Abstract: A method includes registering a region of interest in 3-D imaging data with an initial ultrasound image so that the region of interest is in an imaging plane of the initial ultrasound image. The method further includes acquiring a subsequent ultrasound image with a transducer array. The method further includes comparing the initial ultrasound image and the subsequent ultrasound image. The method further includes steering at least one of the transducer array or an instrument based on a result of the comparing so that at least one of the region of interest or the instrument is in the imaging plane.

Abstract: A method includes generating a real-time ultrasound image of anatomy of interest. At least a sub-portion of the anatomy of interest is deformed from an initial location to a different location by pressure applied by an external force. The method further includes obtaining a 2-D slice, which corresponds to a same plane as the real-time ultrasound image, from 3-D reference image data, wherein a corresponding sub-portion is at the initial location. The method further includes determining displacement fields for the sub-portion from the sub-portion, the corresponding sub-portion and other anatomy not-deformed in the real-time ultrasound image and the 3-D reference image data. The method further includes deforming the 3-D reference image data using the displacement fields, which creates deformed 3-D reference image data based on the different location.

Abstract: A method includes registering a region of interest in 3-D imaging data with an initial ultrasound image so that the region of interest is in an imaging plane of the initial ultrasound image. The method further includes acquiring a subsequent ultrasound image with a transducer array. The method further includes comparing the initial ultrasound image and the subsequent ultrasound image. The method further includes steering at least one of the transducer array or an instrument based on a result of the comparing so that at least one of the region of interest or the instrument is in the imaging plane.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging probe (101) includes a communications interface (107), including one or more ports (200-205), corresponding to one or more different communication protocols, for communication with ultrasound consoles. The probe (101) also includes a controller (106) that configures the probe (101) for communication with an ultrasound console (102) over a port (200-205) based on a communication between the communications interface (107) and a communications interface (110) of the console (102).

Abstract: A method includes transitioning, via a micro-processor, an ultrasound imaging system (100) running in a first mode (128), in which a first location and a first orientation of an elongate needle (106) of an instrument (102) at a surface (111) of an object (110) is determined based on a first signal from a tracking device (112) at least on the instrument, to a second different mode, in which a second location and a second orientation of the needle within the object is determined based on an ultrasound image representing the object, in response to determining the needle penetrated the surface of the object, wherein a beam steering angle with which the ultrasound image is acquired is determined based on the first location and the first orientation of the needle, and displaying the ultrasound image.

Abstract: A system (102) includes an interventional instrument (104) and an imaging apparatus (106). The interventional instrument includes an interventional instrument event tracking transmitter (116) that transmits an interventional instrument event signal in response to a predetermined interventional instrument event by interventional instrument in connection with an interventional procedure for a region of interest of a subject. The imaging apparatus (106) includes an imager (132) that generates image of the region of interest of the subject. The imaging apparatus (106) further includes a receiver (126) that receives the interventional instrument event signal. The imaging apparatus (106) further includes an instrument event mapper (128) that maps the predetermined interventional instrument event to the image based on the received interventional instrument event signal.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a real-time 2-D B-mode image of anatomy of interest in a region of interest. The real-time 2-D B-mode image is generated with ultrasound echoes received by transducer elements (106) of a transducer array (104). The method further includes segmenting one or more anatomical features from the real-time 2-D B-mode image, obtaining 2-D slices of anatomically segmented 3-D navigation image data for the same region of interest, and matching the real-time 2-D B-mode image to at least a sub-set of the 2-D slices based on the segmented anatomical features. The method further includes identifying a 2-D slice of the anatomically segmented 3-D navigation image data that matches the real-time 2-D B-mode image based on the matching, and identifying at least one of a location and an orientation of the transducer array relative to the anatomy based on the match.

Abstract: A method includes free hand rotating or translating a first transducer array by rotating or translating the probe (102) about or along a longitudinal axis (206) of the probe through a plurality of angles or linear displacements in a cavity, moving a first imaging plane through an extent of a structure of interest. The method further includes transmitting signals and receiving echoes with the first transducer array concurrently with the rotating or the translating, and generating two-dimensional images of the structure of interest with the received echo for the plurality of the angles or the linear displacements. The method further includes identifying the plurality of the angles or the linear displacements based on the generated images and secondary information, aligning the two-dimensional images based on the identified plurality of the angles or the linear displacements, and combining the aligned two-dimensional images to construct a three-dimensional volume of the structure of interest.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a 3-D volume of anatomy including at least the structure of interest. The method further includes acquiring, with an array of an ultrasound probe, a real-time 2-D ultrasound image of the structure of interest in a cavity parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ultrasound probe. The method further includes calculating a metric from a 2-D plane extracted from the 3D volume and the real-time 2-D ultrasound sagittal image. The metric identifies a plane, from sagittal planes of the 3D volume, and a position within the plane, that best fits the real-time 2-D ultrasound sagittal image. The method further includes identifying a current location of the ultrasound probe with respect to the anatomy based on the identified position.