An ultrasonic imaging device, a pulse wave imaging method

Abstract

Disclosed are an ultrasonic imaging device and a pulse wave imaging method. The method comprises: acquiring ultrasonic data of a target object for at least one cardiac cycle, wherein the ultrasonic data is data obtained after beam synthesis of ultrasonic echoes obtained by taking a blood vessel of the target object as a detection object; obtaining a pulsation parameter reflecting pulsation of a blood vessel wall of the blood vessel in a radial direction according to the ultrasonic data; and visually expressing the pulsation parameter along the radial direction of the blood vessel, thereby generating a pulse wave pulsation state diagram. An ultrasonic physician can visually see pulsation of each point on the blood vessel wall, i.e., propagation of a pulse wave, through the pulse wave pulsation state diagram.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of medical devices, in particular to an ultrasonic imaging device and a pulse wave imaging method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The blood vessel pulse wave detection technology is an important means for clinical blood vessel detection. The pulse wave is a pulse mechanical wave along the radial direction and propagating along the axial direction generated by the heart pumping blood on the blood vessel wall. The pulse wave specifically shows two blood vessel expansions respectively generated when the left ventricle starts pumping blood and when the pumping ends. The two expansions correspond to the pulse waves at the beginning of systole (BS) and the end of systole (ES), respectively, and the pulse wave propagates along the artery from the proximal end to the distal end. The existing blood vessel pulse wave detection technology displays the propagation velocity (PWV) of the pulse wave through the display after detecting the propagation velocity of the pulse wave. However, the medical staff can only obtain the propagation velocity of the pulse wave and the ultrasonic B image, and cannot well associate the structure of the blood vessel wall with the pulsation parameters, nor can effectively show the dynamic process of the pulse wave propagation. Therefore, the existing expression method is not intuitive enough, which is easy to cause confusion of the medical staff. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application mainly provides an ultrasonic imaging device and a pulse wave imaging method to intuitively reflect the propagation state of the pulse wave.

[0004] An embodiment provides a pulse wave imaging method, comprising:

[0005] acquiring ultrasonic data of at least one cardiac cycle of a target object, wherein the ultrasonic data is data obtained after beam synthesis of ultrasonic echoes obtained by taking the blood vessel of the target object as a detection object;

[0006] generating an ultrasonic image containing the blood vessel according to the ultrasonic data;

[0007] obtaining pulsation parameters reflected by a pulse wave pulsating along the radial direction of the blood vessel on the blood vessel wall according to the ultrasonic data;

[0008] visualizing the pulsation parameters along the radial direction of the blood vessel, thereby generating a pulse wave pulsation state image;

[0009] superimposing and displaying the pulse wave pulsation state image and the ultrasonic image, or displaying the pulse wave pulsation state image and the ultrasonic image in different regions.

[0010] An embodiment provides a pulse wave imaging method, comprising:

[0011] acquiring ultrasonic data of a target object, wherein the ultrasonic data is data obtained by taking the blood vessel of the target object as a detection object;

[0012] an oscillation parameter reflecting pulsation of a vessel wall of the blood vessel in a radial direction of the blood vessel is obtained according to the ultrasound data;

[0013] a pulsation state map of the pulse wave is generated by visualizing the oscillation parameter in the radial direction of the blood vessel.

[0014] An embodiment provides a pulse wave imaging method, comprising:

[0015] ultrasound waves are emitted to a blood vessel of a target object according to a preset imaging mode;

[0016] ultrasound echoes based on the ultrasound waves are received to obtain an echo signal;

[0017] the echo signal is processed to obtain preset ultrasound data;

[0018] an oscillation parameter reflecting pulsation of a pulse wave on a vessel wall in a radial direction of the blood vessel is obtained according to the preset ultrasound data;

[0019] a pulsation state map of the pulse wave is generated by visualizing the oscillation parameter in the radial direction of the blood vessel.

[0020] An embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

[0021] an ultrasound probe configured to emit ultrasound waves to a target object and receive echoes of the ultrasound waves to obtain an echo signal;

[0022] a processor configured to execute a program to implement the method as described above.

[0023] An embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

[0024] a memory configured to store a program;

[0025] a processor configured to execute the program stored in the memory to implement the method as described above.

[0026] An embodiment provides a computer readable storage medium comprising a program, the program being executable by a processor to implement the method as described above.

[0027] According to the ultrasound imaging device and the pulse wave imaging method of the above embodiments, ultrasound data of a target object is obtained, wherein the ultrasound data is obtained by taking a blood vessel of the target object as a detection object; an oscillation parameter reflecting pulsation of a vessel wall of the blood vessel in a radial direction of the blood vessel is obtained according to the ultrasound data; and a pulsation state map of the pulse wave is generated by visualizing the oscillation parameter in the radial direction of the blood vessel. An ultrasound doctor can intuitively see pulsation of each point on the vessel wall, i.e., propagation of the pulse wave, through the pulsation state map of the pulse wave. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 schematic diagram of pulse wave propagation;

[0029] Figure 2 schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 3 flowchart of a pulse wave imaging method according to an embodiment;

[0031] Figure 4 flowchart of a pulse wave imaging method according to an embodiment;

[0032] Figure 5a schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a plane wave mode in an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment;

[0033] Figure 5b schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment; Figure 5a schematic diagram of the reconstructed image by beamforming after scanning in the sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment;

[0034] Figure 6a schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a traditional focused wave mode in an existing ultrasound imaging device;

[0035] Figure 6b schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment; Figure 6a schematic diagram of the reconstructed image by traditional beamforming after scanning in the sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment;

[0036] Figure 7a schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a wide focused wave mode in an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment;

[0037] Figure 7b schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment; Figure 7a schematic diagram of the reconstructed image by beamforming after scanning in the sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment;

[0038] Figure 8a schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a wide focused wave mode in an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment;

[0039] Figure 8b schematic diagram of the ultrasound probe scanning in a sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment; Figure 8a schematic diagram of the reconstructed image by beamforming after scanning in the sparse focused wave mode according to an embodiment;

[0040] Figure 9 ultrasound B-mode image of a blood vessel;

[0041] Figure 10 schematic diagram of the ultrasound images of two adjacent frames of blood vessels in an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment;

[0042] Figure 11The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a curve of blood vessel diameter changing over time;

[0043] Figure 12 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at a time;

[0044] Figure 13 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at another time;

[0045] Figure 14 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at another time; Figure 1 ;

[0046] Figure 15 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at another time; Figure 2 ;

[0047] Figure 16 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at another time;

[0048] Figure 17 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at a time;

[0049] Figure 18 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at a time;

[0050] Figure 19 The ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment includes a schematic diagram of a pulse wave pulsation state map and an ultrasound image superimposed to show blood vessel wall pulsation parameters at a time; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0052] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are only for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a necessary order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0053] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0054] Vascular pulse wave imaging is an important tool for the clinical detection of arteriosclerosis. For example... Figure 1 As shown, a pulse wave is a radially pulsating, axially propagating mechanical wave generated by the heart's pumping action on the blood vessel wall. Specifically, the pulse wave manifests as two vasodilations: one at the start of systole (BS) and the other at the end of systole (ES). These two vasodilations correspond to the pulse wave during the early systolic phase (BS) and late systolic phase (ES), respectively, and the pulse wave propagates along the artery from the proximal to the distal end. The propagation velocity (PWV) has been shown to be positively correlated with the stiffness of the arterial wall. The velocities of the two pulse waves are recorded and provided to clinicians to assess the degree of arteriosclerosis.

[0055] This application generates a dynamically displayed pulse wave pulsation state diagram, which intuitively reflects the propagation status of the pulse wave; in optional embodiments, it is supplemented with ultrasound images of blood vessels (e.g., ultrasound B-mode), which can not only effectively correlate the structure and pulsation of the blood vessel wall, but also intuitively reflect the propagation status of the pulse wave. The following is a detailed description with reference to embodiments.

[0056] likeFigure 2 As shown, the ultrasound imaging device provided by the present application comprises an ultrasound probe 30, a transmitting / receiving circuit 40 (i.e. a transmitting circuit 410 and a receiving circuit 420), a beamforming module 50, a processor 20, a human-computer interaction device 70 and a memory 80.

[0057] The ultrasound probe 30 comprises a transducer (not shown in the figure) composed of a plurality of array elements arranged in an array, which forms a linear array, or arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, which forms a planar array, or arranged in a convex array. The array elements are used to transmit an ultrasound beam according to an excitation electrical signal, or to transform a received ultrasound beam into an electrical signal. Therefore, each array element can be used to realize the mutual conversion between an electrical pulse signal and an ultrasound beam, so as to realize the transmission of an ultrasound beam to an object to be imaged (for example, an arterial blood vessel in the embodiment), and can also be used to receive the echo of the ultrasound beam reflected by the tissue. When performing ultrasound detection, the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420 can be used to control which array elements are used to transmit an ultrasound beam, which array elements are used to receive an ultrasound beam, or control the array elements to be used for transmitting an ultrasound beam or receiving the echo of an ultrasound beam in time slots. The array elements participating in the transmission of an ultrasound beam can be excited by an electrical signal at the same time, so as to transmit an ultrasound beam at the same time; or the array elements participating in the transmission of an ultrasound beam can also be excited by a plurality of electrical signals with a certain time interval, so as to continuously transmit an ultrasound beam with a certain time interval.

[0058] The array elements, for example, adopt piezoelectric crystals, and convert an electrical signal into an ultrasound signal according to a transmission sequence transmitted by the transmitting circuit 410. According to the use, the ultrasound signal can include one or more scanning pulses, one or more reference pulses, one or more push pulses and / or one or more Doppler pulses. According to the shape of the wave, the ultrasound signal includes a focused wave and a plane wave.

[0059] The user selects a suitable position and angle by moving the ultrasound probe 30 to transmit an ultrasound wave to the object to be imaged 10 and receive the echo of the ultrasound wave returned by the object to be imaged 10, and outputs an ultrasound echo signal, which is a channel analog electrical signal formed by taking the receiving array element as a channel, and carries amplitude information, frequency information and time information.

[0060] The transmit circuit 410 is configured to generate a transmit sequence according to the control of the processor 20, the transmit sequence being used to control a part or all of the plurality of array elements to emit ultrasound waves to the biological tissue, the transmit sequence parameters including the array element positions for transmission, the number of array elements, and the ultrasound beam transmission parameters (e.g., amplitude, frequency, number of transmissions, transmission interval, transmission angle, wave type, focus position, etc.). In some cases, the transmit circuit 410 is also configured to perform phase delay on the transmitted beams, so that different array elements emit ultrasound waves at different times, so that each transmitted ultrasound beam can be focused in a predetermined region of interest. Different operating modes, such as B image mode, C image mode, and D image mode (Doppler mode), can have different transmit sequence parameters. After the echo signals are received by the receive circuit 420 and processed by subsequent modules and corresponding algorithms, B images reflecting the anatomical structure of the tissue, C images reflecting the anatomical structure of the tissue and blood flow information, and D images reflecting Doppler spectrum images can be generated.

[0061] The receive circuit 420 is configured to receive and process the ultrasound echo signals from the ultrasound probe 30. The receive circuit 420 can include one or more amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), etc. The amplifiers are configured to amplify the received echo signals after appropriate gain compensation, and are configured to sample the analog echo signals at predetermined time intervals, thereby converting them into digitized signals that still retain amplitude information, frequency information, and phase information. The data output by the receive circuit 420 can be output to the beamforming module 50 for processing, or to the memory 80 for storage.

[0062] The beamforming module 50 is connected to the receive circuit 420 and is configured to perform corresponding delay and weighted summation on the echo signals. Because the distances from the ultrasound reception points in the measured tissue to the receiving array elements are different, the channel data of the same reception point output by different receiving array elements have a delay difference, and need to be delayed, phase-aligned, and weighted summed to obtain the beamformed ultrasound image data. The ultrasound image data output by the beamforming module 50 is also referred to as radio frequency data (RF data). The beamforming module 50 outputs the RF data to the processor 20 for image processing. In some embodiments, the beamforming module 50 can also output the RF data to the memory 80 for buffering or saving.

[0063] The beamforming module 50 can perform the above functions in the manner of hardware, firmware or software. For example, the beamforming module 50 can include a central controller circuit (CPU) capable of processing input data according to specific logical instructions, one or more microprocessor chips or any other electronic component. When the beamforming module 50 is implemented in the manner of software, it can execute instructions stored in a tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium (e.g., a memory) to perform beamforming calculation using any appropriate beamforming method. The beamforming module 50 can be integrated in the processor 20 or separately arranged, which is an equivalent replacement and is not limited in the present application.

[0064] The processor 20 is configured to be a central controller circuit (CPU) capable of processing input data according to specific logical instructions, one or more microprocessors, a graphics controller circuit (GPU) or any other electronic component. It can perform control on peripheral electronic components according to input instructions or predetermined instructions, or perform data reading and / or saving on the memory 80, or process input data by executing programs in the memory 80, such as performing one or more processing operations on collected ultrasonic data according to one or more working modes. The processing operations include but are not limited to adjusting or limiting the form of ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic probe 30, generating various image frames for subsequent display on the display of the human-computer interaction device 70, or adjusting or limiting the content and form displayed on the display, or adjusting one or more image display settings (such as ultrasonic images, interface components, positioning of regions of interest) displayed on the display.

[0065] When the echo signal is received, the collected ultrasonic data can be processed by the processor 20 in real time during scanning or treatment, or temporarily stored on the memory 80 and processed in quasi-real time in online or offline operation.

[0066] In the embodiment, the processor 20 controls the operation of the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420, such as controlling the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420 to work alternately or simultaneously. The processor 20 can also determine the appropriate working mode according to the user's selection or the program's setting, form a transmission sequence corresponding to the current working mode, and send the transmission sequence to the transmitting circuit 410, so that the transmitting circuit 410 controls the ultrasonic probe 30 to emit ultrasonic waves by using the appropriate transmission sequence.

