Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for fusing tissue characterization information into ultrasound images. In one example, a method includes obtaining first image data of an anatomical region of interest (ROI) of a patient, the first image data including tissue characterization information and acquired with a first imaging modality; obtaining second image data of the anatomical ROI of the patient, the second image data acquired with a second imaging modality; registering the first image data and the second image data; adjusting the second image data based on the tissue characterization information and the registration, wherein the adjusting includes filtering, adjusting colorization, adjusting brightness, and/or adjusting material appearance properties of one or more aspects of the second image data; generating a fused image from the adjusted second image data; and outputting the fused image for display and/or storage.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for display of live images. In one example, a method for motion compensation in the live images includes acquiring a first set of imaging data from a visible sector of an imaging system, the visible sector including a region of interest displayed to a user, and acquiring a second set of imaging data at an area offset from the visible sector, during the acquiring of the first set of imaging data. The second set of imaging data is used to compensate for gross motion of the region of interest resulting in displacement of at least a portion of the region of interest outside of the visible sector.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for conveying information about cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization (e.g., processing) of touchable components of a medical device using visually detectable indicators (VDIs). Information regarding processing of an ultrasound device may be conveyed by configuring the ultrasound device to include a first component with a first visual indicator to indicate a first processing level and a second component with a second visual indicator to indicate a second processing level. Implementing visual indicators to convey information about processing may reduce time, cost, and other resources used to process medical devices compared to conventional processing methods wherein the entire medical device may be processed to one processing level.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for conveying information about cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization (e.g., processing) of touchable components of a medical device using visually detectable indicators (VDIs). Information regarding processing of an ultrasound device may be conveyed by configuring the ultrasound device to include a first component with a first visual indicator to indicate a first processing level and a second component with a second visual indicator to indicate a second processing level. Implementing visual indicators to convey information about processing may reduce time, cost, and other resources used to process medical devices compared to conventional processing methods wherein the entire medical device may be processed to one processing level.

Abstract: An automated measurement system for an ultrasound and/or echocardiographic imaging system enhances reproducibility of measurement results and accommodates form movement in the measurement of the images by combining measurements across multiple cardiac cycles/multiple echocardiogram images. The automated system provides these benefits by initially selecting the cardiac images/cycles for which valid measurements can be obtained within constraints defined by the automated system. With these selected cycles, the automated system then combines the measurements from the selected cycles into a global measurement for the desired parameter or parameters for the combined cycles.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for calculating flow transparency values that improve the visualization of turbulent blood flow with an ultrasound imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises calculating transparency values for a plurality of voxels based on a variance value and a velocity value of each voxel and a time corresponding to acquisition of each voxel, and rendering an image with the calculated transparency values applied to the plurality of voxels. In this way, the visualization of turbulent blood flow can be tailored to the dynamics of the blood flow, thereby enabling an improved diagnostic accuracy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for calculating flow transparency values that improve the visualization of turbulent blood flow with an ultrasound imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises calculating transparency values for a plurality of voxels based on a variance value and a velocity value of each voxel and a time corresponding to acquisition of each voxel, and rendering an image with the calculated transparency values applied to the plurality of voxels. In this way, the visualization of turbulent blood flow can be tailored to the dynamics of the blood flow, thereby enabling an improved diagnostic accuracy.

Abstract: A system and method for compensating for motion with displaying ultrasound motion tracking information are provided. The method includes obtaining ultrasound image data of an imaged object and determining motion tracking information based on the ultrasound image data. The method further includes compensating for motion of the imaged object based on the determined motion tracking information and generating motion compensated ultrasound image data in combination with motion tracking indicators based on the motion compensation.

Abstract: A method for combined 4D presentation of quantitative measurements and morphology of an object uses an apparatus that includes a computer or processor, memory, and a display. The method includes identifying a region of interest in volumetric image data. Then, the following steps are iterated to produce a 4D volume rendering. The iterated steps include tracking a wall of the object in the region of interest of the image data to produce a displacement field, applying the displacement field to display data to create enhanced rendering data, volume rendering the enhanced rendering data to produce an enhanced volume rendering, and displaying the enhanced volume rendering.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying ultrasound motion tracking information are provided. The method includes obtaining three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound image data of a scanned object. The 3D ultrasound image data includes motion tracking information. The method further includes transforming the 3D ultrasound image data with the motion tracking information to a two-dimensional (2D) map projection and generating a 2D map based on the 2D map projection.

