Marking 3D locations from ultrasound images

• US 7,251,352 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Sauer, Frank, Khamene, Ali, Bascle, Benedicte
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, UTPAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/222,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/103, 382/154, 345/156
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52034 Data rate converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52036 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52068 Stereoscopic displays; Three-dimensional displays; Pseudo 3D displays G01S15/8993 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52084 related to particular user interfaces special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467

Abstract

A method for marking three-dimensional (3D) locations from images obtained from an ultrasound imaging system including a transducer, comprising the steps of: tracking the pose of the transducer with respect to an external 3D coordinate system; obtaining a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound image from the transducer; marking a desired target with a marker on the 2D ultrasound image; and calculating the 3D position of the marker utilizing data from the step of tracking.

Claims

1. A method for marking three-dimensional (3D) locations from images obtained from an ultrasound imaging system including a transducer, comprising the steps of:

tracking the pose of said transducer with respect to an external 3D coordinate system;

viewing a live two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound image produced by said transducer;

adjusting said pose of said transducer wherein a target appears in a designated part of said 2D ultrasound image for indicating marker location;

searching said designated part of said 2D ultrasound image to automatically locate a potential target of a predetermined type;

marking a location of said target with a marker; and

calculating the 3D position of said marker utilizing data from said tracking step.

2. The method for marking of claim 1, wherein searching said designated part comprises de-noising said image around said designated part, identifying potential target locations along said designated part, and verifying the existence of said target.

3. The method for marking of claim 2, wherein verifying the existence of said target comprises performing a Hough transform.

4. The method for marking of claim 2, further comprising presenting a potential target location to a user, and accepting input from said user wherein said user accepts or rejects said potential target location.

5. The method for marking of claim 1, wherein said designated part is a vertical centerline of said 2D ultrasound image.

6. The method for marking of claim 1, wherein said designated part is a vertical off-center line in said 2D ultrasound image.

7. The method for marking of claim 1, wherein said designated part is a line tilted at an angle with respect to a vertical direction in said 2D ultrasound image.

8. The method for marking of claim 1, further comprising pointing to said target from different transducer poses, and calculating said target location as an intersection of lines through said poses.

9. The method for marking of claim 1, further comprising obtaining an outline of said target, and displaying a graphical representation of said outline.

10. The method for marking of claim 1, including a step of inputting a target position along said designated part by a pointing device.

11. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform the method steps for A method for marking three-dimensional (3D) locations from images obtained from an ultrasound imaging system including a transducer, comprising the steps of:

tracking the pose of said transducer with respect to an external 3D coordinate system;

viewing a live two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound image produced by said transducer;

adjusting said pose of said transducer wherein a target appears in a designated part of said 2D ultrasound image for indicating marker location;

searching said designated part of said 2D ultrasound image to automatically locate a potential target of a predetermined type;

marking a location of said target with a marker; and

calculating the 3D position of said marker utilizing data from said tracking step.

12. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, wherein searching said designated part comprises de-noising said image around said designated part, identifying potential target locations along said designated part, and verifying the existence of said target.

13. The computer readable program storage device of claim 12, wherein verifying the existence of said target comprises performing a Hough transform.

14. The computer readable program storage device of claim 12, the method further comprising presenting a potential target location to a user, and accepting input from said user wherein said user accepts or rejects said potential target location.

15. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, wherein said designated part is a vertical centerline of said 2D ultrasound image.

16. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, wherein said designated part is a vertical off center line in said 2D ultrasound image.

17. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, wherein said designated part is a line tilted at an angle with respect to a vertical direction in said 2D ultrasound image.

18. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, the method further comprising pointing to said target from different transducer poses, and calculating said target location as an intersection of lines through said poses.

19. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, the method further comprising obtaining an outline of said target, and displaying a graphical representation of said outline.

20. The computer readable program storage device of claim 11, the method including a step of inputting a target position along said designated part by a pointing device.