Shear wave elastic imaging method and ultrasonic imaging system

Abstract

A shear wave elastography method and an ultrasonic imaging system, the method comprising: providing a display interface in response to a user operation entering an elastography mode, displaying a plurality of operable operation controls in the display interface, at least including an operation control for starting shear wave elastography; in response to a user operation on the operation control for starting shear wave elastography, controlling the ultrasonic probe to emit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue so as to track shear waves propagating in the target tissue; receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave returned by the target tissue to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; and entering a cooling state, in the cooling state, controlling the ultrasonic probe to stop transmitting ultrasonic waves, processing the ultrasonic echo signal to generate a shear wave elastic image of the target tissue, and in the cooling state, providing an operable operation control in the display interface. According to the invention, the operable operation control is provided in the cooling state, so that user interaction can be carried out by using the cooling time, and the inspection efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and more particularly to a shear wave elasticity imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging system. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasound elastography can qualitatively measure the firmness of a lesion relative to surrounding tissue, or quantitatively measure the firmness of both the lesion and surrounding tissue. In recent years, it has become increasingly widely used in clinical research and diagnosis. The determination of tissue firmness can effectively assist in the diagnosis and evaluation of cancer lesions, benign or malignant tumors, and postoperative recovery.

[0003] Conventional elastography (compression elastography) uses a probe to compress tissue and calculate tissue displacement and strain in real time to image elastic parameters within the region of interest (ROI), indirectly reflecting the firmness and softness of different tissues. However, since each compression is performed manually, it is difficult to maintain consistent probe pressure, and the degree and frequency of compression can vary between operators. Therefore, the repeatability and stability of conventional elastography are difficult to guarantee.

[0004] Shear wave elastography is a method of exciting a focused ultrasound beam with a conventional ultrasound probe to generate acoustic radiation force, forming a shear wave source within the tissue and generating transversely propagating shear waves. By identifying and detecting the shear waves generated within the tissue and their propagation parameters and imaging these parameters, the hardness differences of the tissues can be obtained quantitatively and visually. Since the excitation of the shear wave comes from the acoustic radiation force generated by the focused ultrasound beam and no longer depends on the pressure applied by the operator, the shear wave elastography method has improvements in stability and repeatability compared to conventional elastography. In addition, the quantitative measurement results of shear waves also make the doctor's diagnosis more objective.

[0005] There are multiple shear wave elastography modes, some of which have high transmission energies and require a long cool-down period between consecutive shear wave elastography scans to ensure human safety. Currently, users are not allowed to perform any operations during this cool-down period, resulting in wasted time and reduced examination efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The Summary of the Invention introduces a series of simplified concepts that will be further described in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides a shear wave elastography method, the method comprising:

[0008] providing a display interface in response to a user operation of entering an elastic imaging mode, wherein a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface, the plurality of operable operation controls at least including an operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging;

[0009] In response to a user operation on the operation control for starting shear wave elastography, controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit ultrasound waves toward a target tissue to track shear waves propagating in the target tissue;

[0010] receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave returned by the target tissue to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0011] Entering a cooling state, in which the ultrasonic probe is controlled to stop emitting the ultrasonic wave, and the ultrasonic echo signal is processed to generate a shear wave elastic image of the target tissue,

[0012] In the cooling state, operable operation controls are provided in the display interface, and inoperable operation controls are provided in the display interface or the inoperable operation controls are hidden, the operable operation controls include at least one of the following: an operation control for performing image post-processing on the shear wave elastic image, an operation control for measuring elastic parameters based on the shear wave elastic image, and an operation control for saving the shear wave elastic image, and the inoperable operation controls include at least the operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0014] In the cooling state, progress information reflecting the cooling state is displayed in real time on the display interface.

[0015] In one embodiment, when an inoperable operation control is provided in the display interface, the method further includes displaying the operable operation control and the inoperable operation control separately.

[0016] In one embodiment, the operable operation controls and the inoperable operation controls are displayed separately, including:

[0017] An indicator reflecting the progress of the cooling state is displayed on the inoperable operation control.

[0018] In one embodiment, the display interface includes a first display interface displayed on a first display screen and a second display interface displayed on a second display screen, the first display interface is used to display the shear wave elasticity image, and the second display interface is used to display the operation control.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second display screen is a touch screen.

[0020] In one embodiment, the first display interface is further configured to display progress information reflecting the cooling status.

[0021] In one embodiment, the progress information reflecting the cooling state includes:

[0022] A countdown indicating the remaining cooldown time, or a progress bar indicating the remaining cooldown time.

[0023] In one embodiment, the display interface is provided in response to the user operation of entering the elastic imaging mode, and a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface, including:

[0024] providing a display interface in response to a user operation of entering an elastic imaging mode, displaying a plurality of operation controls in the display interface, and setting the plurality of operation controls to an operable state;

[0025] The providing operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state, and providing inoperable operation controls in the display interface or hiding the inoperable operation controls, includes:

[0026] In the cooling state, a first operation control among the multiple operation controls is set to an operable state in the display interface, and a second operation control among the multiple operation controls is set to an inoperable state or is hidden in the display interface.

[0027] In one embodiment, the shear wave elasticity image generated in response to a user operation on the operation control for starting shear wave elasticity imaging is a single-frame shear wave elasticity image.

[0028] In one embodiment, the shear wave elasticity image is a three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image, and the ultrasound probe sequentially transmits the ultrasound waves to multiple imaging slices of the target tissue to obtain echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging slices;

[0029] Generating the shear wave elasticity image of the target tissue according to the ultrasonic echo signal includes: performing three-dimensional image processing according to the echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging sections to obtain the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image.

[0030] In one embodiment, providing an operable operation control in the display interface includes: providing a first operable operation control in the display interface before completing the three-dimensional image processing, and providing a second operable operation control in the display interface after completing the three-dimensional image processing, the first operation control and the second operation control corresponding to different functions.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first operation control includes an operation control for determining a rendering mode for the three-dimensional image processing, and the second operation control includes an operation control for performing image post-processing on the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image.

[0032] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0033] In the cooling state, in response to a user operation on the operable operation control, a function corresponding to the operable operation control is executed.

[0034] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0035] After the cooling state ends, the inoperable operating control is reset to an operable state.

[0036] Another aspect of the present invention provides an ultrasound imaging system, comprising:

[0037] Ultrasound probe;

[0038] a transmitting circuit, configured to stimulate the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the target tissue, so as to track the shear waves propagating in the target tissue;

[0039] a receiving circuit, configured to control the ultrasonic probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned by the target tissue to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0040] a processor, configured to generate a shear wave elasticity image of the target tissue according to the echo signal, the processor being further configured to execute the steps of the ultrasound imaging method described above;

[0041] A display is used to display the shear wave elasticity image.

[0042] The shear wave elastography method and ultrasound imaging system of the embodiments of the present invention provide operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state of shear wave elastography, thereby enabling user interaction using the cooling time, reducing the waste of cooling time, and improving inspection efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through a more detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are provided to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0044] Figure 1 A structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0045] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart showing a shear wave elastography method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a workflow of single-shot shear wave elastography according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a workflow of three-dimensional shear wave elastography according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a workflow of three-dimensional shear wave elastography according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well known in the art are not described to avoid confusion with the present invention.

[0052] It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make disclosure thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0053] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0054] In order to fully understand the present invention, a detailed structure will be provided in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by the present invention. Optional embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. However, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other implementations.

[0055] Next, first refer to Figure 1 An ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasound imaging system 100 includes an ultrasound probe 110, a transmitting circuit 112, a receiving circuit 114, a processor 116, and a display 118. Furthermore, the ultrasound imaging system may further include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming module 122. The transmitting circuit 112 and the receiving circuit 114 may be connected to the ultrasound probe 110 via the transmit / receive selection switch 120.

