Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-05
2002-04-09
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06368277
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for accurately displaying information received, e.g., by means of Doppler mode and/or B-mode while tracking the movements of the particular object or objects, e.g. a blood vessel, which is exposed to the Doppler measurement. In clinical examinations it is often necessary to determine the amount of blood flowing through one or more blood vessels or specific organs. Clinical evidence has shown that there are certain relations between the pathological status of an organ and the time history of the blood flow through the organ. To determine the amount of blood flowing through an organ or blood vessel, usually such a contrast agent may be employed to improve the detection by means of the well-known Doppler technique and/or B-mode techniques. However, organs and blood vessels tend to move within the body and therefore a dynamic measurement particularly in real-time is difficult to obtain and can easily be falsified due to the movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to overcome this problem. According to the present invention gray scale image region tracking is used to generate a sequential B-mode and/or Doppler-mode intensity signal. These graphs may be displayed as a parametric image. The disclosed technique can be used for one or more regions of interest selected by a user. The regions can be as small as a single pixel, though image comparison routines provide greater confidence for large objects. The disclosed technique is applicable with or without the use of a contrast agent.
A first method of dynamically measuring parameters within a series of images comprises the steps of:
receiving a sequence of images
determining at least one region of interest within a first image,
evaluating at least one parameter within said region of interest and displaying said parameters,
searching within a sequential image a search area around said predefined region of interest which best matches said region of interest,
repeating said evaluation and search for said sequence of images.
Another method of dynamically measuring parameters within a series of images using image processing, comprises the steps of:
a) receiving a sequence of ultrasound images,
b) determining at least one region of interest within a first image,
c) evaluating at least one parameter for each region of interest,
d) searching a new region of interest within a sequential image a search area around said predefined region of interest which best matches said region of interest,
e) repeating steps c) to d) for all images whereby said new region of interest which best matches said region of interest is used as new region of interest for the following image.
An embodiment of an ultrasound imaging system for dynamically measuring parameters within a series of images using image processing comprises means for generating a sequence of images. Furthermore, input means for determining at least one region of interest within a first image are provided. Also, means for evaluating at least one parameter within said region of interest, and processing means for searching a new region of interest within a sequential image which search a search area around said predefined region of interest which best matches said region of interest are provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5873830 (1999-02-01), Hossack et al.
patent: 5971927 (1999-10-01), Mine
patent: 6152878 (2000-11-01), Nachtomy et al.
patent: 6193660 (2001-02-01), Jackson et al.
Gustafson David E.
Jiang Peng
Mao Zuhua
Von Behren Patrick L.
Imam Ali M.
Lateef Marvin M.
Siemens Medical Solutions USA , Inc.
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