Abstract: Methods and systems vary the elevation beam pattern during an imaging session. A user based or automatic search mode is provided where one or more elevation beam thicknesses are used, and then a diagnosis mode is provided where an optimal or narrow elevation beam thickness is used for continued imaging. 1.25, 1.5, 1.75 and 2D arrays are used to obtain frames of data responsive to the varied elevation beam pattern.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection apparatus obtains information on the interface of a sample as digital waveform data for any “unit measurement range” and is provided with at least two data memories and controlled by a scan state monitoring signal showing the scan state of a unit measurement range belonging to a first group or a unit measurement range belonging to a second group. A comparator-register/memory-control-circuit outputs the scan state monitoring signal to the two data memories. The operating states of the two data memories being controlled by the scan state monitoring signal to alternate between writing of digital waveform data and readout of digital waveform data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method or a device for recording ultrasonic images of an object (1) in which ultrasonic waves are radiated onto the object (1) by an ultrasonic emitter, and ultrasonic waves reflected by the object (1) are received by an ultrasonic receiver. For recording individual image partial areas (6), the ultrasonic emitter or ultrasonic receiver (18) is displaced along the object (1) or is at least partially rotated with regard to the object (1). The corresponding movement (S) of the ultrasonic transmitter or of the ultrasonic receiver (4, 18) is progressively detected by a detector (9, 23) and is assigned to the individual image partial areas (6). As a result, it is possible to record the object (1) by manually moving the ultrasonic transducer (4), whereby an incremental detector serves as a detector (9, 23) for progressively detecting the movement (S).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for ultrasound imaging with improved spatial sampling. The device includes a plurality of ultrasound imaging elements each having a pitch defined by the center to center spacing of the ultrasound imaging elements; and a motion mechanism operatively connected to the plurality of ultrasound imaging elements and adapted to move the plurality of ultrasound imaging elements over a distance to increase the spatial sampling of the plurality of ultrasound imaging elements. The method of the present invention includes transducing a signal from one or multiple ultrasound imaging elements within an array of ultrasound imaging elements; moving the array of ultrasound imaging elements a distance less than the pitch; and transducing at least one additional signal from the ultrasound imaging element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided which may be employed in medical applications to radiate an ultrasonic wave for inspecting the interior of a patient's body noninvasively. The ultrasonic probe includes a scan mechanism which consists of a rotating mechanism and a swinging mechanism. The rotating mechanism is designed to rotate a cylindrical holder having installed thereon a piezoelectric element which emits an ultrasonic wave and receives the echo. The swinging mechanism is designed to swing a rotary base which supports the rotating mechanism to swing the cylindrical holder about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to that of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus sets transmission conditions that are different depending on a scanning direction so that a transmission sound field in a scanning region is uniform in a scanning of ultrasonic beams in one frame; transmits ultrasonic beams to a subject under the thus set transmission conditions; and samples a harmonics component from a ultrasonic echo signal reflected from a subject of the thus transmitted ultrasonic beams, thereby obtaining a harmonics ultrasonic image of the subject. According to this ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, in the case of harmonics imaging as well, an entirely uniform image quality with less non-uniformity is achieved, and information useful for diagnosis can be provided on a clinical application site.

Abstract: A scanning device, typically ultrasonic, can make a volumetric scan of a conical scanning field. A transducer having a permanent magnet at its back end is gimbal mounted in a housing. Behind the permanent magnet is a hemispheric electromagnet coil assembly having at least two wound electromagnet coils. The coils are energized in turn with an alternating current signal, with the signal applied to any coil being out of phase with the signal applied to any other coil by 180°/n, where n is the number of coils in the hemispheric electromagnet coil assembly. Volumetric scanning is possible by periodically modulating the magnitude or frequency of the signals applied to the coils.

Abstract: A coherent imaging system includes a transmitter and a receive beamformer which are programmed with transmit and receive time delays, respectively, that take into account time-of-flight errors caused by an intervening mammography compression plate between the biological tissue being imaged and a phased array of ultrasonic transducer elements. A simple ray-tracing method is utilized to adjust the transmit and receive time delays according to compression plate thickness and speed of ultrasound propagation to mitigate spherical aberration due to the compression plate.

Abstract: A device for combining tomographic images with human vision using a half-silvered mirror to merge the visual outer surface of an object (or a robotic mock effector) with a simultaneous reflection of a tomographic image from the interior of the object. The device maybe used with various types of image modalities including ultrasound, CT, and MRI. The image capture device and the display may or may not be fixed to the semi-transparent mirror. If not fixed, the imaging device may provide a compensation device that adjusts the reflection of the displayed ultrasound on the half-silvered mirror to account for any change in the image capture device orientation or location.

Abstract: An ultrasound machine that generates a color representation of moving structure, such as cardiac wall tissue within a region of interest, and is displayed on a monitor. The color representation is generated by displaying at least one color characteristic related to a set of signal values of the structure, such as velocity or strain rate. The related feature of the set of signal values is mapped to the color characteristic by an apparatus comprising a front-end that generates received signals in response to backscattered ultrasound waves. A Doppler processor generates a set of signal values representing a spatial set of values of the moving structure. A host processor embodies a tracking function and a time integration function to generate tracked movement parameter profiles and displacement parameter values over a time period corresponding to sampled anatomical locations within the region of interest. The displacement parameter values are then mapped to color characteristic signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided which may be employed in medical applications to radiate an ultrasonic wave for inspecting the interior of a patient's body noninvasively. The ultrasonic probe includes a scan mechanism which consists of a rotating mechanism and a swinging mechanism. The rotating mechanism is designed to rotate a cylindrical holder having installed thereon a piezoelectric element which emits an ultrasonic wave and receives the echo. The swinging mechanism is designed to swing a rotary base which supports the rotating mechanism to swing the cylindrical holder about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to that of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: Ultrasound images are obtained using a set of Golay codes with orthogonal property as ultrasound receiving and transmitting signals. Ultrasound signals having a plurality of codes are transmitted simultaneously by using the orthogonal property of the Golay codes. A superior signal-to-noise rate (SNR) is realized using the Golay codes, without suffering a decrease in the frame rate.

Abstract: An imaging system and method provides for the automatic leveling of a hologram detector system. A detector system must be precisely oriented in a proper predetermined orientation. The present invention senses the orientation of a plate to which the detector system is mounted and adjusts driver motors to maintain the detector system at a desired predetermined orientation. In an exemplary embodiment, orientation sensors form a feedback loop to a servo controller to control the position of the motors and thus maintain the detector system at the predetermined orientation. In another aspect of the invention, the patient table may be repositioned with respect to the imaging system. The patient is positioned on a table and imaging performed. If an object of interest is detected, the patient table may be independently repositioned in three orthogonal directions such that the object of interest coincides with an axis of rotation of the patient table.

Abstract: An image processing system and method visually documents and displays the in-vivo location from which a biopsy specimen was extracted, by processing pre-biopsy and post-biopsy images. A composite image is created which visually emphasizes differences between the pre-biopsy and post-biopsy images. Preferably three-dimensional, digitized images, displayable in various projections, are stored for archival purposes on computer readable media. An image processor preferably exploits an optical correlator to register the pre-biopsy and post-biopsy images accurately. The images are then compared, voxel-by-voxel, to detect differences between pre-biopsy and post-biopsy images. The composite image is displayed with synthetic colors, synthetic icons, or other visual clues to emphasize probable in-vivo biopsy locations.

Abstract: Nonlinear tissue or contrast agent effects are detected by combining echoes from multiple, differently modulated transmit pulses below the second harmonic band. The received echoes may even overlap the fundamental transmit frequency band. The modulation may be amplitude modulation or phase or polarity modulation, and is preferably both amplitude and phase or modulation. The present invention affords the ability to utilize a majority of the transducer passband for both transmission and reception, and to transmit pulses which are less destructive to microbubble contrast agents.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus (1) for articulating a probe (3) is constructed with a reversible motor (10) and at least one tension adjusting cable (4) to articulate the probe (3).

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of a needle-like instrument, such as a biopsy needle, inserted in a human body. The instrument is visualized by transmitting ultrasound beams toward the instrument and then detecting the echo signals using a linear array of transducer elements. The problem of ultrasound being reflected from a biopsy needle in a direction away from the transducer array is solved by steering the transmitted ultrasound beams to increase the angle at which the beams impinge upon the biopsy needle. Ideally the ultrasound beams are perpendicular to the biopsy needle. This increases the system's sensitivity to the needle because the reflections from the needle are directed closer to the transducer array. This can be accomplished using either the B mode or the color flow mode of an ultrasound imaging system.

Abstract: A self-tuning crystal notch filter suitable for rejecting a carrier signal in a receiver channel of a receiver of an ultrasound imaging system. The crystal notch filter has a resonant frequency which is electronically tuned. Tuning is done under software control without operator intervention. The software instructs a channel other than the one being tuned to transmit into the transducer. The receive channel being tuned amplifies the received signal and then passes the amplified signal through the notch filter and the TGC amplifier to the corresponding digital signal processing (DSP) circuit via an analog-to-digital converter. The software reads the amplitude of the digital receive signal output from the DSP circuit. By programming a D/A converter incorporated in the notch filter, a value can be found that minimizes the amplitude of the signal output by the DSP circuit, i.e., maximizes the amount of carrier signal being rejected. This value is then used during subsequent imaging data acquisition.

Abstract: An ultrasound beamformer that processes the signals of an array transducer includes a plurality of processing channels, one for each element of the active transducer array. Each channel includes a digitizing element for converting the received signal into digital samples and a delay element for delaying the digitized signal. The delays are chosen so that when the signals from the individual channels are combined, a beam forms in a particular direction. The invention implements sub-sampling period delays in the individual channels with low-complexity digital filters having superior delay characteristics with respect to frequency, but having undesirable attenuation characteristics with respect to frequency. The invention corrects for the undesirable attenuation characteristics via a single digital filter after the signals from the individual channels have been combined.

Abstract: In an ultrasound imaging system, a multiplexer connects a beamformer to a multi-row transducer array, where the array has more electrically independent transducer elements than the beamformer has channels, so as to provide dynamic selection and beamforming control of multi-row apertures. The multiplexer allows the active aperture to be scanned along at least one axis of the array and allows the shape of the active aperture to be varied electronically. The multiplexer, which supports transmit and receive apertures appropriate for synthetic aperture beamforming, is of modular construction, enabling multiplexers appropriate for transducer arrays with various numbers of rows and columns of elements to be easily assembled from a standard set of parts. The multiplexer is physically designed as a passive backplane into which various switch cards can be plugged. The card connectors are arranged in two parallel columns.

Abstract: A phased array sector scanning ultrasonic system includes a separate receive channel for each respective element in an ultrasonic transducer array. Each receive channel imparts a delay to the echo signal produced by each respective element. The delayed echo signals are summed to form a steered, dynamically focused and dynamically windowed receive beam even when the transmit beam does not emanate from the center of the array. The receiver has a beamformer including a multiplicity of beamformer channels. The beamformer dynamically increases delays to each channel without introducing unwanted discontinuities, by combining and synchronizing a FIFO and an interpolator. The interpolator uses "Wallace tree" adders to accumulate bit-shifted versions of the inputs. The number of additions is less than the number of bits which would be needed to represent equivalent coefficients.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus either for displaying three-dimensional ultrasonic images allowing an operator to become aware of the distance of a target object from an ultrasonic probe, or for displaying practical three-dimensional ultrasonic images while being simply structured and taking a short time to perform necessary operations.

Abstract: In an ultrasound signal processor, respective received signals received at received signal processing units are sampled by a sampling clock of a frequency which is sufficiently higher than a Nyquist sampling frequency of an upper limit of a frequency band width for each of the received signals received at the received signal processing units so as to be digitized. Each of the digitized received signals is multiplied by a reference signal of a predetermined frequency to produce converted received signals in which the frequency of the digital received signal waveform is shifted, and converted signals are cumulated for a time which is longer than the sampling period. Each of the cumulated signals is processed by a clock frequency lower than the sampling clock in connection with an ultrasound beam in one direction, so that after one transmission operation of ultrasound, a plurality of ultrasound received beams are formed from the received signals received at the respective transducers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for laser ultrasonic imaging an object. In the present invention, a synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) is used to generate a high resolution subsurface images of the object. In addition, the present invention filters low frequency components from detected laser ultrasound waveform data to further enhance resolution, SNR, and contrast. Geometric knowledge permits the present invention to generate images of objects having a complex and arbitrary-shape.