[0057] The ultrasonic probe 110 includes an array of array elements disposed therein. The array element array is composed of multiple array elements, which can be a linear array or a convex array. The array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves based on an excitation electrical signal, or to convert received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals. Therefore, each array element can be used to convert between electrical pulse signals and ultrasonic waves, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves to the target tissue of the subject being tested, and can also be used to receive ultrasonic echoes reflected from the tissue. During ultrasonic testing, the transmit and receive sequences can be used to control which array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves and which are used to receive ultrasonic waves, or to control the time slots in which the array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves or receive ultrasonic echoes. The array elements involved in ultrasonic transmission can be excited by electrical signals simultaneously, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves simultaneously; alternatively, the array elements involved in ultrasonic beam transmission can be excited by multiple electrical signals with a certain time interval, thereby continuously transmitting ultrasonic waves with a certain time interval.

[0058] During ultrasound imaging, processor 116 controls transmit circuit 112 to transmit delayed, focused transmit pulses to ultrasound probe 110 via transmit / receive selector switch 120. Energized by the transmit pulses, ultrasound probe 110 transmits an ultrasonic beam toward the target tissue area of ​​the subject. After a certain delay, it receives ultrasound echoes containing tissue information reflected from the target tissue area and reconverts these ultrasound echoes into electrical signals. Receive circuit 114 receives the converted electrical signals generated by ultrasound probe 110, obtains ultrasound echo signals, and transmits these ultrasound echo signals to beamforming module 122. Beamforming module 122 performs processing on the ultrasound echo data, including focusing delay, weighting, and channel summing, before transmitting them to processor 116. Processor 116 performs signal detection, signal enhancement, data conversion, and logarithmic compression on the ultrasound echo signals to form an ultrasound image. The ultrasound image generated by processor 116 can be displayed on display 118 or stored in memory 124.

[0059] Optionally, the processor 116 may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, and may use one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more general-purpose integrated circuits, one or more microprocessors, one or more programmable logic devices, or any combination of the foregoing circuits and / or devices, or other suitable circuits or devices. Furthermore, the processor 116 may control other components in the ultrasound imaging system 100 to execute the corresponding steps of the methods described in various embodiments of this specification.

[0060] The display 118 is connected to the processor 116 and can be a touch screen display, a liquid crystal display, or the like. Alternatively, the display 118 can be an independent display such as a liquid crystal display or a television that is independent of the ultrasound imaging system 100. Alternatively, the display 118 can be a display screen of an electronic device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer. There can be one or more displays 118 .

[0061] The display 118 can display the ultrasound image generated by the processor 116. In addition to displaying the ultrasound image, the display 118 can also provide a graphical interface for human-computer interaction. One or more controlled objects can be set on the graphical interface, allowing the user to input operating instructions using a human-computer interaction device to control these controlled objects and perform corresponding control operations. For example, icons can be displayed on the graphical interface, and the human-computer interaction device can be used to operate these icons to perform specific functions, such as drawing a region of interest on the ultrasound image.

[0062] Optionally, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include other human-computer interaction devices in addition to the display 118, which are connected to the processor 116. For example, the processor 116 may be connected to the human-computer interaction device via an external input / output port. The external input / output port may be a wireless communication module, a wired communication module, or a combination of the two. The external input / output port may also be implemented based on USB, a bus protocol such as CAN, and / or a wired network protocol.

[0063] The human-computer interaction device may include an input device for detecting user input information. The input information may be, for example, a control instruction for the timing of ultrasonic transmission / reception, an operation input instruction for drawing a point, line, or frame on an ultrasonic image, or other instruction types. The input device may include one or a combination of a keyboard, a mouse, a scroll wheel, a trackball, a mobile input device (such as a mobile device with a touch screen display, a mobile phone, etc.), a multi-function knob, etc. The human-computer interaction device may also include an output device such as a printer.

[0064] The ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a memory 124 for storing instructions executed by the processor, storing received ultrasound echoes, storing ultrasound images, and the like. The memory may be a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, a hard disk, and the like. The memory may be a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, a removable memory and / or a non-removable memory, and the like.

[0065] It should be understood that Figure 1 The components included in the ultrasound imaging system 100 are merely exemplary, and the system may include more or fewer components, which is not a limitation of the present invention.

