Imaging with multiple aperture medical ultrasound and synchronization of add-on systems

• US 8,602,993 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Specht, Donald F., Brewer, Kenneth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negarestan, Farshad
• Application Number:
  US13/002,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20110178400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 600437-445
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8929 using a three-dimensional transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8997 using synthetic aperture techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52046 Techniques for image enhancement involving transmitter or receiver image enhancement by image data processing G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52087 using synchronization techniques control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal A61B8/543

Abstract

The benefits of a multi-aperture ultrasound probe can be achieved with add-on devices. Synchronization and correlation of echoes from multiple transducer elements located in different arrays is essential to the successful processing of multiple aperture imaging. The algorithms disclosed here teach methods to successfully process these signals when the transmission source is coming from another ultrasound system and synchronize the add-on system to the other ultrasound system. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by individual transducer elements. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging and are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing an add-on ultrasound system to a host ultrasound probe, comprising:

transmitting ultrasound pulses from the host ultrasound probe;

receiving the ultrasound pulses with an add-on ultrasound receiver of the add-on ultrasound system, the add-on ultrasound system comprising an add-on ultrasound processor; and

synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with an algorithm in the add-on ultrasound processor, wherein the algorithm calculates a start of frame of the transmitted ultrasound pulses by identifying a large change in peak amplitudes during successive scan lines.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the ultrasound pulses with a receiving probe of the add-on ultrasound system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the ultrasound pulses with a plurality of receiving probes of the add-on ultrasound system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing step further comprises synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with the add-on ultrasound processor based on the received ultrasound pulses alone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing step further comprises synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with the add-on ultrasound processor adapted to process data from a tap that couples the host ultrasound probe to the add-on system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing ultrasound images to a display from the add-on ultrasound system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting the ultrasound pulses into tissue.

8. A method of synchronizing an add-on ultrasound system to a host ultrasound probe, comprising:

transmitting ultrasound pulses from the host ultrasound probe;

receiving the ultrasound pulses with an add-on ultrasound receiver of the add-on ultrasound system, the add-on ultrasound system comprising an add-on ultrasound processor; and

synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with an algorithm in the add-on ultrasound processor, wherein the algorithm calculates a start of frame of the transmitted ultrasound pulses by identifying when a peak amplitude changes from a low to a high or vice versa.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the ultrasound pulses with a receiving probe of the add-on ultrasound system.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the ultrasound pulses with a plurality of receiving probes of the add-on ultrasound system.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the synchronizing step further comprises synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with the add-on ultrasound processor based on the received ultrasound pulses alone.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the synchronizing step further comprises synchronizing the add-on ultrasound system to the host ultrasound probe with the add-on ultrasound processor adapted to process data from a tap that couples the host ultrasound probe to the add-on system.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing ultrasound images to a display from the add-on ultrasound system.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting the ultrasound pulses into tissue.

15. An add-on ultrasound system, comprising:

an add-on ultrasound receiver configured to receive ultrasound pulses transmitted from a host probe;

an add-on processor coupled to the add-on ultrasound receiver, the add-on processor comprising an algorithm configured to synchronize the add-on system to the host probe, wherein the algorithm is adapted to calculate a start of frame of the transmitted ultrasound pulses by identifying a large change in peak amplitudes during successive scan lines.

16. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 15 further comprising a display adapted to display ultrasound images from the add-on processor.

17. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 15 further comprising a second add-on ultrasound receiver.

18. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 15 wherein the algorithm is configured to synchronize the add-on system to the host ultrasound probe based on the received ultrasound pulses alone.

19. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 15 further comprising a tap coupling the host ultrasound probe to the add-on system.

20. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 19 wherein the add-on processor is adapted to process data from the tap to synchronize the add-on system to the host ultrasound probe.

21. An add-on ultrasound system, comprising:

an add-on ultrasound receiver configured to receive ultrasound pulses transmitted from a host probe;

an add-on processor coupled to the add-on ultrasound receiver, the add-on processor comprising an algorithm configured to synchronize the add-on system to the host probe, wherein the algorithm is adapted to calculate a start of frame of the transmitted ultrasound pulses by identifying when a peak amplitude changes from a low to a high or vice versa.

22. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 21 further comprising a display adapted to display ultrasound images from the add-on processor.

23. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 21 further comprising a second add-on ultrasound receiver.

24. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 21 wherein the algorithm is configured to synchronize the add-on system to the host ultrasound probe based on the received ultrasound pulses alone.

25. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 21 further comprising a tap coupling the host ultrasound probe to the add-on system.

26. The add-on ultrasound system of claim 25 wherein the add-on processor is adapted to process data from the tap to synchronize the add-on system to the host ultrasound probe.