Abstract: A system which includes at least one ultrasound data collection device which is programmable to carry out a specific ultrasound procedure on a selected part of a human body of a patient. The resulting ultrasound data is transmitted via a local server at the site of the data collection device to the internet and from there to a web database server which processes the raw ultrasound data and provides application-specific information, such as a three-dimensional model, which can be used for diagnostic interpretation of the body part imaged by the ultrasound suitable for use in the treatment of the patient.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing a subject by delivering ultrasound signals using shear waves includes applying a portion of an ultrasound mainbeam to a bone surface at an incident angle relative to the surface of the bone to induce shear waves in the bone, energy in the shear waves forming a substantial part of energy of first ultrasound waves at a desired region in the subject through the bone, detecting at least one of reflected and scattered energy of the applied ultrasound mainbeam, and analyzing the detected energy for a diagnostic purpose.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present system and method is directed to the identification of tissues within a vascular object by analyzing ultrasound data collected from the vascular object by non-invasive scans. By identifying and characterizing types of tissue from ultrasound data, an assessment can be made about the health condition of a patient without an invasive procedure. Other applications of the present system will also be appreciated including identifying other types of tissues.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises an insonifier, a receiver, and a processor. The insonifier is configured to insonify an ultrasound to a specimen. The receiver is configured to receive an echo signal from the specimen resulting from the ultrasound. The processor is in communication with the receiver. Further, the processor is configured to process the echo signal so as to obtain a first series of images under a first condition and a second series of images under a second condition. The processor is also configured to measure a first physical value on the first series of images and a second physical value on the second series of images. The processor is further configured to adjust a time phase of the second series of images relative to a time phase of the first series of images based on the first physical value and the second physical value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous wave Doppler beam former application specific integrated circuit (CW-ASIC). The beam former may be a transmit or receive beam former.

Abstract: A method is described for navigating in the interior of the body using three-dimensionally visualized structures. In a first step of the method, at least two two-dimensional images of the same anatomical object are provided from different perspectives, and also items of information that make it possible to draw conclusions about the respective spatial position of an imaging system relative to the anatomical object. The projections of a geometrical structure to be visualized are then created in every two-dimensional image, wherein a geometrical structure to be visualized is created in each two-dimensional image, wherein the geometrical structure to be visualized is different from the anatomical object.

Abstract: The invention concerns a fluid manipulating system, comprising a reservoir of fluid (7), a bubble trap (9) connected to the reservoir, a heat-exchanger (11) and an appliance (21) forming with the bubble trap a closed circuit of fluid, and a pump (21) circulating the fluid in the closed circuit, thereby enabling to control easily the volume of fluid in the apparatus and the temperature of said fluid. The invention is useful for manipulating coupling and cooling fluid of rectal tubes in ultrasound therapy.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging method is described, wherein a back propagation processing method is used. The invention provides a limited number of channels for processing the received signals, such that the which number of processing channels is a submultiple of the number of receiving transducers. During the imaging process, different groups of receiving transducers are connected to the transmitting channels such that the groups of receiving transducers include as many receiving transducers as the number of processing channels in use.

