Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc.

Echonous, Inc.

Todd Willsie

Greg Nieminen

Evan McCormack

William M Derby, Jr

Ron Broad

Niko Pagoulatos

Systems and methods of transmitting heat away from an ultrasound probe are disclosed within. In one embodiment, a handheld ultrasound probe includes a transducer, electronics configured to drive the transducer, and a housing surrounding the transducer assembly and the electronics. A slot extending from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing and can allow air to pass adjacent transducer and the electronics. The slot can be sized to inhibit accessibility of an operator's finger to an inner surface of slot.

Handheld ultrasound imaging systems and methods for cooling transducers and electronics in the probe housing via air circulation through the housing

Portable ultrasound systems and associated devices and methods for managing power in such systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for conserving power in a portable ultrasound system includes disabling one or more first amplifiers and/or at least one or more first analog to digital converters (ADCs) upon initiation of a first pulse repetition interval (PRI). The method further includes, upon initiation of a second PRI, enabling the one or more first amplifiers and/or the one or more of the first ADCs and disabling one or more second amplifiers of and/or one or more second ADCs.

Portable ultrasound systems with fine-grained power management associated devices, systems, and methods

An ultrasound system comprising a portable ultrasound probe and a docking station provides enhanced ultrasound functionality. One or more first transducer elements transmit an ultrasound signal toward a target structure in a region of interest. Processing circuitry controls transmission of the ultrasound signal, while driving circuitry that is operatively coupled to the one or more first transducer elements and the processing circuitry drives the transmission of the ultrasound signal. The ultrasound probe further includes one or more second transducer elements that receive echo signals returning from the target structure in response to transmission of the ultrasound signal, and a power supply that provides power to the driving circuitry for transmission of the ultrasound signal. The docking station includes an interface that is couplable to the ultrasound probe and circuitry that electrically couples to the ultrasound probe via the interface and enhances the ultrasound functionality of the ultrasound probe.

Ultrasound system with docking station and dockable ultrasound probe

Ultrasound probe

Real-time scanning and display of images is synchronized for ultrasound imaging. The scanning rate requirements for obtaining a frame of ultrasound data are determined. The video rate for imaging is adjusted as a function of the scanning rate.

Medical diagnostic ultrasound scanning and video synchronization

A system and method for generating a border of a region of interest of an image, such as a medical image, are disclosed. Imaging data is acquired for generation of an image. A region of interest of the image is determined. A display value is allocated to a plurality of pixels, respectively, based on color or tissue information from the imaging data. If at least one pixel corresponds to a border of the region of interest, a border value is allocated to the at least one pixel substantially at the same time as when the display value is allocated. The image having the border of the region of interest is displayed.

Medical diagnostic imaging with hardware generated region of interest border

Display or pixel values are scan converted from ultrasound data on the fly. As each pixel is to receive display values, the display value is determined. Scan conversion is performed sequentially, with each new value being determined in synchronization with reading display values out to the display. Rather than storage in a raster buffer, scan converted display values are output to the display while other display values for a same image are being converted.

Medical diagnostic imaging with real-time scan conversion

Gray scale information is mapped to a display with increased dynamic range. Rather than mapping ultrasound data to equal color components, the mapping is offset. The offset may provide a deviation from gray, but the deviation of such a small increment may not be perceptible. Instead, the deviation provides different brightness, which is more easily perceived. The deviation allows for additional levels of gray, such as the 64 levels on a 6-bit display plus any deviation values (e.g., 128 levels for 64 equal color components and 64 with one of the color components offset by one increment). Higher dynamic range ultrasound data maps with less or no loss of dynamic range to a display with a lower true gray scale dynamic range. Spatial dithering may alternatively or additionally increase perception of the dynamic range.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Todd Willsie