Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Hewlett-packard Company

Other

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Thomas J Hunt

George Anthony Brock-Fisher

Patrick G Rafter

Bernard Joseph Savord

Karl E Thiele

Hewlett E Melton, Jr

Lewis Jones Thomas, Iii

David Lipschutz

Benjamin M Herrick

Thomas A Shoup

Laurent Belanger

J Mark Ziel

James G Miller

Douglas Rosich

Kimberly K Robertson

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

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 fumdamental 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.

A method for processing ultrasound signal samples obtains enhanced images of a body structure through use of both harmonic and fundamental image processing. The method includes the steps of first obtaining a first plurality of signal samples from sensed backscatter signals that fall within a range of frequencies about a fundamental frequency of the transmitted ultrasound signal. Next, a second plurality of signal samples are obtained from backscatter signals that fall within a range of frequencies about a harmonic of a transmitted ultrasound signal. Control values are then derived from at least one of the first plurality of signal samples or the second plurality of signal samples. Those control values are then utilized to control the processing of the other of the signal samples to derive an improved ultrasound image. In a preferred embodiment, the control values are derived from the signal samples which result from sensed harmonic backscatter signals. Further, the control values are utilized to alter the processing of the fundamental signal samples (e.g., by variation of applied gain, filter frequency, filter bandwidth, etc.).

Ultrasound image processing employing non-linear tissue response backscatter signals

An acoustic data acquisition/playback system and method enable acquisition of acoustic data from an ultrasound imaging system and subsequent substantially real time playback of the acoustic data in the same system or a different system. Acoustic data is acquired at a particular data rate from a signal processing pipeline associated with the ultrasound imaging system during an image acquisition session wherein the acoustic data is produced by exposing a body to ultrasound signals. The acquired data is preferably acquired early in the pipeline so that it is completely raw (e.g., RF, IP, pre-beamformed, post-beamformed, pre-video, etc.), but it could be partially processed. Raw data or near raw data allows for greater flexibility in later signal processing. The acoustic data is stored during the session in a nonvolatile memory, which can optionally be removable. Next, at a time after the image acquisition session, the acoustic data is introduced into a signal processing system (the same ultrasound imaging system or a different signal processing system altogether) from the nonvolatile memory at least at the date rate that it was acquired, in order to produce a real time image for a reviewer that can be modified by the reviewer by further processing, if desired.

Acoustic data acquisition/playback system and method

A transducer for use in an ultrasonic imaging system. The transducer includes a plurality of acoustically and electrically independent sub-arrays, wherein each sub-array includes a plurality of transmitting and receiving elements and a backing assembly. Each sub-array is capable of transmitting lines of ultrasonic energy and receiving echo lines containing information for generating an image concurrent with the operation of the other sub-arrays. The sub-arrays are mounted onto the backing assembly to form a single mechanical unit with the backing assembly providing electrical and acoustic isolation between the cub-arrays. An acoustic insulator is placed between each pair of adjacent sub-arrays to isolate each sub-array from adjacent sub-arrays.

Multiple sub-array transducer for improved data acquisition in

In a phased array ultrasound imaging system, a high quality image is obtained by a combination of line splicing and parallel receive beamforming. Two transmit pulses, one focused in the near field and one focused in the far field, are transmitted sequentially at each steering angle. The transmitted ultrasound energy is preferably focused both in azimuth and in elevation. Ultrasound echos are simultaneously received along two receive scan lines spaced angularly on opposite sides of each transmit scan line. Signals received in response to the near field and far field transmit pulses are spliced together to provide signals that represent a high quality image throughout the region of interest. Image artifacts are reduced by blending the received signals near the splice between the near field and the far field, by dynamically steering the receive scan lines to reduce the effect of line warping, and by weighted averaging of adjacent scan lines.

Ultrasound imaging system using line splicing and parallel receive beam

Apparatus for calculating the delay coefficients to be used for the transducer of a linear array at successive focal points along each radial line of a sector along which ultrasonic pulses are transmitted comprising a plurality of clocked accumulators connected in series, the accumulators being preloaded with appropriate combination of the coefficients of the successive terms of a series expressing an approximation of the formula, D=R-.sqroot.(X-Xo).sup.2 +Yo.sup.2 where R is the distance of a focal point from a given point in the sector, X is the number of the accumulator from the origin and Xo, Yo are the coordinates of the focal point.

Delay coefficient generator for accumulators

Apparatus for deriving signals indicating a condition of tissue within an area by launching spaced supersonic pulses into a body under examination and detecting the power of supersonic waves scattered from locations along a plurality of known paths. Gain control elements are provided for compensating for changes in amplitude of the scattered supersonic waves resulting from their passage through blood or tissue, the increased attenuation with frequency of the spectrum of the launched pulses and the focussing of the launched pulses. Compensation for ring-down and the attenuation of the chest wall is also provided.

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Pelham, NH, United States of America

Thomas J Hunt