Contrast Enhancement Patents (Class 600/458)
  • Patent number: 11965993
    Abstract: A measurement and imaging instrument capable of beamforming with high speed and high accuracy without approximate calculation. The instrument includes a reception unit which receives a wave arriving from a measurement object to generate a reception signal; and an instrument main body which performs a lateral modulation while superposing two waves in a two-dimensional case and three or four waves in a three-dimensional case in beamforming processing of the reception signal in which at least one wave arriving from the measurement object is processed as being transmitted or received in the axial direction or directions symmetric with respect to the axial direction to generate a multi-dimensional reception signal, performs Hilbert transform with respect to the multi-dimensional reception signal, and performs partial derivative processing or one-dimensional Fourier transform to generate analytic signals of the multi-dimensional reception signals of the two waves or the three or four waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Inventor: Chikayoshi Sumi
  • Patent number: 11929820
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for frequency adjustment in a wireless network, particularly a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN). Embodiments of a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a UE for compensating for a Doppler shift in a wireless network comprises obtaining, from a network node, a characterization of Doppler variations in a particular cell. The method further comprises tuning a local frequency reference fRef, of the UE to a received downlink frequency for the particular cell and adjusting the local frequency reference fRef, over time according to the pre-calculated characterization of Doppler variations in the particular cell. In this manner, the communication between the UE and the network node in the presence of large and varying Doppler shifts is enabled. Embodiments related to compensating for timing drift are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Talha Khan, Olof Liberg, Stefan Eriksson Löwenmark, Xingqin Lin
  • Patent number: 11918410
    Abstract: An echogenic needle may have at least one V-shaped spiral groove formed at its distal portion adjacent to its patient end. The walls of the groove are orthogonal to each other. The groove is titled at a given angle from a neutral position toward the proximal end of the needle so that when the needle is inserted into the patient at an insertion angle under ultrasound imaging, the ultrasound wave emitted from the ultrasound transducer is reflected in a substantially reverse direction back to the transducer by at least one wall of the spiral groove. A pair of crisscrossing grooves may be spirally wound about the distal portion of the needle with each groove being tilted to the given angle to enhance echogeneity. The echogeneity of the needle may also be enhanced by increasing the pitch density of each groove while maintaining the crisscrossing groves at their neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Crisman, Alysa Lauren Granata
  • Patent number: 11896427
    Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus, a method for detecting a shear index of a vascular wall using ultrasonic waves, and a computer readable storage medium are provided. The method comprises: transmitting ultrasonic waves to an region of interest comprising a vessel; receiving the ultrasonic waves to obtain echo signals; acquiring an ultrasonic image according to the echo signals; acquiring particle jet velocities of a plurality of points in the vessel, the particle jet velocity comprising flow velocity and flow direction; determining a vascular wall in the ultrasonic image; acquiring a position to be detected of the vascular wall; calculating, according to particle jet velocities of a plurality of points near the position to be detected, the shear index of the position to be detected of the vascular wall; and displaying the ultrasonic image and the shear index of the vascular wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yigang Du, Yingying Shen
  • Patent number: 11896428
    Abstract: An ultrasound system is disclosed. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention include a transducer configured to acquire pulse-echo data at each transmit frequency bandwidth of interest. In addition, a bandpass filter is configured to receive a signal of the pulse-echo data, wherein the signal is bandpass-filtered over a plurality of frequencies. Further, a processor is configured to calculate a spatial coherence of the bandpass-filtered signal. The spatial coherence of the signal is calculated in a spatial domain or a frequency domain. The spatial coherence is used to predict target conspicuity. The processor selects a preferred frequency based on and, preferably, to realize, the target conspicuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: James Long, Nicholas Bottenus, Willie J. Long, Gregg E. Trahey
  • Patent number: 11885877
