Method and apparatus to produce ultrasonic images using multiple apertures

• US 9,072,495 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Specht, Donald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cattungal, Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US14/157,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 600437-469, 382128-132
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/725 using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters A61B5/316 take precedence
• 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 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• 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 8/5253 combining overlapping images, e.g. spatial compounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• 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 7/52046 Techniques for image enhancement involving transmitter or receiver image enhancement by image data processing G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A combination of an ultrasonic scanner and an omnidirectional receive transducer for producing a two-dimensional image from received echoes is described. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by additional transducers. These can be combined to produce images with better signal to noise ratios and lateral resolution. Also disclosed is a method based on information content to compensate for the different delays for different paths through intervening tissue is described. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging but are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces. Since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the aperture defined by the end elements, it is not necessary to fill the entire aperture with equally spaced elements. Multiple slices using these methods can be combined to form three-dimensional images.

Claims

1. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:

transmitting a first ultrasound signal from a transmit transducer array into a target object;

receiving first echoes of the first ultrasound signal with a first transducer that is omnidirectional in an image plane and is located in a first acoustic window;

storing the first echoes in a computer memory;

receiving second echoes of the first ultrasound signal with a second transducer that is omnidirectional in the image plane and is located in a second acoustic window that does not overlap the first acoustic window;

storing the second echoes in the computer memory;

obtaining position information of the first and second transducers relative to the transmit transducer array;

retrieving the first echoes from the computer memory and constructing a first image of the target object from the retrieved first echoes and the position information of the first transducer;

retrieving the second echoes from the computer memory and constructing a second image of the target object from the retrieved second echoes and the position information of the second transducer; and

combining the first and second images to form a combined image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to combining the first and second images, determining a displacement of the second image relative to the first image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a Wiener filter to the first and second images before combining the first and second images.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a Wiener filter to the combined image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transducer is at least one transducer element on the transmit transducer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transducer is separate from the transmit transducer and the first transducer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target object is human tissue.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first acoustic window is selected from the group consisting of a first parasternal intercostal space, a second parasternal intercostal space, a suprasternal notch, a substernal position, a subcostal window, an apical view, a first intercostal space adjacent the sternum, and a second intercostal space adjacent the sternum, and wherein the second acoustic window is selected from the same group.