Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Douglas Maxwell

James Robertson Jago

Hua Xie

Michael R Burcher

Anna Teresa Fernandez

Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon

Sheng-Wen Huang

Jun Seob Shin

David Hope Simpson

Unmin Bae

Changhong Hu

Timothy Fred Nordgren

Xiaowen Hu

Deborah Imling

Scott Easterbrook

Gregory J Friend

Systems, devices, and methods for ultrasonic imaging by sparse sampling are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system comprises an array of ultrasound transducer elements, electronic circuitry in communication with the array of ultrasound transducer elements and configured to select a first receive aperture of the array comprising a plurality of contiguous ultrasound transducer elements and at least one non-contiguous ultrasound transducer element, and a beamformer in communication with the electronic circuitry. Each ultrasound transducer element of the first receive aperture is configured to receive reflected ultrasound echoes and generate an electrical signal representative of imaging data. The beamformer is configured to receive the electrical signals generated by the first receive aperture and apply different weight to the electrical signals generated by the contiguous ultrasound transducer elements and the electrical signal generated by the at least one non-contiguous ultrasound transducer element.

Ultrasonic imaging by sparse sampling and associated devices, systems, and methods

Shear Wave Dispersion Vibrometry (SDUV) is performed such that, after a single instance of their push pulse (), a plurality of tracking pulses () are issued to sample, more than once, each of a plurality of locations () on an associated monochromatic shear wave () in sampling that at least one of scans the plural locations in separate passes and, with a pulse of the plural tracking pulses, samples multiple ones of the plural locations concurrently. In a supplementary aspect, phase difference, for a given moment, is determined by taking into account intersample delay (), if the determination relies on samples that are taken at different times.

Push/tracking sequences for shear wave dispersion vibrometry

Shear Wave Dispersion Vibrometry (SDUV) is performed such that, after a single instance of their push pulse (), a plurality of tracking pulses () are issued to sample, more than once, each of a plurality of locations () on an associated monochromatic shear wave () in sampling that at least one of scans the plural locations in separate passes and, with a pulse of the plural tracking pulses, samples multiple ones of the plural locations concurrently. In a supplementary aspect, phase difference, for a given moment, is determined by taking into account intersample delay (156), if the determination relies on samples that are taken at different times.

An ultrasound probe is provided for imaging and diagnosing areas of interest that are in immediate contact with the probe. The probe provides an integrated standoff comprised of a rubber material having optimal acoustic characteristics. The lens is directly applied to the transducer and the standoff is applied to the lens such that the focal zone is placed at the area immediately below the patient contact surface of the probe. The lens material also encapsulates the transducer and provides reliable protection against electrical shock. The standoff is also separated from the surface being examined by a cap comprised of a biocompatible elastomer having high chemical and abrasive resistance that enables the probe to be easily sterilized and disinfected and provides further protection against electrical shock. The use of a standoff with optimal acoustic properties in, combination with the arrangement of the lens, standoff and cap provides a probe with a focal zone placed at the area immediately below the probe. The lens, standoff and cap are spatially arranged to minimize the volume of the distal transducer section and overall probe such that the probe is easy to manipulate.

Intraoperative ultrasound probe with an integrated acoustic standoff

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are described for performing fundamental frequency and second harmonic frequency imaging simultaneously. Transmit bursts are employed which include a first waveform component optimized for fundamental imaging and a second waveform component optimized for harmonic imaging. The first waveform component may be centered in the transducer passband, and the second waveform component may be located on the opposite side of the center of the transducer passband from its second harmonic frequency, for instance. Echoes received from the bursts are separated into fundamental and harmonic components and used to form separate fundamental and harmonic images or blended fundamental/harmonic images.

Simultaneous fundamental and harmonic ultrasonic imaging

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Woodinville, WA, United States of America

Douglas Maxwell