Targeted contrast agent imaging with medical diagnostic ultrasound
First Claim
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1. A method for contrast agent enhanced medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising:
- generating a sequence of ultrasound frames of data representing, at least in part, information from contrast agents;
tracking relative position between at least first and second ultrasound frames of data of the sequence;
detecting substantially stationary contrast agents from the sequence as a function of the tracking and a consistency of response; and
spatially aligning the first and second ultrasound frames of data as a function of the tracking;
wherein detecting comprises identifying contrast agents in a substantially same location in a majority of spatially aligned ultrasound frames of data.
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Abstract
Contrast agent enhanced medical diagnostic imaging is provided. Substantially stationary or bound contrast agents are detected. By tracking relative motion between frames of data, spatial locations associated with consistent detection of contrast agents are identified. The contrast agent detected at the identified spatial locations are substantially stationary contrast agents.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for contrast agent enhanced medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising:
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generating a sequence of ultrasound frames of data representing, at least in part, information from contrast agents; tracking relative position between at least first and second ultrasound frames of data of the sequence; detecting substantially stationary contrast agents from the sequence as a function of the tracking and a consistency of response; and spatially aligning the first and second ultrasound frames of data as a function of the tracking; wherein detecting comprises identifying contrast agents in a substantially same location in a majority of spatially aligned ultrasound frames of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a tangible computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for contrast agent enhanced medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the storage medium comprising instructions for:
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detecting contrast agents; correcting for motion between frames of ultrasound data corresponding to the detected contrast agents; and identifying contrast agents that are substantially stationary from the motion corrected frames of ultrasound data by consistency of return from one or more spatial locations, wherein identifying comprises identifying spatial locations with contrast agents a threshold number of instances within a sequence of frames of ultrasound data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for contrast agent enhanced medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the system comprising:
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a receive beamformer; an image processor operable to detect contrast agents from information output from the receive beamformer; a motion processor operable to stabilize for motion between frames of ultrasound data, and operable to determine contrast agents with substantially no movement between the stabilized frames of ultrasound data, the determining being a function of consistent response at one or more locations in a majority of the stabilized frames of ultrasound data; and a display operable to display an image of the contrast agents with substantially no movement uniquely colored. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification