Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Hewlett-packard Company

Other

Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.v.

Patrick G Rafter

George Anthony Brock-Fisher

Mckee Dunn Poland

Matthew Mooney

Thomas J Hunt

Jerome F Witt

Jie Chen

Robert L Burnham

Bernard Joseph Savord

Karl E Thiele

Michalakis Averkiou

David W Clark

David Prater

Ronald D Gatzke

Jeanne Cheng

Alwyn P D'Sa

Turuvekere R Gururaja

Abhay Vijay Patil

Sanjiv Kaul

Rajesh Panda

Heinrich Beckermann

Kevin Wei

Jodi L T Perry

Jodi Lisa Tuck Perry

Jodi Lt Perry

Jimmy Li-Shin Su

Alexandra Goncalves

Susan E Beiter

Lydia Rivera

Michael Peszynski

An ultrasound imaging system may acquire ultrasound data from a heart. The ultrasound data may be analyzed to on-invasively provide a value for cardiac pressure, such as left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). In some examples, the ultrasound data may be acquired from B-mode images, Doppler images, and/or strain measurements. In some examples, the ultrasound data may be acquired across an entire cardiac cycle of the heart. In some examples, the ultrasound data may include strain measurements and/or volume measurements of the left atrium. In some examples, the ultrasound data may be analyzed by a correlation algorithm, such as a partial least squares model and/or a neural network.

Systems and methods for non-invasive pressure measurements

A medical imaging system configured to provide cardiac sonothrombolysis therapy is disclosed. Various embodiments of portable cardiac sonothrombolysis devices are disclosed. The devices may be configured to determine if one or more ultrasound probes have a proper view of the heart, and if not, may steer the beam to a desired location. The ultrasound probes may be configured for both imaging and cardiac sonothrombolysis therapy. The ultrasound probes may be configured to be hands-free. The portable devices may be configured to provide operating instructions to an operator. The instructions may be provided via graphics, audio, and/or video.

Ultrasound device for sonothrombolysis therapy

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region containing tissue which has been perfused by a contrast agent. The plurality of slices scanned are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce an elevationally combined slice image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. The elevationally combined slice image is processed to produce a qualitative or quantitative measure of perfusion, such as an image with degrees of perfusion indicated by a range of brightness levels, an image of color perfusion parameters, or a perfusion curve or curve parameter indicating rate of perfusion.

Quantified perfusion studies with ultrasonic thick slice imaging having a dual port memory

A method of generating three-dimensional (3D) full volume ultra-sound images with the uses of contrast agents includes acquiring ultrasound image data for multiple subvolumes () synchronized to an ECG () over multiple cardiac cycles () via triggering (). Acquiring includes at least one of two acquisition protocols. The first acquisition protocol uses an output acoustic power insufficient for causing destruction of the contrast agents during ultrasound image data acquisition (). The second acquisition protocol uses an output acoustic power sufficient for causing destruction of the contrast agents during ultrasound image data acquisition (). Triggering () of respective ones of the ultrasound image data acquisitions of the multiple subvolumes () is selected to enable destroyed contrast agents to be replaced by new contrast agents prior to a subsequent triggering of ultrasound image data acquisition of a subsequent subvolume. Furthermore, ultrasound image data () from the multiple subvolumes is combined to generate the 3D full volumeultrasound image data ().

Ultrasound imaging method and apparatus

An ultrasound imaging system transmits a broad beam of ultrasound into tissues that are perfused with blood containing microbubbles. The ultrasound has an intensity that is sufficient to destroy the microbubbles in the tissues. A plurality of ultrasound imaging beams are then transmitted into the tissues over a sufficient period to allow the tissues to re-perfuse, and reflections from the transmitted imaging beams are processed to provide a perfusion image. The transmitted microbubble-destroying ultrasound may be in the form of a single beam or a plurality of beams that insonify a substantially larger area than the area insonified by the transmitted imaging beams. As a result, the microbubbles are all destroyed at substantially the same time, and the imaging ultrasound is transmitted only into regions of the tissues from which ultrasound reflections will be received.

Method for ultrasound perfusion imaging

A myocardial contrast echo exam is performed by the use of a two dimensional array transducer probe. The probe is held against a selected acoustic window of the body and first and second image planes through the heart are imaged and the plane orientations stored. Settings to optimize the images may also be stored for the two plane orientations. A contrast agent is infused and the resting heart scanned through the acoustic window. Upon actuation of a user control the ultrasound system automatically acquires images of the selected image planes through the acoustic window. Stress is applied to the heart to increase the heart rate and automatic acquisition sequence is repeated to acquire the images with the heart under stress. The at-rest and stress images may be compared to analyze the reperfusion of the myocardium of the heart.

Automated myocardial contrast echocardiography

Systems and methods for enhanced color-flow imaging of contrast-agent perfused blood vessels and other tissues within a patient's body are disclosed. The method generally comprises, introducing one or more contrast agents into the body, power-modulating transmit pulses into the body, receiving echoes from the body, processing the received echoes to reduce tissue-generated echoes and echoes from stationary contrast agent, using a color-flow processor to generate a color-encoded display responsive to contrast-agent motion. The method may be implemented by a system with a an excitation-signal source, a transducer, an ultrasound-processing system having multiple image processors including a color-flow processor, as well as, a clutter filter, and an arbiter, and a display-processing system.

