Abstract: A system and method for monitoring ultrasound probe health is provided. The method includes acquiring test data from a plurality of elements of an ultrasound probe by, for each of the plurality of elements, transmitting an ultrasonic signal from one of the elements and receiving a signal on two or more of the elements based on the transmitted ultrasonic signal. The method includes automatically analyzing the test data from the elements to determine a health report for the ultrasound probe. The health report includes a health status for each of a plurality of components of the ultrasound probe. At least one of the components is not part of a transducer array. The method includes automatically displaying the health report on a display device. The health report includes information for at least one of the components.

Abstract: A deployable ultrasound imaging device is operably connected to an ultrasound imaging system including a processing unit configured to operate the transducer and the individual segments in order to emit ultrasound signals from the segments and to receive ultrasound signals from the structures surrounding the segments. The ultrasound imaging system/processing unit can process the transmitted and received signals by beamforming to direct the ultrasound signals emitted from the segments in order to provide data for an ultrasound image of the desired structure(s). The ultrasound imaging system/processing unit mechanically or acoustically determines the position of the individual segments with regard to one another to determine the angular position of the segments with regard to one another.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring ultrasound probe health is provided. The method includes acquiring test data from a plurality of elements of an ultrasound probe by, for each of the plurality of elements, transmitting an ultrasonic signal from one of the elements and receiving a signal on two or more of the elements based on the transmitted ultrasonic signal. The method includes automatically analyzing the test data from the elements to determine a health report for the ultrasound probe. The health report includes a health status for each of a plurality of components of the ultrasound probe. At least one of the components is not part of a transducer array. The method includes automatically displaying the health report on a display device. The health report includes information for at least one of the components.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking an invasive device includes a localization system configured to be externally attached to a patient. The localization system includes a transducer module including a plurality of transducer elements. The system and method includes an invasive device including at least one device transducer element. The invasive device is configured to either transmit ultrasound position signals to the transducer module or receive ultrasound position signals from the transducer module.

Abstract: A method and system of ultrasound imaging includes acquiring ultrasound channel data for a region-of-interest, determining an estimated size of a heat-affected region, identifying a first subset of the ultrasound channel data, and identifying a second subset of the ultrasound channel data. The method and system includes generating a pilot trace based on the first subset of ultrasound channel data and comparing the second subset of the ultrasound channel data to the pilot trace to determine delay errors for the second subset of the ultrasound channel data. The method and system includes determining that the heat-affected region has experienced a temperature-induced tissue change based on the delay errors and the estimated size of the heat affected region, and presenting information indicating that the heat-affected region has experienced the temperature-induced tissue change.

Abstract: Exemplary ultrasound probes with sub-aperture processing capable of dynamic focus are provided that generally include an array of transducer elements that form a sub-aperture in the ultrasound probe. The transducer elements can be assigned to dynamic delay update groups and an initial delay can be applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture. A sub-aperture processor can be configured to dynamically apply delay updates to the ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture according to the dynamic delay update groups to which the transducer elements are assigned. Exemplary ultrasound systems with a dynamic focus and methods of transmitting ultrasound signals with a dynamic focus are also provided.

Abstract: A method for generating a spatially compounded image includes acquiring ultrasound information from two or more scan planes, wherein the scan planes are mutually offset by a spatial distance, and wherein at least one of the scan planes is non-planar such that the spatial distance between the scan planes is a function of depth, and combining the information from the scan planes to generate a compounded image. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasound imaging includes acquiring volumetric data of a volume of interest with an ultrasound imaging system. The system and method includes acquiring planar data with the ultrasound imaging system during the process of acquiring the volumetric data, the planar data including data of a plane through the volume of interest. The system and method includes displaying a reference image based on the planar data during the process of acquiring the volumetric data. The system and method also includes displaying an image based on the volumetric data.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking an invasive device includes a localization system configured to be externally attached to a patient. The localization system includes a transducer module including a plurality of transducer elements. The system and method includes an invasive device including at least one device transducer element. The invasive device is configured to either transmit ultrasound position signals to the transducer module or receive ultrasound position signals from the transducer module.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer array for an ultrasound probe is presented. The ultrasound transducer array includes a support structure. Further, the ultrasound transducer array includes a plurality of electro-acoustic modules coupled to the support structure, wherein each of the plurality of electro-acoustic modules comprises at least one matrix acoustic array and an interconnect element, wherein each of the plurality of electro-acoustic modules is interchangeable on the support structure so as to adapt to one or more shapes of the ultrasound probe, and wherein each of the plurality of electro-acoustic modules operates in a manner substantially identical to each other of the plurality of electro-acoustic modules.

Abstract: Exemplary ultrasound probes with sub-aperture processing capable of dynamic focus are provided that generally include an array of transducer elements that form a sub-aperture in the ultrasound probe. The transducer elements can be assigned to dynamic delay update groups and an initial delay can be applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture. A sub-aperture processor can be configured to dynamically apply delay updates to the ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture according to the dynamic delay update groups to which the transducer elements are assigned. Exemplary ultrasound systems with a dynamic focus and methods of transmitting ultrasound signals with a dynamic focus are also provided.

Abstract: A method for generating a spatially compounded image includes acquiring ultrasound information from two or more scan planes, wherein the scan planes are mutually offset by a spatial distance, and wherein at least one of the scan planes is non-planar such that the spatial distance between the scan planes is a function of depth, and combining the information from the scan planes to generate a compounded image. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasound imaging includes acquiring volumetric data of a volume of interest with an ultrasound imaging system. The system and method includes acquiring planar data with the ultrasound imaging system during the process of acquiring the volumetric data, the planar data including data of a plane through the volume of interest. The system and method includes displaying a reference image based on the planar data during the process of acquiring the volumetric data. The system and method also includes displaying an image based on the volumetric data.

Abstract: An ultrasound beamforming probe includes an array of transducer elements and a processing board that carries a signal processor. Receive signal connections, for a receive aperture formed from multiple transducer elements, are coupled to the first signal processor. A location memory is connected to the signal processor and holds a spatial location for the receive aperture. The signal processor retrieves the spatial location, determines a beamforming phase shift derived from the spatial location for each transducer element in the receive aperture, and applies the respective phase shift to each receive signal.

Abstract: A sub-aperture transceiver system for an ultrasound probe includes a signal processor, receive signal connections connecting the signal processor to a receive aperture comprising acoustic transceiver elements, and transmit signal connections coupled to a transmit aperture that includes at least one acoustic transceiver element multiplexed with the receive aperture.

Abstract: A high-density connection of multiple circuit boards having overlapping ends arranged in a stack. The metal traces on the stacked circuit boards are electrically connected by contact of the ends of the traces, which ends may be pads. The stacked circuit boards can be clamped, soldered or bonded together. Multiple circuit boards may be connected to a single circuit board. In one embodiment, double-sided circuit boards are stacked so that a first circuit board connects to a second circuit board through a third circuit board disposed intermediate the first and second circuit boards. The circuit boards may be flexible or rigid.