Apparatus and method for imaging objects with wavefields

• US 7,684,846 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CVUS Clinical Trials, LLC
• Original Assignee: Techniscan, Inc.
• Inventors: Berggren, Michael J., Borup, David T., Johnson, Steven A., Wiskin, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gupta; Vani
• Application Number:
  US11/222,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 600/438, 600/442, 600/448, 600/407, 181/101, 181/123, 367/7, 367/87, 382/128
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4312 Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis A61B5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/15 Transmission-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/406 using means for diagnosing suspended breasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/485 involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/125 for representing acoustic field distribution using optical means G01H9/002; sonar systems for imaging G01S7/56, G01S15/89; acoustic holography G03H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2055 Analysing diffraction patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/103 particularities of the measurement of the distance G01S13/12, G01S13/14, G01S13/16, G01S13/18 and G01S13/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8909 using a static transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 : using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8929 : using a three-dimensional transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8938 : using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/895 : characterised by the transmitted frequency spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8977 : using special techniques for image reconstruction, e.g. FFT, geometrical transformations, spatial deconvolution, time deconvolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 : for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/003 : Seismic data acquisition in general, e.g. survey design G01V1/3808, G01V1/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/006 : Inverse problem, transformation from projection-space into object-space, e.g. transform methods, back-projection, algebraic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/408 : Dual energy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/424 : Iterative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 378/901 : Computer tomography program or processor

Abstract

A transmission wave field imaging method, comprising the transmission of an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering. Also includes the measuring of a wave field transmitted, at least in part, through an object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field based, in part, on the incident wave field and the object. Additionally, the processing of the measured wave field utilizing a recursive reconstruction algorithm to generate an image data set representing at least one image of the object.

Claims

1. A transmission wave field imaging method, comprising:

transmitting an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering;

measuring a wave field transmitted, at least in part, through the object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field based, in part, on the incident wave field and the object; and

processing the measured wave field utilizing a recursive reconstruction algorithm to generate an image data set representing at least one image of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recursive reconstruction algorithm calculates a predicted total wave field utilizing a single independent variable, the single independent variable representing scatter potential.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recursive reconstruction algorithm represents a gradient-based recursive algorithm that solves for an independent scatter potential variable, the gradient-based recursive algorithm treating the total wave field as a dependent variable depending upon the independent scatter potential variable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing calculates a predicted total wave field based on the incident wave field and generates the image data set based on a comparison of the predicted total wave field and the measured wave field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting multiple incident wave fields from associated multiple source positions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident wave field includes multiple frequency components, the recursive reconstruction algorithm separately processing the multiple frequency components.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident wave field represents an ultrasound wave field and the method further comprises displaying the at least one image as at least two images co-displayed, the at least two images including a speed-of-sound image and an attenuation image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident wave field represents an ultrasound wave field and the processing including generating a speed-of-sound data set and an attenuation data set, the speed-of sound data set representing speed of the ultrasound wave field through the object, the attenuation data set representing attenuation of the ultrasound wave field within the object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident wave field comprises at least one of acoustic energy, elastic energy, electromagnetic energy and microwave energy.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a breast, the method further comprising tilting a transmission source to direct the incident wave field toward a chest wall of a patient to image features close to the chest wall.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting and measuring are performed by a transmitter and receiver, respectively, the method further comprising moving at least one of the transmitter and receiver with respect to the object.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the transmitting and receiving at multiple slices within the object to generate a 3D volume of image data sets.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying 2-D images representative of slices through the object.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a 3-D image of at least a portion of the object.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring is performed at multiple positions about the object.

16. A transmission wave field imaging method, comprising:

transmitting an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering;

measuring a total wave field transmitted, at least in part, through the object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field based, in part, on the incident wave field and the object; and

processing the measured wave field utilizing a gradient-based reconstruction algorithm to generate an image data set representing at least one image of the object, the gradient-based algorithm solving for an independent scatter potential variable, the gradient-based algorithm treating the measured wave field as a dependent variable depending upon the independent scatter potential variable.

