Freehand ultrasound imaging systems and methods for guiding fine elongate instruments
First Claim
1. An ultrasound system for use in guiding medical interventions in a body, the ultrasound system comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer operable to receive ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body;
a fine elongate instrument adapted to be inserted in the body, the instrument defining a longitudinal axis,a position sensing system operable to monitor a spatial location and orientation of the instrument and a spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer;
a controller communicatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer and the position sensing system; and
a display communicatively coupled to the controller;
wherein the controller is configured to;
generate a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals;
display the ultrasound image on the display, the ultrasound image depicting a plane of the portion of the body;
determine a location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer;
determine a first distance between a first line in the plane and a first point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the first line;
determine a second distance between a second line in the plane and a second point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the second line;
generate on the display a first needle-image alignment indicator having a first coded appearance characteristic indicative of the first distance; and
generate on the display a second needle-image alignment indicator having a second coded appearance characteristic indicative of the second distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound system has an ultrasound transducer equipped with a position marker and a needle equipped with a position marker. The position markers allow the position and orientation of the transducer and needle to be determined. Displays indicating a projection of the longitudinal axis of the needle onto a plane of an ultrasound image acquired via the transducer and displays indicating a projection of a reference position onto a plane of an ultrasound image acquired via the transducer are provided. Displays indicating in real-time whether the needle is substantially within the plane of the ultrasound image are provided.
80 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An ultrasound system for use in guiding medical interventions in a body, the ultrasound system comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer operable to receive ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body; a fine elongate instrument adapted to be inserted in the body, the instrument defining a longitudinal axis, a position sensing system operable to monitor a spatial location and orientation of the instrument and a spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; a controller communicatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer and the position sensing system; and a display communicatively coupled to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to; generate a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals; display the ultrasound image on the display, the ultrasound image depicting a plane of the portion of the body; determine a location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; determine a first distance between a first line in the plane and a first point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the first line; determine a second distance between a second line in the plane and a second point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the second line; generate on the display a first needle-image alignment indicator having a first coded appearance characteristic indicative of the first distance; and generate on the display a second needle-image alignment indicator having a second coded appearance characteristic indicative of the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for providing a display for use in guiding a fine elongate instrument, the instrument defining a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:
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receiving ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body; determining a spatial location and orientation of the instrument and a spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; generating a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals; displaying the ultrasound image on the display, the ultrasound image depicting a plane of the portion of the body; determining a location of the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; determining a location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; determining a first distance between a first line in the plane and a first point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the first line; determining a second distance between a second line in the plane and a second point along the longitudinal axis at which the longitudinal axis traverses the second line; generating on the display a first needle-image alignment indicator having a first coded appearance characteristic indicative of the first distance; and generating on the display a second needle-image alignment indicator having a second coded appearance characteristic indicative of the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification