Abstract: A method for using an interactive visual guidance tool for an imaging acquisition and display system and configured for user navigation with respect to a blockage of a field of view detects, and spatially defines, the blockage. It also integrates, with the image for joint visualization, an indicium that visually represents the definition. The indicium is moved dynamically according to movement, relative to the blockage, of the field of view. The indicium can be shaped like a line segment, or two indicia can be joined in a “V” shape to frame a region of non-blockage. The defining may be based on determining whether ultrasound beams in respective directions are blocked. Included, for deriving the image, in some embodiments are imaging channels for receiving image data for which a metric of coherence, i.e., similarity among channel data, is computed. The determination for a direction is based on the metric for locations in that direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method enable ultrasonic imaging by inexperienced personnel at the home of a patient under the guidance of a remotely located diagnostic imaging expert. Improper use of the scanning device is prevented by allowing the remotely located imaging expert to enable or disable the transmission of ultrasound energy by the ultrasound system. Other functions of the ultrasound system may also be controlled by the remotely located expert, such as determining whether acquired ultrasound images can be viewed locally on the ultrasound system.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose an ultrasound system comprising: a probe configured to obtain ultrasound data relating to a scanning region including at least part of a pleural interface of a lung; and a data analyzer, configured to automatically detect information for determining lung sliding and/or lung point using one or more cross correlation maps derived from the data. The embodiments also disclose a method thereof.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose an ultrasound system comprising: a probe configured to obtain ultrasound data relating to scanning region including at least part of a pleural interface of a lung; and a data analyzer, configured to automatically detect information for determining lung sliding and/or lung point using one or more cross correlation maps derived from the data. The embodiments also disclose a method thereof.

Abstract: An interactive visual guidance tool for an imaging acquisition and display system and configured for user navigation with respect to a blockage of a field of view (216) detects, and spatially defines, the blockage. It also integrates, with the image for joint visualization, an indicium (244) that visually represents the definition. The indicium is moved dynamically according to movement, relative to the blockage, of the field of view. The indicium can be shaped like a line segment, or two indicia (244, 248) can be joined in a “V” shape to frame a region of non-blockage. The defining maybe based on determining whether ultrasound beams in respective directions are blocked. Included, for deriving the image, in some embodiments are imaging channels for receiving image data for which a metric of coherence, i.e., similarity among channel data, is computed. The determination for a direction is based on the metric for locations in that direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an ultrasound imaging system configured to identify a target placement of an ultrasound probe for viewing a lung pleural line. In some examples, the system may include an ultrasound probe configured to receive ultrasound echoes from a subject to image a region of the subject and a data processor in communication with the ultrasound probe. The data processor may be configured to identify one or more candidate pleural lines and one or more A-lines corresponding to the candidate pleural lines, compute an A-line intensity of at least one of the A-lines, and apply the computed A-line intensity to indicate a target placement of the ultrasound probe for imaging the region for pleural line identification. The system may also include a user interface in communication with the data processor. The user interface may be configured to alert the user of the target placement of the ultrasound probe.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an imaging probe and is configured for dynamically arranging presentation of visual feedback for guiding manual adjustment, via the probe, of a location, and orientation, associated with the probe. The arranging is selectively based on comparisons between fields of view of the probe and respective results of segmenting image data acquired via the probe. In an embodiment, the feedback does not include a grayscale depiction of the image data. Coordinate system transformations corresponding to respective comparisons may be computed. The selecting may be based upon and dynamically responsive to content of imaging being dynamically acquired via the probe.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an imaging probe and is configured for dynamically arranging presentation of visual feedback (144) for guiding manual adjustment, via the probe, of a location, and orientation, associated with the probe. The arranging is selectively based on comparisons (321) between fields of view of the probe and respective results of segmenting image data acquired via the probe. In an embodiment, the feedback does not include (175) a grayscale depiction of the image data. Coordinate system trans formations corresponding to respective comparisons may be computed. The selecting may be based upon and dynamically responsive to content of imaging being dynamically acquired via the probe.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasound system (100) for sequentially performing a predetermined procedure for each of at least one region of interest. The ultrasound system (100) comprises an ultrasound probe (101) configured to transmit a first ultrasound signal (SG1) towards a region of interest and receive echo signals from the region of interest. The ultrasound system (100) also comprises a motion sensor (102) configured to detect a motion of the ultrasound probe (101) and generate a motion signal (MS) for indicating the motion of the ultrasound probe (101). The ultrasound system (100) also comprises a processor (103) configured to perform a predetermined procedure for a region of interest on the basis of the echo signals received from the region of interest if the motion signal (MS) indicates that the ultrasound probe (101) is stationary. The invention also relates to a corresponding ultrasound method.

Abstract: The present invention proposes an ultrasound system and a method of detecting lung sliding on the basis of a temporal sequence of ultrasound data frames of a first region of interest. The first region of interest includes a pleural interface of a lung. A sub-region identifier (410) is configured to identify, for each of the ultrasound data frames, a sub-region of a scanned region of the ultrasound data frame, the sub-region comprising at least part of the pleural interface; a lung sliding detector (420) is configured to derive a parametric map for the sub-region on the basis of at least two ultrasound data frames of the temporal sequence, parametric values of the parametric map indicating a degree of tissue motion over the at least two ultrasound frames; wherein the lung sliding detector is further configured to extract data of the sub-regions from the at least two ultrasound data frames, and to derive the parametric map on the basis of the extracted data.

