ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING AN ULTRASOUND IMAGE

• US 20080044054A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medison Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Medison Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin Yong, KIM, Tae Yun
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may provide an ultrasound system and a method for forming an ultrasound image. The ultrasound system includes: a diagnosis unit operable to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object and receive ultrasound signals reflected from the target object; a volume data forming unit operable to form volume data based on the received ultrasound signals; an input unit operable to receive plane selection information, region of interest (ROI) setting information and ROI reset information from a user; a processor operable to form a plane image of a plane selected in the volume data according to the plane selection information and set a ROI on the plane image based on the ROI setting information, the image forming unit being configured to form a ROI image and a 3D image corresponding to the ROI by using the volume data; a display unit operable to display the plane image or the ROI image together with the 3D image; and a control unit operable to control that the display unit displays the plane image with displaying the 3D image in response to the ROI reset information and the processor sets a new ROI on the displayed plane image based on the ROI reset information and forms a ROI image and a 3D image corresponding to the new ROI.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system comprising:

a diagnosis unit operable to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object and receive ultrasound signals reflected from the target object;

a volume data forming unit operable to form volume data based on the received ultrasound signals;

an input unit operable to receive plane selection information, region of interest (ROI) setting information and ROI reset information from a user;

a processor operable to form a plane image based on plane data extracted from the volume data according to the plane selection information and set a ROI on the plane image based on the ROI setting information, said processor being configured to form a ROI image and a 3D image corresponding to the set ROI by using the volume data;

a display unit operable to display at least one of the plane image or the ROI image together with the 3D image; and

a control unit operable to control the display unit to display the plane image while the 3D image is displayed in response to the ROI reset information, and control the processor to set a new ROI on the displayed plane image based on the ROI reset information and form a ROI image and a 3D image corresponding to the new ROI.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a storage unit for storing the volume data.

3. A method for forming an ultrasound image, comprising:

a) forming volume data based on ultrasound signals reflected from a target object;

b) receiving plane selection information and forming a plane image based on plane data extracted from the volume data according to the plane selection information;

c) receiving ROI setting information to set a ROI on the plane image;

d) forming a ROI image and a 3-dimensional (3D) image corresponding to the ROI by using the volume data and displaying the ROI image together with the 3D image;

e) receiving ROI reset information for resetting the ROI in real time;

f) displaying the plane image while the 3D image is displayed in response to the ROI reset information;

g) setting a new ROI on the displayed plane image based on the ROI reset information; and

f) forming and displaying a ROI image and a 3D image corresponding to the new ROI.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing the volume data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, at the step d), the ROI image is displayed on a first display region and the 3D image is displayed on a second display region, and at step f), the plane image is displayed on the first display region instead of displaying the ROI image.