Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound imaging system based on a multi-stage pulse compression and multi-stage time delaying scheme. In the ultrasound imaging system, a transducer array is grouped into a predetermined number of transducer groups, and the grouped ultrasound signals are processed hierarchically via multi-stage pulse compression and multi-stage time delaying operations so that a finely receive-focused ultrasound signal can be obtained.

Abstract: An ultrasonic apparatus and method are described in which a volumetric region of the body is imaged by biplane images. One biplane image has a fixed planar orientation to the transducer, and the plane of the other biplane image can be varied in relation to the fixed reference image. In a preferred embodiment one image can be rotated relative to the other, and can be tilted relative to the other. An image orientation icon is shown on the display screen together with the two biplane images depicting the relative orientation of the two planar images.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the heat of an ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. In the presently preferred embodiments, the operator selects one or more mutable system parameters of the ultrasound system which will be changed if either the temperature becomes too great, or at the operator's command, or both.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for assessing blood flow in blood vessels, for assessing vascular health, for conducting clinical trials, for screening therapeutic interventions for adverse effects, and for assessing the effects of risk factors, therapies and substances, including therapeutic substances, on blood vessels, especially cerebral blood vessels, all achieved by measuring various parameters of blood flow in one or more vessels and analyzing the results in a defined matter. The relevant parameters of blood flow include mean flow velocity, systolic acceleration, and pulsatility index. By measuring and analyzing these parameters, one can ascertain the vascular health of a particular vessel, multiple vessels and an individual. Such measurements can also determine whether a substance has an effect, either deleterious or advantageous, on vascular health. The present invention further provides an expert system for achieving the above.

Abstract: A method of quantitatively assessing fat content in a target organ from an ultrasound visual image is provided. This method includes obtaining an ultrasound visual image of the target organ, setting a target region in the obtained image, measuring a quantified representative gray level of the target region from a gray level distribution of pixels of the target region, and assessing fat content corresponding to the quantified representative gray level of the target region.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system using a knowledge-based image adjusting device, which enables to obtain the optimal ultrasound image by automatically adjusting image parameters on the basis of pre-stored patient information so that operating procedures required of a system operator are reduced. The ultrasound imaging system comprises a patient information recording medium; a reference image database for storing reference image parameters; a similarity calculation unit for comparing patient information and corresponding reference image parameters and determining the parameter with the highest similarity; and an image adjusting block for selecting a type of probe and automatically adjusting image settings of the selected probe. The ultrasound imaging system further comprises a user input device for inputting and adjusting degrees of freedom parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for fundamental real-time imaging of the non-linear response of tissue perfused with a contrast agent are disclosed. An image with increased sensitivity to non-linear responses can be achieved by detecting the ultrasound response at the fundamental frequency from tissue perfused with a contrast agent and excited by multiple excitation levels. The responses detected from the multiple excitation levels may be gain corrected in an amount corresponding to the difference in magnitude of the excitation levels, then mathematically combined. The mathematical manipulation serves to remove linear responses to the fundamental excitation from the detected image. An ultrasonic contrast agent and tissue imaging system can be implemented with a transducer, first and second transmitters, a receiver, a control system, a processing system and a display.

Abstract: A continuous wave Doppler beam former comprises an application specific integrated circuit (CW-ASIC). The beam former may be a transmit or receive beam former and forming a medical ultrasound system comprising a plurality of channels forming a CW analog receive path.

Abstract: All RF data received by transducers in response to an ultrasonic signal that was transmit-focused on a point along a predetermined scan lines are stored to compute display data for those points of an object that do not necessarily correspond to the pixels of the screen of a display device. For the determination of display data for each pixel point, reflected ultrasonic signals from multiple points around the point of interest are found and used to detect the peak of a waveform constituted by the reflected ultrasonic signals. With this scheme, the distortion due to conventional interpolation used for a limited number of scan lines can be greatly reduced.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided which may be employed in medical applications to radiate an ultrasonic wave for inspecting the interior of a patient's body noninvasively. The ultrasonic probe includes a scan mechanism which consists of a rotating mechanism and a swinging mechanism. The rotating mechanism is designed to rotate a cylindrical holder having installed thereon a piezoelectric element which emits an ultrasonic wave and receives the echo. The swinging mechanism is designed to swing a rotary base which supports the rotating mechanism to swing the cylindrical holder about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to that of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A probe cover of a tympanic thermometer and tympanic thermometer assembly includes a base and a sheath attached on the base. The base is a ring-shaped thin film object with a central opening permitting pass of the probe of a tympanic thermometer, and is engaged with flanges at the bottom of the probe. The sheath includes a circumferential wall that strains and circles around the sidewall of the probe, and an infrared window fitted on an opening at the front end of the probe. Since the thickness of the infrared window is thicker than that of the circumferential wall and the infrared window is free of pleats to keep a very uniform thickness, infrared can accurately penetrate through the infrared window to the probe of a tympanic thermometer for measuring a precise body temperature.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a set of transmitting conditions ML1 optimal for existential diagnosis and two transmitting conditions ML2 and ML3 optimal for qualitative diagnosis are defined for the contrast echo method and selected appropriately according to a sequence of diagnosis for the purpose of gathering and processing ultrasonic images. The transmitting conditions can be switched automatically, from one to the other, or in accordance with a command issued by the operator due to the program registered in advance. A flash transmission is conducted on the transmitting conditions MLh between an existential diagnosis and a qualitative diagnosis. This enables the user to observe the new in-flow of contrast medium into the region being observed.