[0067] The processor 20 is also used to process the ultrasonic data to generate a gray-scale image of signal intensity variation in the scanning range, which reflects the internal anatomical structure of the tissue, referred to as a B image. The processor 20 can output the B image to the display of the human-computer interaction device 70 for display.

[0068] The human-computer interaction device 70 is used for human-computer interaction, i.e., receiving input of a user and outputting visualized information; the input of the user can be received by using a keyboard, an operation button, a mouse, a trackball, etc., or a touch screen integrated with a display; and the visualized information can be output by using a display.

[0069] Based on Figure 2 The ultrasonic imaging device shown in the figure, the pulse wave imaging procedure shown in the figure mainly includes the following steps: Figure 3 The ultrasonic imaging device shown in the figure, the pulse wave imaging procedure shown in the figure mainly includes the following steps:

[0070] Step 1', the processor 20 acquires ultrasonic data of a target object, the time covered by the ultrasonic data is determined according to the requirement of a user, and the processor 20 acquires ultrasonic data of at least one cardiac cycle of the target object in this embodiment, wherein the ultrasonic data is obtained by taking a blood vessel of the target object as a detection object; in this embodiment, the ultrasonic data is data obtained by taking a blood vessel of the target object as a detection object after beam synthesis of ultrasonic echoes.

[0071] Step 3', the processor 20 obtains a pulsation parameter reflecting pulsation of a blood vessel wall of a blood vessel in a radial direction according to the ultrasonic data.

[0072] Step 4', the processor 20 visually expresses the pulsation parameter along the radial direction of the blood vessel, thereby generating a pulse wave pulsation state map.

[0073] The ultrasonic physician can intuitively see pulsation of each point on the blood vessel wall, i.e., propagation of the pulse wave, through the pulse wave pulsation state map. Of course, the present application is not limited to this, and on the basis of the embodiment shown in the figure, a more detailed embodiment is provided, as shown in the figure. Figure 3 Figure 4 The ultrasonic imaging device shown in the figure, the pulse wave imaging procedure shown in the figure mainly includes the following steps:

[0074] Figure 4 The ultrasonic imaging device shown in the figure, the pulse wave imaging procedure shown in the figure mainly includes the following steps:

[0075] ​Step 1, the processor 20 acquires the ultrasound data of the target object for at least one cardiac cycle. Specifically, the processor 20 controls the ultrasound probe 30 through the transmitting / receiving circuit 40, so that the ultrasound probe 30 transmits ultrasound waves to the target object and receives the echoes of the ultrasound waves in the scanning time, and obtains the echo signals. For example, the ultrasound probe 30 transmits ultrasound waves to the target object and receives the echoes of the ultrasound waves under the control of the scanning, and obtains the ultrasound echo signals. The scanning frame rate in the present application is 1000Hz or more than 1000Hz, and the specific value can be set as needed. When a lower scanning frame rate is used, the upper limit of the pulse wave propagation speed that can be detected by pulse wave imaging will be limited, and at the same time it may affect the accuracy. The present application uses a relatively ideal high scanning frame rate for scanning, and the accuracy of calculating parameters such as pulsation parameters and pulse wave propagation speed is higher. The scanning time is not less than one cardiac cycle (about 0.6-1s), and less than one cardiac cycle cannot guarantee that the pulse wave is detected. The usual scanning time lasts for multiple cardiac cycles in order to facilitate the subsequent observation of the ultrasound doctor; the usual target object is the neck or the abdomen, and the blood vessel of the target object is the carotid artery or the abdominal aorta.

[0076] After that, the processor 20 at least performs beamforming processing on the ultrasound echo signals to obtain the ultrasound data of the blood vessel of the target object in a predetermined time period. Wherein at least performing beamforming processing on the ultrasound echo signals can include signal processing links such as analog signal gain compensation, beamforming, digital signal gain compensation, amplitude calculation, image enhancement. Specifically, the echo signals are pre-filtered and amplified (i.e. gain compensation) by an analog circuit, and then converted into digital signals by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and the channel data after analog-to-digital conversion is further processed to form scan line data. The data processing performed before this can be collectively referred to as front-end processing. The data obtained after this stage, i.e. the ultrasound echo signals output by the beamforming module 50, can be referred to as radio frequency signal data, i.e. RF data. After obtaining the RF data, the signal carrier is removed by IQ demodulation, the tissue structure information contained in the signal is extracted, and the noise is removed by filtering. At this time, the signal obtained is the baseband signal (IQ data). All processing required from radio frequency signal processing to baseband signal can be collectively referred to as middle-end processing. Finally, the intensity of the baseband signal or the RF data is calculated, and the gray level is compressed and converted by logarithm, and the ultrasound image is obtained. The processing completed at this time can be collectively referred to as back-end processing.

[0077] The ultrasound data in this application is data processed by beamforming based on echo signals. In other words, the ultrasound data can be data generated at any stage after the beamforming stage in the aforementioned signal processing steps. For example, the ultrasound data can be data after beamforming, such as the ultrasound echo signal output by the beamforming module 50, or data after IQ demodulation, or ultrasound image data obtained through further processing of the beamformed data or the IQ demodulated data.

[0078] Of course, in an optional embodiment, the processor 20 can also directly obtain ultrasound data from the memory 80, which will not be elaborated here.

[0079] Furthermore, in order to improve the scanning frame rate of the ultrasound probe 30 in the above steps, any of the following methods can be used.

[0080] Method 1: The ultrasound probe 30 emits unfocused ultrasound waves towards the target object at a preset scanning frame rate. The scanning area of ​​a single emission of unfocused ultrasound waves covers the designated examination area of ​​the blood vessel. Unfocused ultrasound waves include planar ultrasound waves or diverging ultrasound waves. Taking planar ultrasound waves as an example, the ultrasound probe 30 uses a planar wave mode for scanning, such as... Figure 5a As shown, the arrows represent ultrasound echoes. The ultrasound probe 30 emits plane waves covering the entire target area a (i.e., the vascular region of the target object) and receives the echo data. Figure 5b As shown, beamforming module 50 performs beamforming to reconstruct the image b of the entire target area. Method one, at the cost of reduced image quality, allows for a single transmission and reception to complete a full area scan, thereby increasing the scan frame rate.

[0081] like Figure 6a As shown, in existing technologies, ultrasound probes use a traditional focused wave mode to emit focused ultrasound waves a predetermined number of times for focused imaging towards the target object. For example, they emit concentrated focused waves (100-200 beams) to cover the entire target area and receive the echo signals. The entire target area is then reconstructed using beamforming. Figure 6b This application improves upon this method to increase the scanning frame rate. The ultrasound probe 30 of this application emits multiple focused ultrasound waves towards the target object at a preset scanning frame rate. The number of times the multiple focused ultrasound waves are emitted is lower than the preset number of times for focused imaging, and the scanning area of ​​the multiple focused ultrasound waves covers the designated examination area of ​​the blood vessel. See Methods Two and Three below for details.