    Abstract: Encoded transmit signals are provided to an ultrasound array such diverging ultrasound waves are sequentially transmitted. Each diverging ultrasound wave is generated by a respective set of encoded transmit signals, where each set of encoded transmit signals is encoded by a respective row of an N×N invertible orthogonal matrix. Only a selected subset of M rows, with N<M, is employed to encode the transmit signals. Sets of receive signals detected in response to the transmitted diverging ultrasound waves are decoded via a transposed matrix generated based on the invertible orthogonal matrix, with each set of decoded receive signals being associated with insonification via a subset of the ultrasound array elements in the fixed aperture. Synthetic aperture beamforming is performed on the decoded receive signals to generate an ultrasound image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Christopher Samson, Jeremy Brown, Katherine Latham, Robert Adamson
  • Patent number: 11875515
    Abstract: A method for morphological identification, trajectory tracking, and velocity measurement of high-concentration microbubbles, includes collecting images of a microbubble group, performing image pre-processing, segmenting overlapped pixel blocks of the image of the microbubbles, identifying the image of the microbubbles, obtaining morphological information of each of the microbubbles, obtaining an equivalent diameter of each of the microbubbles, calculating a size distribution of the microbubbles; correlating the images of the microbubbles at two adjacent instants, and obtaining a velocity field and motion trajectory of the microbubbles. The method applies to morphological identification and correlation of high-concentration microbubbles and obtains the particle size distribution and velocity field information of the microbubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Qingqing Ye, Weiqi Sun, Yihong Chen, Xueming Shao
  • Patent number: 11864869
    Abstract: The invention presents an apparatus (6) for characterization of a condition of a vessel (12) wall of a living being (2). The relationship between temporal blood pressure (621) and blood flow (622) measurements of pulsatile blood motion within the vessel (12) is an indication of the health of the vessel (12) wall. Furthermore, the invention discloses a system (1) comprising the apparatus (6), and a method (100) of characterizing the condition of vessel (12) walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Daniel Simon Anna Ruijters
  • Patent number: 11826201
    Abstract: Clinical assessment devices, systems, and methods are provided. A clinical assessment system, comprising a processor in communication with an imaging device, wherein the processor is configured to receive, from the imaging device, a sequence of image frames representative of a contrast agent perfused subjects tissue across a time period; classify the sequence of image frames into a plurality of first tissue classes and a plurality of second tissue classes based on a spatiotemporal correlation among the sequence of image frames by applying a predictive network to the sequence of image frames to produce a probability distribution for the plurality of first tissue classes and the plurality of second tissue classes; and output, to a display in communication with the processor, the probability distribution for the plurality of first tissue classes and the plurality of second tissue classes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Claudia Errico, Christine Menking Swisher, Hua Xie
  • Patent number: 11806496
    Abstract: Various approaches to focusing an ultrasound transducer includes causing the ultrasound transducer to transmit ultrasound waves to the target region; causing the detection system to indirectly measure the focusing properties; and based at least in part on the indirectly measured focusing properties, adjusting a parameter value associated with at least one of the transducer elements so as to achieve a target treatment power at the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Insightec Ltd.
    Inventors: Kobi Vortman, Yoav Levy, Oleg Prus, Shuki Vitek
  • Patent number: 11801031
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: a transmission and reception circuitry configured to perform, via an ultrasound probe, a first ultrasound scan on a first region in a subject who has a contrast agent injected and a second ultrasound scan on at least a part of a second region in the subject overlapping with the first region, the second ultrasound scan including transmitting and receiving two types of ultrasound waves of which one or both of amplitude levels and phases are different from each other; and processing circuitry configured to generate a blood flow image corresponding to one frame by implementing a Doppler method on the basis of a data sequence including reception data obtained from the first ultrasound scan performed multiple times in mutually the same position within the first region to have the second ultrasound scan performed in-between and to generate a contrast-enhanced image based on a result of the second ultrasound scan performed at least one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshiara, Tomohisa Imamura, Koichiro Kurita
