Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080200809 | ULTRASOUND TRANSMIT BEAMFORMER INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND METHOD - The invention provides a novel method of transmit beamforming, which allows compact analog implementation of complex digital algorithms without compromising their features. It is aimed to support envelope shaping, apodization, and phase rotation per channel and per firing. Each of three embodiments represents a complete transmit channel driven by pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms stored in a conventional sequence memory. PWM signals controls the transmit pulse envelope (shape) by changing the duty cycle of the carrier. Beamformation data are loaded prior to a firing via serial interface. Under the direction of a controller, the circuitry allows high precision (beyond sampling rate) phase rotation of the carrier. It also provides transmit apodization (aperture weighting), which maintains an optimal trade-off among low sidelobe level and widening of the mainlobe. Implementing such an IC, the manufacturing cost of a high-end ultrasound system can be reduced. Equally, the proposed solution makes the benefits of digital transmit beamformers available to midrange and entry-level machines since it merely requires a modified programming of the sequence memory. | 08-21-2008 |
20080228077 | Ultrasonic medical device and associated method - A medical system includes a carrier and a multiplicity of electromechanical transducers mounted to the carrier, the transducers being disposable in effective pressure-wave-transmitting contact with a patient. Energization componentry is operatively connected to a first plurality of the transducers for supplying the same with electrical signals of at least one pre-established ultrasonic frequency to produce first pressure waves in the patient. A control unit is operatively connected to the energization componentry and includes an electronic analyzer operatively connected to a second plurality of the transducers for performing electronic 3D volumetric data acquisition and imaging (which includes determining three-dimensional shapes) of internal tissue structures of the patient by analyzing signals generated by the second plurality of the transducers in response to second pressure waves produced at the internal tissue structures in response to the first pressure waves. The control unit includes phased-array signal processing circuitry for effectuating an electronic scanning of the internal tissue structures which facilitates one-dimensional (vector), 2D (planar), and 3D (volume) data acquisition. The control unit further includes circuitry for defining multiple data gathering apertures and for coherently combining structural data from the respective apertures to increase spatial resolution. When the data gathering apertures are contained in a flexible web or carrier so that the instantaneous positions of the data gathering apertures are unknown, a self-cohering algorithm is used to determine their positions so that coherent aperture combining can be performed. | 09-18-2008 |
20080234585 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ACQUIRING ULTRASOUND DATA - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including oscillation elements configured to transmit toward and receive from a region of a subject, a receiving delay setting unit configured to divide the oscillation elements into oscillation element groups and set a common delay to oscillation elements included in each of the oscillation element groups in accordance with an imaging condition, an adding unit configured to add received signals transmitted from the oscillation elements in accordance with the delay set by the received delay setting unit, and an image generating unit configured to generate image data in accordance with received signal added by adding unit. | 09-25-2008 |
20080242992 | Ultrasound Imaging System and Method for Flow Imaging Using Real-Time Spatial Compounding - A method for reducing speckle in an ultrasound image includes generating a transmit scan beam from a single aperture defined on a face of a transducer element array, such that the transmit scan beam originates from the single aperture, generating a first set of ultrasound response scan beams, originating from a first receive aperture, defined as a first set of transducer elements symmetrically across the center of the transmit aperture, generating at least a second set of ultrasound response scan beams, originating from at least a second receive aperture contiguous with the first receive aperture. The at least second receive aperture is defined by at least a second set of transducer elements disposed symmetrically across the center of the transmit aperture. The response scan beams are received simultaneously by the first and the at least second receive apertures, and compounded. | 10-02-2008 |
20080255454 | SYSTEM OF FORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGE AND METHOD OF FORMING SCAN LINE DATA - There are provided an ultrasound imaging system and a method of forming a plurality of scan lines and frames by using receiving signals provided by transducers in a probe. Main scan lines, which are selected among the scan lines and supplement scan lines determined with the others, are assigned to each scan line data forming unit in the ultrasound imaging system. A partial data of the main scan line and a first supplement data of the supplement scan line are formed with receive data obtained from receive signals from at least one transducer. A second supplement data provided from other scan line data forming units is applied to the partial data of the main scan line to form a scan line data of the main scan line. | 10-16-2008 |
20080262356 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING USING AN INERTIAL REFERENCE UNIT - Systems and methods for ultrasound imaging using an inertial reference unit are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound unit configured to ultrasonically scan at least one plane within a region of interest in a subject and generate imaging information from the scan. An inertial reference unit is provided that detects relative positions of the ultrasound unit as the ultrasound unit scans a plurality of plane. A processing unit is configured to receive the imaging information and the corresponding detected position and is operable to generate images of the region of interest. | 10-23-2008 |
20080269610 | Method and apparatus for automatic optimization of scanning parameters for ultrasound imaging - An ultrasonic probe has transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals to form an ultrasound image. An optimization module receives a first scanning depth based on the ultrasound image and determines a first transmit pattern and receive filter settings based on the first scanning depth. The first transmit pattern and the receive filter settings are used to acquire the ultrasound image. Transmit and receive circuitry transmit and receive the ultrasound signals based on the first transmit pattern | 10-30-2008 |
20080294045 | Three Dimensional Ultrasonic Imaging Using Mechanical Probes with Beam Scanning Reversal - An ultrasonic probe for three dimensional scanning includes a one dimensional array transducer which is mechanically swept back and forth. As the array transducer is swept in one direction the array scans the volumetric region with image planes which are scanned from left to right. As the array transducer is swept in the opposite direction the direction of beam scanning is reverse so that the volumetric region is scanned with image planes which are scanned from right to left. The reversal of the beam scanning direction causes the scanned planes to be substantially aligned, resulting in a reduction in scanning artifacts. | 11-27-2008 |
20080294046 | Portable ultrasound imaging system - A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. | 11-27-2008 |
20090005684 | TRANSMIT BEAMFORMING IN 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND - An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction. | 01-01-2009 |
20090024036 | Method and apparatus for multiple transmit contrast imaging - A method for measuring a non-linear response from a target using an imaging apparatus includes transmitting a signal towards a region of interest from a transducer at a first amplitude and measuring a first response thereto, and transmitting, from the transducer towards the region of interest, at least one additional signal of the same phase as the first amplitude signal but at one or more different, lower amplitudes and measuring at least one additional response thereto. A difference of a function of the measured additional response or responses from the first response is determined, thereby obtaining a non-linear response of the object of interest, and a representation of the non-linear response is displayed. | 01-22-2009 |
20090030317 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - Ultrasonic imaging devices, systems and methods that may be used to image difficult to reach locations such as internal body cavities, etc. The ultrasonic imaging devices may be embodied in endoscopes that include one ore more channels for delivering instruments and other items to the location at which the imaging is occurring or the imaging devices may be provided in the form of a probe or other device that may, for example, be delivered through a channel located in an endoscope. | 01-29-2009 |
20090043206 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Under one aspect, an ultrasound system for producing a representation of an object includes: a concave transducer array configured to transmit ultrasonic pulses into the object and to receive ultrasonic pulses from the object, the ultrasonic pulses from the object containing structural information about the object, each transducer in the array generating an output signal representative of a portion of the structural information about the object; a multi-focal lens structure for focusing the transmitted ultrasonic pulses; a multiplexing structure in operable communication with the concave transducer array and including logic for coupling the output signals from at least one pair of transducers in the concave transducer array; and a beamformer in operable communication with the multiplexing structure and including logic for constructing a representation of structural information about the object based on the coupled output signals from the multiplexing structure. | 02-12-2009 |
20090048517 | Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transducer array | 02-19-2009 |
20090054780 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME COMPUTATION OF POINT-BY-POINT APODIZATION COEFFICIENTS - A method for real-time computation of point-by-point apodization coefficients used for beam-forming includes storing apodization coefficients of receiving focus points in memory, and computing at least one of an included angle between a vector from a transducer element to a receiving point and a normal vector of the transducer element, and a trigonometric function value of the included angle. The method also includes addressing the memory storing the apodization coefficients according to the quantized included angle or trigonometric function value, and reading the apodization coefficients. In one embodiment, the method may include computing in advance apodization coefficients of a receiving focus point as the starting point for the subsequent interpolation operation and another receiving focus point as the ending point, and deriving, for each receiving channel, apodization coefficients of the points situated between these two receiving focus points through an interpolation operation. | 02-26-2009 |
20090093719 | HANDHELD ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEMS - A handheld ultrasound device is provided, having a transducer assembly for emitting and receiving sonic signals, a configurable signal processing unit, and a data processor configured to provide configuration data to the signal processing unit. The configuration data defines a beamforming configuration, filtering configuration and envelope detection configuration for an operational mode. The operational mode may be selected by the user or may be determined based on a detected type of the transducer assembly. | 04-09-2009 |
20090093720 | RECEIVE CIRCUIT FOR MINIMIZING CHANNELS IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Receive circuits and associated methods are provided for ultrasound imaging. Both subarray mixing and time division multiplexing are provided with a same circuit. Components of the receive circuit respond to either phasing or time slot information to implement subarray mixing or time division multiplexing. A network of switches allows combination of signals from different elements to form different sub-apertures. A controller minimizes power consumption while outputting the desired phase or time division multiplexed information by gating a clock to various registers. Each of the registers corresponds to different groups of transducer elements. For loading new phasing information, the clock is turned on to the desired register. Duration operation of the receive circuit, the clock is gated off. The register outputs the previously loaded values in a static state without clocking. Preamplification for either of time division or subarray mixed signals is provided using a variable gain amplifier with a common mode feedback. The common mode feedback provides for a constant operating point despite changes in the desired amount of gain. | 04-09-2009 |
20090105592 | MULTI-STAGE DIGITAL ULTRASOUND BEAMFORMER - Elements in an ultrasound array are activated according to a transmit beamformer to create a series of transmit beams. For each transmit beam, the first stage of a receive beamformer determines a plurality of primary receive beams. A second beamformer stage then computes secondary receive beams as a function of the primary receive beams that correspond to return signals from different transmit beams to a common receive beam origin. For example, each secondary receive beam may be calculated as a function of the weighted, time-delayed sum of the primary receive beams. At least one of the secondary receive beams is then output from the beamformer to be used in creating a displayed image. | 04-23-2009 |
20090112091 | Portable ultrasound imaging data - A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. | 04-30-2009 |
20090112092 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ESTIMATING AND COMPENSATING A MOTION IN FORMING A SYNTHETIC IMAGE - The present invention relates to an apparatus for estimating and compensating a motion in forming an ultrasound synthetic image. The apparatus includes a transmit/receive control unit, an auto correlation unit and an image motion estimation and compensation unit. The transmit/receive control unit may set a plurality of scan lines, define sequential indices upon the scan lines, and set a transmit order of a transmit beam for the scan lines in a non-sequential manner in which increment and decrement of the indices of the scan lines are repeated. Then, the transmit/receive control unit may transmit the transmit beam to a target object based on the set transmit order to obtain a plurality of receive beams in response to each transmission of the transmit beam. The auto correlation unit may group the receive beams to an increment group corresponding to an increment direction and a decrement group corresponding to a decrement direction and perform auto correlation upon the receive beams. The auto correlation unit may apply weights to the auto correlation results and sum the weight-applied auto correlation results to there provide phase information. The image motion estimation and compensation unit may estimate and compensate a motion of a target object based on the phase information. | 04-30-2009 |
20090112093 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FORMING SCAN LINE DATA - There is provided an ultrasound diagnostic device including receiving data a transmission lines between scan line data forming units and channels and a method of forming scan line data. The ultrasound diagnostic device includes a plurality of channels for providing receiving data and a scan line data forming unit including a plurality of sub-scan line data forming groups and a data summing unit, wherein the sub-scan line data forming group forms partial data of scan lines, and wherein the data summing unit forms scan line data of the scan lines by summing the partial data. The sub-scan line data forming group includes a plurality of sub-scan line data forming units for forming the partial data of the scan lines by using the receiving data and providing a transmission path of the receiving data, first data lines for transmitting the receiving data between at least one of the sub-scan data forming unit and the channels and second data lines for transferring the receiving data between the sub-scan line data forming units. | 04-30-2009 |
20090112094 | Phased Apply Ultrasound With Electronically Controlled Focal Point For Assessing Bone Quality Via Acoustic Topology And Wave Transmit Functions - A surface topology map technique and apparatus are disclosed for determining calcaneus thickness for imaging quantitative ultrasound measurements; improving measurement accuracy, particularly in in vivo applications. | 04-30-2009 |
20090118616 | Three Dimensional Ultrasonic Scanning With a Steerable Volumetric Region - A three dimensional ultrasonic imaging system produces a live steerable 3D image of a volumetric region of a subject. The system includes a user control which is continuously adjustable by a user to sweep the displayed 3D volume between the limits of left and right beam steering angles of an electronically steered matrix array transducer. | 05-07-2009 |
20090118617 | Ultrasonographic Device And Ultrasonographic Method - In an ultrasonic imaging device having an image synthesizing unit, correlation between images to be synthesized is computed for balancing between an improvement in contrast resolution and an improvement in spatial resolution, and an amount of displacement between the images is computed. When the amount of displacement is large, the signals after envelop detection are synthesized. When the amount of displacement is small, RF signals are synthesized. Alternatively, the mixing frequency may be variable according to the amount of displacement, and the balance between an improvement in spatial resolution and that in contract resolution is achieved according to a degree of the positional displacement. | 05-07-2009 |
20090137904 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING METHOD - An ultrasonic imaging apparatus captures a plurality of B-mode images of a same cross section respectively by a plurality of linear scans with different directional ultrasonic beams and creates and displays a compound image from the plurality of B-mode images. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes a device for capturing an image to capture a plurality of B-mode images respectively by a linear scan with an ultrasonic beam steered to a reference direction and a linear scan or scans with an ultrasonic beam or beams steered to one or more directions different from the reference direction, a device for creating an image to create a compound image using the plurality of B-mode images, and a display device to display the compound image. | 05-28-2009 |
20090149757 | Three Dimensional Ultrasonic Scanning With Live Subvolumes - A three dimensional ultrasonic imaging system includes a matrix array transducer which is capable of scanning beams over a maximal volumetric region. The array transducer is operable to selectively scan one of a plurality of subvolumes of the maximal volumetric region at a real time scanning rate such that a live 3D image of the subvolume is processed and displayed. A user control is actuated to step the system through the scanning of a sequence different subvolumes. In an illustrated embodiment the maximal volumetric region encompasses the heart, and the system can be stepped through the scanning and display of live 3D images of front, center, and back subvolumes of the heart. | 06-11-2009 |
20090156935 | Three Dimensional Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging System with Image Reversal and Inversion - A three dimensional ultrasonic imaging system acquires 3D image data from a volumetric region and processes the image data to produce a live 3D image of the volumetric region in a given orientation. A user control can be switched by a user to present the image in a different orientation if desired. Both the anatomy in the 3D image and the image format can be inverted, and the left-right appearance of the 3D image can be reversed with a corresponding front-back reversal of the anatomy. | 06-18-2009 |
20090156936 | Ultrasound 3D imaging system - The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head either includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field subarray beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. When used with second stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images can be generated. | 06-18-2009 |
20090156937 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a scan controller inputs a trigger signal corresponding to heartbeat period, scans an ultrasonic beam such that a particular diagnostic region of a body under examination is scanned with the ultrasonic beam a plurality of times in response to each trigger signal, and controls the scan repetition period by controlling the pulse repetition period of the transmission pulse. An image generation unit generates an image corresponding to each of the pulse repetition periods. The scan controller controls the pulse repletion period such that an integral multiple of the scan repetition period is equal to a reference value determined based on the period of the trigger signal. | 06-18-2009 |
20090171213 | LINEAR ARRAY ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER WITH VARIABLE PATCH BOUNDARIES - An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system has a two dimensional array arranged in multiple patches of multiple transducer elements. Each patch of transducer elements is coupled to a group of microbeamformer delay lines having outputs which can be coupled to a selected channel of a system beamformer, which beamforms the partially summed beams of each patch into a final beamformed signal. The ability to direct a delayed signal from a transducer element to a selected beamformer channel enables the patch boundaries to be changed as the aperture is translated across the array. | 07-02-2009 |
20090171214 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGE SIGNALS WITH MULTIPROCESSING - The present invention relates to an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system comprises: a probe for transmitting an ultrasound beam along a plurality of scan lines in a target object and output receive signals based on ultrasound echoes reflected from the target object; a beam forming unit for applying delays to the receive signals and sum the delayed receive signals to thereby form scan line signals corresponding to the respective scan lines; a multiprocessing unit including a plurality of processors, each being configured to individually process a part of the scan line signals to output sub-image signals, the multiprocessing unit being configured to synthesize the sub-image signals to output ultrasound image signals corresponding to one image frame; and an image processing unit for performing an image processing upon the ultrasound image signals for display. | 07-02-2009 |
20090192387 | CONTINUOUS ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING OF ULTRASOUND COLOR DATA - A method displays ultrasound color flow image data in a plurality of output frames by continuously acquiring color flow image data. Each output frame includes a plurality of scan lines that collectively represent a field of view for an ultrasound image. The method includes sequentially transmitting a plurality of ultrasound beams. For each of the transmitted beams, multiple receive beams are formed along respective parallel scan lines. As the sequence progresses, sets of co-linear receive beams are formed along each of the respective scan lines at a predetermined rate both within a particular frame and between successive frames. The method also includes processing the sets of co-linear receive beams along each of the respective scan lines to generate color flow image data corresponding to the respective scan lines, and displaying a color flow image representing the generated color flow image data. | 07-30-2009 |
20090240151 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a connection section to which an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer mounted therein is detachably connected, a transmission section that drives the ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound probe connected to the connection section by a transmission signal of a transmission frequency thereof, an echo signal creation section that creates a digital echo signal from an echo signal received by the ultrasound transducer, a signal processing section that carries out signal processing to the digital echo signal, a processing-speed changing section that changes an operation frequency of the signal processing in the signal processing section, and a change control section that controls change of the operation frequency. | 09-24-2009 |
20090240152 | Digital Ultrasound Beam Former with Flexible Channel and Frequency Range Reconfiguration - A digital ultrasound beam former for ultrasound imaging, that can be configured by a control processor to process the signals from ultrasound transducer arrays with variable number of elements at variable sampling frequencies, where the lowest sampling frequency allows for the highest number of array elements. The maximal number of array elements is reduced in the inverse proportion to the sampling frequency. The beam former can be operated both in a RF-sampling mode and a quadrature mode. Parallel coupling of transmit/receive circuits for each element allow adaption of the receive Noise Figure and transmit drive capabilities to variations in the electrical impedance of the array elements. | 09-24-2009 |
20090264760 | COMPOUNDING IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND FOR INFANT OR ADAPTIVE IMAGING - Information is compounded in medical diagnostic ultrasound. Volumes from multiple acoustic windows for the infant head are aligned and combined. The combination provides a dataset better representing the entire region of interest. Additionally or alternatively, weighted combination of ultrasound data sets is provided. The weights adapt as a function of proximity to the transducer (e.g., near field verses far field), noise level, or other data quality parameters. In the infant head example, the adaptive weights may provide a composite data set better representing the infant head. Adaptive weights for the compounding may be used in situations other than an infant head scan. | 10-22-2009 |
