Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080232660 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING ELASTIC IMAGES CAPABLE OF PREVENTING DISTORTION - The present invention is directed to an ultrasound system and a method of forming an elastic image, which are capable of preventing the distortion of the elastic image. The persistence of the previous frame and the present frame is performed after moving the boundary pixels set up in the previous interest frame to the boundary pixels in the present interest frame. This is so that the distortion of the elastic image may be reduced and the signal to noise ratio may be increased. | 09-25-2008 |
20090005681 | Ultrasound System And Method Of Forming Ultrasound Image - The present invention relates to an ultrasound system, which includes: a transmit/receive unit for transmitting ultrasound signals toward a target object having reflectors along scan lines and receiving ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to form receive signals based on the ultrasound echo signals; a signal processing unit for forming image signals based on the receive signals, the image signals being indicative of locations and velocities of the reflectors in the target object; and an image processing unit for forming a 3-dimensional image 3-dimensionally indicating the velocities of the reflectors based on the image signals. | 01-01-2009 |
20090062653 | Ultrasound System And Method Of Forming Ultrasound Image - The present invention relates to an ultrasound system and a method of forming an ultrasound image. The ultrasound system includes: a transmit/receive unit operable to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object and receive ultrasound echo signals to form receive signals based on the received ultrasound echo signals; a signal processing unit operable to form Doppler signals based on the receive signals; and an image processing unit operable to obtain information on a plurality of blood flow velocities at the target object from the Doppler signals, set a reference velocity, compute a dispersion of the plurality of the blood flow velocities with respect to the reference velocity, and form a 3-dimensional image indicating velocity changes at the respective locations in the target object by using the reference velocity and the dispersion. | 03-05-2009 |
20090149755 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING AN ULTRASOUND IMAGE - The present invention relates to an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system includes: an image processing unit for forming at least one 3-dimensional ultrasound image based on ultrasound echoes reflected from a target object; an input unit for receiving a setup instruction; and a control unit for outputting a first control signal for setting at least one predefined sample volume on the 3-dimensional ultrasound image in response to the setup instruction. The image processing unit is further configured to form at least one spectral Doppler image corresponding to the sample volume in response to the first control signal. | 06-11-2009 |
20090299191 | Extravasation Detection In An Ultrasound System - Embodiments for detecting extravasation in an ultrasound system are disclosed. The ultrasound system includes a Tx/Rx unit to transmit an ultrasound beam to a target object and receive ultrasound echoes reflected from the target object to thereby output receive signals. The receive signals include first receive signals obtained before injecting a fluid into the target object and second receive signals obtained after injecting the fluid into the target object. The ultrasound system further includes a processing unit to form a first ultrasound image based on the first receive signals and a second ultrasound image based on the second receive signal. The processing unit further compares the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image for detecting extravasation at the target object. | 12-03-2009 |
20090303252 | Registration Of CT Image Onto Ultrasound Images - Embodiments for registering a CT image onto ultrasound images are disclosed. At a preoperative stage, a plurality of first ultrasound images are formed during a respiratory cycle and a CT image is obtained at the maximum inspiration. The CT image is registered onto each of the ultrasound images to thereby form ultrasound-CT registered images. The ultrasound-CT registered images may be stored in the storage unit. Subsequently, at an intraoperative stage, a plurality of second ultrasound images may be sequentially formed in real time. Similarities may be measured between the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images, and the ultrasound-CT registered images, each corresponding to each of the first ultrasound images having highest similarity to the second ultrasound image may be retrieved. The retrieved ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image may be displayed at the same time. | 12-10-2009 |
20090304252 | Non-Rigid Registration Between CT Images And Ultrasound Images - There are disclosed embodiments for non-rigid image registration between 3-dimensional ultrasound and CT images by using intensity and gradient information of vessels and diaphragm. An ultrasound image forming unit transmits/receives ultrasound signals to/from a target object to thereby output electrical receive signals, and forms 3-dimensional ultrasound images based on the electrical receive signals. A CT image forming unit forms 3-dimensional CT images of the target object. A registration unit determines first and second objective functions associated with diaphragm and vessel regions of the target object, respectively, based on intensity and gradient information upon portions corresponding to the diaphragm and vessel regions in each of the 3-dimensional ultrasound and CT images. The registration unit performs non-rigid image registration between the 3-dimensional ultrasound images and the 3-dimensional CT images based on the first and second objective functions. | 12-10-2009 |
20090306507 | Anatomical Feature Extraction From An Ultrasound Liver Image - There is disclosed an embodiment for extracting anatomical features from a 3-dimensional B-mode ultrasound liver image for image registration. A system extracts anatomical features from a 3-dimensional B-mode ultrasound liver image for image registration. An image forming unit forms a 3-dimensional ultrasound liver image based on ultrasound signals reflected from the liver. A diaphragm extracting unit extracts a diaphragm region from the 3-dimensional B-mode ultrasound liver image. A vessel extracting unit extracts vessel regions from the 3-dimensional ultrasound liver image. A diaphragm refining unit refines the extracted diaphragm region with the extracted vessel regions to remove clutters from the diaphragm region. A registration unit extracts sample points from the diaphragm region with the clutters removed and the vessel regions for image registration. | 12-10-2009 |
