Abstract: In a photo-detection type ultrasonic receiving apparatus, the image quality of ultrasonic image has been enhanced by reducing multiple reflection of the ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic detecting element for modulating light on the basis of a received ultrasonic wave, a backing portion directly or indirectly connected to the ultrasonic detecting element propagating the ultrasonic wave to be applied to the ultrasonic detecting element, the backing portion having optical transmissibility and guiding the light used for detecting ultrasonic wave, and a photoelectric conversion unit that detects the light output from the ultrasonic detecting element.

Abstract: An ultrasound device having a transducer propagating and receiving sound signals to/from a blood vessel of a person being examined for caisson's disease where the blood vessel is at above normal surface atmospheric pressure and a controller determining onset of the caisson's disease by analyzing the received sound signals from the transducer to determine presence of naturally occurring bubbles in the blood vessel during decompression of the blood vessel.

Abstract: A method for visualization of ultrasound images comprises the steps of deriving ultrasound images of an object; freezing and storing in space and time selected ones of the images; displaying the selected ones of the images as a set; selectively freezing and adding to the set a further one of the images; and, optionally, selectively removing an image from the set.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for generating ultrasound images of a plurality of scatterers disposed in a target region. More particularly, a method of the invention derives model response functions for each of a plurality of transducers for a given distribution of scattering media. The interrogation pattern can be selected to include a set of unfocused ultrasound waves generated by one or more of the transducers. The interrogation pattern is transmitted into the target region, and the transducers are utilized to detect echoes generated by the scatterers in the target region in response to the interrogation pattern. The methods and systems of the invention advantageously allow obtaining ultrasound images of a target region without employing beamforming either in transmission of ultrasound waves into the region or in detection of echoes generated by scatterers in the target region in response to the transmitted waves.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying and selecting a volume of interest within a volume rendered image is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention collects acoustic data, develops a three dimensional (3D) ultrasound image from the collected acoustic data, renders the ultrasound image on a display, modifies selected portions of the acoustic data, and displays the modified acoustic data in the form of a highlighted region on the rendered ultrasound image, wherein the highlighted region defines an included volume.

Abstract: For the purpose of eliminating a problem that a good harmonic image cannot be obtained due to the tail of a fundamental component of previous received data intruding into a fundamental component of current received data; in the operation in a harmonic mode according to a phase inversion technique, a first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to a plurality of foci on the same acoustic line, and a second ultrasonic pulse of a phase opposite to that of the first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to the plurality of foci on the same acoustic line.

Abstract: The angular imaging system, and related method utilizes translating apertures to acquire data at a number of angles of interrogation. For omnidirectional scatterers, that is scatterers which emit a uniform sound field in all directions when insonified, the translating apertures should theoretically yield identical speckle patterns at all angles of interrogation. The result is in strong contrast to previously applied convention angular scatter measurement methods which produced rapidly varying speckle patterns with interrogation angle. Thus by using the translating apertures, using the transmit aperture translator (62), and the receive aperture translator (72), it is possible to acquire data for which the only variation in received signal with angle is due to the intrinsic scattering of the target.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recursive ultrasound imaging using a Synthetic Transmit Aperture and by which a new frame is created at every pulse emission. In receive, parallel beam forming is implemented. The beam formed RF data is added to the previously created RF lines. To keep the level of the signal, the RF data obtained previously, when emitting with the same element, is subtracted from the RF lines. Up to 5000 frames/sec can be achieved for a tissue depth of 15 cm with a speed of sound of c=1540 m/s. The high frame rate makes continuous imaging data possible, which can significantly enhance flow imaging. A point spread function 2° wide at −6 dB and grating lobes of ≦−50 dB is obtained with a 64 elements phased array with a central frequency f0=3 MHz using a sparse transmit aperture using only 10 elements (Nxmt=10) during pulse emission. The corresponding images have the quality of a dynamically focused image in transmit and receive.

Abstract: In order to facilitate ultrasonic imaging in a proper condition, a correlation value is calculated between a new image frame and a previous image frame each time the new image frame is obtained; and the acoustic line density of a scan is increased/decreased, the dynamic range of echo reception is enlarged/reduced, and the frame averaging intensity of an image frame is raised/lowered in response to an increase/decrease of the correlation value.

Abstract: An ultrasonic tomography apparatus has an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting an ultrasound to an object body; an ultrasonic receiver for receiving ultrasound reflected from an object body and producing an ultrasonic signal; a filter for extracting components of the ultrasonic signal in at least two different frequency bands; and an image generator for generating an ultrasonic tomogram of the object body based on the extracted ultrasonic signal component in a first frequency band and the extracted ultrasonic signal component in one or more second frequency bands. The first frequency band centers on a frequency band at the time of transmission, and the second frequency band is shifted from the frequency band at the time of transmission.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for simplifying off-line quantification of ultrasound images by displaying a graphical user interface showing a real-time ultrasound image for enabling a user to freeze the real-time ultrasound image to display an image sequence capable of being modified and played back by the user. Upon freezing the real-time image, the graphical user interface displays a tagging system having a corresponding identification tag for each ultrasound image of the image sequence. The graphical user interface further displays time intensity curves each corresponding to an ROI in the frozen image. When the user selects a particular ROI in the frozen image, the curve corresponding to the selected ROI is brightened and the other curves are dimmed.