20090270733 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An ultrasonic imaging method using an ultrasonic probe for applying a first ultrasonic beam to a first region of three-dimensional region of a subject with a contrast agent administered thereto and acquiring three-dimensional tomographic image information for the first region, including the steps of: setting a second region for applying a second ultrasonic beam whose sound pressure is higher than that of the first ultrasonic beam for not destroying the contrast agent, in the three-dimensional region; and applying the second ultrasonic beam to exceed sound pressure for destroying the contrast agent only in the second region and performing the irradiation of the second ultrasonic beam by the ultrasonic probe in the course of acquisition of the three-dimensional tomographic image information in the first region by the first ultrasonic beam. | 10-29-2009 |
20090292207 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which degradation in calculation accuracy and increase in calculation time can be prevented while an ultrasonic image with high resolving power is generated by using appropriate acoustic velocities for respective regions within an object. The apparatus includes: a transmitting and receiving unit for processing reception signals; a reception control unit for performing focusing processing based on acoustic velocity values to generate a sound ray signal; an image generating unit for generating an image signal based on the sound ray signal; a focusing determining unit for determining a degree of beam focusing in the focusing processing with respect to plural first regions; and an acoustic velocity value correcting unit for obtaining acoustic velocity values with respect to the plural first regions and further obtaining acoustic velocity values with respect to plural second regions segmented in smaller regions than the plural first regions. | 11-26-2009 |
20090299184 | IMAGING OR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM UTILIZING MULTISAMPLE APODIZATION AND METHOD - Methods systems and system components for optimizing contrast resolution of an imaging or sensing system utilizing multiple channels of broadband data associated with an array of transducers. Channels or data are filtered by passing the channels of data through finite impulse response (FIR) filters on each channel. The filters each have multiple taps having tap weights pre-calculated as a function of distance of the array from an object that energy is being transmitted to or reflected from. The weights are pre-computed through a deterministic equation based on an a priori system model. | 12-03-2009 |
20090299185 | DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND APPARATUS - A novel diagnostic ultrasound apparatus has a plurality of ultrasound probes | 12-03-2009 |
20090306510 | Ultrasound Imaging Apparatus - An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of transducer elements images an object by making use of the plurality of transducer elements whose received signals are given delays, transmitting a pulse ultrasonic wave to the object and receiving its reflected wave. The transducer elements are divided into a plurality of blocks and the transducer elements in each of the blocks are selected by a selecting means so that the delays given to the received signals for the transducer elements in each of the blocks are identical. | 12-10-2009 |
20090306511 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING ULTRASOUND IMAGE - For a three-dimensional region including a treatment target site of a patient, a puncture needle scanning region R | 12-10-2009 |
20090306512 | Coherent Image Formation for Dynamic Transmit Beamformation - Retrospective dynamic transmit beamformation is provided in medical ultrasound imaging. Using parallel receive beamformation, sets of data representing locations in at least a common field of view are obtained, each set in response to a transmit with a spatially distinct phase front. The common field of view receive data are time aligned and amplitude weighted for retrospective transmit focusing and retrospective transmit apodization, respectively. A time offset, such as of a cycle or more in some cases, is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit focusing. The offset is selected to emulate shifting the transmit delay profile to be tangentially intersecting with the dynamic receive delay profile for each location which is the desired transmit delay profile. A weight is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit apodization. The weight is selected based on the desired transmit apodization profile. The offset and weighted data representing a same location from different transmit events is coherently combined. The number of sets of data offset, weighted and combined may vary as a function of depth for dynamic transmit beamformation. | 12-10-2009 |
20090326377 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that can acquire ultrasound image data of an excellent spatial resolution and contrast resolution by electrically controlling focusing points of transmission/reception waves so as to form transmitting beams and receiving beams having a substantially uniform thin beam width along an elevation direction in an object. Transmission ultrasounds emitted from a prescribed number of transducers are focused at a hypothetical point sound source. Transmitting wave-fronts propagated from the point sound source reflect at a plurality of observing points in the propagation area. Reception ultrasounds reflected at the observing points are received through a prescribed number of receiving transducers so as to generate a plurality of channels of receiving signals. The receiving signals are focused by performing receiving phase compensation and summation so that the observing point becomes a reception focusing point. The phase compensated and summed receiving signals are focused by performing wave-front phase compensation and summation in order to correct transmitting delays due to the propagation distances between the transmitting focusing point and the observing points. | 12-31-2009 |
20090326378 | Formation Of An Enhanced Elastic Image In An Ultrasound System - There are disclosed embodiments for forming an enhanced elastic image in an ultrasound system. An elastic image of a target object may be formed by scanning N scan lines. A control unit divides the N scan lines into M scan lines groups by using an acquisition period necessary for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals to acquire ultrasound data. An ultrasound data acquiring unit transmits ultrasound signals to a target object and receives the ultrasound signals reflected from the target object at a predetermined transmission/reception sequence for each of the M scan line groups. This forms ultrasound data corresponding to each of the M scan line groups while a pressure is applied to the target object. An elastic image forming unit forms at least one sub elastic image corresponding to each of the M scan line groups based on the ultrasound data. The elastic forming unit sums M sub elastic images corresponding to the respective M scan line groups to thereby form an elastic image of the target object. | 12-31-2009 |
20100004540 | DUAL PATH PROCESSING FOR OPTIMAL SPECKLE TRACKING - This invention relates generally to an improved system and method that combines enhancing and mitigating techniques for speckle tracking, for obtaining a series of images of the movement of a target, such as tissue, over time. The method comprises steps of transmitting sound waves into the human body and outputting echoes of these sound waves; receiving and beamforming the echoes to produce scan line data; processing scan line data to display anatomical information using a method which reduces speckle; processing scan line data using a method or procedure which does not reduce speckle, and during one scan sequence, simultaneously acquiring the two scan line data, that data processed reducing speckle and that data processed without reducing speckle. | 01-07-2010 |
20100004541 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that can generate and display 3D ultrasound image data of superior image quality in real time is provided. To achieve a high volume rate for acquiring 3D ultrasound image data, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus performs 3D scans on a 3D region of an object while sequentially shifting a transmission/reception group that is comprised of each of the transmitting acoustic fields and more than five parallel simultaneous reception beam directions corresponded to each of the transmitting acoustic fields at a prescribed angular distance Δξ | 01-07-2010 |
20100010351 | TIME OF FLIGHT ESTIMATION METHOD USING BEAMFORMING FOR ACOUSTIC TOMOGRAPHY - It is disclosed an acoustic tomography method to improve the time of flight estimation, said method comprising the steps of: sequentially triggering a set of N transmitters so as to generate a sequence of N acoustic waves through a volume being scanned; receiving each of said acoustic waves after transmission through said volume with a set of M receivers, which are called received signals; delaying by varying delays the N different said received signals that each receiver receives from the N different transmitters, and adding them together to form a new received signal, which is called transmit-beamformed signal for that receiver; delaying by varying delays the M different said transmit-beamformed signals for each receiver and adding them together at each receiver to form a new signal, which we call transmit-receive-beamformed signal. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010352 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF PENETRATION, RESOLUTION AND FRAME RATE - An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are presented in which the balance between image resolution and frame rate (Res/Speed) and the balance between image resolution and penetration (Pen/Gen/Res) are automatically adjusted in response to image content. A motion detector analyzes the relative motion between successive images. If the motion content is relatively high, the imaging parameters are changed in favor of relatively greater frame rate and reduced resolution. A low motion content causes the opposite adjustment. The electronic noise between successive images is also computed with a relatively high noise content (low correlation) in the far field resulting in an adjustment to penetration as by lowering the transmit frequency. A relatively low noise content causes an adjustment in favor of increased resolution. | 01-14-2010 |
20100016725 | MULTI-BEAM TRANSMIT ISOLATION - A method for isolating ultrasound transmit beams and reducing cross-transmit beam interference in a multi-beam system involves transmitting a first ultrasound beam at a first and second positive angle and transmitting a second ultrasound beam at a first and second negative angle. The method further involves receiving a first, second, third, and fourth composite signals, where each of the composite signals includes a return signal and a reflected component. The method further includes applying a finite impulse response filter to the first and third composite signals and the second and fourth composite signals to obtain an average of the first and second composite signals and an average of the second and fourth composite signals and remove the reflected components. | 01-21-2010 |
20100022882 | RECONFIGURABLE WIRELESS ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM - An untethered ultrasound imaging system having selectable command control and wireless component connection and image transmission. Ultrasound data collected by the ultrasound system can be augmented with additional sensor data. | 01-28-2010 |
20100022883 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, even with a reduced circuit size, capable of securing image quality equal to that having a larger circuit size. The apparatus includes: a drive signal generating unit for supplying drive signals to selected ultrasonic transducers; a reception signal processing unit for processing reception signals outputted from ultrasonic transducers in a selected aperture; a control unit for controlling the drive signal generating unit such that ultrasonic beams are transmitted at plural times, and sequentially storing the reception signals obtained by ultrasonic transducers in plural different apertures receiving ultrasonic echoes generated by the ultrasonic beams transmitted at the plural times, in a memory; a reception beam former for performing reception focusing processing on the reception signals corresponding to the plural different apertures to generate sound ray signals; and an image signal generating unit for generating an image signal based on the sound ray signals. | 01-28-2010 |
20100036251 | DELAY ADJUSTMENT MODULE AND ULTRASONIC RECEIVING BEAM FORMING APPARATUS - A delay adjustment memory is shared by two signal processing channels, a signal in one signal processing channel having a smaller delay time of the two signal processing channels is adjusted in delay by the delay adjustment memory, and another signal in the other signal processing channel having a larger delay time is directly supplied to a subsequent calculation unit without passing through the delay adjustment memory, thereby performing the ultrasonic receiving beam forming processing. | 02-11-2010 |
20100041995 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can scan a region of interest at high speed and other regions at low speed. | 02-18-2010 |
20100056921 | QUANTIFIED PERFUSION STUDIES WITH ULTRASONIC THICK SLICE IMAGING - An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region containing tissue which has been perfused by a contrast agent. The plurality of slices scanned are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce an elevationally combined slice image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. The elevationally combined slice image is processed to produce a qualitative or quantitative measure of perfusion, such as an image with degrees of perfusion indicated by a range of brightness levels, an image of color perfusion parameters, or a perfusion curve or curve parameter indicating rate of perfusion. | 03-04-2010 |
20100069756 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest to be included in an ultrasound image. A first movement-amount calculating unit sequentially calculates a movement amount of the set region of interest between reception data along the time sequence as a first movement amount. A transmitting-receiving delay-amount computing unit computes a delay amount for sequentially shifting a scan region of an ultrasonic beam based on the sequentially calculated first movement amount. A computation/control circuit performs control so as to generate a high voltage pulse based on the computed delay amount. A second movement-amount calculating unit sequentially calculates a movement amount of the region of interest between image data along the time sequence as a second movement amount. A display-position correcting unit performs a correction such that the region of interest included in the image data is to be displayed at the same display position, based on the second movement amount. | 03-18-2010 |
20100081936 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC TRANSMISSION/RECEPTION METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, a transmission driving signal generating unit which generates transmission driving signals for forming a plurality of transmitting beams in one ultrasonic transmission and supplies the transmission driving signals to the respective ultrasonic transducers, a calculation unit which calculates delay times of the transmission driving signals for forming the transmitting beams for the respective ultrasonic transducers so as to arrange the respective transmitting beams in centers of fundamental receiving parallel/simultaneous beam groups with a plurality of receiving beams being a unit in which a plurality of receiving beams formed based on the reflected waves are arranged three-dimensionally at equal or equiangular intervals, and a control unit which controls the transmission driving signal generating unit based on each of the calculated delay times. | 04-01-2010 |
20100087737 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING ULTRASOUND IMAGE - A bias gate part supplies a bias current to a transmission pulse generator. The transmission pulse generator receives the supply 6of the bias current, amplifies an input voltage, and supplies an output voltage obtained by the amplification to array transducer elements. In accordance with the timing of transmitting ultrasound waves from the array transducer elements and the level of the output voltage supplied to the array transducer elements, the bias gate part supplies the bias current to the transmission pulse generator while changing the timing of supplying the bias current. | 04-08-2010 |
20100121193 | ULTRASONSOGRAPHIC DEVICE - A technique for providing an ultrasonographic device which can transmit and receive a signal by using a complementary code is provided. According to the technique, an output of a coded waveform generation unit | 05-13-2010 |
20100137716 | MULTI-FUNCTIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM - A multi-functional ultrasound imaging system includes a scan imaging unit having a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and a probe that is one of a linear array probe and a convex array probe, wherein the probe has a certain deflection angle. The system also includes a control unit configured to control said scan imaging unit to realize one of normal linear scan and additional sector scan, normal convex scan and additional sector scan. The system also includes an image processing unit configured to process image signals generated by said scan imaging unit and to convert the image signals into image data corresponding to an ultrasound image, and a display unit configured to generate the ultrasound image corresponding to the image data. | 06-03-2010 |
20100145198 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS | 06-10-2010 |
20100160783 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An ultrasound imaging method includes scanning an inspected object with a first cluster of ultrasonic beams having a first frequency and a first steer angle, to produce a first sub-frame which is used as a reference frame, and scanning the inspected object with a second cluster of ultrasonic beams having a second frequency different from the first frequency and a second steer angle different from the first steer angle, to produce a second sub-frame. The ultrasound imaging method also includes compounding the second sub-frame and the first sub-frame to form a compounded image, and displaying the compounded image. | 06-24-2010 |
20100168579 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH SPEED IMAGE ACQUISITION RATES IN 3D MEDICAL IMAGING - Methods and apparatus for high speed image acquisition rates in medical imaging are provided. An embodiment includes scanning an R-theta sector slice, wherein R denotes radius of the sector and theta denotes angle of the sector; varying a value of each of phi and theta, such that phi denotes an elevation location of the R-theta slice, and theta is a function of phi; and, iterating the scanning, acquiring by this method at least one image at an improved acquisition rate compared to that of scanning methods using a constant value of theta. | 07-01-2010 |
20100168580 | HIGH SPEED ULTRASONIC THICK SLICE IMAGING - An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region which are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce a “thick slice” image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. Thick slice images are displayed at a high frame rate of display by combining a newly acquired slice with slices previously acquired from different elevational planes which were used in a previous combination. A new thick slice image may be produced each time at least one of the slice images is updated by a newly acquired slice. Frame rate is further improved by multiline acquisition of the slices. | 07-01-2010 |
20100174194 | ULTRASOUND 3D IMAGING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head either includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field subarray beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. When used with second stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images can be generated. | 07-08-2010 |
20100191115 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - In one embodiment, a method of transmitting ultrasonic energy is provided. The method comprises steps of configuring a pulse generator for generating and supplying excitation signals, transmitting ultrasound energy, based on the excitation signals, into an image volume of interest and generating multiple transmit beam sets from at least one sector comprising plurality of beam positions grouped into plurality of sub sectors, each sub sector comprising at least one set of beam positions indexed sequentially based on a predetermined rotation and wherein each transmit beam set comprises multiple simultaneous transmit beams, the multiple simultaneous transmit beams being generated from beam positions with matching indexes in each sub sector and wherein at least a first transmit beam set and a last transmit beam set, in each sector, are not generated from neighboring beam positions. | 07-29-2010 |
20100228130 | PORTABLE ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM - A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. | 09-09-2010 |
20100249596 | RECEIVE BEAMFORMER FOR ULTRASOUND HAVING DELAY VALUE SORTING - A method of processing ultrasound signals received from a plurality of data channels each associated with a transducer element. A sorted delay data table having sorted delay data is generated that includes a channel identifier, a fractional delay value, and integer delay value. The sorted delay data table clusters together channel groups including a first channel group having data channels with the first fractional delay value and a second channel group with data channels with the second fractional delay value. Control signals are generated based on the sorted delay data that implements data path combining by directing channel data from the first channel group for processing by a first interpolation filter that provides the first fractional delay value and channel data associated with the second channel group for processing by a second interpolation filter that provides the second fractional delay value. Summing signals output by the first and second interpolation filter forms the ultrasound beamformed signal. | 09-30-2010 |
20100280379 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which an image generation time can be reduced and a frame rate can be improved even in a color mode in which a two-dimensional color Doppler image obtained due to Doppler effect is combined with a B-mode image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, a transmission system signal processing unit for supplying drive signals to the ultrasonic probe to transmit pulse trains, each including plural pulses respectively having frequency components of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing waves orthogonal to one another and having different center frequencies from one another, in the same direction, and a reception system signal processing unit for pulse-compressing the plural pulses having different frequency components included in each reception signal outputted from the ultrasonic probe which has received the pulse trains from the same direction, and generating a B-mode image signal based on the compressed pulse. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280380 | Ultrasound System And Method For Ultrasound Data - An ultrasound system and method for forming ultrasound data corresponding to a receive scan line independent of a synthetic aperture. The ultrasound system includes the ultrasound data forming unit configured to: form scan line data corresponding to each of the receive scan lines by using data provided from the receive channels; form accumulated data by accumulating the scan line data corresponding to the receive scan lines of the same position; set a storing start position for storing the accumulated data based on the transmit synthesizing number; and store the accumulated data by shifting the storing start position by 1, thereby forming ultrasound data corresponding to each of the receive scan linen lines. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280381 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCELERATED FOCUSED ULTRASOUND IMAGING - A system and method for performing accelerated ultrasound imaging provides significant increases in image acquisition speed using substantially simultaneous transmission of a plurality of ultrasound beams into an object being imaged. The resulting acquired echo signal contributions resulting from the reflection of the simultaneously transmitted beams off different features of the object being imaged are separated by employing a spatial decoding scheme. The spatial decoding scheme characterizes how received signals from features within the object being imaged are measured differently by each of the elements of an ultrasound transducer. The present invention may further include a temporal encoding and decoding scheme, which includes the modulation of a potion of the ultrasound beams transmitted during a portion of ultrasound data acquisition periods, to provide improved separation of the signal components from different features. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280382 | BONE FRACTURE DETECTION - Apparatus for detecting a fracture in a bone, the apparatus comprising: an electric field generator, configured to generate an electric field in proximity of the bone, at a predefined frequency range, the generated electric field being substantially parallel to longitudinal axis of the bone; an electric field measurer, associated with the electric field generator, and configured to measure intensity values of the generated electric field over the predefined frequency range, and an analyzer, associated with the electric field measurer, and configured to analyze the intensity values measured over the predefined frequency range, thereby to detect the fracture in the bone. | 11-04-2010 |
20100298707 | PULSE OFFSET ULTRASONIC IMAGING - A diagnostic ultrasound image of a region of interest (ROI) of a body is formed by transmitting into the ROI at least a first and a second ultrasound pulse, in which the second pulse is phase-shifted relative to the first pulse by an amount other than 0 or 180 degrees. Discretized receive signals from the pulses are interleaved to form a resultant operating signal that is detected and beamformed as the operating signal. | 11-25-2010 |
20110015525 | ULTRASONOGRAPH - Provided is an ultrasonograph that scans a subject in a region of two or more dimensions. The ultrasonograph includes an array transducer ( | 01-20-2011 |
20110021920 | Switch for Aperture Control in Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging - Switching is provided in a transducer array of medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging. The switching controls the formation of macro elements or aperture for scanning a plane or volume. The switches are implemented with one or more transistors. The control causes the gates of the transistor to float during the “on” connection. While on, the switch connects, allowing ultrasound signals to pass through the switch. | 01-27-2011 |
20110021921 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - A 2D array transducer | 01-27-2011 |
20110054325 | STEERING ANGLE ADJUSTMENT OF SCAN LINES USING VIRTUAL TRANSDUCER ELEMENTS IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - Embodiments forming an ultrasound image by adjusting a steering angle of scan lines using virtual transducer elements in an ultrasound system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a processing unit forms a first ultrasound image by using the ultrasound data, which may be acquired based on first scan lines steered at a first steering angle. The processing unit determines a center of the target object on the first ultrasound image. A control unit defines virtual transducer elements associated with an array transducer, defines second scan lines and computes a second steering angle of the second scan lines based on the virtual transducer elements and the center of the target object. An ultrasound data acquisition unit forms second ultrasound data based on the second scan lines steered at the second steering angle. The processing unit forms a second ultrasound image by using the second ultrasound data. | 03-03-2011 |
20110077522 | Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method for operating the same - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe and a processing device. The ultrasonic probe includes an array transducer having plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic beams to an inside of a subject and receiving echo waves to output echo signals, and a first scan line data generator for focusing the echo signals received by each channel of the array transducer and generating two or more first scan line data after a transmission of the ultrasonic beams. A data set of the first scan line data is sent to the processing device. The processing device includes a second scan line data generator for synthesizing second scan line data from the two or more first scan line data concerning a same scan line and obtained from the transmissions in different directions, and an image generator for generating an ultrasonic image of the subject based on the second scan line data. | 03-31-2011 |
20110087104 | INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND SYSTEM FOR CO-REGISTERED IMAGING - An intravascular ultrasound imaging system comprises a catheter having an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into the elongated body. The imaging core is arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy pulses and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy pulses. The system further includes an imaging engine coupled to the imaging core and arranged to provide the imaging core with energy pulses to cause the imaging core to transmit the ultrasonic energy pulses. The energy pulses are arranged in repeated sequences and the energy pulses of each sequence have varying characteristics. The reflected pulses may be processed to provide a composite image of images resulting from each different characteristic. | 04-14-2011 |
20110118605 | SPATIAL COMPOUND IMAGING IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - Embodiments for forming an ultrasound spatial compound image by correcting refraction of ultrasound signals in an ultrasound system are disclosed herein. An ultrasound data acquisition unit forms a first set of ultrasound frame data and a second set of ultrasound frame data by using non-steered scan lines and steered scan lines, respectively. The processor, which is coupled to the ultrasound data acquisition unit, forms a plurality of sets of resampled ultrasound frame data based on the second set of ultrasound frame data, selects one particular set of ultrasound frame data from the group consisting of the second set of ultrasound frame data and the plurality of sets of resampled ultrasound frame data based on the first set of ultrasound frame data and spatially compounds the one particular set of ultrasound frame data and the first set of ultrasound frame data to form an ultrasound spatial compound image. | 05-19-2011 |
20110172537 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - The present embodiment relates to an ultrasound probe having a first ultrasound vibrator group and a second ultrasound vibrator group, comprising a plurality of matrix switches and an adder. The ultrasound probe has a mode to send ultrasound to a predetermined observation point within a subject by the first ultrasound vibrator group, and to receive ultrasound echoes reflected within the subject by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The plurality of matrix switches extract, based on the distance between the second ultrasound vibrator group and the observation point, a plurality of ultrasound echoes having substantially the same phase from a plurality of ultrasound echoes output by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The adder adds the plurality of ultrasound echoes extracted by the plurality of matrix switches for each of the matrix switches and outputs them. | 07-14-2011 |
20110184292 | ULTRASOUND IMAGE ENHANCEMENT IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - Embodiments for spatially compounding ultrasound images for removing seam artifact in an ultrasound system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the ultrasound system includes: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit ultrasound beams to a target object, receive ultrasound echoes reflected from the target object and provide a plurality of ultrasound frame data sets for a plurality of frames, said plurality of ultrasound frame data being acquired at different steering angles of scan lines; and a processing unit configured to form a plurality of ultrasound images and form a plurality of mask images corresponding to the respective ultrasound images based on the plurality of ultrasound frame data sets for removing seam artifact and spatially compound the plurality of ultrasound image based on the plurality of mask images to form an ultrasound spatial compound image. | 07-28-2011 |
20110208059 | Ultrasound probe - An ultrasound probe for diagnostic images includes a set or array of electroacoustic transducers generating an ultrasonic beam and defining at least one scan plane or a predetermined scan volume, and one or more layers matching acoustic impedance characteristics of the transducers with acoustic impedance characteristics of tissues under examiantion. The layers overlap the transducers, on the face emitting/receiving acoustic pulses. Acoustic properties of the material or materials constituting the one or more layers, the geometric shape of the layers, and/or the structure of the transducers cause the ultrasonic beam to be apodized and the profile of the ultrasonic beam in a plane perpendicular to the scan plane and parallel to the ultrasonic beam to be highly homogeneous. The emitted pulse has a greater intensity uniformity in the part of the ultrasonic beam closer to the scan plane and a predetermined lower intensity in side lobes of the ultrasonic beam. | 08-25-2011 |
20110237950 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-BEAM BEAMFORMER BASED ON REAL-TIME CALCULATION OF TIME DELAY AND PIPELINE DESIGN - A multi-beamforming method based on real-time calculation of delay parameter and pipeline technique and an apparatus there of are disclosed. The system separates the parameters that should be calculated in real time from the parameters that does not require real-time calculation, and separates the parameters related to the beam sequencing number and the parameters that are independent of the beam sequencing number, and provides a real-time delay calculation unit that is adapted to different types of probe by means of simple switching. The calculation unit utilizes the pipeline design, the delay parameters of M number of beams are calculated in the calculation unit in pipeline manner, and then the memory of the same channel echo data is read, so that the delay of the beams is realized. The consumption of the FPGA resource is greatly reduced. The present invention enables high delay precision through direct calculation. In order to reduce the occupation of the hardware resource, the present invention uses the pipeline design to allow M number of beams to share the delay parameter calculation unit. The occupation of the hardware resource is greatly reduced accordingly. | 09-29-2011 |
20110245676 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRASOUND SIGNAL ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING - The present disclosure relates to the measurement of acoustic noise during ultrasound imaging. In one embodiment, a receive beam is directed in a different direction from a transmit beam when an acoustic noise signal is being measured. When a tissue signal is being measured, the receive beam is directed in substantially the same direction as the transmit beam. | 10-06-2011 |
20110245677 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises: an ultrasound probe having a plurality of ultrasound transducers; an apparatus body which supplies analog drive signals to the ultrasound transducers and generates ultrasound images based on reception signals output from the ultrasound transducers; and a connection cable which connects the ultrasound probe and the apparatus body, the ultrasound probe comprising: a plurality of receiving circuits, each including a preamp which amplifies the reception signal output from one of the ultrasound transducers and an A/D converter which converts the amplified reception signal; and a time division unit which controls output of the reception signal to the apparatus body such that the drive signal supplied from the apparatus body and the reception signal output to the apparatus body after being converted to a digital signal by the receiving circuit are mutually time-divided and sent via the connection cable. | 10-06-2011 |
20110282209 | ULTRASOUND OBSERVATION APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF ULTRASOUND OBSERVATION APPARATUS - An ultrasound observation apparatus of the invention includes: an ultrasound probe portion capable of two-dimensional scanning of an ultrasound beam; a transmission/reception control section for controlling a transmission/reception direction of the ultrasound beam by the ultrasound probe portion; a B-mode image calculation section for generating a B-mode image on a scanning plane based on a result of scanning of the ultrasound beam; a storage section for storing a predetermined sample image determined according to a shape of a treatment instrument in a case where a central axis of the treatment instrument for performing a treatment on a subject and the scanning plane agree with each other; and a correlation calculation section for calculating a correlation value between the B-mode image and the sample image, wherein the transmission/reception control section moves the scanning plane such that the correlation value becomes the maximum. | 11-17-2011 |
20110295122 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING WITH A CONFIGURABLE RECEIVE APERTURE - A system and method of ultrasound imaging includes a beamformer including a plurality of channels, a two-dimensional transducer array including a plurality of elements, and a plurality of signal pathways linking the plurality of elements to the plurality of channels. The system and method also include a plurality of switches positioned along the plurality of signal pathways. The plurality of switches being configured to actively connect a subset of the plurality of elements to the plurality of channels in order to form a receive aperture. The plurality of switches are further configured to control an aspect ratio of the receive aperture by changing which of the plurality of elements are actively connected to the plurality of channels. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295123 | CURVED LINEAR ARRAY TRANSDUCER, SYSTEM AND METHOD - A focused ultrasound beam is created using a probe having a curved linear array. The curved linear array is asymmetric and two dimensional comprising individual parallel circumferential, linear sub-arrays disposed at a distal end of a probe. A first sub-array is disposed proximate a distal end and a final sub-array is disposed proximate a proximal end with subsequent sub-arrays disposed between the first and final array. In practice, the first sub-array transmits a set of pulses of ultrasound radiation for a period of time then an adjacent array transmits a set of pulses of ultrasound radiation after a lag. The transmissions by each sub-array continue with a lag between each array transmission until the final sub-array transmits a final set of pulses of ultrasound radiation. The pulse is generated by each transmission is steered and focused depending on the phases and amplitudes of the pulses of ultrasound radiation transmitted by the full set of elements in the transmitting sub-arrays. The set of multiple pulses permits interrogating individual voxels in a scanned volume from different directions. | 12-01-2011 |
20110319764 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to the embodiments transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject, generates an ultrasound image based on the signals received from the subject, and comprises sub arrays, a main array, an aperture diameter setting part, and a delay pattern setting part. The sub arrays consist of a plurality of ultrasound transducers that are two-dimensionally disposed, and have a fixed delay pattern during a single receiving period. The main array consists of sub arrays. The aperture diameter setting part sets the aperture diameter of the main array. The delay pattern setting part changes the delay pattern for each of the sub arrays depending on the aperture diameter. | 12-29-2011 |
20120029357 | ULTRASOUND 3D IMAGING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head either includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field subarray beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. When used with second stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images can be generated. | 02-02-2012 |
20120029358 | Three -Dimensional Ultrasound Systems, Methods, and Apparatuses - In part, the invention relates to an immersible ultrasound probe having a substantially cylindrical shape and a circular or elliptical cross-section. Typically, the circumference of the probe and the length of the cylinder define an inner surface upon which rows and/or columns of transducer are disposed. This surface can also be formed from panels or modules. The transducers can be formed in unitary substrate and electrical connected to a MEMs device and a multiplexer. The inner surface defines a cavity having at least one opening sized to receive a body object. The inner surface configured to receive acoustic signals while immersed in a fluid. | 02-02-2012 |
20120078105 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a receiving unit which provides at least some of echo signals with reception delays that vary with ultrasonic transducers and adds each of the echo signals provided with the reception delays to acquire a reception beam includes a predetermined receiving direction and a reception focus and a control unit, the control unit controlling the transmission unit so that a transmission beam including a transmission direction and a transmission focus that are fixed is transmitted, the control unit also controlling the receiving unit by changing patterns of the reception delays and adding the respective patterns to at least some of the echo signals based on the transmission beam including the transmission direction and the transmission focus that are fixed in order to acquire reception beams different in receiving direction and reception focus. | 03-29-2012 |
20120095342 | PROVIDING AN ULTRASOUND SPATIAL COMPOUND IMAGE BASED ON CENTER LINES OF ULTRASOUND IMAGES IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - Embodiments for providing an ultrasound spatial compound image are disclosed. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound data by transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals; and a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit, the processing unit being configured to set a plurality of center lines based on a virtual common point corresponding to predetermined scan-lines, move the virtual common point along each of the center lines to set a plurality of scan-lines, form a plurality of ultrasound images corresponding to the center lines based on the ultrasound data, and perform spatial compounding upon the ultrasound images to form an ultrasound spatial compound image, wherein the ultrasound data acquisition unit is configured to acquire the ultrasound data based on the plurality of scan-lines. | 04-19-2012 |
20120095343 | Concave Ultrasound Transducers and 3D Arrays - A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate apertures of ultrasound arrays. Some embodiments provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound probes having continuous arrays of ultrasound transducers which may have a substantially continuous concave curved shape in two or three dimensions (i.e. concave relative to an object to be imaged). Other embodiments herein provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound imaging probes having other unique configurations, such as adjustable probes and probes with variable configurations. | 04-19-2012 |
20120095344 | TRANSMIT BEAMFORMING IN 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND - An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction. | 04-19-2012 |
20120101386 | Ultrasound Scanning Capsule Endoscope (USCE) - The present invention relates to ultrasound imaging on a capsule endoscope platform. It relates to the generation of a focused ultrasound acoustic signal and the receiving of echo signals from the wall of a body lumen with an array of acoustic transducers wrapped around the circumference of the capsule. It relates to sending the generated echo image signals to receiver devices attached or worn on the body. It relates to the generation of 360° overlapping sidewall ultrasound scans of a body lumen, and image processing techniques to assemble these scans into a high resolution continuous ultrasound image. Finally, it relates to the manufacture and assembly of such an ultrasound scanning capsule endoscope (USCE). The concept is extendable to conventional endoscopes and catheters. | 04-26-2012 |
20120108975 | MULTI-HEADED IMAGING PROBE AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING SAME - A diagnostic imaging system is provided that includes an image acquisition component, a transmitter operatively coupled to the image acquisition component to transmit a signal therefrom, and a beamformer operatively coupled to the image acquisition component to receive image data therefrom. Also included is a processor configured to assemble images from the acquired image data and a display configured to display the images. The image acquisition component includes a multi-headed probe that has a plurality of transducers configured to permit a change of active transducers during an imaging session without a change of the image acquisition component. | 05-03-2012 |
20120130246 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CORRECTING ULTRASOUND DATA - A method for correcting ultrasound data includes acquiring ultrasound data using an ultrasound probe having a plurality of transducer elements associated with a plurality of channels that include conductive pathways and communicating the ultrasound data as received ultrasound signals along the conductive pathways of the channels. The method further includes determining a crosstalk signal that is generated in one or more of the channels by at least one of communication of the received ultrasound signals along the channels or vibration of one or more of the transducer elements. In one aspect, the method also includes modifying one or more subsequently acquired ultrasound signals that are communicated along the channels based on the crosstalk signal. | 05-24-2012 |
20120143059 | DYNAMIC APERTURE CONTROL AND NORMALIZATION FOR APODIZATION IN BEAMFORMING - A method of apodizing for ultrasound beamforming includes providing filtered digital channel data representing echo data from target tissue in a plurality (k) of data channels and a predefined number of active channels (N | 06-07-2012 |
20120157851 | CLUTTER SUPPRESSION IN ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEMS - A method of ultrasound imaging is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: transmitting ultrasound radiation towards a target and receiving reflections of the ultrasound radiation from a region of the target in a main reflected signal and one or more auxiliary reflected signals, wherein each one of the reflected signals comprises an input dataset and is associated with a beam with a different and distinct beam pattern; compounding the input datasets from the main reflected signal and one or more auxiliary reflected signals, by the use of a compounding function, said compounding function using parameters derived from spatial analysis of the input datasets. | 06-21-2012 |
20120179043 | SUBJECT DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM, MEDICAL IMAGE SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DIAGNOSIS IMAGE OF SUBJECT, AND METHOD OF DISPLAYING DIAGNOSIS IMAGE OF SUBJECT - A diagnosis system, a medical image system, and a method of displaying a diagnosis image are provided. The diagnosis system includes a probe including a plurality of sub-arrays, each of the sub-arrays including at least one line of array transducers, the array transducers being configured to transmit and receive signals to and from a subject being diagnosed, and a hybrid beamformer configured to perform analog beamforming in a direction in which the sub-arrays are arranged, and perform digital beamforming in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the sub-arrays are arranged. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179044 | ULTRASOUND 3D IMAGING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field subarray beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. When using a hierarchical two-stage or three-stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images can be generated in real-time. The invention further relates to flexible printed circuit boards in the probe head. The invention furthermore relates to the use of coded or spread spectrum signalling in ultrasound imaging systems. Matched filters based on pulse compression using Golay code pairs improve the signal-to-noise ratio thus enabling third harmonic imaging with suppressed sidelobes. The system is suitable for 3D full volume cardiac imaging. | 07-12-2012 |
20120197127 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises a transducer array for transmitting ultrasonic beams to a subject, a multiplexer for sequentially selecting one channel of reception signal in every N number of channels of reception signals out of a plurality of channels of reception signals outputted from the transducer array which has received receiving ultrasonic echoes from the subject, a plurality of reception signal processors for sequentially processing an N number of channels of reception signals selected by the multiplexer to produce reception data, a beam former for performing beam forming on reception data sequentially produced by the plurality of reception signal processors and having time difference to produce sound ray signals, and an image producing unit for producing an ultrasound image based on the sound ray signals produced by the beam former. | 08-02-2012 |
20120203109 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a controller for controlling a transmission circuit and a reception circuit to obtain reception data for measuring a sound speed and to obtain first reception data for producing a B mode image; a sound speed map producer for producing a sound speed map for the inside of the region of interest based on the reception data for measuring a sound speed; and an image producer for producing a B mode image based on the first reception data for producing a B mode image and second reception data for producing a B mode image, the second reception data for producing a B mode image being reception data for measuring a sound speed obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams with forming transmission focuses at points having a depth closest to the given depth on sound rays passing inside the region of interest. | 08-09-2012 |
20120203110 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a channel selector for selecting channels that are simultaneously available for reception from a plurality of channels of a transducer array, and a controller for controlling a transmission driver to sequentially transmit a plurality of ultrasonic beams having different frequencies corresponding to a plurality of measuring depth regions from the transducer array, controlling reception signal processors and an image producer to form a same frame by receiving ultrasonic echoes having a frequency corresponding to each of the plurality of measuring depth regions, and controlling the channel selector to increasingly reduce the number of channels simultaneously available for reception as a measuring depth in the plurality of measuring depth regions decreases. | 08-09-2012 |
20120226162 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound probe includes a transducer array including vibrators arrayed in an azimuth direction each of which constitutes a single channel and has first transducer centrally located in an elevation direction and second transducers located on both sides of the first transducer, a first transmission and reception section for the first transducers of the respective channels, a second transmission and reception section for the second transducers of the respective channels, and a controller for controlling the first transmission and reception section to obtain reception data for B mode image through a simultaneous aperture for B mode image while controlling the first transmission and reception section and the second transmission and reception section to obtain reception data for sound speed through a simultaneous aperture for sound speed that is broader than the simultaneous aperture for B mode image. | 09-06-2012 |
20120232396 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - The ultrasound probe transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in different directions and the diagnostic apparatus body combines a plurality of images captured in the different directions of transmission and reception to produce an ultrasound image. In this process, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus measures the temperature of the ultrasound probe to change the ultrasound transmission and reception for producing a composite ultrasound image or makes the directions of transmission and reception in the last ultrasound image in one composite ultrasound image coincide with those in the first ultrasound image in its temporally adjacent composite ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus thus enables consistent ultrasound diagnosis against heat generated in the integrated circuit board of the ultrasound probe while simplifying the control of the ultrasound transmission and reception. | 09-13-2012 |
20120232397 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - The ultrasound probe includes a first priority setting unit which sets a priority regarding which of temporal resolution and spatial resolution is given preference, and a measurement parameter setting unit which sets values of measurement parameters relating to the temporal resolution and the spatial resolution in accordance with the priority set by the first priority setting unit and a measurement depth set in advance such that power consumption falls within the allowable power consumption. | 09-13-2012 |
20120238877 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a convex type ultrasound probe including a transducer array with a curvature; an image producer for producing a B mode image based on reception data; an abdominal wall detector for detecting an abdominal wall of the subject on the B mode image; a controller for obtaining reception data for a sound speed map by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams for a sound speed map through the transducer array by convex scan when a shape of the abdominal wall substantially corresponds to the curvature of the transducer array and by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams for a sound speed map through the transducer array by linear scan when the shape of the abdominal wall is substantially linear; and a sound speed map producer for producing a sound speed map based on the obtained reception data for a sound speed map. | 09-20-2012 |
20120238878 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans with a transducer array in an ultrasound probe for acquiring two-dimensional image data; an image producer which produces a three-dimensional ultrasound image using the acquired two-dimensional image data while mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array; and a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that a composite scan including two different electronic scans is performed. | 09-20-2012 |
20120245467 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a region-of-interest setting unit for setting a region of interest in a given region of a B mode image, a controller for controlling a transmission circuit and a reception circuit to transmit ultrasonic beams composed of fundamental waves having a first frequency with forming transmission focuses at a plurality of points set in and near the region of interest and receive ultrasonic echoes having a second frequency, which is a harmonic component of the fundamental waves, thereby to obtain reception data for measuring a sound speed, and a sound speed calculator for calculating ambient sound speeds at the points based on the obtained reception data for measuring a sound speed. | 09-27-2012 |
20120245468 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ULTRASOUND IMAGE - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a region of interest setter which sets a region of interest on a B-mode image, a controller which performs transmission and reception of ultrasonic beams with forming transmission focuses at a plurality of points set on sound rays at a shallower position and a deeper position than the region of interest to acquire reception data for sound speed measurement, and a sound speed calculator which calculates an average local sound speed value in the region of interest on the basis of reception data for sound speed measurement. | 09-27-2012 |
20120245469 | FAR-FIELD AND NEAR-FIELD ULTRASOUND IMAGING DEVICE - Devices, systems, and methods for ultrasonically acquiring far-field and near-field images within a body are disclosed. An ultrasound imaging device adapted for insertion within a body includes a first ultrasonic sensor configured to transmit ultrasonic waves at a first frequency for acquiring far-field images within the body, and a second ultrasonic sensor configured to transmit ultrasonic waves at a higher frequency than the first frequency for acquiring near-field images within the body. The ultrasound imaging device can be connected to a control device and user interface for visualizing far-field and near-field images acquired by the ultrasonic sensors. | 09-27-2012 |
20120253198 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING APPARATUS - Ultrasound imaging apparatus including a two-dimensional array of plural transducer elements distributed two-dimensionally and transmits and receives ultrasonic waves while scanning an area to be imaged to create an ultrasound three-dimensional image. Transducer elements are divided into plural element blocks including a first element block of which a size in a second direction of an arrangement surface of the two-dimensional array is larger than a size in a first direction of the surface, and a second element block of which a size in the first direction is larger than a size in the second direction. Each of the element blocks is divided into a predetermined number of groups to form a transmit beam and plural receive beams in the area to be imaged. Further included is a selecting means for making transmit/receive channels of the transducer elements grouped to be one channel in each of the groups. | 10-04-2012 |
20120259226 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises: an ultrasound probe, the ultrasound probe having a transducer array which transmits ultrasonic waves, receives an ultrasonic echo reflected by a subject, and outputs a reception signal according to the received ultrasonic waves, a signal processor which includes a reception amplifier having an amplifier amplifying the reception signal output from the transducer array and processes the reception signal, a selection unit for switching a current value of a bias current supplied to the amplifier, and a selection switch which performs a switching operation to switch the current value by the selection unit; and a diagnostic apparatus body which produces an ultrasound image according to the reception signal processed by the signal processor of the ultrasound probe. | 10-11-2012 |
20120283566 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGING A VOLUME OF TISSUE - The system of one embodiment for imaging tissue includes ultrasound emitters configured to surround and emit acoustic waveforms toward the tissue, ultrasound receivers configured to surround and receive acoustic waveforms scattered by the tissue, and a processor configured for determining an observed differential time-of-flight (ToF) dataset and generating an acoustic speed rendering of the tissue based on the observed differential ToF dataset. The method of one embodiment for imaging tissue includes receiving data representative of acoustic waveforms scattered by the tissue, determining an observed differential ToF dataset, performing forward modeling to generate a calculated differential ToF dataset based on an acoustic speed model, performing inverse modeling to generate an acoustic speed model based on the observed and calculated differential ToF datasets, iteratively repeating forward modeling and inverse modeling until convergence is met with a final acoustic speed model, and generating an acoustic speed rendering from the final acoustic speed model. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283567 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND MEASUREMENT-POINT TRACKING METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with a measurement position setting unit configured to set a region of interest in the cardiac muscle in the ultrasonic image displayed on the display unit, a tracking calculation unit configured to track the movement of the cardiac muscle at a plurality of measurement points in the region of interest, and a physical quantity calculating unit configured to calculate a specific physical quantity on the basis of the results of the tracking. The calculated specific physical quantity is displayed on the display unit. The tracking calculation unit tracks the measurement points using a plurality of first segmenting lines along the epicardium and the endocardium of the cardiac muscle and a plurality of second segmenting lines that are orthogonal to the second segmenting lines. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283568 | Coherent Image Formation for Dynamic Transmit Beamformation - Using parallel receive beamformation, sets of data representing locations in at least a common field of view are obtained, each set in response to a transmit with a spatially distinct phase front. The common field of view receive data are time aligned and amplitude weighted for retrospective transmit focusing and retrospective transmit apodization, respectively. A time offset is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit focusing. The offset is selected to emulate shifting the transmit delay profile to be tangentially intersecting with the dynamic receive delay profile for each location which is the desired transmit delay profile. A weight is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit apodization. The offset and weighted data representing a same location from different transmit events is coherently combined. The number of sets of data offset, weighted and combined may vary as a function of depth for dynamic transmit beamformation. | 11-08-2012 |
20120289834 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes reception signal processors for amplifying reception signals outputted from a transducer array having received an ultrasonic echo from a subject and then A/D-converting the amplified reception signals to obtain reception data, the reception signal processors having an A/D conversion executable range where A/D conversion of the reception signals is possible, and a controller for controlling the reception signal processors to limit an A/D conversion execution range where A/D conversion is actually executed within the A/D conversion executable range according to amplitudes of the reception signals outputted from the transducer array. | 11-15-2012 |
20120289835 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BEAM ENHANCEMENT - Beam enhancement through sidelobe reduction and/or mainlobe sharpening is shown. Embodiments utilize dynamic resolution, improved dynamic resolution, and/or enhanced dynamic resolution techniques to synthesize beams, such as ultrasonic beams used in ultrasonic imaging, having desired attributes. Embodiments simultaneously form a first sample beam and a second or auxiliary sample beam for every sample to synthesize enhanced scan beams. According to a dynamic resolution techniques herein a new beam may be formed from the sum of the two sample beams. A synthesized dynamic resolution beam of embodiments has reduced sidelobes with relatively little or no spread of the mainlobe. An enhanced dynamic resolution beam sharpening function can be applied to provide a further enhanced beam, such as to further narrow the mainlobe. | 11-15-2012 |
20120296215 | Ultrasound Imaging System Using Beamforming Techniques for Phase Coherence Grating Lobe Suppression - High-frequency ultrasound imaging can be performed with greater quality and suppressed grating lobes by using methods and systems for effectively reducing the temporal length of transmit grating lobe signals in received ultrasound echoes. Systems and methods are provided for improved high-frequency ultrasound imaging. In various aspects, the method of shortening the time domain of grating lobe signals comprises splitting an array of N transmit elements into K sub-apertures. In further aspects, the grating lobes are suppressed by performing signal processing of the shortened grating lobe signals. In certain aspects, the signal processing method comprises weighting the samples by a calculated phase coherence factor. | 11-22-2012 |
20120302888 | ARRAY ULTRASOUND ENDOSCOPIC PROBE, A MANUFACTURE METHOD THEREOF AND A FIXING AND ROTATING DEVICE - This invention relates to a radial array ultrasound endoscopic probe and its manufacture method and a fixing and rotating device. The probe comprises: a metal cylinder located at the center; a plurality of piezoelectric elements which are cut from piezoelectric ceramic or single crystal rings and arranged around the metal cylinder, said piezoelectric elements and said metal cylinder being provided with a backing material layer for absorbing sound therebetween, said piezoelectric elements being covered with a matching material layer on the outer side thereof, and said piezoelectric elements are filled with decoupling material therebetween; a plurality of coaxial cables correspondingly connected with the plurality of piezoelectric elements; and a circular lattice in a gear shape which sleeves over said metal cylinder and functions to arrange and separate the coaxial cables. In the invention, the plurality of piezoelectric elements are directly cut out from the piezoelectric ceramic or single crystal ring, thus non-concentricity of arrays, misalignment of arrays at interface, the probe being liable to damage, disengagement and break-off, etc., that may arise from forcedly curling multiple lays of materials of a specific thickness, are avoided. | 11-29-2012 |
20120310095 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes reception signal processors having an A/D conversion executable range narrower than an amplitude range of reception signals obtained from an entire depth of a measurement region; and a controller for dividing the measurement region into a plurality of measurement depth zones each allowing reception signals within an amplitude range narrower than the A/D conversion executable range of the reception signal processors, controlling a transmission driver so that transmission of an ultrasonic beam from the array transducer may be performed plural times corresponding to the measurement depth zones, and controlling the reception signal processors so that reception data associated with each measurement depth zone may be acquired based on the ultrasonic beam as transmitted corresponding to the relevant measurement depth zone. | 12-06-2012 |
20120310096 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - To be able to control an aperture in ultrasound transducer units comprised such that the signals from a plurality of ultrasound transducers are added and output. An ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a plurality of delay circuits, and an adder circuit, and configured to be able to control a reception aperture of ultrasound waves. The delay circuit performs a delay processing to reception signals. The adder circuit adds and outputs the reception signals for each predetermined group. The ultrasound probe further comprises a gate means. The gate means switches connection and disconnection of the signal path for each signal path arranged between the ultrasound transducer and the adder circuit. The gate means also connects only the signal path from the ultrasound transducer corresponding to the initial reception aperture that is previously set after the transmission of ultrasound waves within the cycle of the ultrasound waves and sequentially connects the corresponding signal path from the ultrasound transducer that is closer to the initial reception aperture according to the lapse in time of the reception period. | 12-06-2012 |
20120316443 | ULTRASOUND PROBE - An ultrasound probe includes a receiving section to receive ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving signal of each of multiple channels; a beam forming section to adjust a phase of the receiving signal of each of multiple channels and to sum the receiving signals; an image producing section to produce image data to display an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section; a transmission target selecting section to select one from at least two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image data as a transmission target; and a transmitting section to transmit the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section. | 12-13-2012 |
20130006114 | Apparatus for ultrasound imaging - An apparatus for ultrasound imaging of a body, particularly a breast of a patient, includes ultrasonic pulse-emitting and pulse-receiving units, disposed in facing relationship at a predetermined distance from each other on opposite sides of a compartment for receiving the body, ultrasonic pulses emitted by the emitting unit and received by the receiving unit after passing through the body being converted into transmit signals; and an ultrasonic pulse emitting and receiving unit disposed to define a scan plane substantially perpendicular to the coronal plane of the patient and having one or more electro-acoustic transducers, which emit ultrasonic pulses into the body and receive echoes generated by the anatomic structures of the body, the echoes being converted into reflection signals. An acoustic impedance adaptation medium, particularly a liquid, preferably water, is interposed between the emitting unit and/or the receiving unit and/or the emitting and receiving unit and the breast. | 01-03-2013 |
20130006115 | Synchronized Power Supply for Medical Imaging - An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object by projecting ultrasound signals with a transmit carrier frequency. The ultrasonic image scanning system includes a switching mode power supply operated with a programmable clock in synchronization with the transmit carrier frequency. The switching mode power supply further provided with circuits for generating a low voltage and a high voltage. The ultrasonic image scanning system further includes transducers for projecting ultrasound signals wherein the transducers are connected to and electrically excited by the high voltage generated by the switching mode power supply. The switching mode power supply further includes a DC-to-DC switcher having an external clock input for clock synchronization. The programmable clock further provided for receiving a user command to operate with the switching mode power supply in synchronization with the transmit carrier frequency | 01-03-2013 |
20130035595 | Method and Apparatus to Produce Ultrasonic Images Using Multiple Apertures - 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. | 02-07-2013 |
20130041262 | FOCAL POINT INFORMATION DETERMINATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND AMBIENT SOUND VELOCITY OBTAINING METHOD AND APPARATUS - Transmitting an ultrasonic wave focused on a predetermined transmit focus position by driving each of the elements of the ultrasonic probe based on a predetermined transmit delay time, and determining a true focal position of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the transmit focus position or a focal point valid region that includes the true focal position based on a receive signal received by each element according to a reflection wave reflected by the transmission of the ultrasonic wave to the transmit focus position. | 02-14-2013 |
20130060142 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ULTRASOUND IMAGE - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an operating unit which sets multistage focus positions through operation by an operator, and a multistage focus position correction unit which, when an inter-focus position distance at the multistage focus positions set through the operating unit exceeds an allowable range set in advance for each measurement depth, automatically corrects the multistage focus positions so as to be within the allowable range. | 03-07-2013 |
20130066210 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a transmission/reception unit generates a reception signal. A signal extraction unit extracts a harmonic signal and fundamental wave signal from the reception signal. A calculation unit calculates a feature amount based on values corresponding to the amplitudes of the harmonic signal and fundamental wave signal. An area determination unit determines an area in a scanned area based on the feature amount and a predetermined threshold. A change unit changes the value corresponding to the amplitude of the harmonic signal in the determined area. An image generation unit generates a corrected harmonic image based on the harmonic signal in the scanned area including the determined area having the changed value. | 03-14-2013 |
20130072799 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE GENERATING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an array transducer, a transmission driver for transmitting an ultrasonic beam from the array transducer toward a subject, a reception circuit for processing a pair of reception signals in a pair of available channels of the array transducer having received an ultrasonic echo produced by the subject, with the pair of available channels being those channels which belong to channels simultaneously made available for reception of the ultrasonic echo and are arranged symmetrically about a transmit beam axis, so as to generate reception data in one piece, and outputting the generated reception data as reception data in each of the pair of available channels, and an image generating unit for generating an ultrasound image based on the reception data outputted from the reception circuit. | 03-21-2013 |
20130072800 | METHOD & APPARATUS FOR GENERATING DIAGNOSIS IMAGE, PROBE, & METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE PROBE - A diagnosis image generating apparatus including a plurality of probes, the diagnosis image generating apparatus including at least one element included in each of the plurality of probes; a selecting unit which selects a probe from among the plurality of probes; and a diagnosis image generating unit which generates a diagnosis image of the object by using the selected probe. | 03-21-2013 |
20130079639 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Embodiments presented herein describe a method, a system and a computer program product for ultrasound imaging. The method in one example includes receiving a plurality of ultrasound echo signals from a plurality of transducer elements in response to ultrasound transmit beams. The method computes beam sums of ultrasound echo signals originating from a point to be imaged, for the corresponding ultrasound transmit beams. The method generates a time record comprising a plurality of beam sums, wherein the time record includes beam sums corresponding to multiple instants of time in a time window. The method filters the time record based, at least in part, on a predetermined response function. Finally, the method reconstructs the point to be imaged based on one or more of the filtered time records corresponding to one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transmit beams. The method repeats this process for each point to be imaged. | 03-28-2013 |
20130079640 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ULTRASOUND IMAGE - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a transducer array having a plurality of transducers arranged in an array, a transmission circuit which supplies an actuation signal to each transducer of the transducer array to transmit an ultrasonic wave toward a subject, a reception circuit which corrects a reception signal output from each transducer having received an ultrasonic echo from the subject in accordance with an angle between a reflection point in the subject and an acoustic radiation surface in each transducer to produce sample data, and an image producer which produces an ultrasound image on the basis of a sound ray signal obtained through phasing addition of sample data produced by the reception circuit. | 03-28-2013 |
20130079641 | ULTRASOUND GARMENT - Disclosed is an ultrasound assembly. The ultrasound assembly includes a garment configured to be affixed to a portion of a living body, and at least one ultrasound transducer having a fixed position on the garment and configured to provide at least one of: produce and receive, ultrasound signals that pass through the living body. The ultrasound assembly further includes an ultrasound processing unit operatively associated with the at least one ultrasound transducer and configured to process the ultrasound signals following passage through the living body, and an ultrasound-interface unit operatively associated with the ultrasound processing unit and configured to provide information with respect to the ultrasound signals following passage through the living body. | 03-28-2013 |
20130085393 | AUTOMATED HEART RATE DETECTION FOR 3D ULTRASONIC FETAL IMAGING - An ultrasound system and method provide a workflow to acquire 3D images of the fetal heart gated by a synthetic heart gating signal. An ROI is defined in an ultrasound image which delineates the fetal heart. The ultrasound system is controlled to automatically estimate the fetal heart rate from echo signals received from the ROI. When the system has acquired a stable synthetic heart rate signal, an indication thereof is given to the user and the user then commands the system to acquire 3D fetal heart images for a number of fetal heart cycles which are gated using the synthetic heart rate signal. | 04-04-2013 |
20130102903 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARTUS, AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - According to one embodiment, a position detection unit detects position information of an ultrasonic probe including ultrasonic transducers, with reference to a reference position. A transmission/reception unit supplies a driving signal to each transducer and generates a reception signal based on a reception echo signal generated by the transducer. Based on the reception signal, a three-dimensional data generation unit generates first three-dimensional data, in which a region corresponding to a living body tissue is specified by a specifying unit. A setting unit sets a first viewpoint based on the position information and specified region. An image generation unit generates a rendering image by rendering processing using the first viewpoint and first three-dimensional data. | 04-25-2013 |
20130102904 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND PROGRAM - An ultrasound diagnostic device has a control unit ( | 04-25-2013 |
20130109971 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUSES FOR VAN-CITTERT ZERNIKE IMAGING | 05-02-2013 |
20130116566 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC METHOD - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic system includes a data acquiring unit, a beam forming processing unit, a processor and an output unit. The data acquiring unit is configured to acquire reception signals corresponding to ultrasonic transducers by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object using the ultrasonic transducers. The beam forming processing unit is configured to apply beam forming to the reception signals. The processor is configured to generate ultrasonic image data based on reception signals subjected to the beam forming. The output unit is configured to output the reception signals before the beam forming to an outside terminal. | 05-09-2013 |
20130116567 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a probe that transmits and receives ultrasound; a signal analysis unit that, when the probe scans a cross section of elevation direction of a blood vessel using ultrasound, detects a center scan line echo signal having passed through a center of the blood vessel among a plurality of scan line echo signals in the cross section of elevation direction of the blood vessel received by the probe, based on a part of each of the plurality of scan line echo signals that has a relatively small amplitude that corresponds to a reflected wave from a part of the blood vessel where blood flows; and an IMT measurement unit that computes an IMT from the center scan line echo signal. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus capable of performing wide-range IMT measurements with few errors even when a blood vessel seen from a body surface is not linear. | 05-09-2013 |
20130116568 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING ULTRASOUNDS IMPLEMENTING CMUTS, AND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL IMAGING - A method is provided for generating ultrasounds in a given fluid by using at least one micro-machined capacitive transducer having a membrane and exhibiting a predetermined resonant frequency defined by the membrane-fluid pair, the at least one transducer is fed with an excitation signal of lower frequency than the resonant frequency. A device is provided for generating ultrasounds implementing CMUTs, as well as a method and system for medical imaging. | 05-09-2013 |
20130123635 | SPREAD SPECTRUM CODED WAVEFORMS IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for ultrasound imaging using spread spectrum, coherent, frequency- and/or phase-coded waveforms. In one aspect, a method of creating an image from an acoustic waveform in an acoustic imaging device includes setting the device into a transmit mode to transmit an acoustic waveform toward a target, in transmitting the acoustic waveform, synthesizing, in one or more waveform synthesizers, a plurality of substantially orthogonal coded waveforms that form a composite waveform as the transmitted acoustic waveform toward the target, in which each waveform corresponds to a distinct frequency band, setting the device into a receive mode to receive a returned acoustic waveform that returns from at least part of the target, converting the received returned acoustic waveform from analog format to digital format as a received composite waveform comprising information of the target, and processing the received composite waveform to produce an image of the target. | 05-16-2013 |
20130131515 | FIXED FOCUS TRANSDUCER ARRAY AND ULTRASONIC WAVE TRANSCEIVING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - There are provided a fixed focus transducer array and an ultrasonic wave transceiving apparatus using the same. The fixed focus transducer array includes: a plurality of transducers, transducing electrical signals into ultrasonic signals to thereby focus the ultrasonic signals on a single focal point and transducing reflected ultrasonic signals from the single focal point into electrical signals to thereby output the electrical signals, wherein the plurality of transducers are disposed to be symmetrical to each other based on one transducer and simultaneously focus the ultrasonic signals on the single focal point at speeds according to the respective natural frequencies thereof. Therefore, a circuit area is reduced, whereby miniaturization may be implemented and a processing speed may be increased. | 05-23-2013 |
20130131516 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers; a device for determining optimum sound speed values at a lattice point set in a shallower region than a region of interest (ROI) and in the ROI on the basis of an ultrasound detection signal outputted by the ultrasound probe; a device for arithmetically operating a received wave received from the ROI on the basis of the optimum sound speed value; a device for setting an assumed sound speed in the region of interest, obtaining a received wave received from each lattice point on the basis of the assumed sound speed and the optimum sound speed value at the lattice point, and synthesizing received waves at lattice points to obtain a resultant received wave; and a device for determining a local sound speed value in the ROI on the basis of the received wave and the resultant received wave. | 05-23-2013 |
20130137986 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING APPARATUS - Disclosed is an ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus including an ultrasound probe which outputs a transmission ultrasound wave toward a subject due to a driving signal and which outputs a received signal by receiving a reflection ultrasound wave from the subject, a transmitting unit which makes the ultrasound probe generate the transmission ultrasound wave by outputting each of a first transmission signal, a second transmission signal, a third transmission signal and a fourth transmission signal as the driving signal, and a signal component extraction unit which extracts a higher harmonic component and a difference frequency component by compounding a first received signal, a second received signal, a third received signal and a fourth received signal. | 05-30-2013 |
20130144170 | METHOD FOR GENERATING ULTRASONIC IMAGE USING CONCAVE ARRAY - Provided is a method of producing an ultrasound image using a concave array, which includes locating a concave array having at least one ultrasound transducer on a cornea, generating an ultrasound image by using an ultrasound transmitted or received through the concave array, and displaying the generated ultrasound image, wherein a focusing point of the concave array is on a vitreous humor, thereby minimizing ultrasound refraction, minimizing a loss of ultrasound energy, and resultantly makes a posterior segment into an ultrasound image. | 06-06-2013 |
20130150721 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus to which a probe with transducers is connectible. The apparatus includes a controller | 06-13-2013 |
20130158403 | Method for Obtaining a Three-Dimensional Velocity Measurement of a Tissue - A method for obtaining a three-dimensional velocity measurement of a tissue from an ultrasound device comprising generating a set of correlation-velocity transfer functions from a first image plane and a second image plane, each image plane characterizing the tissue, wherein the set of correlation-velocity transfer functions can be applied to situations of constant ultrasound beam profile and/or periodic flow patterns; collecting, using the ultrasound device, an ultrasound measurement image; determining a set of in-plane velocity vectors and a set of speckle correlation values mapped to the ultrasound measurement image; determining a set of out-of-plane velocity vectors, corresponding to the set of in-plane velocity vectors, by applying the set of correlation-velocity transfer functions to the set of speckle correlation values; and generating, for the ultrasound measurement image, a three-dimensional velocity measurement from the sets of in-plane and out-of-plane velocity vectors. | 06-20-2013 |
20130158404 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Under one aspect, an ultrasound system for producing a representation of an object includes: a concave transducer array configured to transmit ultrasonic pulses into the object and to receive ultrasonic pulses from the object, the ultrasonic pulses from the object containing structural information about the object, each transducer in the array generating an output signal representative of a portion of the structural information about the object; a multi-focal lens structure for focusing the transmitted ultrasonic pulses; a multiplexing structure in operable communication with the concave transducer array and including logic for coupling the output signals from at least one pair of transducers in the concave transducer array; and a beamformer in operable communication with the multiplexing structure and including logic for constructing a representation of structural information about the object based on the coupled output signals from the multiplexing structure. | 06-20-2013 |
20130158405 | 3D View of 2D Ultrasound Images - A method includes generating a single three dimensional perspective or axonometric image based on at least two two-dimensional intersecting scanplanes. A rendering engine includes a view processor that generates a single three dimensional perspective image based on at least two two-dimensional intersecting scanplanes. An ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer array, including at least two one dimensional transducer arrays, each receiving echoes corresponding to different intersecting scanplanes, a scan converter that scan converts the echoes into a format for display on a monitor, and a view processor that combines the intersecting scanplanes to form a single three dimensional perspective image. | 06-20-2013 |
20130165791 | SUBJECT INFORMATION ACQUIRING APPARATUS AND SUBJECT INFORMATION ACQUIRING METHOD - A subject information acquiring apparatus of the present invention includes a probe which has a plurality of elements arranged in an array which receive elastic waves propagating within a subject and converts the received elastic waves to a received signals, a first signal processing unit which uses the received signals output by the elements to calculate a first output signal corresponding to the elastic waves from a target position, a second signal processing unit which uses the first output signal for the target position to calculate a second output signal corresponding to elastic waves from the target position, and an image processing unit which uses the second output signal to generate image data for display. In this case, at least one of the first signal processing unit and the second signal processing unit uses adaptive signal processing to calculate the first output signal or the second output signal. | 06-27-2013 |
20130172752 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM AND IMAGING METHOD - An ultrasound transducer apparatus includes an ultrasound transducer array consisting of multiple ultrasound transducer elements. The ultrasound transducer array is adapted for receiving and transmitting an ultrasound wave. A pulse controller is adapted for outputting multiple pulse signals to control the ultrasound transducer elements, respectively. By delaying output of the pulse signals, a plane wavefront of a transmitted ultrasound is controlled to have a different propagation direction. The pulse controller is able to activate part of the ultrasound transducer elements, corresponding to a region of interest for ultrasound wave receiving and transmitting. | 07-04-2013 |
20130190625 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, PHASE SHIFT TRANSMISSION/RECEPTION CONTROL METHOD, AND ULTRASONIC PROBE - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe has a laminated structure of an acoustic matching layer, transducer layer with arrayed transducers, and backing layer. A transmission/reception unit transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from an object via the transducers. A control unit controls the transmission/reception unit to synchronize ultrasonic-wave generation by a specific transducer of the transducers with ultrasonic-wave reception by a different transducer. A phase shift detection unit detects a phase shift between an output signal from the transmission/reception unit and a reference signal, the output signal corresponding to synchronization between the ultrasonic-wave generation and the ultrasonic-wave reception. | 07-25-2013 |
20130197366 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Embodiments of catheters, imaging systems and methods for intravascular ultrasound imaging are presented. At least one miniaturized transducer element adapted to be inserted into a vascular structure and configured to produce signals for use in generating one or more ultrasound images of a desired region within the vascular structure is used. Further, one or more apodizing structures operably coupled to the transducer element and configured to decrease the responsiveness of the transducer element at one or more boundaries of the transducer element with respect to the center of the transducer element are used. Particularly, the apodizing structures reduce sidelobe amplitude of an ultrasound beam profile in the region of interest, thereby generating improved ultrasound images. | 08-01-2013 |
20130226001 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGING - An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe having a transducer array for acquiring ultrasound data and a first beamformer for partially beamforming the information received from the transducer array, and a portable host system in communication with the ultrasound probe, the portable host system including a second beamformer to perform additional beamforming on the partially beamformed data received from the ultrasound probe. | 08-29-2013 |
20130231564 | AUTOMATED THREE DIMENSIONAL AORTIC ROOT MEASUREMENT AND MODELING - An ultrasound system for planning a surgical implantation of a prosthetic aortic valve produces three dimensional images of the aortic root region of a patient. An electronic model of an aortic root is accessed and fitted to the aortic root in a three dimensional ultrasound image. Preferably the aortic root model exhibits closed contour cross-sections which are fitted to the endothelial lining of the aortic root in the ultrasound image. A medial axis of the fitted model is identified and radii measured from the medical axis to the border of the fitted model. The radii are joined to identify a surface forming a mesh model fitted to the aortic root anatomy of the patient. The shape and dimensions of the fitted model may be used to fabricate a custom prosthetic valve for aortic valve replacement. | 09-05-2013 |
20130231565 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT AND/OR MULTIPLE SAMPLE VOLUMES - Adjustment of operation of an ultrasound imaging system may be based at least in part on one or more characteristics represented in ultrasound return signals from two or more sample volumes. Adjustment may include adjusting a principal sample volume location or selecting a new principal sample volume. For example, a location of a principal sample volume may be adjusted or new principal sample volume selected so as to remain focused on an identified region of interest or to maintain the principal sample volume relative to some structure or reference. The principal sample volume may be maintained in the center or along a centerline of an artery or other structure, as the transducer array is moved along the artery or structure. | 09-05-2013 |
20130253324 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCEMENT OF MEDICAL IMAGES - Method and related apparatuses are described for performing automated ultrasound mammography with reduced nipple shadow effects. The breast is compressed in a direction generally toward the chest wall of the patient with one side of a compressive member which is preferably a membrane. The breast is scanned with an ultrasonic transducer array positioned in acoustic communication with the other side of the membrane. Beamsteering is used. The signals from the beamsteered energy are combined to generate one or more compound images having a reduced nipple shadow effect. An acoustic couplant is preferably applied between the breast and the membrane. The images of the sub-nipple region are also preferably enhanced by making comparisons with reference areas of the breast in areas away from the nipple shadow effected area. The images are preferably displayed to a user, either automatically or upon receiving a preference from the user. | 09-26-2013 |
20130253325 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING ULTRASOUND IMAGE QUALITY BY APPLYING WEIGHTING FACTORS - Systems and methods for improving the quality of ultrasound images made up of a combination of multiple sub-images include giving more weight to sub-image information that is more likely to improve a combined image quality. Weighting factor information may be determined from the geometry (e.g., angle or path length) of a location of one or more specific transducer elements relative to a specific point within a region of interest or a region of an image. In some embodiments, any given pixel (or other discrete region of an image) may be formed by combining received echo data in a manner that gives more weight to data that is likely to improve image quality, and/or discounting or ignoring data that is likely to detract from image quality (e.g., by introducing noise or by increasing point spread). | 09-26-2013 |
20130261463 | ULTRASOUND 3D IMAGING SYSTEM - The present invention related to an ultrasound imaging system win which the scan head includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field subarray beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. When using a hierarchical two-stage or three-stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images can be generated in real-time. The invention further relates to flexible printed circuit boards in the probe head. The invention furthermore related to the use. of coded or spread spectrum signaling in ultrasound imagining systems. Matched filters based on pulse compression using Golay code pairs improve the signal-to-noise ratio thus enabling third harmonic imaging with suppressed sidelobes. The system is suitable for 3D full volume cardiac imaging. | 10-03-2013 |
20130281859 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An ultrasound imaging system and method for generating compounded ultrasound data. The system and method includes acquiring data from two or more intersecting scan planes with a 2D array probe. At least one of the scan planes is disposed at a different angle of elevation with respect to the 2D array probe than at least one other of the scan planes. The system and method includes combining the data from the scan planes to generate compounded data. | 10-24-2013 |
20130296706 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF - The presently disclosed subject matter is intended to correctly determine an ambient sound velocity at each level of pixels or line images constituting an ultrasound image, and construct a high-precision ultrasound image. A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest on an ultrasound image. A transmission focus control unit gives a transmission focus instruction, so that a transmitting circuit performs transmission focusing on the region of interest. A set sound velocity specification unit specifies a set sound velocity used to perform reception focusing on RF data. A focus index calculation unit performs reception focusing on the RF data for each of a plurality of set sound velocities to calculate the focus index of the RF data. An ambient sound velocity determination unit determines the ambient sound velocity of the region of interest on the basis of the focus index for each of the plurality of set sound velocities. | 11-07-2013 |
20130303912 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF - The presently disclosed subject matter is intended to correctly determine an ambient sound velocity at each level of pixels or line images constituting an ultrasound image, and construct a high-precision ultrasound image. A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest on an ultrasound image. A transmission focus control unit gives a transmission focus instruction, so that a transmitting circuit performs transmission focusing on the region of interest. A set sound velocity specification unit specifies a set sound velocity used to perform reception focusing on RF data. A focus index calculation unit performs reception focusing on the RF data for each of a plurality of set sound velocities to calculate the focus index of the RF data. An ambient sound velocity determination unit determines the ambient sound velocity of the region of interest on the basis of the focus index for each of the plurality of set sound velocities. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303913 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASONIC IMAGING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A method for three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging conducting a first group of line scans on a scanning object at a first group of scanning positions; receiving echo signals from the first group of line scans, and acquiring a first group of scanning line data; carrying out a second group of line scans on the scanning object at a second group of scanning positions; receiving echo signals from the second group of line scans and acquiring a second group of scanning line data; and acquiring a three-dimensional image of the scanning object according to scanning data comprising the first group of scanning line data and the second group of scanning line data; the scanning positions in the second group of scanning positions are shifted by a first distance along a direction parallel with a frame scanning direction relative to the scanning position in the first group of scanning positions corresponding to the scanning position, allowing an increase of joint line space without changing the independent line space, thus the imaging quality is improved without reducing the three-dimensional imaging speed. | 11-14-2013 |
20130310691 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC AND AUTONOMOUS DETERMINATION OF HEMODYNAMIC AND CARDIAC PARAMETERS USING ULTRASOUND - The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound device, system and a method for determination of cardiac and/or hemodynamic parameters, and in particular, to such a system, and method in which the cardiac and/or hemodynamic parameters are determined in a non-invasive manner that is both automatic and autonomous and, therefore, does not depend on ultrasound imagery and/or a skilled caregiver analysis thereof. | 11-21-2013 |
20130324851 | Low Power Ultrasound System - A low power ultrasound system for use in sonography applications, including vascular imaging, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the low power ultrasound system comprises a base unit that includes an image processor and a display. An ultrasound probe is operably connected to the base unit. The probe includes a head portion including an array of crystal transducers. A plurality of pulser/receiver modules that cause the transducers to emit ultrasonic transmit pulses are also included in the probe. The pulser/receiver modules are further configured to receive analog signals relating to ultrasonic echo receive pulses detected by the transducers. The probe includes a singular low noise amplifier that amplifies the analog signals, and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog signals to a digital signal. A wireless interface is included for enabling the digital signal to be wirelessly transmitted from the probe to the image processor of the base unit. | 12-05-2013 |
20130338506 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND VOLUME SCANNING BY USING 2-DIMENSIONAL TRANSDUCER ARRAY - A method and apparatus for performing three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound volume scanning by using a two-dimensional (2D) transducer array, in which a plurality of transducer elements are two-dimensionally arranged, including applying at least two codes which are orthogonal to each other to at least one one-dimensional (1D) transducer array which is included in the 2D transducer array, the 1D transducer array having transducer elements which are arranged linearly from among the plurality of the transducer elements; obtaining signals which respectively correspond to the codes which are orthogonal to each other from signals which are reflected by a target object and received by the plurality of transducer elements; and generating image data regarding the target object by using the obtained signals. | 12-19-2013 |
20140005546 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT | 01-02-2014 |
20140005547 | REMOTELY CONTROLLED ULTRASOUND APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND TREATMENT SYSTEM | 01-02-2014 |
20140005548 | ULTRASONIC ACOUSTIC RADIATION FORCE EXCITATION FOR ULTRASONIC MATERIAL PROPERTY MEASUREMENT AND IMAGING | 01-02-2014 |
20140024943 | IMAGING DEVICE WITH IMAGE ACQUISITION RATE OPTIMIZATION - The disclosure includes a method of acquiring high-resolution ultrasound images using an array of transducers using successive transmission matrices. Implementations include operations for determining inter-transducer correlation matrices of an area of interest and an unwanted area; determining a characteristic matrix of the area of interest from the product of the inverse of the inter-transducer correlation matrix of the unwanted area and the inter-transducer correlation matrix of the area of interest; calculating eigenvectors and values of the characteristic matrix to define a transmission matrix; adjusting the image acquisition rate and image quality in order to define eigenvectors for firing; multiplying a reception matrix comprising the acquired signals completed by data set to zero corresponding to the firings not effected by the inverse of the transmission matrix to obtain a complete data set; reconstructing a high-resolution image of the area of interest as in synthetic aperture echographic imaging methods. | 01-23-2014 |
20140031693 | PORTABLE ULTRASONIC IMAGING PROBE INCLUDING TRANSDUCER ARRAY - The invention provides a portable ultrasonic imaging probe directly connectable to an off-the-shelf laptop computer. The probe produces raw digitized data comprising envelope detected ultrasound echo data from an array of ultrasound transducers, and transmits the data to the host computer thereby enabling the host computer to form real-time ultrasonic images of human tissue without the need for any additional electronics. In particular embodiments, the probe includes a plurality of transmit switches configured to connect a transmitting group of the ultrasound transducers to a pulser; a plurality of receive switches configured to connect a receiving group of the ultrasound transducers to analog summing, amplification and signal processing circuitry; and a transmit/receive controller which selects which of said ultrasound transducers are in the transmitting group and which of said ultrasound transducers are in the receiving group. The ultrasound transducers may be conventional or micromachined ultrasound transducers. | 01-30-2014 |
20140058263 | Adaptive Ultrasonic Array - An ultrasound array uses information about contact quality with the body to weight produced ultrasound data. | 02-27-2014 |
20140058264 | Adaptive Ultrasonic Array - An ultrasound array uses information about contact quality with the body to weight produced ultrasound data. | 02-27-2014 |
20140058265 | BREAST ULTRASOUND SCANNING DEVICE - An apparatus and a method are disclosed for obtaining ultrasound images of a patient's breast that is chestwardly compressed with a template that is essentially planar and rotates relative to the breast while one or more ultrasound transducers moving with the template take 2D images of the breast through one or more respective radially oriented slots in the template, preferably through a membrane that is porous to a gel. The 2D images are processed into slice images representing breast slices of desired thicknesses and orientation that are displayed alone or with some of the 2D images, preferably pairs of orthogonally disposed 2D images. | 02-27-2014 |
20140066772 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGING A VOLUME OF TISSUE WITH TISSUE BOUNDARY DETECTION - A method and system for imaging a volume of tissue and defining a tissue boundary comprising: receiving a baseline dataset representative of a first set of signals interacting with a medium; receiving a reconstruction dataset representative of a second set of signals interacting with the medium and the volume of tissue present in the medium; determining a set of direct emitter-receiver pairs, each defining a direct trajectory that does not pass through the volume of tissue; from the set of direct emitter-receiver pairs, determining a set of tangential emitter-receiver pairs, each defining a bounding vector comprising a tangent point along the tissue boundary; determining a set of interior pixels, of the reconstruction dataset, characterized by a set of pixel locations within the tissue boundary; and reconstructing pixels of the set of interior pixels, thereby transforming the baseline and the reconstruction datasets into an image rendering of the volume of tissue. | 03-06-2014 |
20140088430 | ULTRASONIC IMAGE GUIDANCE OF TRANSCUTANEOUS PROCEDURES - Ultrasonic image guidance of a transcutaneous invasive procedure such as a needle biopsy is conducted by placing an imaging probe above but laterally to one side of a mass to be biopsied. The image region of the probe is then laterally steered in the elevation direction to image the site of the mass to the side of the probe. The mass can then be accessed by needle insertion from immediately above the mass and away from interference with the probe. Preferably the probe has a 2D array transducer so that the image guidance can be viewed in real time three dimensional imaging. | 03-27-2014 |
20140114191 | STRUCTURED RANDOM PERMUTATION PULSE COMPRESSION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A structured randomly permutated pulse compression system comprises an FM transmitter configured to receive an input signal and transmit an output signal. The FM transmitter is configured to modulate the frequency of the output signal by modulating the frequency of the output signal according to a structured random permutation of time samples of the input signal. At least one antenna interfaces with the FM transmitter. The FM receiver is configured to auto-correlate the output signal with a return signal. | 04-24-2014 |
20140121521 | TWO DIMENSIONAL ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM WITH TWO BEAMFORMER STAGES | 05-01-2014 |
20140128738 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR FORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGES - Systems and methods for producing three-dimensional ultrasound images are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, ultrasound image data are acquired in discrete time increments at one or more positions relative to a subject. The image data is time stamped relative to an offset to a reference point. The image data is synchronized relative to the reference point and combined to form a loop of three dimensional images. | 05-08-2014 |
20140135626 | Method and Apparatus to Produce Ultrasonic Images Using Multiple Apertures - 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. | 05-15-2014 |
20140148701 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - In an ultrasound probe according to an embodiment, a first ultrasound transducer array scans a first scanned plane. A second ultrasound transducer array engages with the first ultrasound transducer array, is provided so as to intersect the first ultrasound transducer array, and scans a second scanned plane different from the first scanned plane. A probe main body is provided with the first ultrasound transducer array and the second ultrasound transducer array, has an opening in a position where the first and the second ultrasound transducer arrays intersect each other, and has a through hole extending to the opening. An engaging part that causes the first and the second ultrasound transducer arrays to engage with each other is configured in such a manner that the angle at which the first and the second ultrasound transducer arrays intersect each other is changeable. | 05-29-2014 |
20140155751 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELEMENT-BY-ELEMENT FLEXIBLE SUBARRAY BEAMFORMING - The subarrays are formed dynamically switching the individual output signals from the transducer elements on an element-to-element basis after the time delay circuits have individually perform on the signal signals for time delay. For example, at least one crosspoint switch flexibly connects the time-delayed outputs on the element-to-element basis in order to dynamically form predetermined sets of subarrays. The subarrays are optionally unequal in shape and or a number of transducer elements. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155752 | ULTRASONIC SIGNAL PROCESSOR FOR A HAND HELD ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT - A hand held ultrasonic instrument is provided in a portable unit which performs both B mode and Doppler imaging. The instrument includes a transducer array mounted in a hand-held enclosure, with an integrated circuit transceiver connected to the elements of the array for the reception of echo signals. A digital signal processing circuit performs both B mode and Doppler signal processing such as filtering, detection and Doppler estimation, as well as advanced functions such as assembly of multiple zone focused scanlines, synthetic aperture formation, depth dependent filtering, speckle reduction, flash suppression, and frame averaging. | 06-05-2014 |
20140163377 | Registration Using Phased Array Ultrasound - A system and method for performing registration of a bone structure to align a computerized model of the bone structure with the detected surface of the actual bone structure utilizes a two-dimensional ultrasound array. The array is positioned in a manner such that the position of the array is known relative to the actual bone structure. The array is phased to produce a point-focused beam of acoustic energy which is scanned in three dimensions throughout the volume of interest to map the surface of the bone structure. | 06-12-2014 |
20140163378 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic device includes a transducer array, a transmission drive unit that causes the transducer array to transmit an ultrasonic beam from the transducer array toward a subject, a reception signal processor that processes reception signals output from the transducer array having received an ultrasonic echo from the subject, an image producer that produces an ultrasound image on the basis of the reception signals processed by the reception signal processor, and a control unit that controls the reception signal processor such that the reception signal processor is operated in a power saving mode in which processing of the reception signals output from the transducer array is selectively stopped depending on a measurement depth. | 06-12-2014 |
20140180109 | Ultrasound Servicing System and Method - An ultrasound servicing system is disclosed. The ultrasound servicing system comprises a near field communication enabled ultrasound scanner, and a near field communication enabled mobile device, wherein when the device is brought within a near field communication range of the scanner, a near field communication link is established for servicing the ultrasound scanner. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180110 | System and Method for Wireless Ultrasound Probe Pairing - A system for pairing a wireless ultrasound probe and an ultrasound scanner is provided. The ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound scanner comprising a near field communication reader capable of generating a near field communication activation field and a wireless ultrasound probe comprising a near field communication device, wherein the probe is adapted to transmit pairing information to the scanner via a near field communication protocol. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180111 | REMOTE CONTROLLED TELEMEDICAL ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE - An apparatus and method for remote medical diagnosis includes using at least one wearable ultrasonic imaging device, more specifically an ultrasonic glove-like apparatus or ultrasonic array containment, for forming three dimensional scanned diagnostic images, transmitting the images to a remote location, and locally or remotely controlling the operation of the ultrasonic imaging. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180112 | TRANSMISSIVE IMAGING AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Apparatus and methods are described that include ultrasound imaging devices, which may operate in a transmissive ultrasound imaging modality, and which may be used to detect properties of interest of a subject such as index of refraction, density and/or speed of sound. Devices suitable for performing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as well as HIFU and ultrasound imaging, are also described. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180113 | TRANSMISSIVE IMAGING AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Apparatus and methods are described that include ultrasound imaging devices, which may operate in a transmissive ultrasound imaging modality, and which may be used to detect properties of interest of a subject such as index of refraction, density and/or speed of sound. Devices suitable for performing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as well as HIFU and ultrasound imaging, are also described. | 06-26-2014 |
20140187952 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, SOUND VELOCITY SETTING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus performs transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves for forming focal points used to set sound velocities at predetermined timing such that sound velocities having been set for all of respective segment regions established by diving a subject are all reset every predetermined number of frames. Owing to this configuration, it becomes possible for the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus to suitably reset sound velocities of ultrasonic waves in the subject and also reduce the amount of calculation for resetting sound velocities. | 07-03-2014 |
20140187953 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - In an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, when a compound image is produced, delay correction is performed on all of ultrasound images (sub frames) to be combined based on sound velocities set for respective segment regions obtained by dividing the subject. Owing to this configuration, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus can produce a high quality compound image by spatial compounding or frequency compounding without being affected by distortion in images. | 07-03-2014 |
20140194739 | ULTRASOUND PROBE - An ultrasound probe includes a receiving section to receive ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving signal of each of multiple channels; a beam forming section to adjust a phase of the receiving signal of each of multiple channels and to sum the receiving signals; an image producing section to produce image data to display an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section; a transmission target selecting section to select one from at least two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image data as a transmission target; and a transmitting section to transmit the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section. | 07-10-2014 |
20140200455 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INVERTED BEAMFORMING - Systems and methods for time-delay inverted beamforming are provided. One method includes sampling, substantially uniformly in time, a set of continuous-time element signals to form a set of sampled element signals and mapping, for each sampled element signal, one or more samples substantially equally spaced in time to one or more samples non-equally spaced in time corresponding to the respective contribution of each element signal to a continuous-time beamsum signal. The method also includes forming a beamsum signal sampled substantially uniformly in time from the non-uniformly spaced, mapped samples corresponding to each sampled element signal. | 07-17-2014 |
20140200456 | SEPARABLE BEAMFORMING FOR ULTRASOUND ARRAY - Ultrasonic imaging apparatus or techniques can include obtaining at least an approximation of samples of reflected ultrasonic energy and constructing a representation of an imaging plane within the tissue region. Such apparatus or techniques can include separately determining, for respective focusing locations respective first sums of at least approximated complex samples of reflected ultrasonic energy obtained via respective first lines of transducers, and separately determining, for the specified focusing location, a second sum of at least some the respective first sums of at least approximated complex samples of reflected ultrasonic energy, the second sum corresponding to a second line of transducers in the ultrasonic transducer array. The separately determining the first or second sums of at least approximated complex samples can include phase-rotating at least some of the complex samples. The second line of transducers can be orthogonal to respective first lines in the transducer plane. | 07-17-2014 |
20140206999 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, METHOD OF PRODUCING ULTRASOUND IMAGE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - Ultrasonic transmission and reception for sound speed setting is performed in response to an instruction to freeze, an instruction on an observation target range, an instruction to change image quality and an instruction to change an image mode, a reception signal obtained by the ultrasonic transmission and reception for sound speed setting is used to set the sound speed in a subject, and a reception signal obtained during ultrasonic transmission and reception is processed based on the set sound speed to produce an ultrasound image. Such method makes it possible to produce a high-quality ultrasound image subjected to delay correction appropriate to various operations on an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, such as freezing and change in image quality. | 07-24-2014 |
20140236013 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRODUCING METHOD - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus controls, out of a plurality of arithmetic cores each for phasing addition on element data, the no river of arithmetic cores to be used in phasing addition on element data in accordance with remaining power of a built in battery, and produces an ultrasound image based on the element data that has been subjected to phasing addition by the arithmetic cores used. | 08-21-2014 |
20140243672 | Transesophageal Ultrasound Using a Narrow Probe - Transesophageal echocardiography is implemented using a miniature transversely oriented transducer that is preferably small enough to fit in a 7.5 mm diameter probe, and most preferably small enough to fit in a 5 mm diameter probe. Signal processing techniques improve the depth of penetration to the point where the complete trans-gastric short axis view of the left ventricle can be obtained, despite the fact that the transducer is so small. The reduced diameter of the probe (as compared to prior art probes) reduces risks to patients, reduces or eliminates the need for anesthesia, and permits long term direct-visualization monitoring of patients' cardiac function. | 08-28-2014 |
20140243673 | EXCITATION SCHEMES FOR LOW-COST TRANSDUCER ARRAYS - A device images time-wise in parallel using transducer elements of a group ( | 08-28-2014 |
20140249418 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING APPARATUS - Disclosed is an ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus including an ultrasound probe which outputs transmission ultrasound toward a subject due to a pulse signal being input and which outputs a received signal by receiving reflected ultrasound from the subject, and a transmission unit which makes the ultrasound probe generate the transmission ultrasound by outputting a pulse signal whose drive waveform is formed of rectangular waves. The frequency power spectrum of the pulse signal has intensity peaks in a frequency band included in a transmission frequency band at −20 dB of the ultrasound probe on a low frequency side and a high frequency side of a center frequency of the transmission frequency band, respectively, and intensity of a frequency region between the intensity peaks is −20 dB or greater with a maximum value of intensity among the intensity peaks being a reference. | 09-04-2014 |
20140276068 | PATIENT INTERFACE SYSTEM - A patient interface system for scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient, the system comprising: a base including a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration, and a frustoconical portion extending from the planar portion and defining a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue; and a support assembly configured to couple to the base, including a frame and a membrane retained in tension within the frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and wherein the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system. | 09-18-2014 |
20140276069 | ULTRASOUND PROBE - In one general embodiment, an ultrasound probe includes a housing configured for grasping by a human hand; an array of transducers for transducing sound waves into electrical signals; a circuit board in the housing, the circuit board having a plurality of leads, each of the transducers being coupled to at least an associated one of the leads; processing circuitry in the housing and coupled to the circuit board for processing the electrical signals, or derivatives of the electrical signals, into sonogram data; and an output device for outputting the sonogram data. | 09-18-2014 |
20140288428 | MONOLITHIC ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein. | 09-25-2014 |
20140288429 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING APPARATUS - Disclosed is an ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus including an ultrasound probe which outputs transmission ultrasound toward a subject due to a pulse signal being input and which outputs a received signal by receiving reflected ultrasound from the subject and a transmission unit which makes the ultrasound probe generate the transmission ultrasound by outputting a pulse signal whose drive waveform is formed of rectangular waves. The transmission unit outputs pulse signals whose drive waveforms are asymmetric to each other on a same scanning line for a plurality of times with a time interval therebetween. The ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus further includes an image generation unit which combines received signals each of which obtained from the reflected ultrasound of the transmission ultrasound generated by each output of pulse signal and generates ultrasound image data on a basis of a composite received signal. | 09-25-2014 |
20140323867 | ULTRASOUND SCANNING CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE - The present invention relates to ultrasound imaging on a capsule endoscope platform. It relates to the generation of a focused ultrasound acoustic signal and the receiving of echo signals from the wall of a body lumen with an array of acoustic transducers wrapped around the circumference of the capsule. It relates to sending the generated echo image signals to receiver devices attached or worn on the body. It relates to the generation of 360° overlapping sidewall ultrasound scans of a body lumen, and image processing techniques to assemble these scans into a high resolution continuous ultrasound image. Finally, it relates to the manufacture and assembly of such an ultrasound scanning capsule endoscope (USCE). The concept is extendable to conventional endoscopes and catheters. | 10-30-2014 |
20140330126 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An ultrasonic probe includes a multi-dimensionally arrayed transducer, a matching layer, and a backing layer. The transducer includes element groups having different focal distances and simultaneously transmitting ultrasonic signals toward an object. According to the ultrasonic imaging apparatus using the multi-dimensionally arrayed transducer, a multi-focus transmission is performed. Thus, the multi-focus ultrasonic image may be acquired within a short period of time, thereby increasing frame rates, and a high-quality image in which all areas are focused may be quickly acquired. | 11-06-2014 |
20140330127 | METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING THE GEOMETRY OF A SURFACE OF AN OBJECT VIA ECHOGRAPHIC PROBING, CORRESPONDING COMPUTER PROGRAM AND ULTRASOUND PROBING DEVICE - A method for reconstructing geometry of an object surface via echographic probing, using an ultrasound probe including plural transducers, the method including: controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having initial transmission delays between them; executing at least once a cycle of operations including receiving from the transducers intermediate measurement signals, correcting transmission delays of the transducers using intermediate measurement signals, and controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having the corrected transmission delays; receiving from the transducers final measurement signals resulting from reflection of a wavefront received simultaneously on the surface; determining specular travel times between each transducer and the surface based on the final measurement signals and the corrected transmission delays; and perform geometric reconstitution of the surface based on the determined specular travel times. | 11-06-2014 |
20140358005 | SPECKLE AND NOISE REDUCTION IN ULTRASOUND IMAGES - An ultrasound imaging system includes features to reduce speckle and time gain compression noise. A handheld ultrasound system may include beam forming electronics and digital waveform generators to generate the transmitted pulses with fine grained apodization to improve coherence and reduce speckle. Speckle filtering may be included in the ultrasound system. Features to reduce quantization noise and improve the time gain compression response may be provided. | 12-04-2014 |
20140358006 | STEADY FRAME RATE VOLUMETRIC ULTRASOUND IMAGING - The present invention relates to a method for providing three-dimensional ultrasound images of a volume ( | 12-04-2014 |
20140364734 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHETIC APERTURE ULTRASOUND TOMOGRAPHY - Synthetic-aperture ultrasound tomography systems and methods using scanning arrays and algorithms configured to simultaneously acquire ultrasound transmission and reflection data, and process the data for improved ultrasound tomography imaging. | 12-11-2014 |
20140364735 | ULTRASOUND WAVEFORM TOMOGRAPHY WITH TV REGULARIZATION - Synthetic-aperture ultrasound tomography systems and methods using scanning arrays and algorithms configured to simultaneously acquire ultrasound transmission and reflection data, and process the data for improved ultrasound tomography imaging, wherein the tomography imaging comprises total-variation regularization, or a modified total variation regularization. | 12-11-2014 |
20140364736 | ULTRASOUND WAVEFORM TOMOGRAPHY WITH SPATIAL AND EDGE REGULARIZATION - Synthetic-aperture ultrasound tomography systems and methods using scanning arrays and algorithms configured to simultaneously acquire ultrasound transmission and reflection data, and process the data for improved ultrasound tomography imaging, wherein the tomography imaging comprises total-variation regularization, or a modified total variation regularization, particularly with edge-guided or spatially variant regularization. | 12-11-2014 |
20140364737 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING EFFICIENCY OF ULTRASOUND WAVEFORM TOMOGRAPHY - Ultrasound tomography imaging methods for imaging a tissue medium with one or more ultrasound transducer arrays comprising a plurality of transducers, wherein said transducers comprise source transducers, receiving transducers. The methods include assigning a phase value or time delay to source transducers, exciting the transducers and calculating a search direction based on data relating to the excited transducers. | 12-11-2014 |
20140364738 | WINDOWED TIME-REVERSAL MUSIC TECHNIQUE FOR SUPER-RESOLUTION ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Systems and methods for super-resolution ultrasound imaging using a windowed and generalized TR-MUSIC algorithm that divides the imaging region into overlapping sub-regions and applies the TR-MUSIC algorithm to the windowed backscattered ultrasound signals corresponding to each sub-region. The algorithm is also structured to account for the ultrasound attenuation in the medium and the finite-size effects of ultrasound transducer elements. | 12-11-2014 |
20140378838 | APPARATUS FOR BEAMFORMING INCLUDING MULTI-CLUSTER ARCHITECTURE - An apparatus for beamforming including a multi-cluster architecture is disclosed, in which, a number of unit clusters including a reconfigurable processor and a co-processor may vary based on requirements. | 12-25-2014 |
20140378839 | Methods and Apparatus for Conformable Medical Data Acquisition Pad and Configurable Imaging System - A conformable medical data acquisition pad and configurable imaging system. The conformable pad may comprise a carrier base having a plurality of transceivers in operative association with an interconnection network that communicates with a computer system. The data acquisition pad may be constructed with a flex circuit and at least one ultrasound data collection device to carry out a variety of medical procedures. Different types of signal transmitting and receiving elements can be selected to provide ultrasound systems, including scalable capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers arranged in a variety of configurations in combination with controlling electronics which interface with a translator board and software for signal processing. The resulting ultrasound data, such as a three-dimensional model, can be transmitted via an industry standard high speed bus to standard interfaces on various ultrasound systems. | 12-25-2014 |
20150011884 | INTUITIVE ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEM AND RELATED METHOD THEREOF - A hand held ultrasonic instrument ( | 01-08-2015 |
20150011885 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - Disclosed is a method for operating an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The method includes transmitting separate first and second ultrasonic signals to an object, receiving a first echo signal which corresponds to the first ultrasonic signal and a second echo signal which corresponds to the second ultrasonic signal, separating the received first and second echo signals in order to generate first ultrasonic data which corresponds to the first echo signal and second ultrasonic data which corresponds to the second echo signal, and displaying a first ultrasonic image which is generated based on the first ultrasonic data and a second ultrasonic image which is generated based on the second ultrasonic data. The first ultrasonic image is an ultrasonic image of a first cross-sectional surface of the object, and the second ultrasonic image is an ultrasonic image of a second cross-sectional surface of the object. | 01-08-2015 |
20150011886 | AUTOMATIC IMAGING PLANE SELECTION FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY - Based on anatomy recognition from three-dimensional live imaging of a volume, one or more portions ( | 01-08-2015 |
20150025387 | EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE FOR 3D AND PLANAR ULTRASONIC IMAGING-SYNTHETIC AXIAL ACQUISITION AND METHOD THEREOF - An improved device and method for collecting data used for ultrasonic imaging. The data is gathered over numerous transmit and echo receive cycles, or iterations and combined into a synthetic acquisition representing a complete echo characteristic acquisition. At each iteration, only a portion, or subset, of the echo characteristic is sampled and stored. During the iterations, the portion of the echo characteristic that is measured and sampled is varied by changing the relative sampling instants. That is, the time offset from the transmission to the respective sampling instant is varied. The sample sets representative of the entire echo characteristic are then compiled from the multiple subsets of the ultrasonic transmissions. | 01-22-2015 |
20150025388 | ULTRASOUND WAVEFORM TOMOGRAPHY WITH WAVE-ENERGY-BASED PRECONDITIONING - Synthetic-aperture ultrasound tomography systems and methods using scanning arrays and algorithms configured to simultaneously acquire ultrasound transmission and reflection data, and process the data using ultrasound waveform tomography with a wave-energy-based preconditioning method for improved ultrasound tomography imaging. | 01-22-2015 |
20150032005 | COLOR ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD AND DEVICE THEREOF FOR OBTAINING BEAM-FORMING DATA - The disclosure provides a color ultrasound system and a method and a device thereof for obtaining beam-forming line data. The method comprises: a processor sending a control command according to a currently triggered color ultrasonograph mode; the processor receiving the digital ultrasonic echo signal data obtained according to the control command, wherein the digital ultrasonic echo signal data is a digital signal obtained by performing analog-to-digital conversion on an analog ultrasonic echo signal; and the processor performing beam-forming processing on the digital ultrasonic echo signal data to obtain corresponding beam-forming line data. With the disclosure, the color ultrasound system hardware is simple in design and flexible, and resource conservation and cost reduction are achieved during technical update. | 01-29-2015 |
20150038847 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - The ultrasound probe transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in different directions and the diagnostic apparatus body combines a plurality of images captured in the different directions of transmission and reception to produce an ultrasound image. In this process, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus measures the temperature of the ultrasound probe to change the ultrasound transmission and reception for producing a composite ultrasound image or makes the directions of transmission and reception in the last ultrasound image in one composite ultrasound image coincide with those in the first ultrasound image in its temporally adjacent composite ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus thus enables consistent ultrasound diagnosis against heat generated in the integrated circuit board of the ultrasound probe while simplifying the control of the ultrasound transmission and reception. | 02-05-2015 |
20150045668 | UNIVERSAL MULTIPLE APERTURE MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBE - A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate physical apertures. Construction of probes can vary by medical application. That is, a general radiology probe can contain multiple transducers that maintain separate physical points of contact with the patient's skin, allowing multiple physical apertures. A cardiac probe may contain only two transmitters and receivers where the probe fits simultaneously between two or more intracostal spaces. An intracavity version of the probe can space transmit and receive transducers along the length of the wand, while an intravenous version can allow transducers to be located on the distal length the catheter and separated by mere millimeters. Algorithms can solve for variations in tissue speed of sound, thus allowing the probe apparatus to be used virtually anywhere in or on the body. | 02-12-2015 |
20150073276 | ABERRATION CORRECTION USING CHANNEL DATA IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM - Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound scanner equipped with an image data processing unit that can perform adaptive parameter optimization during image formation and processing. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a channel data memory to store channel data obtained by digitizing ultrasound image data produced by an image scan; an image data processor configured to process the stored channel data in the memory to reconstruct an ultrasound image for each of a plurality of trial values of at least one parameter to be optimized; and a parameter optimization unit configured to evaluate an image quality of the reconstructed ultrasound image for each trial value of the at least one parameter, and to determine the optimized value of the at least one parameter based on the evaluated image quality. | 03-12-2015 |
20150073277 | ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT APPARATUS, ULTRASONIC IMAGE APPARATUS, AND ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT METHOD - An ultrasonic measurement apparatus includes a reception processing unit, a harmonic processing unit, a signal processing unit and an image generation unit. The reception processing unit is configured to receive, as a received signal, an ultrasonic echo corresponding to an ultrasonic wave transmitted toward a subject. The harmonic processing unit is configured to extract a harmonic component of the ultrasonic echo from the received signal. The signal processing unit is configured to add a weighting to the harmonic component by using a weight that varies depending on a value of the harmonic component. The image generation unit is configured to generate an image based on a signal to which the weighting has been added. | 03-12-2015 |
20150080730 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, transmission unit transmitting a first ultrasonic wave for generating a shear wave in an object to a first region and a second ultrasonic wave to a second region, reception unit generating a reception signal based on the second ultrasonic wave, displacement amount calculation unit calculating a displacement amount of a tissue accompanying propagation of the shear wave to the second region by using the reception signal, arrival time decision unit deciding an arrival time when the shear wave has arrived at each position in the second region, based on a temporal change in the displacement amount concerning the each position, and image generation unit generating based on the arrival time and predetermined pixel values corresponding to the arrival times, a shear wave arrival time image with the pixel values being assigned corresponding to the arrival times. | 03-19-2015 |
20150080731 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD - In the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, the ultrasonic wave transmitter/receiver transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam to a subject to generate reception data; the delay correction unit corrects a delay time of the reception data to align a phase of the reception data; the reception aperture level setting unit sets two or more reception aperture levels of reception data from reception data after correction of the delay time; the image producer produces ultrasound images corresponding to the set reception aperture levels, by performing phase matching addition on the reception data after correction of the delay time; and the image quality determination unit determines image qualities of the ultrasound images corresponding to the set reception aperture levels and selects an ultrasound image having a predetermined image quality. | 03-19-2015 |
20150080732 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD - In the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, the ultrasonic wave transmitter/receiver transmits an ultrasonic beam to a subject, receives an ultrasonic echo that is a reflected ultrasonic beam from the subject, and outputs reception data; and the ambient sound speed calculator acquires first reception data for calculating an ambient sound speed as a sound speed in the subject, which is data of a lower frequency than second reception data for producing a brightness image of the subject, and analyses the acquired first reception data to calculate the ambient sound speed. | 03-19-2015 |
20150080733 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGE DATA PROCESSING METHOD - In this ultrasound diagnostic device and ultrasound diagnostic image data processing method, an element data determination unit compares a pre-set threshold value with the average value of the amplitude values in the element direction of the element data calculated by an average value calculation unit in the element direction, and an RF data calculation unit performs a process in which the element data of which the absolute value of the amplitude value is the maximum is adopted as the RF data without phasing addition when the average value (Aa) is greater than the threshold value. Meanwhile, when the average value (Ab) is equal to or lower than the threshold value, the RF data calculation unit performs a process in which the average values of all the amplitude values in the element direction of the element data are adopted as the RF data without phasing addition. | 03-19-2015 |
20150080734 | ULTRASOUND IMAGE DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - The present invention aims at providing an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus capable of shortening the time required for measurement and calculation of an optimal sound velocity and obtaining an ultrasound image having excellent image quality at a tissue or lesion the operator desires to observe. There are provided an element data memory storing element data; a region-of-interest setter setting a region of interest; an optimal sound velocity calculator calculating an optimal sound velocity at the region of interest using the element data corresponding to the region of interest; a reconstruction region setter setting a reconstruction region that contains the region of interest and is larger than the region of interest; and an image reconstructor generating a reconstructed image by reconstructing the ultrasound image in the reconstruction region based on the optimal sound velocity. | 03-19-2015 |
20150087986 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING INTRAVASCULAR IMAGES - The invention generally relates to systems and methods for producing intravascular images. In certain embodiments, systems and methods of the invention involve causing transducers of an intravascular ultrasound device to generate a plurality of different types of data, each type of data being based on a different manner of operation of the transducers. The systems and methods of the invention additionally involve adjusting the manner of operation of the transducers for one of the types of data to thereby adjust an acquisition frame rate of the one type of data to an adjusted acquisition frame rate. The one type of data at the adjusted acquisition frame rate is then received and an intravascular image that includes the one type of data at the adjusted acquisition frame rate is displayed. | 03-26-2015 |
20150087987 | MOBILE ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS PROBE APPARATUS FOR USING TWO-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY DATA, MOBILE ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM USING THE SAME - Provided is a mobile ultrasound diagnosis probe apparatus including a transmission signal forming unit forming a transmission signal for obtaining a frame of an ultrasound image, an ultrasound probe transducing the transmission signal of the transmission signal forming unit into an ultrasound signal, transmitting the ultrasound signal to an object, and obtaining analog ultrasound data reflected from the object, a two-dimensional array processor adjacently arranging the obtained analog ultrasound data compensated with respect to time gains thereof and adjusted with respect to intensity and contrast thereof for each ultrasound vector to be processed into two-dimensional array ultrasound data, a compressor compressing the two-dimensional array ultrasound data adjacently arranged for each ultrasound vector, and a wireless communication unit wirelessly transmitting the compressed two-dimensional array ultrasound data to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus. | 03-26-2015 |
20150094590 | ULTRASONIC DEVICE, ULTRASONIC PROBE, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGE DEVICE - An ultrasonic device includes a base, a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, and a reinforcing body. The base defines a plurality of openings arranged in an array form. The ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged respectively corresponding to the openings with a plurality of vibration films being respectively provided for the ultrasonic transducer elements. The reinforcing body is fixed to the base in an area between adjacent ones of the vibration films when viewed in a plan view along a thickness direction of the base. The reinforcing body has Young's modulus greater than Young's modulus of the base. | 04-02-2015 |
20150094591 | SPECKLE AND NOISE REDUCTION IN ULTRASOUND IMAGES - An ultrasound imaging system includes features to reduce speckle and time gain compression noise. A handheld ultrasound system may include beam forming electronics and digital waveform generators to generate the transmitted pulses with fine grained apodization to improve coherence and reduce speckle. Speckle filtering may be included in the ultrasound system. Features to reduce quantization noise and improve the time gain compression response may be provided. | 04-02-2015 |
20150099977 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BEAMFORMING - Disclosed herein is a beamforming apparatus for beamforming signals which are transmitted or received by a probe which includes a plurality of transducer blocks, each of which includes a plurality of transducers. The apparatus includes a controller configured to control components to delay signals to be transmitted by the plurality of transducers included in each transducer block or signals received by the plurality of transducers included in each transducer block, and an analog beamformer which includes a plurality of beamforming units which correspond to the respective transducer blocks. The plurality of beamforming units is configured to perform analog beamforming on signals transmitted or received by the plurality of transducers included in each transducer block based on a control signal which is received from the controller, to reduce a dynamic delay range, thereby reducing a size of a delay line. | 04-09-2015 |
20150112198 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD - There is provided an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus capable of outputting an appropriate ultrasound image with no distortion regardless of a sound velocity distribution in a subject. In the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, sound velocities are calculated at two or more points in a subject, and coordinate transformation of a generated ultrasound image is performed based on the calculated sound velocities. | 04-23-2015 |
20150119716 | METHOD OF ULTRASOUND NONLINEAR IMAGING WITH GOLAY CODE EXCITATION - A method of ultrasound nonlinear imaging with Golay code excitation includes transmitting a first and a second Golay code signal wave which are orthogonal by each other; making the second Golay code signal wave be subtracted from the first Golay code signal wave to eliminate a first and a second noise interference wave to generate a third Golay code signal wave; using a first and a second compression filter to process the third Golay code signal wave to generate a first and a second compressed code signal wave; taking the difference between the first compressed code signal wave and the second compressed code signal wave to generate a third compressed code signal wave which includes at least two second-order harmonic waves; processing ultrasound nonlinear imaging by using the multi-frequency harmonic component waves to generate an ultrasound image. | 04-30-2015 |
20150119717 | ULTRASONIC DEVICE, ULTRASONIC PROBE HEAD, ULTRASONIC PROBE, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS - Provided is an ultrasonic device including: an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements configured to perform at least one of transmission and reception of ultrasound; an acoustic lens configured to focus the ultrasound; an acoustic matching unit formed using resin, the acoustic matching unit being arranged between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens; and a plurality of columnar spacing members arranged between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens so as to be in contact with the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens. | 04-30-2015 |
20150126870 | Ultrasound Imaging - A method includes concurrently exciting neighboring pairs of transducer elements of an array for at least two transmits, wherein the array has a focus in a range of ten to twenty centimeters with a f-number of five or less. The method further includes receiving first echoes with individual transducer elements of a first sub-set of the transducer elements for a first of the at least two transmits, and receiving second echoes with individual transducer elements of a second sub-set of the transducer elements for a second of the at least two transmits. The method further includes extracting second harmonics from the echoes of the at least two transmits. The method further includes beamforming the extracted second harmonics. The method further includes generating an image based on the beamformed extracted second harmonics. | 05-07-2015 |
20150141828 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC METHOD - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transceiver part, a signal processing part and an image generation part. The transceiver part controls an ultrasonic probe to perform a first and second scans. The first scan transmits a first ultrasonic wave and an ultrasonic wave, obtained by modulating an amplitude of the first ultrasonic wave, to scanning lines distributed three dimensionally, and receives first reflected waves. The second scan transmits a second ultrasonic wave to scanning lines distributed two dimensionally during the first scan, and receives second reflective waves. The transceiver part obtains first and second reception signals based on the first and second reflected waves. The signal processing part generates composite signals by combining the first reception signals. The image generation part generates three dimensional ultrasonic image data based on the composite signals, and two dimensional ultrasonic image data based on the second reception signals. | 05-21-2015 |
20150141829 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment include a transmitter/receiver, a signal processor, and an image generator. The transmitter/receiver causes an ultrasonic probe to transmit on each scanning line at least three ultrasonic pulses, the three ultrasonic pulses being: a first ultrasonic pulse including at least one frequency component and being transmitted with a first phase; a second ultrasonic pulse including the frequency component and being transmitted with a second phase different from the first phase by 180 degrees; and a third ultrasonic pulse including the frequency component and being transmitted with a third phase different from the first phase and the second phase by 90 degrees and generates a plurality of reception signals corresponding to the respective ultrasonic pulses. The signal processor combines the plurality of the reception signals and generates a composite signal. The image generator generates ultrasonic image data. | 05-21-2015 |
20150141830 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a transmitter/receiver, a signal processor, an image generator, and a controller. The transmitter/receiver executes ultrasonic transmission/reception sets a plurality of times on an identical scanning line by changing transmission conditions, and generates a plurality of sets of reception signals, the ultrasonic transmission/reception sets including a plurality of ultrasonic transmissions/receptions on the identical scanning line serving as a unit. The signal processor combines the reception signals in each of the plurality of the sets, and generates a plurality of composite signals corresponding to each of the plurality of the sets. The image generator generates ultrasonic image data using the composite signals. The controller controls an order of ultrasonic transmissions/receptions executed by the transmitter/receiver such that previous transmissions of respective transmissions corresponding to the reception signals in one set combined by the signal processor have an identical transmission condition but different phase polarities. | 05-21-2015 |
20150141831 | ULTRASONIC INSPECTION APPARATUS - An ultrasonic inspection apparatus includes: a probe; a transmission unit configured to cause the probe to transmit a ultrasonic beam; a reception unit configured to receive analog element signals output by the probe; an A/D conversion unit configured to perform A/D conversion on the analog element signal to obtain first element data; and a data processing unit configured to generate second element data from a plurality of the pieces of first element data, wherein the data processing unit changes conditions of acquisition of two or more of the pieces of first element data for generating the second element data depending on a depth of a position in which the second element data is obtained. | 05-21-2015 |
20150148678 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS DEVICE AND ULTRASONIC IMAGE ACQUISITION METHOD - Provided is a technique that implements harmonic imaging in an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, being unaffected by the voltage-dependent distortion and nonlinear characteristics of the transmit system in the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that incorporates the transmit amplifier, the ultrasound probe, and the like, facilitating adjustment of the transmit voltage, and achieving a frame rate substantially equivalent to that of the conventional PI method. In the amplitude modulation method that synthesizes the transmit acoustic fields, thereby eliminating a basic wave component of an acoustic wave and creating an image from nonlinear component echoes being extracted, one transmit and receive out of plural transmits and receptions to obtain one scanning line also serves as the transmit and receive for obtaining other scanning line. The echo signals obtained by the shared transmit and receive are used to form the receive beams respectively on both the scanning lines that share the transmit and receive. | 05-28-2015 |
20150289842 | ULTRASONIC GENERATING DEVICE - An ultrasonic generating device, which can generate an ultrasound with complex waveform, includes a first waveform generating element, which emits a first waveform, and a second waveform generating element. The second waveform generating element periodically adjusts the first waveform with at least one frequency higher than the first waveform to form a second waveform in the first waveform. The two waveforms are superposed to form the ultrasound with complex waveform. By means of the penetrating ability of the first waveform, the second waveform can be carried into the object region with the complex waveform, therefore have biological medical effects. | 10-15-2015 |
20150289846 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS - An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to a target region of an object in a plurality of directions, and to receive vibration waves generated from the object; and an image processor configured to generate image signals in the plurality of directions based on the vibration waves generated according to transmission of the ultrasonic waves in the plurality of directions, and to combine the image signals in the plurality of directions, wherein the ultrasound probe includes ultrasound elements configured to respectively generate ultrasonic waves of different frequencies, the ultrasonic waves intersecting each other in the target region of the object. | 10-15-2015 |
20150297184 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PRODUCE ULTRASONIC IMAGES USING MULTIPLE APERTURES - 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. | 10-22-2015 |
20150305720 | Ultrasonic Synthetic Transmit Focusing With Motion Compensation - An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system produces an image with an extended focal range by transmitting a plurality of beams spaced along an array for multiline reception. The receive multilines of a plurality of transmit beams are spatially aligned and are combined with phase adjustment between the respective receive multilines to prevent undesired phase cancellation. The combined multilines produce the effect of an extended transmit focus so that an image produced using the combined multilines exhibits an extended focal range. To prevent motion artifacts the multiline order is adjustable as a function of image motion. | 10-29-2015 |
20150313575 | Ultrasonic Probe and Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus - An ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic probe is connected to a reception system circuit including at least one first delay adder circuit in which a predetermined number among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is configured as one subarray and delaying and adding are performed in subarray units with respect to an ultrasonic wave reception signal that is acquired from the ultrasonic transducers included in the subarray, and a second delay adder circuit in which delaying and adding are performed with respect to the ultrasonic wave reception signal that is acquired from the ultrasonic transducers. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers include a first group which transmits the reception signal to the second delay adder circuit passing through the first delay adder circuit and a second group which transmits the reception signal directly to the second delay adder circuit without passing through the first delay adder circuit. | 11-05-2015 |
20150313576 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a transducer array; a transmission circuit transmitting an ultrasonic beam from the transducer array; a reception circuit obtaining fundamental component data based on reception signals corresponding to the fundamental component of an ultrasonic wave and harmonic component data based on reception signals corresponding to a harmonic component of the ultrasonic wave; and an image producer performing frame correlation processing on the fundamental component data and the harmonic component data generated for each frame so as to produce an ultrasound image. The frame correlation processing is performed such that the weight of harmonic component data of another frame used in the frame correlation processing of the harmonic component data is greater than the weight of fundamental component data of another frame used in the frame correlation processing of the fundamental component data. | 11-05-2015 |
20150320398 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes reception circuitry, signal processing circuitry, and generating circuitry. The reception circuitry outputs a plurality of reception signals corresponding to respective reception scanning lines for each transmission and reception of an ultrasonic wave by an ultrasonic probe. The signal processing circuitry executes a weighting process and a phase correction process according to the position of each reception scanning line on at least one of the reception signals and a plurality of signals based on the reception signals, generates the processed signals for each reception scanning line, and outputs a plurality of composite signals using the processed signals generated based on the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic waves before and after changing the sound field of the transmitted ultrasonic wave, and before and after changing the position of the reception scanning lines. The generating circuitry generates a piece of image data based on the composite signals. | 11-12-2015 |
20150324957 | SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - A signal processing apparatus of an embodiment includes processing circuitry and control circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires a plurality of IQ signals obtained by performing a plurality of processing with different conditions on reflected wave signals generated at a transducer element included in an ultrasound probe. The processing circuitry generates a compound signal compounded by non-linear processing of the IQ signals. The control circuitry causes a display to display image data based on the compound signal. | 11-12-2015 |
20150327839 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - Disclosed herein is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including: an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic transducer array; and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array, an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired via the transceiver, a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a docking station, and a charge unit configured to charge power which is received wirelessly from the docking station via the communication unit, in a charge battery. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently supply power to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body regardless of time and place, and to improve mobility and portability of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body. | 11-19-2015 |
20150342567 | Coherence ultrasound imaging with broad transmit beams - Acoustic reciprocity between transmit and receive is used for coherence ultrasound imaging. Rather than finding coherence across the receive channels, coherence is found across transmit channels. Broad transmit beams are used for different transmit elements or apertures to create beamformed frames of data. The coherence between these transmit channel frames of beamformed data is calculated and used for imaging. | 12-03-2015 |
20150342570 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE - An evaluation value calculation unit evaluates a degree of phasing on the basis of a plurality of received-wave signals obtained from a delay processing unit to thereby calculate a two-dimensional evaluation value related to a two-dimensional array of a plurality of oscillating elements. The evaluation value calculation unit obtains a two-dimensional evaluation value of an xy plane from a one-dimensional evaluation value in the x direction and a one-dimensional evaluation value in the y direction. A multiplication unit multiplies the two-dimensional evaluation value and the received beam outputted from an addition processing unit to adjust the gain of the received beam. Unnecessary signal components are thereby reduced. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351720 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICE - Provided is an ultrasound imaging apparatus which can compensate deterioration in the image quality resulting from heterogeneity of a test object medium. A reception beamformer | 12-10-2015 |
20150351723 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING DEVICE AND ULTRASOUND IMAGING METHOD - There is provided a technique for obtaining a high-quality image by extracting only a nonlinear component with high accuracy in ultrasonic imaging using an amplitude modulation method of THI. By removing a fundamental wave component with high accuracy by making the influence of electrical distortion due to analog amplification on the echo signals of ultrasonic waves having different sound pressure levels approximately the same, only the nonlinear component is extracted with high accuracy. For example, the above influence is made to be the same by controlling the amplification factor of an amplification section. In addition, the above influence is made to be the same by restoring the digital data with a filter. | 12-10-2015 |
20150359521 | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR ADJUSTING A PULSE GENERATED FOR ULTRASOUND MULTI-LINE TRANSMIT - Various methods and systems are provided for ultrasound imaging with multi-line transmit. In one example, a method for ultrasound imaging comprises reducing an acoustic intensity at a position away from an array transducer of a combined beam formed from a plurality of transmit beams emitted by the array transducer in a multi-line transmit event by selectively adjusting one or more pulse parameters of one or more individual transmit beams of the combined beam for a given energy level of the one or more individual transmit beams. | 12-17-2015 |
20150366533 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING CARDIAC LEFT VENTRICULAR THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE - Disclosed is a method for generating a 3D image of a left ventricle of the heart. The method includes: acquiring, by an image processor, a 2D left ventricle image; extracting, by the image processor, left ventricle boundary coordinates from the 2D image; calculating, by a controller, a position of the left ventricle in 3D space through transformation of the extracted left ventricle boundary coordinates; and generating, by the controller, a 3D left ventricle image based on the calculated position of the left ventricle in 3D space. | 12-24-2015 |
20150366542 | ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM USING BEAMFORMING TECHNIQUES FOR PHASE COHERENCE GRATING LOBE SUPPRESSION - High-frequency ultrasound imaging can be performed with greater quality and suppressed grating lobes by using methods and systems for effectively reducing the temporal length of transmit grating lobe signals in received ultrasound echoes. Systems and methods are provided for improved high-frequency ultrasound imaging. In various aspects, the method of shortening the time domain of grating lobe signals comprises splitting an array of N transmit elements into K sub-apertures. In further aspects, the grating lobes are suppressed by performing signal processing of the shortened grating lobe signals. In certain aspects, the signal processing method comprises weighting the samples by a calculated phase coherence factor. | 12-24-2015 |
20150374334 | QUANTITATIVE TRANSMISSION ULTRASOUND IMAGING OF DENSE ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES - Methods and systems for imaging dense anatomical structures are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method for imaging a bone or a joint of a subject can include delivering a transmission ultrasound wave field from a transmission transducer array to a body part of a subject, receiving transmission data from the transmission ultrasound wave field at a transmission receiver array, delivering a reflection ultrasound wave field from a reflection transducer array to the body part of the subject, receiving reflection data from the reflection ultrasound wave field at a reflection receiver array, and generating an image of a bone or joint from at least one of the transmission data or the reflection data. | 12-31-2015 |
20150374335 | ULTRASOUND SENSOR ELEMENT, ULTRASOUND SENSOR ARRAY ASSEMBLY, ULTRASOUND TRANSMIT SENSOR ELEMENT, IMAGING DEVICE, ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER, AND METHOD OF PERFORMING AN ULTRASOUND SCAN - Methods and apparatus for ultrasound imaging using ultrasound sensor elements comprising thin film transistors. Specifically, ultrasound elements for use in a two dimensional array of ultrasound elements, two dimensional arrays of ultrasound elements, ultrasound sensor element array assemblies, ultrasound imaging devices and methods of performing an ultrasound scan using a two dimensional array of ultrasound elements. A sensor element comprises: an ultrasound transducer, a transmit circuit configured to provide an electrical signal to the transducer for output of an ultrasound signal; and a receive circuit configured to receive an electrical signal from the transducer, based on a received reflected ultrasound signal, wherein the transmit and receive circuits each comprise one or more thin film transistors. | 12-31-2015 |
20150374339 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD FOR ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, a signal processing method, and a recording medium which are capable of eliminating a ghost signal with a small number of data when correcting element data by superimposing a plurality of element data, obtaining a high quality ultrasound image while preventing a decrease in the frame rate, and reducing the capacity of a memory. Information on a transmission frequency of an ultrasonic beam is acquired, and second element data is generated using a plurality of first element data on the basis of the acquired information on a transmission frequency. | 12-31-2015 |
20150374345 | POINT SOURCE TRANSMISSION AND SPEED-OF-SOUND CORRECTION USING MULTI-APERTURE ULTRASOUND IMAGING - A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging system and methods of use are provided with any number of features. In some embodiments, a multi-aperture ultrasound imaging system is configured to transmit and receive ultrasound energy to and from separate physical ultrasound apertures. In some embodiments, a transmit aperture of a multi-aperture ultrasound imaging system is configured to transmit an omni-directional unfocused ultrasound waveform approximating a first point source through a target region. In some embodiments, the ultrasound energy is received with a single receiving aperture. In other embodiments, the ultrasound energy is received with multiple receiving apertures. Algorithms are described that can combine echoes received by one or more receiving apertures to form high resolution ultrasound images. Additional algorithms can solve for variations in tissue speed of sound, thus allowing the ultrasound system to be used virtually anywhere in or on the body. | 12-31-2015 |
20160007971 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD FOR ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM | 01-14-2016 |
20160015368 | MULTI-PURPOSE ULTRASOUND IMAGE ACQUISITION DEVICE - The present invention relates to an ultrasound image acquisition device ( | 01-21-2016 |
20160027991 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound transducer that achieves broadband characteristics without degrading the sensitivity of the ultrasound transducer. Piezoelectric element ( | 01-28-2016 |
20160030004 | ULTRASONIC DEVICE AS WELL AS PROBE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - An ultrasonic device includes a first element row in which ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged at line-symmetrical positions along a first straight line, where a second straight line orthogonal to the first straight line is the axis of symmetry, and are connected to a first interconnect, and a second element row in which ultrasonic transducer elements are arranged at line-symmetrical positions adjacent to the first element row, where the second straight line is the axis of symmetry, and are connected to a second interconnect. When the distance between a k-th element included in the first element row and a k-th element included in the second element row is represented by D | 02-04-2016 |
20160058427 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus are disclosed. According to one implementation, an ultrasound probe includes the following. A plurality of transducers are arrayed in at least a predetermined first direction and transmit ultrasound to a subject to receive a reflected wave. A convergence unit converges the ultrasound transmitted and received by the plurality of transducers to the first direction. A switching element turns off transmission and reception of the ultrasound of some of the plurality of transducers arrayed in the first direction. A direction switching setter performs switching operation of turning on and turning off of the switching element to deflect in the first direction a transmission/reception direction of the ultrasound by the plurality of transducers. | 03-03-2016 |
20160074008 | ULTRASONIC OBSERVATION APPARATUS, OPERATION METHOD OF ULTRASONIC OBSERVATION APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - An ultrasonic observation apparatus includes: ultrasound probes; a storage unit that stores, for each ultrasound probe, attenuation that is a difference in signal intensity for each frequency between a predetermined common waveform and a waveform obtained by providing the ultrasound probes with a common transmission drive wave; a transmission drive wave generating unit that generates, for each ultrasound probe, a transmission drive wave obtained by adding the attenuation to the common transmission drive wave; and a reception signal correcting unit that performs a correction for each frequency, by adding the attenuation to a reception signal which is obtained by transmitting to the specimen the transmission echo having the predetermined common waveform and by converting the reception echo reflected from the specimen, the transmission echo being obtained by converting the transmission drive wave that is given by adding the attenuation to the common transmission drive wave. | 03-17-2016 |
20160089115 | ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, ULTRASONIC IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD - An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment performs ultrasonic scans having a plurality of times of ultrasonic transmission and reception as a basic unit, and acquires reception signals respectively for reception rasters allocated with respect to a predetermined region of a subject. The apparatus generates first signals corresponding to the reception rasters respectively by performing adding processing or low-pass filtering having a time of the ultrasonic scan as a unit with respect to the reception signals respectively acquired for the reception rasters, and acquires power information of a moving body in the predetermined region based on a second signal to be obtained by performing an MTI filtering with respect to the first signals. The apparatus acquires velocity information of the moving body based on a third signal obtained by performing the MTI filtering with respect to the reception signals respectively acquired for the reception rasters. | 03-31-2016 |
20160095579 | CONCAVE ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS AND 3D ARRAYS - A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate apertures of ultrasound arrays. Some embodiments provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound probes having continuous arrays of ultrasound transducers which may have a substantially continuous concave curved shape in two or three dimensions (i.e., concave relative to an object to be imaged). Other embodiments herein provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound imaging probes having other unique configurations, such as adjustable probes and probes with variable configurations. | 04-07-2016 |
20160106391 | Three Dimensional (3D) Vector Flow Imaging with BiPlane Phased Array Transducer - An ultrasound imaging system ( | 04-21-2016 |
20160120501 | ULTRASONIC SIGNAL PROCESSING FOR BONE SONOGRAPHY - This invention relates to ultrasound signal processing methods and systems for use in bone imaging and orthopedic surgery. Signal processing methods and systems for low-frequency bone image guidance, particularly during spinal fusion surgery and the process of pedicle screw insertion are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
20160135783 | M-MODE ULTRASOUND IMAGING OF ARBITRARY PATHS - Systems and methods of M-mode ultrasound imaging allows for M-mode imaging along user-defined paths. In various embodiments, the user-defined path can be a non-linear path or a curved path. In some embodiments, a system for M-mode ultrasound imaging can comprise a multi-aperture probe with at least a first transmitting aperture and a second receiving aperture. The receiving aperture can be separate from the transmitting aperture. In some embodiments, the transmitting aperture can be configured to transmit an unfocused, spherical, ultrasound ping signal into a region of interest. The user-defined path can define a structure of interest within the region of interest. | 05-19-2016 |
20160135789 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is configured to generate ultrasound image data of a subject through an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a specifying unit, a transmission/reception condition change unit, and an image generator. The specifying unit specifies a characteristic site, which is included in a scanning range related to the ultrasound image data and has specific acoustic characteristics, based on three-dimensional image data of the subject generated in advance. The transmission/reception condition change unit changes transmission/reception conditions of ultrasound waves based on the acoustic characteristics of the characteristic site. The image generator generates the ultrasound image data based on changed transmission/reception conditions. | 05-19-2016 |
20160135790 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ULTRASOUND MOTION DISPLAY AND ANALYSIS - A method of generating an image of a scanned subject includes: emitting, by multiple ultrasonic elements of an array, multiple respective ultrasonic signals into a subject, the multiple respective ultrasonic signals defining at least two beam portions traveling in different directions; receiving, by the multiple ultrasonic elements, multiple respective ultrasonic echo signals; and generating at least one image of a portion of the subject from the received multiple ultrasonic echo signals. A negatively focused wavefront including the at least two beam portions traveling in the different directions may be emitted. Multiple negatively focused wavefronts may be generated and emitted. | 05-19-2016 |
20160143617 | ULTRASOUND IMAGE FORMATION AND/OR RECONSTRUCTION USING MULTIPLE FREQUENCY WAVEFORMS - Ultrasound adaptive imaging methods and/or systems provide for modification of waveform generation to drive a plurality of transducer elements. The modification may be based on at least one of contrast ratio or signal to noise ratio as determined with respect to control points in a region of interest. Further, image reconstruction may be performed upon separating, from pulse echo data received, at least a portion thereof received at each ultrasound transducer element from the region of interest in response to the delivered ultrasound energy corresponding to a single frequency of one or more image frequencies within a transducer apparatus bandwidth. The image reconstructed from the separated pulse-echo data corresponding to the single frequency of the one or more image frequencies may be used alone or combined with like image data (e.g., to provide an image representative of one or more properties in the region of interest). | 05-26-2016 |
20160151045 | ULTRASOUND MACHINE HAVING SCALABLE RECEIVE BEAMFORMER ARCHITECTURE COMPRISING MULTIPLE BEAMFORMERS WITH COMMON COEFFICIENT GENERATOR AND RELATED METHODS | 06-02-2016 |
20160157827 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING - Systems and methods for automatically adjusting an analog time gain compensation utilized in ultrasound imaging systems are provided. In one embodiment, a method for ultrasound imaging comprises applying an analog gain to a first echo signal based on a depth and a direction of the first echo signal, wherein the analog gain is automatically adjusted based on a peak amplitude of a second echo signal in a preceding ultrasound image. In this way, a signal-to-noise ratio of echo signals may be optimized, thereby improving the quality of ultrasound images generated from the echo signals. | 06-09-2016 |
20160199039 | ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS | 07-14-2016 |
20160374645 | METHOD FOR PERFORMING LOW POWER MODE IN PORTABLE ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND PORTABLE ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SAME - Provided are a method of performing a low power mode of a portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for applying the same. The method include stopping a circuit operation related to a receiving circuit which receives an ultrasonic signal reflected by a test subject when the ultrasonic signal is transmitted to obtain an ultrasonic image of the test subject and stopping a circuit operation of a transmitting circuit which transmits the ultrasonic signal when the ultrasonic signal reflected by the test subject is received. Accordingly, power consumed by the portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus may be minimized. | 12-29-2016 |
20170234982 | OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM | 08-17-2017 |
20190142379 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS ULTRASOUND PROBE PAIRING | 05-16-2019 |