20100056923 | ADAPTIVE COLOR DOPPLER IMAGE FORMATION - Embodiments for adaptively forming color Doppler images in an ultrasound diagnostic system are disclosed. A method of forming a color Doppler image in an ultrasound diagnostic system comprises: scanning a first set of scan lines set at a full scan region to detect at least one scan line that passes a moving object in the full scan region among the first set of scan lines; setting a second set of scan lines based on the detected scan lines; and scanning the second set of scan lines to form a first color Doppler image. | 03-04-2010 |
20100145195 | Hand-Held Ultrasound System - An embodiment of a hand-held ultrasound system is disclosed. The hand-held ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound probe configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object to thereby output receive signals. A body is sized to be held by a single hand of a user and has processing elements configured to form ultrasound images based on the receive signals and provide a preset touch screen menu. A touch screen, which is mounted on the body, includes a display and a touch panel with a touch response surface. The touch screen displays the ultrasound images and the preset touch screen menu for allowing the user to input user instructions. The preset touch screen menu is displayed on a display region of the display corresponding to proximity to a location of the touch panel touched by a finger of the user when the body is held by the single hand of the user. | 06-10-2010 |
20100191114 | IMAGE INDICATOR PROVISION IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - Embodiments of providing image indicators together with an ultrasound image are disclosed. A mapping table including a plurality of objects each associated with examination locations, each of the examination locations being associated with one or more image indicators. The image indicators include a target organ marker indicative of each object, a body axis marker indicative of an anatomical orientation of each object, and an ultrasound beam direction marker indicative of a transmission direction of the ultrasound beam. A processing unit accesses the storage unit to provide the image indicators corresponding to a target object and examination location selected in response to selection instructions inputted by a user. The processing unit further 3-dimensionally rotates the image indicators based on position information of an ultrasound probe. | 07-29-2010 |
20110026796 | SENSOR COORDINATE CALIBRATION IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM - There is disclosed an embodiment for performing a calibration of a sensor by using an image registration between a three-dimensional ultrasound image and computerized tomography (CT) image. An ultrasound image forming unit includes an ultrasound probe and forms a three-dimensional ultrasound image of a target object. A sensor is coupled to the ultrasound probe. A memory stores a three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) image of the target object and position information on a position between the three-dimensional ultrasound image and the sensor. A processor performs image registration between the three-dimensional CT image and the three-dimensional ultrasound image to form a first transformation function for transforming a position of the sensor to a corresponding position on the three-dimensional CT image and performs calibration of the sensor by applying the position information to the first transformation function. | 02-03-2011 |
20110028843 | PROVIDING A 2-DIMENSIONAL CT IMAGE CORRESPONDING TO A 2-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGE - There is disclosed a system and method for providing a 2-dimensional CT image corresponding to a 2-dimensional ultrasound image by performing an image registration between a 3-dimensional ultrasound image and a 3-dimensional CT image. The system comprises: a CT image forming unit configured to form a plurality of 3-dimensional CT images for an object of interest inside a target object; an ultrasound image forming unit configured to form at least one 3-dimensional ultrasound image for the object of interest; a processor configured to perform image registration between the 3-dimensional CT images and the at least one 3-dimensional ultrasound image to obtain a first transform function; and a user input unit configured to receive input information from a user, wherein the ultrasound image forming unit is further configured to form a 2-dimensional ultrasound image from the at least one 3-dimensional ultrasound image based on the input information, and wherein the processor is further configured to obtain a plurality of 2-dimensional CT images from the 3-dimensional CT images based on the input information and the first transform function and to detect similarities between the 2-dimensional ultrasound image and the 2-dimensional CT images to select one of the 2-dimensional CT images corresponding to the 2-dimensional ultrasound image. | 02-03-2011 |
20110028844 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING 2-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTERIZED-TOMOGRAPHY IMAGE CORRESPONDING TO 2-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGE - Embodiments for providing a 2-dimensional (D) computerized-tomography (CT) image corresponding to a 2-D ultrasound image through image registration between 3-D ultrasound and CT images are disclosed. An imaging system comprises a CT imaging unit, an ultrasound image forming unit, a storing unit, a processor and a display unit. The processor extracts the 2-D CT image from the 3-D ultrasound-CT registered image by performing a rigid-body transform upon the 3-D ultrasound image and calculating similarities between reference images and the 2-D ultrasound images, wherein the reference images are obtained through the rigid-body transform. | 02-03-2011 |
20110033096 | Ultrasound System and Method for Segmenting Vessels - There are disclosed embodiments for an ultrasound system for performing segmentation of vessels. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit an ultrasound signal to a target object including vessels, receive an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the target object and form ultrasound data corresponding to the target object; a volume data forming unit configured to form volume data based on the ultrasound data; and a processor configured to form a 3-dimensional ultrasound image based on the volume data, set a plurality of slices on the 3-dimensional ultrasound image and perform segmentation of the vessels based on a degree of registration between the respective vessels on the adjacent slices. | 02-10-2011 |
20110034807 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING VESSEL LABELING - There are disclosed embodiments for an ultrasound system for performing vessel labeling. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit an ultrasound signal to a target object including vessels, receive an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the target object and form ultrasound data corresponding to the target object; a volume data forming unit configured to form volume data based on the ultrasound data; and a processor configured to form a 3-dimensional ultrasound image based on the volume data, perform vessel segmentation on the 3-dimensional ultrasound image to provide at least one segmented image including at least one segmented vessel, detect at least one vessel junction from the at least one segmented vessel and perform vessel labeling on the at least one segmented image based on the detected at least one vessel junction. | 02-10-2011 |
20110046487 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION INDICATIVE OF A CHANGE OF ELASTICITY INFORMATION - Embodiments for providing information indicative of a change in elasticity information of a target object over time in an ultrasound system are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound data acquisition unit transmits ultrasound beams to a target object and receives ultrasound echoes reflected from the target object to thereby provide plural sets of ultrasound frame data. An image forming unit forms ultrasound images by using the plural sets of ultrasound frame data. An information forming unit defines a region of interest on each of the ultrasound images and compares images within the regions of interest between the neighboring ultrasound images to form elasticity information. The information forming unit forms information indicative of a change in the elasticity information over time. | 02-24-2011 |
20110130661 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CHANGE TREND IMAGE - There is disclosed an embodiment for providing a change trend image. An ultrasound data acquisition unit transmits ultrasound signal to a target object and receives echo signal reflected from the target object to sequentially acquire a plurality of ultrasound data. A processor is connected to the ultrasound data acquisition unit. The processor sequentially extracts feature values from the plurality of ultrasound data, allocates colors corresponding to each feature value and forms a change trend image with the colors indicative of a change trend of the extracted feature values over time. | 06-02-2011 |
20120123249 | PROVIDING AN OPTIMAL ULTRASOUND IMAGE FOR INTERVENTIONAL TREATMENT IN A MEDICAL SYSTEM - Embodiments for providing an optimal ultrasound image for interventional treatment in a medical system are disclosed. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, a medical system comprises: a medical device that is inserted into a target object and configured to remove a lesion within the target object; an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from the target object to output ultrasound data; and a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit, the processing unit being configured to forma plurality of ultrasound images based on the ultrasound data and perform an image processing upon each of the ultrasound images to detect a position of the medical device. | 05-17-2012 |
20120190984 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM WITH OPACITY SETTING UNIT - There are provided an ultrasound system with an opacity setting unit capable of setting opacity corresponding to rendering of volume data throughout depth. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises an opacity setting unit configured to receive input information for setting opacity corresponding to rendering of volume data throughout the depth. | 07-26-2012 |
20120220873 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING IMAGE INDICATOR - Embodiments of an ultrasound system for outputting an ultrasound image through an ultrasound examination are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound probe, a sensor unit, a processor unit and an input unit. The ultrasound probe transmits and receives an ultrasound beam to and from the examination portion of a target object. The sensor unit is disposed in the ultrasound probe and detects a posture and/or a position of the ultrasound probe to form posture information and/or position information of the ultrasound probe. The processor unit moves an image indicator corresponding to the posture information and/or the position information. The image indicator includes an ultrasound beam direction marker that is indicative of a transmission direction of the ultrasound beam transmitted from the ultrasound probe to the target object. The input unit is configured to control the processor unit. | 08-30-2012 |
20130231559 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING 2-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTERIZED- TOMOGRAPHY IMAGE CORRESPONDING TO 2-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGE - Embodiments for providing a 2-dimensional (D) computerized-tomography (CT) image corresponding to a 2-D ultrasound image through image registration between 3-D ultrasound and CT images are disclosed. An imaging system comprises a CT imaging unit, an ultrasound image forming unit, a storing unit, a processor and a display unit. The processor extracts the 2-D CT image from the 3-D ultrasound-CT registered image by performing a rigid-body transform upon the 3-D ultrasound image and calculating similarities between reference images and the 2-D ultrasound images, wherein the reference images are obtained through the rigid-body transform. | 09-05-2013 |
20140316271 | ULTRASOUND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING IMAGE INDICATOR - Embodiments of an ultrasound system for outputting an ultrasound image through an ultrasound examination are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound probe, a sensor unit, a processor unit and an input unit. The ultrasound probe transmits and receives an ultrasound beam to and from the examination portion of a target object. The sensor unit is disposed in the ultrasound probe and detects a posture and/or a position of the ultrasound probe to form posture information and/or position information of the ultrasound probe. The processor unit moves an image indicator corresponding to the posture information and/or the position information. The image indicator includes an ultrasound beam direction marker that is indicative of a transmission direction of the ultrasound beam transmitted from the ultrasound probe to the target object. The input unit is configured to control the processor unit. | 10-23-2014 |