Contrast-agent enhanced color-flow imaging

A therapeutic agent is incorporated into microbubbles of a contrast agent, and the microbubbles containing the therapeutic agent are delivered to a region of interest in a patient. An ultrasound image of the region of interest is generated by an ultrasound imaging system, and ultrasound energy for destroying the microbubbles of the contrast agent is transmitted to the region of interest. Parameter data that is representative of activation of the therapeutic agent in the region of interest is acquired, and a parameter display is generated. One or more parameters of the ultrasound energy applied to the region of interest for activating the therapeutic agent may be adjusted, either manually based on the parameter display or automatically based on acquired parameter data. In one embodiment, the parameter display is indicative of a parameter associated with the ultrasound energy transmitted to the region of interest. In another embodiment, the parameter data is acquired by detecting destruction of microbubbles of the contrast agent.

Methods and apparatus for displaying information relating to delivery and activation of a therapeutic agent using ultrasound energy

Ultrasonic imaging to receive a signal from contrast agent microbubbles in arterioles of a myocardium, without being masked by a signal from microbubbles in capillaries of the myocardium. For example, high power ultrasonic energy is emitted to destroy microbubbles in the arterioles and capillaries. A time delay passes from the destruction. The time delay is sufficiently long to allow the arterioles to refill with microbubbles and sufficiently short so that the capillaries do not completely refill with microbubbles. Ultrasonic imaging is then performed to receive a signal between harmonics from the microbubbles refilled in the arterioles. Various other destructive and non-destructive imaging techniques are disclosed.

Ultrasonic imaging to detect coronary artery stenosis at rest

A user interface for an imaging device provides a first controller for adjusting the output of a transducer and a second controller for high power imaging. A control circuit, in response to input from the first controller adjusts the output power level of the imaging device and when a power level over a predetermined value is requested requires input from the second controller prior to adjusting the output of the imaging device to the requested power level. Alternatively, the first control can be used to set the imaging device for low power imaging, while the second control is used to set the imaging device for high power imaging. The imaging device can also be provided with a variety of display interfaces to facility safe high power imaging. A graph of power vs. depth may be displayed in conjunction with the ultrasound image and the portions of the image that receive the highest power can be highlighted.

User interface for imaging system

The present invention relates to a&rsqb; A device for producing an image of a body part into which a contrasting agent has been introduced, the device including an image detecting device modifying the contrasting agent to provide a modified image, and a processor acquiring and processing the modified image so as to create an image which represents a rate of flow of blood or other fluid in the body part. The device may be an ultrasound imaging device or may be a magnetic resonance imaging device.

Device for producing an on-line image of a body part into which a contrasting agent has been introduced

A system and method for fundamental real-time imaging of the non-linear response of tissue perfused with a contrast agent are disclosed. An image with increased sensitivity to non-linear responses can be achieved by detecting the ultrasound response at the fundamental frequency from tissue perfused with a contrast agent and excited by multiple excitation levels. The responses detected from the multiple excitation levels may be gain corrected in an amount corresponding to the difference in magnitude of the excitation levels, then mathematically combined. The mathematical manipulation serves to remove linear responses to the fundamental excitation from the detected image. An ultrasonic contrast agent and tissue imaging system can be implemented with a transducer, first and second transmitters, a receiver, a control system, a processing system and a display. The transmitters generate electrical signals that are translated by the transducer into first and second pressure waves respectively, the respective pressure waves being of different power magnitudes. A control system electrically coupled to the transmitters, the transducer, and a receiver, coordinates pressure wave transmissions and the reception of ultrasonic responses. A processing system removes linear responses leaving the non-linear responses from the contrast agent and the surrounding tissue. Lastly, a display configured to receive the non-linear response creates an image of the insonified contrast agent and surrounding tissue.

System and method for non-linear detection of ultrasonic contrast agents at a fundamental frequency

Quadrature demodulation apparatus and method for detecting a contrast agent in an ultrasonic echographic system, including an in phase/quadrature demodulator for determining the resolved complex real and imaginary in phase and quadrature components of return signals and a contrast agent detector determining the complex difference between first and second return signals. The detector is implemented as a magnitude of difference detector determining the magnitude of the complex difference of pairs of first and second return signals wherein the real and imaginary components of the return signals, including magnitude and phase information, are used to determine the magnitude of the complex difference between first and second return signals. The detector is also implemented as an asymmetrical weighting detector resolving the complex difference between first and second return signals into components in phase with and orthogonal to the second signal and weighting the magnitudes of in phase and orthogonal components of the complex difference and indicating a contrast agent present when the combination of differently weighted component exceeds the corresponding threshold value. The detector is also implemented as an extrapolation detector for receiving three successive return signals along each line wherein the second return signal and a third return signal are used to extrapolate what the first return signal would have been without the contrast agent component and to generate a decision threshold that is compared to the complex difference between the actual first return signal and the extrapolated first return signal.

Methods for the detection of contrast agents in ultrasonic imaging

The present disclosure relates to an imaging system for harmonic imaging of an object in a medium. The system comprises a transducer formed of a single crystal of a piezoelectric material, a transmitter for transmitting waves into the medium, a receiver for receiving echoed waves from the medium, and a control system electrically connected to the transmitter and the receiver which is used control the operation of the transmitter and interpret signals received by the receiver. In a preferred embodiment, the single crystal of piezoelectric material comprises a PMN-PT material or a PZN-PT material. Through use of this material, &minus;6 dB bandwidths of at least approximately 95% are obtainable.

Growing community of inventors

Windham, NH, United States of America

Patrick G Rafter