Abstract: For quantification of blood flow by an ultrasound system, B-mode images generated with a multi-transmit, coherent image formation produce swirling or other speckle patterns in the blood regions. These patterns, as represented in specially formed B-mode images, are tracked over time to indicate two or three-dimensional velocity vectors of the blood at a B-mode resolution. Various visualizations may be provided at the same resolution, including the velocity flow field, flow direction, vorticity, vortex size, vortex shape, and/or divergence.

Abstract: For quantification of blood flow by an ultrasound system, B-mode images generated with a multi-transmit, coherent image formation produce swirling or other speckle patterns in the blood regions. These patterns, as represented in specially formed B-mode images, are tracked over time to indicate two or three-dimensional velocity vectors of the blood at a B-mode resolution. Various visualizations may be provided at the same resolution, including the velocity flow field, flow direction, vorticity, vortex size, vortex shape, and/or divergence.

Abstract: For estimating attenuation, diffraction effects are corrected by transmitting at different frequencies using apertures sized to match the on-axis intensity profile and/or resolution cell size between the transmissions where there is no attenuation. Attenuation causes a variance in return. A rate of change is estimated from a ratio of the magnitude of the signals or displacements responsive to the transmissions. The attenuation is calculated from the rate of change over depth of the ratio.

Abstract: An image-based user interface is used for controlling medical imaging. A variety of images of a same region but associated with different settings are displayed to the user. The user selects the desired image. The medical imager is then configured with the settings from the selected image for imaging a patient.

Abstract: For quantification of blood flow by an ultrasound system, B-mode images generated with a multi-transmit, coherent image formation produce swirling or other speckle patterns in the blood regions. These patterns, as represented in specially formed B-mode images, are tracked over time to indicate two or three-dimensional velocity vectors of the blood at a B-mode resolution. Various visualizations may be provided at the same resolution, including the velocity flow field, flow direction, vorticity, vortex size, vortex shape, and/or divergence.

Abstract: For estimating attenuation, diffraction effects are corrected by transmitting at different frequencies using apertures sized to match the on-axis intensity profile and/or resolution cell size between the transmissions where there is no attenuation. Attenuation causes a variance in return. A rate of change is estimated from a ratio of the magnitude of the signals or displacements responsive to the transmissions. The attenuation is calculated from the rate of change over depth of the ratio.

Abstract: Acoustic reciprocity between transmit and receive is used for coherence ultrasound imaging. Rather than finding coherence across the receive channels, coherence is found across transmit channels. Broad transmit beams are used for different transmit elements or apertures to create beamformed frames of data. The coherence between these transmit channel frames of beamformed data is calculated and used for imaging.

Abstract: An image-based user interface is used for controlling medical imaging. A variety of images of a same region but associated with different settings are displayed to the user. The user selects the desired image. The medical imager is then configured with the settings from the selected image for imaging a patient.

Abstract: Aberration estimation uses cross correlation of receive-focused transmit element data. A set of sequentially fired broad transmit beams insonify an object from different steering angles. Each transmit beam emanates from an actual or a virtual transmit element. For every firing, a receive beamformer forms a transmit element image of the insonified region by focusing the received signals. An estimator estimates aberration by cross correlating or comparing the transmit element images. Where a virtual transmit element is used, the virtual transmit element images are back propagated to an actual transmit element position before aberration estimation. The estimations are used to form corrected transmit element images which are then summed pre-detection to form a high-resolution synthetic transmit aperture. Alternatively, the estimations are used to improve conventional focused-transmit imaging.

Abstract: Spatially distinct Spectral Doppler information is displayed. A spectrum is determined for each of a plurality of spatial locations, such as associated with different receive beams. Given a plurality of spectra at different spatial locations, an image may be generated as a function of the spectra. For example, a two-dimensional image has display values for different pixels or locations derived from one or more characteristics of the spectra, such as the maximum velocity with energy above a threshold for each location. As another example, the spectrum from the set of spectra with the highest maximum velocity is selected for generating a spectral strip display.

Abstract: Acoustic reciprocity between transmit and receive is used for coherence ultrasound imaging. Rather than finding coherence across the receive channels, coherence is found across transmit channels. Broad transmit beams are used for different transmit elements or apertures to create beamformed frames of data. The coherence between these transmit channel frames of beamformed data is calculated and used for imaging.

