Freehand ultrasound imaging systems and methods providing position quality feedback
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasound system comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer operable to receive ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body;
at least one first position marker connectable to the ultrasound transducer;
at least one second position marker connectable to the instrument;
a controller communicatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer and the first and second position markers; and
a display communicatively coupled to the controller;
wherein, when the at least one first position marker is connected to the ultrasound transducer and the at least one second position marker is connected to the instrument, the controller is configured to;
monitor a spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer based on a first position signal from the at least one first position marker, wherein the first position signal is a first magnetic field;
monitor a spatial location and orientation of the instrument based on a second position signal from the at least one second position marker, wherein the second position signal is a second magnetic field;
monitor a quality of the first magnetic field by monitoring a first quality measure of the first magnetic field, wherein the first quality measure of the first magnetic field is a first characteristic of the first magnetic field, by monitoring a received power of the first magnetic field;
monitor a quality of the second magnetic field by monitoring a second quality measure of the second magnetic field, wherein the second quality measure of the second magnetic field is a second characteristic of the second magnetic field, by monitoring a received power of the second magnetic field;
generate a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals;
determine a spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; and
display on the display a plurality of display elements including;
the ultrasound image; and
a marker corresponding to a projection of at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the instrument onto the plane of the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the instrument and the spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image; and
when at least one of;
the first characteristic of the first magnetic field is below a first predetermined quality threshold, wherein the first characteristic is a first mean received power level of the first position signal, andthe second characteristic of the second magnetic field is below a second predetermined quality threshold, wherein the second characteristic is a second mean received power level of the second position signal,generate an alert on the display by changing an appearance characteristic of at least one of the plurality of display elements.
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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. A display depicts an ultrasound image acquired via the transducer and a graphical element representative of a projection of the longitudinal axis of the needle onto a plane of the ultrasound image. The quality of the position and orientation information from the position markers is monitored, and when quality is below a quality threshold the display indicates this fact.
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ultrasound system comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer operable to receive ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body; at least one first position marker connectable to the ultrasound transducer; at least one second position marker connectable to the instrument; a controller communicatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer and the first and second position markers; and a display communicatively coupled to the controller; wherein, when the at least one first position marker is connected to the ultrasound transducer and the at least one second position marker is connected to the instrument, the controller is configured to; monitor a spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer based on a first position signal from the at least one first position marker, wherein the first position signal is a first magnetic field; monitor a spatial location and orientation of the instrument based on a second position signal from the at least one second position marker, wherein the second position signal is a second magnetic field; monitor a quality of the first magnetic field by monitoring a first quality measure of the first magnetic field, wherein the first quality measure of the first magnetic field is a first characteristic of the first magnetic field, by monitoring a received power of the first magnetic field; monitor a quality of the second magnetic field by monitoring a second quality measure of the second magnetic field, wherein the second quality measure of the second magnetic field is a second characteristic of the second magnetic field, by monitoring a received power of the second magnetic field; generate a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals; determine a spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; and display on the display a plurality of display elements including; the ultrasound image; and a marker corresponding to a projection of at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the instrument onto the plane of the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the instrument and the spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image; and when at least one of; the first characteristic of the first magnetic field is below a first predetermined quality threshold, wherein the first characteristic is a first mean received power level of the first position signal, and the second characteristic of the second magnetic field is below a second predetermined quality threshold, wherein the second characteristic is a second mean received power level of the second position signal, generate an alert on the display by changing an appearance characteristic of at least one of the plurality of display elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. A method in an ultrasound system comprising:
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receiving ultrasound echo signals returning from a portion of the body; monitoring a spatial location and orientation of an ultrasound transducer at which the ultrasound echo signals are received based on a first position signal from at least one first position marker connected to the ultrasound transducer, wherein the first position signal is a first electromagnetic signal; monitoring a spatial location and orientation of the instrument based on a second position signal from at least one second position marker connected to the instrument, wherein the second position signal is a second electromagnetic signal; monitoring a first electrical quality of the first electromagnetic signal by monitoring a first received electrical power of the first electromagnetic signal; monitoring a second electrical quality of the second electromagnetic signal by monitoring a second received electrical power of the second position signal; generating a two dimensional ultrasound image based on the ultrasound echo signals; determining a spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the ultrasound transducer; displaying a plurality of display elements including; the ultrasound image; and a marker corresponding to a projection of at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the instrument onto the plane of the ultrasound image based on the spatial location and orientation of the instrument and the spatial location of the portion of the body depicted in the ultrasound image; and when at least one of; the first received electrical power is below a first electrical power threshold, and the second received electrical power is below a second electrical power threshold, generating an alert on the display by doing one or more of; inhibiting display of at least one of the plurality of display elements; and changing an appearance characteristic of at least one of the plurality of display elements.
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Specification