Abstract: Extracorporeal motion (130) relative to a medical subject being imaged is detected, through the imaging or from motion detectors on the imaging probe, and either backed out of the medical images so that it can be determined whether lung sliding exists or measured to determine whether lung sliding detection is to be suspended due to excessive extracorporeal motion. Image sub-regions (164, 168) corresponding to respective ones of the images are selected for image-to-image comparison such that the selected sub-regions contain only body tissue that is, with respect to imaging depth in the acquiring of the images, shallower than an anatomical landmark within the images. Based on a result of the comparing, lung sliding detection that entails examining image data deeper than the landmark may be initialized.

Abstract: Existing gas pocket detection approaches are based on visual observations of B-mode ultrasound images showing comparisons between normal soft tissue and gas pockets, which are time-consuming and dependent on operator experience. The present invention proposes an ultrasound system and a method of detecting a gas pocket. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound probe (110) for transmitting an ultrasound signal toward the ROI and acquiring an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the ROI along a plurality of scanning lines; an obtaining unit (130) for obtaining a second harmonic component of the ultrasound echo signal for each depth of a plurality of depths along each scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines; and a deriving unit (140) for deriving a change in a center frequency of the second harmonic component along with the depth.

Abstract: Ultrasound-based acoustic streaming for deciding whether material is fluid is dependent upon any one or more of a variety of criteria. Examples are displacement, speed (230), temporal or spatial flow variance, progressive decorrelation, slope or straightness of accumulated signal to background comparisons over time, and relative displacement to adjacent soft tissue. Echogenicity-based area identification is combinable with the above movement characteristic detection in the deciding. Fluid pool identification is performable from the area-limited acoustic streaming testing and ultrasound attenuation readings. Candidates from among the areas (210) are screenable based on specific shapes or bodily organs detected. Natural flow can be excluded from streaming detection by identification of blood vessels (206). Processing for each FAST ultrasound view (202), or for the entire procedure, is performable automatically, without need for user intervention or with user intervention to identify suspected areas.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose an ultrasound system comprising: a probe configured to obtain ultrasound data relating to scanning region including at least part of a pleural interface of a lung; and a data analyzer, configured to automatically detect information for determining lung sliding and/or lung point using one or more cross correlation maps derived from the data. The embodiments also disclose a method thereof.

Abstract: Movement (204) of an object is detected and, based on the detected movement, imaging of the object is selectively commenced (228). The imaging is interrupted such that the commencing and interrupting result in temporally spaced apart (216) periods of the imaging. Content of images acquired in respectively different periods is compared (238), to match the images based on content. The movement may have a cyclical component. The object may include body tissue for ablating by applying energy from an energy source. The images to be compared can depict respective regions of the ablating, with the comparing being confined to outside the regions. The detecting, the selecting, the comparing, and the matching may be performable in real time. In one embodiment, an image has portions having respective spatial locations, and respective temperature values at the locations of the object are determined in forming a temperature map of the image.

Abstract: Existing gas pocket detection approaches are based on visual observations of B-mode ultrasound images showing comparisons between normal soft tissue and gas pockets, which are time-consuming and dependent on operator experience. The present invention proposes an ultrasound system and a method of detecting a gas pocket. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound probe (110) for transmitting an ultrasound signal toward the ROI and acquiring an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the ROI along a plurality of scanning lines; an obtaining unit (130) for obtaining a second harmonic component of the ultrasound echo signal for each depth of a plurality of depths along each scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines; and a deriving unit (140) for deriving a change in a center frequency of the second harmonic component along with the depth.

Abstract: An interactive visual guidance tool for an imaging acquisition and display system and configured for user navigation with respect to a blockage of a field of view (216) detects, and spatially defines, the blockage. It also integrates, with the image for joint visualization, an indicium (244) that visually represents the definition. The indicium is moved dynamically according to movement, relative to the blockage, of the field of view. The indicium can be shaped like a line segment, or two indicia (244, 248) can be joined in a “V” shape to frame a region of non-blockage. The defining maybe based on determining whether ultrasound beams in respective directions are blocked. Included, for deriving the image, in some embodiments are imaging channels for receiving image data for which a metric of coherence, i.e., similarity among channel data, is computed. The determination for a direction is based on the metric for locations in that direction.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an imaging probe and is configured for dynamically arranging presentation of visual feedback (144) for guiding manual adjustment, via the probe, of a location, and orientation, associated with the probe. The arranging is selectively based on comparisons (321) between fields of view of the probe and respective results of segmenting image data acquired via the probe. In an embodiment, the feedback does not include (175) a grayscale depiction of the image data. Coordinate system trans formations corresponding to respective comparisons may be computed. The selecting may be based upon and dynamically responsive to content of imaging being dynamically acquired via the probe.

Abstract: Systems and methods for composite myocardial elastography are presented. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention an imaging modality field of view, such as, for example, that of ultrasound, can be divided into N sectors, each having 1/Nth of a full field of view. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention a temporal series of 2D ultrasound images for each of the N sectors can be acquired over a duration of one or more periods of a periodic signal. Substantially simultaneously, such a periodic signal can also be acquired, wherein each of said series of 2D ultrasound images for each sector can be triggered using said periodic signal. For example, for ultrasound imaging of the heart, an ECG signal can function as such a periodic signal. The data from the various N sectors can be synchronized in time using the ECG signals, and the ultrasound signals from each of the N sectors combined to generate a series of composite ultrasound images at the frame rate of the individual sectors.

Abstract: Multi-channel receiver circuitry for a sub-beam forming receiver of an ultrasound system in which digital filtering, down-sampling and successive data storage circuitry impose programmable fine and coarse time delays on received digital data signals.