Abstract: Steered spatial compounding is provided in ultrasound imaging. Component frames of data associated with different spatial response are processed to identify different sources of signals. Matched filtering and/or spatial variance with erosion distinguish between sources of signals, such as distinguishing between (1) anatomical structure and (2) soft tissue and/or noise. The locations in the patient are segmented by the source of signals and different compounding is applied for the different sources.

Abstract: A multi-layer transducer operates with only one system channel per element. Passive switching connects the layers differently for transmit than for receive operation, such as connecting two layers in parallel for transmit and in series for receive. Any passive switching may be used, such as current and voltage limiting circuits. Tuning may be passively switched. Different tuning circuits are passively switched as a function of voltage level between transmit and receive operations.

Abstract: Using parallel receive beamformation, sets of data representing locations in at least a common field of view are obtained, each set in response to a transmit with a spatially distinct phase front. The common field of view receive data are time aligned and amplitude weighted for retrospective transmit focusing and retrospective transmit apodization, respectively. A time offset is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit focusing. The offset is selected to emulate shifting the transmit delay profile to be tangentially intersecting with the dynamic receive delay profile for each location which is the desired transmit delay profile. A weight is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit apodization. The offset and weighted data representing a same location from different transmit events is coherently combined. The number of sets of data offset, weighted and combined may vary as a function of depth for dynamic transmit beamformation.

Abstract: Steered spatial compounding is provided in ultrasound imaging. Component frames of data associated with different spatial response are processed to identify different sources of signals. Matched filtering and/or spatial variance with erosion distinguish between sources of signals, such as distinguishing between (1) anatomical structure and (2) soft tissue and/or noise. The locations in the patient are segmented by the source of signals and different compounding is applied for the different sources.

Abstract: A volumetric method for 2-D flow imaging is provided in medical diagnostic ultrasound. Flow data for a volume is acquired. For more rapid acquisition, broad beam transmission and reception along many scan lines distributed in the volume is used. The volumetric flow data is filtered, such as by calculating statistical information, to generate a planar/2-D flow image. The statistical information from the three-dimensional flow data is used to determine the display values for the flow imaging.

Abstract: Using parallel receive beamformation, sets of data representing locations in at least a common field of view are obtained, each set in response to a transmit with a spatially distinct phase front. The common field of view receive data are time aligned and amplitude weighted for retrospective transmit focusing and retrospective transmit apodization, respectively. A time offset is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit focusing. The offset is selected to emulate shifting the transmit delay profile to be tangentially intersecting with the dynamic receive delay profile for each location which is the desired transmit delay profile. A weight is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit apodization. The offset and weighted data representing a same location from different transmit events is coherently combined. The number of sets of data offset, weighted and combined may vary as a function of depth for dynamic transmit beamformation.

Abstract: Depth ambiguity artifact is addressed. The pulse repetition interval is periodically varied. This jitter in the interval causes variance in the artifact while maintaining actual tissue or signal. The variation of the artifact may be visually detected or automatically detected and reduced, such as by removal. By removing the information associated with the variation of the artifact, the constant or maintained information may be presented with fewer artifacts. The variation may result in greater blurring of the artifact thereby reducing the artifact.

Abstract: Retrospective dynamic transmit beamformation is provided in medical ultrasound imaging. Using parallel receive beamformation, sets of data representing locations in at least a common field of view are obtained, each set in response to a transmit with a spatially distinct phase front. The common field of view receive data are time aligned and amplitude weighted for retrospective transmit focusing and retrospective transmit apodization, respectively. A time offset, such as of a cycle or more in some cases, is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit focusing. The offset is selected to emulate shifting the transmit delay profile to be tangentially intersecting with the dynamic receive delay profile for each location which is the desired transmit delay profile. A weight is applied to the receive data for retrospective transmit apodization. The weight is selected based on the desired transmit apodization profile.

Abstract: Image enhancement is provided in ultrasound imaging. A filter bank is used to process the data. The data may be processed in parallel. Each filter outputs data representing a same location, but with a kernel path (e.g., line, curved line, area, curved surface, or volume) different than for the other filters. For example, three filters filter along respective orthogonal planes. The filters may use preselected or data independent paths. The output of the filter bank is determined from the outputs of the filters in the bank, such as by selecting the maximum value. This bank-based filtering may enhance data associated with anatomical surfaces or contours and/or may reduce speckle. The parallel operation of the filters may allow for more rapid processing and/or processing a greater amount of data as compared to using a single filter.