A measurement method, a display method and a system thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a measurement method, a display method and a system thereof. The measurement method comprises the following steps: controlling a laser to emit a laser pulse to a target tissue to obtain an optoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue; controlling a probe to receive the optoacoustic signal and obtain an optoacoustic image based on the optoacoustic signal; determining a target region from the optoacoustic image and obtaining image data corresponding to the target region; and determining an attribute parameter of the optoacoustic signal based on the image data corresponding to the target region, wherein the attribute parameter comprises an average intensity of the optoacoustic signal or an optoacoustic signal proportion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and includes, but is not limited to, a measurement method, a display method, and a system thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional ultrasound imaging is based on the probe emitting ultrasound waves. As the ultrasound waves propagate in the human body, they are reflected due to acoustic differences between different tissues. The probe receives the reflected echo signals, and after signal processing and other algorithms, it obtains an image that reflects the structural information of human tissues.

[0003] Photoacoustic imaging is a novel imaging function implemented on existing ultrasound imaging platforms. In this imaging mode, the probe does not emit ultrasound waves; instead, a laser pulse is emitted into the human tissue. Light-absorbing substances within the tissue, such as hemoglobin, absorb the light energy, heat up, expand, and generate mechanical vibrations, thus radiating ultrasound signals. The probe then receives the echo signals to form an image. As can be seen from the principle of photoacoustic imaging, this imaging mode no longer reflects the structural information of human tissue, but rather images the light-absorbing substances within the tissue. Furthermore, by introducing the concept of multispectral imaging—that is, using multiple laser pulses of different wavelengths to irradiate the tissue—functional information reflecting the body's metabolic state, such as blood oxygen saturation, can be obtained.

[0004] In summary, photoacoustic imaging is more sensitive to blood flow. Traditional Doppler blood flow imaging relies on blood velocity and direction, while photoacoustic imaging only detects light absorption and is not limited by velocity or direction. Furthermore, multispectral technology can image blood oxygen levels in tissues. Currently, color spectra are used to indirectly reflect numerical values ​​and cannot provide quantitative measurements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above, this application provides a measurement method, a display method, and a system thereof to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] This application provides a measurement method based on photoacoustic images, the method comprising:

[0007] The laser is controlled to emit laser pulses toward the target tissue in order to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue.

[0008] The control probe receives the photoacoustic signal and obtains a photoacoustic image based on the photoacoustic signal;

[0009] The target region is determined from the photoacoustic image, and the image data corresponding to the target region is obtained;

[0010] Based on the image data corresponding to the target area, the attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal are determined, including the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal.

[0011] This application provides a method for displaying blood oxygen parameters, the method comprising:

[0012] Acquire blood oxygenation images that characterize the blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue;

[0013] The target region is determined from the blood oxygenation image, and the image data corresponding to the target region is obtained;

[0014] Based on the image data corresponding to the target area, the blood oxygen parameters in the target area are determined, wherein the blood oxygen parameters include at least one of the mean blood oxygen saturation, the maximum blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum blood oxygen saturation.

[0015] This displays the blood oxygenation image and the blood oxygenation parameters.

[0016] This application provides a measurement system based on photoacoustic images, including: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, and a processor;

[0017] This laser is used to emit laser pulses toward the target tissue in order to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue;

[0018] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the photoacoustic signal returned from the target tissue;

[0019] The processor is used to obtain a photoacoustic image based on the photoacoustic signal;

[0020] The processor is also used to determine a target region from the photoacoustic image and acquire image data corresponding to the target region; based on the image data corresponding to the target region, determine the attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal, wherein the attribute parameters include the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal.

[0021] This application provides a blood oxygen parameter display system, including: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, a display device, and a processor;

[0022] The laser is used to alternately send a first laser pulse and a second laser pulse to the target tissue to obtain a first photoacoustic signal and a second photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue, wherein the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse have different wavelengths;

[0023] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signal and to control the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signal.

[0024] The processor is used to obtain a first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signal, and to obtain a second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signal; and to obtain a blood oxygenation image characterizing the blood oxygenation saturation of the target tissue based on the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image.

[0025] The processor is also configured to determine a target region from the blood oxygenation image and acquire image data corresponding to the target region; and based on the image data corresponding to the target region, determine blood oxygenation parameters within the target region, wherein the blood oxygenation parameters include at least one of the mean blood oxygen saturation, the maximum blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum blood oxygen saturation.

[0026] The display device is used to display the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters.

[0027] This application provides a photoacoustic imaging system, including: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, and a processor;

[0028] This laser is used to emit laser pulses toward the target tissue in order to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue;

[0029] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the photoacoustic signal returned from the target tissue;

[0030] This processor is used to execute any of the methods described above.

[0031] In this embodiment, a laser pulse is emitted towards the target tissue by controlling a laser to obtain a photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue; a probe is then controlled to receive the photoacoustic signal, and a photoacoustic image is obtained based on the photoacoustic signal. The target region, i.e., the region to be measured, is then determined from the photoacoustic image, and image data corresponding to the target region is acquired. Finally, based on the image data corresponding to the target region, attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal are determined. These attribute parameters include the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal. This enables quantitative measurement of the region of interest in the photoacoustic image, thereby providing more intuitive and accurate data for disease diagnosis or treatment effect evaluation. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of the photoacoustic image-based measurement system in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the photoacoustic imaging method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in this application embodiment;

[0035] Figure 4A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in this application embodiment;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of the blood oxygen parameter display system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the blood oxygen parameter display method provided in this application embodiment;

[0038] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a dual-wavelength photoacoustic image provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the display of blood oxygen parameters in a dual-wavelength photoacoustic image, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limitations on this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0042] If the application documents contain similar descriptions such as "first / second", the following explanation shall be added: In the following description, the terms "first / second / third" are used only to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific order of objects. It is understood that "first / second / third" may be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0044] Figure 1This is a schematic block diagram of the photoacoustic image-based measurement system 10 according to an embodiment of this application. The measurement system 10 may include a probe 110, a laser 120, and a mechanical scanner 130, as well as a transmitting circuit 101, a transmitting / receiving selection switch 102, a receiving circuit 103, a beamforming circuit 104, a processor 105, a display 106, and a memory 107. Of course, the measurement system 10 may also include other devices or components not shown in the figure.

[0045] The transmitting circuit 101 can excite the probe 110 to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target. After the probe 110 emits ultrasonic waves, the receiving circuit 103 can receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the target through the probe 110, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo signals / data. This ultrasonic echo signal / data is sent to the processor 105 directly or after beamforming processing by a beamforming circuit. The processor 105 processes the ultrasonic echo signal / data to obtain an ultrasonic image of the target. The ultrasonic image obtained by the processor 105 can be stored in the memory 107. The laser 108 can generate laser light, which is coupled to the probe through an optical fiber bundle and emitted toward the target through the optical fiber bundle coupled to the probe 110. After emitting the laser light toward the target, the receiving circuit 103 can also receive the photoacoustic signal / data returned by the target under laser excitation through the probe 110. This photoacoustic signal / data is sent to the processor 105 directly or after processing, and the processor processes the photoacoustic signal / data to obtain a photoacoustic image of the target. The mechanical scanner 130 can drive the probe 110 to move. The aforementioned ultrasound and photoacoustic images can be displayed on the monitor 106.

[0046] It should be noted that, in this application, emitting laser light to the target through the probe 110 specifically refers to emitting laser light to the target through the optical fiber bundle coupled to the probe 110. The optical fiber bundle can be located outside the probe 110 or inside the probe 110, and can be adjusted according to the actual scenario. No limitation is made here.

[0047] In one embodiment of this application, the laser 120 may be connected to a transmit / receive selection switch 102, which controls the laser emission. Alternatively, the laser 120 may be directly connected to the probe 110 via an optical transmission tool, with an optical fiber bundle coupled to the probe 110. The optical fiber bundle then transmits the laser to both sides of the probe 110, illuminating the target object using a back-facing illumination method. In some implementations, both the laser 120 and the optical fiber bundle are coupled into the probe. The probe also includes an ultrasonic transducer element for ultrasonic imaging. Thus, the probe can be used not only for conventional ultrasonic imaging but also for photoacoustic imaging, forming a probe that integrates ultrasonic and photoacoustic imaging.

