Abstract: A tool navigation system employing an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound scanner, an interventional tool, a tool tracker and an image navigator. In operation, the ultrasound probe generates an acoustic image plane for scanning an anatomical region, and the ultrasound scanner generates an ultrasound image of the anatomical region from a scan of the anatomical region. During the scan, the interventional tool is navigated within the anatomical region relative to the acoustic image plane, and the tool tracker tracks a position of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane. The image navigator displays a graphical icon within the ultrasound image for illustrating a tracking of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane by the tool tracker. Additionally, a special attachment on the US probe with PZT type sensors can help this navigation by emitting acoustic waves off the central axis of the imaging plane.

Abstract: A controller (210) for tracking an interventional medical device (252) in three dimensions includes a memory (212) that stores instructions, and a processor (211) that executes the instructions. When executed by the processor (211), the instructions cause the controller (210) to execute a process. The process includes determining (S320/S420), based on an elevation plane in an ultrasound X-plane mode, a first two-dimensional location of the interventional medical device (252) in the elevation plane. The process also includes determining (S320/S422), based on an azimuthal plane in the ultrasound X-plane mode, a second two-dimensional location of the interventional medical device (252) in the azimuthal plane. The process moreover includes determining (S330/S430), based on the first two-dimensional location and the second two-dimensional location, a three-dimensional location of the interventional medical device (252).

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system produces images with enhanced resolution or contrast by extrapolation of two ultrasound images of different imaging characteristics, such as aperture size, imaging frequency, or degree of image compounding. In order to prevent the display of image artifacts, extrapolation is accompanied by artifact removal and image smoothing.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging apparatus and method: produce acoustic images of an area of interest in response to one or more receive signals received from an acoustic probe in response to acoustic echoes received by the acoustic probe from the area of interest; 5 identify one or more candidate locations for a passive sensor disposed on a surface of an intervention device in the area of interest based on magnitudes of the acoustic echoes received by the acoustic probe from the candidate locations in the area of interest; use intra-procedural context-specific information to identify a one of the candidate locations which best matches the intra-procedural context-specific information as the estimated 10 location of the passive sensor; displaying the acoustic images on a display device; and display on the display device a marker in the acoustic images to indicate the estimated location of the passive sensor.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system has an improved dynamic range control which enables a user to reduce image haze with substantially no effect on bright tissue in the image and without increasing speckle variance. A dynamic range processor processes an input image to produce an approximation image which is a spatially low pass filtered version of the input image. The dynamic range of the approximation image is compressed, and image detail, unaffected by the compression, is added back to produce a dynamically compressed image for display.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for generating a compound ultrasound image. The method includes acquiring and beamforming channel data. Using the beamformed channel data a plurality of images, each image comprising a plurality of pixels, of a region of interest are obtained and an image information metric, wherein the image metric is associated with a pixel of the plurality of pixels, is assessed. The acquiring of the plurality of images and the assessment of the image metric are performed in parallel. For each image of the plurality of images: a per-pixel weighting for each pixel of the plurality of pixels based on the assessment of the image information metric is determined and applied to each pixel of the plurality of pixels. Finally a compound ultrasound image is generated based on the plurality of weighted pixels of the plurality of images.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (24) images an introduction element (17) like a needle or a catheter for performing a biopsy or a brachytherapy. The introduction element (17) includes at least one ultrasound receiver (21) arranged at a known location. An ultrasound probe (12) for being inserted into a living being (2) emits ultrasound signals for acquiring ultrasound data of an inner part (19) of the living being (2). A first tracking unit (3) tracks the location of the introduction element (17) based on a reception of the emitted ultrasound signals by the at least one ultrasound receiver (21). An imaging unit (4) generates an indicator image showing the inner part (19) and an indicator of the introduction element (17) based on the tracked location. A display (5) displays the indicator image providing feedback about the location of the introduction element (17).

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for ultrasonic imaging by sparse sampling are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system comprises an array of ultrasound transducer elements, electronic circuitry in communication with the array of ultrasound transducer elements and configured to select a first receive aperture of the array comprising a plurality of contiguous ultrasound transducer elements and at least one non-contiguous ultrasound transducer element, and a beamformer in communication with the electronic circuitry. Each ultrasound transducer element of the first receive aperture is configured to receive reflected ultrasound echoes and generate an electrical signal representative of imaging data.

Abstract: A system for automatic configuration detection includes a medical device (250) including a sensor (246). A pattern (236) is coded into a portion of the medical device. The pattern is configured to store pertinent information about the device. A reader device (234) is coupled to a connector and configured to read the pattern to convey the pertinent information to determine one of a status, identity or manner of use for the medical device including the sensor.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a flexible planar strip with a plurality of layers is described. The flexible planar strip is configured to at least partially encapsulate a medical device. The flexible planar strip includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and a patterned conductive layer including a sensor electrode disposed on the second dielectric layer. According to one aspect an ultrasound sensor including a piezoelectric polymer. The ultrasound sensor is disposed on the sensor electrode such that a first surface of the ultrasound sensor is in electrical contact with the sensor electrode and such that a second surface of the ultrasound sensor is exposed for making electrical contact with a medical device.

