Abstract: A plurality of piezomaterial bodies, such as panels or slices, are merged together to form a larger piezomaterial body. For example, a 0.75×22 cm polycrystalline piezomaterial body is formed, where the distances are along lateral or footprint dimensions. The thickness of the piezomaterial body is substantially less than either of the distances along first and second lateral dimensions that define the footprint. Preferably, each piezomaterial body has a panel shape, and a plurality of panels are merged to form a large multi-panel.

Abstract: A method and system for generating transmit pulses for use with an electrostatic transducer in harmonic imaging are provided. The excitation waveforms are pre-distorted to account for the non-linear output of the electrostatic transducer. Additionally, the force on a multiple element electrostatic transducer array is measured. A bias voltage is applied to the electrostatic transducer where the bias voltage is responsive to the measured force.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping surface data onto a geometrical representation of a structure for 3D imaging is provided. A boundary of a structure is determined from one type of data, such as Doppler energy data. Another type of data, such as B-mode data, representing the boundary or an area adjacent the boundary is extracted or identified. The B-mode data is then rendered as a function of the boundary, such as by texture mapping the B-mode data onto or adjacent the boundary. As the user examines the structure representation, the texture mapped data may provide texture details based on an optimally determined representation. The boundary may alternatively be used to select data for volume rendering.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system aligns substantially co-planar two-dimensional images to form an extended field of view using improved compounding methods. Compounding with a finite impulse response is used for more versatile compositing. The compounding is adaptive, such as through adapting the image regions, weighting, or type of compounding as a function of correlation, location within the image, estimated motion or combinations thereof. A user warning is provided as a function of the correlation between images.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasonic imaging system acquires receive beams from spatially distinct transmit beams. The receive beams alternate in type between at least first and second types across the region being imaged. The first and second types of receive beams differ in at least one scan parameter other than transmit and receive line geometry, and can for example differ in transmit phase, transmit or receive aperture, system frequency, transmit focus, complex phase angle, transmit code or transmit gain. Receive beams associated with spatially distinct ones of the transmit beams (including at least one beam of the first type and at least one beam of the second type) are then combined. In this way, many two-pulse techniques, including, for example, phase inversion techniques, synthetic aperture techniques, synthetic frequency techniques, and synthetic focus techniques, can be used while substantially reducing the frame rate penalty normally associated with such techniques.

Abstract: A system for editing a 3-D medical diagnostic ultrasound image dataset displays both a 3-D reconstruction of the dataset and an editing object. A user moves the editing object relative to the 3-D reconstruction with a six degrees of freedom input device that allows the user to control both the position and the orientation of the editing object. The 3-D reconstruction and the associated 3-D dataset are edited to reduce opacity of a portion of a 3-D reconstruction on a selected side of the editing object. The disclosed editing system is fast, efficient and intuitive, and it allows the user to designate the portions of the 3-D dataset to be removed simply and reliably.

Abstract: A system, method and probe for diagnostic ultrasound imaging with at least two, and preferably three transducer arrays. The first transducer array provides a primary image. The second transducer array comprises an array of transducer elements positioned near one end of the first transducer array for providing an image in a different plane. An optional third transducer array comprises an array of transducer elements positioned near the other end of the first transducer array for providing an additional image in a different plane. One application of the invention is to collect tissue for medical procedures, wherein at least one surgical tool is attached to the probe near the imaging arrays and moves together with at least one imaging array. As the primary imaging array is drawn across tissue for collection, the operator observes a cross-section of the tissue prior to actually cutting the tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer that allows transmission of pressure waves at a first frequency and reception of pressure waves at a second frequency. Each transducer element is formed by multiple layers of transducer material. A transceiver provides an excitation signal to the transducer and receives energy from the transducer. All of the layers are coupled to the transceiver during transmission so that all of the layers are activated. Some of the layers are decoupled from the transceiver during reception so that not all of the layers contribute to the received signal. A filter circuit is also responsive to the coupling, providing additional low, high or band pass filtering appropriate for one of transmit or receive. The pressure waves at the second frequency are responsive to tissue and/or contrast agents.

