Abstract: Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising an array of acoustic elements configured to transmit ultrasound energy into an anatomy in accordance with a first preset acquisition setting, and to receive ultrasound echoes associated with the anatomy; and a processor circuit in communication with the array of acoustic elements and configured to receive, from the array, ultrasound channel data corresponding to the received ultrasound echoes; generate a first set of beamformed data by applying a predictive network to the ultrasound channel data, wherein the first set of beamformed data is associated with a second preset acquisition setting different than the first preset acquisition setting; generate an image of the anatomy from the first set of beamformed data; and output, to a display in communication with the processor circuit, the image of the anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing data for visualization and data for quantification are disclosed herein. The data for visualization may be used to generate images to provide to a user on a display. The data for quantification may be used to calculate various physiologically relevant parameters, such as hepato-renal index (HRI) values. In some examples, the quantification data may not be used to generate images. In some examples, a user may select regions of interest (ROIs) in the images generated from the visualization data and the corresponding quantification data for the ROIs may be used to calculate one or more parameters. The visualization data and quantification data may be generated from different imaging modes or same imaging modes with different data processing in some examples.

Abstract: Systems and methods for triggering the acquisition of elastography measurements based on motion data are disclosed. Motion data may be acquired by Doppler mode imaging in some embodiments. The motion data may be used to generate a trigger signal. The trigger signal may be provided to a transmit controller. The transmit controller may cause an ultrasound transducer to acquire elastography measurements responsive to the trigger signal.

Abstract: A location device is provided for determining the location of an acoustic sensor. A location process makes use of a plurality of transmit beams (wherein a beam is defined as a transmission from all transducers of an ultrasound array), with a frequency analysis to identify if there is a signal reflected from the acoustic sensor. A location is obtained from the plurality of frequency analyses.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods configured to determine shear wave velocity and tissue stiffness levels of thin tissue of finite size, also referred to as bounded tissue, via shear wave elastography. Systems can include an ultrasound transducer configured to acquire echoes responsive to pulses transmitted toward a tissue. Systems can also transmit a push pulse into the tissue for generating shear waves, and tracking pulses intersecting the shear waves. The system can also apply a directional filter to received echo data and generate directionally filtered shear wave data based on a dimension and angular orientation of the bounded target relative to the ultrasound transducer. The system can estimate velocities of the shear waves at different shear wave frequencies based on the filtered shear wave data and angular orientation relative to the transducer, and determine a tissue stiffness value independent of the shape or form of the tissue.

Abstract: In an ultrasound imaging system which produces synthetically transmit focused images, the multiline signals used to form image scanlines are analyzed for speed of sound variation, and a map 60 of this variation is generated. In a preferred implementation, the phase discrepancy of the received multilines caused by speed of sound variation in the medium is estimated in the angular spectrum domain for the receive angular spectrum. Once the phase is estimated for all locations in an image, the differential phase between two points at the same lateral location, but different depth, is computed. This differential phase is proportional to the local speed of sound between the two points. A color-coded two- or three-dimensional map 60 is produced from these speed of sound estimates and presented to the user.

Abstract: An ultrasound system produces maps of acoustic attenuation coefficients from B mode image signals. A plurality of maps located in different parallel and elevationally separated planes (A, B, C, D, E) are produced, then compounded in the elevation direction. Confidence maps may also be produced for one or more attenuation coefficient maps, and the confidence map displayed or its measures used to determine weighting for the compounding process. The compounding of elevationally separate planes improves attenuation coefficient estimation in the presence of blood vessels affecting the estimates in one or more of the planes.

Abstract: A system (100) and method (2000): specify image features (1342/1344/1346) which are to be avoided in selecting a region of interest (10) in tissue of a body for making a shear wave elasticity measurement of the tissue; receive (2020) one or more image signals from an acoustic probe (120) produced from acoustic echoes from an area of the tissue; process (2030) acoustic images (504/506/508) in real-time to identify the image features which are to be avoided in selecting the region of interest; provide (2040) visual feedback to a user to choose a location for the region of interest based on the identified image features; select (2050) the region of interest in response to the visual feedback; and make (2060) the shear wave elasticity measurement of the tissue within the selected region of interest using one or more acoustic radiation force pulses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for triggering the acquisition of elastography measurements based on motion data are disclosed. Motion data may be acquired by Doppler mode imaging in some embodiments. The motion data may be used to generate a trigger signal. The trigger signal may be provided to a transmit controller. The transmit controller may cause an ultrasound transducer to acquire elastography measurements responsive to the trigger signal.

Abstract: An ultrasound system produces maps of acoustic attenuation coefficients from pulse echo signals. Maps are produced using different attenuation coefficient or slope estimation methods, and a plurality of maps from different estimation methods are compounded to produce a final attenuation coefficient map. Confidence maps may also be produced for one or more attenuation coefficient maps, and the confidence map displayed or its measures used to determine weighting for the compounding process.

Abstract: Ultrasound systems and methods for shear wave elastography (SWE) imaging are described which may improve the scan protocol for SWE imaging of anisotropic tissue. One or more initial measurements may be acquired to determine the orientation of the anisotropic tissue. The system acquires shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurements from at least two perpendicular intersecting planes through the anisotropic tissue and reports, a shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurement along the perpendicular intersecting planes and/or a composite measurement based upon the plurality of individual shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurement obtained at the different image planes. Improvements to the SWE imaging protocol may be achieved by providing guidance by way of an improved graphical user interface, to assist the sonographer in acquiring measurements at suitable imaging planes for more accurately characterizing the anisotropic tissue. The SWE imaging protocol may be an automatic or semi-automatic protocol.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes ultrasound systems and methods configured to determine stiffness levels of anisotropic tissue. Systems can include an ultrasound transducer configured to acquire echoes responsive to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward anisotropic tissue having an angular orientation with respect to a nominal axial direction of the transducer. Systems can also include a beamformer configured to control the transducer to transmit a push pulse along a steering angle for generating a shear wave in the anisotropic tissue. The steering angle can be based on the angular orientation of the tissue. The transducer can also be controlled to transmit tracking pulses. Systems can also include a processor configured to store tracking line echo data generated from echo signals received at the transducer. In response to the echo data, the processor can detect motion within the tissue caused by propagation of the shear wave and measure the velocity of the shear wave.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods configured to determine shear wave velocity and tissue stiffness levels of thin tissue of finite size, also referred to as bounded tissue, via shear wave elastography. Systems can include an ultrasound transducer configured to acquire echoes responsive to pulses transmitted toward a tissue. Systems can also transmit a push pulse into the tissue for generating shear waves, and tracking pulses intersecting the shear waves. The system can also apply a directional filter to received echo data and generate directionally filtered shear wave data based on a dimension and angular orientation of the bounded target relative to the ultrasound transducer. The system can estimate velocities of the shear waves at different shear wave frequencies based on the filtered shear wave data and angular orientation relative to the transducer, and determine a tissue stiffness value independent of the shape or form of the tissue.

Abstract: Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. An ultrasound imaging system comprising a communication interface in communication with an ultrasound imaging device and configured to receive a ultrasound image of a subject's anatomy; and a processor in communication with the communication interface and configured to apply a predictive network to the ultrasound image to identify a plurality of locations of potential malignancies in the subjects anatomy; and determine a plurality of malignancy likelihoods at the plurality of locations of potential malignancies; and output, to a display in communication with the processor, the plurality of locations of potential malignancies and the plurality of malignancy likelihoods for the plurality of locations of potential malignancies to guide a biopsy determination for the subjects anatomy.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for performing ultrasound imaging are provided to advantageously determine the viscosity of an anatomy. According to one embodiment, a system for determining a viscosity of an anatomy includes an ultrasound transducer, a vibration source, and a processing system in communication with the ultrasound transducer and the vibration source. The processing system is configured to activate the vibration source to induce in the anatomy a first shear wave at a first frequency and a second shear wave at a second frequency, activate the ultrasound transducer to obtain ultrasound data representative of the anatomy that exhibits the first shear wave and the second shear wave, determine a first wave speed of the first shear wave and a second wave speed of the second shear wave, and determine the viscosity of the anatomy by comparing the first wave speed and the second wave speed.

Abstract: In an ultrasound imaging system which produces synthetically transmit focused images, the multiline signals used to form image scanlines are analyzed for speed of sound variation, and a map 60 of this variation is generated. In a preferred implementation, the phase discrepancy of the received multilines caused by speed of sound variation in the medium is estimated in the angular spectrum domain for the receive angular spectrum. Once the phase is estimated for all locations in an image, the differential phase between two points at the same lateral location, but different depth, is computed. This differential phase is proportional to the local speed of sound between the two points. A color-coded two- or three-dimensional map 60 is produced from these speed of sound estimates and presented to the user.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system for analyzing tissue stiffness by shear wave measurement comprises a matrix array probe which acquires shear wave velocity data from three planes of a volumetric region of interest. The velocity data is used to color-code pixels in the planes in accordance with their estimated tissue stiffness. The planes are displayed in their relative spatial orientation in an isometric or perspective display. The positions and orientations of the planes can be changed from the system user interface, enabling a clinician to view selected planes of stiffness information which intersect the region of interest.

Abstract: A location device is provided for determining the location of an acoustic sensor. A location process makes use of a plurality of transmit beams (wherein a beam is defined as a transmission from all transducers of an ultrasound array), with a frequency analysis to identify if there is a signal reflected from the acoustic sensor. A location is obtained from the plurality of frequency analyses.

Abstract: A model-independent method for producing a viscoelastic tissue property metric using ultrasound is provided. A mechanical stress, such as an acoustic force, is applied to a tissue using an ultrasound system and tissue displacement resulting from the applied acoustic force is measured. From the tissue displacement measurements, a complex modulus, such as a relative complex modulus, is extracted. A loss tangent is calculated from the extracted complex modulus. Using the calculated loss tangent, viscoelastic tissue property metrics may be calculated.