[0048] The mechanical scanner 130 allows the probe 110 to receive ultrasonic echo signals / data or photoacoustic signals / data from different directions, and the processor 105 can process the received ultrasonic echo signals / data or photoacoustic signals / data to obtain ultrasonic images or photoacoustic images.

[0049] The mechanical scanner 130 is an optional device. In some implementations, the mechanical scanner 130 is coupled into the probe, meaning that the probe incorporates the function of mechanical scanning.

[0050] In one embodiment of this application, the mechanical scanner 130 may further include a motor controller and a motor. The motor controller controls the movement trajectory, stroke, or speed of the motor in the mechanical scanner 130 according to the control signal sent by the processor.

[0051] In one embodiment of this application, the probe 110 may be independent or may be mounted on the mechanical scanner 130, with the mechanical scanner 130 driving the probe 110 to move.

[0052] In one embodiment of this application, the probe 110 may specifically include an ultrasonic transducer, which has the function of transmitting and receiving signals and can perform various imaging methods such as grayscale imaging and Doppler blood flow imaging. Alternatively, in some implementations, the fiber optic bundle and the ultrasonic transducer are coupled and enclosed by a housing to form a probe integrating photoacoustic imaging and ultrasonic imaging functions. That is, in this probe structure, the laser emits a laser beam, which is then directed onto the target object through the probe, and the probe receives the photoacoustic signal generated under laser excitation reflected from the target object. Of course, this probe can also be used for traditional ultrasonic imaging, i.e., emitting ultrasonic waves towards the target object and receiving the ultrasonic echoes reflected from the target object. Alternatively, the laser can be directly coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and fully or partially enclosed by a housing to form a probe integrating photoacoustic imaging and ultrasonic imaging functions, which can be used for both photoacoustic and ultrasonic imaging.

[0053] In one embodiment of this application, the aforementioned display 106 may be a touch screen or liquid crystal display built into the imaging system, or it may be an independent display device such as a liquid crystal display or a television set that is independent of the imaging system, or it may be a display screen on an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer, etc.

[0054] In one embodiment of this application, the aforementioned memory 107 may be a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, a hard disk, etc.

[0055] In one embodiment of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores a plurality of program instructions. After being called and executed by the processor 105, the plurality of program instructions can execute some or all of the steps or any combination of the steps in the methods of various embodiments of this application.

[0056] In one embodiment of this application, the computer-readable storage medium may be a memory 107, which may be a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, or a hard disk.

[0057] In this embodiment of the application, the aforementioned processor 105 is used to obtain a photoacoustic image based on the photoacoustic signal;

[0058] The processor 105 is also used to determine a target region from the photoacoustic image and acquire image data corresponding to the target region; based on the image data corresponding to the target region, determine the attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal, wherein the attribute parameters include the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal.

[0059] In some embodiments, the laser 120 is further configured to alternately emit a first laser pulse and a second laser pulse toward the target tissue to obtain a first photoacoustic signal and a second photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue, wherein the wavelengths of the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse are different.

[0060] Correspondingly, the receiving circuit 103 is also used to control the probe 110 to receive the first photoacoustic signal and the second photoacoustic signal, and the processor 105 is also used to obtain the first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signal and the second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signal.

[0061] In some embodiments, the processor 105 is further configured to determine a first target region from the first photoacoustic image and obtain first image data corresponding to the first target region; determine a second target region corresponding to the first target region from the second photoacoustic image and obtain second image data corresponding to the second target region.

[0062] In some embodiments, the processor 105 is further configured to determine the area of ​​the target region; determine the pixel value of each pixel of the photoacoustic image within the target region; and determine the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal based on the sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the area of ​​the target region.

[0063] In some embodiments, the processor 105 is further configured to determine the total number of pixels in the target area; and to determine the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal based on the sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the total number of pixels.