17. A transmission wave field imaging method, comprising:

transmitting an ultrasound incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering;

measuring an ultrasound total wave field transmitted, at least in part through the object, the measured wave field being defined, in part, by the incident wave field and the object;

obtaining speed-of sound and attenuation values, the speed-of-sound values corresponding to a speed of the incident wave field through tissue, the attenuation values corresponding to an amount of attenuation of the incident wave field propagating through the tissue;

constructing a speed-of sound image from the speed-of-sound values;

constructing an attenuation image from the attenuation values; and

displaying the speed-of-sound image and the attenuation image.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a scattering potential based on the measured wave field, the attenuation image being representative of a component of the scattering potential.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a scattering potential based on the measured wave field, the speed-of-sound image being representative of a component of the scattering potential.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the speed-of-sound and attenuation values represent ranges of gray scale values for pixels comprising the speed-of-sound and attenuation images.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising utilizing an inverse scattering algorithm to reconstruct the speed-of-sound and attenuation images based on the measured wave field.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing calculates a predicted total wave field based on the incident wave field and the constructing generates the speed-of-sound and attenuation images based on a comparison of the predicted total wave field and the measured wave field.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the object is a breast, the method further comprising tilting a transmission source to direct the incident wave field toward a chest wall of a patient to image features close to the chest wall.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmitting and measuring are performed by a transmitter and receiver, respectively, the method further comprising moving at least one of the transmitter and receiver with respect to the object.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising repeating the transmitting and receiving at multiple slices within the object to collect a 3D volume of transmission data.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the speed-of-sound and attenuation images represent 2-D images of slices through the object.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the speed-of-sound and attenuation images represent 3-D images of at least a portion of the object.

28. A method for displaying transmitted ultrasound breast images, comprising:

obtaining a transmitted ultrasound data set representative of a measured wave field transmitted, at least in part, through an object, the measured wave field being defined, in part, by an ultrasound incident wave field, a scattering potential and the object; and

obtaining speed-of-sound and attenuation values, the speed-of-sound values corresponding to a speed of ultrasound incident wave fields through tissue, the attenuation values corresponding to an amount of attenuation of ultrasound incident wave fields propagating though the tissue;

constructing a speed-of-sound image from the speed-of-sound values;

constructing an attenuation image from the attenuation values; and

displaying the speed-of-sound image and the attenuation image.

29. A transmission wave field imaging device, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering;

a receiver measuring a total wave field transmitted, at least in part, through the object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field based, in part, on the incident wave field and the object; and

a processing module processing the measured wave field utilizing a recursive reconstruction algorithm to generate an image data set representing at least one image of the object.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the processor module comprises a plurality of processors operated in parallel.

31. The device of claim 29, further comprising a PCI bus interconnecting the processing module and at least one of the transmitter and the receiver.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the processor module is implemented on one of a personal computer, a hand-held device, a multi-processor system and a network PC.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the transmitter operates in a pulse echo mode to perform reflective tomography.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiver is rotated about the object to obtain measured data at multiple receive positions around the object, the measured data defining the measured wave field.

35. The device of claim 29, further comprising a display for displaying an image based on the image data set as at least one of a speed of sound image and an attenuation image.

36. The device of claim 29, wherein at least one of the receiver and the transmitter includes transducer elements arranged in at least one of a circular array, a linear array, a 2D planar array and a checkerboard 2D array.

37. The device of claim 29, wherein the transmitter sequentially transmits first and second incident wave fields into the object having different first and second fundamental frequencies, respectively.

38. The device of claim 29, wherein the transmitter sequentially transmits a high frequency incident wave field and a low frequency incident wave field.

39. A transmission wave field imaging system, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering;

a receiver measuring a total wave field transmitted, at least in part, through the object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field being defined, in part, by the incident wave field, a scattering potential and the object, the measured wave field including at least one of speed of sound information and attenuation information characterizing the object;

a processing module for processing, on-site and in real-time, the measured wave field to generate an image of the object, the image comprising pixel values based on at least one of the speed of sound information and the attenuation information characterizing the object; and

a display for displaying, on-site and in real-time, the image containing at least one of the speed of sound information and the attenuation information of the object.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a breast scanner including the transmitter and receiver, the processing module generates the image substantially during a breast scan.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor module calculates a scattering potential from the measured wave field, the scattering potential includes a real component and an imaginary component, the real component defining the speed of sound information and the imaginary component defining the attenuation information.

42. The system of claim 39, further comprising a phase detector joined to the receiver, the phase detector outputting real and imaginary signal components.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the transmitter and receiver repeat the transmitting and receiving operations at multiple slices within the object to collect a 3D volume of data.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the display displays 2-D images representative of slices though the object.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the display displays a 3-D image of at least a portion of the object.

46. The system of claim 39, further comprising a movable carriage supporting the transmitter and receiver, the movable carriage rotating about an axis of a cylindrical chamber that is configured to receive the object.

47. The system of claim 39, further comprising a movable carriage supporting the transmitter and receiver, the movable carriage being vertically adjusted along an axis of a cylindrical chamber that is configured to receive the object.

48. The system of claim 39, further comprising a fluid tank configured to receive at least one of the object, the transmitter and receiver.