Abstract: A method and apparatus of examining fetal hearts includes obtaining ultrasound data of a fetal heart to generate fetal heart images, displaying different marked sample images of a fetal heart and at respective cardiac phases, each marking a different feature of a fetal heart at a respective marked location, and sequentially presenting one of the different marked sample images to a user along with one of the fetal heart images that is a similar view. As each of the different marked sample images is sequentially presented, a user is prompted to mark the different feature in a respective fetal heart image based on its marked location to create a plurality of marked fetal heart images, and a geometric model of the heart is generated based on the marked fetal heart images, from which fetal echocardiography views can be extracted. The fetal echocardiography views of the fetal heart are displayed.

Abstract: A training method for imaging includes obtaining a dataset volume for an organ of a patient in an ultrasound imaging mode, and providing a template associated with the dataset volume to an optical ultrasound system location. The method also includes providing a virtual transducer with a label thereon to the optical ultrasound system location. A webcam is attached to the template. The webcam is positioned to view the label on the virtual transducer. The method includes determining the planar position of the virtual transducer from optical information obtained from the webcam image of the label. Once the planar position is determined, the planar position of the virtual transducer is related to the corresponding plane in the dataset. The plane related to the dataset is then displayed at the displaying the plane from the dataset at the optical ultrasound system location.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method for fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE). Use of this apparatus and method allows for visualization of standard fetal echocardiography views from dataset volumes obtained with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) and application of intelligent navigation technology. An imaging system includes a processor that executes an instruction set that causes the computing system to perform operations comprising: obtaining dataset volumes of a heart, placing markers within the dataset, and generating selected images of the heart based on the markers in the dataset. The imaging system also includes a memory for storing the images, and a display for displaying the images. The imaging system further includes a port communicatively coupled to a network.