[0064] In some embodiments, the processor 105 is further configured to determine the area of ​​the target region; determine the number of target pixels whose pixel values ​​of each pixel in the photoacoustic image within the target region are greater than a first preset threshold; and determine the proportion of the photoacoustic signal based on the number of target pixels and the area of ​​the target region.

[0065] In some embodiments, the processor 105 is further configured to determine the total number of pixels in the target area; and to determine the proportion of the photoacoustic signal based on the number of target pixels and the total number of pixels in the target area.

[0066] In some embodiments, the processor 105 may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof, and may use circuits, 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 a combination of the foregoing circuits or devices, or other suitable circuits or devices, thereby enabling the processor 105 to perform the corresponding steps of the imaging methods in the various embodiments of this application.

[0067] The photoacoustic image-based measurement method of this application will be described in detail below based on the aforementioned measurement system.

[0068] It should be noted that, in combination Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the measurement system shown illustrates that the photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the following application scenarios: For example, specific application scenarios can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2 The operator scans the target 301 with probe 110, emitting laser light from the fiber optic bundles on both sides of probe 110 and receiving the returned photoacoustic signal through probe 110. Ultrasonic waves are also emitted from the probe, and the echo signal is received through probe 110. Laser and ultrasonic waves are not emitted simultaneously. The operator can view tissue structures, etc., on display 106.

[0069] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a measurement method based on photoacoustic images, which can be applied to the aforementioned... Figure 1 The measurement system shown Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in the embodiments of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the method includes:

[0070] Step S301: Control the laser to emit laser pulses toward the target tissue in order to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue.

[0071] Here, in step S301, a laser pulse can be emitted towards the target tissue via the fiber bundle coupled to the probe 110 to obtain the photoacoustic signal generated by the target tissue under the excitation of the laser pulse. The obtained photoacoustic signal may also be different depending on the target tissue.

[0072] Specifically, the laser pulse is coupled to the probe via an optical fiber bundle, and then the laser pulse is emitted towards the target tissue from the optical fiber bundle coupled to the probe. When the target tissue absorbs the light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal that propagates outward, which is detected by the probe 110.

[0073] In one embodiment of this application, a laser pulse can be generated by the processor 105 sending a control signal to the laser 120. This control signal may include the laser's wavelength, frequency, or timing, and is coupled to the probe 110 via an optical fiber bundle. The laser is then emitted towards the target tissue through the optical fiber bundle. The position and angle of the emitted laser can be controlled by moving the probe.

[0074] Step S302: Control the probe to receive the photoacoustic signal and obtain a photoacoustic image based on the photoacoustic signal.

[0075] Here, when the target tissue absorbs light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal that propagates outward. The corresponding photoacoustic signal is detected by the probe 110. Typically, after the laser 120 generates a laser pulse, it can return feedback information to the processor 105. This feedback information may include the actual transmission time of the laser pulse. The processor 105 can calculate the interval duration for receiving the photoacoustic signal according to a preset algorithm, and control the probe 110 to receive the photoacoustic signal returned from the target tissue through the receiving circuit 103.

[0076] After receiving the photoacoustic signal, the processor 105 can remove noise from the photoacoustic signal and then perform beamforming, image reconstruction, and other processing to obtain a photoacoustic image of the target tissue.

[0077] Step S303: Determine the target region from the photoacoustic image and obtain the image data corresponding to the target region.

[0078] Here, in implementing step S303, the target region can be determined from the photoacoustic image based on the user's operation. For example, it can be based on the user's click or touch operation, with a certain area centered on the point of action of the click or touch operation as the target region. The target region is also the user's region of interest (ROI), which is the area where the user wants to determine quantitative measurement data. In the embodiments of this application, the shape of the target region can be diverse, such as rectangular, circular, square, and / or polygonal, etc., and this application does not impose a specific limitation.

[0079] After the target area is determined, the image data corresponding to the target area can be further obtained, such as the pixel value of all pixels in the target area, the number of pixels, and other data.

[0080] Step S304: Determine the attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal based on the image data corresponding to the target area.

[0081] Here, the attribute parameter includes the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal.