[0066] Below, we will refer to Figure 2 A shear wave elastography method according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. The method can be implemented in the ultrasound imaging system 100 described above. Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a shear wave elastography method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, a shear wave elastography method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0068] In step S210, in response to a user operation of entering an elastic imaging mode, a display interface is provided, wherein a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface, wherein the plurality of operable operation controls at least include an operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging;

[0069] At step S220 , in response to a user operation on the operation control for starting shear wave elastography, the ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue to track the shear waves propagating in the target tissue;

[0070] In step S230, the ultrasonic echo returned by the target tissue is received to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0071] In step S240, a cooling state is entered. In the cooling state, the ultrasound probe is controlled to stop emitting the ultrasound wave, and the ultrasound echo signal is processed to generate a shear wave elastic image of the target tissue. In the cooling state, operable operation controls are provided in the display interface, and inoperable operation controls are provided in the display interface or the inoperable operation controls are hidden. The operable operation controls include at least one of the following: an operation control for performing image post-processing on the shear wave elastic image, an operation control for measuring elastic parameters based on the shear wave elastic image, and an operation control for saving the shear wave elastic image. The inoperable operation controls include at least the operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging.

[0072] The shear wave elastography method 200 of the embodiment of the present invention provides operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state of shear wave elastography, thereby enabling user interaction by utilizing the cooling time, reducing the waste of cooling time, and improving inspection efficiency.

[0073] Specifically, first, in response to a user operation of entering the elastic imaging mode, a display interface is provided, and a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface. The plurality of operable operation controls at least include an operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging.

[0074] Exemplarily, the elastic imaging mode includes shear wave elastic imaging, strain elastic imaging and transient elastic imaging. After receiving a user operation to enter the elastic imaging mode, a display interface of the elastic imaging mode is provided in response to the received user operation. In addition to the operation controls for starting shear wave elastic imaging, the display interface may also include operation controls for starting strain elastic imaging and / or transient elastic imaging.

[0075] like Figure 6 As shown, the display interface may specifically include a first display interface 610 displayed on a first display screen and a second display interface 620 displayed on a second display screen. The first display interface 610 is used to display an ultrasound image, such as a subsequently generated shear wave elasticity image, and the second display interface 620 is used to display operation controls. The second display screen 620 may be a touch screen to facilitate user touch operation of the operation controls on the second display interface 620.

[0076] When a user operation is received on an operating control for starting shear wave elastography, shear wave elastography can be performed on the target tissue in response to the received user operation. Specifically, the ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit ultrasound waves to the target tissue to track the shear waves propagating in the target tissue; and the echo of the ultrasound waves returned by the target tissue is received to obtain an ultrasound echo signal. After receiving the ultrasound echo signal, a cooling state is entered. In the cooling state, the ultrasound probe is controlled to stop transmitting the ultrasound waves, and the ultrasound echo signal is processed to generate a shear wave elastography image of the target tissue. The shear wave elastography image of the target tissue can be displayed on the first display interface.

[0077] Among them, a series of ultrasonic push pulses can be emitted to the target tissue through the ultrasonic probe to generate the propagation of shear waves in the target tissue based on the acoustic radiation force. Afterwards, the transmitting circuit excites the ultrasonic probe to emit ultrasonic waves that track the shear waves to the target tissue and receives ultrasonic echoes to obtain ultrasonic echo signals. The processor calculates elasticity measurements based on the ultrasonic echo signals, such as at least one of the shear wave velocity, Young's modulus or shear modulus. Afterwards, a shear wave elasticity image is generated based on the distribution of the elasticity measurements. In the shear wave elasticity image, the elasticity measurements can be represented by different colors, grayscales or filling methods. For example, pseudo-color mapping can be performed based on the elasticity measurements and superimposed on the region of interest frame of the tissue structure image, that is, a shear wave elasticity image of the region of interest can be formed.

[0078] For example, the following method can be used to calculate elasticity measurements: the displacement of a point on the shear wave propagation path is calculated based on the received ultrasonic echo signal. When the displacement of the point is the largest, it is considered that the shear wave has reached the point. The propagation path or propagation trajectory of the shear wave can be located by the time it takes for the shear wave to arrive at each point, so that a shear wave trajectory diagram can be drawn. The slope of each point on the shear wave propagation path can be obtained based on the shear wave trajectory line, and the slope is the shear wave velocity. According to the relationship between the shear wave velocity and Young's modulus and shear modulus, after obtaining the shear wave velocity, other elasticity measurements can be further calculated, such as Young's modulus, shear modulus, etc.

[0079] In one embodiment, the shear wave elastography is single-shot triggered shear wave elastography, that is, the shear wave elastography image generated in response to a user operation on an operating control for starting shear wave elastography is a single-frame shear wave elastography image. Since single-shot triggered shear wave elastography only needs to generate one frame of shear wave elastography image each time, the emission energy of the ultrasound wave is higher than that of real-time shear wave elastography, thereby improving the image quality. Due to the high emission energy, in order to meet the requirements of human body safety detection, a cooling state needs to be maintained for a long period of time after each single-shot triggered shear wave elastography. Compared with real-time shear wave elastography, the cooling state of single-shot triggered shear wave elastography is longer, and the impact on inspection efficiency is more obvious.

[0080] like Figure 3 As shown in workflow A, in the normal cooling state, the ultrasound probe acquires the ultrasound echo signals required for a shear wave elasticity image. The cooling state then processes these echo signals to generate the shear wave elasticity image. At this point, all control elements in the display interface are disabled. Only after the cooling state ends do the control elements become enabled again, allowing user interaction.

[0081] In comparison, Figure 3 As shown in Workflow B in Figure 1, this embodiment of the present invention sets only some control elements to an inoperable state during the cooling state, while maintaining others in an operable state. This allows for user interaction during the cooling state, reducing the time wasted during the cooling state. This significantly improves examination efficiency for single-shot shear wave elastography, which has a long cooling time.

[0082] In another embodiment, the shear wave elastography is three-dimensional. During the imaging process, an ultrasound probe sequentially transmits ultrasound waves toward multiple imaging slices of the target tissue to obtain ultrasound echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging slices. Three-dimensional image processing is then performed based on the ultrasound echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging slices to obtain a three-dimensional shear wave elastography image.

[0083] In this embodiment, the array element columns can be controlled to move in the ultrasonic probe by a motion control mechanism, and ultrasonic waves are emitted and ultrasonic echo signals are received during the movement, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to different sections. Alternatively, multiple array element columns in the ultrasonic probe can be controlled to be turned on in sequence to emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echo signals, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to different sections. Alternatively, the user can hold the ultrasonic probe and freely scan multiple sections to obtain ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to multiple sections. After obtaining the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to the multiple sections, multiple frames of two-dimensional shear wave elastic images corresponding to the multiple sections can be generated based on the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to the multiple sections, and the three-dimensional spatial relationship of the multiple frames of two-dimensional shear wave elastic images can be integrated, and some or all of the image post-processing steps such as denoising, smoothing, and enhancement can be performed to obtain a three-dimensional shear wave elastic image.

[0084] In the above-mentioned three-dimensional shear wave elastic imaging mode, since multiple frames of two-dimensional shear wave elastic images need to be continuously acquired and reconstructed in a short period of time, a longer cooling state needs to be set after the acquisition is completed, and the inspection takes a longer time.

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown in workflow A, in the normal cooling state, the ultrasound probe acquires the ultrasonic echo signals required for multiple frames of shear wave elasticity images for 3D reconstruction. The cooling state then processes these echo signals to generate 3D shear wave elasticity images. At this point, all control elements in the display interface are disabled. Only after the cooling state ends do the control elements become enabled again, allowing user interaction.

[0086] In comparison, Figure 4 As shown in Workflow B in Figure 1, this embodiment of the present invention disables only some control elements in the cooling state while maintaining others in an operable state. This allows for user interaction during the cooling state, reducing the time wasted during the cooling state. This significantly improves examination efficiency for 3D shear wave elastography, which requires a long cooling time.

[0087] In another example, Figure 5 As shown, because the embodiments of the present invention allow user operations during the cooling time, more ultrasound echo signal acquisitions can be performed before entering the cooling state, while maintaining the total imaging time. In 3D shear wave elastography, more ultrasound echo signal acquisitions result in better 3D reconstruction. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention can also improve the imaging quality of 3D shear wave elastography.