Abstract: Acoustic imaging systems are provided. A representative acoustic imaging system includes a transducer that incorporates a backing and an acoustic element extending from the backing. The acoustic element includes a piezoelectric element and a de-matching layer. The de-matching layer is arranged between the backing and the piezoelectric element and exhibits an acoustic impedance greater than that of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element exhibits a thickness that is less than one-half of a wavelength to be generated by the piezoelectric element. Methods also are provided.

Abstract: An acoustic monitoring system that is able to verify the success or failure of the positional adjustment of a valve without the need for additional energy during non-invasive reprogramming is provided. The acoustic monitoring system includes a programmer for generating a sequence of commands to adjust the valve mechanism, and for receiving acoustic signals for analysis, a transmitter to implement the command and adjust the valve, and a sensor for detecting an acoustic signal generated from the valve during execution of the commands. A method for using the acoustic monitoring system is also provided.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for use in medical applications that permit affordable 3D imaging of blood flow using a low profile easily long-term unattended Doppler ultrasound monitoring in spite of motion of the patient or pad. The pad, and associated processor collects, Doppler processes ultrasound blood velocity data in a 3D region through the use of a planar phased array of piezoelectric elements. The invention locks onto, and tracks the points in 3D space that produce the locally maximum blood velocity signals. The integrated coordinates of points acquired by the accurate tracking process is used to form a 3D map of blood vessels, provide a display that can be used to select multiple points of interest for expanded data collection, for long-term continuous, and unattended blood flow monitoring.

Abstract: A medical ultrasound imaging pulse transmission method transmits at least three pulses, including at least two pulses of different amplitude and at least two pulses of differing phase. The larger-amplitude pulse is transmitted with a larger aperture and the smaller-amplitude pulses are transmitted with respective smaller subapertures. The subapertures are arranged such that the sum of the subapertures used for the smaller-amplitude pulses is equal to the aperture used for the larger-amplitude pulse. In this way, pulses of differing amplitudes are obtained without varying the power level of individual transducer elements, and precise control over pulse amplitude is provided.

Abstract: A breast imaging system is described which includes compression plates for retaining a breast during an examination. One of compression plates is formed by a polymeric membrane stretched under tension to provide a rigid but compliant retention surface which is substantially acoustically transparent for the conduct of a sonographic examination. The polymeric membrane may also be substantially radiographically transparent for the conduct of a mammographic examination. The thickness of the membrane is chosen to be a function of one-half of the wavelength of the ultrasonic frequency used for the sonographic examination so as to be substantially transparent to ultrasonic energy at that frequency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus capable of obtaining ultrasonic images in high precision even in such a case where waveforms of ultrasonic waves are deformed in transmission and reception stages. The ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus includes: an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit; an ultrasonic wave receiving unit; a signal processing unit for processing the detection signals to thereby produce data; a first storage unit for storing data obtained by transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from a first object; a second storage unit for storing data obtained by transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from a second object; a correlative coefficient calculating unit for calculating a correlative coefficient between the data stored in the first storage unit and in the second storage unit; an image processing unit for producing an image signal based upon the correlative coefficient; and an image display unit for displaying an ultrasonic diagnostic image based upon the image signal.

Abstract: A surgical operation navigation apparatus comprises a medical image storage section that stores three-dimensional information of a subject measured by a medical image diagnosis unit. A modification information storage section modifies and stores the three-dimensional information of the subject based on predicted modification of the subject. A morphological shape measuring instrument measures a three-dimensional morphological shape of the subject. A morphological shape information storage section compares a three-dimensional morphological shape of a subject with three-dimensional information, and selects and outputs three-dimensional information of the subject that is the most analogous to the morphological shape of the subject. A data image generating section generates data image from the selected, outputted three-dimensional information of the subject.

Abstract: A method of adding a new operation stored in a new operation module to software driving an echocardiographic review station, which performs (a) detecting, by the software driving the echocardiographic review station, a presence of a new operation module not previously present in the software; and (b) executing the new operation module from the software driving the echocardiographic review station.

Abstract: An ultrasound transceiver scans a bladder in a three dimensional array to measure the thickness and surface area of the bladder to determine bladder mass. The bladder wall thickness and masses may be determined for anterior, posterior, and lateral locations of the bladder.