[0082] Since the photoacoustic image is generated based on the received photoacoustic signal, the pixel value of each pixel in the photoacoustic image can reflect the relevant attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal. In implementing step S304, attribute parameters such as average intensity or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal can be obtained using the image data corresponding to the target area.

[0083] In the photoacoustic signal-based measurement method provided in this application embodiment, a laser pulse is emitted towards the target tissue by controlling a laser to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue; the probe is then controlled to receive the photoacoustic signal, and a photoacoustic image is obtained based on the photoacoustic signal. The target region, i.e., the region to be measured, is then determined from the photoacoustic image, and image data corresponding to the target region is acquired. Finally, based on the image data corresponding to the target region, the attribute parameters of the photoacoustic signal are determined. These attribute parameters include the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal or the proportion of the photoacoustic signal. This enables quantitative measurement of the region of interest in the photoacoustic image, thereby providing more intuitive and accurate data for disease diagnosis or treatment effect evaluation.

[0084] In some embodiments, when it is necessary to determine the attribute parameter of the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal, step S304, "determine the attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signal based on the image data corresponding to the target region," can be achieved through the following steps:

[0085] Step S3041a: Determine the area of ​​the target region.

[0086] Here, the area of ​​the target region can be determined by determining the total number of pixels within that region. In other words, the area of ​​the target region is represented by the total number of pixels. For example, if the total number of pixels in the target region is 200, then the area of ​​the target region is 200.

[0087] Step S3042a: Determine the pixel value of each pixel in the photoacoustic image within the target area.

[0088] Here, the pixel value of each pixel in the photoacoustic image within the target area is an integer between 0 and 255. A higher pixel value indicates a stronger signal at that pixel.

[0089] Step S3043a: Determine the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal based on the sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the area of ​​the target region.

[0090] Here, since the area of ​​the target region is represented by the total number of pixels in the target region, step S3043a can be implemented by determining the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal based on the sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the total number of pixels.

[0091] Furthermore, the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal can be determined using formula (1-1):

[0092]

[0093] Among them, P mean P represents the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal. sum S is the sum of pixel values, and S is the total number of pixels.

[0094] The average intensity of a photoacoustic signal can also be understood as the average density of a photoacoustic signal. It can reflect the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal per unit area and is used to indirectly reflect the magnitude of tissue blood flow density.

[0095] In some embodiments, when determining the attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signal ratio, step S304, "determining the attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signal based on the image data corresponding to the target area," can be achieved through the following steps:

[0096] Step S3041b: Determine the area of ​​the target region.

[0097] Here, the area of ​​the target region can be determined by determining the total number of pixels within that region. In other words, the area of ​​the target region is represented by the total number of pixels. For example, if the total number of pixels in the target region is 300, then the area of ​​the target region is 300.

[0098] Step S3042b: Determine the number of target pixels whose pixel values ​​in the photoacoustic image within the target area are greater than the first preset threshold.

[0099] Here, the first preset threshold can be set by the user or set by the system default. When the pixel value of a certain pixel in the photoacoustic image is greater than the first preset threshold, it is considered that the pixel is a pixel in the photoacoustic image.

[0100] Step S3043b: Determine the proportion of the photoacoustic signal based on the number of target pixels and the area of ​​the target region.

[0101] Here, since the area of ​​the target region is represented by the total number of pixels in the target region, step S3043b can be implemented by determining the proportion of the photoacoustic signal based on the number of target pixels and the total number of pixels in the target region.

[0102] Furthermore, the proportion of photoacoustic signal can be determined using formula (1-2):

[0103]

[0104] Where R is the proportion of photoacoustic signal, N is the number of target pixels, and S is the total number of pixels in the target area.

[0105] The photoacoustic signal ratio is used to reflect the amount of blood flow signal within the target area.

[0106] Furthermore, the specific process of a photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in more detail below. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the photoacoustic image-based measurement method provided in the embodiments of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the measurement method includes:

[0107] Step S401: Control the laser to alternately emit a first laser pulse and a second laser pulse toward the target tissue to obtain a first photoacoustic signal and a second photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue.