[0088] In the cooling state, the operable operation controls provided in the display interface include at least one of the following: an operation control for image post-processing of the shear wave elastic image, an operation control for elastic parameter measurement based on the shear wave elastic image, and an operation control for saving the shear wave elastic image. Among them, the operation control for image post-processing of the shear wave elastic image includes an operation control for gear adjustment optimization of the shear wave elastic image, which can be used to adjust the map and proportion, etc. The operation control for elastic parameter measurement based on the shear wave elastic image is used to measure the elastic parameters of the target area in the shear wave elastic image, such as the maximum value, minimum value, average value, etc. of the elastic measurement value in the target area. The operation control for saving the shear wave elastic image is used to save the currently displayed shear wave elastic image to the memory of the ultrasonic imaging system. The user can operate the operable operation control in the cooling state, and the ultrasonic imaging system performs image post-processing, measurement, saving and other functions corresponding to the operable operation control in response to the user operation on the operable operation control.

[0089] In the cooling state, inoperable controls include at least the control for initiating shear wave elastography. By disabling the control for initiating shear wave elastography, users are prevented from initiating the next shear wave elastography session during the cooling period, ensuring human safety. Furthermore, inoperable controls also include other controls related to transmitting ultrasound waves, such as those for switching imaging modes.

[0090] For example, for single-shot triggered shear wave elastic imaging, the time required to generate a frame of shear wave elastic image is less than the time in the cooling state. For example, the cooling time is 1 to 2 minutes, and it takes 4 to 5 seconds to generate a frame of shear wave elastic image. Since the operable operating controls mainly include operating controls for post-processing, measuring, and saving the currently generated shear wave elastic imaging, the above-mentioned operating controls can be set to an operable state after the shear wave elastic image is generated and displayed, and the above-mentioned operating controls can be set to an inoperable state before the signal processing of the ultrasonic echo is completed. Alternatively, since the time required to generate a frame of shear wave elastic image is short, the above-mentioned operating controls can also be set to an operable state during the entire cooling state, and the corresponding functions can be executed after the shear wave elastic image is generated.

[0091] For three-dimensional shear wave elasticity imaging, since the rendering mode and the like need to be set before three-dimensional image processing is performed, a first operable operation control can be provided in the display interface before the three-dimensional image processing is completed, and a second operable operation control can be provided in the display interface after the three-dimensional image processing is completed, and the first operation control and the second operation control correspond to different functions. Among them, the first operation control includes an operation control for determining the rendering mode of the three-dimensional image processing, and the rendering mode includes the two-dimensional shear wave elasticity image for rendering, rendering parameters, and a display mode that affects the rendering mode, etc., wherein the display mode may include displaying the two-dimensional shear wave elasticity image corresponding to the sagittal plane, coronal plane and cross-section of the target tissue, displaying a two-dimensional tomographic image, or displaying a rendered image obtained by surface rendering or volume rendering, etc. The second operation control includes an operation control for performing image post-processing on the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image, and the second operation control may also include an operation control for measuring elastic parameters based on the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image, an operation control for saving the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image, etc.

[0092] In some embodiments, the number and type of operating controls remain unchanged before and after entering the cooling state, the difference being that after entering the cooling state, some of the operating controls are set to an inoperable state, making them inoperable operating controls. Specifically, in response to a user operation to enter the elastic imaging mode, a display interface is provided, multiple operating controls are displayed in the display interface, and the multiple operating controls are set to an operable state; in the cooling state, a first operating control among the multiple operating controls is set to an operable state in the display interface, i.e., the first operating control is an operable operating control; and a second operating control among the multiple operating controls is set to an inoperable state or is hidden in the display interface, i.e., the second operating control is an inoperable operating control.

[0093] like Figure 6 As shown, the method of disabling the inoperable operation control may include distinguishing the operable operation control 621 from the inoperable operation control 622 in the display interface. For example, the operable operation control 621 and the inoperable operation control 622 may be displayed in different colors, or a logo representing inoperability may be displayed on the inoperable operation control 622. Alternatively, the method of disabling the inoperable operation control may also include hiding the inoperable operation control, such as hiding the operation control for starting shear wave elastography in the cooling state, to avoid user misoperation.

