Abstract: A system includes an ultrasound patch probe and brackets having a body and a base. The body includes a coupler and a hollow interior portion. The coupler is operable to receive the probe at a pre-defined ultrasound acquisition angle. The coupler defines a probe opening to provide the probe access to the hollow interior portion of the body. The coupler of each of the brackets is arranged to receive the probe at a different pre-defined ultrasound acquisition angle. The base surrounds a perimeter of the body and defines a bracket opening that extends through the base to provide access to the hollow interior portion of the body. The base includes a bottom surface operable to be secured against skin of a patient. The ultrasound patch probe is communicatively coupled to an ultrasound imaging system and detachably coupleable to the coupler of any selected one of the brackets.

Abstract: A system and a method of ultrasound imaging includes acquiring ultrasound data, acquiring a quality parameter while acquiring the ultrasound data, determining an acquisition quality level based on the quality parameter, displaying an image generated based on the ultrasound data and displaying an ROI on the ultrasound image, where a color of the ROI represents the acquisition quality level.

Abstract: An ultrasound device performs an ultrasound scan to acquire a video clip having images of a portion of a lung. The ultrasound device detects lung sliding in each of the images. The ultrasound device highlights the detected lung sliding in each of the images to generate processed images. The ultrasound device displays at least one of the processed images as one or more of an enhanced B mode image and an enhanced virtual M mode image.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously presenting Doppler signals of a Multi-Gated Doppler (MGD) signal corresponding to different anatomical structures is provided. The method includes receiving an MGD signal having a plurality of Doppler signals. The method includes analyzing the MGD signal to select multiple gates, each of the gates corresponding with a Doppler signal, and each of the selected gates associated with a different anatomical structure. The method includes selecting a set of parameters for each of the selected gates and applying each selected set of parameters for each of the selected gates. The selected set of parameters for each of the selected gates may be one or both of image acquisition parameters or display processing parameters. The method includes simultaneously presenting the Doppler signal for each of the selected gates at a display system after the each selected set of parameters is applied.

Abstract: An ultrasound device performs an ultrasound scan to acquire a video clip having a plurality of images in a selected zone of a set of lungs. The ultrasound device detects B lines in each of the images of the video clip. The ultrasound device assigns a score to each of the images of the video clip based at least in part on the detected number of B lines. The ultrasound device highlights the detected B lines in each of the images of the video clip. The ultrasound device identifies a representative image from the highlighted images of the video clip in the selected zone. The identification of the representative image is based at least in part on the assigned score of each of the images. The ultrasound device displays the identified representative image.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking an anatomical structure over time based on Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler signals of a Multi-Gated Doppler (MGD) signal is provided. The method may include identifying a gate corresponding with a selected anatomical structure. The method may include analyzing an MGD signal to track the selected anatomical structure over an extended period of time by selecting, at a plurality of sample times during the extended period of time, a PW Doppler signal from a plurality of PW Doppler signals of the MGD signal. Each of the selected PW Doppler corresponds with the selected anatomical structure at the particular sample time. The method may include presenting a continuous PW Doppler signal generated from each of the PW Doppler signals selected at each of the sample times during the extended period of time at a display system.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for guiding maneuvering of a needle with automatic ultrasound beam steering. As one example, the ultrasound beam transmitted from a probe is steered automatically in response to a location of a tissue motion detected from ultrasound images acquired by the probe.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a compact, inexpensive ultrasound system using an off-the-shelf personal digital assistant (PDA) device interfacing to a hand-held probe assembly through a standard digital interface. The hand-held probe assembly comprises a detachable transducer head attached to a beamforming module that performs digital beamforming. The PDA runs Windows applications and displays menus and images to a user. The PDA also runs ultrasound data processing software to support a plurality of imaging modes. An internal battery is provided in the PDA to power the system. The transducer head is detachable from the beamforming module.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system and method that provide sequential needle recalibration by correlating a sequence of calibration data for a tracking system to a plurality of corresponding ultrasound probe positions during a calibration sequence such that the appropriate calibration data is retrieved and applied based on the position of the ultrasound probe during a procedure. The method can include acquiring a sequence of calibration data for a tracking system at a plurality of different ultrasound probe positions. The sequence of calibration data may be acquired from a tracking sensor attached to or within the ultrasound probe. The tracking system can include the tracking sensor and a tracking emitter attached to or within a surgical instrument. The method may include generating, by a processor of the ultrasound system, an index correlating each of the sequence of calibration data to a corresponding one of the plurality of different ultrasound probe positions.