Abstract: An underfluid ultrasound imaging catheter system includes a catheter having a distal end inserted into an underfluid structure, an ultrasonic transducer array mounted proximate the distal end of the catheter wherein the array has a row of individual transducer crystals, a lens mounted on the array for defocusing ultrasound beams in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the array so as to provide a volumetric field of view within which the underfluid features are imaged. Alternatively, the single row of transducer crystals is replaced by multiple rows of transducer crystals so as to provide a volumetric field of view. This imaging catheter system helps an operator see 3-dimensional images of an underfluid environment, such as the 3-dimensional images of fluid-filled cavities of heart, blood vessel, urinary bladder, etc. Features in such wide volumetric field of view can be imaged, measured, or intervened by an underfluid therapeutic device with an aid of the real-time image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing motion adaptive frame averaging for ultrasound color flow images used to overcome lag and smearing alias of color due to motion. One embodiment of the present invention comprises an ultrasound machine for generating an color flow imaging responsive to moving tissue. The ultrasound system comprises a front end and at least one processor. The front-end is arranged to transmit ultrasound waves into the moving tissue, generating received signals in response to the ultrasound waves backscattered from the moving tissue. The processor is responsive to the received signals, calculating a motion factor by comparing at least one current b-mode frame with at least one previous b-mode frame, determining motion using at least the motion factor, increasing a level of frame averaging if the motion factor is below a first predetermined threshold, and decreasing the level of frame averaging if the motion factor is above a second predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An ultrasound catheter includes a transducer unit used for observation of the inside of an organism, observation lumens in which the transducer unit is disposed and which extend in the direction of insertion into the organism, a first guide wire lumen provided substantially in parallel to the observation lumens and on the distal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which a guide wire preliminarily brought to the inside of the organism is passed, and a second guide wire lumen provided on an extension line of the first guide wire lumen and on the proximal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which the guide wire is passed.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The imaging apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic radiation that is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at two or more wavelengths through an imaging volume. The imaging apparatus also includes an ultrasound transducer that is configured to direct ultrasound waves through the imaging volume such that electromagnetic radiation passing through the imaging volume is modulated at the frequency of the ultrasound waves. The imaging apparatus further includes one or more electromagnetic radiation detectors that are configured to detect the modulated electromagnetic radiation from the imaging volume.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting an ear disorder. The apparatus includes structure for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals to interact with an ear, and includes structure for directing the plurality of signals along different directions. In one example, the apparatus includes a plurality of transducers, each for interacting with a different ear portion. The transducers may be in a curved array. A determination as to which of the transducers is operable to provide an accurate indication of the detected ear disorder can be made. The transducers can be operated sequentially. In general, the method includes transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals to interact with an ear for ear disorder detection, and directing the plurality of signals along different directions. In one example the method includes providing a probe that has a plurality of transducers for use in detecting the ear disorder.

Abstract: A three dimensional ultrasonic imaging system acquires volume segments of a wide field of view volume image in coincidence with an ECG waveform. The ECG waveforms acquired during acquisition of the volume segments are displayed in a comparative display in which a different ECG waveform can be visually distinguished. A volume segment acquired during an arrhythmic heartbeat can be reacquired or replaced in the wide field of view volume data set. The ECG waveforms can be displayed vertically aligned by their R-waves, in overlapping alignment, or differently shaded or colored. A processor can compare the ECG waveforms automatically and automatically replace the data of a volume segment acquired during an arrhythmic heartbeat.

Abstract: A catheter is provided for insertion in the he blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an ultrasound system is provided. The method comprising estimating a relative motion between a transducer and an imaging subject and controlling an adaptive beamformer system in response to to an estimation of the relative motion.

Abstract: An ultrasonic finger probe including: a body having an ultrasonic transducer disposed therein, the ultrasonic transducer being operatively connected to an ultrasonic generator; and a securing device for securing the body to one or more fingers of an operator.

Abstract: Ultrasound is used to provide input data for a blood pressure estimation scheme. The use of transcutaneous ultrasound provides arterial lumen area and pulse wave velocity information. In addition, ultrasound measurements are taken in such a way that all the data describes a single, uniform arterial segment. Therefore a computed area relates only to the arterial blood volume present. Also, the measured pulse wave velocity is directly related to the mechanical properties of the segment of elastic tube (artery) for which the blood volume is being measured. In a patient monitoring application, the operator of the ultrasound device is eliminated through the use of software that automatically locates the artery in the ultrasound data, e.g., using known edge detection techniques. Autonomous operation of the ultrasound system allows it to report blood pressure and blood flow traces to the clinical users without those users having to interpret an ultrasound image or operate an ultrasound imaging device.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is disclosed which can reduce the device amount of a receiving circuit, while obtaining the shape of an excellent received beam. In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a plurality of transducer elements are arrayed and used as an ultrasonic probe, and the transducer elements are driven by a plurality of transmission driving circuit. The signal received by the transducer element is distributed to any of a plurality of input terminals of a cross point switch beam former. The received signals of the three transducer elements near the center of the aperture of the ultrasonic probe are added and inputted to one terminal of a beam former. The second, fourth and sixth transducer elements at the end of the aperture are not connected to the beam former. The signals received by the transducer elements are delay-added by the beam former. The delay precision can be improved, and the beam shape can be made sharper, thereby improving the image quality of the ultrasonic image.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to ultrasound. In particular, the present invention relates to data dependent color wall filters (used in ultrasound imaging devices for example). Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a color wall filter that provides flash reduction and clutter suppression. One embodiment of the color wall filter comprises an impulse response filter stage (either a finite or infinite impulse response filter) and a bi-quad filter stage that is data dependent. It is contemplated that the bi-quad filter stage may comprise a series of bi-quad filters, wherein the impulse response filter stage is cascaded into at least one bi-quad filter of the series of bi-quad filters.