[0108] Here, a first laser beam can be emitted towards the target object through the fiber optic bundle coupled to probe 110 during the first cycle, and the first photoacoustic signal generated by the target object under the excitation of the first laser beam can be received. The received first photoacoustic signal may vary depending on the target object. After the first cycle of emitting the first laser beam, a second laser beam can be emitted towards the target object through the fiber optic bundle coupled to probe 110 during the second cycle, and the second photoacoustic signal generated by the target object under the excitation of the second laser beam can be received. The received second photoacoustic signal may also vary depending on the target object.

[0109] In this embodiment, the first and second lasers have different wavelengths; for example, the first laser has a short wavelength, and the second laser has a long wavelength. Furthermore, the first and second cycles do not overlap, meaning the first and second laser pulses are emitted alternately. This application does not limit the emission order of the first and second lasers; either the first laser can be emitted first, or the second laser can be emitted first, depending on the specific application scenario.

[0110] Step S402: Control the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signal and obtain a first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signal.

[0111] When the target tissue absorbs light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal that propagates outward. The corresponding photoacoustic signal is detected by the probe 110. Typically, after the laser 120 generates the first laser, it can return feedback information to the processor 105. This feedback information may include the actual transmission time of the first laser. The processor 105 can calculate the interval duration for receiving the photoacoustic signal according to a preset algorithm, and control the probe 110 to receive the first photoacoustic signal returned from the target body through the receiving circuit 103.

[0112] After obtaining the first photoacoustic signal, noise in the first photoacoustic signal can be removed, and then processed by beamforming, image reconstruction, etc., to obtain the first photoacoustic image of the target tissue.

[0113] Step S403: Control the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signal and obtain a second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signal.

[0114] Similar to step S402, when the target tissue absorbs light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a second photoacoustic signal that propagates outward. The corresponding second photoacoustic signal is detected by probe 110. After receiving the second photoacoustic signal, a second photoacoustic image of the target body can be obtained based on the second photoacoustic signal. The process of obtaining the second photoacoustic image through the second photoacoustic signal is similar to the step of obtaining the first photoacoustic image through the first photoacoustic signal in step S402, and will not be described in detail here.

[0115] It should be noted that this application does not limit the order in which the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image are acquired. Step S402 can be executed first, or step S403 can be executed first. The specific order can be adjusted according to the actual application scenario.

[0116] Step S404: Determine the first target region from the first photoacoustic image and obtain the first image data corresponding to the first target region.

[0117] Step S405: Determine the second target region corresponding to the first target region from the second photoacoustic image, and obtain the second image data corresponding to the second target region.

[0118] Step S406: Determine the first area of ​​the first target region.

[0119] Here, the first area of ​​the first target region can be the total number of pixels within the first target region.

[0120] Step S407: Determine the pixel value of each pixel in the photoacoustic image within the first target area.

[0121] Step S408: Determine the average intensity of the first photoacoustic signal based on the first sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the first area of ​​the first target region.

[0122] Here, step S408 can be implemented by dividing the first sum by the first area to obtain the average intensity of the first photoacoustic signal.

[0123] Step S409: Determine the first number of target pixels whose pixel values ​​in the photoacoustic image within the first target area are greater than the first preset threshold.

[0124] Step S410: Determine the proportion of the first photoacoustic signal based on the first number of the target pixel and the first area of ​​the first target region.

[0125] Step S411: Determine the second area of ​​the second target region.

[0126] Here, the second area of ​​the second target region is the total number of pixels in the second target region.

[0127] Step S412: Determine the pixel value of each pixel in the photoacoustic image within the second target area.

[0128] Step S413: Determine the average intensity of the second photoacoustic signal based on the second sum of the pixel values ​​of each pixel and the area of ​​the second target region.

[0129] Step S414: Determine the second number of target pixels whose pixel values ​​in the photoacoustic image within the second target area are greater than the first preset threshold.

[0130] Step S415: Determine the proportion of the second photoacoustic signal based on the second number of the target pixel and the second area of ​​the second target region.

