Motion artifact reduction in coherent image formation

• US 7,654,959 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Guracar, Ismayil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramirez; John F
• Application Number:
  US10/654,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20050049496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/409, 600443-447, 600454-456, 600/473, 600/476, 73625-626, 367/7, 367/11, 367 87- 88, 367/100, 367103-105, 342179-186, 342/463, 356/925, 356/928
• US Class Current: 600/447
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8981 Discriminating between fixed and moving objects or between objects moving at different speeds, e.g. wall clutter filter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52046 Techniques for image enhancement involving transmitter or receiver image enhancement by image data processing G06T5/00

Abstract

The same analytic data is combined in response to different relative phases. The resulting combinations are detected. The combination associated with the maximum magnitude is then selected for further processing. As a result, the complex data is processed across a variety of possible temporal discontinuities using candidate or possible phase shifts. The phase shift with the least cancellation and the associated combination is selected to minimize motion artifact cancellation.

Claims

1. A method for correcting phase errors in coherent image formation, the method comprising:

(a) applying at least two different relative phases, each of the at least two different relative phases applied between first and second analytic data received in response to temporally different transmissions, the applying comprising shifting the first analytic data relative to the second analytic data by a first of the at least two different relative phases and shifting the first analytic data relative to the second analytic data by a second of the at least two different relative phases, the first and second analytic data representing at least one scan line;

(b) selecting information associated with one of the at least two different relative phases, the selecting being a function of a result of the application of the at least two different relative phases; and

generating an image as a function of the information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises applying 0 degree, 90 degree, −

90 degree and 180 degree relative phase shifts between the first and second analytic data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein (b) comprises selecting a combination of the first and second analytic data responsive to the one of the at least two different relative phases.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, further comprising:

(c) azimuthally combining the first and second analytic data in response to a first phase;

(d) azimuthally combining the first and second analytic data in response to a second phase different than the first phase;

(e) detecting first and second magnitudes from the combinations of (c) and (d), respectively;

wherein (b) comprises selecting in response to a largest of the first and second magnitudes.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

(f) low pass filtering the first and second magnitudes as a function of range, wherein (b) comprises selecting one of (c) and (d) in response to the low pass filtered first and second magnitudes.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(c) acquiring the first and second data in response to first and second respective transmissions separated by about at least 1 millisecond.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, further comprising:

(c) azimuthally combining the first and second analytic data in response to the selected one of the at least two phases, the combination corresponding to at least one of;

(1) synthesizing the first and second analytic data representing a same line, (2) interpolating the first and second analytic data as a line between two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively, (3) interpolating the first and second analytic data as a line different than two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively, and (4) azimuthally filtering across at least two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(c) applying at least two different relative phases between the second and third analytic data, the third analytic data received in response to a temporally different transmission than the first and second data; and

(d) selecting associated with one of the at least two different relative phases for with the second and third analytic data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, and wherein the first data represents a first receive line spaced in elevation from a second receive line represented by the second data.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(c) generating a three-dimensional representation responsive to the selection of (b).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, further comprising:

(d) elevationally combining the first and third analytic data in response to the selected one of the at least two phases, the combination corresponding to at least one of;

(1) synthesizing the first and second analytic data representing a same line, (2) interpolating the first and second analytic data as a line between two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively, (3) interpolating the first and second analytic data as a line different than two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively, and (4) azimuthally filtering across at least two lines represented by the first and second data, respectively; and

(e) azimuthally combining analytic data.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, wherein (c) comprises generating the three-dimensional representation responsive to motion compensated analytic interpolation along both elevation and azimuth dimensions, the elevation motion compensated analytic interpolation responsive to the selection of (b).

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second analytic data is ultrasound data, wherein (a) comprises inputting the first and second data into a respective at least two complex azimuth filters, both the first and second data input to each of the at least two complex azimuth filters wherein weights of the filters are operable to apply the at least two different relative phases between the first and second data, the at least two complex azimuth filters responsive to different of the at least two different relative phases;

and

wherein (b) comprises selecting as a function of detected outputs of the at least two complex azimuth filters.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(c) performing (a) and (b) for less than all detected lines of an image.

15. A method for correcting phase errors in coherent image formation, the method comprising:

(a) analytically processing ultrasound data representing scan lines spaced in both the azimuth and elevation dimensions;

(b) compensating for motion between at least first and second analytic data for first and second scan lines, respectively, as a function of a relative phase angle, the first and second scan lines spaced along one of;

the elevation dimension and the azimuth dimension; and

imaging as a function of the motion compensated ultrasound data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein (b) comprises:

(b1) applying at least two different relative phases between the first and second analytic data received in response to temporally different transmissions, one of the at least two different relative phases being the relative phase angle; and

(b) selecting associated with one of the at least two different relative phases.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein (a) comprises forming interpolated lines along both the azimuth and elevation dimensions;

further comprising;

(c) generating a three-dimensional representation responsive to (a) and (b).

18. The method of claim 15 wherein (a) comprises forming interpolated lines along the elevation dimension.

19. A system for correcting phase errors in coherent image formation, the system comprising:

a complex filter operable to receive first and second data and operable output third data responsive to a combination of the first and second data with a first relative phase angle and fourth data responsive to a combination of the first and second data with a second relative phase angle, the first relative phase angle different than the second relative phase angle;

a detector operable to detect the third and fourth data;

a switch operable to select one of the third and fourth data in response to the detector; and

a medical diagnostic ultrasound system operable to display an image as a function of the selected one of the third and fourth data, the image associated with at least one corrected phase error due to the selection by the switch.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the complex filter comprises a plurality of complex filters each operable to combine the first and second data in response to different relative phase angles.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detectors each operable to detect a respective one of the third and fourth data.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the switch comprises a multiplexer having inputs connected to outputs of the complex filter, the multiplexer operable to select one of the outputs in response to a comparison of the detected third and fourth data.

23. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a low pass filter operable to low pass filter outputs of the detector, the switch responsive to the low pass filtered output of the detector.

24. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a control processor operable to control the complex filter and the switch to output the third data for first and second data acquired sequentially with less than a first temporal separation and operable to control the complex filter and the switch to output one of the third and fourth data in response to the detector for the first and second data acquired sequentially with more than the first temporal separation.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the complex filter comprises four complex filters each responsive to a different phase angle, wherein the detector comprises four detectors each operable to magnitude detect an output from a respective one of the four complex filters.