[0082] Method 2: The ultrasound probe 30 uses a sparse focused wave mode for scanning, such as... Figure 7aAs shown, the arrows represent the ultrasound echoes, and the ultrasound probe 30 transmits a wide focus wave to cover the whole target region a and receives the echo signals based on the traditional focus wave scanning mode, and the scanning frame rate is improved by reducing the number of transmissions (e.g. 10-20 times). Since the echo data mainly comes from the region covered by the focus wave, the beamforming only reconstructs the image information in the region covered by the two focus beams. Figure 7b As shown, the arrows represent the ultrasound echoes, and the ultrasound probe 30 transmits a wide focus wave to cover the whole target region a and receives the echo signals based on the traditional focus wave scanning mode, and the scanning frame rate is improved by reducing the number of transmissions (e.g. 10-20 times). Since the echo data mainly comes from the region covered by the focus wave, the beamforming only reconstructs the image information in the region covered by the two focus beams.

[0083] Mode three: the ultrasound probe 30 scans in the wide focus wave mode, transmits at least one wide focus ultrasound wave to the target object at a preset scanning frame rate, and the scanning region of the at least one wide focus ultrasound wave covers the designated examination region of the blood vessel. As shown, Figure 8a As shown, the arrows represent the ultrasound echoes, and the ultrasound probe 30 transmits a wide focus wave to cover the whole target region a and receives the echo signals based on the traditional focus wave scanning mode, and the scanning frame rate is improved by reducing the number of transmissions (e.g. 10-20 times). Since the echo data mainly comes from the region covered by the focus wave, the beamforming only reconstructs the image information in the region covered by the two focus beams.

[0084] Step 2: the processor 20 generates an ultrasound image containing the blood vessel based on the ultrasound data for subsequent processing; in this embodiment, the processor 20 generates an ultrasound image containing the axially arranged blood vessel based on the ultrasound data, that is, the doctor can see the blood vessel arranged in the shape of “I” or “1” for better comparison with the pulse beat state map. For example, as shown, Figure 5a and Figure 5b As shown, the processor 20 reconstructs the image b of the target region a by the echo signals of each target position point in multiple synthetic lines, that is, an ultrasound image frame is obtained. Since the time corresponding to the ultrasound data exceeds one cardiac cycle, the ultrasound image generated by the processor 20 based on the ultrasound data can be an ultrasound image video or an ultrasound image frame in the ultrasound image video. In addition, the ultrasound image can be a three-dimensional ultrasound image or a two-dimensional ultrasound image such as an ultrasound B image or an ultrasound C image. If the ultrasound image generated by the processor 20 is a three-dimensional ultrasound image, it can be an image (non-section view) in which the length of the blood vessel can be seen or contain the axial section structure of the blood vessel wall (axial section view), both of which can reflect the axial direction of the blood vessel. If the ultrasound image generated by the processor 20 is a two-dimensional ultrasound image, it contains the axial section structure of the blood vessel wall, as shown, Figure 9 As shown, this embodiment takes the ultrasound B image (the B image is two-dimensional) as an example for illustration.

[0085] Step 3, the processor 20 obtains a pulsation parameter reflecting the pulsation of the blood vessel wall of the blood vessel in the radial direction according to the ultrasound data, i.e., obtains a pulsation parameter reflected by a pulse wave pulsating on the blood vessel wall along the radial direction of the blood vessel according to the ultrasound data. The blood vessel wall mainly pulsates in the radial direction of the blood vessel under the action of the heart beat, so the pulsation parameter of the present application refers to the radial direction. The pulsation parameter includes at least one of the displacement of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the radial movement velocity of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the radial movement acceleration of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the change of the blood vessel diameter, the change velocity of the blood vessel diameter and the change acceleration of the blood vessel diameter. If the user does not select the ROI (region of interest) through the man-machine interaction device, the processor 20 calculates the pulsation parameter of the blood vessel wall in the entire target region (acoustic window); if the user selects the ROI, the processor 20 only calculates the pulsation parameter in the ROI.

[0086] Further, the processor 20 obtains a pulsation parameter reflecting the pulsation of the blood vessel wall of the blood vessel in the radial direction according to the ultrasound data includes: detecting the position of the blood vessel wall in an image frame according to the ultrasound data; calculating the radial displacement of each detection point arranged along the axial direction of the blood vessel wall on the blood vessel wall at different time points according to the positions of the blood vessel wall in different frames; and obtaining the pulsation parameter of each detection point at different time points according to the radial displacement of each detection point on the blood vessel wall. Each detection point is arranged along the axial direction of the blood vessel wall uniformly, which is equivalent to a sampling point, so as to save the calculation amount. Specifically, the processor 20 first extracts the spatial position information (such as coordinates) of the blood vessel wall from a frame of beam synthesis data obtained from the beam synthesis data link, or extracts the spatial position information of the blood vessel wall from the ultrasound image obtained from the image synthesis link. Because the acoustic characteristics of the blood vessel wall are significantly different from the blood in the lumen and the surrounding soft tissue, they are shown as two high-light long strip structures closely adjacent to the echo-free area of the lumen on the image, as shown in FIG. 2. By setting an appropriate threshold in the Y-axis direction (radial direction of the blood vessel), the specific position of the tube wall can be obtained by screening the signal. The processor 20 takes the detection point on each tube wall as the center point (M point in the left drawing), takes a fixed size of one-dimensional data in the Y-axis direction of the first frame of beam synthesis data or the first frame of ultrasound image (solid line segment passing through the M point in the left drawing) as the feature information of the tube wall at the current position. In the same position as the center point (M point in the right drawing) in the second frame of beam synthesis data or the second frame of ultrasound image, a one-dimensional search region in the Y-axis direction (solid line segment in the right drawing) is searched for a data segment (dashed line segment in the right drawing) that best matches the feature information, and the center point of the data segment (dashed line segment in the right drawing) is taken as the center point of the tube wall at the current position in the second frame of beam synthesis data or the second frame of ultrasound image. Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 10 Figure 10 Figure 10 Figure 10 Figure 10 ​​​​​​the current frame as the new vessel wall position at the current horizontal position of the frame. The position change of each detection point between the two frames is the radial change of the vessel wall in the corresponding time period. This is repeated until the radial change of the vessel wall between each adjacent two frames in the entire scanning time is calculated. The change results are accumulated to obtain the displacement of each detection point on the vessel wall at different time points in the scanning time. The pulsation parameters are radial displacement, radial velocity, radial acceleration, change amount of vessel diameter, change velocity of vessel diameter, or change acceleration of vessel diameter. The radial displacement of the front wall detection point is subtracted from the radial displacement of the corresponding back wall detection point to obtain the change amount of the vessel diameter corresponding to the front wall detection point or the back wall detection point. Figure 11 ) The first and second order derivatives of the radial displacement and the change amount of the vessel diameter in the time dimension are calculated to obtain the radial velocity, the radial acceleration, and the change velocity and change acceleration of the vessel diameter. The pulsation parameters of each detection point on the vessel wall at different time points are integrated to obtain the displacement of the unilateral vessel wall, the radial motion velocity of the unilateral vessel wall, the radial motion acceleration of the unilateral vessel wall, the change amount of the vessel diameter, the change velocity of the vessel diameter, or the change acceleration of the vessel diameter at different time points. If the user does not select the ROI (region of interest), the processor 20 calculates the pulsation parameters of the vessel wall in the entire target region. If the user selects the ROI, the processor 20 only calculates the pulsation parameters in the ROI.