Abstract: A system and method for compensating for motion with displaying ultrasound motion tracking information are provided. The method includes obtaining ultrasound image data of an imaged object and determining motion tracking information based on the ultrasound image data. The method further includes compensating for motion of the imaged object based on the determined motion tracking information and generating motion compensated ultrasound image data in combination with motion tracking indicators based on the motion compensation.

Abstract: A system and method for functional ultrasound imaging are provided. The method includes obtaining ultrasound image data acquired from a multi-plane imaging scan of an imaged object. The ultrasound image data defines a plurality of image planes. The method also includes determining functional image information for the imaged object from two-dimensional tracking information based on the plurality of image planes and generating functional ultrasound image data for the imaged object using the functional image information.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. The tissue deformation parameter strain is also determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. The strain calculation may be improved by moving the sample volume from which the strain rate is accumulated from frame-to-frame according to the relative displacement of the tissue within the original sample volume. The relative displacement of the tissue is determined by the instantaneous tissue velocity of the sample volume.

Abstract: A method for combined 4D presentation of quantitative measurements and morphology of an object uses an apparatus that includes a computer or processor, memory, and a display. The method includes identifying a region of interest in volumetric image data. Then, the following steps are iterated to produce a 4D volume rendering. The iterated steps include tracking a wall of the object in the region of interest of the image data to produce a displacement field, applying the displacement field to display data to create enhanced rendering data, volume rendering the enhanced rendering data to produce an enhanced volume rendering, and displaying the enhanced volume rendering.

Abstract: A medical imaging system includes image acquisition circuitry, a memory, and a processor coupled to the image acquisition circuitry and memory. The processor executes a physiologic marker program out of the memory. The marker program obtains physiologic marker definitions for events shown in a first dataset image, determines physiologic markers associated with the marker definitions, and superimposes the physiologic markers on a second dataset image that does not necessarily show the event.

Abstract: System and method for automatically measuring the delay of tissue motion and deformation. For example, asynchrony may be measured between the left and right ventricles and within the left ventricle. A measurement feature may be defined by default or obtained using a user input. A reference time and a search interval are identified. The search interval may be based on the reference time, or input or modified by a user. A time delay of the measurement feature within the search interval is calculated for each sample. At least one color is assigned to the samples corresponding to the calculated time delay.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises a memory for storing patient study data associated with segments of a patient's left ventricle (LV). The patient study data comprises at least a first asynchrony study and at least one of a first viability study and a first regional function study. A cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) lead placement planning module compares at least a portion of the patient study data for each of the segments. An output device indicates at least one location for placement of an LV lead within one of the segments of the patient's LV during a CRT procedure based on the comparison of the at least a portion of the patient study data for each of the segments.

Abstract: A method is provided for improving a segmentation of a 3D image and/or validating a segmentation of a 3D image includes rendering an acquired 3D image and a segmentation of the acquired 3D image on a segmentation display that has at least one spatially fixed slice and an interactive slice with a reference mark corresponding to the cursor location in the spatially fixed slice or slices on the display. The method further includes utilizing an interactive user input to update image data of the interactive slice and the reference mark to coincide with the cursor in the spatially fixed slice or slices. The method further includes using the cursor and the reference mark to verify that cursor locations on the boundaries of the segmentation of the acquired 3D image correspond to object boundaries in the image data of the interactive slice.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. The tissue deformation parameter strain is determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. Three quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle. Parameters which are derived from strain rate or strain velocity, such as peak systolic wall thickening percentage, may be plotted with respect to various stress levels.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. A method to estimate a strain rate in any direction, not necessarily along the ultrasound beam, based on tissue velocity data from a small region of interest around a sample volume is disclosed. Quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle.