Duke University

Other

Volumetrics Medical Imaging, Inc.

Volumetrics Medical Systems, LLC

Olaf T Von Ramm

Stephen W Smith

Donald Kent McAlister

David Thomas Dubberstein

Richard L Holloway

Kent Moore

David W Smith

John J Stefanski

John T Oxaal

Robert S Smith

Stephen Michael Grenon

Paul John Hilts

Ronald E Hileman

Thomas R Poulin

John A Schachte

Ahmed A Morsy

John B Castellucci

David N Roundhill

Paul J Roeder

Patrick J Phillips

John C Moore

Steve Moore

Norman J Bennett

A system for imaging an airway for assessing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can include first and second ultrasound transducer arrays on first and second body members, respectively, configured to adhere the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays at first and second fixed positions on a neck while ultrasound scanning. A processor circuit can be coupled to the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays, the processor circuit configured to operate the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays for pulse-echo imaging of a soft tissue-airway interface to generate respective first and second volumetric ultrasound image data sets in real-time to provide an integrated volumetric image of the soft tissue-airway interface from the first and second fixed positions on the neck.

Systems, methods and electrodes for 4-dimensional ultrasound pulse-echo imaging of the neck and upper airway

An ultrasound imaging system can include first and second ultrasound transducer arrays and a processor circuit, coupled to the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays. The processor circuit can be configured to generate separate first and second volumetric ultrasound image data sets using the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays respectively and configured to combine the separate first and second volumetric ultrasound image data sets to generate an integrated volumetric image.

Devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for 4-dimensional ultrasound imaging

Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasound Transducer (pMUT) arrays for ultrasonic imaging, and related apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic imaging assembly comprises a substrate and a plurality of array elements arranged on the substrate in an array. Each array element comprises at least one pMUT disposed on the substrate each having a geometry configured to accept a predetermined fundamental mode vibration. The plurality of array elements are configured to transmit and receive at least one ultrasound beam based on the predetermined fundamental mode vibration. By sizing the pMUTs to correspond to a desired fundamental mode vibration, the pMUT array has improved sensitivity, and can be produced relatively cheaply compared to conventional dicing methods.

pMUT array for ultrasonic imaging, and related apparatuses, systems, and methods

A method of generating an image of a scanned subject includes: emitting, by multiple ultrasonic elements of an array, multiple respective ultrasonic signals into a subject, the multiple respective ultrasonic signals defining at least two beam portions traveling in different directions; receiving, by the multiple ultrasonic elements, multiple respective ultrasonic echo signals; and generating at least one image of a portion of the subject from the received multiple ultrasonic echo signals. A negatively focused wavefront including the at least two beam portions traveling in the different directions may be emitted. Multiple negatively focused wavefronts may be generated and emitted.

Systems and methods for ultrasound motion display and analysis

A first ultrasound dataset that represents an object in a first coordinate system can be acquired at a first time. Three landmarks of the object can be located in the first ultrasound dataset to define a second coordinate system. A first transform from the first to the second coordinate system can be determined for the first ultrasound dataset. A second ultrasound dataset that represents the object in the first coordinate system can be acquired at a second time. The same three landmarks in the second ultrasound dataset can be located to define a third coordinate system. A second transform from the first to the third coordinate systems can be determined for the second ultrasound dataset.

Methods and systems for aligning views of image data

A volumetric ultrasound system is used to determine the velocity of tissue using 3D echo data. In particular, the velocity of tissue in a 3D volume is determined by steering ultrasound beams to the tissue in the 3D volume and forming 3D echo data from receive ultrasound beams formed from reflections of the steered ultrasound beams from the tissue in the 3D volume. The velocity of the tissue associated with the 3D echo data can be determined using velocity determination techniques. The velocity of the tissue can be displayed in real-time. For example, in one embodiment, a sub-volume of the 3D volume can be scanned and the determined velocity of the tissue displayed in about 50 milliseconds (ms).

Methods and systems for determining velocity of tissue using three dimensional ultrasound data

Multiple transmit ultrasound beams are generated by an ultrasound transducer at different frequencies in different directions in a region of a body during a maximum scan range interval. Transmitting multiple transmit ultrasound beams during the maximum scan range interval may provide an increase in the data acquisition rate compared to conventional ultrasound imaging systems. The transmit ultrasound beams are tracked using parallel receive processing and filtered to provide ultrasound scan lines for display. The respective directions of the transmit ultrasound beams are selected to define a separation angle therebetween which may reduce interference between the transmit ultrasound beams. The maximum scan range interval includes a time interval from a first start time to a second start time which is less than a total time for one of the transmit ultrasound beams to propagate to a maximum scan range in the region and a corresponding reflected transmit ultrasound beam to propagate from the maximum scan range to the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound scan lines are displayed using a line-by-line frequency interlace pattern which may reduce the effect of frequency dependent attenuation in the region. The line-by-line frequency interlacing may also reduce a difference in speckle size due to the different frequencies.