[0087] Step 4, the processor 20 visualizes the pulsation parameters along the radial direction of the vessel to generate a pulsation state map of the pulse wave. For example, the processor 20 visualizes the pulsation parameters of each detection point at the position corresponding to the detection point along the radial direction of the vessel using the corresponding image element. The image element includes at least one of color, pattern, and density of pattern filling. In other words, the processor 20 uses one or more of different colors, patterns, and densities of pattern filling to represent different pulsation parameters and generates a pulsation state map A of the pulse wave distributed along the axial direction of the vessel. In the ultrasound data, the pulsation parameters change with time, so the pulsation state map A of the pulse wave is updated with the corresponding image element as time changes. The displacement, velocity, change amount, etc. in the pulsation parameters have a direction, as shown in Figure 12 、 Figure 13 In the embodiment, different colors are used to represent different motion directions (pulsation directions), that is, the directions of the pulsation parameters. Generally, there are only two motion directions, and the two motion directions are opposite. Since the drawing cannot use colors, the Figure 12 、 Figure 13The direction of the diagonal lines is used to represent different directions of movement. When the upper vessel wall moves upward, the lower vessel wall moves downward; the two directions are opposite. Of course, the definition of movement direction is not limited to this; it can also be set as the radial expansion direction and the radial contraction direction of the vessel. In this embodiment, the brightness of the color represents the amplitude of movement, that is, the magnitude of the pulsation parameter. However, since colors cannot be used in the attached diagram, ... Figure 12 , Figure 13 Brightness is represented by the density of the pattern fill material; a higher density of diagonal lines indicates greater brightness. Alternatively, in an optional embodiment, it can be directly used... Figure 12 , Figure 13 The density of the pattern fill material represents the pulsation parameter, with different densities representing different magnitudes of the pulsation parameter. The color and density of the pattern fill material can be attached to the pattern, without specifying the exact shape of the pattern. Using patterns to represent pulsation parameters, for example, displacement, a triangle represents a displacement range of one magnitude, a circle represents a displacement range of another magnitude, and so on. In other words, an image element can be at least one of the shape, color, and density of a regular or irregular pattern. Besides, for example... Figure 12 / 13 uses a color image format to dynamically display the pulsation state. It can also dynamically display the pulsation state of blood vessels in the form of a two-dimensional vector diagram. For example, different pulsation parameters can be represented using waveform graphs, bar charts, or area charts, and the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A can be generated. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown. Figure 15 In the variation of the pulse wave state diagram A, the direction of movement (i.e., the direction of pulsation) can be indicated by the direction of the arrows, and the length of the arrows indicates the amplitude of the pulsation (the magnitude of the pulsation parameter). Other aspects are similar to those shown in the color diagram, so they will not be elaborated upon further. From Figures 12-15 As can be seen, the pulsation parameters of each detection point are readily apparent. The detection point where the displacement of the pulsation parameters is at its maximum value is the position of the wave peak. Combining the values ​​of each detection point reflects the propagation process of the pulse wave, which is very intuitive.

[0088] Among them, image elements represent the pulsation parameters of the detection points, displaying a region, such as... Figure 12 and Figure 13 The measurement refers to a rectangular area within the blood vessel wall, rather than a single point. In other words, the detection point represents a segment along the axial direction of the vessel wall. The pulsation parameter at the detection point can be the pulsation parameter of a single point or the average of the pulsation parameters of all points within the segment. The magnitude of the pulsation parameter is characterized by the density of color or pattern filler. The pattern can be arbitrary, as long as it is within the corresponding segment. Figure 12 and 13In the embodiment, the color-dependent pattern is a rectangle. The processor 20 also synchronously displays a magnitude bar B for indicating the correspondence between the magnitude of the pulsation parameter and the image element (at least one of the color, pattern, and density of pattern filling) on or adjacent to the pulse wave propagation state map. In the embodiment, the magnitude bar B indicates the correspondence between the magnitude of the pulsation parameter and the brightness. Thus, the pulsation parameter of each detection point can be directly obtained according to the magnitude bar B. The processor 20 is also configured to obtain the position of the pulse wave peak according to the pulsation parameter of each detection point, and mark the position of the pulse wave peak in a graphical form, for example, mark the position of the pulse wave peak with a first icon on the pulse wave pulsation state map A, to help the user understand the specific situation of the pulse wave propagation. The first icon can be an arrow, as shown in Figure 13

[0089] It can be seen that the pulsation at different positions on the blood vessel wall is displayed in a graphical form on the display interface, and changes with time, so that the ultrasound doctor can directly understand the situation, which is very convenient and intuitive.

[0090] Of course, in addition to the above-mentioned embodiment of "displaying the pulsation at different positions on the blood vessel wall in a graphical form on the display interface", in an optional embodiment, at least one of the color, pattern, and density of pattern filling is used to represent the pulsation parameter of the detection point corresponding to the position with the maximum pulsation parameter, for example, the position of the wave peak with the maximum displacement, along the radial direction of the blood vessel, to generate and display a pulse wave pulsation state map, and update the pulse wave pulsation state map in real time. The schematic diagram is shown in Figure 17 Although the situation of each detection point cannot be seen, the radial displacement of the wave peak position of each detection point can be seen, and the image element moves with the movement of the wave peak, so that the user can observe the position of the wave peak, and the wave peak passes through each detection point, and the radial displacement of the wave peak position of each detection point can also reflect the hardness of the blood vessel wall to a certain extent.

[0091] In another optional embodiment, at least one of the color, pattern, and density of pattern filling is used to represent the pulsation parameter of each detection point corresponding to the position between the detection point with the maximum pulsation parameter and the detection point closest to the heart, along the radial direction of the blood vessel, to generate and display a pulse wave pulsation state map, and update the pulse wave pulsation state map in real time. The schematic diagram is shown in Figure 18 That is, the image element is used to display the pulsation parameter of the region (i.e., detection point) through which the pulse wave peak has passed, and the region (i.e., detection point) through which the pulse wave of the current cycle has not passed is not displayed, and the process of dynamic propagation of the wave peak can also be reflected.

