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Небесная энциклопедия

Космические корабли и станции, автоматические КА и методы их проектирования, бортовые комплексы управления, системы и средства жизнеобеспечения, особенности технологии производства ракетно-космических систем

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Мониторинг СМИ

Мониторинг СМИ и социальных сетей. Сканирование интернета, новостных сайтов, специализированных контентных площадок на базе мессенджеров. Гибкие настройки фильтров и первоначальных источников.

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Поддерживает ввод нескольких поисковых фраз (по одной на строку). При поиске обеспечивает поддержку морфологии русского и английского языка
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Применить Всего найдено 3359. Отображено 100.
19-04-2012 дата публикации

Coupled Axial and Lateral Displacement Estimation for Elasticity Imaging

Номер: US20120095333A1
Автор: Jingfeng Jiang, Timothy J. Hall
Принадлежит: Individual

The determination of axial and lateral displacement in a material subject to compression is determined by fitting a multi-dimensional model function to the match between corresponding portions of the material in two states of compression. In one embodiment, iso-contour lines in a correlation between a reference kernel and a target kernel are fit to an ellipse whose center defines the maximum correlation and hence the displacement.

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Номер записи: 1
19-04-2012 дата публикации

Multiple Aperture Probe Internal Apparatus and Cable Assemblies

Номер: US20120095347A1
Автор: David M. Smith, Donald F. Specht, Kenneth D. Brewer, Sharon L. Adam
Принадлежит: Maui Imaging Inc

A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate physical apertures of ultrasound arrays. The probe can include separate backing plates configured to secure the ultrasound arrays in predetermined positions and orientations relative to one another. Some embodiments of the probe include flex circuit connected to the ultrasound arrays. In additional embodiments, a flex/PC board comprising flex connectors and an array of terminals is connected to the ultrasound arrays. Algorithms can solve for variations in tissue speed of sound, thus allowing the probe apparatus to be used virtually anywhere in or on the body.

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Номер записи: 2
10-05-2012 дата публикации

Enhancing quality of ultrasound spatial compound image based on beam profile in ultrasound system

Номер: US20120114209A1
Автор: Jeong Sik Kim, Song Yi HAN
Принадлежит: Medison Co Ltd

There are provided embodiments for enhancing the quality of an ultrasound spatial compound image based on a beam profile in an ultrasound system. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound data for obtaining a plurality of ultrasound images corresponding to a plurality of steering angles; a storage unit for storing at least one beam profile indicating a spreading degree of an ultrasound beam according to depth based on at least one focusing point; and a processing unit configured to set an amount of blurring corresponding to spreading of the ultrasound beam according to the depth based on the at least one beam profile, and perform a filtering process for compensating the blurring by the spreading of the ultrasound beam based on the ultrasound data and the amount of blurring to form an ultrasound spatial compound image.

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Номер записи: 3
10-05-2012 дата публикации

Method for generating transverse elastic waves, and method and apparatus for acquiring images using transverse elastic waves

Номер: US20120116225A1
Автор: Taeyong KIM
Принадлежит: Alpinion Medical Systems Co Ltd

The present invention relates to a method for generating transverse elastic waves, a method and apparatus for acquiring images using the transverse elastic waves. The present disclosure provides a technique for generating transverse elastic waves by focusing the ultrasonic waves respectively on a number of focal points which are virtually present in a viscoelastic medium and also become wave sources of the transverse elastic waves, and controlling the generated transverse elastic waves to have peak positions with their overlapping points residing and translating in two line segments extending in parallel or at an acute angle to facilitate increasing elastic deformations of the viscoelastic medium to an appropriate level, and thus acquiring images with improved accuracy in the viscoelastic medium.

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Номер записи: 4
31-05-2012 дата публикации

Medical image display apparatus and method for displaying medical images

Номер: US20120133663A1
Автор: Shunichiro Tanigawa
Принадлежит: Individual

A medical image display apparatus for displaying medical images of a biological tissue includes a physical quantity calculator that calculates a first physical quantity related to elasticity of the biological tissue, and a display image control unit that displays a first elastic image having a display form corresponding to the first physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculator and a second elastic image having a display form corresponding to a second physical quantity related to elasticity of the biological tissue calculated by other another medical image display apparatus as the medical images. The display image control unit displays images in which portions having a same elasticity in the biological tissue in a same display form as the first and second elastic images.

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Номер записи: 5
06-09-2012 дата публикации

Ultrasonic scanning system and ultrasound image enhancement method

Номер: US20120226159A1
Автор: Anthony Sinclair, Farhang Honavar, Joel Fortin, Luke Wesley, Maciej Jastrzebski, Tom Dusatko
Принадлежит: University of Toronto

An ultrasonic measurement system comprises a processor configured for enhancing a received ultrasonic signal, where the received ultrasonic signal is a frequency domain signal. The enhancing involves deconvolving the received ultrasonic signal to yield a filtered signal, determining autoregressive extrapolation parameters based on frequency amplitude fluctuations of the filtered signal within a frequency range over which a corresponding reference signal has a high signal-to-noise ratio, and carrying out an autoregressive spectral extrapolation of the filtered signal using the autoregressive extrapolation parameters to yield an enhanced ultrasonic signal.

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Номер записи: 6
06-09-2012 дата публикации

Medical doppler ultrasound system for locating and tracking blood flow

Номер: US20120226163A1
Автор: Mark A. Curry, Mark A. Moehring
Принадлежит: Spentech Inc

Systems and methods for processing echo signals in a Doppler ultrasound system from a region of interest. An ultrasound beam is electronically steered to deliver ultrasound to and receive echo signals from a plurality of sample locations in the region of interest. The echo signals for each sample location are processed to extract Doppler shift signals and Doppler shift data representing the Doppler shift signals are generated. The Doppler shift data accumulated for the sample locations can be used to detect the presence of blood flow in the region of interest, and identify the location in the region of interest at which the presence of blood flow is detected. The blood flow can be tracked by updating the location of the detected blood flow in the region of interest. The blood flow can be further monitored by combining the locating and tracking functionality with an m-mode ultrasound image.

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Номер записи: 7
29-11-2012 дата публикации

Method and system for treatment and diagnosis using ultrasound

Номер: US20120302883A1
Автор: Dong-Geon Kong, Joon-Kee Cho, Ki-Wan Choi
Принадлежит: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

A method and system for treatment and diagnosis using ultrasound includes irradiating ultrasound for treatment into a treatment site, inducing a shear wave around the treatment site, irradiating ultrasound for diagnosis into the treatment site, and determining a degree of treatment or necrosis of a tissue of the treatment site by using a measured displacement of the shear wave.

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Номер записи: 8
27-12-2012 дата публикации

Automated Ultrasonic Elasticity Image Formation with Quality Measure

Номер: US20120330155A1
Автор: Amy Marie Sommer, Jingfeng Jiang, Timothy Jon Hall
Принадлежит: Individual

Image data and E-mode images used in ultrasonic elasticity imaging may be automatically evaluated for quality to provide a single value used as operator feedback or for automatic selection of images for averaging or animation.

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Номер записи: 9
31-01-2013 дата публикации

Ambient sound velocity obtaining method and apparatus

Номер: US20130030297A1
Автор: Kimito Katsuyama
Принадлежит: Fujifilm Corp

To obtain ambient sound velocity of a subject with high accuracy in a ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus. In an ambient sound velocity obtaining method that transmits ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe, receives reflected waves reflected by a subject to obtain received signals, performs a receive focusing process on the received signals using receive delay times based on a plurality of sound velocity settings to obtain in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, and obtains an ambient sound velocity of the subject based on the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting is separated into an in-phase sum signal corresponding to a boundary portion in the subject and an in-phase sum signal corresponding to portions other than the boundary portion, an index is obtained based on at least either one of the in-phase sum signals, and the ambient sound velocity is obtained based on the index.

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Номер записи: 10
07-03-2013 дата публикации

Device system and method for generating additive radiation forces with sound waves

Номер: US20130058195A1
Автор: Anis Redha Hadj Henni, Cedric Rene Schmitt, Emmanuel Montagnon, Guy Cloutier
Принадлежит: Individual

The present relates to a device, a system and a method for generating radiation forces in a region of interest. For doing so, a plurality of additive shear waves are generated in the region of interest.

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Номер записи: 11
20-06-2013 дата публикации

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and evaluation calculation method

Номер: US20130158900A1
Автор: Koji Waki
Принадлежит: Hitachi Medical Corp

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including: a two-dimensional elasticity image forming unit that calculates elasticity frame data indicating the elasticity distribution measured by scanning an object in a three-dimensional manner using an ultrasonic wave; an elasticity volume data generation unit that generates elasticity volume data by collecting the plurality of elasticity frame data items; a three-dimensional elasticity image forming unit that forms a three-dimensional elasticity image by performing volume rendering of the elasticity volume data; and a quality calculation unit that calculates a volume evaluation value indicating the quality of the elasticity volume data on the basis of an autocorrelation value between a pair of tomographic frame data items, which are a basis for calculating the elasticity frame data, and a frame evaluation value indicating the quality of the elasticity frame data.

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Номер записи: 12
25-07-2013 дата публикации

Ultrasound imaging system with pixel oriented processing

Номер: US20130190622A1
Автор: Ronald Elvin Daigle
Принадлежит: Verasonics Inc

An ultrasound imaging system with pixel oriented processing is provided in which an acoustic signal is generated, echoes from the acoustic signal are received at a plurality of receiving elements to obtain echo signals that are then stored, a given pixel is mapped into a region of the stored signals, the mapped region of the stored echo signals is organized into array for the given pixel after which the array is processed to generate a signal response for the given pixel to obtain acoustic information for the given pixel. The system can be implemented entirely on plug-in cards for a commercial PC motherboard. The system and method can be implemented for pixel-oriented or voxel-oriented image processing and display, eliminating intermediate data computations and enabling extensive use of software processing methods. Advantages include improved acquisition of signal dynamic range, flexible acquisition modes for high frame rate 2D, 3D, and Doppler blood flow imaging.

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Номер записи: 13
08-08-2013 дата публикации

Imaging transducer array

Номер: US20130201798A1
Автор: Henrik Jensen, Svetoslav Ivanov Nikolov
Принадлежит: BK Medical AS

An imaging transducer ( 302 ) includes a plurality of transducer elements ( 404, 604, 704, 804 ) arranged with respect to each other in an array along an long axis of the transducer, wherein an effective width of a transducer element of the transducer is equal to or greater than a center-to-center distance between adjacent transducer elements. A method includes acquiring data with an imaging transducer, wherein the transducer includes a plurality of transducer elements arranged with respect to each other in an array along an long axis of the transducer, wherein an effective width of a transducer element of the transducer is equal to or greater than a center-to-center distance between adjacent transducer elements.

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Номер записи: 14
15-08-2013 дата публикации

On-axis Shear Wave Characterization with Ultrasound

Номер: US20130211253A1
Автор: David P. Duncan, Manoj G. Menon, Stephen J. HSU
Принадлежит: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc

Shear wave imaging is provided in medical diagnostic ultrasound. The generation of a shear wave with acoustic energy forms a pseudo shear wave (an apparent wave) traveling towards the transducer. Transmission and reception along a single line may be used to detect the pseudo shear wave traveling towards the transducer. The shear velocity or characteristic may be determined without reception along multiple laterally spaced scan lines. One transmission to generate the shear wave may be used. With multi-beam receive or without, calculating shear velocity from along a single line allows rapid determination.

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Номер записи: 15
12-09-2013 дата публикации

Devices, methods, and systems for measuring elastic properties of biological tissues

Номер: US20130237820A1
Автор: Elisa Konofagou, Jonathan Vappou
Принадлежит: Columbia University of New York

A device, method, and system for using an acoustic radiation force resulting from focused ultrasound energy in order to generate an internal force remotely and to measure quantitatively tissue elasticity in vivo and non-invasively.

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Номер записи: 16
19-09-2013 дата публикации

Ultrasonic diagnosis device and ultrasonic probe for use in ultrasonic diagnosis device

Номер: US20130245448A1
Автор: Makato Kato, Masahiko Kadokura
Принадлежит: Panasonic Corp

A structure for adjusting the positional relationship between an ultrasonic transducer and a blood vessel such that an acoustic line from the ultrasonic transducer passes the center of a cross-section of the blood vessel for measuring an elasticity characteristic is provided.—An ultrasonic probe includes a transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic wave and receiving the ultrasonic wave reflected by a biological tissue; and a driving device for physically moving the transducer. For measuring the elasticity characteristic, the driving device moves the transducer based on a control signal to change at least one of a direction and a position at which the ultrasonic wave is to be transmitted. A determination section specifies a position of the transducer at which the reflection intensity is maximum based on intensity information representing an intensity of the reflected wave. A calculation section calculates the elasticity characteristic at the specified position.

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Номер записи: 17
02-01-2014 дата публикации

Ultrasonic acoustic radiation force excitation for ultrasonic material property measurement and imaging

Номер: US20140005548A1
Автор: Hua Xie, Jean-Luc Robert, John Douglas Fraser, Roy Peterson, Vijay Shamdasani
Принадлежит: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for shear wave measurement transmits push pulses in the form of a sheet of energy. The sheet of energy produces a shear wavefront which is a plane wave, which does not suffer from the 1/R radial dissipation of push pulse force as does a conventional push pulse generated along a single push pulse vector. The sheet of energy can be planar, curved, or in some other two or three dimensional shape. A curved sheet of energy can produce a shear wave source which focuses into a thin line, which increases the resolution and sensitivity of the measuring techniques used to detect the shear wave effect.

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Номер записи: 18
27-02-2014 дата публикации

Object information acquiring apparatus, information processing apparatus and object information acquiring method

Номер: US20140058262A1
Автор: Haruo Yoda
Принадлежит: Canon Inc

An object information acquiring apparatus is provided that includes: a plurality of receiving elements which receive an acoustic wave that propagates from an object, and which convert the acoustic wave to a reception signal; an adaptive beamformer that performs adaptive beamforming of adjusting reception directionality in accordance with the reception signal in use of the reception signal; a delay-and-sum beamformer that performs delay-and-sum beamforming having preset directionality in use of the reception signal; an amplitude modulator that uses one output signal of one of the adaptive beamformer and the delay-and-sum beamformer, to perform amplitude modulation on an output signal of the other one of the beamformers; and a generator that, on the basis of a signal outputted by the amplitude modulator, generates image data on the interior of the object.

