摘要:
The system described ultrasonically images a target with energy spreading transmissions. Generally, ultrasonic energy corresponding to a line focus is transmitted into a target at a fundamental center frequency. The target may or may not include contrast agents. In either case, echoes are received at a harmonic of the fundamental center frequency. Echoes are also received at the fundamental center frequency. The echoes received at the harmonic center frequency are efficiently compounding with the echoes received at the fundamental center frequency.
摘要:
A method and system for reducing speckle for two and three-dimensional images is disclosed. For two-dimensional imaging, a one and a half or a two-dimensional transducer is used to obtain sequential, parallel or related frames of elevation spaced data. The frames are compounded to derive a two-dimensional image. For three-dimensional imaging, various pluralities of two-dimensional frames of data spaced in elevation are compounded into one plurality of spaced two-dimensional frames of data. The frames of data are then used to derive a three dimensional set of data, such as by interpolation. Alternatively, the various pluralities are used to derive a three-dimensional set of data. An anisotropic filter is applied to the set of data. The anisotropic filter filters at least along the elevation dimension. In either situation, various displays may be generated from the final three-dimensional set of data. A method and system for adjustably generating two and three-dimensional representations is also disclosed. For three-dimensional imaging, at least two sets of three-dimensional data corresponding respectively to two types of Doppler or B-mode data are generated. The sets of data are then combined. An image or a quantity may be obtained from the combined data. By combining after generating the three-dimensional sets of data, the same data (sets of data) may be combined multiple times pursuant to different relationships. Thus, a user may optimize the image or quantity. Likewise, frames of data may be combined pursuant to different persistence parameters, such as different finite impulse response filter size and coefficients. The frames of data may then be re-combined pursuant to different persistence parameters. Original ultrasound data may also be used to re-generate an imaging using the same ultrasound image processes as used for a previous image. APPENDIX A Filter at Plane Y = - 2 X → [ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ] Z ↓ Filter at Plane Y = - 1 [ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ] Filter at Plane Y = 0 [ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ] Filter at Plane Y = + 1 [ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ] Filter at Plane Y = + 2 [ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ] The filter perform no filtering in the X, Z plane. It filters (low pass) contributions from neighboring elements in only the Y direction. The filter may be implemented as a 1-D low pass filter in the Y-direction [0.2, 0.4, 1.0, 0.4, 0.2]=(a 1×5×1 anisotropic filter).
摘要:
Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.
摘要:
A method and system for reducing speckle for two and three-dimensional images is disclosed. For two-dimensional imaging, a one and a half or a two-dimensional transducer is used to obtain sequential, parallel or related frames of elevation spaced data. The frames are compounded to derive a two-dimensional image. For three-dimensional imaging, various pluralities of two-dimensional frames of data spaced in elevation are compounded into one plurality of spaced two-dimensional frames of data. The frames of data are then used to derive a three dimensional set of data, such as by interpolation. Alternatively, the various pluralities are used to derive a three-dimensional set of data. An anisotropic filter is applied to the set of data. The anisotropic filter filters at least along the elevation dimension. In either situation, various displays may be generated from the final three-dimensional set of data. A method and system for adjustably generating two and three-dimensional representations is also disclosed. For three-dimensional imaging, at least two sets of three-dimensional data corresponding respectively to two types of Doppler or B-mode data are generated. The sets of data are then combined. An image or a quantity may be obtained from the combined data. By combining after generating the three-dimensional sets of data, the same data (sets of data) may be combined multiple times pursuant to different relationships. Thus, a user may optimize the image or quantity. Likewise, frames of data may be combined pursuant to different persistence parameters, such as different finite impulse response filter size and coefficients. The frames of data may then be re-combined pursuant to different persistence parameters. Original ultrasound data may also be used to re-generate an imaging using the same ultrasound image processes as used for a previous image.
摘要:
The preferred embodiment includes a method and system for processing ultrasound data during or after compression. Various compression algorithms, such as JPEG compression, are used to transfer ultrasound data. The ultrasound data may include image (i.e. video data) or data obtained prior to scan conversion, such as detected acoustic line data or data complex in form. Compression algorithms typically include a plurality of steps to transform and quantize the ultrasound data. Various processes in addition to compression may be performed as part of one or more of the compression steps. Furthermore, various ultrasound system processes typically performed on uncompressed ultrasound data may be performed using compressed or partially compressed ultrasound data. Operation on compressed or partially compressed data may more efficiently provide processed data for generation of an image. Fewer operations are required by one or more processors when operating on compressed or partially compressed data than for uncompressed or non-compressed data. In one embodiment, partially compressed data may be input into a look-up table for contrast enhancement. In another embodiment, partially compressed data is high passed filtered.
摘要:
An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.
摘要:
An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.
摘要:
An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.
摘要:
Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.
摘要:
An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.