Abstract: A transducer system and method for harmonic imaging is provided. At least one transducer element is provided. The transducer element comprises two stacked piezoelectric layers. Information from each of the layers is independently processed during one of a transmit event, a receive event, and both transmit and receive events. Information from the transducer element is provided to a filter. The filter isolates harmonic information for imaging. By providing a multi-layer transducer element with independent processing for each layer, a wide bandwidth transducer for harmonic imaging is provided. The null associated with most transducers at the second harmonic of a fundamental frequency is removed or lessened.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system including an aberration correction system uses a harmonic component of the fundamental transmitted frequency for imaging, or for aberration correction, or both. By properly selecting the frequency pass bands of filters used in the image signal path and in the aberration correction signal path operating advantages are provided. The aberration correction values may be calculated concurrently with image formation.

Abstract: An medical diagnostic ultrasonic image processing method estimates motion between first and second composite ultrasonic images that include both B-mode and Color Doppler information. First and second B-mode images are extracted from the first and second composite ultrasonic images, respectively, and then motion is estimated between the first and second B-mode images. The estimated motion is then used to compose a multi-frame image using at least portions of the composite ultrasonic images or derivatives of the composite ultrasonic images, such as the B-mode images.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system aligns substantially co-planar two-dimensional images to form an extended field of view using improved compounding methods. Compounding with a finite impulse response is used for more versatile compositing. The compounding is adaptive, such as through adapting the image regions, weighting, or type of compounding as a function of correlation, location within the image, estimated motion or combinations thereof. A user warning is provided as a function of the correlation between images.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: An extended field of view medical diagnostic ultrasound image is corrected for distortion associated with azimuthal motion of the transducer. The actual azimuthal motion is determined from the original, motion-distorted estimate of transducer motion, and this actual transducer motion is then used to correct dimensional errors in the extended field of view image.

Abstract: Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.

Abstract: An medical diagnostic ultrasonic image processing method estimates motion between first and second composite ultrasonic images that include both B-mode and Color Doppler information, First and second B-mode images are extracted from the first and second composite ultrasonic images, respectively, and then motion is estimated between the first and second B-mode images. The estimated motion is then used to compose a multi-frame image using at least portions of the composite ultrasonic images or derivatives of the composite ultrasonic images, such as the B-mode images.

Abstract: The preferred embodiments described herein provide a medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducer probe and imaging system for use with a position and orientation sensor. In one preferred embodiment, an ultrasonic transducer probe comprises a position and orientation sensor and a memory device comprising calibration data for the position and orientation sensor. The memory device is adapted to provide the calibration data to a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system coupled with the ultrasonic transducer probe. In another preferred embodiment, a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprises a memory device comprising a plurality of position and orientation sensor calibration data. Each of the plurality of position and orientation sensor calibration data is associated with a respective ultrasonic transducer probe family. In operation, identification of a probe family of an ultrasonic transducer probe is provided to the ultrasound system.

Abstract: Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.

Abstract: The use of transformations in ultrasound systems is disclosed. A first set of points in a first data set or a subset of a first data set is known to correspond to a second set of points in a second data set or a subset of a second data set. The point correspondence can be established using any number of techniques including speckle and/or feature correlation, speckle decorrelation time delays. Spectral broadening, power and spectral peak. A method for estimating the best fitting rigid body transformation that maps the first data set or a subset of the first data set to the second data set or a subset of the second data set is disclosed. This yields three dimensional ultrasonic data sets which preserves the shapes of object they represent.

Abstract: A plurality of piezomaterial bodies, such as panels or slices, are merged together to form a larger piezomaterial body. For example, a 0.75×22 cm polycrystalline piezomaterial body is formed, where the distances are along lateral or footprint dimensions. The thickness of the piezomaterial body is substantially less than either of the distances along first and second lateral dimensions that define the footprint. Preferably, each piezomaterial body has a panel shape, and a plurality of panels are merged to form a large multi-panel.