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Номер записи: 19
06-03-2014 дата публикации

Object information acquisition apparatus, display method, and computer-readable medium storing program

Номер: US20140063002A1
Автор: Kenichi Nagae
Принадлежит: Canon Inc

A display control unit included in an object information acquisition apparatus receives information about a depth range, subjected to display of a distribution related to acoustic characteristics, input by a user, and outputs, when the depth range is narrower than a predetermined range, image information for displaying an image of second distribution information subjected to adaptive signal processing in an area corresponding to the depth range or a combined image obtained by combining first distribution information subjected to addition processing with a predetermined weight and the second distribution information.

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Номер записи: 20
06-03-2014 дата публикации

OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS, DISPLAY METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Номер: US20140064021A1
Автор: Nagae Kenichi
Принадлежит: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

An object information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of conversion elements configured to receive waves reflected at each position inside an object, and convert the reflected waves into a plurality of received signals, a fixed signal processing unit configured to apply addition with a predetermined weight to the plurality of received signals to acquire first distribution information, an adaptive signal processing unit configured to apply adaptive signal processing to the plurality of received signals to acquire second distribution information, and a display control unit configured to input the first distribution information and the second distribution information, and output image information to a display unit, wherein the display control unit outputs image information for displaying in parallel in the same screen an image of the first distribution information, an image of the second distribution information or a combined image of the first and second distribution information. 1. An object information acquisition apparatus comprising:a plurality of conversion elements configured to transmit elastic waves to an object, receive waves reflected at each position inside the object, and convert the reflected waves into a plurality of received signals;a fixed signal processing unit configured to apply addition with a predetermined weight to the plurality of received signals to acquire first distribution information;an adaptive signal processing unit configured to apply adaptive signal processing to the plurality of received signals with a weight which adaptively changes according to the received signals to acquire second distribution information; anda display control unit configured to input the first distribution information and the second distribution information, and output image information to a display unit,wherein the display control unit outputs image information for displaying in parallel in the same screen an image of ...

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Номер записи: 21
06-03-2014 дата публикации

OBJECT INFORMATION OBTAINING APPARATUS, DISPLAY METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Номер: US20140064022A1
Автор: Nagae Kenichi
Принадлежит: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

An object information obtaining apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixed signal processing unit configured to perform addition processing with a predetermined weight by using a plurality of receiving signals to obtain first distribution information, and an adaptive signal processing unit configured to perform adaptive signal processing with a weight adaptively changing according to the receiving signals by using the plurality of receiving signals to obtain second distribution information, wherein the display control unit, upon reception of information about a specified area in the image of the first distribution information input by the user in a state where the image of the first distribution information is displayed, is configured to output image information for displaying on the display unit an image of the second distribution information or the combined image for the first and second distribution information, corresponding to the specified area. 1. An object information obtaining apparatus comprising:a plurality of conversion elements configured to transmit elastic waves to an object, receive reflected waves reflected at respective positions inside the object, and convert the reflected waves into a plurality of receiving signals;a fixed signal processing unit configured to perform addition processing with a predetermined weight by using the plurality of receiving signals to obtain first distribution information;an adaptive signal processing unit configured to perform adaptive signal processing with a weight adaptively changing according to the receiving signals by using the plurality of receiving signals to obtain second distribution information; anda display control unit to which the first distribution information and the second distribution information are input, and configured to output image information to be displayed on a display unit,wherein the display control unit receives information about a specified area, in the image of the ...

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Номер записи: 22
06-03-2014 дата публикации

OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS, DISPLAY METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Номер: US20140064023A1
Автор: Nagae Kenichi
Принадлежит: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

An object information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixed signal processing unit configured to perform addition processing with a predetermined weight on a plurality of receiving signals to acquire first distribution information, and an adaptive signal processing unit configured to perform on the plurality of receiving signals adaptive signal processing with a weight adaptively changing according to the receiving signals to acquire second distribution information, wherein the display control unit receives enlargement instruction information for the image of the first distribution information input by the user in a state where the image of the first distribution information is displayed, and outputs image information for displaying on the display unit an enlarged image of the image of the second distribution information or an enlarged image of the combined image of the first and second distribution information. 1. An object information acquisition apparatus comprising:a plurality of conversion elements configured to transmit elastic waves to an object, receive reflected waves reflected at respective intra-object positions, and convert the reflected waves into a plurality of receiving signals;a fixed signal processing unit configured to apply addition with a predetermined weight to the plurality of receiving signals to acquire first distribution information;an adaptive signal processing unit configured to apply to the plurality of receiving signals adaptive signal processing with a weight adaptively changing according to the receiving signals to acquire second distribution information; anda display control unit configured to receive the first distribution information and the second distribution information, and output image information for displaying distribution information on a display unit,wherein the display control unit receives enlargement instruction information, for the image of the first distribution information, input by ...

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Номер записи: 23
20-03-2014 дата публикации

Beamforming method and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Номер: US20140078866A1
Автор: Mineo Tsushima, Takeo Kanamori, Yasuhito Watanabe
Принадлежит: Panasonic Corp

A beamforming method includes: generating a main beam signal by performing, with a focus on a first region, a delay and sum operation on receiving echo signals; generating a sub beam signal which has a low sensitivity to ultrasound signals reflected off the first region; and generating a narrow beam signal by (i) calculating a coefficient for narrowing an angle of the main beam signal, and (ii) multiplying the main beam signal by the coefficient, wherein in the generating of a sub beam signal, the sub beam signal is generated using a differential signal that is a difference between two beam signals each of which is generated by performing a delay and sum operation on the receiving echo signals, with a focus on a corresponding one of two regions of a subject which are different from the first region and are different from each other.

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Номер записи: 24
20-03-2014 дата публикации

Method and device for measuring a mean value of visco-elasticity of a region of interest

Номер: US20140081138A1
Автор: Claude Cohen-Bacrie, David Savery, Jean-Luc Gennisson, Jeremy Bercoff, Mathias Fink, Mickael Tanter
Принадлежит: SuperSonic Imagine SA

The invention relates to a method for measuring a mean visco-elasticity value for a soft material. Said method using a single probe carrying at least one transducer comprises the steps of: a) inducing, in a constraint zone, at least one burst of mechanical vibrations in order to generate internal shear waves in the tissue propagating from said constraint zone into the tissue, b1) measuring, with said transducer, the transient tissue displacements in at least one first measurement zone in the tissue, said first measurement zone being located away from said constraint zone, c) estimating a mean visco-elasticity of the region of the tissue situated between the constraint zone and the first measurement zone from said measured transient tissue displacements of the tissue in the first measurement zone.

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Номер записи: 25
10-04-2014 дата публикации

ACOUSTIC WAVE MEASURING APPARATUS

Номер: US20140098630A1
Автор: Tateyama Jiro
Принадлежит: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

An acoustic wave measuring apparatus includes: a probe having a plurality of transducers that are capable of converting an acoustic wave into an electric signal and vice versa; a transmitting and receiving unit that includes a plurality of channels connected to the probe, generates an acoustic wave from the probe, and obtains a reception signal of the probe; a plurality of switches that switch connections between the transducers and the channels; and an image generating unit that generates an image from the reception signal. The transducers include a central element row and an end portion element row, and the plurality of channels are respectively connected to the transducers on the central element row and the transducers on the end portion element row alternately via the switches. 1. An acoustic wave measuring apparatus comprising:a probe having a plurality of transducers that are capable of converting an acoustic wave into an electric signal and vice versa;a transmitting and receiving unit that includes a plurality of channels connected to the probe, generates an acoustic wave by applying an electric signal to the probe, and receives an electric signal converted from an acoustic wave received by the probe as a reception signal;a switching unit including a plurality of switches for switching connections between the plurality of transducers and the plurality of channels; andan image generating unit that generates image data on the basis of the reception signal,wherein the plurality of transducers of the probe include a central element row arranged in a first direction, and an end portion element row positioned to sandwich the central element row in a second direction that intersects the first direction, andthe plurality of channels are respectively connected to the transducers on the central element row and the transducers on the end portion element row alternately via the switches.2. The acoustic wave measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the switching ...

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Номер записи: 26
03-01-2019 дата публикации

ELASTICITY IMAGING IN HIGH INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND

Номер: US20190000422A1
Автор: Chen Kailiang, Ralston Tyler S., Satir Sarp, West Lawrence C., Zahorian Jaime Scott
Принадлежит:

Ultrasound devices configured to perform high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are described. An ultrasound device may include HIFU units configured to emit high acoustic intensities and elasticity detectors configured to determine characteristics of the target area of a human body based on the elasticity of the target area. The elasticity detectors may determine, e.g., whether the target area is healthy, and if not, the type cell in need of treatment (e.g., the type of cancer cell present in the target area). In one example, the elasticity detectors may be configured to determine the stiffness of the target area, which may provide an indication as to the type of cell present in the area, by estimating the velocity of a shear wave propagating away from the target area. The shear wave may arise in response to the application of an ultrasound wave to the target area. 1. An apparatus comprising:one or more high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) units configured to generate HIFU waves and one or more elasticity detectors configured to sense a characteristic of a shear wave, the one or more HIFU units and the one or more elasticity detectors being disposed on a common ultrasound device.2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound device comprises a substrate on which ultrasonic transducers are integrated.3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound device comprises a handheld probe.4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more HIFU units comprises a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT).5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more HIFU units is configured to emit an acoustic intensity that is between 500 W/cmand 20 KW/cm.6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more HIFU units are disposed on a first substrate claim 1 , the first substrate being bonded to a second substrate comprising electronic circuitry electrically coupled to the one or more HIFU units.7. The apparatus of ...

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Номер записи: 27
04-01-2018 дата публикации

SHEAR WAVE ELASTROGRAPHY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING AN ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM

Номер: US20180000455A1
Автор: Bercoff Jeremy, HENRY Jean-Pierre
Принадлежит:

A shear wave elastography method for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium, including an initial ultrasonic acquisition step during which initial physical parameters are acquired in at least one region of interest; a spatial characterization step during which a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium is determined on the basis of the initial physical parameter; an excitation substep during which an shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of the set of spatial characteristics; and an observation substep during which the propagation of the shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field. 130-. (canceled)31. A shear wave elastography method for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium , the method comprisinga) an initial ultrasonic acquisition step during which at least one initial physical parameter is acquired in at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium;b) a spatial characterization step during which a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium is determined on the basis of the initial physical parameter; and c1) an excitation substep during which a shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of said set of spatial characteristics; and', 'c2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field., 'c) a shear wave imaging step comprising32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium comprises at least one of the following:a direction, spatial angle or spatial position of anisotropic features in the at least one region of interest, anda preferred excitation spatial direction in the at least one region of interest.33. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the initial physical parameter is an image of the at least one region of interest in the ...

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Номер записи: 28
04-01-2018 дата публикации

ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME

Номер: US20180000458A1
Автор: KANG Joo Young, Kim Jung Ho, Park Sung Chan, SONG Jong Keun
Принадлежит: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a target object and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object; a beamforming unit for beamforming the received ultrasonic wave and outputting a beamforming signal; a sampling unit for adjusting the number of sampling times of the beamforming signal according to the amount of motion of the object; and an image processing unit for matching and synthesizing the sampled signals. 1. An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a target object and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object;a beamforming unit for beamforming the received ultrasonic wave and outputting a beamforming signal;a sampling unit for adjusting the number of sampling times of the beamforming signal according to the amount of motion of the object; andan image processing unit for matching and synthesizing the sampled signals.2. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising claim 1 ,a motion detection unit for dividing the beamforming signals into groups and comparing beamforming signals of one group and the remaining groups to calculate and store motion vectors.3. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 2 ,wherein the motion detecting unit compares a beamforming signal of each group divided for each group with a previous beamforming signal to calculate and store a motion vector.4. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 2 ,wherein the sampling unit adjusts a sampling period of the beamforming signal to be less than a predetermined period when the motion vector of the divided group is less than a predetermined value and adjusts a sampling period of the beamforming signal to exceed the predetermined period when the motion vector of the divided group exceeds a preset value.5. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to ...

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Номер записи: 29
05-01-2017 дата публикации

Spectral Doppler Imaging with Interruption Avoidance

Номер: US20170000461A1
Автор: Freiburger Paul D., Seo Chi Hyung, Wong King Yuen
Принадлежит:

In spectral Doppler imaging, a high PRF is used independent of the velocity scale. The adjustment is then of the velocity scale. By optimizing the velocity scale independent of the high PRF in an on-going or automated basis, user activation may be avoided and/or interruption to reconfigure for an altered PRF may be avoided. The acquired data may be stored, allowing for past data to be processed again when a new velocity scale or other setting is selected. The resulting spectral Doppler image may continue to display spectra over time without a gap or without premature loss of spectra due to reconfiguring. 1. A method for spectral Doppler imaging , the method comprising:transmitting, from a transducer, ultrasound energy to a Doppler gate location at a set or higher pulse repetition frequency allowable by roundtrip travel of the ultrasound energy between the transducer and the Doppler gate location;storing responses to the transmitting over time;calculating a first velocity scale from at least one of the responses to the transmitting, the first velocity scale less than or equal to the pulse repetition frequency;estimating from the responses, first spectra over time for the Doppler gate location, the estimating using the first velocity scale;displaying a first image of the first spectra with the first velocity scale, the first image representing a first range of times;later calculating a second velocity scale from at least another one of the responses to the transmitting, the second velocity scale different from the first velocity scale;estimating from the responses, second spectra over time for the Doppler gate location, the estimating of the second spectra using the second velocity scale; anddisplaying second image of the second spectra with the second velocity scale, the second spectra including spectra from times within the first range of times also represented in the first image.2. The method of wherein transmitting at the set or higher pulse repetition frequency ...

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Номер записи: 30
05-01-2017 дата публикации

ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS

Номер: US20170000463A1
Автор: Fujii Nobuhiko, HAYASHI Tatsuya
Принадлежит: Hitachi, Ltd.

A plurality of frames are generated by performing a pre-scan while sequentially setting a plurality of receive delay data based on a plurality of in vivo sound velocities. An optimum sound velocity calculation unit performs waveform analysis for each luminance waveform along a beam scanning direction on each of the frames. An optimum sound velocity map is obtained by mutually comparing a plurality of results of the waveform analysis of the plurality of frames. A control unit calculates the receive delay data for the main scan on the basis of the optimum sound velocity map. Specifically, waveform analysis for a high luminance portion (peak portion) and waveform analysis for a low luminance portion (recess portion) are performed in the waveform analysis. Thus, an optimum sound velocity map for the high luminance portion and an optimum sound velocity map for the low luminance portion are obtained. 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:a generator which generates a plurality of frames by repeatedly scanning a subject with an ultrasonic beam;a pre-scan controller which sequentially sets, to the generator, a plurality of delay process conditions in a trial based on a plurality of tentative sound velocities such that a plurality of tentative frames are generated;a first waveform analyzer which performs a first waveform analysis for at least one reference data sequence along a preset direction in each of the tentative frames to evaluate a sharpness of an image to obtain a plurality of first waveform analysis results for the plurality of tentative frames;a second waveform analyzer which performs a second waveform analysis for at least one reference data sequence along a preset direction in each of the tentative frames to evaluate a sharpness of an image to obtain a plurality of second waveform analysis results for the plurality of tentative frames, the second waveform analysis being different from the first waveform analysis;an optimum sound velocity calculator ...