  • Patent number: 11782146
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer array with a plurality of transducer elements configured to transmit an ultrasound signal, receive echo signals produced in response to the ultrasound signal interacting with structure, and generate electrical signals indicative of the echo signals. The system further includes a beamformer configured to process the electrical signals and generate radio frequency data, an in-phase quadrature processor configured to process the radio frequency data and generate in-phase quadrature data, and a frame processor configured to envelope detect and log compress the in-phase quadrature data, producing compressed envelope data. The system further includes a time gain compensation controller configured to continuously process the in-phase quadrature data and the compressed envelope data and continuously and automatically apply time gain compensation data to an envelope data image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BK Medical Aps
    Inventor: Bo Martins
  • Patent number: 11761884
    Abstract: An integrated photoacoustic transducer, sensing system and method for assisting in sensing a concentration of a species in a fluid such that the integrated photoacoustic transducer includes a waveguide structure. The waveguide structure has an optical resonance spectrally overlapping a spectral absorption line or band of the species. The photoacoustic transducer includes at least one acoustic cavity formed in a portion of the waveguide structure and configured for receiving the fluid for sensing comprising the species. The at least one acoustic cavity has an acoustic resonance spectrally overlapping with a harmonic of a modulation frequency. At least one acoustic transducer comprising a deformable mechanical portion is included in the photoacoustic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: VMICRO SAS, UNIVERSITEIT GENT, CNRS
    Inventors: Bart Kuyken, Mathias Vanwolleghem, Mattias Verstuyft, Benjamin Walter, Jean-Francois Lampin
  • Patent number: 11751840
    Abstract: The present invention aims to obtain and provide one or more types of information desired by an operator with a high efficiency. From a probe that transmits an ultrasonic wave to a subject and receives the ultrasonic wave coming from the subject due to the transmission, a reception signal is received and the reception signal is processed. Accordingly, a movement vector indicating a movement amount and a movement direction is calculated and a movement vector distribution is determined for a plurality of points set at least two-dimensionally in the subject. A distribution of one or more desired movement vector components is extracted from the movement vector distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11707204
    Abstract: A method of imaging an implant device in a computing device is provided. The computing device includes a processor interconnected with a memory and a display. The method includes, at the processor: obtaining a first magnetic resonance (MR) image of a patient tissue, the first MR image containing a first magnetic field strength indicator; responsive to the implant device being inserted in the patient tissue, obtaining a second MR image of the patient tissue, the second MR image containing a second magnetic field strength indicator smaller than the first magnetic field strength indicator; registering the second MR image with the first MR image; generating a composite image from the first MR image and the second MR image; and presenting the composite image on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Jeff Stainsby, Alexander Gyles Panther, Chad Tyler Harris, Cameron Anthony Piron
  • Patent number: 11707254
    Abstract: Disclosed is an intraluminal ultrasound imaging system, including a processor circuit in communication with an intraluminal ultrasound imaging catheter, and configured to receive a plurality of intraluminal ultrasound images obtained by the imaging catheter while the imaging catheter is moved through a body lumen of a patient. The processor circuit is further configured to determine a longitudinal translation speed of the imaging catheter based on the plurality of images and a known time interval between images, and display a speed indicator based on the longitudinal translation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alessandra Di Tullio, Robin Lucia, Anuja Nair, Nikhil Sreedhar Rajguru, Yvonne Gillis
  • Patent number: 11684338
    Abstract: A computing system and a non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions for processing ultrasound images are presented. The computing system is configured to: receive an ultrasound image that includes image data representing subdermal tissue; apply a trained neural network to the ultrasound image to generate at least one of: a pliability parameter value which indicates pliability of the subdermal tissue, one or more regions of the ultrasound image that represents damaged tissue, or an indication of presence and/or location of an entrapped nerve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: VITRUVIA HOLDINGS INC.