Methods and systems for ultrasound scanning using spatially and

An apparatus and method for injecting a drug into a precisely selected location in a patient's body which is a combination scanner and drug injector. The scanner is a planar array of ultrasonic transducers which transmits a focused ultrasonic beam over the entire region of interest. The injector is preferably a hypodermic syringe mounted with the array on a base. The syringe is mounted to slide between one position where the injector conduit is retracted from the patient and another position where the adjustably positioned exit end of the conduit is in the desired location for injection of the drug. As the operator holds the scanner-injector against the patient's body with injector conduit retracted, he views on a monitor screen a virtual image of the conduit which is the image of the conduit after the conduit is injected into the body. The operator electronically adjusts the length of the virtual image and adjusts the position of the scanner-injector so that the exit tip of the virtual image is located at the desired location of the image of the region on the screen. Then the conduit is inserted into the body up to a length where the exit tip of the injector is at the desired location. Then the drug is injected into the patient. In another application of the apparatus and methods of the invention, a vacuum source is attached to the injector conduit and the device is used to aspirate fluids. instead of a drug In another embodiment, a portion of the ukltrasonic beam is focused on the region of interest before and during insertion of the conduit and drug to facilitate entry of the drug into the region of interest.

Ultrasound image assisted administering of medication

A first set of ultrasound data values is obtained that correspond to the position of a biological tissue at a first time. A second set of ultrasound data values is obtained corresponding to positions of the biological tissue at a second time. A feature pattern is located in the first set of ultrasound data values so as to provide a reference feature pattern. A search region is determined in the second set of ultrasound data values that corresponds to the located reference feature pattern in the first set of ultrasound data values. A feature pattern is located in the search region of the second set of ultrasound data values so as to provide a candidate feature pattern corresponding to the reference feature pattern. A correlation is determined between the reference feature pattern in the first set of ultrasound data values and the candidate feature pattern in the search region in the second set of ultrasound data values. A candidate feature pattern is selected in the search region in the second set of ultrasound data values based on the correlation. The movement of the biological tissue is determined based on the reference feature pattern and the selected candidate feature pattern.

Ultrasound methods, systems, and computer program products for

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method for real-time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow. The apparatus constitutes an improvement on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the type wherein an ultrasonic pulse beam is repeatedly transmitted into the subject under examination at a fixed pulse rate and the reflected echoes are picked up, amplified and displayed. The improvement comprises an ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer which is electronically and/or mechanically divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from one of the two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of the two or more sub-apertures. Optionally, the apparatus and method further comprises signal processing means including quadrature detection circuitry comprising sampling means for sampling the echo signals or a downward shifted version of echo signals and Hilbert transform means for filtering the signals so as to obviate the need for mixers, low-pass filters (LPF) and quadrature reference frequencies utilized in conventional ultrasonic blood flow imaging.

Multi-dimensional real-time ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus and

Disclosed is a ultrasonic transducer array comprising a ceramic connector having an array of connector pads, a mismatching layer of electrically conducting material connected to the upper surface of the ceramic connector, a piezoelectric transducer chip connected to the mismatching layer, separation means for dividing the piezoelectric chip into a plurality of transducer elements positioned in a two-dimensional array, wherein each one of the plurality of transducer elements is selectively connected to a corresponding one of the connector pads. Also disclosed in a two-dimensional ultrasound transducer array and transducer array for ultrasound imaging.

Ultrasonic transducer array

Disclosed is an ultrasonic method of measuring the movement of a particle in a test region. The method comprises processing a modulated signal returned from the test region to detect a first range of feature data and then processing a modulated signal returned from the test region to detect a second range of feature data. The second range of feature data is then compared to the first range of feature data to determine the positional displacement between at least one feature in the second range of feature data and the closest adjacent feature in the first range of feature data. The positional displacement indicates the movement of a particle in the test region. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method.

Ultrasound time domain velocity detection method and apparatus

An electronic signal processing device which forms a compound image for any pulse-echo ultrasound imaging system using a two-dimensional array transducer. The processing device obtains the detected sum of a series of cross-shaped apertures within the transducer in order to form a spatial compound image with the output of each cross-shaped aperture consisting of the product of the output signals from the orthogonal arms of the cross.

Maltese cross processor: a high speed compound acoustic imaging system

An acoustic pulse echo imaging system capable of producing an image of a three-dimensional object utilizing a two-dimensional display having perspective capabilities is described. In the system angular relationships of targets at all ranges are maintained for display. The system uses a two-dimensional transducer array of piezoelectric elements; the array is steered to assume transmit and receive orientations in both azimuth and elevation by producing (1) a directed transmit pulse and many similarly directed receive orientations or (2) a non-directed transmit pulse and many directed receive orientations. For each transmit pulse a parallel processing system produces several unique image points whose locations in the image correspond to the tangents of the angles of the receive orientations in the azimuth and elevation planes. The brightness of each image point is the weighted integral of the echo data received along each receive path. As an option, range discrimination capability is provided by means of a range dependent gain control, brightness shading as a function of range or a color display in which data originating from different ranges is displayed in different hues.

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Efland, NC, United States of America

Olaf T Von Ramm