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Номер записи: 31
05-01-2017 дата публикации

Ultrasound Imaging Transducer Array with Integrated Apodization

Номер: US20170003384A1
Автор: Christiansen Thomas Lehrmann, Jensen Jörgen, Rasmussen Morten Fischer, Thomsen Erik Vilain
Принадлежит: B-K MEDICAL APS

A transducer array () includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element () in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact () in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element. 1. A transducer array , comprising: 'a plurality of transducing elements, wherein a first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization, and the first apodization and the second apodization are different;', 'at least one 1D array of transducing elements, the at least one 1D array of transducing elements, includingat least one electrically conductive element in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements; andat least one electrical contact in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element,wherein the at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.2. The transducer array claim 1 , further comprising:a plurality of the 1D array of transducing elements, physically arranged with respect to each other in a 2D array, wherein each of the plurality of 1D array of transducing elements is independently addressable.3. The transducer array of claim 2 , wherein ...

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Номер записи: 32
04-01-2018 дата публикации

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING RETROSPECTIVE DYNAMIC TRANSMIT FOCUSSING BEAMFORMING ON ULTRASOUND SIGNALS

Номер: US20180003811A1
Автор: CROCCO Marco, PELLEGRETTI Paolo
Принадлежит:

Performing retrospective dynamic transmit focusing beamforming for ultrasound signals by a) transmitting plural transmit beams, each transmit beam centered at a different position along array, having width or aperture encompassing plural laterally spaced line positions, each transmit beam width or aperture overlapping width or aperture of adjacent transmit beam or more laterally spaced transmit beams; b) receiving echo signals; c) processing echo signals to produce plural receive lines of echo signals at laterally spaced line positions within width or aperture of transmit beam; d) repeating steps b), (c) for additional transmit beams of plural transmitted transmit beams; e) equalizing phase shift variance among receive lines at common line position resulting from transmit beams of different transmit beam positions concurrently with steps c), d); f) combining echo signals of receive lines from different transmit beams spatially related to common line position to produce image data; g) produces an image using image data. 1. A method for performing retrospective dynamic transmit focusing beamforming for ultrasound signals , the method comprising:a) transmitting a plurality of transmit beams from an array transducer, each transmit beam being centered at a different position along the array and each transmit beam having a width or an aperture encompassing a plurality of laterally spaced line positions, each transmit beam width or aperture overlapping at least partially at least the width or the aperture of the immediately adjacent transmit beam or of more laterally spaced transmit beams;b) receiving echo signals with the array transducer;c) processing the echo signals received in response to one transmit beam to produce a plurality of receive lines of echo signals at the laterally spaced line positions within the width or the aperture of the transmit beam;d) repeating the receiving step b) and the processing step c) for the additional transmit beams of the plurality of ...

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Номер записи: 33
12-01-2017 дата публикации

ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND PROGRAM

Номер: US20170007205A1
Автор: Matsunaga Atsuko, Tanigawa Shunichiro
Принадлежит:

To improve the frame rate of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for displaying an elasticity image by detecting shear waves generated by push pulses. After first and second push pulses have been simultaneously transmitted to different positions, each of a first ultrasonic detecting pulse DP and a second ultrasonic detecting pulse DP for detecting each respective shear wave generated by each of the first and second push pulses is transmitted in a different acoustic line, and in a period after the first ultrasonic detecting pulse DP has been transmitted and before the first ultrasonic detecting pulse DP is transmitted again in the same acoustic line, the second ultrasonic detecting pulse DP is transmitted. 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:a processor for executing a program conducting transmission control for, after transmitting an ultrasonic push pulse to biological tissue of a subject by an ultrasonic probe, transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic detecting pulses for detecting a shear wave generated in said biological tissue by said push pulse in the same acoustic line in said biological tissue by said ultrasonic probe;said processor executing a program conducting transmission control for, after simultaneously transmitting a plurality of said push pulses to different positions, transmitting each of said ultrasonic detecting pulses for detecting each respective shear wave generated by each of said push pulses in a different acoustic line;and in a transmission of each of said ultrasonic detecting pulses, transmitting, in a period after transmitting an ultrasonic detecting pulse for detecting a shear wave generated by one of said plurality of push pulses in a certain acoustic line and before transmitting said ultrasonic detecting pulse again in the same acoustic line;an ultrasonic detecting pulse for detecting a shear wave generated by a push pulse different from said push pulse in another acoustic line.2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as recited ...

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Номер записи: 34
11-01-2018 дата публикации

System for 3d multi-parametric ultrasound imaging

Номер: US20180008237A1
Автор: Michael Ahmadi, Pablo Medina, Rajesh Venkataraman, Saradwata Sakar, Xu Yang
Принадлежит: Zmk Medical Technologies Inc, Zmk Medical Technologies Inc dba Eigen Inc

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced and/or automated detection of one or more suspicious regions. After identifying one or more suspicious regions, the mpUS images may be utilized with a real-time image to guide biopsy or therapy the region(s). All these processes may be performed in a single medical procedure.

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Номер записи: 35
10-01-2019 дата публикации

Ultrasound probe and ultrasound diagnosis apparatus

Номер: US20190008477A1
Автор: Masaaki ISHITSUKA
Принадлежит: Canon Medical Systems Corp

An ultrasound probe according to an embodiment includes. transducer elements, phase reversal processing circuitry, and delay processing circuitry. The transducer elements, each of which is configured to generate a first echo signal by receiving a reflected wave of a first ultrasound wave and to generate a second echo signal by receiving a reflected wave of a second ultrasound wave corresponding to an ultrasound wave obtained by reversing the phase of the first ultrasound wave. The phase reversal processing circuitry is configured to reverse the phase of the second echo signal. The delay processing circuitry is configured to delay the first echo signal and the phase-reversed second echo signal.

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Номер записи: 36
10-01-2019 дата публикации

Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, a transmission condition setting method, and program

Номер: US20190008481A1
Автор: Akihiro Kawabata, Kazushi Ota, Takashi Sakai, Tomohito Sakai
Принадлежит: KONICA MINOLTA INC

First transmission information in which an optimum transmitting voltage and a transmitting waveform are associated with each other for each display mode, and second transmission information in which a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates and pulse-width modulation transmitting waveforms that are pulse-width-modulation controlled to respectively correspond to the plurality of transmitting voltage candidates are associated with each other for each display mode are used to extract a maximum transmitting voltage candidate that does not exceed an optimum transmitting voltage of a first display mode from a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates included in the second transmission information of a second display mode so as to determine a common transmitting voltage used in common for the first display mode and the second display mode based on the optimum transmitting voltage of the first display mode and/or the maximum transmitting voltage candidate.

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Номер записи: 37
09-01-2020 дата публикации

Mapping Shear Wave Velocity and Shear Modulus in Biological Tissues

Номер: US20200008783A1
Автор: Bolster, Hofstetter Lorne, JR. Bradley Drake, Odeen Henrik, Parker Dennis L., Payne Allison
Принадлежит:

A method for mapping shear wave velocity in biological tissues includes using an ultrasound transducer to generate mechanical excitations at a plurality of locations in a region of interest. An MRI system is used to capture a phase image of each mechanical excitation, wherein motion encoding gradients (MEGs) of the MRI system encode a propagating shear wavefront caused by the mechanical excitation. A plurality of shear wave velocity maps is generated based on the phase images, wherein each shear wave velocity map depicts velocity between adjacent propagating shear wavefronts. The shear wave speed values are combined to generate a composite shear wave velocity map of the region of interest. 1. A method for mapping shear wave velocity in biological tissues , the method comprising:using an ultrasound transducer to generate mechanical excitations at a plurality of locations in a region of interest;using an MRI system to capture a phase image of each mechanical excitation, wherein motion encoding gradients (MEGs) of the MRI system encode a propagating shear wavefront caused by the mechanical excitation;generating a plurality of shear wave velocity maps based on the phase images, wherein each shear wave velocity map depicts velocity between adjacent propagating shear wavefronts; andcombining the plurality of shear wave speed values to generate a composite shear wave velocity map of the region of interest.2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the velocity between adjacent propagating shear wavefronts is calculated by dividing a radial distance separating the adjacent propagating shear wavefronts by spacing of the MEGs during capture of the phase images.3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MRI system interleaves acquisition of the phase images.4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:acquire a reference image of a region of interest without any excitation from the ultrasound transducer in the region of interest;prior to generation of the shear wave velocity maps, ...

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Номер записи: 38
14-01-2016 дата публикации

ANALOG STORE DIGITAL READ ULTRASOUND BEAMFORMING SYSTEM AND METHOD

Номер: US20160011305A1
Автор: Koptenko Sergei V.
Принадлежит:

An analog store-digital read (ASDR) ultrasound beamformer architecture performs the task of signal beamforming using a matrix of sample/hold cells to capture, store and process instantaneous samples of analog signals from ultrasound array elements and this architecture provides significant reduction in power consumption and the size of the diagnostic ultrasound imaging system such that the hardware build upon ASDR ultrasound beamformer architecture can be placed in one or few application specific integrated chips (ASIC) positioned next to the ultrasound array and the whole diagnostic ultrasound imaging system could fit in the handle of the ultrasonic probe while preserving most of the functionality of a cart-based system. The ASDR architecture provides improved signal-to-noise ratio and is scalable. 1. An Analog Store Digital Read ultrasound beamforming method for an ultrasound imaging system comprising the steps of:Providing an ultrasonic array formed of individual ultrasonic array elements configured for transmission and receiving;Dividing the individual array elements into individual channels, wherein each channel comprises at least one array element;Creating a receiving input signal for each channel from inputs received from each array element of the channel;Sampling each receiving input signal for each channel at a sampling rate and storing the sampled data in a bank of sample-hold cells which are associated with that channel, wherein the bank of sample-hold cells form an analog random access memory for the sampled receiving input signal;Selecting at least one sample-hold cell data from at least one channel for each particular output time for each beamforming instance in accordance with a beamforming algorithm;Summing all of the selected sample-hold cell data from the associated channels for the beamforming instance forming an analog beamformed received signal sample for the beamforming instance; andDigitizing the analog beamformed received signal sample.2. The ...

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Номер записи: 39
10-01-2019 дата публикации

ULTRASOUND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING SIGNAL COMPONENTS RELATING TO SPATIAL LOCATIONS IN A TARGET REGION IN THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Номер: US20190011554A1
Автор: CROCCO Marco, GRECO Danilo
Принадлежит:

Ultrasound method for extracting information from signal components relating to spatial locations in a target region such as for example image reconstruction in the spatial and temporal frequency domain comprises the steps of: 1. Ultrasound method for extracting signal components , comprising:a) generating an acoustic unfocussed wave and transmitting the said acoustic unfocussed wave into a target region of a body under examination;b) receiving the reflected acoustic waves generated by reflection of the said unfocussed wave due to the scatterer in the target region and transforming the said reflected acoustic waves in electric received signals;c) applying a Discrete Fourier Transform to received data corresponding to the received signals;d) applying correction parameters to the received data transformed by the Discrete Fourier Transform;e) backpropagating the transformed received data inside the target region in which the unfocussed acoustic wave has been transmitted;f) transforming back the backpropagated data by applying an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform to the said backpropagated data and determining for each spatial location in the target region, a temporal window for which the backpropagated data is representative of the echo backscattered by the given spatial location.2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic signals reflected by the target region in response to the unfocussed wave transmitted in the said target region are acquired by a probe having a predetermined number of transducer elements each one forming a receiving channel and the radio frequency data (RF-data) acquired by each channel within a certain depth range corresponding to a certain time range is ordered in a matrix of RF received data claim 1 , the matrix having the size corresponding to the number of samples in the said time range times the number of probe channels claim 1 , the method comprising:Acquiring a matrix of RF data of size number of receive signal samples times the ...

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Номер записи: 40
03-02-2022 дата публикации

DUAL MODE ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER (DMUT) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DELIVERY OF ULTRASOUND THERAPY

Номер: US20220031287A1
Автор: Ballard John R., Casper Andrew J., Ebbini Emad S., Liu Dalong
Принадлежит:

A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data. 1. A dual mode ultrasound transducer system comprising:an array of ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements configured to deliver a plurality of sequential therapy bursts of ultrasonic energy to at least a portion of a target region and to transmit/receive imaging ultrasonic energy to/from the target region; and control conveyance of imaging signals to/from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements;', 'generate treatment region image data usable to identify at least one or more target points within a target region based on imaging signals conveyed to/from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements;', 'generate therapy signals to drive one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements to deliver a plurality of sequential therapy bursts of ultrasonic energy to at least one of the one or more target points in the target region; and', 'generate control image data based on imaging signals from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements during and/or following delivery of each therapy burst of a plurality of sequential therapy bursts, wherein the control image data generated during and/or following delivery of a therapy burst is used to generate therapy signals to drive one or more of the plurality of ...

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Номер записи: 41
16-01-2020 дата публикации

Constant force ultrasound probe handle

Номер: US20200015783A1
Автор: Daniel R. STURNICK
Принадлежит: New York Society for Relief of Ruptured and Crippled

A probe handle accessory for use with a probe includes an outer housing having a first hollow interior and an outer surface for being gripped by a user. The accessory also includes an inner sleeve that is disposed within the first hollow interior and moves axially therein. The inner sleeve having a second hollow interior that is configured to receive the probe and the inner sleeve is configured for securely holding the probe in place within the second hollow interior. At least one biasing element is provided and is coupled to the outer housing and to the inner sleeve and configured to apply a force to the inner sleeve in a distal direction for maintaining the probe in position against a surface of interest during examination thereof, while permitting axial movement of the inner sleeve within the outer housing.

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Номер записи: 42
21-01-2021 дата публикации

Methods and systems for imaging a needle from ultrasound imaging data

Номер: US20210015448A1
Автор: Alexander Sokulin, Cynthia Owen, Dani Pinkovich, Menachem Halmann
Принадлежит: GE Precision Healthcare LLC

Various methods and systems are provided for imaging a needle using an ultrasound imager. In one example, a method may include receiving a target path or a target area of a needle, and adjusting a steering angle of an ultrasound beam emitted from an ultrasound probe based on the target path or the target area.

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Номер записи: 43
21-01-2021 дата публикации

METHOD AND SYSTEM TO REVERT A DEPOLING EFFECT EXHIBITED BY AN ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER

Номер: US20210015466A1
Автор: Brüstle Reinhold, Haider Bruno Hans, Hechtfischer Rene, Hörl Anton, Weichenberger Harald
Принадлежит:

An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided that comprise a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction, wherein over time one or more of the transducer elements possibly exhibit a depoling effect; and one or more drive circuits configured to: i) generate a transmit signal having at least first polarity segments, the first segments having corresponding first peak amplitudes; ii) generate a repoling signal having a repoling pattern configured to at least partially revert the depoling effect exhibited by the one or more transducer elements; and iii) generate a bias signal in the poling direction, the bias signal combined with the at least one of the transmit signal or the repoling signal to form a corresponding at least one of a biased transmit signal or a bias repoling signal, that is shifted in the poling direction. 1. An ultrasound system , comprising:a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction, wherein over time one or more of the transducer elements possibility exhibit a depoling effect; and i) generate a transmit signal having at least first polarity segments, the first segments having corresponding first peak amplitudes;', 'ii) generate a repoling signal having a repoling pattern configured to at least partially revert the depoling effect exhibited by the one or more transducer elements; and', 'iii) generate a bias signal in the poling direction, the bias signal combined with at least one of the transmit signal or the repoling signal to form a corresponding at least one of a biased transmit signal or a bias repoling signal, that is shifted in the poling direction., 'one or more drive circuits configured to2. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more drive circuits is further configured to generate the bias signal contemporaneous in time with the transmit signal claim 1 , the bias signal combined with the transmit signal to form the biased transmit signal that ...

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Номер записи: 44
18-01-2018 дата публикации

ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ULTRASONIC PROBE

Номер: US20180017669A1
Автор: BAE Sua, HWANG Mun-kyeong, JEON Kang-won, LEE Hyun-taek, PARK Yong-sup, Song Tai-Kyong
Принадлежит: SOGANG UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Provided is an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus including a probe configured to transmit a plurality of plane waves at a plurality of steering angles and a controller configured to determine the plurality of plane waves so that a grating lobe of a synthetic transmit focusing beam pattern using the plurality of plane waves is located outside a region of interest. 1. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising:a probe configured to transmit a plurality of plane waves at a plurality of steering angles; anda controller configured to determine the plurality of plane waves so that a grating lobe of a synthetic transmit focusing beam pattern using the plurality of plane waves is located outside a region of interest.2. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the plurality of plane waves so that an interval between sine values of the plurality of steering angles is equal to or less than a first reference value.3. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller sets a value obtained by dividing a wavelength by a size of an aperture of the probe as the first reference value.4. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller fixes a minimum steering angle and a maximum steering angle claim 1 , and determines the plurality of plane waves so that a number of the plurality of steering angles is equal to or greater than a second reference value.5. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller adjusts a size of the region of interest so that the size of the region of interest is less than a position of the grating lobe.6. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the probe receives echo signals claim 1 , andthe controller applies an apodization window having a low side lobe to the echo signals.7. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the plurality of plane waves so that an intensity of the grating lobe is less than ...

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Номер записи: 45
21-01-2021 дата публикации

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELASTOGRAPHIC AND VISCOELASTOGRAPHIC IMAGING

Номер: US20210018606A1
Автор: McCaw Kenneth J., Timmons William D.
Принадлежит: Elastance Imaging LLC

A High Definition ViscoElastography (HDVE) inertial driver apparatus of an imaging system and method includes one or more HDVE inertial driver devices. Each HDVE inertial driver device has: (i) a driver interface that enables receiving a driver signal from a controller; (ii) a resonating surface; and (iii) an inertial driver communicatively coupled to the driver interface and mechanically coupled to the resonating surface to independently generate a resonating displacement of the resonating surface. A support member of the HDVE inertial driver apparatus positions the two or more HDVE inertial driver devices into acoustic contact with a body to produce a shear wave field through a volume of tissue within the body or a material within an object. 1. A High Definition ViscoElastography (HDVE) inertial driver apparatus for imaging an area of interest within a target object comprising: a driver interface that enables receiving a driver signal from a controller,', 'a resonating surface, and', 'an inertial driver communicatively coupled to the driver interface and mechanically coupled to the resonating surface to independently generate a resonating displacement of the resonating surface; and, 'two or more HDVE inertial driver devices, each HDVE inertial driver device comprisinga support member that positions the two or more HDVE inertial driver devices into acoustic contact with a target object to produce a shear wave field through a volume of the area of interest within the target object.2. The HDVE inertial driver apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the controller that generates independent sequenced driver signals for each of the two or more driver interfaces to induce the shear wave field comprising a selected one of: (i) crawling waves; (ii) reverberant waves; and (iii) monodirectional waves.3. The HDVE inertial driver apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control generates the independent sequenced driver signals in an acoustic frequency range of 10 Hz to 80 kHz ...

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Номер записи: 46
26-01-2017 дата публикации

ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM

Номер: US20170020483A1
Автор: Chang Peter P., Chiang Alice, He Xingbai, Kischell Eric R.
Принадлежит:

The present invention is directed to an ultrasound imaging system and method for Doppler processing of data. The ultrasonic imaging system efficiently addresses the data computational and processing needs of Doppler processing. In a preferred embodiment, the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention includes a processing module; and memory operable coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to map serial data to vector representation, calculate an auto-correlation function of the data, calculate a phase shift of the auto-correlation function to generate a monotonic function covering all values of the phase shift corresponding to a range of Doppler velocities and display the resultant images, for example, as color images. 1. A portable ultrasound system for scanning a region of interest with ultrasound energy to image the region of interest comprising:a battery powered, handheld processor housing having a display, a beamformer device and a system controller connected to the beamformer device;a data processing system within the handheld processor housing, the data processing system having a processor that receives mapped data, the data processing system being programmed to perform a down conversion operation, a scan conversion operation and a Doppler processing operation that applies a programmable filter, the handheld processor housing further including a memory in the processor housing that is electrically connected to the data processing system, the memory having stored therein a sequence of executable instructions that are used to select a pulse repetition frequency from a plurality of selectable values and to apply the programmable filter to ultrasound image data, the programmable filter including a wall filter having a plurality of selectable values, the sequence of instructions configured to execute a calculation of an autocorrelation function and an autocorrelation phase such ...

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Номер записи: 47
26-01-2017 дата публикации

Nonlinear Imaging with Dual Band Pulse Complexes

Номер: US20170023667A1
Автор: Angelsen Bjørn A.J., Tangen Thor Andreas
Принадлежит:

The invention presents methods and instrumentation for measurement or imaging of a region of an object with waves of a general nature, for example electromagnetic (EM) and elastic (EL) waves, where the material parameters for wave propagation and scattering in the object depend on the wave field strength. The invention specially addresses suppression of 3order multiple scattering noise, referred to as pulse reverberation noise, and also suppression of linear scattering components to enhanced signal components from nonlinear scattering. The pulse reverberation noise is divided into three classes where the invention specially addresses Class I and Class II 3order multiple scattering that are generated from the same three scatterers, but in opposite sequence. 1. A method for measurement or imaging of a region of an object with waves where object material parameters for wave propagation are modified by the wave field strength , comprising the steps of: a low frequency (LF) pulse with frequencies in an LF band transmitted from an LF aperture, and', 'a high frequency (HF) pulse with frequencies in an HF band transmitted from an HF aperture, —wherein the pulse length of the transmitted HF pulse is less than half an oscillation period of the transmitted LF pulse;', 'wherein the transmitted HF pulse propagates spatially so close to or within the transmitted LF pulse that the HF pulse observes a manipulation of the object material parameters by the co-propagating LF pulse for at least a part of a propagation depth of the HF pulse; and', 'wherein at least the transmitted LF pulse varies for each transmitted pulse complex to produce different manipulations of the object, and for each transmit direction at least one LF pulse is non-zero and the transmitted LF pulse can also be zero;, 'a) transmitting at least two pulse wave complexes in each of at least two transmit directions towards the region, each of said pulse complexes comprising'}b) picking up HF receive signals from one ...

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Номер записи: 48
28-01-2021 дата публикации

CONFIGURABLE ULTRASONIC IMAGER

Номер: US20210022706A1
Автор: Akkaraju Sandeep, Bryzek Janusz, Haque Yusuf
Принадлежит:

An imaging device includes a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric layer; a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer and configured to receive a transmit signal during a transmit mode and develop an electrical charge during a receive mode; and a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and a first conductor, wherein the first top electrodes of a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array are electrically coupled to the first conductor. 1. A portable programmable imaging device , comprising:a transducer configured to produce an ultrasonic image;control circuitry;communication circuitry;programmable memory;wherein the transducer further comprises a planar array of piezoelectric elements, andeach said piezoelectric element configured to operate in a plurality of modes of operation, each said mode of operation corresponding to one or more configuration profiles stored in the programmable memory and executable by the control circuitry.2. The portable programmable imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicatively couple the portable programmable imaging device to a display unit claim 1 , said display unit configured to display the ultrasonic image and further configured to receive a user input.3. The portable programmable imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicatively couple the portable programmable imaging device to the display unit through at least one electrically-conductive cable.4. The portable programmable imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the communication circuitry further comprises transceiver circuitry configured to send and receive wireless signals to communicatively couple the portable programmable imaging device to the display unit through at least one wireless signal.5. The portable programmable ...

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Номер записи: 49
28-01-2021 дата публикации

CONFIGURABLE ULTRASONIC IMAGER

Номер: US20210022707A1
Автор: Akkaraju Sandeep, Bryzek Janusz, Haque Yusuf
Принадлежит:

An imaging device includes a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric layer; a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer and configured to receive a transmit signal during a transmit mode and develop an electrical charge during a receive mode; and a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and a first conductor, wherein the first top electrodes of a portion of the piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array are electrically coupled to the first conductor. 1. An imaging device , comprising: a piezoelectric layer;', 'a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom side of the piezoelectric layer; and', 'a first top electrode disposed on a top side of the piezoelectric layer; and, 'a two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element including at least one sub piezoelectric element and comprisingan application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip comprising an array of circuits for driving the two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements, each of the circuits being electrically coupled to a corresponding piezoelectric element,wherein a first column or line of the imaging device including a portion of piezoelectric elements in a first column of the two dimensional array is formed by simultaneously turning on a portion of the circuits that control the portion of the piezoelectric elements in the first column of the two dimensional array.2. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a number of the transmit driver circuits in the ASIC chip is same or less as a number of the piezoelectric elements in the two dimensional array of piezoelectric elements.3. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a second line including a portion of piezoelectric elements in a second column of the two dimensional array is formed by turning on a portion of the circuits that control the portion of the piezoelectric elements in the ...

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Номер записи: 50
10-02-2022 дата публикации

ADAPTIVE WEIGHTING FOR ADAPTIVE ULTRASOUND IMAGING

Номер: US20220043131A1
Автор: Gee Albert, McLaughlin Glen W., Napolitano David J.
Принадлежит:

Systems and methods are disclosed for performing ultrasound imaging. Channel domain data can be received from an ultrasound transducer to form one or more channel domain data sets. A first ultrasound processing operation can be applied to the channel domain data to generate a first subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets. A second ultrasound processing operation can be applied to the channel domain data to generate a second subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets. Image characteristics of the first subset of one or more images and the second subset of one or more images can be regionally analyzed to identify regional image characteristics of the first and second subsets of one or more images. The first subset of one or more images can be blended with the second subset of one or more images based on the regional image characteristics to generate one or more composite images. 1. (canceled)2. A method comprising:receiving, from an ultrasound transducer, channel domain data to form one or more channel domain data sets;applying an ultrasound processing operation to at least a portion of the channel domain data using a first variable that modifies the ultrasound processing operation to generate a first subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets;applying the ultrasound processing operation to at least a portion of the channel domain data using a second variable that modifies the ultrasound processing operation to generate a second subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets;analyzing one or more image characteristics of a first plurality of regions of the first subset of one or more images and a second plurality of regions of the second subset of one or more images; andgenerating one or more composite images from the one or more channel domain data sets by blending regions of the first plurality of regions and the second plurality of regions ...

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Номер записи: 51
23-01-2020 дата публикации

METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR MAINTAINING POLARIZATION OF AN ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER

Номер: US20200025897A1
Автор: Barrel Jeremie, Borot Maxence, Dacruz Edouard, Daloz Flavien, Lanteri Frederic, Tai Alan, ZHENG Fan
Принадлежит:

Various methods and systems are provided for maintaining polarization of an ultrasound probe and increasing image quality of an image generated during an imaging procedure. As one example, a method for an ultrasound imaging system may include executing one or more imaging sequences with an ultrasound transducer; and applying a repolarization sequence to the ultrasound transducer one or more of before, after, and interleaved between the one or more imaging sequences, where the repolarization sequence is separate from the one or more imaging sequences. 1. A method , comprising:executing one or more imaging sequences with an ultrasound transducer; andapplying a repolarization sequence to the ultrasound transducer one or more of before, after, and interleaved between the one or more imaging sequences, where the repolarization sequence is separate from the one or more imaging sequences.2. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the one or more imaging sequences includes sending a sequence of imaging transmit signals adapted for imaging to transducer elements of the ultrasound transducer.3. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the repolarization sequence includes sending one or more repolarization transmit signals adapted for repolarization of the ultrasound transducer to transducer elements of the ultrasound transducer claim 2 , where the repolarization transmit signals are different than and separate from the imaging transmit signals.4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the repolarization sequence includes applying one of a unipolar or multipolar repolarization sequence where an average polarity of the repolarization sequence is in a same direction as a polarity of dipoles of a ferroelectric material of transducer elements of the ultrasound transducer.5. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the repolarization sequence is responsive to a received user input and occurs one of prior to executing the one or more imaging sequences claim 1 , after executing ...

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Номер записи: 52
23-01-2020 дата публикации

ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM WITH TRANSMIT APODIZATION

Номер: US20200025920A1
Автор: Freeman Steven Russell, Hu Changhong
Принадлежит:

A digital transmit beamformer for an ultrasound system has a waveform sample memory which stores sequences of samples of different pulse transmit waveforms of differing pulse widths. The memory is shared by a plurality of transmit channels, each of which can access its own selected sample sequence, independent of the selections by other channels. Waveform sample readout by the channels occurs substantially simultaneously during a transmit event, producing a transmit beam from a transmit aperture with different pulse waveforms applied to different elements of the transmit aperture. Higher energy waveforms with wider pulse widths are applied to central elements of the aperture and lower energy waveforms with narrower pulse widths are applied to lateral elements of the aperture to produce an apodized transmit beam. 1. A beamformer system for providing transmit apodization in an ultrasound system , comprising:a digital memory adapted to store digital samples of a plurality of linear or pulse transmit waveforms,a plurality of channel address counters, coupled to the digital memory, each adapted to address a sequence of digital samples of a transmit waveform stored in the memory independently of addressing a digital sample sequence by other channel address counters in the plurality,a plurality of transmitter output devices, coupled to the digital memory that are responsive to a sequence of digital waveform samples and adapted, when enabled, to produce a pulse or linear waveform for an array of transducer elements, andan array of transducer elements that are each coupled to an output of one or more of the plurality of transmitter output devices and adapted to produce an ultrasound beam from a transmit aperture when actuated by a pulse or linear waveform,wherein the plurality of channel address counters are further adapted to address different sequences of digital samples of different transmit waveforms stored in the digital memory, andwherein the plurality of transmitter ...

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Номер записи: 53
17-02-2022 дата публикации

METHOD FOR ACOUSTIC POWER SCALABLE CHARGE-REDISTRIBUTION ULTRASONIC SYSTEM WITH ON-CHIP ABERRATION COMPENSATION FOR PORTABLE ULTRASONIC APPLICATIONS

Номер: US20220047243A1
Автор: TILLAK Judyta B., YOO Jerald
Принадлежит:

The present disclosure is generally directed to a method for driving an ultrasonic transducer. The method includes coupling a driving electrode and a ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer to a power supply and a ground, respectively, during a first time period based on a received drive signal. The method further includes decoupling the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer from the power supply and the ground, respectively, to float the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer during a second time period based on the received drive signal to store a charge between the driving electrode to the ground electrode. 1. A method for driving an ultrasonic transducer comprising:coupling a driving electrode and a ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer to a power supply and a ground, respectively, during a first time period based on a received drive signal; anddecoupling the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer from the power supply and the ground, respectively, to float the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer during a second time period based on the received drive signal to store a charge between the driving electrode to the ground electrode.2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising shorting the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer subsequent to floating the driving and ground electrode.3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is a driving phase and wherein the driving phase includes electrically coupling the driving electrode to the power supply via a first switch and the ground electrode to the ground via a second switch.4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the power supply outputs a first voltage V.5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second time period is a redistribution phase and wherein the redistribution phase includes electrically decoupling the ultrasonic ...

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Номер записи: 54
31-01-2019 дата публикации

METHOD FOR PERFORMING BEAMFORMING AND BEAMFORMER

Номер: US20190029640A1
Автор: HAN Ho-san, KIM Kang-sik
Принадлежит: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.

Provided is a probe including: a memory configured to store electric charges corresponding to echo signals reflected by an object and output the stored electric charges; a charger configured to generate an amount of electric charges corresponding to an amount of the output electric charges; and a controller configured to control at least one of a first velocity at which the electric charges are stored in the memory and a second velocity at which the electric charges are output from the memory. 1. A probe comprising:a memory configured to store electric charges corresponding to echo signals reflected by an object and output the stored electric charges;a charger configured to generate an amount of electric charges corresponding to an amount of the output electric charges; anda controller configured to control at least one of a first velocity at which the electric charges are stored in the memory and a second velocity at which the electric charges are output from the memory.2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the second velocity based on a number of scanlines corresponding to ultrasound signals transmitted to the object.3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the second velocity to be m times higher than the first velocity claim 1 , where m represents a number of scanlines corresponding to ultrasound signals transmitted to the object.4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the second velocity based on delay values respectively calculated for a plurality of scanlines corresponding to ultrasound signals transmitted to the object.5. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises at least one capacitor and at least one switch.6. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the generated electric charges are input to the memory after the electric charges are output from the memory.7. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising a two-dimensional (2D) ...

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Номер записи: 55
02-02-2017 дата публикации

Method and system for correcting fat-induced aberrations

Номер: US20170032519A1
Автор: Aghapi Mordovanakis, Kai Thomenius, Michael M. Thornton
Принадлежит: Endra Inc

A method for correcting fat-induced aberrations in ultrasound imaging comprises segmenting a thermoacoustic absorption image of a region of interest into at least one fat region and at least one non-fat region, creating a speed of sound map by assigning a speed of sound to each region based on tissue type of the region, correcting aberrations in the segmented thermoacoustic absorption image using the assigned speeds of sound thereby generating a corrected thermoacoustic image, and correcting an ultrasound image of the region of interest using the corrected thermoacoustic image and the speed of sound map.

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Номер записи: 56
30-01-2020 дата публикации

ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

Номер: US20200033471A1
Автор: BAE Sua, JANG Jin Tae, KIM Kang Sik, Kim Sung Ho, SONG Hyun Woo, SONG Tai Kyong
Принадлежит:

Provided is an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including: an inputter configured to receive an input of a region of interest (ROI) from a user; a beamformer configured to perform transmission/reception focusing with respect to a virtual source to be used for a synthetic aperture focusing method; a display; and a main controller configured to determine a position of the virtual source on the basis of an image quality in the received ROI and control the display to display the determined position of the virtual source. 1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:an inputter configured to receive an input of a region of interest (ROI) from a user;a beamformer configured to perform transmission/reception focusing with respect to a virtual source to be used for a synthetic aperture focusing method; anda main controller configured to determine a position of the virtual source on the basis of an image quality in the received ROI.2. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display claim 1 ,wherein the main controller controls the display to display the determined position of the virtual source.3. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main controller determines the position of the virtual source such that at least of a resolution or a contrast of the received ROI is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value.4. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main controller determines the position of the virtual source on the basis of a number of beams synthesized in the received ROI.5. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main controller determines the position of the virtual source such that the position of the virtual source does not match a position of the received ROI.6. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main controller determines a lateral direction position of the virtual source in an ultrasonic image on the basis of the image quality in the received ROI.7. ...

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Номер записи: 57
04-02-2021 дата публикации

METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR IMAGING A VISCO-ELASTIC MEDIUM

Номер: US20210033713A1
Автор: Bercoff Jeremy, COHEN-BACRIE Claude, SAVÉRY David, SOUQUET Jacques
Принадлежит: SuperSonic Imagine

The invention relates to a method and a device for imaging a visco-elastic medium []. The method comprises the steps of excitation during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in an excitation zone [A]; and imaging by acquiring signals during movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium [] in response to the internal mechanical stress in an imaging zone [B] that includes the excitation zone [A]. According to the invention said method further comprises a step of calculating a quantitative index [Cij] associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium [] at at least one point [Bij] of the imaging zone [B] situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone [A]. The quantitative index [Cij] is representative of a comparison between signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least one point [Ai] of the excitation zone [A] situated at the given depth, and signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least the point [Bij] of the imaging zone [B] situated outside the excitation zone [A]. 116.-. (canceled)17. A method of estimating elasticity of a visco-elastic medium , the method comprising:exciting the visco-elastic medium at a given depth within an excitation zone in the depth of the visco-elastic medium, which generates an internal mechanical stress that is localized within the visco-elastic medium in the excitation zone, the internal mechanical stress generating a shear wave in a tissue;imaging an imaging zone of the visco-elastic medium that comprises the excitation zone; the first displacement signal corresponds to a first point in the excitation zone in response to the internal mechanical stress, and', 'the second displacement signal corresponds to a second point in the imaging zone at the same depth as the first point but outside the excitation zone, and, 'acquiring displacement signals during a movement of the ...

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Номер записи: 58
08-02-2018 дата публикации

CLUTTER SUPPRESSION IN ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEMS

Номер: US20180038947A1
Автор: ZWIRN Gil
Принадлежит:

Methods of ultrasound imaging, some of which comprise: generating one or more transmit beams, wherein the boresight of each of the transmit beams points to a direction associated with a target region generating one or more receive beams using a probe () comprising a transducer array (); for each receive beam or group of receive beams, sampling the received signal one or more times, wherein each sample is associated with a certain volume within the target region (“volume-gate”), and wherein multiple space-dependent samples are taken over the probe for each volume-gate; and processing the space-dependent samples, said processing comprising: applying beamforming sample alignment such that each space-dependent sample associated with a volume-gate is aligned; for each aligned volume-gate, computing one or more clutter suppression features, wherein a clutter suppression feature is dependent on the signal variability of the space-dependent samples; for each aligned volume-gate, computing a metric value wherein the metric value depends on values of one or more of the one or more clutter suppression features for the aligned volume-gate, and performing a beamforming summation step in accordance with the metric value. 1. A method of ultrasound imaging , said method comprising: generating one or more receive beams using a probe comprising a transducer array;', 'for each receive beam or group of receive beams, sampling the received signal one or more times, wherein each sample is associated with a certain volume within the target region (“volume-gate”), and wherein multiple space-dependent samples are taken over the probe for each volume-gate; and', 'processing the space-dependent samples, said processing comprising:', 'applying beamforming sample alignment such that each space-dependent sample associated with a volume-gate is aligned;', 'for each aligned volume-gate, computing one or more clutter suppression features, wherein a clutter suppression feature is dependent on the ...

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Номер записи: 59
06-02-2020 дата публикации

GENERATING A SOURCE POINT OF SHEAR WAVES FOR SHEAR WAVE ELASTICITY IMAGING

Номер: US20200037993A1
Автор: Beitollahi Mahdi, Makkiabadi Bahador, Manuchehri Mohammad Sajad, Mardi Zahra, Meimani Najmeh
Принадлежит:

A method for generating a source point of shear waves for shear-wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) of an object. The method includes placing an ultrasound transducer on a surface of the object, vibrating the ultrasound transducer along a vibration axis utilizing a vibrator when the ultrasound transducer is placed on the surface of the object, and generating a shear wave in the source point by applying an acoustic radiation force on the source point. Applying the acoustic radiation force includes focusing an ultrasonic beam of the ultrasound transducer at a first focus point. The first focus point is located at the source point. The acoustic radiation force is applied simultaneously with vibrating the ultrasound transducer. 1. A method for generating a source point of shear waves for shear-wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) of an object , the method comprising:placing an annular array transducer (AAT) on a surface of the object, the AAT comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements;vibrating the AAT along a vibration axis utilizing a vibrator when the AAT is placed on the surface of the object;generating a shear wave in the source point by applying an acoustic radiation force on the source point, applying the acoustic radiation force comprising focusing a first plurality of ultrasound waves propagated from the plurality of piezoelectric elements at a first focus point located at the source point simultaneously with vibrating the AAT;moving the source point from the first focus point to a second focus point in an axial direction at a supersonic speed by focusing a second plurality of ultrasound waves at the second focus point, the second plurality of ultrasound waves propagated from the plurality of piezoelectric elements;rotating the AAT in a lateral direction at a supersonic speed utilizing a motor; andmoving the source point along one of an arch-shaped path or a linear path by focusing the AAT at a plurality of focal points simultaneously with rotating the AAT, the ...

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Номер записи: 60
06-02-2020 дата публикации

ULTRASOUND SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE, ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE

Номер: US20200037996A1
Автор: TSUSHIMA Mineo
Принадлежит:

An ultrasound signal processing device: performing events involving transmitting ultrasound towards a subject; receiving ultrasound reflection from the subject in response to each event; and generating a frame signal from sub-frame signals generated based on the ultrasound reflection. The device, in each event, causes a transmission aperture to transmit ultrasound focusing in the subject. A transmission aperture for one event differs in position, in a transducer element array direction, from a transmission aperture for a previous event by a shift amount of at least twice a transducer element width. The device, for each event, sets a target area which includes a position where transmitted ultrasound focuses and whose width in the transducer element array direction, at a depth where the transmitted ultrasound focuses, is equal to or greater than the shift amount. The device generates a sub-frame signal covering measurement points included in the target area. 1. An ultrasound diagnostic device comprising:an ultrasound probe including transducer elements; andan ultrasound diagnostic circuit that functions as:a transmitter performing an ultrasound transmission event of causing a transmission transducer element array composed of all or some of the transducer elements to transmit ultrasound;a receiver generating reception signal sequences, one for each of the transducer elements of a reception transducer element array composed of all or some of the transducer elements, each of the reception signal sequences generated according to a signal based on reflected ultrasound that a corresponding one of the transducer elements receives in response to the transmission of the ultrasound;a delay amount generator generating delay amounts, one for each of the transducer elements of the reception transducer element array; anda delay processor performing delay processing on the reception signal sequences, based on the delay amounts, whereinthe delay amount generator includes:a ...

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Номер записи: 61
16-02-2017 дата публикации

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ULTRASOUND DATA PROCESSING

Номер: US20170042512A1
Автор: Kempinsky Arcady, Sokulin Alexander, Ziv-Ari Morris
Принадлежит:

Methods and systems for ultrasound data processing are provided. One method includes acquiring channel ultrasound data from a plurality of channel connected to a plurality of elements of an ultrasound probe and storing the channel ultrasound data from the plurality of channels. The method further includes generating ultrasound images based on processing of the acquired channel ultrasound data and displaying the ultrasound images. The method also includes performing additional processing on the stored channel ultrasound data while the ultrasound images are displayed and displaying updated ultrasound images generated by the additional processing. 1. A method for forming images from ultrasound data , the method comprising:acquiring channel ultrasound data from a plurality of channels connected to a plurality of elements of an ultrasound probe;storing the channel ultrasound data from the plurality of channels;generating first ultrasound images by processing the stored channel ultrasound data, wherein the processing comprises of performing partial beamforming of at least some of the stored channel ultrasound data;displaying the first ultrasound images during acquisition of the channel ultrasound data;performing additional processing on the stored channel ultrasound data; andgenerating and displaying updated ultrasound images generated by the additional processing, the updated ultrasound images having a higher image quality or resolution as compared to the first ultrasound images displayed before performing the additional processing,wherein the additional processing comprises of at least performing additional beamforming on the partially beamformed stored channel ultrasound data that was used to generate the first ultrasound images.2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasound images comprise images having a basic image quality that is lower than higher image quality or resolution.3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the stored channel ...

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Номер записи: 62
07-02-2019 дата публикации

METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTIVE SHEAR WAVE ULTRASOUND IMAGING

Номер: US20190041506A1
Автор: Nightingale Kathryn R., Palmeri Mark
Принадлежит:

Methods, systems and computer program products for determining a mechanical parameter for a sample having a target region using constructive shear wave displacement is provided. The method includes generating a first shear wave in the target region at a first excitation position and a second shear wave in the target region at a second excitation position; transmitting tracking pulses in the target region at a tracking position that is between the first and second excitation positions; receiving corresponding echo signals for the tracking pulses at the tracking position in the target region; and determining at least one mechanical parameter of the target region based on at least one parameter of a constructive shear wave displacement from the first and second shear waves simultaneously displacing tissue at the tracking position. 1. A method for determining a mechanical parameter for a sample having a target region using constructive shear wave displacement , the method comprising:generating a first shear wave in the target region at a first excitation position and a second shear wave in the target region at a second excitation position;transmitting tracking pulses in the target region at a tracking position that is between the first and second excitation positions;receiving corresponding echo signals for the tracking pulses at the tracking position in the target region; anddetermining at least one mechanical parameter of the target region based on at least one parameter of a constructive shear wave displacement from the first and second shear waves simultaneously displacing tissue at the tracking position.2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter of the constructive shear wave displacement comprises at least one of a time of a peak displacement of tissue claim 1 , an inflection in a displacement slope of tissue displacement at the tracking position and a relative or absolute displacement amplitude of the constructive shear wave displacement from ...

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Номер записи: 63
01-05-2014 дата публикации

Method of determining beamforming coefficient, beamforming method and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Номер: US20140121516A1
Автор: Joo Young KANG, Jung Ho Kim, Kyu Hong Kim, Su Hyun Park, Sung Chan Park
Принадлежит: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

Disclosed herein are a beamforming method, a method of determining a beamforming coefficient, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The beamforming method includes radiating a target object with ultrasonic waves and receiving a plurality of ultrasonic signals reflected from the target object, acquiring beamforming computation results of some of the plurality of received ultrasonic signals and determining a beamforming coefficient candidate group based on a beamforming computation result of the some of the received ultrasonic signals, acquiring beamforming computation results of the plurality of received ultrasonic signals or the some of the received ultrasonic signals by applying beamforming coefficients of the beamforming coefficient candidate group and selecting at least one beamforming coefficient from the beamforming coefficient candidate group based on the beamforming computation results of the plurality of ultrasonic signals, and beamforming the plurality of ultrasonic signals using the selected at least one beamforming coefficient as a weight.

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Номер записи: 64
18-02-2021 дата публикации

METHOD FOR MEASURING AN ULTRASONIC ATTENUATION PARAMETER GUIDED BY HARMONIC ELASTOGRAPHY, PROBE AND DEVICE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE METHOD

Номер: US20210048518A1
Автор: AUDIERE Stéphane, SANDRIN Laurent
Принадлежит:

A method for measuring an ultrasonic attenuation parameter guided by harmonic elastography including applying, using a vibrator included in a probe in contact with a viscoelastic medium, of a continuous low frequency vibration, the continuous low frequency vibration generating an elastic wave within the viscoelastic medium and generating, during the propagation of the elastic wave, using an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the viscoelastic medium, of a series of ultrasonic acquisitions, the series of ultrasonic acquisitions including groups of ultrasonic acquisitions, the groups of ultrasonic acquisitions being generated with a repetition rate, each group of ultrasonic acquisitions including at least one acquisition; the ultrasonic attenuation parameter being measured from the ultrasonic acquisitions realised during the application of the continuous low frequency vibration. 1. A method for measuring an ultrasonic attenuation parameter guided by harmonic elastography comprising applying , using a vibrator comprised in a probe in contact with a viscoelastic medium , ea continuous low frequency vibration , the continuous low frequency vibration generating an elastic wave within the viscoelastic medium and generating , during the propagation of the elastic wave , using an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the viscoelastic medium , a series of ultrasonic acquisitions , said series of ultrasonic acquisitions including groups of ultrasonic acquisitions , the groups of ultrasonic acquisitions being generated with a repetition rate , each group of ultrasonic acquisitions including at least one acquisition;the ultrasonic attenuation parameter being measured from the ultrasonic acquisitions.2. The method for measuring an ultrasonic attenuation parameter guided by harmonic elastography according to further comprising determining claim 1 , from the series of ultrasonic acquisitions claim 1 , at least one property of the propagation of the elastic wave within the ...

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Номер записи: 65
19-02-2015 дата публикации

Ultrasonic signal processing device and ultrasonic signal processing method

Номер: US20150049582A1
Автор: Yukiya Miyachi
Принадлежит: Fujifilm Corp

An ultrasonic signal processing method includes: measuring a sound velocity in a subject according to transmission/reception data acquired in ultrasonic transmission of M times (M is an integer equal to or greater than 1 and less than N) along different transmission focus lines among ultrasonic transmission of N times (N is an integer equal to or greater than 2) along multiple transmission focus lines in a case where ultrasonic transmission is sequentially performed at least one time on each of multiple transmission focus lines to create an ultrasonic image for one frame.

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Номер записи: 66
25-02-2021 дата публикации

Hybrid elastography method, probe and device for hybrid elastography

Номер: US20210052250A1
Автор: Hugo Bernard Martin Loree, Laurent Sandrin
Принадлежит: ECHOSENS SA

A hybrid elastography method includes application of a continuous low frequency vibration and generation, using an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the viscoelastic medium, of a first series of ultrasonic acquisitions, the first series of ultrasonic acquisitions including groups of ultrasonic acquisitions, the groups of ultrasonic acquisitions being generated with a first repetition rate, each group of ultrasonic acquisitions including at least one acquisition, the continuous vibration generating an elastic wave within the viscoelastic medium; application of a low frequency pulse and generation, using the ultrasonic transducer, of a second series of ultrasonic acquisitions, the ultrasonic acquisitions composing the second series being generated with a second repetition rate, the low frequency pulse generating a transient shear wave propagating within the viscoelastic medium; the continuous vibration applied by the first vibrator being stopped before the application of the low frequency pulse.

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Номер записи: 67
23-02-2017 дата публикации

Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and doppler waveform image generating method

Номер: US20170049418A1
Автор: Katsuya Yamamoto
Принадлежит: Fujifilm Corp

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a quadrature detection section configured to perform quadrature detection on reception radio-frequency data generated by a reception circuit to generate complex data, a frequency analyzer configured to perform a first frequency analysis using the complex data of a set number of sample points starting from a first start point and a second frequency analysis using at least one group of the complex data of the set number of sample points starting from a second start point that is different from the first start point, and to acquire a spectral signal corresponding to each pixel of a Doppler waveform image based on results of the first frequency analysis and the second frequency analysis, and a Doppler waveform image generator configured to generate the Doppler waveform image using the spectral signal.

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Номер записи: 68
22-02-2018 дата публикации

Multiple aperture probe internal apparatus and cable assemblies

Номер: US20180049717A1
Автор: David M. Smith, Donald F. Specht, Kenneth D. Brewer, Sharon L. Adam
Принадлежит: Maui Imaging Inc

A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate physical apertures of ultrasound arrays. The probe can include separate backing plates configured to secure the ultrasound arrays in predetermined positions and orientations relative to one another. Some embodiments of the probe include flex circuit connected to the ultrasound arrays. In additional embodiments, a flex/PC board comprising flex connectors and an array of terminals is connected to the ultrasound arrays. Algorithms can solve for variations in tissue speed of sound, thus allowing the probe apparatus to be used virtually anywhere in or on the body.

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Номер записи: 69
25-02-2016 дата публикации

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF ADAPTIVE BEAMFORMING

Номер: US20160054435A1
Автор: KIM Jeong Seok, Lee Jung Gun
Принадлежит:

Provided is a method of adaptive beamforming, which includes calculating a correlation matrix, a first weight vector function and a noise level of received channel data, converting the correlation matrix of the channel data into a first base matrix, generating a second base matrix by selecting a base value not smaller than the calculated noise level from base values of the first base matrix, calculating a second weight vector function from the first weight vector function by using the second base matrix, and performing beam focusing by using the second weight vector function. Therefore, an image with high resolution may be obtained just with received beam focusing. 1. A method of adaptive beamforming , comprising:calculating a correlation matrix, a first weight vector function and a noise level of received channel data;converting the correlation matrix of the channel data into a first base matrix;generating a second base matrix by selecting a base value not smaller than the calculated noise level from base values of the first base matrix;calculating a second weight vector function from the first weight vector function by using the second base matrix; andperforming beam focusing by using the second weight vector function.2. The method of adaptive beamforming according to claim 1 ,wherein the first weight vector function and the second weight vector function are adaptive vector functions.3. The method of adaptive beamforming according to claim 1 , further comprising:doubly interpolating the received channel data.4. The method of adaptive beamforming according to claim 1 ,wherein the beam focusing is performed just with received beam focusing.5. The method of adaptive beamforming according to claim 1 ,wherein an ultrasonic image is generated by means of the beam focusing.6. A computer-readable recording medium claim 1 , in which a program capable of executing the method defined in by a computer is recorded.7. An apparatus of adaptive beamforming claim 1 , comprising:a ...

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Номер записи: 70
25-02-2021 дата публикации

Ultrasound system with improved noise performance by persistence processing

Номер: US20210055398A1
Автор: Charles Tremblay-Darveau, Paul Sheeran, Thanasis Loupas
Принадлежит: Koninklijke Philips NV

An ultrasound system produces persisted images in response to both persistence coefficients and noise bias coefficients. The persistence coefficients control the degree of persistence, which reduces noise variance by persistence processing. The noise bias coefficients are produced in correspondence with the likelihood that an image pixel is noise, and operate to reduce the noise floor of the persisted images. A single user control enables a user to control both the noise variance and the noise level of images in tandem or, alternatively, dedicated controls can become available to adjust noise variance and noise level separately.

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Номер записи: 71
23-02-2017 дата публикации

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SIDE LOBES IN ULTRASONIC IMAGES USING NONLINEAR FILTER

Номер: US20170052250A1
Автор: JEONG Mok Kun, KWON Sung Jae
Принадлежит:

According to the present invention, ultrasonic image quality can be improved by removing side lobe signals using a nonlinear filter that subtracts the side lobe signals calculated from a summed signal resulting from the received channel signals obtained by focusing signals received via an array transducer having a plurality of receiving elements and uses the calculated magnitude of the side lobe signals as a filter coefficient. The present invention includes an array transducer to receive an ultrasonic signal reflected from an imaging point and to output the reflected ultrasonic signal as a channel signal of a corresponding receiving element, a focusing delay module to temporally align the channel signals of the receiving elements, a summation unit to sum the temporally aligned channel signals and output the summed signal in order to form an ultrasonic image, a side lobe computation module to calculate a waveform of a side lobe signal generated due to a leakage of the ultrasonic signal, and a filter unit to filter the summed signal of the summation unit based on the magnitude of the side lobe signal computed by the side lobe computation module in order to improve ultrasonic image quality. 1. An apparatus for reducing side lobes in ultrasonic images using a nonlinear filter , the apparatus comprising:an array transducer configured to receive an ultrasonic signal reflected from an imaging point and to output the reflected ultrasonic signal as a channel signal of a corresponding receiving element;a focusing delay module configured to temporally align the channel signals of the receiving elements;a summation unit configured to add the temporally aligned channel signals and to output the summed signal in order to form an ultrasonic image;a side lobe computation module configured to calculate a waveform of a side lobe signal generated due to a leakage of the ultrasonic signal; anda filter unit configured to filter the summed signal of the summation unit based on the ...

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Номер записи: 72
10-03-2022 дата публикации

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING ULTRASOUND IMAGE QUALITY BY APPLYING WEIGHTING FACTORS

Номер: US20220071601A1
Автор: Brewer Kenneth D., CALL Josef R., Specht Donald F.
Принадлежит:

Systems and methods for improving the quality of ultrasound images made up of a combination of multiple sub-images include giving more weight to sub-image information that is more likely to improve a combined image quality. Weighting factor information may be determined from the geometry (e.g., angle or path length) of a location of one or more specific transducer elements relative to a specific point within a region of interest or a region of an image. In some embodiments, any given pixel (or other discrete region of an image) may be formed by combining received echo data in a manner that gives more weight to data that is likely to improve image quality, and/or discounting or ignoring data that is likely to detract from image quality (e.g., by introducing noise or by increasing point spread). 1. A method of identifying transmit elements not blocked by an obstacle , the method comprising:transmitting an unfocused first circular wave front ultrasound signal from a first transmit aperture and receiving echoes of the first circular wave front ultrasound signal at a first receive aperture;determining if deep echo returns from within the region of interest are received by identifying if a time delay associated with the received echoes exceeds a threshold value; andidentifying the first transmit aperture as being clear of an obstacle if deep echo returns are received.2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a weighting factor of substantially near 1 to the first transmit aperture.3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an unfocused second circular wave front ultrasound signal from a second transmit aperture and receiving echoes of the first circular wave front ultrasound signal at the first receive aperture or a second receive aperture.4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising identifying the second transmit aperture as being obscured by an obstacle if deep echo returns are not received.5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising ...

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Номер записи: 73
04-03-2021 дата публикации

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHEAR WAVE ELASTOGRAPHY AND MEDIUM STORING CORRESPONDING PROGRAM

Номер: US20210059643A1
Автор: DU Chengyang, Han Xiaodong, Jiang Wei, Liu Gang, Wu Feng
Принадлежит:

The present invention relates to a method and system for shear wave elastography and a medium storing a corresponding program. The method comprises: obtaining an initial image of an object; defining a region of interest in the initial image; performing shear wave elastography on the object at a plurality of different vibration frequencies, and generating a plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of different vibration frequencies; and determining an image corresponding to a specific vibration frequency in the plurality of different vibration frequencies as an optimized image based on the region of interest. The present invention further provides a corresponding system and a medium storing a corresponding program. 1. A method for shear wave elastography , the method comprising:obtaining an initial image of an object;defining a region of interest in the initial image;performing shear wave elastography on the object at a plurality of different vibration frequencies, and generating a plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of different vibration frequencies; anddetermining an image corresponding to a specific vibration frequency in the plurality of different vibration frequencies as an optimized image based on the region of interest.2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining an image corresponding to a specific vibration frequency in the plurality of different vibration frequencies as an optimized image based on the region of interest comprises:for each of the plurality of different vibration frequencies, separately calculating an average velocity of a shear wave in the region of interest in each image corresponding to each of the vibration frequencies;fitting a curve describing a frequency-velocity relationship according to each of the vibration frequencies and the corresponding average velocity; andselecting one or a plurality of vibration frequencies in the plurality of different vibration frequencies as the specific ...

