Doppler-based vein-artery detection for vascular assessment

Abstract

An ultrasound-imaging system can include an ultrasound probe, a console, and a display screen. The ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasonic transducers that, when activated, emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals for processing into ultrasound images. Operations of the system can include detecting one or more black holes within the ultrasound image and identifying each black hole as a vein, an artery or other anatomic element using doppler ultrasound functionality of the ultrasound probe. Operations can also include defining a window for doppler ultrasound operation, and assessing a blood flow rate within blood vessels. Operations can also include rendering notifications atop the ultrasound image pertaining to the identity of the black hole without obstructing the image of black hole.