[0131] This application provides a blood oxygen parameter display system. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of the blood oxygen parameter display system provided in the embodiments of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the display system 20 may include a probe 210, a laser 220, and a mechanical scanner 230, as well as a transmitting circuit 201, a transmitting / receiving selection switch 202, a receiving circuit 203, a beamforming circuit 204, a processor 205, a display 206, and a memory 207. Of course, the display system 20 may also include other devices or components not shown in the figure.

[0132] The functions of probe 210, laser 220, mechanical scanner 230, transmitting circuit 201, transmitting / receiving selection switch 202, receiving circuit 203, beamforming circuit 204, and memory 207 are similar to those of probe 110, laser 120, mechanical scanner 130, transmitting circuit 101, transmitting / receiving selection switch 102, receiving circuit 103, beamforming circuit 104, and memory 107, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0133] In this embodiment of the application, the processor 205 is used to determine a target region from the blood oxygen image and obtain image data corresponding to the target region; based on the image data corresponding to the target region, it determines blood oxygen parameters in the target region, wherein the blood oxygen parameters include at least one of the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation.

[0134] The display 206 is used to display the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters.

[0135] In some embodiments, the processor 205 is further configured to determine, based on the image data corresponding to the target region, each target pixel in the target region whose blood oxygen saturation is greater than a second preset threshold; and to determine the average blood oxygen saturation in the target region based on the number of each target pixel and the sum of the blood oxygen saturation corresponding to each target pixel.

[0136] In some embodiments, the processor 205 is further configured to determine, based on the image data corresponding to the target region, each target pixel in the target region whose blood oxygen saturation is greater than a second preset threshold; and to determine, from the blood oxygen saturation corresponding to each target pixel, the maximum value and / or the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region.

[0137] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display, in a bar chart, at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum values ​​of blood oxygen saturation within the target area corresponding to at least one frame of the blood oxygen image.

[0138] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display, in a graph or line graph, at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum values ​​of blood oxygen saturation within the target area corresponding to multiple frames of the blood oxygen images.

[0139] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display the blood oxygen image of the current frame and the histogram, and to highlight or display, in different colors or specific identifiers, at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0140] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display the blood oxygen image of the current frame and the curve or line graph, and to highlight or display, in different colors or specific identifiers, at least one of the mean, maximum and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​of the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0141] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display the blood oxygen image of the current frame, and the numerical value corresponding to at least one of the mean, maximum and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0142] In some embodiments, the processor 205 is further configured to update the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart in real time as the number of frames of the blood oxygen image obtained by real-time scanning increases when the number of frames of the blood oxygen image is greater than the preset number of frames.

[0143] In some embodiments, the processor 205 is further configured to hide some historical data of the blood oxygen parameters displayed in the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart when the number of frames of the blood oxygen image obtained in real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, so as to update the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image with the preset number of frames; wherein, the update of the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image with the preset number of frames includes the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the currently scanned blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the M frames of blood oxygen images before the currently scanned blood oxygen image, where M is equal to the preset number of frames minus 1.

[0144] In some embodiments, the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart includes a display area of ​​a preset length, the preset length including a start position and an end position. The processor 205 is further configured to: hide the historical data of the blood oxygen parameters displayed in the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart when the number of frames of the blood oxygen image obtained by real-time scanning reaches an integer multiple of the preset number of frames; obtain the blood oxygen parameters of the currently scanned blood oxygen image; and display the blood oxygen parameters of the currently scanned blood oxygen image in a bar chart, curve chart, or line chart at the start position.

[0145] In some embodiments, the display 206 is also used to display a playback control; in response to a playback operation of the lever of the playback control, the blood oxygen parameter corresponding to the frame pointed to by the lever is highlighted or displayed in a different color or specific mark on the bar chart, curve chart or line chart.

[0146] In some embodiments, the display 206 is further configured to display the mean value of the blood oxygen saturation in a bar graph; and to overlay the maximum value and / or minimum value of the blood oxygen saturation on the bar graph as a curve or line graph.

[0147] The method for displaying blood oxygen parameters in this application will be described in detail below based on the aforementioned display system.