[0092] ​Step 5: The processor 20 overlays the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A and the ultrasound image; or displays the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A and the ultrasound image C separately in regions. The ultrasound image C generated from the ultrasound data can be an ultrasound image frame. In this case, the ultrasound image C is static and used as a structural reference for blood vessels, while the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A is dynamic. Alternatively, the ultrasound image C generated from the ultrasound data can also be an ultrasound video. In this case, the ultrasound image C is dynamic and used as a state reference for blood vessels (the ultrasound video can present the structure and pulsation state of blood vessels), and the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A is also dynamic. This embodiment uses an ultrasound video as an example for explanation. Specifically, as... Figures 12-15 As shown, the processor 20 is also used to synchronously display the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A and the ultrasound image C in time via a human-computer interaction device (both A and C are dynamically displayed and synchronized in time). A and C can be displayed as follows: Figure 14 Displaying them separately as shown in / 15, sharing either the horizontal axis (horizontal arrangement of blood vessels) or the vertical axis (vertical arrangement of blood vessels), or as shown in... Figure 12 The images are superimposed and displayed according to preset weights, as shown in Figure 13. If superimposed display is used, the processor 20 detects user modifications to the weights via a human-computer interaction device; it updates the superimposed display of the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A and the ultrasound video according to the modified weights, allowing the user to adjust the display effect to highlight the structure or pulsation of the blood vessel wall. The superimposed display can be a superposition of two images, or a superposition of the pulse wave pulsation state diagram A and the axially arranged blood vessels in the ultrasound image. The superimposed result of the two images is dynamically played in chronological order in the form of a movie, with the propagation of the pulse wave showing the relationship between the pulsation at different locations of the blood vessel wall and the changes over time. With this setting, the ultrasound physician can see both the real-time ultrasound image of the blood vessels and the real-time pulsation state of the blood vessels. The pulse wave pulsation state diagram A progresses along the axial direction of the blood vessel from the proximal end to the distal end, according to the pulse wave propagation time. Figure 12 This is a superimposed display of the pulse wave pulsation status at a given moment and the ultrasound video. After a period of time, the superimposed image is... Figure 13 This not only shows the pulsation of the blood vessel walls but also demonstrates the process of the pulse wave propagating from the left to the right side of the image. When displayed on the human-computer interaction device's screen, the pulse wave pulsation state diagram is dynamic (the image elements change over time), and can also be called a pulse wave pulsation state video or an animated pulse wave pulsation state diagram.

[0093] Similarly, on the display interface, if the user has not selected a ROI, the ultrasound B-mode image and pulse wave status diagram of the entire target area will be overlaid; if the user has selected an ROI, only the ultrasound B-mode image and pulse wave status diagram of the ROI area will be overlaid. Of course, the specific values ​​of the pulsation parameters can also be displayed on the display interface in real time, allowing the user to accurately grasp the data.

[0094] In step 4, the processor 20 is further configured to obtain a propagation velocity (PWV) of the pulse wave on the vessel wall according to the pulsation parameters of each detection point. For example, the processor 20 detects the first time when the pulsation parameter of each detection point reaches a predetermined threshold; and obtains the propagation velocity of the pulse wave on the vessel wall in the ultrasound image according to the positions of each detection point in the axial direction of the vessel and the first time corresponding to each detection point. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the points in the figure are detection points, the abscissa is the position of the detection point in the axial direction of the vessel wall, and the ordinate is the first time corresponding to the detection point. The predetermined threshold can be set according to user requirements. For example, when the pulsation parameter is the radial displacement, the predetermined threshold can be the minimum value in the empirical value of the maximum radial displacement (corresponding to the wave crest), or 50% or more of the empirical value of the maximum radial displacement, etc. The user sets the minimum value of the pulsation parameter of interest as the predetermined threshold, so that the pulsation parameter of interest can be conveniently observed. In other words, the pulsation parameters of each detection point in series can reflect the propagation process of the pulse wave. Usually, the user is interested in the propagation process of the wave crest, and this embodiment is described in this regard. The processor 20 selects at least two detection points, extracts the first time of the detection points, and obtains the propagation velocity of the pulse wave according to the axial distance between the detection points and the difference in the first time. In order to improve accuracy, the detection points selected are multiple, and the more the better within the processing capacity, and the corresponding relationship between the time and space of each detection point is obtained, as shown in FIG. 7. Linear fitting is performed on each point to obtain a slope, and the slope is the average propagation velocity of the pulse wave in the current cardiac cycle. Of course, the propagation velocity of the pulse wave at each detection point can also be obtained according to the positions of the adjacent two detection points in the axial direction of the vessel and the difference in the first time corresponding to the adjacent two detection points, so as to obtain the hardness difference at different positions of the vessel wall by the user. After the processor 20 obtains the propagation velocity of the pulse wave, the propagation velocity is displayed on or near the pulse wave pulsation state diagram. Figure 16 Figure 16

[0095] ​​On the basis of the above-mentioned method for calculating the propagation speed, in an optional embodiment, the method for calculating the propagation speed is optimized, specifically, the processor 20 detects a time point at which the pulsation parameter of a specific detection point reaches a predetermined specific value, takes the time point as a starting point, and extends forward and / or backward by a preset time to obtain an effective time period; obtains the pulsation parameter of each detection point at different time points in the effective time period; detects a first time at which the pulsation parameter of each detection point in the effective time period reaches a predetermined threshold value; and obtains the propagation speed of the pulse wave on the vessel wall in the ultrasound image according to the positions of the detection points in the axial direction of the vessel and the corresponding first time of each detection point. The specific detection point can be a detection point at a wave peak position, so as to identify and select the specific detection point. The preset time can be set according to actual conditions, and only needs to make the obtained effective time period not shorter than the time required for the pulse wave to pass through each detection point. The effective time period is set to reduce the operation amount of the processor 20. This is because the scanning range of the ultrasound probe is small (0.03-0.05 m), the propagation time of the pulse wave in one cardiac cycle (0.6-1 s) is short (0.003-0.02 s), and the time of the pulse wave passing through each detection point is very short (0.003-0.02 s). After that, there is a relatively long time (0.597-0.98 s) during which the pulsation parameter of each detection point changes little. If the data with little change in the pulsation parameter is also calculated, the operation amount will be increased. Therefore, by limiting the effective time period, the operation amount of the processor 20 for calculating the propagation speed can be saved.

[0096] The propagation speed of the pulse wave PWV refers to the propagation speed of the pulse wave between two given points in the arterial system, including the pulse wave conduction speed at the start of the systole of the anterior wall of the artery (BS) and the end of the systole (ES). Only one of BS and ES can be calculated and displayed, or both can be calculated and displayed.

[0097] It can be seen that, by using the technical solution of the present application, if in the real-time imaging mode, the user only needs to place the probe horizontally on the body surface with the viewing angle on the long axis of the blood vessel. The position of the probe is kept unchanged, and scanning is started. The ROI can be selected, and the ultrasound imaging device can generate the blood vessel B image and the pulsation state image of the pulse wave. The blood vessel B image and the pulsation state image of the pulse wave are superimposed and displayed, so that the pulsation information can be displayed on the corresponding position, and the blood vessel structure and the pulsation information are better associated. At the same time, the propagation state of the pulse wave is dynamically displayed in the form of a movie and cooperates with the indication of the wave peak, so that the propagation process of the pulse wave can be intuitively and accurately presented.

