noise parameter; and
a fourth circuit operative to use the background noise image in ultrasonic image processing.
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12. The invention of claim 11 wherein the third circuit comprises a low-pass filter operative to smooth the background noise image.
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13. The invention of claim 11 wherein the fourth circuit is operative to subtract the background noise image from the original image to obtain a noise-reduced image.
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