Abstract: An ultrasound image processing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes transmitting and receiving an ultrasound signal to and from an object through an array in which a plurality of apertures are arranged along one direction, calculating at least one of a transmission delay and a reception delay of the ultrasound signal, and forming a multi-beam through synthetic focusing by reflecting the calculated delay on the ultrasound signal received by the array, wherein the calculating of the delay is calculated through a propagation shape model in which the ultrasound signal transmitted or received through the array is centered on virtual sources parallel to the array.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of the disclosure includes a probe; an ultrasound transceiver configured to transmit an ultrasound signal to an object through the probe and receive an echo signal reflected from the object; a controller configured to obtain first data by controlling the ultrasound transceiver to transmit a first ultrasound pulse to the object and receive the echo signal reflected from the object, to obtain second data by controlling the ultrasound transceiver to repeat an operation of transmitting a second ultrasound pulse different from the first ultrasound pulse to a first position of the object and receiving the echo signal reflected from the first position of the object a plurality of times at predetermined time intervals, to obtain third data by controlling the ultrasound transceiver to repeat an operation of transmitting the second ultrasound pulse to a second position of the object and receiving the echo signal reflected from the second position of the object the plurality of times a

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an intravascular ultrasonic transducer and a structure for same, the method for producing a ultrasonic transducer producing a single element by: forming a piezoelectric element lapped according to a previously set thickness; depositing conductive material on the lapped surface of the piezoelectric element; forming a matched layer and a rear surface layer by casting the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric element to which conductive material has been deposited; lapping according to a previously set thickness; and dicing the bulk material, which is a stack of a matched layer, a piezoelectric element and a rear surface layer, along the stack direction so that the size of the element is less than the critical size for intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Abstract: An ultrasound system and a clutter filtering method thereof are provided. The clutter filtering method includes: transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object; receiving a reflection signal reflected from the object; performing a singular value decomposition (SVD) on a plurality of doppler signals constituting the reflection signal; dividing a representation of the object into a plurality of regions according to a result of performing the SVD; determining cutoff frequencies of the plurality of regions according to different methods; and performing clutter filtering on the plurality of regions by using the determined cutoff frequencies.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasonic imaging apparatus and a method of displaying an ultrasound image. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus may include: a processor configured to acquire a Doppler signal corresponding to a sample volume, divide the Doppler signal into a plurality of sub-Doppler signals, generate a plurality of spectral Doppler signals by performing spectral analysis on each of the plurality of sub-Doppler signals, and generate, from the plurality of spectral Doppler signals, a spectral Doppler signal corresponding to the sample volume; and a display displaying the spectral Doppler signal corresponding to the sample volume.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for generating a synthetic image. In the method, image data is generated using a receiving dynamic beamforming method, image data is generated using a synthetic aperture beamforming method, and the image data generated using the receiving dynamic beamforming method and the image data generated using the synthetic aperture beamforming method are synthesized with being applied with weighting factors according to advancing distances of ultrasonic waves. By using a zone blending method, in which image data according to a receiving dynamic beamforming method is mainly used for an ultrasonic image having a predetermined depth or less, and image data according to a synthetic aperture beamforming method is mainly used for an ultrasonic image having any other depth, a grating lobe and distortion of image brightness are eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an intravascular ultrasonic transducer and a structure for same, the method for producing a ultrasonic transducer producing a single element by: forming a piezoelectric element lapped according to a previously set thickness; depositing conductive material on the lapped surface of the piezoelectric element; forming a matched layer and a rear surface layer by casting the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric element to which conductive material has been deposited; lapping according to a previously set thickness; and dicing the bulk material, which is a stack of a matched layer, a piezoelectric element and a rear surface layer, along the stack direction so that the size of the element is less than the critical size for intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Abstract: Provided is a method for discriminating a tissue of interest and a method for generating photo-acoustic images to detect a calcified tissue, which includes: detecting an intensity of each pixel of a tissue-of-interest image obtained for each wavelength; matching an index corresponding to an image, which has a greatest intensity corresponding to each pixel, to each pixel; generating a signal weight corresponding to each pixel in consideration of a wavelength absorbed by the tissue of interest; and applying the generated signal weight of each pixel to each pixel of an image obtained with a wavelength, which is the most absorbed by the tissue of interest, to generate an image in which a background is discriminated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device and method for acquiring a fusion image, which applies an ultrasound signal for an ultrasound image, an optical signal for a photoacoustic image and a fluorescent image to a target, receives an ultrasound signal, a photoacoustic signal and an optical signal from the target, and generates a fusion image including image information with different probing planes with respect to the target by using at least two signals of the received ultrasound signal, the received photoacoustic signal and the received optical signal.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus to improve picture quality of images by automatically adjusting image parameters, and a control method thereof are provided. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an image signal processor to perform envelope detection processing on ultrasound image data, and an image parameter processor to calculate a Time Gain Compensation (TGC) parameter from the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data, adjust the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data based on the TGC parameter, and calculate a Dynamic Range (DR) parameter from the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data adjusted based on the TGC parameter to apply the DR parameter to the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus of determining the number of synthetic beams, comprising: a motion measurement unit which measures the degree of motion in an output beam-forming image; a synthetic beam number determination unit which determines the optimum number of synthetic beams based on the measured degree of motion in case of applying the synthetic aperture beam forming; and a display unit which displays the number of synthetic beams determined by the synthetic beam number determination unit. A system using synthetic aperture beam forming detects motion in an image and displays a degree of the motion in various manners, and thus, a user is allowed to actively cope with the motion by adjusting the number of synthetic beams, or the system is allowed to immediately change the number of synthetic beams with reference to data stored in advance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound contrast agent with drug-encapsulating nanoparticles and a method for preparing the same that increase drug delivery capabilities and drug penetration effects. According to the present invention, exposure to the focussed ultrasound triggers the cavitation of an ultrasound contrast agent, resulting in the local release of drug-encapsulating nanoparticles, which are conjugated onto the surface of the ultrasound contrast agent, and enhanced penetration of nanoparticles and drug delivery capabilities. Moreover, the present invention simultaneously and selectively diagnoses and treats cancers by conjugation cancer-targeting ligands on the surface of nanoparticles.

Abstract: Provided is a method for discriminating a tissue of interest and a method for generating photo-acoustic images to detect a calcified tissue, which includes: detecting an intensity of each pixel of a tissue-of-interest image obtained for each wavelength; matching an index corresponding to an image, which has a greatest intensity corresponding to each pixel, to each pixel; generating a signal weight corresponding to each pixel in consideration of a wavelength absorbed by the tissue of interest; and applying the generated signal weight of each pixel to each pixel of an image obtained with a wavelength, which is the most absorbed by the tissue of interest, to generate an image in which a background is discriminated. A photo-acoustic image obtained while changing an optical wavelength may be analyzed to endow an index to each pixel of the image, and a background signal and a signal to be obtained may be discriminated by using the endowed index.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and a clutter filtering method thereof are provided. The clutter filtering method includes: transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object; receiving a reflection signal reflected from the object; performing a singular value decomposition (SVD) on a plurality of doppler signals constituting the reflection signal; dividing a representation of the object into a plurality of regions according to a result of performing the SVD; determining cutoff frequencies of the plurality of regions according to different methods; and performing clutter filtering on the plurality of regions by using the determined cutoff frequencies.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for generating a synthetic image. In the method, image data is generated using a receiving dynamic beamforming method, image data is generated using a synthetic aperture beamforming method, and the image data generated using the receiving dynamic beamforming method and the image data generated using the synthetic aperture beamforming method are synthesized with being applied with weighting factors according to advancing distances of ultrasonic waves. By using a zone blending method, in which image data according to a receiving dynamic beamforming method is mainly used for an ultrasonic image having a predetermined depth or less, and image data according to a synthetic aperture beamforming method is mainly used for an ultrasonic image having any other depth, a grating lobe and distortion of image brightness are eliminated.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus of determining the number of synthetic beams, comprising: a motion measurement unit which measures the degree of motion in an output beam-forming image; a synthetic beam number determination unit which determines the optimum number of synthetic beams based on the measured degree of motion in case of applying the synthetic aperture beam forming; and a display unit which displays the number of synthetic beams determined by the synthetic beam number determination unit. A system using synthetic aperture beam forming detects motion in an image and displays a degree of the motion in various manners, and thus, a user is allowed to actively cope with the motion by adjusting the number of synthetic beams, or the system is allowed to immediately change the number of synthetic beams with reference to data stored in advance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a board for a synthetic aperture ultrasound imaging apparatus which includes an analog to digital converter converting M analog channel data into M digital channel data; a partial beamformer unit including N partial beamformers generating N partial beams from the M digital channel data; and an adder adding a partial beam stored in a k-th synthetic aperture memory among a plurality of synthetic aperture memories and a partial beam outputted from a k+1-th partial beamformer to input the added partial beam to a k+1-th synthetic aperture memory. The present invention can facilitate an increase in the number of channels by adding a board without transmitting a lot of channel data between boards by exchanging and synthesizing a part of the scanline data between the boards at rear ends of the boards.

Abstract: A diagnosis system, a medical image system, and a method of displaying a diagnosis image are provided. The diagnosis system includes a probe including a plurality of sub-arrays, each of the sub-arrays including at least one line of array transducers, the array transducers being configured to transmit and receive signals to and from a subject being diagnosed, and a hybrid beamformer configured to perform analog beamforming in a direction in which the sub-arrays are arranged, and perform digital beamforming in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the sub-arrays are arranged.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus to improve picture quality of images by automatically adjusting image parameters, and a control method thereof are provided. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an image signal processor to perform envelope detection processing on ultrasound image data, and an image parameter processor to calculate a Time Gain Compensation (TGC) parameter from the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data, adjust the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data based on the TGC parameter, and calculate a Dynamic Range (DR) parameter from the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data adjusted based on the TGC parameter to apply the DR parameter to the envelope detection processed ultrasound image data.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, an ultrasound system includes an ultrasound machine, which may be located in a hospital, clinic, vehicle, home, etc., coupled to a remotely located diagnosis station via a communication network. For some embodiments, the ultrasound machine includes an application-specific scan head that has identification information that allows the home ultrasound machine to notify a user whether the attached scan head is appropriate for the type of examination to be performed. For other embodiments, a first stage of beamforming is conducted in reconfigurable hardware and a second stage of beamforming is conducted in programmable software digital signal processor.