Acuson Corporation

Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Richard M Bennett

Gregory L Holley

Samuel H Maslak

Edward A Gardner

Sriram Krishnan

R Bharat Rao

Arun Palligaranai Tirumalai

Joan Carol Main

Lei Sui

Jeffrey R Resnick

A Rebecca Snider

John A Davidson

Joseph W Ruffles

Lynn M Purdy

Kane L Ng

Peter J Magsig

Laurence J McCabe

Ultrasound data is aligned spatially and temporally for volume rendering of a fetal heart or other cyclically moving object. A sequence of ultrasound data is obtained for each of a plurality of planes, such as acquiring data representing each plane over one or more cycles. The different planes are scanned sequentially in a step mode acquisition. The data is aligned temporally and spatially to create data representing volumes at different times throughout the cycle. The alignment uses similarity of the ultrasound data in time and space.

Spatial and temporal alignment for volume rendering in medical diagnostic ultrasound

Systems and methods are provided for automated assessment of regional myocardial function using wall motion analysis methods that analyze various features/parameters of patient information (image data and non-image data) obtained from medical records of a patient. For example, a method for providing automatic diagnostic support for cardiac imaging generally comprises obtaining image data of a heart of a patient, obtaining features from the image data of the heart, which are related to motion of the myocardium of the heart, and automatically assessing regional myocardial function of one or more regions of a myocardial wall using the obtained features.

Systems and methods for providing automated regional myocardial assessment for cardiac imaging

An ultrasound imaging system is programmed to acquire first ultrasonic image frames intermittently. These first frames, typically triggered frames synchronized with a selected portion of an ECG cycle, are optimized for high image quality of a contrast agent included in the tissue. The imaging system automatically acquires second ultrasonic image frames between at least some of the first frames. The second image frames are typically locator frames which are optimized for reduced degradation of the contrast agent. More of the second frames are acquired per unit time than first frames, and both the first and second frames are displayed, either superimposed over one another or in side-by-side relationship. In this way the user is provided with substantially continuous transducer locating information, yet contrast agent destruction between acquisitions of the first, triggered frames is reduced or eliminated.

Gated ultrasound imaging apparatus and method

A method and system for imaging contrast agent within human or animal tissue, organs and/or blood is provided. Contrast agents, such as perfluorocarbon gas-filled albumin microbubbles which exhibit momentary contrast enhancement when exposed to high intensity ultrasound are injected into a patient. Periodic images are generated to avoid reduction in the contrast provided by the contrast agents due to ultrasound destruction. Between the periodic images, an M-mode image is substantially continuously updated to allow the user to better locate and maintain imaging of a region of interest, determine dynamic movement within the region of interest, access attenuation, determine an appropriate trigger point, and view perfusion of the contrast agent between the periodic images while minimizing destruction of contrast agent. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system alternates between triggered firings of a two-dimensional B-mode image and substantially continuous updating of an M-mode image. The M-mode image is displayed as a strip revealing the time course of reflected ultrasound echoes along a scan line within the B-mode image plane. The B-mode image is displayed adjacent to the M-mode image. In a second embodiment, two-dimensional B-mode and color Doppler images are triggered. The Doppler energy parameter is used for generating the adjacent and substantially continuous M-mode image.

Medical diagnostic ultrasound system and method for continuous M-mode imaging and periodic imaging of contrast agents

The use of menu branches associated with a patient's potential condition aids in the accuracy and efficiency of an ultrasound measurement system. The menu branches use a set of suggested measurements to produce results that allow for the evaluation of the potential condition of the patient. The set of suggested measurements can be less than all of the possible measurements for the calculation package. The user no longer has to skip through a large menu full of irrelevant measurement selections. For this reason, the user is less likely to skip pertinent measurements or do time consuming measurements which are irrelevant to evaluate the potential condition. The time savings is important since the user of the ultrasound measurement system may be under severe time pressure.

Interactive goal-directed ultrasound measurement system

Growing community of inventors

Half Moon Bay, CA, United States of America

Richard M Bennett