[0094] In one example, continue with Figure 6, an indicator 623 reflecting the progress of the cooling state can be displayed on the inoperable operation control 622. This indicator 623 can be displayed in the form of a clock, with the clock pointer changing over time. When the cooling state ends, the clock disappears and the inoperable operation control 622 becomes operable again. This can not only prevent the user from operating the inoperable operation control 622, but also inform the user of the remaining time in the cooling state. The indicator 623 reflecting the progress of the cooling state can also be in the form of a digital countdown or other forms.

[0095] In some embodiments, in the cooling state, in order to remind the user that the cooling state is currently in progress, progress information reflecting the cooling state can also be displayed in real time in the display interface. The progress information reflecting the cooling state can include a countdown indicating the remaining cooling time, and the countdown can accurately remind the user of the current remaining cooling time. Alternatively, the progress information reflecting the cooling state can include a progress bar indicating the remaining cooling time, and the progress bar can intuitively display the progress of the cooling state, helping the user to better understand the progress of the cooling state. For example, Figure 6 As shown, progress information 611 reflecting the cooling status may be displayed in the first display interface 610 .

[0096] After the cooling state is maintained for a certain period of time, the cooling state can be ended to allow the user to perform the next shear wave elastography. For example, the duration of the cooling state can be a preset fixed duration, or a duration set according to the energy of the ultrasound. After the cooling state is ended, the inoperable operating control is reset to an operable state. For example, the operating control for starting shear wave elastography can be reset to an operable state, and the ultrasound imaging system generates the next frame of shear wave elastography in response to the operating control for starting shear wave elastography.

[0097] In summary, the shear wave elastography method 200 of an embodiment of the present invention provides operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state of shear wave elastography, thereby enabling user interaction using the cooling time, reducing the waste of cooling time, and improving inspection efficiency.

[0098] An embodiment of the present invention further provides an ultrasound imaging system for implementing the above-mentioned shear wave elastography method 200. Referring to Figure 1, the ultrasound imaging system 100 includes an ultrasound probe 110, a transmitting circuit 112, a receiving circuit 114, a processor 116, and a display 118. Optionally, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming module 122. The transmitting circuit 112 and the receiving circuit 114 may be connected to the ultrasound probe 110 via the transmit / receive selection switch 120.

[0099] Among them, the ultrasonic probe 110 includes multiple array elements; the transmitting circuit 11 is used to excite the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue; the receiving circuit 114 is used to control the ultrasonic probe to receive the echo of the ultrasonic wave to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; the processor 116 is used to execute the steps of the shear wave elasticity imaging method 200, obtain a shear wave elasticity image, and generate a display interface; the display 118 is used to display the shear wave elasticity image generated by the processor 116 and output the display interface.

[0100] The above only describes the main functions of the components of the ultrasound imaging system 100. The detailed functions of the components of the ultrasound imaging system 100 can be found above and will not be described in detail here.

[0101] The ultrasound imaging system 100 of the embodiment of the present invention provides operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state of shear wave elastography, thereby enabling user interaction by utilizing the cooling time, reducing the waste of cooling time, and improving inspection efficiency.

[0102] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0103] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0104] In the several embodiments provided by the present invention, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units described is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not implemented.

[0105] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are described. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0106] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this approach to the present invention should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed invention requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. More precisely, as reflected in the corresponding claims, the inventive point is that the corresponding technical problem can be solved with fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim itself serving as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, except where mutually exclusive, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus disclosed herein may be combined in any combination. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature providing the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0108] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention and to form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0109] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as a device program (e.g., a computer program and a computer program product) for executing a part or all of the methods described herein. Such a program implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can have the form of one or more signals. Such a signal can be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0110] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between brackets should not be construed as limiting the claims. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third etc. does not indicate any order. These words may be interpreted as names.