Abstract: A medical image training system includes an ultrasound imaging probe configured to acquire ultrasound image data of an imaged body of a person. The system also includes one or more processors configured to obtain one or more imaged pathological structures and to blend the one or more imaged pathological structures with the ultrasound image data to create composite image data. The one or more processors also are configured to direct an output device to display the composite image data to an operator.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system and method acquires ultrasound image data from moving an ultrasound probe over a body of a person, automatically divides the ultrasound image data into segments of interest based on where the ultrasound image data was acquired, and displays a panoramic view of the ultrasound image data that includes two or more of the segments of interest with at least one of the segments of interest displayed as a video.

Abstract: An ultrasound patch probe having ultrasound image acquisition functionality is selectively placed on a patient in communication range of an ultrasound imaging system. A signal processor of the ultrasound imaging system detects a presence of the ultrasound patch probe to establish a connection between the ultrasound patch probe and the ultrasound imaging system. The signal processor assigns the detected ultrasound patch probe to one or both of a patient and an anatomy of the patient. The signal processor maps the ultrasound patch probe to ultrasound image routing parameters based on the assignment. The signal processor routes ultrasound image data acquired by the ultrasound patch probe to one or both of a display area of a display system for presentation of the acquired ultrasound image data and a storage location of a data storage medium for storing the acquired ultrasound image data based on the ultrasound image routing parameters.

Abstract: A system includes an ultrasound patch probe and brackets having a body and a base. The body includes a coupler and a hollow interior portion. The coupler is operable to receive the probe at a pre-defined ultrasound acquisition angle. The coupler defines a probe opening to provide the probe access to the hollow interior portion of the body. The coupler of each of the brackets is arranged to receive the probe at a different pre-defined ultrasound acquisition angle. The base surrounds a perimeter of the body and defines a bracket opening that extends through the base to provide access to the hollow interior portion of the body. The base includes a bottom surface operable to be secured against skin of a patient. The ultrasound patch probe is communicatively coupled to an ultrasound imaging system and detachably coupleable to the coupler of any selected one of the brackets.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring cardiac output are provided. The systems and methods generate an ultrasound image based on ultrasound imaging data of a patient acquired by an ultrasound probe. The systems and methods automatically designate a region of interest (ROI) within the ultrasound image, and acquire spectral data sets for corresponding candidate Doppler gates within the ROI based on Doppler data acquired by the ultrasound probe. The systems and methods automatically identify a select Doppler gate from the candidate Doppler gates based on a characteristic of the spectral data sets, and calculate a cardiac output of the patient based on the select Doppler gate.

Abstract: A process for visualization of a needle in an ultrasound image comprises defining a region of an ultrasound image in which a body of a needle is expected using a needle tracking system to predict the location of the needle. The process also includes assigning a probability to a plurality of pixels within the region of the ultrasound image of being representative of the body of the needle, and modifying the display of each pixel having an assigned probability within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A system and a method of ultrasound imaging includes acquiring ultrasound data, acquiring a quality parameter while acquiring the ultrasound data, determining an acquisition quality level based on the quality parameter, displaying an image generated based on the ultrasound data and displaying an ROI on the ultrasound image, where a color of the ROI represents the acquisition quality level.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for operating an ultrasound system. The method and system acquire ultrasound data with an ultrasound probe according to at least one of: i) an examination protocol while maintaining an ultrasound probe against a patient region of interest as a patient is moved between first and second examination related positions in connection with the examination protocol; or ii) a monitoring protocol during which an ultrasound probe is maintained against a patient region of interest. The method and system collect probe position information and based on the probe position information, identify a patient movement based (PMB) transition of the probe. The method and system direct the ultrasound system to automatically perform an examination related task in connection with identifying the PMB transition.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a compact, inexpensive ultrasound system using an off-the-shelf personal digital assistant (PDA) device interfacing to a hand-held probe assembly through a standard digital interface. The hand-held probe assembly comprises a detachable transducer head attached to a beamforming module that performs digital beamforming. The PDA runs Windows applications and displays menus and images to a user. The PDA also runs ultrasound data processing software to support a plurality of imaging modes. An internal battery is provided in the PDA to power the system. The transducer head is detachable from the beamforming module.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a compact, inexpensive ultrasound system using an off-the-shelf personal digital assistant (PDA) device interfacing to a hand-held probe assembly through a standard digital interface. The hand-held probe assembly comprises a detachable transducer head attached to a beamforming module that performs digital beamforming. The PDA runs Windows applications and displays menus and images to a user. The PDA also runs ultrasound data processing software to support a plurality of imaging modes. An internal battery is provided in the PDA to power the system. The transducer head is detachable from the beamforming module.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a compact, inexpensive ultrasound system using an off-the-shelf personal digital assistant (PDA) device interfacing to a hand-held probe assembly through a standard digital interface. The hand-held probe assembly comprises a detachable transducer head attached to a beamforming module that performs digital beamforming. The PDA runs Windows applications and displays menus and images to a user. The PDA also runs ultrasound data processing software to support a plurality of imaging modes. An internal battery is provided in the PDA to power the system. The transducer head is detachable from the beamforming module.