Abstract: Dental formations, including teeth, gums and supporting bone structure within the oral cavity, can be mapped by ultrasonic scanning technique, thus allowing examination and diagnosis of conditions within the intraosseous environment, including hard and soft tissue. The mapping technique can provide highly resolved details of formations, such as teeth and bridges, and their resident defect, including caries and cracks. The mapped data allow for a more precise and accurate diagnosis for the dental patient, and it provides the dentist with a detailed archive for diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ultrasound imaging system and method for Doppler processing of data. The ultrasonic imaging system efficiently addresses the data computational and processing needs of Doppler processing. Software executable sequences in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention determines the phase shift and the auto-correlation phase of filtered image data. In a preferred embodiment, the system of ultrasonic imaging also includes a sequence of instructions for Doppler processing that provides the functions for demodulation, Gauss Match filtering, auto-correlation calculation, phase shift calculation, frame averaging, and scan conversion implemented with Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) or Multiple Instruction Multiple Data (MIMD) instructions.

Abstract: A method for increasing the speed of the parabolic marching method by about a factor of 256. This increase in speed can be used to accomplish a number of important objectives. Firstly, the speed can be used to collect data to form true 3-D images or 3-D assembled from 2-D slices. Speed allows larger images to be made. Secondly, the frequency of operation can be increased to 5 MHz to match the operating frequency of reflection tomography. This allow the improved imaging of speed of sound which in turn is used to correct errors in focusing delays in reflection tomography imaging. This allows reflection tomography to reach or closely approach its theoretical spatial resolution of ½ to ¾ wave lengths. A third benefit of increasing the operating frequency of inverse scattering to 5 MHz is the improved out of topographic plane spatial resolution. This improves the ability to detect small lesions.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting contrast agents is provided. Differences between different sized vessels throughout a period of contrast agent enhancement are identified without significantly depleting the available contrast agent. Dual detection paths are used for imaging, such as one path for detecting nonlinear response and another path for detecting differences between the responses to two or more pulses. Where echoes from two or more pulses of acoustic energy are combined to detect the nonlinear response, the nonlinear response may also include signals originating from a loss-of-correlation (LOC) or motion between received pulses. These signals generated from LOC or motion can be produced from agent disruption where a second received echo is different from a first received echo due to a change in a bubble's shape (i.e., destruction), or from simple spatial translation between acoustic pulses as seen from the same spatial location, respectively.

Abstract: A cart-borne ultrasound system has a control panel at the front of the cart for operating the ultrasound system and a handle at the front of the cart by which a user can push or pull the cart to a different location. The handle has an opening through which a probe cable can be slipped to hang the cable over the handle during transport, storage, or use. The handle also serves to raise and lower the system control panel. The handle can also be articulated to move it out of the way of a user in front of the control panel.

Abstract: A process for setting a focus in a ultrasonic imaging system includes receiving a point of interest and range of interest by a user input. A system controller of the system sets a focus zone on the point of interest and adjusts the aperture and apodization for the range of interest. If the range of interest can not be covered by one focal zone, further focal zones are added.

Abstract: With a method for determination of the direction of introduction (4) and for controlling the introduction path of biopsy needles, probes and similar in organisms (2) by using an ultrasound imaging machine, a scanning unit (1) of the ultrasound is placed onto the introduction range of the organism (2) in order to display an image (3a) according to a sectional plane (3) in which or along which the directional axis (4) of the introduction path runs and the biopsy needle or similar is controlled during its actual introduction in the corresponding image display (3a, 6). For improvement of the accuracy of introduction and for an easier procedure a larger volume range (3) of the organism (2) is scanned by using a 3D-imaging and with a contingent interim storage of the derived signals by a volume storage the sectional plane (3a) to be displayed is selected according to predeterminable criteria from the volume (3), after which selection the intended introduction path (4) is virtually displayed in this image and an e.

Abstract: A method for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, includes the steps of obtaining an ultrasound image of said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane by way of a transducer head; obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, by way of a video camera mounted on said transducer head and having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image; and overlaying graphic markers onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy.