Endoscopic ultrasonography simulation

• US 20040253572A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simbionix Limited (Surgical Science Sweden AB)
• Original Assignee: Simbionix Limited (Surgical Science Sweden AB)
• Inventors: Fisher, Niv, Bronstein, Ran, Chosack, Edna, Barkay, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,501,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/268
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

A method and a system to simulate ultrasound images and hence for simulating the evaluation of a subject with such images as a diagnostic tool. For the purpose of simulating ultrasound images, these images may be considered to be planar slices of a given geometry. These slices are generated from the surface geometry of the portion of the subject which would receive the ultrasound waves if the ultrasound diagnostic procedure was actually be performed. Simulating such ultrasound images may therefore be performed by determining such images from surface models, and then rendering those ultrasound images at the desired position. The rendering of such simulated ultrasound images also optionally and preferably includes the simulation of the “grainy” quality of such images.

Claims

1. A method for simulating an ultrasound image of at least one anatomical feature of a subject, comprising:

determining a surface geometry of the at least one anatomical feature;

generating at least one planar slice of said surface geometry according to a location of a simulated source of ultrasound waves; and

rendering the ultrasound image according to said at least one planar slice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said at least one planar slice is performed by using a stencil buffer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said generating with said stencil buffer is performed by:

positioning a viewpoint for collecting the ultrasound image above said at least one planar slice; and

setting a near Z clip plane to fit a cutting plane for cutting said at least one planar slice.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said generating with said stencil buffer is further performed by:

setting a value for pixels for said planar slice to a positive value, and a value of pixels for the remainder of the anatomical feature to a zero value; and

rendering said pixels.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said generating with said stencil buffer is further performed by:

determining at least one intersection of the anatomical feature with said planar slice; and

setting a value for said pixels in said planar slice to a positive value for said stencil buffer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound image is a grayscale image and wherein said rendering further comprises rendering said grayscale image with a selected texture, said selected texture being collected from an actual ultrasound medical procedure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound image is a black and white image, and wherein said rendering further comprises rendering said black and white image with a selected texture, said selected texture being collected from an actual ultrasound medical procedure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said rendering with said selected texture is only performed for pixels in said stencil buffer having a positive value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said pixels having said positive value are white pixels.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a simulated ultrasound image is created by rendering said texture on said at least one planar slice.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein rendering said texture further comprises at least one of bending and blurring said simulated image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said bending further comprises:

rendering said simulated image onto a template, said template comprising a polygonal model constructed according to a shape of an image from an actual ultrasound medical procedure.