Abstract: There is proposed a mechanism for determining whether or not an imaging probe, such as an ultrasound imaging probe, is at a desired orientation and/or position with respect to an anatomical structure. Image data of the imaging probe is processed to generate a 3D landmark model that contains anatomical landmarks of the anatomical structure. The 3D landmark model is then processed to determine whether or not the imaging probe is at the desired orientation and/or position.

Abstract: A medical imaging system configured to analyze an acquired image to determine the imaging plane and orientation of the image. The medical imaging system may be further configured to determine a location of an aperture to acquire a key anatomical view and transmit instructions to a controller to move the aperture to the location. A sonographer may not need to move the ultrasound probe for the medical imaging system to move the aperture to the location. An ultrasound probe may include a transducer array that may have one or more degrees of freedom of movement within the probe. The transducer array may be translated by one or more motors that receive instructions from the controller to position the aperture.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for visualization of an elongated anatomical structure (20), for example of a fetal spine using ultrasound is provided.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a processor circuit in communication with an ultrasound transducer configured to receive three-dimensional ultrasound data of an anatomy, and generate a target image corresponding to a target image plane of the anatomy, and a plurality of adjacent images corresponding to image planes adjacent to the target image plane along a simulated motion path. The processor circuit is further configured to display the target image, receive a user input representative of a direction of motion along the simulated motion path, and display an adjacent image of the plurality of adjacent images corresponding to the direction of motion. Accordingly, the user can observe the target image in its spatial context by scanning through the target image and one or more adjacent images on the display as if the ultrasound transducer were being scanned along the simulated motion path.

Abstract: A system for recording ultrasound images comprises a memory comprising instruction data representing a set of instructions and a processor configured to communicate with the memory and to execute the set of instructions. The set of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a data stream of two dimensional images taken using an ultrasound transducer and determine from the data stream that a feature of interest is in view of the transducer. The set of instructions further cause the processor to trigger an alert to be sent to a user to indicate that the feature of interest is in view of the transducer, and send an instruction to the transducer to trigger the transducer to capture a three dimensional ultrasound image after a predetermined time interval.

Abstract: An ultrasound image processing apparatus (16) is disclosed comprising a processor arrangement (46, 50) adapted to receive a temporal sequence (15) of ultrasound images (150) of at least a chest region (151) of a fetal entity (62) from an ultrasound probe (14), said chest region including the fetal heart (171), said temporal sequence capturing at least part of a cardiac cycle of the fetal heart; identify the chest region of the fetal entity in one or more of the ultrasound images of said temporal sequence; identify a portion of the spine in the identified chest region; calculate an orientation axis (160) of the fetal chest from the identified chest region and the identified spine portion; identify the septum of the fetal heart as a linear structure which is temporally more stable than its surrounding structures in said temporal sequence of ultrasound images and which defines a region of convergence of the movements of the fetal heart during said cardiac cycle; calculate an orientation axis (170) of the fetal h

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of obtaining a composite 3D ultrasound image of a region of interest. The method includes obtaining preliminary ultrasound data from a region of interest of a subject and identifying an anatomical feature within the region of interest based on the preliminary ultrasound data. A first imaging position and one or more additional imaging positions are then determined based on the anatomical feature. A first 3D ultrasound image is obtained from the first imaging position and one or more additional 3D ultrasound images are obtained from the one or more additional imaging positions, wherein a portion of the first 3D ultrasound image overlaps a portion of the one or more additional 3D ultrasound images, thereby forming an overlapping portion comprising the anatomical feature.

