Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.

Tat-Jin Teo

Lee Weng

Barry H Friemel

John R Klepper

Katherine G Brown

A static switching scheme along transducer elevation for obtaining beam line from multiple firings. Between firings for an associated beam line the elevation aperture is changed depending upon the image plane focus depth. For a single image plane focus beyond a deepest break point, a widest elevation aperture is used during one firing. During other firings for the beam line the elevation aperture is narrowed. Each of multiple break points separate a distinct depth region. Echo data for a beam line includes echo data from one firing for one region and from another firing for another region. Echo data from multiple firings is blended in vicinity of region boundaries. For multiple image plane foci applications, the elevation aperture for a given firing is determined by the target image plane focus for such firing.

Static scanhead switching along elevation for forming ultrasound beam

A 3D field of view ultrasound image volume is derived from correlated frames of ultrasound image data. An operator manually translates an ultrasound probe across a patient target area. Frames of sensed echo signals are processed to detect probe motion using beam data registration and correlation techniques. Motion is detected by correlating the frames for probe translation among as many as 6 degrees of freedom. Image registration then is performed for correlated portions to accumulate a large ultrasound image. Such image encompasses an area larger than a single field of view image frame for the given manually-scanned transducer probe.

3-dimensional volume by aggregating ultrasound fields of view

A compounded field of view ultrasound image is derived from correlated frames of ultrasound image data. An operator manually translates an ultrasound probe across a patient target area. Frames of sensed echo signals are processed to detect probe motion without the use of a dedicated position sensor or motion sensor. Motion is detected by correlating the frames for probe translation among as many as 6 degrees of freedom. Image registration then is performed for correlated portions to compound a large ultrasound image. Such image encompasses an area larger than a single field of view image frame for the given manually-scanned transducer probe.

3-Dimensional compound ultrasound field of view

A system and a method for generating an ultrasound image of an interrogation region in an object with a transducer with a two-dimensional array of transducer elements, includes the steps of generating an ultrasound beam by activating many transducer elements of the two-dimensional array; electronically controlling the beam to illuminate substantially the same region from at least two orientations; capturing the echoes generated with the beam illuminating the object at different orientations; and analyzing the echoes from all directions to produce an image of the region of the object. The aperture of the transducer generating the beam is at least substantially equal to the aperture generated by a linear array of transducer elements extending across the substantially shortest distance between two opposite edges on the two-dimensional array. The ultrasound power emitted from the transducer elements is not spatially uniform, and the multiple echoes reduce speckle in the image.

Speckle reduction in ultrasound imaging

An image of an interrogation region of a patient's body is generated from the return signal from an ultrasound pulse, which is directed into the interrogation region by a transducer array, which may be linear (to create a planar image) or planar (to create a 3-D image). The time-domain signal back-scattered to the transducer is sensed at a reference plane (preferably, the transducer plane itself) and is transformed first by a temporal Fourier transform and then by a spatial Fourier transform, in order to generate an angular spectral decomposition of the back-scattered signal. This decomposed reference signal is then propagated to image planes (or lines) at depths other than at the reference plane, throughout the image volume. The resulting propagated signals are then inversely transformed twice, back into the time domain. An entire image is thus reconstructed from the back-propagated signal from a single input pulse. Alternatively, several pulses can be transmitted into the interrogation region, an image can be reconstructed from each, and the reconstructed images can be registered and averaged to improve the resulting image. Increases in speed of image generation of several orders of magnitude are often possible, since the system can generate an entire image after only one round-trip propagation time for the ultrasonic input signal.

Ultrasound image reconstruction using back-propagation

The ultrasound transducer array defines an average row spacing along the elevation for receiving transducer elements that differs from an average row spacing along the elevation for transmitting transducer elements. In one embodiment a relatively 'coarse' row spacing is used for reception and a relatively 'fine' row spacing is used for transmission. The differing spacings lead to different transmit-elevation and receive-elevation beam-patterns. In one configuration the number of transducer elements, and correspondingly the number of ultrasound processing channels, is reduced. In an alternative configuration the beam-pattern 'footprint' is increased without increasing the number of transducer elements or processing channels. The array includes dedicated transmit-only elements and/or dedicated receive-only elements, together with coincident, time-shared transmit/receive elements. The coarse-fine spacings enable improved elevational focus without substantially increasing side lobe levels in a focal plane and far field portion of a resulting beam-pattern.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Tat-Jin Teo