Abstract: A method for anatomical imaging includes configuring a sequence of scan lines for scanning of three-dimensional volume segments of an image volume in a subject. The sequence of scan lines is configured in a zig-zag order for minimizing an occurrence of motion artifacts between slices of the volume segments and throughout the image volume. Image data is acquired as a function of the sequence of scan lines and in synchronism with physiological cycles of the subject. The image data is representative of the volume segments of the image volume, wherein each volume segment contains image data distributed in three dimensions. The image data representative of the volume segments is combined to produce a representation of a three-dimensional anatomical image of the image volume. Furthermore, the method includes 3D color flow imaging wherein N slices per subvolume are scanned using zig-zag scanning across the N slices and along a width dimension of the subvolume.

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging to receive a signal from contrast agent microbubbles in arterioles of a myocardium, without being masked by a signal from microbubbles in capillaries of the myocardium. For example, high power ultrasonic energy is emitted to destroy microbubbles in the arterioles and capillaries. A time delay passes from the destruction. The time delay is sufficiently long to allow the arterioles to refill with microbubbles and sufficiently short so that the capillaries do not completely refill with microbubbles. Ultrasonic imaging is then performed to receive a signal between harmonics from the microbubbles refilled in the arterioles. Various other destructive and non-destructive imaging techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for adaptive filtering of clutter from a sample stream having a blood signal component and a clutter signal component comprises the steps of (a) estimating a signal strength of the sample stream, and (b) determining an order of a filter based on a relationship between the signal strength estimate and a signal strength threshold. The filter receives the sample stream and provides an output stream having a reduced level of the clutter signal component relative to the blood signal component.

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging to receive a signal from contrast agent microbubbles in arterioles of a myocardium, without being masked by a signal from microbubbles in capillaries of the myocardium. For example, high power ultrasonic energy is emitted to destroy microbubbles in the arterioles and capillaries. A time delay passes from the destruction. The time delay is sufficiently long to allow the arterioles to refill with microbubbles and sufficiently short so that the capillaries do not completely refill with microbubbles. Ultrasonic imaging is then performed to receive a signal between harmonics from the microbubbles refilled in the arterioles. Various other destructive and non-destructive imaging techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for adaptive filtering of clutter from a sample stream having a blood signal component and a clutter signal component comprises the steps of (a) estimating a signal strength of the sample stream, and (b) determining an order of a filter based on a relationship between the signal strength estimate and a signal strength threshold. The filter receives the sample stream and provides an output stream having a reduced level of the clutter signal component relative to the blood signal component.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system enables discrimination between heart chamber blood flow and blood flow in a heart wall and includes a transducer for transmitting ultrasound pulses into a patient and for receiving ultrasound echoes from blood flow targets within the patient. A beam former/buffer converts the received ultrasound echoes into echo data patterns from which a relative velocity of a blood flow target within said patient is determinable. A strong filter preferentially enables passage of echo data pattern signals which represent a velocity that is higher than a velocity of echo pattern data signals from cardiac wall blood flow targets in the patient. A weak filter partially inhibiting echo signals from low velocity tissue targets.

Abstract: An ultrasound flow measurement system converts each of plural groups of reflection sample values from scatterers, into baseband complex data values and enables a velocity determination from just two lag samples. A cross correlation function derives a first cross-correlation value between a first set of complex data values that are derived at a first common sample time, during succeeding transmit events, and a second set of complex data values that are derived at a second common sample time, during succeeding transmit events. A second cross-correlation function derives a second cross-correlation value between the first set of complex data values and a third set of complex data values that are derived at the common second sample time. A local oscillator synchronizes both the baseband conversion and cross-correlation operation, and exhibits a rate of change of phase per sample time.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system where a location in the image has associated with it an amplitude and a velocity derived from a doppler shift assigns a detection strength to each location. Detection strength is a mapping from each possible combination of the amplitude and velocity into a scalar value that represents the likelihood that the velocity is not an artifact of the noise in the environment. The detection strength values are spatially filtered and then used to determine whether to accept or reject the measured velocity. A more optimistic filtering strategy for the measured velocity is now possible, and cooperates with a filtered detection strength to trim away suspicious regions in the image. The filtered detection strength signal can be used to compensate for unwanted side effects of other filtering done during the processing of the measured parameters.