Abstract: An ultrasound image processing apparatus (200) is disclosed for obtaining a biometric measurement of an anatomical feature of interest from a 3D ultrasound image.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for processing a 3D fetal ultrasound image. A 3D fetal ultrasound image is obtained (either acquired or received from memory), and the spine is detected within the image. This enables a first reference axis to be defined. A second reference axis is defined perpendicular to the first reference axis, and the 3D fetal ultrasound image is updated (e.g. rotated in 3D space) using the first and second reference axes and an up/down (elevation) orientation detection. This provides a normalization of the orientation of the image, so that a machine learning approach is better able to identify landmarks within new images.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a 3D ultrasound image volume in a desired view orientation. A 3D ultrasound image can be acquired of an anatomical feature in a patient. The actual orientation of the anatomical feature can be determined in space. The 3D ultrasound image including the anatomical feature can be displayed such that the anatomical feature is positioned in a selected orientation that is different than the actual orientation, and in relation to a lighting model for generating lighting and shadowing on the anatomical feature.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and visualization system that provides a user interface enabling a user to visualize a volume rendering of a three dimensional (3D) data set and to manipulate the volume rendering to dynamically select a MPR plane of the 3D data set for generating a B-mode image at the dynamically selected MPR plane. In some examples, the 3D data set is rendered as a 2D projection of the volume and a user control enables the user to dynamically move the location of the MPR plane while the display updates the rendering of the volume to indicate the current location of the MPR plane and/or corresponding B-mode image.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for processing a 3D fetal ultrasound image. A 3D fetal ultrasound image is obtained (either acquired or received from memory), and the spine is detected within the image. This enables a first reference axis to be defined. A second reference axis is defined perpendicular to the first reference axis, and the 3D fetal ultrasound image is updated (e.g. rotated in 3D space) using the first and second reference axes and an up/down (elevation) orientation detection. This provides a normalization of the orientation of the image, so that a machine learning approach is better able to identify landmarks within new images.

Abstract: An ultrasound image processing apparatus (16) is disclosed comprising a processor arrangement (46, 50) adapted to receive a temporal sequence (15) of ultrasound images (150) of at least a chest region (151) of a fetal entity (62) from an ultrasound probe (14), said chest region including the fetal heart (171), said temporal sequence capturing at least part of a cardiac cycle of the fetal heart; identify the chest region of the fetal entity in one or more of the ultrasound images of said temporal sequence; identify a portion of the spine in the identified chest region; calculate an orientation axis (160) of the fetal chest from the identified chest region and the identified spine portion; identify the septum of the fetal heart as a linear structure which is temporally more stable than its surrounding structures in said temporal sequence of ultrasound images and which defines a region of convergence of the movements of the fetal heart during said cardiac cycle; calculate an orientation axis (170) of the fetal h

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes an image extraction processor which is responsive to the touching of at least a portion of desired anatomy in an ultrasound image on a touchscreen display to extract an image of the desired anatomy from a 3D volumetric data set which includes the desired anatomy. The system and method can also be used to extract standard view images from volumetric image data of anatomy.

Abstract: An ultrasound image processing apparatus (200) is disclosed for obtaining a biometric measurement of an anatomical feature of interest from a 3D ultrasound image.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and visualization system that provides a user interface enabling a user to visualize a volume rendering of a three dimensional (3D) data set and to manipulate the volume rendering to dynamically select a MPR plane of the 3D data set for generating a B-mode image at the dynamically selected MPR plane. In some examples, the 3D data set is rendered as a 2D projection of the volume and a user control enables the user to dynamically move the location of the MPR plane while the display updates the rendering of the volume to indicate the current location of the MPR plane and/or corresponding B-mode image.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a 3D ultrasound image volume in a desired view orientation. A 3D ultrasound image can be acquired of an anatomical feature in a patient. The actual orientation of the anatomical feature can be determined in space. The 3D ultrasound image including the anatomical feature can be displayed such that the anatomical feature is positioned in a selected orientation that is different than the actual orientation, and in relation to a lighting model for generating lighting and shadowing on the anatomical feature.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a 3D ultrasound image volume in a desired view orientation. A 3D ultrasound image can be acquired of an anatomical feature in a patient. The actual orientation of the anatomical feature can be determined in space. The 3D ultrasound image including the anatomical feature can be displayed such that the anatomical feature is positioned in a selected orientation that is different than the actual orientation, and in relation to a lighting model for generating lighting and shadowing on the anatomical feature.

Abstract: A medical imaging system configured to analyze an acquired image to determine the imaging plane and orientation of the image. The medical imaging system may be further configured to determine a location of an aperture to acquire a key anatomical view and transmit instructions to a controller to move the aperture to the location. A sonographer may not need to move the ultrasound probe for the medical imaging system to move the aperture to the location. An ultrasound probe may include a transducer array that may have one or more degrees of freedom of movement within the probe. The transducer array may be translated by one or more motors that receive instructions from the controller to position the aperture.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a 3D ultrasound image volume in a desired view orientation. A 3D ultrasound image can be acquired of an anatomical feature in a patient. The actual orientation of the anatomical feature can be determined in space. The 3D ultrasound image including the anatomical feature can be displayed such that the anatomical feature is positioned in a selected orientation that is different than the actual orientation, and in relation to a lighting model for generating lighting and shadowing on the anatomical feature.