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Номер записи: 74
05-03-2015 дата публикации

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus, ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and ultrasonic measurement method

Номер: US20150063058A1
Автор: Kazuyuki Kano, Kenji Murakami, Masaki Hayashi, Ryoki Watanabe
Принадлежит: Seiko Epson Corp

Provided are an ultrasonic measurement apparatus, an ultrasonic imaging apparatus and an ultrasonic measurement method that achieve an increase in processing speed together with an increase in resolution and are user friendly. An image is generated by adding together, with a weight having a fixed value, reception signals obtained by ultrasonic echoes being received by an ultrasonic element array, and an area of interest is set within the area in which the generated image is to be displayed. When an area of interest is acquired, the reception signals received by the ultrasonic element array are added together with weights that depend on the reception signals, with respect to data forming the basis of the image to be displayed in the area of interest, and image generation is performed.

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Номер записи: 75
28-02-2019 дата публикации

IMAGE GENERATING APPARATUS, IMAGE GENERATING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

Номер: US20190059740A1
Автор: Fukutani Kazuhiko, Oishi Takuji
Принадлежит:

An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity. 1. (canceled)2. An apparatus for determining a propagation velocity of an acoustic wave caused by irradiation of light on an object , the apparatus comprising:a determination unit configured to determine the propagation velocity of the acoustic wave for generating a photoacoustic image based on a signal obtained by detecting the acoustic wave,wherein the determination unit is configured to set, based on an ultrasonic image obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, a target position, and determine, based on the signal corresponding to the target position, the propagation velocity.3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position based on an instruction from a user for the ultrasonic image.4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set a target area including the target position selected by the user in the ultrasonic image claim 3 , and determine claim 3 , based on the signal corresponding to the target area claim 3 , the propagation velocity.5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position by analyzing the ultrasonic image.6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set claim 5 , based on a luminance value of the ultrasonic image claim 5 , the target position.7 ...

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Номер записи: 76
27-02-2020 дата публикации

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ULTRASOUND SHEAR WAVE ELASTOGRAPHY USING EXTERNAL MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS

Номер: US20200060654A1
Автор: Anthony Brian, HUANG SHENG-WEN, Nguyen Man, Xie Hua, Yang Heng
Принадлежит:

Systems and methods for ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) are described. According to examples, an ultrasound SWE system includes an ultrasound probe (), an actuation assembly () coupled to the probe and configured to apply an external force against a subject for generating a shear wave within a target region, a controller () coupled to the actuation assembly to control the actuation assembly to apply the force responsive to a trigger signal, and ultrasound scanner () configured to generate the trigger signal, and further configured to generate an elastography image based at least in part on echo signals received from the target region. 1. An ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) system comprising:a probe configured to transmit ultrasound signals toward a target region of a subject and receive echo signals responsive to the ultrasound signals;an actuation assembly coupled to the probe and configured to apply an external force against the subject for generating a shear wave within the target region;a controller coupled to the actuation assembly and configured to control the actuation assembly to apply the force responsive to a trigger signal; andan ultrasound scanner coupled to the probe and the controller, wherein the ultrasound scanner is configured to generate the trigger signal, and wherein the ultrasound scanner comprises at least one processor configured to generate an elastography image based at least in part on the echo signals.2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation assembly comprises at least one end effector configured to move relative to the probe to apply the external force against the subject.3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the actuation assembly further comprises:a frame movably joining the least one end effector to the probe; andan actuator coupled to the at least one end effector and configured to drive the end effector toward and away from the subject.4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the actuator comprises a voice coil ...

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Номер записи: 77
27-02-2020 дата публикации

ADJUSTING MEASUREMENTS OF THE EFFECTS OF ACOUSTIC RADIATION FORCE FOR BACKGROUND MOTION EFFECTS

Номер: US20200060655A1
Автор: Fraser John Douglas, Xie Hua
Принадлежит:

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for shear wave measurement transmits push pulses into tissue for the generation of shear waves. Characteristics of the shear waves such as their velocity of passage through the tissue are measured to assess properties such as tissue stiffness. The measurements are compensated for effects of background motion by sampling echo signals from the tissue at different times and comparing the samples to detect the presence of relative motion between the ultrasound probe and the region of interest where shear waves are detected. Sensed background motion is used to adjust measured shear wave characteristics. 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system comprising:an ultrasonic array probe comprising a two dimensional array of transducer elements; anda beamformer controller configured to provide control signals to the ultrasonic array probe, wherein the control signals cause the two dimensional array of transducer elements to transmit a push beam sheet along a predetermined vector, wherein the push beam sheet is formed by the two dimensional array of transducer elements transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic bursts at a corresponding plurality of focal points and moving the plurality of focal points during transmission of the plurality of ultrasonic bursts to form a corresponding plurality of line sources.2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the push beam sheet has a depth dimension and at least one of an elevation dimension or an azimuthal dimension.3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the push beam sheet is curved.4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the push beam sheet is planar.5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined vector non-orthogonal to a face of the two dimensional array of transducer elements.6. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the beamformer controller is further configured to provide control signals to the ultrasonic array probe claim 1 , wherein the control signals cause the two dimensional ...

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Номер записи: 78
17-03-2022 дата публикации

Method for ultrasound imaging using two-dimensional fourier transform, corresponding computer program and ultrasound probe device

Номер: US20220082526A1
Автор: Claire Prada Julia, Lucas MERABET, Sebastien Robert
Принадлежит: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS, Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA

This two-dimensional Fourier transform ultrasound imaging method includes by controlling transmitting and receiving transducers: obtaining M matrices MRm, 1≤m≤M, of sampled ultrasonic time signals; two-dimensional Fourier transforming each matrix MRm to obtain M spectral matrices FTMRm; converting each spectral matrix FTMRm to obtain M spectral images FTIm; combining the M spectral images FTIm and two-dimensional inverse Fourier transforming the resulting spectral image FTI to obtain an ultrasound image I. The conversion includes taking into account a change of propagation mode during a backscatter, by adding a parameter characterizing this change of mode in equations (SYS) of change of reference frame, and/or taking into account a reflection against a wall, by adding a phase shift term in a relation (REL) of matrix transformation.

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Номер записи: 79
12-03-2015 дата публикации

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus, ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and ultrasonic measurement method

Номер: US20150071030A1
Автор: Masaki Hayashi
Принадлежит: Seiko Epson Corp

An ultrasonic measurement apparatus that is able to prevent a decrease in the effects of adaptive beamforming, in the case where some element cannot correctly receive signals. The ultrasonic measurement apparatus has a reception processing unit that receives, via an ultrasonic element array having a plurality of channels, an ultrasonic echo relating to an ultrasonic wave transmitted toward an object, as a reception signal for each channel, an error detection unit that performs error detection for each channel, a signal processing unit that performs weighted addition of a reception signal for each normal channel other than an error channel for which an error was detected, with a weight that depends on the reception signal for the normal channel, and an image generation unit that generates an image based on a signal obtained from the weighted addition.

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Номер записи: 80
29-05-2014 дата публикации

Intra-operative image correction for image-guided interventions

Номер: US20140147027A1
Автор: Ameet Kumar Jain, Christopher Stephen Hall
Принадлежит: Koninklijke Philips NV

An imaging correction system includes a tracked imaging probe ( 132 ) configured to generate imaging volumes of a region of interest from different positions. An image compensation module ( 115 ) is configured to process image signals from a medical imaging device associated with the probe and to compare one or more image volumes with a reference to determine aberrations between an assumed wave velocity through the region of interest and a compensated wave velocity through the region of interest. An image correction module ( 119 ) is configured to receive the aberrations determined by the image compensation module and generate a corrected image for display based on the compensated wave velocity.

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Номер записи: 81
08-03-2018 дата публикации

ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OBJECT MOTION

Номер: US20180068155A1
Автор: CALL Josef R., DAVIS Henry A., Specht Donald F.
Принадлежит:

Ping-based imaging systems may be used for tracking motion of hard or soft objects within an imaged medium. Motion detection and motion tracking may be performed by defining fingerprint points and tracking the position of each fingerprint point based on the echoes of multiple transmitted pings. 1. A method of tracking motion of an object with an imaging system comprising the steps of:defining a plurality of fiducial regions in a region of interest with a controller of the imaging system;defining a fingerprint point within each fiducial region with the controller, wherein the fingerprint represents an area smaller than any detail resolvable by the imaging system;transmitting a series of unfocused ultrasound pings into the region of interest from a transducer array of the imaging system;receiving echoes from the series of transmitted unfocused ultrasound pings with a plurality of transducer elements of the transducer array;storing echo data received by each of the plurality of transducer elements in a separate memory string;detecting movement of at least one fingerprint point with the controller; andcommunicating a signal with the controller indicating that movement of the object relative to the transducer array has occurred.2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining at least one image of the region of interest with the imaging system claim 1 , and wherein defining the plurality of fiducial regions comprises selecting a plurality of points in the at least one image.3. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining at least one image of a region of interest comprises obtaining at least two images containing at least a portion of the object claim 2 , the at least two images lying in intersecting two-dimensional planes that also intersect the object;wherein defining the fingerprint point comprises defining a first fingerprint point at an intersection between the two-dimensional planes and the object, defining a second fingerprint point in a first of the at least ...

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Номер записи: 82
12-03-2015 дата публикации

Aberration correction using channel data in ultrasound imaging system

Номер: US20150073276A1
Автор: Brian Derek DeBusschere, Ching-Hua Chou, David J. Napolitano, Glen W. McLaughlin, Larry Y. L. Mo, Robert W. Steins, Ting-Lan Ji
Принадлежит: Zonare Medical Systems Inc

Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound scanner equipped with an image data processing unit that can perform adaptive parameter optimization during image formation and processing. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a channel data memory to store channel data obtained by digitizing ultrasound image data produced by an image scan; an image data processor configured to process the stored channel data in the memory to reconstruct an ultrasound image for each of a plurality of trial values of at least one parameter to be optimized; and a parameter optimization unit configured to evaluate an image quality of the reconstructed ultrasound image for each trial value of the at least one parameter, and to determine the optimized value of the at least one parameter based on the evaluated image quality.

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Номер записи: 83
29-05-2014 дата публикации

Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and shear-elasticity measurement method therefor

Номер: US20140148698A1
Автор: Satoshi Tamano
Принадлежит: Hitachi Medical Corp

An inventive ultrasound diagnostic device is provided, which can display information on the temperature rise in a biological object under ultrasound radiation for measurement of a shear elasticity of a biological tissue of interest, thereby drawing attention of an examiner of the device and enabling him to retain the temperature rise within a predetermined safe range while performing the shear elasticity measurement. The device is adapted to measure the shear elasticity of a tissue by ultrasonic waves emitted from a probe. The device has a calculation unit configured to calculate a rise in temperature of the biological tissue irradiated with a focused ultrasonic (US) beam, and a display unit configured to display the temperature information obtained.

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Номер записи: 84
05-06-2014 дата публикации

Measurement and Imaging of Scatterers with Memory of Scatterer Parameters Using at Least Two-Frequency Elastic Wave Pulse Complexes

Номер: US20140150556A1
Автор: Bjorn A.J. ANGELSEN, Rune Hansen, Svein-Erik Måsøy, Sven Peter Nasholm, Thor Andreas Tangen, Tonni F. Johansen
Принадлежит: Individual

Measurement or imaging of elastic wave nonlinear scatterers with a memory of scattering parameters comprises selecting LF pulses having characteristics to change the scattering parameters of nonlinear scatterers. A transmit time relation is selected so that the incident HF pulse propagates sufficiently close to the LF pulse that the effect of the incident LF pulse on its scatterer parameters is observed by the HF pulse. At least two elastic wave pulse complexes comprising a high frequency (HF) pulse and a selected low frequency (LF) pulse are transmitted towards the region. Received HF signals are combined to form nonlinear HF signals representing the scatterers with memory, with suppression of received HF signals from other scatterers. At least one of the received HF signals may be corrected by time delay correction and/or speckle correction with a speckle correction filter, determined by movement of the scattering object. Systems are also disclosed.

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Номер записи: 85
05-03-2020 дата публикации

Position measurement device, treatment system including the same, and position measurement method

Номер: US20200069971A1
Автор: Hirohisa Mizota, Kota Sasaki, Yuusuke KOURAI
Принадлежит: HITACHI LTD

To provide a position measurement device capable of measuring a target position with high accuracy according to an ultrasonic image during treatment, a treatment system including the device, and a position measurement method. A first image is constructed according to an ultrasonic waveform acquired by an ultrasonic sensor 104 C, a three-dimensional image acquired in advance and the first image are collated on the basis of sensor position information acquired by a sensor position measurement unit 105 to calculate sound velocities of each body tissue of a patient 100 , a second image is constructed according to the ultrasonic waveform acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 104 C using the calculated sound velocities of each body tissue of the patient 100 , and a target tissue position is calculated according to the second image.

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Номер записи: 86
07-03-2019 дата публикации

3-D Ultrasound Imaging with Multiple Single-Element Transducers and Ultrasound Signal Propagation Correction

Номер: US20190072671A1
Автор: Jens Munk Hansen, Svetoslav Ivanov Nikolov
Принадлежит: BK Medical AS

A method includes receiving first electrical signals from a first single-element transducer ( 112 1 ) and second electrical signals from a second single-element transducer ( 112 2 ). The transducers are disposed on a shaft ( 110 ), which has a longitudinal axis ( 200 ), of an ultrasound imaging probe ( 102 ) with transducing sides disposed transverse to and facing away from the longitudinal axis. The transducers are angularly offset from each other on the shaft by a non-zero angle. The transducers are operated at first and second different cutoff frequencies. The shaft concurrently translates and rotates while the transducers receive the first and second ultrasound signals. The method further includes delay and sum beamforming, with first and second beamformers ( 120 1 , 120 2 ), the first and second electrical signals, respectively via different processing chains ( 712 1 , 712 2 ), employing an adaptive synthetic aperture technique, producing first and second images. The method further includes combining the first and second images, creating a final image, and displaying the final image.

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Номер записи: 87
24-03-2022 дата публикации

System and techniques for split-aperture beamforming

Номер: US20220091260A1
Автор: Charlie Pearson
Принадлежит: Coda Octopus Group Inc

Technologies for correcting beamformed data are disclosed. A sonar computing device receives, at two or more sets of two-dimensional (2D) subarrays of a multi-element detector array, raw data representing a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric view of a space. A first set of subarrays of the two or more sets of subarrays includes elements of the detector array along a first direction. A second set of subarrays of the two or more sets of subarrays includes elements of the detector array along a second direction. The raw data is subdivided into slices and beamformed. The beamformed data is corrected by, per slice, obtaining first phase data from the first set, obtaining second phase data from the second set, correcting a beam position of each beam in the first and second directions per voxel based on the first and second phase data, and interpolating the corrected beam positions to an output grid.

