General Electric Company

Ge Medical Systems Kretztechnik Gmbh & Co Ohg

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Kretztechnik Ag

Arthur Gritzky

Gerald Schroecker

Franz Wiesauer

Josef Steininger

Christian Fritz Perrey

Helmut Brandl

Armin Schoisswohl

Min Hwa Lee

Erwin Fosodeder

Various embodiments include systems and methods for utilizing depth from ultrasound volume rendering for 3D printing. Volumetric ultrasound dataset may be generated, based on echo ultrasound signals, and one or more volume rendered ultrasound images, based on the volumetric ultrasound dataset, may be displayed. Based on the one or more volume rendered ultrasound images and/or the volumetric ultrasound dataset, three-dimensional (3D) printing data may be generated. The 3D printing data may be configured to enable producing, via a 3D printer, a physical volume representation of one or more objects and/or structures in the one or more volume rendered ultrasound images. The 3D printing data may be based on 3D modeling of at least a portion of at least one of the one or more volume rendered ultrasound images. The 3D modeling may comprise a surface mesh representation.

Utilizing depth from ultrasound volume rendering for 3D printing

An ultrasound imaging system and method includes accessing a graphical model of a representative patient, accessing a medical image of an anatomical structure, and registering the medical image with the graphical model to generate a composite image. The imaging system and method includes displaying the composite image and simultaneously displaying an unregistered medical image of the anatomical structure with the composite image. The unregistered medical image has at least one of a higher resolution and a larger form factor than the registered medical image.

Method and system for registering a medical image with a graphical model

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing depth from volume rendering for 3D printing. Three-dimensional (3D) mesh data may be generated based on one or more volume rendered images and/or volumetric datasets corresponding thereto, obtained during medical imaging (e.g., based on echo ultrasound signals during ultrasound imaging). Generating the 3D mesh data may comprise computing a plurality of depth values, where each depth value corresponds to a particular voxel in the volumetric medical imaging datasets. The 3D mesh data may be configured to enable producing a physical volume representation of one or more objects and/or structures in the one or more volume rendered images. Thus, the 3D mesh data may be used for 3D printing. For example, 3D printing data may be generated based on the 3D mesh data. The 3D printing data may be configured and formatted based on a pre-defined 3D printing standard or file format.

Methods and systems for displaying system parameter information are provided. One method includes determining a value for a system parameter using the ultrasound system and comparing the determined value to a defined value for a system processing guideline using a processor of the ultrasound system. The method further includes providing system parameter confirmation information based on the comparing when the determined value is not within the defined value.

Method and system for displaying system parameter information

The invention describes a procedure for the examination of objects by the means of ultrasound waves whereby a volume-of-interest is scanned by a 3D-ultrasound-probe by moving a transmitter/receiver beam in a scan plane within selectable limits. This B-mode scan plane is also simultaneously moved in a direction across to this scan plane. The transmitting of sound pulses and acquiring the echo-signals is done more or less continuously during the movement in B-plane and across to it The echo-signals are stored in a volume memory on addresses which correspond to the spatial position of the echo-generating structure inside the object. These stored data-sets are evaluated by a 3D-processor and are represented on at least one display unit by different algorithms with selectable parameters. Important is that the acquisition and the representation is done continuously.

Procedure for an examination of objects by the means of ultrasound waves

Method and apparatus for detecting a contour of an object within an image is provided. A user interface is used to select first and second points within the object. A processor detects first and second subcontours based on the first and second points, respectively; and the first and second subcontours are based on detected edges. The detected edges are representative of non-uniformities within the image. The processor defines subcontours around each of the points, and the subcontours are combined into a contour.

User interactive method and user interface for detecting a contour of an object

With a method for determination of the direction of introduction ( ) and for controlling the introduction path of biopsy needles, probes and similar in organisms ( ) by using an ultrasound imaging machine, a scanning unit ( ) of the ultrasound is placed onto the introduction range of the organism ( ) in order to display an image ( ) according to a sectional plane ( ) in which or along which the directional axis ( ) of the introduction path runs and the biopsy needle or similar is controlled during its actual introduction in the corresponding image display ( ). For improvement of the accuracy of introduction and for an easier procedure a larger volume range ( ) of the organism ( ) is scanned by using a 3D-imaging and with a contingent interim storage of the derived signals by a volume storage the sectional plane ( ) to be displayed is selected according to predeterminable criteria from the volume ( ), after which selection the intended introduction path ( ) is virtually displayed in this image and an e.g. prismatic or cylindrical part of the total volume is selected especially within predeterminable limits ( ) being parallel to the axis of the introduction path within that image ( ), the partial volume being displayed in a 3D-image ( ), in which the biopsy needle or similar can be observed during its later actual introduction.

Method for determination of the direction of introduction and for controlling the introduction path of biopsy needles

For that method to examine an object by using ultrasound waves a spatial region of the object is scanned by a 3D probe. From the reflected echo signals just signals are processed which fulfil certain selectable criteria and taken to display it according to their position on at least one display device. For the representation of one or more objects with one or more interesting layers the geometrical selection criterion is a shell which approximates a surface of the object or of a layer and which can have a certain thickness, and only signals which are selected by this shell will be processed and displayed. This results in a undisturbed representation of the object and allows better view to the characteristic of the surface regarding structure or perfusion.

Method for the examination of objects with ultrasound

A method and systems for obtaining 2D ultrasound images. The methods may comprise the steps of receiving ultrasonic information from a volumetric region of a body, volume scan converting the ultrasonic information from the volumetric region for processing a rendering box, and volume rendering the rendering box for projecting the rendering box onto a 2D slice by using volume rendering techniques. The systems may comprise an ultrasonic transducer for receiving ultrasonic information from a volumetric region of a body, a volume scan converter for processing a rendering box obtained from the volumetric region, and a volume rendering processor for projecting the rendering box onto a 2D slice by using volume rendering techniques for contrast enhancement.

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Pollham, Austria

Arthur Gritzky