Abstract: For the purpose of eliminating a problem that a good harmonic image cannot be obtained due to the tail of a fundamental component of previous received data intruding into a fundamental component of current received data; in the operation in a harmonic mode according to a phase inversion technique, a first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to a plurality of foci on the same acoustic line, and a second ultrasonic pulse of a phase opposite to that of the first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to the plurality of foci on the same acoustic line.

Abstract: For the purpose of providing an RF coil that prevents a troublesome force from arising when a hanging portion is lifted up, a pair of handhold members 308 is provided along a side that corresponds to an inner side of a cylinder 110, each member extending from one end to the other end of one of a pair of flexible substrates 304 so that an operator can lift the hanging portion up using such handhold member.

Abstract: In order to facilitate ultrasonic imaging in a proper condition, a correlation value is calculated between a new image frame and a previous image frame each time the new image frame is obtained; and the acoustic line density of a scan is increased/decreased, the dynamic range of echo reception is enlarged/reduced, and the frame averaging intensity of an image frame is raised/lowered in response to an increase/decrease of the correlation value.

Abstract: A method for rapid extraction and visualization of relevant data from a volume of image data includes rapidly producing reduced-fidelity images derived from an image volume, the reduced fidelity images having an adjustable visual parameter; adjusting the visual parameter of the reduced-fidelity images during the rapid production to select a desired adjustment; producing a full-fidelity image derived from the image volume; and applying the selected adjustment to the full-fidelity image.

Abstract: In one form, the present invention is a method for rapidly resampling a three-dimensional volume of data to permit efficient interactive viewing and visualization of the data is provided in which a set of parallel line segments defining a surface having a constant slope in at least one direction and intersecting the three-dimensional volume are selected and the data is processed at points on the parallel line segments to generate a reformatted image of the data. A corresponding apparatus embodiment is provided. Processing of data can proceed quickly because it is not necessary to check the parallel line segments during processing of the points on the segments to determine whether the points are within a given data volume.

Abstract: A method is described for evaluating substance scoring, the scoring based on imaging system-generated images of an object having regions of interest due to possible presence of the substance, the method including the steps of simulating the regions of interest using a phantom having a plurality of volumes, each volume having dimensions simulating dimensions of a region of interest, each volume having a density representative of a substance density; generating images of the phantom; scoring the substance based on the phantom images; and comparing results of the substance scoring to expected phantom-image results. The above-described phantom and method allow a scoring system user to verify substance scoring accuracy and to compare scores resulting from different imaging systems, scanning methods and reconstruction algorithms.

Abstract: A review and analyze protocol is described. The protocol comprises the steps of performing a patient scan to collect scan data to be used in generating an image, performing at least one of a single exam review and a dual exam review of images generated using the scan data, and analyzing an area of interest identified in performing the exam review.

Abstract: For the purpose of removing an effect of window processing in window-processing time-domain Doppler signals, translating them to a frequency domain, and then translating them back to the time domain, when cutting signals of a predetermined length from a time-domain Doppler signal; performing window processing on the cut signals; transforming the window-processed signals into frequency-domain signals by Fourier transformation; inversely transforming the frequency-domain signals by inverse Fourier transformation into a time-domain signal after performing predefined processing on the signals; and outputting the time-domain signal as an acoustic signal, the window processing is performed using a window having a profile with a flat top; and the cutting from the Doppler signal is performed such that a former cut signal and a latter cut signal overlap in a portion corresponding to the flat portion of the window.

Abstract: In order to provide an electronic device permitting a reduction in size or an expansion of its internal space while maintaining its mechanical strength, a structure having mechanical strength is integrally formed with hinges for fitting a lid-shaped display unit to a box-shaped body and a carrying handle projecting outward from the box-shaped body.

Abstract: In order to inhibit blooming and prevent degradation in the capability of projecting thin blood vessels, the luminance basically increases as power P becomes high. However, when there are two sampling points identical in power P but different in variance V in a region low in power P (P≦P1), the luminance of a pixel corresponding to the sampling point relatively large in variance is set higher than that of a pixel corresponding to the sampling point relatively small in variance V.

Abstract: A method for collecting computed tomography (CT) scan data includes positioning a gantry at a first position, collecting a partial inverted-cone beam projection at a first detector cell at the first gantry position such that the first detector cell defines a focusing position in space, and collecting data from a second detector cell different from the first detector cell as the gantry rotates such that the focusing position remains substantially stationary in space.

Abstract: A method for weighting projection data includes selecting a region that includes a plurality of projection data samples, dividing the region into a plurality of equally sized sub-regions, and weighting the equally sized sub-regions using a location dependent z-smoothing weighting function.

Abstract: The present invention is, in one embodiment, a method for facilitating the analysis of computed tomographic (CT) images. The method includes steps of: acquiring attenuation data of a patient using a CT imaging system; reconstructing images of the patient using the acquired attenuation data; mapping intensity data from at least one reconstructed image into a color image using a color mapping indicative of physiological thresholds; and displaying the color image. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the assessment of images and differences between images for functional image data and for perfusion-related imaging data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for imaging a heart with a scanning computed tomography (CT) imaging system. A cardiac cycle of a patient is measured. The patient's heart is then scanned with the scanning CT imaging system at an angular rate asynchronous to the measured cardiac cycle to obtain image data. An image of the patient's heart is then assembled from chronologically discontinuous segments of the image data. The image is representative of a selected portion of the cardiac cycle.

Abstract: For the proper delivery of digital data D_AD from a fast A/D converter to a digital signal process section, the digital data is stored in a dual-clock-synchronous FIFO by being timed to the output of digital data from the fast A/D converter (at the timing based on a data ready signal DATA_RDY). The dual-clock-synchronous FIFO reads out digital data D_FIFO and delivers to the digital signal process section by being timed to the operation of the digital signal process section (at the timing based on a clock signal CLK_DIG for a digital signal process).

Abstract: For the purpose of providing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for improving ease of operation by effectively utilizing two display devices, at least two display modes are defined. In the first display mode, arithmetic control/signal processing means 11 controls video signal processing means 18 to display an ultrasonic diagnostic image based on ultrasonic reflection signals stored in an image memory 16 on a CRT device 30 as a monitor display device, and controls video signal processing means 17 to display operation-indicating items for the operation relating to ultrasonic diagnosis on an LCD device 40, and conducts task processing for ultrasonic diagnosis in response to an operation detected by position detecting means in a touch panel 42.

Abstract: In order to make both the maintenance of a scan range and a frame rate for ultrasonic imaging and high definition of an image compatible with each other, a sound-ray density for scan is made nonuniform, and a sound-ray density is rendered dense at a required portion and coarse at portions other than the portion.

Abstract: A method for facilitating a reduction of artifacts includes generating a first image of an object with a scanning system in native mode, generating a second image of the object with the scanning system with z-smoothing greater than any z-smoothing performed in native mode, and generating an artifact-candidate image by taking the difference between the first image and the second image.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is a method for scanning an object with a multi-slice CT imaging system having multiple detector rows each having an isocenter. The method includes steps of helically scanning an object with the multi-slice CT imaging system to obtain data segments including peripheral data segments, combining data from a first peripheral data segment with an opposite, second peripheral segment to form a data set for reconstruction of an image slice; and reconstructing the combined data into image slices.

Abstract: A method for acquiring views of an object includes acquiring a first quantity of views at a first position on a z-axis, acquiring a second quantity of views different from the first quantity at a second position on the z-axis different from the first position, and acquiring a third quantity of views equivalent to the first quantity at a third position on the z-axis different from the first position and the second position. A method is also described for processing these views to reconstruct the object.