[0098] Based on the ultrasound imaging device shown in Figure 2 The present application also provides a pulse wave imaging process slightly different from the embodiment shown in Figure 3 As shown in Figure 19 The pulse wave imaging process includes the following steps:

[0099] In step 1", the processor 20 acquires preset ultrasound data of the target object. Specifically, the processor 20 controls the ultrasound probe 30 to emit ultrasound waves to the blood vessel of the target object according to a preset imaging mode. In this embodiment, the processor 20 controls the ultrasound probe 30 to emit ultrasound waves to the target object and receive ultrasound echoes based on the ultrasound waves to obtain an ultrasound echo signal according to at least one of a Doppler imaging mode and an M-mode imaging mode by the transmitting / receiving circuit 40. The processor 20 processes the ultrasound echo signal to obtain preset ultrasound data. The M-mode imaging adopts a luminance modulation method to make all interfaces in the depth direction reflect the echo, and the echo is displayed in the form of bright spots on the vertical scanning line of the display. With the movement of the organs, the points on the vertical scanning line will change the position on the transmission, and the echo is displayed on the screen in time according to the time sequence. This step is different from step 1' and step 1 of the above-mentioned embodiments in that the ultrasound waves are emitted to the target object according to at least one of the Doppler imaging mode and the M-mode imaging mode, and other specific contents such as the scanning frame rate are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described here.

[0100] Step 3", the processor 20 obtains a pulsation parameter of the pulse wave pulsating along the radial direction of the blood vessel on the blood vessel wall according to the preset ultrasound data. The pulsation parameter is the displacement of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the radial movement velocity of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the radial movement acceleration of the unilateral blood vessel wall, the change of the blood vessel diameter, the change velocity of the blood vessel diameter, or the change acceleration of the blood vessel diameter. Since the imaging mode adopted in the embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiments, the manner of obtaining the pulsation parameter is also different from the above-mentioned embodiments. Specifically, the preset ultrasound data is M-mode ultrasound data, that is, the ultrasound data obtained by transmitting ultrasound waves by using the M-mode imaging mode, and then the processor 20 obtains the depth values of each detection point arranged along the axial direction of the blood vessel on the blood vessel wall at different time points according to the M-mode ultrasound data; and the pulsation parameter of each detection point at different time points is determined according to the depth values of each detection point at different time points. For example, the displacement of the detection point is determined according to the difference between the first depth value before the pulsation and the second depth value when the pulsation reaches the peak value; the time difference is obtained according to the time corresponding to the first depth value and the second depth value; and then the velocity of the detection point is obtained according to the depth difference and the time difference; the acceleration of the detection point can also be obtained by differentiating the velocity; and thus the pulsation parameter of the detection point can be obtained. The preset ultrasound data is Doppler ultrasound data, that is, the ultrasound data obtained by transmitting ultrasound waves by using the Doppler imaging mode, and then the processor 20 analyzes the Doppler information in the Doppler ultrasound data to obtain the pulsation parameter of each detection point arranged along the axial direction of the blood vessel on the blood vessel wall. Since the Doppler information itself can reflect the velocity of the detection point, that is, the velocity of the detection point can be directly obtained according to the Doppler information, and then the displacement of the detection point before and after the pulsation is obtained by integrating the velocity in time, and the acceleration of the detection point is obtained by differentiating the velocity, and thus the pulsation parameter of the detection point can be obtained. The Doppler imaging mode can be a C-mode Doppler imaging mode (continuous Doppler imaging mode) or a PW-mode Doppler imaging mode (pulse Doppler imaging mode). Except that the process of obtaining the pulsation parameter in this step is different from the above-mentioned embodiments, other details of this step are the same as the corresponding steps 3' and 3 in the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described here. In addition, steps 1" and 3" can also include step 2 in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0101] Step 4", the processor 20 visually expresses the pulsation parameter along the radial direction of the blood vessel, and thus generates the pulse wave pulsation state diagram displayed in real time. The difference between this step and steps 4' and 4 in the above-mentioned embodiments is that this step is more timely, and can basically achieve the real-time display of the pulse wave pulsation state diagram. This is because the ultrasound data obtained by using the Doppler imaging mode and the M-mode imaging mode is not frame by frame, and the ultrasound data can be obtained by scanning, the pulsation parameter can be obtained by processing, and the pulse wave pulsation state diagram can be generated, so that the pulse wave pulsation state diagram in this embodiment can be basically displayed in real time. Except for the real-time display, other details of this step are the same as the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described here.

[0102] The embodiment can also include the above-mentioned step 5, the specific process of which is described in the above-mentioned step 5 of the embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0103] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the functions of the various methods in the above-mentioned embodiments can be realized by hardware or by a computer program. When all or part of the functions in the above-mentioned embodiments are realized by a computer program, the program can be stored in a computer readable storage medium, which can include read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, hard disk, etc. The above-mentioned functions are realized by executing the program by a computer. For example, the program is stored in the memory of the device, and when the program in the memory is executed by the processor, the above-mentioned all or part of the functions can be realized. In addition, when all or part of the functions in the above-mentioned embodiments are realized by a computer program, the program can also be stored in a server, another computer, a storage medium such as a disk, an optical disk, a flash disk or a mobile hard disk, and then downloaded or copied into the memory of the local device, or the system of the local device is updated, and when the program in the memory is executed by the processor, all or part of the functions in the above-mentioned embodiments can be realized.

[0104] Various exemplary embodiments are described herein. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope hereof. For example, various operational steps and components for carrying out the operational steps can be implemented in different sequences, or in different manners (e.g., one or more steps can be deleted, modified, or combined with other steps).

[0105] Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will understand, the principles herein can be reflected in a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium pre-loaded with computer-readable program code. Any tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be used, including magnetic storage devices (hard disks, floppy disks, etc.), optical storage devices (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), flash memory, and / or the like. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to form a machine, such that instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, can generate means for performing a specified function. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can instruct the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to operate in a particular manner, such that instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium can form an article of manufacture, including means for implementing the specified function. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to perform a series of operational steps on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, can provide steps for implementing the specified function.

[0106] While the principles herein have been illustrated in various embodiments, numerous modifications to the structure, arrangement, proportions, elements, materials, and components, particularly suited to specific environmental and operational requirements, may be used without departing from the principles and scope of this disclosure. These modifications and other alterations or alterations will be included within the scope of this document.

[0107] The foregoing specific descriptions have been described with reference to various embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, considerations for this disclosure are to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and all such modifications are to be included within its scope. Similarly, advantages, other advantages, and solutions to problems with respect to various embodiments have been described above. However, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that produce these, or make them more explicit, should not be construed as critical, essential, or necessary. The term “comprising” and any other variations thereof as used herein are non-exclusive inclusion, meaning that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed or not part of the process, method, system, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the term “coupled” and any other variations thereof as used herein refer to physical connections, electrical connections, magnetic connections, optical connections, communication connections, functional connections, and / or any other connections.

