Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for needle visualization enhancement in ultrasound (US) imaging and an US imaging system. The apparatus comprises: a Radon transform (RT) unit adapted to perform RT on a sequence of frames to detect line features in the frames, a frame comprising US radio-frequency (RF) data obtained during monitoring the insertion of a needle into a subject or an US image reconstructed from the RF data; a false needle feature removing unit adapted to remove line features which remain substantially stationary among the frames as false needles while locating a line feature which extends among the frames as the needle; and an overlaying unit adapted to overlay the location of the line feature as the needle on an US image of a frame to produce an enhanced image to be displayed.
Abstract:
An ultrasound system has a control panel formed of a top glass plate with control area graphics screened onto the bottom surface of the glass plate. Capacitive foils are attached to the areas of the screened graphics, enabling a user control to be capacitively selected by touching the top surface above the screened graphics. Each control area is selectively back-illuminated by a diffuser frame with light pipes fastened below the glass plate. LEDs fo illumination are mounted on a printed circuit board fastened to the diffuser frame, which are controlled by the printed circuit board. Different groups of user controls are illuminated in accordance with the context of the operating mode or imaging procedure being performed so that only needed control are illuminated while unneeded controls are invisible to the user. All of the controls can be extinguished and de-activated so that the top surface of the control panel can be cleaned without randomly activating the controls of the control panel.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and media for determining carotid intima-rnedia thickness are provided. In some embodiments, a method for determining carotid intima-media thickness of a carotid artery is provided, the method comprising: receiving a frame from a plurality of images, wherein each of the plurality of images includes a portion of the carotid artery; receiving a user selection of a location with the frame; setting a region of interest, based on the received user selection; detecting a first border and a second border within the region of interest; applying one or more active contour models to the first border and the second border to generate a smoothed first border and a smoothed second border; and calculating the intima-media thickness based at least in part on the smoothed first border and the second smoothed border.
Abstract:
A method (500) of apodizing for ultrasound beamforming includes providing (501) filtered digital channel data representing echo data from target tissue in a plurality (k) of data channels and a predefined number of active channels (N act ). A software-based integrated apodization algorithm dynamically apodizes (502) the digital channel data using a selected apodizing function h[n,k], n being the sample number. The integrated apodization algorithm applies dynamic aperture control to create an effective aperture by generating a parameter numApertureChannels (N ap [n]), where N ap [n] act , and selecting N ap [n] particular data channels based on a dynamic beam focusing location for beamforming. Applied dynamic data scaling provides data normalization using a vector inner product between h[n,k] and a scale factor to generate normalized apodization factors h norm [n,k]. The normalized apodization factors are applied (503) to the digital channel data in the N ap [n] particular data channels to generate apodized and normalized digital channel data.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for being used for detecting a property of an object. An ultrasound signal providing unit (2) provides an ultrasound signal, which is indicative of a property of the object (9) at oneor several depths within the object (9) and which depends on time, and a periodicity value determination unit (5) determines a periodicityvalue being indicative of a degree of temporal periodicityofthe ultrasound signal for a constant depth. The temporalperiodicityofthe ultrasound signalat the respective constant depth, i.e. the periodicity value, depends on the property of the object at this depth and can therefore be used for detecting a property of the object.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a sensing apparatus for sensing an object. The sensing apparatus comprises an ultrasound unit (11) for ultrasonically sensing the object (4), an electrical energy application unit (9) for applying electrical energy to the object (4), and an ultrasound unit shielding element (16) for electrically shielding the ultrasound unit (11), wherein the ultrasound unit shielding element (16) is electrically connected to the electrical energy application unit (9). Since the ultrasound unit shielding element electrically shields the ultrasound unit, the ultrasound sensing of the object is less influenced by a capacitive coupling of the application of electrical energy, in particular, of an RF signal which may be used for applying the electrical energy, into the ultrasound sensing. A further reduction of this influence is achieved by electrically connecting the ultrasound unit shielding element to the electrical energy application unit.
Abstract:
A laparoscopic tool or minimally invasive device is augmented with a forward looking ultrasonic transducer that is processed to extract information regarding subsurface structures and to generate haptic, audio, or visual effects to provide relevant feedback to a user that is operating the tool. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer detects the distance or depth of subsurface structures such as a luminal hollow structure or a tumor mass. In another embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer extracts tissue identification information, tissue stiffness, velocity, or other pertinent information regarding subsurface structures that is subsequently communicated to the operator as haptic, audio, and/or visual feedback. The ultrasonic transducer may be operable in one or more modes, including A-mode or Doppler mode.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus(101) for monitoring an ablation procedure. The monitoring apparatus (101) comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing an ultrasound signal that depends on received echo series of an object (4) that is ablated. The monitoring apparatus (101) further comprises an ablation depth determination unit (103) for determining an ablation depth from the provided ultrasound signal. The ablation depth can be determined directly from the ultrasound signal and is an important parameter while performing an ablation procedure. For example, it can be used for determining the progress of ablation within the object (4) and for determining when the ablation has reached a desired progression.