Abstract: An irregular ultrasound sampling grid is reconstructed to a three-dimensional grid for imaging. Volume data acquired with a helix transducer includes a fractional offset of data spaced along one dimension, resulting in the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. To determine a voxel value for a grid point on a uniform grid, two adjacent planes are identified. The sample locations in the two planes are not aligned, being on the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. Hardware acceleration devices, such as a graphics processing unit, perform bilinear interpolation in each of the planes. The data of each plane is interpolated to the proper global azimuth-range coordinate corresponding with the grid point. The bilinearly interpolated values from each plane are then linearly interpolated to the grid point.

Abstract: An irregular ultrasound sampling grid is reconstructed to a three-dimensional grid for imaging. Volume data acquired with a helix transducer includes a fractional offset of data spaced along one dimension, resulting in the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. To determine a voxel value for a grid point on a uniform grid, two adjacent planes are identified. The sample locations in the two planes are not aligned, being on the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. Hardware acceleration devices, such as a graphics processing unit, perform bilinear interpolation in each of the planes. The data of each plane is interpolated to the proper global azimuth-range coordinate corresponding with the grid point. The bilinearly interpolated values from each plane are then linearly interpolated to the grid point.

Abstract: Rendering quality parameter values are automatically set or adjusted as a function of acquisition ultrasound parameter values. The rendering quality is automatically selected based on the acquisition quality, such as providing for a higher quality or quality rendering for slower acquisitions. More than two rendering states are provided for a respective, more than two different quality settings. For example, different quality settings are provided for streaming (non-repetitive on-going rendering), manipulation (edits of a rendered image), frozen and animation states (repetitive or looped rendering). Since the frozen state is less limited by processing time, the frozen state may be rendered with a highest quality or quality. The rendering is provided with two different sampling density variables, such as an in-plane or XY sampling density and a viewing direction or z sampling density. The separation may allow for a more versatile trade-off between image quality and performance.

Abstract: A method for decreasing integration time of saturated paxels within an imager; wherein the method includes decreasing the integration time of the saturated paxels within an imager according to scene data from a captured image.