[0108] One skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing preferred embodiments can be varied, without departing from the spirit of the present application. Accordingly, the scope of the present application should be determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A pulse wave imaging method, characterized in that, include: Acquire ultrasound data of at least one cardiac cycle of a target object, wherein the ultrasound data is data obtained by beamforming ultrasound echoes obtained by detecting the blood vessels of the target object; An ultrasound image containing blood vessels is generated based on the ultrasound data; Based on the ultrasound data, pulsation parameters of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points are obtained; the pulsation parameters are used to reflect the pulsation of the blood vessel wall along the radial direction of the blood vessel; the pulsation parameters include at least one of: displacement of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial velocity of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial acceleration of one side of the blood vessel wall, change in blood vessel diameter, rate of change of blood vessel diameter, and acceleration of change of blood vessel diameter. Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at the positions corresponding to each detection point, corresponding image elements are used to visualize the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points, thereby generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram. The pulse wave pulsation state diagram is updated in real time to reflect the propagation status of the pulse wave. The pulse wave pulsation status diagram and the ultrasound image can be superimposed and displayed; or the pulse wave pulsation status diagram and the ultrasound image can be displayed in separate regions.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method of superimposing the pulse wave pulsation state diagram and the ultrasound image includes: superimposing the axially arranged blood vessels in the pulse wave pulsation state diagram and the ultrasound image according to a preset weight; the method further includes: Detect user modifications to the weights; The pulse wave pulsation status diagram and the superimposed display of axially arranged blood vessels in the ultrasound image are updated according to the modified weights.

3. A pulse wave imaging method, characterized in that, include: Acquire ultrasound data of a target object, wherein the ultrasound data is obtained by detecting the blood vessels of the target object; Based on the ultrasound data, pulsation parameters of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points are obtained; the pulsation parameters are used to reflect the pulsation of the blood vessel wall along the radial direction of the blood vessel; the pulsation parameters include at least one of: displacement of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial velocity of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial acceleration of one side of the blood vessel wall, change in blood vessel diameter, rate of change of blood vessel diameter, and acceleration of change of blood vessel diameter. Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at the positions corresponding to each detection point, corresponding image elements are used to visualize the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points, thereby generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram. The pulse wave pulsation state diagram is updated in real time to reflect the propagation status of the pulse wave.

4. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The acquisition of ultrasound data of the target object includes: The ultrasonic wave is emitted towards the target object at a preset scanning frame rate, and the echo of the ultrasonic wave is received to obtain the ultrasonic echo signal. The ultrasound echo signal is subjected to beamforming processing to obtain ultrasound data of the blood vessels of the target object for at least one cardiac cycle.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The scanning frame rate is above 1000Hz.

6. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The step of emitting ultrasonic waves at a preset scanning frame rate to the target object includes: Unfocused ultrasound waves are emitted toward the target object at a preset scanning frame rate, and the scanning area of ​​the unfocused ultrasound waves emitted in one go covers the designated examination area of ​​the blood vessel.

7. The method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The unfocused ultrasound includes planar ultrasound or divergent ultrasound.

8. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The step of emitting ultrasonic waves at a preset scanning frame rate to the target object includes: Multiple focused ultrasound waves are emitted toward the target object at a preset scanning frame rate. The number of times the multiple focused ultrasound waves are emitted is lower than the preset number of times for focused imaging, and the scanning area of ​​the multiple focused ultrasound waves covers the designated examination area of ​​the blood vessel.

9. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The image elements include at least one of color, pattern, and density of pattern fill.

10. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The step of visualizing the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points using corresponding image elements at positions corresponding to each detection point along the radial direction of the blood vessel also includes: A bar displaying values ​​is used to indicate that the magnitude of the pulsation parameter corresponds to at least one of the color, pattern, and density of the pattern filler.

11. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, Also includes: The position of the pulse wave peak is obtained based on the pulsation parameters of each detection point, and the position of the peak is marked in graphical form.

12. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The propagation speed of the pulse wave on the blood vessel wall is obtained based on the pulsation parameters at each detection point, and the propagation speed is displayed on or near the pulse wave pulsation state diagram.

13. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The step of visualizing the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points using corresponding image elements includes: Different pulsation parameters can be represented by at least one of different colors, patterns, and pattern filler densities, or by using waveform graphs, bar charts, or area graphs.

14. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at positions corresponding to each detection point, corresponding image elements are used to visualize the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points, thereby generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram, including: Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at positions corresponding to each detection point, at least one of color, pattern, and pattern fill density is used to represent the pulsation parameters corresponding to each detection point at different time points, generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram; or... Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at the location corresponding to the detection point with the largest pulsation parameter, at least one of color, pattern, and pattern fill density is used to represent the pulsation parameter at different time points corresponding to the detection point with the largest pulsation parameter, generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram; or... Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at the position corresponding to the detection point with the largest pulsation parameter and the detection point closest to the heart, at least one of color, pattern, and pattern fill density is used to represent the pulsation parameter corresponding to each detection point at different time points at that position, generating and displaying a pulse wave pulsation state diagram.

15. The method as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The pulsation parameters of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points obtained based on the ultrasound data include: Detect the position of the blood vessel wall in a frame of ultrasound data; The radial displacement of each detection point arranged along the blood vessel axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points is calculated based on the position of the blood vessel wall in different frames. The pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points are obtained based on the radial displacement of each detection point on the blood vessel wall.

16. A pulse wave imaging method, characterized in that, include: Ultrasound waves are emitted toward the blood vessels of the target object according to a preset imaging mode; Receive the ultrasonic echo based on the ultrasonic wave to obtain the ultrasonic echo signal; The ultrasonic echo signal is processed to obtain preset ultrasonic data; Based on the preset ultrasound data, the pulsation parameters of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points are obtained; the pulsation parameters are used to reflect the pulsation of the blood vessel wall along the radial direction of the blood vessel; the pulsation parameters include at least one of: displacement of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial velocity of one side of the blood vessel wall, radial acceleration of one side of the blood vessel wall, change in blood vessel diameter, rate of change of blood vessel diameter, and acceleration of change of blood vessel diameter. Along the radial direction of the blood vessel, at the positions corresponding to each detection point, corresponding image elements are used to visualize the pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points, thereby generating a real-time pulse wave pulsation state diagram to reflect the propagation status of the pulse wave.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The step of transmitting ultrasound waves to the blood vessels of the target object according to a preset imaging mode includes: Ultrasonic waves are emitted toward the target object according to at least one of the Doppler imaging mode and the M-mode imaging mode.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The preset ultrasound data is M-mode ultrasound data. The step of obtaining the pulsation parameters at different time points for each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the vessel wall based on the preset ultrasound data includes: The depth values ​​of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the vessel wall at different time points are obtained based on the M-mode ultrasound data. The pulsation parameters of each detection point at different time points are determined based on the depth values ​​of each detection point at different time points.

19. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The preset ultrasound data is Doppler ultrasound data. The step of obtaining the pulsation parameters at different time points for each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the vessel wall based on the preset ultrasound data includes: By analyzing the Doppler information in the Doppler ultrasound data, the pulsation parameters of each detection point arranged along the vascular axis on the blood vessel wall at different time points are obtained.

20. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that... include: An ultrasonic probe is used to emit ultrasonic waves toward a target object and receive the echo of the ultrasonic waves to obtain the echo signal. A processor for executing a program to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-19.

21. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that... include: Memory, used to store programs; A processor for executing a program stored in the memory to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-19.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Includes a program that can be executed by a processor to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-19.

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