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. The graphical user interface displays graphs or curves providing data related to the ultrasound images. Each data point on the curves represents one ultrasound image of the ultrasound images. When the user selects a particular data point on a curve of a graph, the corresponding ultrasound image is displayed by the graphical user interface. The user can then select another data point on the same curve or another curve to display another corresponding ultrasound image. The two ultrasound image framescan then be compared.

Abstract: A method is described for automatically and accurately defining tissue borders within ultrasound imaging. A preferred embodiment described provides for accurately delineating endocardial and epicardial tissue borders during ultrasound imaging of the heart using contrast agents. The inventive method requires first defining a set of threshold values corresponding to various imaging depths and correlated within the image. The invention further uses the set of threshold values and a maximization function to accurately identify the tissue boundaries.

Abstract: A method and system are described for displaying an ultrasonic parametric image showing tissue perfusion in registration with an anatomical ultrasonic image of the tissue containing the blood flow. The relative opacities of the parametric image and the anatomical image can be varied, enabling the clinician to view both the perfusion parameters and the blood flow simultaneously or in rapid succession. In an illustrated embodiment the anatomical image or the parametric image can be viewed alone, or in anatomical registration with different or equal opacities. The relative opacity can be changed in a smoothly continuous or stepwise manner.

Abstract: A method is described for automatically and accurately defining tissue borders within ultrasound imaging. A preferred embodiment described provides for accurately delineating endocardial and epicardial tissue borders during ultrasound imaging of the heart using contrast agents. The inventive method requires first defining a set of threshold values corresponding to various imaging depths and correlated within the image. The invention further uses the set of threshold values and a maximization function to accurately identify the tissue boundaries.

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, i.e., by removing and/or trimming images thereof, and played back by the user. The system and method of the present invention are further capable of simplifying off-line quantification of ultrasound images by accessing and displaying via the graphical user interface a tagging system having a corresponding identification tag for each ultrasound image of the image sequence for selecting and bookmarking at least one image of the image sequence for easily accessing the image in the future. The system and method of the present invention are embodied by software modules each having a series of programmable instructions capable of being executed by a processor for performing their respective functions.

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. The graphical user interface displays graphs or curves providing data related to the ultrasound images. Each data point on the curves represents one ultrasound image of the ultrasound images. When the user selects a particular data point on a curve of a graph, the corresponding ultrasound image is displayed by the graphical user interface. The user can then select another data point on the same curve or another curve to display another corresponding ultrasound image. The two ultrasound image framescan then be compared.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying a parametric image showing tissue perfusion includes an ultrasonic imaging system coupled to an ECG device. The ECG device triggers the imaging system to obtain contrast image data showing tissue perfusion at a respective predetermined time during each of a plurality of heartbeats. Parametric image data for discrete locations in the area of interest such as the myocardium is determined from the temporal contrast data acquired during reperfusion of the tissue in the area of interest. The parameters are mapped to a display value such as color to produce a parametric perfusion ultrasound image. Sequences of images may be produced which depict both perfusion characteristics and dynamic wall motion of the myocardium in a common image sequence.

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: A method and system for displaying a parametric image showing tissue perfusion includes an ultrasonic imaging system coupled to an ECG device. The ECG device triggers the imaging system to obtain contrast image data showing tissue perfusion at a respective predetermined time during each of a plurality of heartbeats. Parametric image data for discrete locations in the area of interest such as the myocardium is determined from the temporal contrast data acquired during reperfusion of the tissue in the area of interest. The parameters are mapped to a display value such as color to produce a parametric perfusion ultrasound image. Sequences of images may be produced which depict both perfusion characteristics and dynamic wall motion of the myocardium in a common image sequence.