[0111] The foregoing description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention or an illustration of a specific embodiment. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be readily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention are intended to be encompassed by the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A shear wave elastography method, characterized in that: The method comprises: providing a display interface in response to a user operation of entering an elastic imaging mode, wherein a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface, the plurality of operable operation controls at least including an operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging; In response to a user operation on the operation control for starting shear wave elastography, controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit ultrasound waves toward a target tissue to track shear waves propagating in the target tissue; receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave returned by the target tissue to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; Entering a cooling state, in which the ultrasonic probe is controlled to stop emitting the ultrasonic wave, and the ultrasonic echo signal is processed to generate a shear wave elastic image of the target tissue, In the cooling state, operable operation controls are provided in the display interface, and inoperable operation controls are provided in the display interface or the inoperable operation controls are hidden, the operable operation controls include at least one of the following: an operation control for performing image post-processing on the shear wave elastic image, an operation control for measuring elastic parameters based on the shear wave elastic image, and an operation control for saving the shear wave elastic image, and the inoperable operation controls include at least the operation control for starting shear wave elastic imaging.

2. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: In the cooling state, progress information reflecting the cooling state is displayed in real time on the display interface.

3. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: When an inoperable operation control is provided in the display interface, the method further includes displaying the operable operation control and the inoperable operation control separately.

4. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: Distinguishing the operable operation controls from the inoperable operation controls includes: An indicator reflecting the progress of the cooling state is displayed on the inoperable operation control.

5. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: The display interface includes a first display interface displayed on a first display screen and a second display interface displayed on a second display screen, the first display interface is used to display the shear wave elasticity image, and the second display interface is used to display the operation control.

6. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second display screen is a touch screen.

7. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first display interface is further configured to display progress information reflecting the cooling status.

8. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 2 or 7, characterized in that: The progress information reflecting the cooling state includes: A countdown indicating the remaining cooldown time, or a progress bar indicating the remaining cooldown time.

9. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: The method provides a display interface in response to a user operation of entering the elastic imaging mode, wherein a plurality of operable operation controls are displayed in the display interface, including: providing a display interface in response to a user operation of entering an elastic imaging mode, displaying a plurality of operation controls in the display interface, and setting the plurality of operation controls to an operable state; The providing operable operation controls in the display interface in the cooling state, and providing inoperable operation controls in the display interface or hiding the inoperable operation controls, includes: In the cooling state, a first operation control among the multiple operation controls is set to an operable state in the display interface, and a second operation control among the multiple operation controls is set to an inoperable state or is hidden in the display interface.

10. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: The shear wave elasticity image generated in response to the user operation of the operation control for starting shear wave elasticity imaging is a single-frame shear wave elasticity image.

11. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shear wave elasticity image is a three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image, and the ultrasound probe sequentially transmits the ultrasound waves to multiple imaging sections of the target tissue to obtain echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging sections; Generating the shear wave elasticity image of the target tissue according to the ultrasonic echo signal includes: performing three-dimensional image processing according to the echo signals corresponding to the multiple imaging sections to obtain the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image.

12. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 11, characterized in that: Providing operable operation controls in the display interface includes: providing a first operable operation control in the display interface before completing the three-dimensional image processing, and providing a second operable operation control in the display interface after completing the three-dimensional image processing, wherein the first operation control and the second operation control correspond to different functions.

13. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 12, wherein: The first operation control includes an operation control for determining a rendering mode for the three-dimensional image processing, and the second operation control includes an operation control for performing image post-processing on the three-dimensional shear wave elasticity image.

14. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: In the cooling state, in response to a user operation on the operable operation control, a function corresponding to the operable operation control is executed.

15. The shear wave elastography method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: After the cooling state ends, the inoperable operating control is reset to an operable state.

16. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: include: Ultrasound probe; a transmitting circuit, configured to stimulate the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the target tissue, so as to track the shear waves propagating in the target tissue; a receiving circuit, configured to control the ultrasonic probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned by the target tissue to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; a processor, configured to generate a shear wave elasticity image of the target tissue based on the echo signal, the processor being further configured to execute the steps of the ultrasonic imaging method according to any one of claims 1 to 15; A display is used to display the shear wave elasticity image.

Images