Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Georg Schmitz

Mareike K Klee

John Douglas Fraser

Harald Reiter

Henning Braess

Hans-Peter Loebl

Tilman Ulrich Schlenker

Olaf Dannappel

Volker Rasche

Johannes J Van Vaals

Peter Maria Johannes Rongen

Kai Eck

Herman Stegehuis

Waldemar Zylka

J&ouml;rg Sabczynski

Til Aach

An image system, notably an X-ray system and an ultrasound system, is provided in which images or sequences of images are generated and used to automatically change or optimize the operational behavior of individual image system components. Measurement fields are defined in the images of an image sequence by means of a data processing unit. Information is extracted from the measurement fields in order to adapt the system components. More specifically, in the course of a sequence of images the measurement fields are adapted or shifted in conformity with the motion of objects.

System and method with automatically optimized imaging

The invention relates to an array of ultrasound transducers which each comprise a substrate (), a membrane (), a first electrode (), a piezoelectric layer (), and a second electrode (), wherein the substrate () comprises at least one opening () which adjoins the membrane () at one side, while the piezoelectric layer () has a high piezoelectric coupling coefficient k and is textured. The invention further relates to an ultrasound transducer and to a method of manufacturing an array of ultrasound transducers.

Array of ultrasound transducers

An ultrasound imaging system for imaging ultrasound scatterers, comprising a probe ( ) for transmitting ultrasound waves and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by said ultrasound scatterers, wherein said probe comprises a first group of transducer elements, labeled transmitting group (T), to transmit ultrasound waves, and a distinct second group of transducer elements, labeled receiving group (R), to detect ultrasound echoes reflected by said ultrasound scatterers. The system also comprises a processing system ( ) comprising transmission and reception means, coupled to said probe ( ), for providing coded signal to said transmitting group (T) and receiving signals from said receiving group (R) respectively; transmission beam-forming means ( ) for focussing the ultrasound waves on a focus line, reception beam-forming means ( ) for forming beam-summed received signals from signals received from the focus line and processing means for processing said beam-summed received signals to form decoded signals so as; and means for displaying an image ( ) that is a function of said decoded signals.

Ultrasound system and ultrasound diagnostic apparatus for imaging scatterers in a medium

The invention is directed towards structures for use with micro-formed membrane ultrasonic transducers, and methods for fabricating the structures. In one embodiment, the transducer includes a planar member having a piezoelectric material and spaced apart electrodes disposed on the planar member and coupled to the piezoelectric material for applying an electric field to the layer, and an acoustic backing member joined to the electrodes. In another embodiment, the transducer includes a planar member having a piezoelectric material that adjoins a semiconductor material, the semiconductor material having monolithically formed active circuits formed in the layer and coupled to the piezoelectric material. In still another embodiment, the transducer includes a planar member having a piezoelectric material, and an acoustic backing member having an adjoining layer of a semiconductor material having monolithically formed active circuits, the active circuits being coupled to the electrodes.

Ultrasonic membrane transducer for an ultrasonic diagnostic probe

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for improved display of small dark structures such as in particular coronary blood vessels in digital X-ray images. A live image (S) is initially subjected to multiscale decomposition in which firstly multiple uses of low pass filtering with subsequent resolution reduction (RED), and secondly resolution increases using subsequent low pass filtration (EXP), give detailed images (D , D , D , D ) of different resolution. In accordance with the first variant of the method, a mask (M) representative of the uninteresting image background is subtracted from the detailed image (D ) having the lowest degree of resolution. This ensures that the subtraction will only comprise correspondingly coarse structures with dimensions greater than the expected image motion. A further improvement can be achieved by applying a motion estimation (MOT EST) and motion compensation (MOT COMP) to the mask (M) and to the detailed image (D ) of the lowest degree of resolution. The detailed images (D -D ) may be multiplied by factors (c ) before they are combined to form the overall image (G). For this purpose, asymmetrical intensification functions are preferably used, so that negative contrast values corresponding to small dark structures can be intensified and positive contrast values can be suppressed.

Apparatus and method for processing of digital images

The invention relates to a method and a device for adapting a radiation dose of an X-ray source ( ). The X-ray source ( ) irradiates an object to be examined, for example, a patient ( ), so as to form an X-ray image ( ) on an X-ray detector ( ). The X-ray image ( ) is subdivided into image regions (A-I) and each time the brightest image region is successively separated from the remaining image regions in an iterative method if its mean grey value forms an indication of the presence of direct radiation ( ) in the relevant image region. The image regions still remaining at the end of the iteration operation correspond to an image region of interest which can be taken into account by a control unit ( ) so as to calculate the optimum radiation dose.

Device and method for adapting the radiation dose of an X-ray source

The invention relates to a method and a device for the processing of X-ray images which can be used notably in medical fluoroscopy procedures since they keep the overall radiation load for a patient low. Processing of and detail enhancement in the X-ray images is preferably performed by means of a pattern matching algorithm which necessitates prior knowledge of a pattern of the detail of interest. In order to extract this pattern, at least one single image (HD) is formed ( ) with a higher dose rate, said single image having an image quality which suffices for the automatic ( ) or non-automatic ( ) recognition of the pattern. The information extracted from this single image serves as a basis for the evaluation of X-ray images (LD ) formed with a lower dose rate.

Method and device for the processing of X-ray images

The invention relates to a method enabling the localization of objects, for example surgical instruments, in interventional radiology. The method utilizes the known geometrical shape of the object to be localized in order to simulate projections therefrom for comparison with real projection images. Optimum correspondence between simulation and real image yields the desired object position and object orientation. The invention is based on digital image processing and can be used in conjunction with customary radiological diagnostic apparatus such as C-arm fluoroscopy apparatus, computed tomography apparatus or magnetic resonance tomography apparatus. Objects to be localized can be provided with markers whose spatial position yields an unambiguous projection image.

Method of localizing objects in interventional radiology

The invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus which includes an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, absorption means arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, a control unit for adjusting the absorption degree of the absorption means, an image processing unit and a display unit. In order to perform an automatic adjustment of the absorption means, the absorption degree therein is optimized in dependence on user-specific parameters ( ) and/or apparatus-specific parameters ( ) and/or structure parameters ( ) and/or parameters ( ) classifying the subject matter of the image.

X-ray examination apparatus

The invention relates to an array of ultrasound transducers which each comprise a substrate ( ), a membrane ( ), a first electrode ( ), a piezoelectric layer ( ), and a second electrode ( ), wherein the substrate ( ) comprises at least one opening ( ) which adjoins the membrane ( ) at one side, while the piezoelectric layer ( ) has a high piezoelectric coupling coefficient k and is textured. The invention further relates to an ultrasound transducer and to a method of manufacturing an array of ultrasound transducers.

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Roetgen, Germany

Georg Schmitz