    Inventors: Abhinav Gautam, Narendra Kini, Christian Seale, Subhash Kak
  • Patent number: 11672462
    Abstract: A measurement control apparatus includes a sensor data acquisition unit configured to acquire biological information of a user measured by a sensor, an extraction unit configured to extract a feature quantity with periodicity from the biological information acquired by the sensor data acquisition unit, an interval acquisition unit configured to acquire a period of the extracted feature quantity, a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the feature quantity will have appeared by a set end time on the basis of the acquired period of the feature quantity, and a termination processing unit configured to terminate an operation of the sensor data acquisition unit when the determination unit determines that the feature quantity will not have appeared by the set end time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Hashimoto, Kei Kuwabara, Nobuaki Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11672512
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging method and an ultrasound imaging device. The method may include: determining a target imaging mode from preset imaging modes in response to the first instruction, where the preset imaging modes comprise a first contrast enhanced imaging mode and a second contrast enhanced imaging mode which have different frame rate; transmitting ultrasound waves to a target object and receiving ultrasound echoes returned from the target object according to the determined target imaging mode to obtain ultrasound echo signals; and generating a contrast enhanced image according to the ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound imaging device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: Beijing Shen Mindray Medical Electronics Technology Academy Co., Ltd., General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukun Luo, Xiang Fei, Xirui Zhang, Maodong Sang, Lei Zhu, Yuxin Chen, Yan Zhang, Fang Xie, Yiru Wang, Duo Dong
  • Patent number: 11571467
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and combinations for reducing the infarct volume in a tissue of a subject undergoing ischemia or at risk of developing ischemia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: BioVentures, LLC
    Inventors: William Culp, Robert Skinner, Evan C. Unger
  • Patent number: 11524183
    Abstract: A method can include placing a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) probe proximate a first location of a designated treatment volume of a patient. The probe can include at least one transducer. The method can also include energizing the transducer to ablate a first lesion on or in the designated treatment volume, de-energizing the transducer, and focusing or moving the transducer to a second location on or in the designated treatment volume. The method can also include reenergizing the transducer to ablate a second lesion on or in the treatment volume, de-energizing the transducer, and focusing or moving the transducer to a third location on or in the designated treatment volume. The method can further include reenergizing the transducer to ablate a third lesion on or in the treatment volume, and de-energizing the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: SONABLATE CORP.
    Inventors: Carlos Martin Garcia Gutierrez, Narendra Sanghvi, Habid Becerra Herrejon
  • Patent number: 11504094
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) including use of a fluid dynamics model for the analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: (INSERM) INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE, UNIVERSITÉ DE TOURS, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX, INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE BORDEAUX (IPB)
    Inventors: Baudouin Denis de Senneville, Franck Perrotin, Jean-Michel Escoffre, Ayache Bouakaz
  • Patent number: 11484292
    Abstract: A reception beamformer 140 includes a delay-and-sum unit 142 that performs delay-and-sum processing with respect to reception signal sequences from multiple channels based on reflected ultrasound to calculate acoustic line signal line data. The delay-and-sum unit 142, in first reception beamforming processing, synthesizes the acoustic line signal line data calculated in the delay-and-sum processing by summing acoustic line signals associated with the observation points having the same positions, and, in the second reception beamforming processing, outputs the acoustic line signal data calculated in the delay-and-sum processing as is. Time taken by the delay-and-sum unit 142 to generate the acoustic line signal line data per set of acoustic line signal line data is equal or approximately equal in the first reception beamforming processing and the second reception beamforming processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Ryuichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11488298
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving image quality of ultrasound images by automatically determining one or more image quality parameters via a plurality of separate image quality models. In one example, a method for an ultrasound system includes determining a plurality of image quality parameters of an ultrasound image acquired with the ultrasound system, each image quality parameter determined based on output from a separate image quality model, and outputting feedback to a user of the ultrasound system based on the plurality of image quality parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Pavan Kumar V. Annangi, Hariharan Ravishankar, Tore Bjaastad, Erik Normann Steen
  • Patent number: 11474076
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting an ultrasonic-based inspection. The systems and methods perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of scan plan parameters associated with generating an image of at least one flaw within a specimen based on acoustic echo data obtained using full matrix capture (FMC); applying the plurality of scan plan parameters to an acoustic model, the acoustic model configured to determine a two-way pressure response of a plurality of inspection modes based on specular reflection and diffraction phenomena; generating, by the acoustic model based on the plurality of scan plan parameters, an acoustic region of influence (AROI) comprising an acoustic amplitude sensitivity map for a first inspection mode amongst the plurality of inspection modes; and generating, for display, a first image comprising the AROI associated with the first inspection mode for capturing or inspecting the image of the at least one flaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Olympus NDT Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Hang Kwan, Nicolas Badeau, Benoit Lepage, Guillaume Painchaud-April
  • Patent number: 11474221
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for detecting one or more objects under a surface of a water body. The method includes transmitting one or more ultrasonic waves into the water body according to a transmit beam pattern. The method further includes determining a bottom characteristic of a bottom of the water body and dynamically adjusting the transmit beam pattern, based on the bottom characteristic of the water body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Kohei Kozuki
  • Patent number: 11445984
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for evaluating a vessel of a patient are provided. The method includes outputting, to a touch-sensitive display of a bedside controller, a screen display including: a visual representation of a first pressure ratio of pressure measurements obtained by first and second instruments positioned within a vessel while the second instrument is moved from a distal position to a proximal position relative a stenosis and the first instrument remains stationary; and a first proximal pressure waveform and a first distal pressure waveform; receiving, through the touch-sensitive display of the bedside controller, a user touch input on the first proximal pressure waveform and/or the first distal pressure waveform identifying a time at which pressure measurements were obtained; and modifying the screen display, in response to the user touch input, to further include a visual representation of the obtained pressure measurements corresponding to the identified time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Howard David Alpert, David Anderson, Asher Cohen, Fergus Merritt, Meng Lim
  • Patent number: 11436726
    Abstract: A region-of-interest detection unit detects a region of interest from a medical image. A display control unit keeps displaying a detection result of the region of interest for a certain period of time on a monitor, in a case where a position of the region of interest is changed in accordance with a movement of the region of interest, at a detection position of the region of interest detected by the region-of-interest detection unit before the position of the region of interest is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shumpei Kamon
  • Patent number: 11432802
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the delivery of ultrasound energy to a subject is provided. In particular, such a system and method are capable of safely disrupting the blood-brain barrier. Ultrasound energy is delivered to produce cavitation of an ultrasound contrast agent at a selected pressure value. An acoustic signal is acquired following cavitation, from which a signal spectrum is produced. The signal spectrum is analyzed for the presence of harmonics, such as subharmonics or ultraharmonics. When subharmonics or ultraharmonics are present, the pressure value is decreased for subsequent sonications. If a previous sonication resulted in no subharmonics or ultraharmonics being generated, then the pressure value may be increased. In this manner, the blood-brain barrier can be advantageously disrupted while mitigating potentially injurious effects of the sonication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SUNNYBROOK RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Meaghan Anne O'Reilly, Kullervo Henrik Hynynen
  • Patent number: 11423532
    Abstract: According to embodiment, an image processing apparatus comprising a specifying unit and a display controller. The specifying unit that specifies an acquisition position of an indicator relating to blood flow on a blood vessel-containing image collected by a medical image diagnostic apparatus. The display controller that displays the acquisition position on the blood vessel-containing image and displays the indicator on a display unit in association with the acquisition position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihito Takahashi, Satoshi Wakai, Takuya Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11406794
    Abstract: An intravenous (IV) catheter system may include a catheter hub, a needle hub and a needle shield. The needle hub may include a needle having a high friction surface part. Furthermore, embodiments may include an open and closed IV catheter system. Embodiments may include a needle hub and a shielded needle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Greiner Bio-One GmbH
    Inventor: Magnus Hivert
  • Patent number: 11344204
    Abstract: A photoacoustic measurement probe and a probe unit capable of preventing generation of artifacts in a photoacoustic measurement apparatus are obtained. In a photoacoustic measurement probe having a light emitting unit that emits measurement light toward a subject, an acoustic wave detection element that detects an acoustic wave emitted from a portion of the subject that has received the measurement light, and a housing which has a surface facing the subject at the time of use and in which the light emitting unit and the acoustic wave detection element are housed, at least one slit that is opened to the housing surface and that extends from the housing surface toward the inside of the housing is provided between the light emitting unit and the acoustic wave detection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Osawa, Atsushi Hashimoto, Kaku Irisawa
  • Patent number: 11291866
