Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Alexander Franciscus Kolen

Harm Jan Willem Belt

Godefridus Antonius Harks

Steven Antonie Willem Fokkenrood

Gerardus Henricus Maria Gijsbers

Hong Liu

Szabolcs Deladi

Nenad Mihajlovic

Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert

Maarten Peter Bodlaender

Willem-Jan Arend De Wijs

Fei Zuo

Paul Hamelmann

Geert Gerardus Henricus Maria Gijsbers

Femke Wagemakers

Nicolaas Lambert

Bart Kroon

David L McGee

Cornelis Petrus Hendriks

Cornelis Pieter Janse

Franciscus Johannes Gerardus Hakkens

Rick Bezemer

Roland Alexander Van De Molengraaf

Franciscus Hendrikus Van Heesch

Markus Silvester Wohlschlager

Harold Agnes Wilhelmus Schmeitz

Denny Mathew

Lars Schmitt

Johannes Johanna Van Herk

Franciscus Reinier Antonius Van Der Linde

Ron Kroon

Darrell L Rankin

Elbert Gerjan Van Putten

Louis Stroucken

Monica Tavanti

Agathe Melanie Puszka

Mirelva M Drost

Aloysius Cornelis Johannes Stroucken

Godefridus Antoniuss Harks

Markus Wohlschlager

Paul Christoph Hamelmann

Bart Leonardus Martinus Smeets

Agathe Puszka

David L Mcgee

Darrel L Rankin

An ultrasound image processing apparatus includes an image processor arrangement that receives a plurality of ultrasound images. Each ultrasound image shows an invasive medical device relative to an anatomical feature during a cardiac cycle. At different phases of the cardiac cycle, the anatomical feature has a different shape. The ultrasound processing apparatus compiles groups of the ultrasound images with ultrasound images in each group belonging to the same phase of the cardiac cycle. The ultrasound image processing apparatus generates an augmented ultrasound image from one of the ultrasound images by removing a shadow region on the anatomical feature of interest caused by the invasive medical device based on a displacement of the invasive medical device.

Ultrasound image processing

The present invention relates to an ultrasound system () comprising a first non-invasive ultrasound probe () configured to acquire first ultrasound data having a first field of view; a second invasive ultrasound probe () configured to acquire second ultrasound data having a second field of view which is different from the first field of view; a tracking unit () configured to determine tracking data comprising a position and orientation of the first non-invasive ultrasound probe () relative to the second invasive ultrasound probe (); and a registration unit () configured to register the second field of view into the first field of view based on the tracking data.

Ultrasound system and method

The present invention relates to determining the rotation of an interventional device in an ultrasound field. An interventional device is provided that is suitable for being tracked in an ultrasound beam of a beamforming ultrasound imaging system by correlating transmitted ultrasound signals from the beamforming ultrasound imaging system as detected by ultrasound receivers attached to the interventional device with the beamforming beam sequence of the ultrasound signals. The interventional device includes a longitudinal axis (A-A'), a first linear sensor array () comprising a plurality of ultrasound receivers (R) wherein each ultrasound receiver has a length (L) and a width (W), and wherein the array extends along the width (W) direction. Moreover the first linear sensor array () is wrapped circumferentially around the interventional device with respect to the axis (A-A′) such that the length (L) of each ultrasound receiver is arranged lengthwise with respect to the axis (A-A′).

Rotation determination in an ultrasound beam

The present invention relates to an ultrasound system. A first non-invasive ultrasound probe receives first ultrasound data having a first field of view and a second invasive ultrasound probe receives second ultrasound data having a second field of view which is different from the first field of view. A tracking unit determines tracking data including a position and orientation of the first non-invasive ultrasound probe relative to the second invasive ultrasound probe. A registration unit registers the second field of view into the first field of view based on the tracking data.

Ultrasound system and method for interventional device tracking and guidance using information from non-invasive and invasive probes

A method for ultrasound image processing having steps of receiving sequences of ultrasound images imaging an anatomical feature of interest during two cardiac cycles one in the absence of, and the other in the presence of, an invasive medical device in said ultrasound images, each ultrasound image corresponding to a different phase of said cardiac cycle. The invasive medical device may at least partially obscure the anatomical feature of interest for each ultrasound image of the further sequence. The location of the invasive medical device is tracked and isolated in the ultrasound image, and the isolated invasive medical device is inserted into an ultrasound image of the first sequence of a corresponding phase of the cardiac cycle in the tracked location. The method also controls a display device to display the first sequence of ultrasound images including the inserted invasive medical device.

The invention provides an ultrasound system including an ultrasound transducer array and a processor. The ultrasound transducer array comprises a plurality of transducer elements adapted to conform with a subjects body. Further, at least two ultrasound transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements are adapted to acquire a plurality of ultrasound signals from a region of interest at different orientations relative to said region of interest. The processor is adapted to receive ultrasound signals acquired by the ultrasound transducer array. The processor is further adapted to partition the plurality of ultrasound signals according to a signal depth and, for each ultrasound signal partition, calculate a Doppler power. For each ultrasound signal, the processor identifies a depth of a fetal heartbeat based on the Doppler power of each ultrasound signal partition and identifies a fetal heart region based on the identified fetal heartbeat and a location of the at least two ultrasound transducers.

Systems and methods for ultrasound screening

A method for monitoring fetal health. The method of the present disclosure comprises transmitting () an ultrasound signal from an at least one transducer element in an array towards a maternal abdomen. An at least one ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to an at least one depth of the maternal abdomen is then received () by the at least one transducer element. The at least one Doppler signal is determined after the echo is received by the at least one transducer element is then processed () in an at least one channel. A multidimensional map is then generated () from the processed Doppler signal. A feedback () to reposition the at least one transducer element is then provided when the fetal heart is determined to lie outside an ultrasound beam volume.

Positioning support and fetal heart rate registration support for CTG ultrasound transducers

The present invention relates to determining the rotation of an interventional device in an ultrasound field. An interventional device is provided that is suitable for being tracked in an ultrasound beam of a beamforming ultrasound imaging system by correlating transmitted ultrasound signals from the beamforming ultrasound imaging system as detected by ultrasound receivers attached to the interventional device with the beamforming beam sequence of the ultrasound signals. The interventional device includes a longitudinal axis (A-A'), a first linear sensor array () comprising a plurality of ultrasound receivers (R) wherein each ultrasound receiver has a length (L) and a width (W), and wherein the array extends along the width (W) direction. Moreover the first linear sensor array () is wrapped circumferentially around the interventional device with respect to the axis (A-A&#x2032;) such that the length (L) of each ultrasound receiver is arranged lengthwise with respect to the axis (A-A&#x2032;).

Disclosed is an ultrasound image processing apparatus () comprising an image processor arrangement () adapted to receive a first sequence (') of ultrasound images () imaging an anatomical feature of interest () during a first full cardiac cycle in the absence of an invasive medical device () in said ultrasound images, each ultrasound image corresponding to a different phase of said cardiac cycle; receive a further sequence () of ultrasound images () imaging the anatomical feature of interest () during a further full cardiac cycle in the presence of the invasive medical device () in said ultrasound images, each ultrasound image corresponding to a different phase of said cardiac cycle said invasive medical device () at least partially obscuring the anatomical feature of interest, and for each ultrasound image of the further sequence: track the location of the invasive medical device in the ultrasound image; isolate the invasive medical device from the ultrasound image; and insert the isolated invasive medical device into an ultrasound image of the first sequence of a corresponding phase of the cardiac cycle in the tracked location; and control a display device to display the first sequence of ultrasound images including the inserted invasive medical device. Also disclosed are an ultrasound imaging system comprising such an ultrasound image processing apparatus and a computer program product facilitating the configuration of such an image processing apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

The invention relates to an ultrasound data visualization apparatus for visualizing ultrasound data showing an object during an interventional procedure. A reference image () and a current image () of the object are simultaneously displayed, wherein the current image corresponds to a current time interval and the reference image corresponds to a reference time interval and wherein the current time interval and the reference time interval correspond to different phases of the interventional procedure. The current image can be shown therefore with, for instance, a relatively high temporal resolution for allowing a user to observe detailed object changes, which may be caused by the interventional procedure, while an overview over different phases of the interventional procedure can still be provided, because also the reference image is displayed and can be used by a user for comparing the current image with the reference image.

Ultrasound data visualization apparatus

Apparatus and method comprising an ultrasound transmitter, for placement at a first location on the body of a subject, to emit an ultrasound pulse; an ultrasound receiver, for placement at a second location on the body, to detect an emitted ultrasound pulse; and a controller in communication with the transmitter and receiver. The controller causes an ultrasound pulse to be emitted by the transmitter; receives a measurement signal from the receiver; determines, based on the received measurement signal, a time of arrival at the receiver, Ts of a first part of the emitted ultrasound pulse; determines, based on the received measurement signal, a time of arrival at the receiver, T, of a second part of the ultrasound pulse; and calculates, using Tand T, a flow velocity of blood in a blood vessel between the first location and the second location.

Apparatus and method for determining blood flow velocity

The invention provides a system () for determining an identification characteristic of a medical device () carrying at least an ultrasound emitter/sensor element (). The identification characteristic is based on a detection signal from the ultrasound emitter/sensor element () upon a drive signal. The system () can identify the medical device from a database () of known medical devices. Furthermore, the system () can update the duration and frequency of use of the medical device () and it can prohibit further use of the medical device () when a predetermined limit of use is exceeded.

System for monitoring a use of a medical device

An internal probe device for insertion into the body of a patient, comprises an elongate body with a plurality of EAP actuators mounted at the surface of the body. The EAP actuators are made to vibrate so that their position becomes visible in a Doppler ultrasound image. The use of EAP actuators to provide vibrations enables individual locations to be identified. In particular, the movement of the EAP actuator may be largely isolated from the main body of the probe. Furthermore, EAP actuators can be thin, lightweight and have a small form factor suitable for application to or within the surface of a probe, such as a catheter, needle or endoscope.

Medical probe for ultrasound imaging

To sum up, the present invention relates to an examination systemfor examining an associated tissue sample, where the examination system comprises an interventional devicewhich comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers-and wherein the different ultrasound transducers are arranged to obtain images of different regions of an associated tissue sample, and wherein the examination system furthermore comprises a display devicearranged for showing the images so that each of their positions corresponds to the corresponding positions of the different adjacent tissue sample regions in the adjacent associated tissue sample. A possible advantage of the system may be that relevant information regarding the associated tissue sample is conveyed to an observer in a fast an intuitive manner.

Examination system with multiple ultrasound transducers

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Alexander Franciscus Kolen