Three-dimensional fly-through systems and methods using ultrasound data

• US 8,021,300 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Chapman, Christopher S., Ma, Qinglin, Boleyn, Rodney L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng; Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US10/870,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,652 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/441, 128/916
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

A volume is represented using high spatial resolution ultrasound data. By modulating B-mode data with Doppler or flow information, the spatial resolution or contrast of the B-mode data may be enhanced. The same set of ultrasound data is used for identifying a boundary, for placing the perspective position within the volume and rendering from the perspective position. The identification of the boundary and rendering are automated or performed by a processor. Ultrasound data may be used for generating three-dimensional fly-through representations, allowing for virtual endoscopy or other diagnostically useful views of structure or fluid flow channel. Virtual processes are not invasive, allow for more patient comfort, have selectable or different depths of focus, may allow for fly-through of different types of anatomy and may be used as a training tool.

Claims

1. A method for three-dimensional rendering, the method comprising:

(a) acquiring a set of ultrasound B-mode data representing a volume;

(b) identifying with a processor a boundary from the set of ultrasound B-mode data;

(c) setting a perspective position within the volume; and

(d) rendering as a function of the boundary from the perspective position, the rendering being with the set of ultrasound B-mode data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (d) is free of surface rendering.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein (b) comprises automatically identifying a cavity, and wherein (c) comprises setting the perspective position within the cavity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein (c) is performed before (b), (c) comprising setting the perspective position as a function of user input and wherein (b) comprises identifying the boundary as a function of the perspective position.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) adjusting the perspective position; and

(f) repeating (d) as a function of the adjusted perspective position.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein (e) is performed in response to user input.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein (e) and (f) comprise performing a virtual endoscopy.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises acquiring the set of ultrasound B-mode data as representing the volume at different times synchronized with a cardiac cycle, and wherein (d) comprises rendering as a function of time representing a vessel at a particular cardiac phase or representing the vessel through a plurality of cardiac phases.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises:

(a1) generating motion or flow signals representative of the volume;

(a2) generating B-mode signals representative of the volume; and

(a3) generating the set of ultrasound B-mode data representative of the volume as a modulated, non-linear function of both the motion or flow and B-mode signals, the non-linear function substantially maintaining portions of the B-mode signals associated with stationary tissue and substantially suppressing portions of the B-mode signals associated with flow.

10. A system for three-dimensional rendering of ultrasound data, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a set of ultrasound B-mode data representing a volume;

a processor configured to identify a boundary from the set of ultrasound B-mode data, to set a perspective position within the volume, and to render as a function of the boundary from the perspective position, the rendering being with the set of ultrasound B-mode data.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is configured to identify a cavity corresponding to the boundary within the volume and set the perspective position within the cavity.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a user input device, wherein the processor is configured to set the perspective position as a function of user input from the user input device.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a display configured to display a virtual endoscopy based on the rendering by the processor.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a detector configured to generate motion or flow signals representative of the volume;

a B-mode detector configured to generate B-mode signals representative of the volume;

a combiner configured to form the set of ultrasound B-mode data representative of the volume as a modulated, non-linear function of both the motion or flow and B-mode signals.

15. A method for three-dimensional fly-through rendering of ultrasound data, the method comprising:

(a) generating motion or flow signals representative of a volume;

(b) generating B-mode signals representative of the volume; and

(c) generating an ultrasound datum for each spatial location within the volume as a function of both the motion or flow and B-mode signals, the function substantially maintaining portions of the B-mode signals associated with stationary tissue and substantially suppressing portions of the B-mode signals associated with flow; and

(d) rendering a fly-through representation of the volume with ultrasound data comprising the ultrasound datum for each of a plurality of the spatial locations as input data for rendering.

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

(d1) setting a perspective position within the volume; and

(d2) rendering as a function of the perspective position.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein (d) comprises adjusting the perspective position, and repeating (d2) as a function of the adjusted perspective position.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein (d) is free of surface rendering.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

(e) automatically identifying a cavity with the ultrasound data.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein (d) comprises rendering a plurality of fly-through representations representing different portions of a vessel or chamber within the volume.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein (d) comprises rendering the fly-through representation from a perspective set in response to user input.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein (d) comprises performing a virtual endoscopy.

23. A system for three-dimensional fly-through rendering of ultrasound data, the system comprising:

a detector configured to generate motion or flow signals representative of a volume;

a B-mode detector configured to generate B-mode signals representative of the volume;

a combiner configured to form an ultrasound datum for each spatial location within the volume as a function of both the motion or flow and B-mode signals; and

a processor positioned downstream of the combiner and configured to render a fly-through representation of the volume with ultrasound data comprising the ultrasound datum for each of a plurality of the spatial locations as input data for rendering.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the combiner is configured to form the combined ultrasound data where a non-linear function substantially maintains portions of the B-mode signals associated with stationary tissue and substantially suppresses portions of the B-mode signals associated with flow.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the processor is configured to render the fly-through representation as a function of a perspective position within a cavity in the volume.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the processor is configured to render a plurality of fly-through representations representing different portions of a vessel or chamber.

27. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a user input device, wherein the processor is configured to render the fly-through representation from a perspective set in response to user input from the user input device.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the processor is configured to render a plurality of fly-through representations representing at least a portion of a virtual endoscopy.