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Номер записи: 88
14-03-2019 дата публикации

SHEAR WAVE GROUP VELOCITY ESTIMATION USING SPATIOTEMPORAL PEAKS AND AMPLITUDE THRESHOLDING

Номер: US20190076126A1
Автор: Amador Carrascal Carolina, Chen Shigao, Greenleaf James F., Manduca Armando, Urban Matthew W.
Принадлежит:

Described here are systems and methods for estimating shear wave velocity from data acquired with a shear wave elastography system. More particularly, the systems and methods described here implement a spatiotemporal time-to-peak algorithm that searches for the times at which shear wave motion is at a maximum while also searching for the lateral locations at which shear wave motion is at a maximum. Motion can include displacement, velocity, or acceleration caused by propagating shear waves. A fitting procedure (e.g., a linear fit) is performed on a combined set of these temporal peaks and spatial peaks to estimate the shear wave velocity, from which mechanical properties can be computed. Motion amplitude thresholding can also be used to increase the number of points for the fitting. 1. A computer-implemented method for estimating a shear wave velocity from elastography data acquired with an elastography system , the steps of the method comprising:(a) providing the elastography data to a computer system;(b) generating from the elastography data, a motion profile for each of a plurality of spatial locations in a field-of-view, each motion profile representing motion over a plurality of time points;(c) generating temporal peak data by determining for each spatial location a time point at which motion at the spatial location is at a maximum;(d) generating spatial peak data by determining for each time point a spatial location at which motion at the time point is at a maximum;(e) estimating the shear wave velocity based on a fitting of the temporal peak data and the spatial peak data; and(f) generating an output that indicates the estimated shear wave velocity.2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (e) includes fitting the temporal peak data and the spatial peak data using a linear fitting.3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the linear fitting is at least one of random sample consensus (RANSAC) linear fitting claim 2 , weighted RANSAC linear fitting ...

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Номер записи: 89
12-03-2020 дата публикации

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, medical image processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer medium storing computer program

Номер: US20200077983A1
Автор: Asuka Ozawa, Hiroki Yoshiara, Takashi Masuda, Takeshi Sugio, Tomio Nabatame
Принадлежит: Canon Medical Systems Corp

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a present embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to acquire a contrast image and a vascular structure image which includes the vascular structure in an image acquisition mode capable of capturing the vascular structure. The processing circuitry is configured to extract data indicating the vascular structure from the vascular structure image. The processing circuitry is configured to superimpose the data indicating the vascular structure on the contrast image to generate a superimposed image. The processing circuitry is configured to display the superimposed image on a display.

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Номер записи: 90
12-03-2020 дата публикации

GRATING LOBES REDUCTION FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGES AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

Номер: US20200077984A1
Автор: HOPE SIMPSON David, KIM Seungsoo, SHIN Jun Seob, Vignon Francois Guy Gerard Marie
Принадлежит:

Improved ultrasound imaging devices and methods of operating the devices that minimize grating lobe artifacts in an ultrasound image are provided. For example, an ultrasound imaging system analyzes the ultrasound data at different frequency bands and generates a grating-lobe-minimized image based on minimum signals identified for each pixel among the plurality of frequency ranges. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound transducer array configured to obtain ultrasound data, and a processor in communication with the ultrasound transducer array. The processor is configured to receive the ultrasound data, generate an ultrasound image based on a first frequency range of the ultrasound data, generate a grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image based on a plurality of second frequency ranges of the ultrasound data, combine the ultrasound image and the grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image to generate a combined ultrasound image, and output the combined ultrasound image to a display. 1. An ultrasound imaging system , comprising:an ultrasound transducer array comprising a plurality of acoustic elements configured to emit ultrasound energy and receive echoes corresponding to the emitted ultrasound energy; and receive, from the ultrasound transducer array, ultrasound data representative of the received echoes;', 'generate an ultrasound image based on a first frequency range of the ultrasound data;', 'generate a grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image based on a plurality of second frequency ranges of the ultrasound data, wherein the first frequency range is broader than each of the plurality of second frequency ranges;', 'combine the ultrasound image and the grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image to generate a combined ultrasound image; and', 'output the combined ultrasound image to a display., 'a processor in communication with the ultrasound transducer array, the processor configured to2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an ...

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Номер записи: 91
26-03-2015 дата публикации

Monolithic ultrasonic imaging devices, systems and methods

Номер: US20150087977A1
Автор: Gregory L. Charvat, Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
Принадлежит: Butterfly Network Inc

To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein.

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Номер записи: 92
26-03-2015 дата публикации

Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and ultrasound imaging method

Номер: US20150087985A1
Автор: Akihiro Kakee, Hiroki Yoshiara, Kuramitsu Nishihara, Makoto Hirama, Tetsuya Kawagishi
Принадлежит: Toshiba Corp, Toshiba Medical Systems Corp

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a transmitter/receiver, an adder/subtractor and an image generating unit. The transmitter/receiver performs a first set of ultrasound transmission/reception and a second set of ultrasound transmission/reception, on a same scanning line of an imaging region of a subject administered with a contrast agent, for a plurality of sets, to output reflected wave data for the plurality of the sets, the first set of the ultrasound transmission/reception performing amplitude-modulated or amplitude- and phase-modulated ultrasound transmission transmitted a plurality of times and receiving reflected waves, and the second set of the ultrasound transmission/reception being transmission/reception whose phase modulation being different from phase modulation of the first set of the ultrasound transmission/reception. The adder/subtractor adds or subtracts the reflected wave data for the plurality of the sets. The image generating unit generates contrast image data based on the data output from the adder/subtractor.

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Номер записи: 93
25-03-2021 дата публикации

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTIVATION OF ARRHYTHMIAS

Номер: US20210085284A1
Автор: Konofagou Elisa E., Provost Jean
Принадлежит: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York

Systems and methods for detecting electromechanical wave propagation within a body structure of a patient in a series of image frames representing movement the body structure are provided. Image data is acquired comprising a series of image frames corresponding to the movement of a body structure. A correlation calculation is performed on the image frames to generate a displacement map representing the relative displacement between the first and second image frames. A video is generated comprising a series of displacement maps. The parameters of movement of the body structure are detected by analysis of the displacement maps. The image acquisition can detect the movement of the body structure without inducing such movement. 1. A method for mapping electromechanical activity during an arrhythmia , comprising:obtaining image information of a heart of a subject using an imaging device;generating a strain map of the heart from the image information;determining from the strain map occurrences of a first electromechanical event of the heart and a second electromechanical event;generating a spatio-temporal map of atrial and ventricular mechanics of the heart by tracking the onset of the first and second event for each pixel of a heart wall of the subject identified from the image information; andidentifying, using the spatio-temporal map, a representative mechanical cycle associated with a contraction of the heart; and determining a type of cardiac arrhythmia present in the heart from the information collected in the ultrasound scan of the heart.2. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining that the cardiac arrhythmia present in the heart comprises focal rhythms claim 2 , wherein generating the spatio-temporal map further comprises determining an onset of ventricular contraction by identifying a first zero-crossing of an incremental strains occurring after an onset of a P-wave on an electrocardiogram.3. A system for mapping electromechanical activity during an ...

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Номер записи: 94
12-03-2020 дата публикации

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FILTERING ULTRASOUND IMAGE CLUTTER

Номер: US20200081107A1
Автор: HUANG SHENG-WEN, KIM Seungsoo, ROBERT Jean-luc Francois-Marie, SHIN Jun Soeb, Vignon Francois Guy Gerard Marie
Принадлежит:

The invention provides a method for generating a filtered ultrasound image. The method begins by obtaining channel data. First and second apodization functions are applied to the channel data to generate first () and second () image data, respectively. A minimization function is then applied to the first () and second () image data, which may then be used to generate third () image data. The filtered ultrasound image may then be generated based on the first () and third () image data. 1. A method for generating a filtered ultrasound image , the method comprising:obtaining channel data from an ultrasonic transducer array;generating first image data from the channel data using a first apodization function;generating second image data from the channel data using a second apodization function, wherein the second apodization function comprises a null filter;applying a minimizing function to the first and second image data;generating third image data based on the minimized first and second image data; and subtracting the pixel values of the third image data from the pixel values of the first image data, thereby generating filtered pixels; and', 'constructing the filtered ultrasound image using the filtered pixels., 'generating the filtered ultrasound image based on the first and third image data, wherein the generation of the filtered ultrasound image comprises2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the minimization function comprises:comparing the first and second image data; andfor each pair of pixels from the first and second image data, selecting a pixel with the minimum pixel value based on the comparison.3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the generation of the third image data comprises:constructing the third image data using the selected pixels.4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises performing a log compression on the filtered ultrasound image.5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the method claim 4 , ...

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Номер записи: 95
21-03-2019 дата публикации

METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PRODUCE ULTRASONIC IMAGES USING MULTIPLE APERTURES

Номер: US20190083058A1
Автор: Specht Donald F.
Принадлежит:

A combination of an ultrasonic scanner and an omnidirectional receive transducer for producing a two-dimensional image from received echoes is described. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by additional transducers. These can be combined to produce images with better signal to noise ratios and lateral resolution. Also disclosed is a method based on information content to compensate for the different delays for different paths through intervening tissue is described. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging but are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces. Since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the aperture defined by the end elements, it is not necessary to fill the entire aperture with equally spaced elements. Multiple slices using these methods can be combined to form three-dimensional images. 1. An ultrasound imaging method comprising:transmitting first ultrasonic energy into a target object to be imaged from a first transducer array positioned in a first acoustic window;receiving first echoes of the first ultrasonic energy with a first single element of a second transducer array positioned in a second acoustic window;{'sub': 1', '1, 'obtaining first position information describing a first position of the first single element relative to the first transducer array by constructing xand yposition data from a first time that the first echoes are received at the first transducer array and a second time that the first echoes are received at the second transducer array;'}transmitting second ultrasonic energy into the target object to be imaged from the second transducer array positioned in the second acoustic window;receiving second echoes of the second ultrasonic energy with a second single element of the first transducer array;{'sub': 2', '2, 'obtaining second position information describing a second position of the ...

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Номер записи: 96
25-03-2021 дата публикации

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR FLASH SUPPRESSION IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING

Номер: US20210088639A1
Автор: Yang Seongho
Принадлежит:

Methods and systems are provided for color flow ultrasound imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises acquiring color flow data, detecting, with a neural network, a flash artifact in the color flow data, adjusting an adaptive filter cutoff of a clutter filter based on a classification result of the neural network, filtering, with the clutter filter, the flash artifact from the color flow data, and displaying a color flow image generated from the filtered color flow data. In this way, strong flash artifacts caused by strong tissue movement or probe movement may be dynamically suppressed during color flow ultrasound imaging. 1. A method , comprising:acquiring color flow data;detecting, with a neural network, a flash artifact in the color flow data;adjusting an adaptive filter cutoff of a clutter filter based on a classification result of the neural network;filtering, with the clutter filter, the flash artifact from the color flow data; anddisplaying a color flow image generated from the filtered color flow data.2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the flash artifact in the color flow data comprises inputting velocity and power measurements of the color flow data to the neural network to generate the classification result claim 1 , and wherein the classification result indicates the presence of the flash artifact in the color flow data.3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the classification result includes a highest frequency of the detected flash artifact claim 1 , and wherein adjusting the adaptive filter cutoff comprises setting the adaptive filter cutoff to the highest frequency of the detected flash artifact.4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the adaptive filter cutoff includes increasing the adaptive filter cutoff if the classification result indicates the flash artifact is stronger than a previous setting of the adaptive filter cutoff.5. The method of claim 4 , wherein adjusting the adaptive filter cutoff includes decreasing the adaptive ...

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Номер записи: 97
29-03-2018 дата публикации

ANALOG STORE DIGITAL READ ULTRASOUND BEAMFORMING SYSTEM

Номер: US20180088219A1
Автор: Koptenko Sergei V.
Принадлежит:

An analog store-digital read (ASDR) ultrasound beamformer architecture performs the task of signal beamforming using a matrix of sample/hold cells to capture, store and process instantaneous samples of analog signals from ultrasound array elements and this architecture provides significant reduction in power consumption and the size of the diagnostic ultrasound imaging system such that the hardware build upon ASDR ultrasound beamformer architecture can be placed in one or few application specific integrated chips (ASIC) positioned next to the ultrasound array and the whole diagnostic ultrasound imaging system could fit in the handle of the ultrasonic probe while preserving most of the functionality of a cart-based system. The ASDR architecture provides improved signal-to-noise ratio and is scalable. 19.-. (canceled)10. An Analog Store Digital Read ultrasound beamformer for a portable ultrasound imaging system comprising:An ultrasonic array formed of individual ultrasonic array elements configured for transmission and receiving, wherein the individual array elements are grouped into individual channels;A receiving input signal control circuitry for creating receiving input signals for each channel from inputs received from each array element of the channel;A plurality of banks of sample-hold cells associated with the channels, wherein the beamformer is configured for sampling each receiving input signal for each channel at a sampling rate and storing the sampled data in one bank of sample-hold cells, wherein the bank of sample-hold cells form an analog random access memory for the associated sampled receiving input signal;A beamforming processor configured for selecting at least one sample-hold cell data from at least one channel for each beamforming instance in accordance with a beamforming algorithm;An analog summation element for summing all of the selected sample-hold cell data from each channel for each beamforming instance and forming an analog beamformed ...

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Номер записи: 98
29-03-2018 дата публикации

Method and system for coded excitation imaging by impulse response estimation and retrospective acquisition

Номер: US20180088220A1
Автор: John A. Flynn, Lauren S. Pflugrath
Принадлежит: Verasonics Inc

A method that includes transmitting coded waveforms simultaneously on multiple elements for several frames, constructing a first multi-input, single output (MISO) system from the codes to model transmit-receive paths, solving system and RF data observation by linear model theory, giving an IR set for the medium, and applying the estimates to a secondary MISO system, constructed by analogy to the first, but with pulses convenient for beamforming in the form of a focused set of single-cycle pulses for ideal focused reconstruction.

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Номер записи: 99
29-03-2018 дата публикации

Method and device for probing by wave propagation

Номер: US20180088232A1
Автор: Alexandre Aubry, Arnaud Derode, Camille TROTTIER
Принадлежит: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS, Electricite de France SA

A method for probing by wave propagation, in which an incident wave is emitted into a medium comprising diffusers that can reflect the wave. Signals representing a reflected wave reverberated by the medium from the incident wave are captured, said captured signals being the sum of a simple diffusion component and a multiple diffusion component. The captured signals are treated by separating the multiple diffusion component from the simple diffusion component.

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Номер записи: 100