    Abstract: Various approaches to generating and maintaining an ultrasound focus at a target region include configuring a controller to cause transmission of treatment ultrasound pulses from a transducer having multiple transducer elements; cause the transducer to transmit focusing ultrasound pulses to the target region and generate an acoustic reflector therein; measure reflections of the focusing ultrasound pulses from the acoustic reflector; based at least in part on the measured reflections, adjust a parameter value associated with one or more transducer elements so as to maintain and/or improve the ultrasound focus at the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: INSIGHTEC, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoav Levy, Eyal Zadicario, Shuki Vitek, Javier Grinfeld, Ohad Silbiger
  • Patent number: 11207053
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to using high frequency ultrasound to assess blood volume changes in a subject. A baseline blood volume value can be determined based on a weight of a subject or based on an initial/previous assessment test value. An image taken with the high frequency ultrasound can be retrieved. A test blood volume value can be measured in a field of view of the image. For example, the test blood volume can be determined based on a destruction/replenishment of a contrast agent during imaging by the high frequency ultrasound. A change in blood volume in the subject can be estimated by comparing the test blood volume value to the baseline blood volume value. The estimate of the change in blood volume can be used to assess a condition of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
    Inventor: Chad Walton
  • Patent number: 11166699
    Abstract: For estimating attenuation, diffraction effects are corrected by transmitting at different frequencies using apertures sized to match the on-axis intensity profile and/or resolution cell size between the transmissions where there is no attenuation. Attenuation causes a variance in return. A rate of change is estimated from a ratio of the magnitude of the signals or displacements responsive to the transmissions. The attenuation is calculated from the rate of change over depth of the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Yassin Labyed, Kutay F. Ustuner
  • Patent number: 11064973
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe according to an embodiment includes: transducer elements, phase reversal processing circuitry, and delay processing circuitry. The transducer elements, each of which is configured to generate a first echo signal by receiving a reflected wave of a first ultrasound wave and to generate a second echo signal by receiving a reflected wave of a second ultrasound wave corresponding to an ultrasound wave obtained by reversing the phase of the first ultrasound wave. The phase reversal processing circuitry is configured to reverse the phase of the second echo signal. The delay processing circuitry is configured to delay the first echo signal and the phase-reversed second echo signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Ishitsuka
  • Patent number: 11031990
    Abstract: A technique comprising: receiving a set of digital signals representative of a set of analogue electrical signals generated by radio transmissions in one or more antenna elements; generating at least two beamformed signals from the same set of digital signals; multiplying together said beamformed signals; and performing demodulation at least partially on an output of multiplying said beamformed signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Wolfgang Zirwas, Muhammad Bilal Amin
  • Patent number: 11020143
    Abstract: A steering adjustment for a needle visualization ultrasound system includes a needle, an ultrasound interface and one or more processing electronics. The ultrasound interface receives ultrasound imaging information from a first set of ultrasound firings. The processing electronics are coupled to the ultrasound interface. The processing electronics utilize the information from the first set of firings and identify the angle of the needle and the optimized steering frame angle. The processing electronics are further configured to cause a second set of firings. The second set of firings are configured for the identified needle angle and steering frame angle. The processing electronics are further configured to utilize the ultrasound information from the second set of firings to adaptively and dynamically enhance the visualization of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: EDAN INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Seshadri Srinivasan, Ling Feng
  • Patent number: 10993611
    Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing regional variations in aqueous outflow vessels of the eye and for optimizing locations within the eye stent implantation or other surgical procedures intended to increase aqueous outflow and reduce intraocular pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Sameh Mosaed, Ken Lin
  • Patent number: 10890661
    Abstract: A method of forming an image of a region of interest using a pulse-echo imaging device is described. The method includes the steps of transmitting a pulse, discriminating an echo of the pulse by comparison to a plurality of Hermite polynomials, and determining a color for display based on the comparison. A system for forming an image of a region of interest is also described. The system includes a pulse-echo imaging device for transmitting a pulse and a control unit in communication with the pulse-echo imaging device. The control unit is configured to discriminate an echo of the pulse by comparison to a plurality of Hermite polynomials and determine a color for display based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
    Inventor: Kevin J. Parker
  • Patent number: 10799219
    Abstract: A system and a method of ultrasound imaging includes acquiring ultrasound data, acquiring a quality parameter while acquiring the ultrasound data, determining an acquisition quality level based on the quality parameter, displaying an image generated based on the ultrasound data and displaying an ROI on the ultrasound image, where a color of the ROI represents the acquisition quality level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tanya Specht, Menachem Halmann, Alexander Sokulin, Peter Lysyansky, Cynthia Owen, Sergey Ogurtsov
  • Patent number: 10792014