Abstract: A controller (240/340) for simultaneously tracking multiple interventional medical devices includes a memory (242/342) that stores instructions and a processor (241/341) that executes the instructions. When executed by the processor (241/341), the instructions cause the controller to execute a process that includes receiving timing information from a first signal emitted from an ultrasound probe (252/352) and reflective of timing when the ultrasound probe (252/352) transmits ultrasound beams to generate ultrasound imagery. The process executed by the controller also includes forwarding the timing information to be available for use by a first acquisition electronic component (232/332). The first acquisition electronic component (232/332) also receives sensor information from a first passive ultrasound sensor (S1) on a first interventional medical device (212/312).

Abstract: In an ultrasound imaging system which produces synthetically transmit focused images, the multiline signals used to form image scanlines are analyzed for speed of sound variation, and a map 60 of this variation is generated. In a preferred implementation, the phase discrepancy of the received multilines caused by speed of sound variation in the medium is estimated in the angular spectrum domain for the receive angular spectrum. Once the phase is estimated for all locations in an image, the differential phase between two points at the same lateral location, but different depth, is computed. This differential phase is proportional to the local speed of sound between the two points. A color-coded two- or three-dimensional map 60 is produced from these speed of sound estimates and presented to the user.

Abstract: A method for tracking an interventional medical device in a patient includes interleaving, by an imaging probe external to the patient, a pulse sequence of imaging beams and tracking beams to obtain an interleaved pulse sequence. The method also includes transmitting, from the imaging probe to the interventional medical device in the patient, the interleaved pulse sequence. The method further includes determining, based on a response to the tracking beams received from a sensor on the interventional medical device, a location of the sensor in the patient.

Abstract: A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to estimate axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, determine a plurality of flow directions within the image based on the axial and lateral velocity components, differentially encode the flow directions based on flow direction angle to generate a flow direction map, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the flow direction map.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system which uses multiline receive beamforming for synthetic transmit focusing are phase adjusted to account for speed of sound variation in the transmission medium. The phase discrepancy of the received multilines caused by speed of sound variation in the medium is estimated in the frequency domain for both the transmit angular spectrum and the receive angular spectrum. The phase variation is removed in the frequency domain, then an inverse Fourier transform is used to transform the frequency domain results to the spatial domain. In another implementation, the phase discrepancy of the received multilines is estimated and corrected entirely in the spatial domain.

Abstract: A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to generate vector field data corresponding to the fluid flow, wherein the vector field data comprises axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid, extract spatiotemporal information from the vector field data at one or more user-selected points within the image, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the spatiotemporal information at the one or more user-selected points with the image including a graphical representation of the vector field data overlaid on the image, wherein the spatiotemporal information includes at least one of a magnitude and an angle of the fluid flow.

Abstract: A controller for reducing noise in an ultrasound environment includes memory that stores instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the controller to execute a process that includes controlling emission, by an ultrasound probe, of multiple beams each at a different combination of time of emission and angle of emission relative to the ultrasound probe. The process also includes identifying repetitive noise from a first source received with the imaging beams at a sensor on an interventional medical device, including a rate at which the repetitive noise from the first source repeats and times at which the repetitive noise from the first source is received. The process also includes interpolating signals based on the imaging beams received at the sensor to offset the repetitive noise from the first source at the times at which the repetitive noise from the first source is received.

Abstract: An apparatus for ultrasound irradiation of a body part (208) includes a first ultrasound transducer (216), and a second ultrasound transducer (212) mounted oppositely, and is configured: a) such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of the first to the second transducer, are attached to the first transducer; b) for a beam, from the first transducer, causing cavitation, and/or bubble destruction of systemically circulating microbubbles, within the body part; or c) both with the attached elements and for the causing. The apparatus registers, with said first transducer, the second transducer, by using as a reference respectively the features a) and/or b).

Abstract: A sensor device includes a flexible planar strip (40) including a plurality of layers. The strip is configured to at least partially encapsulate a medical device. The strip includes a first dielectric layer (10), a conductive shield layer (12) disposed on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer (14) formed on the conductive shield layer; and a patterned conductive layer including a sensor electrode (26), a hub electrode (28) and a trace (18) connecting the sensor electrode and the hub electrode.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system according to the present disclosure may include an ultrasound probe, a display unit, and a processor configured to receive source image data having a first dynamic range, wherein the source image data comprises log compressed echo intensity values based on the ultrasound echoes detected by the ultrasound probe, generate a histogram of at least a portion of source image data, generate a cumulative density function for the histogram, receive an indication of at least two points on the cumulative density function (CDF), and cause the display unit to display an ultrasound image representative of the source image data displayed in accordance with the second dynamic range.