Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to adjust an acquisition frame rate of a mobile ultrasound imaging system. The systems and methods receive ultrasound data representing image data sets of an anatomical structure of interest. The anatomical structure of interest includes at least one anatomical marker. The systems and methods further determine a rate of change in position of the at least one anatomical marker between adjacent image data sets, calculate an acquisition frame rate based on the rate of change in position of the at least one anatomical marker, and acquire first and second image data sets at the acquisition frame rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing tactile feedback via a touch-sensitive display of an imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises acquiring medical imaging data with a medical imaging device, generating an image from the acquired data, displaying the image on a touch-sensitive display, and during user touching of the displayed image, outputting tactile feedback via the display based on the acquired data. In this way, a user may more easily understand and evaluate a displayed image.

Abstract: Various embodiments include systems and methods for optimizing utilization of bandwidth between ultrasound probes and display units. Data transfer limits for a connection between an ultrasound probe and a corresponding display-and-control unit may be determined. Based on the data transfer limits, one or more functions in the ultrasound probe may be controlled. The one or more functions relate to acquiring of ultrasound image data via the ultrasound probe, processing of the acquired ultrasound image data, and/or communication of the acquired ultrasound image data. Further, the controlling is adapted to reduce amount of data acquired and/or transferred, between the ultrasound probe and the display-and-control unit, during ultrasound imaging, to meet the data transfer limits for the connection.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing tactile feedback via a probe of an imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises acquiring ultrasound data with a probe, generating an image based on the ultrasound data, determining whether the probe is in a correct position to acquire a desired region of interest, and providing a first tactile feedback through the probe in response to a determination that the probe is in the correct position. In this way, a user may increase the accuracy of probe positioning, thereby producing more accurate medical images for diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: An apparatus is described herein. The apparatus includes a first battery and a main battery. The first battery is a phone battery. The main battery is a battery of a handheld ultrasound system and the main battery is to maintain a charge of the first battery at an optimal charge level.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound system is provided for imaging an object. The ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound data and a cooling subsystem for actively removing heat from the ultrasound probe. The cooling subsystem includes a pump disposed within a reservoir containing a coolant and configured to circulate the coolant through the ultrasound probe via a conduit.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. The tissue deformation parameter strain is also determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. The strain calculation may be improved by moving the sample volume from which the strain rate is accumulated from frame-to-frame according to the relative displacement of the tissue within the original sample volume. The relative displacement of the tissue is determined by the instantaneous tissue velocity of the sample volume.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound system is provided for imaging an object. The ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound data and a cooling subsystem for actively removing heat from the ultrasound probe. The cooling subsystem includes a pump disposed within a reservoir containing a coolant and configured to circulate the coolant through the ultrasound probe via a conduit.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. The tissue deformation parameter strain is determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. Three quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle. Parameters which are derived from strain rate or strain velocity, such as peak systolic wall thickening percentage, may be plotted with respect to various stress levels.

Abstract: An ultrasound machine is disclosed that displays a color representation of moving structure, such as a cardiac wall tissue, within a region of interest on a monitor. The color representation is generated by displaying at least one color characteristic corresponding to a movement parameter of the structure, such as velocity or strain rate. The movement parameter is mapped to the color characteristic by apparatus comprising a front-end that generates received signals in response to ultrasound waves. A Doppler processor generates a set of parameter signals representing values of the movement parameter within the structure. A control processor adaptively generates a mapping function based on the distribution of the parameter signals to map the parameter signals to a set of color characteristic signals.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. A method to estimate a strain rate in any direction, not necessarily along the ultrasound beam, based on tissue velocity data from a small region of interest around a sample volume is disclosed. Quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. An ultrasound acquisition technique that allows a high frame rate in tissue velocity imaging or strain rate imaging is employed. With this acquisition technique the same ultrasound pulses are used for the tissue image and the Doppler based image. A sliding window technique is used for processing. The tissue deformation parameter strain is also determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. The strain calculation may be improved by moving the sample volume from which the strain rate is accumulated from frame-to-frame according to the relative displacement of the tissue within the original sample volume. The relative displacement of the tissue is determined by the instantaneous tissue velocity of the sample volume.

Abstract: An ultrasound machine that generates a pattern of indicia corresponding to tracked moving structure, such as a cardiac wall tissue that is displayed on a monitor. The pattern of indicia is generated by displaying a set of tagging symbols related to the tracked movement of the structure over a time period by an apparatus comprising a front-end that generates received signals in response to backscattered ultrasound waves. A Doppler processor generates a spatial set of signals values representing movement within the structure. A non-Doppler processor generates a set of parameter signals representing a spatial set of B-mode values within the structure. A host processor embodies a tracking function to generate a set of tracked movement parameter profiles and motion parameter profiles over a time period corresponding to anatomical locations associated with the set of tagging symbols.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. The tissue deformation parameter strain is determined by an accumulation of strain rate estimates for consecutive frames over an interval. The interval may be a triggered interval generated by, for example, an R-wave in an ECG trace. Three quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle. Parameters which are derived from strain rate or strain velocity, such as peak systolic wall thickening percentage, may be plotted with respect to various stress levels.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. A method to estimate a strain rate in any direction, not necessarily along the ultrasound beam, based on tissue velocity data from a small region of interest around a sample volume is disclosed. Quantitative tissue deformation parameters, such as tissue velocity, tissue velocity integrals, strain rate and/or strain, may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for calculation and display of tissue deformation parameters are disclosed. Tissue velocity may be estimated by filtering a received ultrasound signal at three center frequencies related to the second harmonic of the ultrasound signal, estimating a reference tissue velocity from the two signals filtered at the outside center frequencies and using the reference tissue velocity to choose a tissue velocity from tissue velocities estimated using the middle center frequency. Estimation of strain rate in any direction, not necessarily along the ultrasound beam, is disclosed. Quantitative tissue deformation parameters may be presented as functions of time and/or spatial position for applications such as stress echo. For example, strain rate or strain values for three different stress levels may be plotted together with respect to time over a cardiac cycle. Parameters derived from strain rate or strain velocity may be plotted with respect to various stress levels.