    Abstract: An ultrasound inspection apparatus includes a region setting section setting a plurality of regions within the inspection object; a sound velocity calculator calculating a sound velocity of each of the plurality of regions; a sound velocity obtainer obtaining a preliminary sound velocity of a region of interest; and an image quality determiner determining an image quality of the region of interest based on the preliminary sound velocity. The preliminary sound velocity obtained by the sound velocity obtainer is employed as a sound velocity of the region of interest when a determination result made by the image quality determiner is positive, and the sound velocity of the region of interest is calculated by the sound velocity calculator when the determination result is negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10751015
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of evaluating risk associated with a condition of the vessel and issuing an automatic recommendation based on co-registered physiological measurements are disclosed. The includes steps of obtaining image data for the vessel of the patient, obtaining physiological measurements for the vessel of the patient, co-registering the obtained physiological measurements with the obtained image data such that the physiological measurements are associated with corresponding portions of the vessel of the patient, analyzing the co-registered physiology measurements to identify a region of interest, and outputting, to a user interface, a suggested diagnostic procedure for the region of interest based on the analysis of the co-registered physiology measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Anderson, Fergus Merritt
  • Patent number: 10751028
    Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging is performed by constructing spatial coherence images of a target having microbubbles in it. The basis for this approach is the observation that the spatial coherence of microbubbles differs from the spatial coherence of tissue and the spatial coherence of image noise. Therefore, imaging based on spatial coherence provides a way to suppress noise signals and tissue signals relative to the microbubble signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Jeremy Joseph Dahl, Dongwoon Hyun, Juergen K. Willmann
  • Patent number: 10670581
    Abstract: The present invention provides oxygenized nanobubbles and their uses in imaging and cancer treatment when combined with therapeutic drugs and precise ultrasound beam steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Joseph Irudayaraj, Pushpak Bhandari
  • Patent number: 10631730
    Abstract: Methods and systems for suppressing shadowgraphic flow projection artifacts in OCT angiography images of a sample are disclosed. In one example approach, normalized OCT angiography data is analyzed at the level of individual A-scans to classify signals as either flow or projection artifact. This classification information is then used to suppress projection artifacts in the three dimensional OCT angiography dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Oregon Health & Science University
    Inventors: David Huang, Yali Jia, Miao Zhang
  • Patent number: 10591325
    Abstract: A flow feature detection method is described. The method includes storing a plurality of points at locations over a region in which vortex detection is to be performed. A value for each of a plurality of fluid flow parameters, such as velocity, pressure and density, is determined at each point. The points are grouped as being contained in either a flow feature portion or normal flow portion of the region according to one or more statistical distribution for the fluid flow parameters. A point is identified as being indicative of the flow feature by identifying multiple further points at least partially surrounding the point, and determining a plane in which the flow feature is identifiable based upon the relative values of the one or more fluid flow parameter for the further points. The method may be used to detect vortices and to identify a two-dimensional plane representative of a vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Yiping Ke, Jian Cheng Wong, Chi-Keong Goh, Kee Khoon Lee
  • Patent number: 10512452
    Abstract: For estimating attenuation in ultrasound imaging, displacements at different locations along an acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) beam are used measured. The on-axis displacements and displacements from a phantom using a same ARFI focus as a reference are used to cancel out focusing effects. A single ARFI beam may be used to estimate the attenuation for a location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Yassin Labyed, Liexiang Fan
  • Patent number: 10507315
    Abstract: A catheter system including an elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a lumen extending through at least a portion of a length of the elongate tubular member. The distal end portion of the elongate member is dimensioned and adapted to advance to or in proximity to a treatment site of a subject. A microbubble device is in fluid communication with the lumen. The microbubble device includes at least one input port for receiving a flow of material into the device and an output port configured to output microbubbles from the microbubble device. A second tubular member is in fluid communication with one of the at least one input ports. A pressure fitting arrangement is adapted to maintain a seal between the second tubular member and the input port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: John A. Hossack, Brian R. Wamhoff, Alexander L. Klibanov, Johnny Chen, Brent A. French
  • Patent number: 10499813
    Abstract: In part, the disclosure relates to systems for imaging a blood vessel using intravascular image data and extravascular image data and methods to calibrate such systems. In one embodiment, multiple calibration trials are performed to determine a plurality of time lag values. A minimum time lag value is used to align intravascular image data and extravascular time lag data in one embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: LIGHTLAB IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: Desmond Adler