[0148] This application provides a method for displaying blood oxygen parameters. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation flow of the blood oxygen parameter display method provided in the embodiments of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown, the method includes:

[0149] Step S601: Obtain a blood oxygenation image that characterizes the blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue.

[0150] Here, step S601 can be implemented by controlling a laser to alternately emit two laser pulses of different wavelengths towards the target tissue. When the target tissue absorbs the light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating two different photoacoustic signals that propagate outward. After the corresponding photoacoustic signals are detected by the probe, noise in the photoacoustic signals is removed. Then, after processing such as beamforming and image reconstruction, a first photoacoustic image and a second photoacoustic image of the target tissue are obtained. Finally, a blood oxygenation image is synthesized from the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image. The pixel value of each pixel in the blood oxygenation image can directly or indirectly reflect the blood oxygen saturation.

[0151] Step S602: Determine the target region from the blood oxygenation image and obtain the image data corresponding to the target region.

[0152] In this implementation, the target region can be determined from the photoacoustic image based on user operations. For example, it can be based on user clicks or touch operations, with a certain area centered on the point of action of the click or touch operation as the target region. In the embodiments of this application, the shape of the target region can be diverse, such as rectangular, circular, square, and / or polygonal, etc., and this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0153] After the target area is determined, the image data corresponding to the target area can be further obtained, such as the pixel value of all pixels in the target area, the number of pixels, and other data.

[0154] Step S603: Based on the image data corresponding to the target area, determine the blood oxygen parameters within the target area.

[0155] Here, the blood oxygen parameter includes at least one of the mean blood oxygen saturation, the maximum blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum blood oxygen saturation.

[0156] Since each pixel in a blood oxygenation image reflects the blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue at that pixel location, blood oxygen distribution parameters such as the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation in the target region can be calculated from the image data in the target region.

[0157] Step S604: Display the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters.

[0158] Here, the blood oxygen image and blood oxygen parameters can be displayed on the monitor 206. The blood oxygen parameters can be displayed using a bar chart, curve chart, or line chart.

[0159] In some embodiments, step S601 can be implemented by the following steps:

[0160] Step S6011: Control the laser to alternately send a first laser pulse and a second laser pulse to the target tissue to obtain a first photoacoustic signal and a second photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue.

[0161] The first laser pulse and the second laser pulse have different wavelengths;

[0162] Here, a first laser beam can be emitted towards the target object through the fiber optic bundle coupled to probe 210 during the first cycle, and the first photoacoustic signal generated by the target object under the excitation of the first laser beam can be received. The received first photoacoustic signal may vary depending on the target object. After the first cycle of emitting the first laser beam, a second laser beam can be emitted towards the target object through the fiber optic bundle coupled to probe 210 during the second cycle, and the second photoacoustic signal generated by the target object under the excitation of the second laser beam can be received. The received second photoacoustic signal may also vary depending on the target object.

[0163] In this embodiment, the first and second lasers have different wavelengths; for example, the first laser has a short wavelength, and the second laser has a long wavelength. Furthermore, the first and second cycles do not overlap, meaning the first and second laser pulses are emitted alternately. This application does not limit the emission order of the first and second lasers; either the first laser can be emitted first, or the second laser can be emitted first, depending on the specific application scenario.

[0164] Step S6012: Control the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signal and obtain a first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signal.

[0165] When the target tissue absorbs light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal that propagates outward. The corresponding photoacoustic signal is detected by the probe 210. Typically, after the laser 220 generates the first laser, it can return feedback information to the processor 205. This feedback information may include the actual transmission time of the first laser. The processor 205 can calculate the interval duration for receiving the photoacoustic signal according to a preset algorithm, and control the probe 210 to receive the first photoacoustic signal returned from the target body through the receiving circuit 203.

[0166] After obtaining the first photoacoustic signal, noise in the first photoacoustic signal can be removed, and then processed by beamforming, image reconstruction, etc., to obtain the first photoacoustic image of the target tissue.

[0167] Step S6013: Control the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signal and obtain a second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signal.

[0168] Similar to step S6012, when the target tissue absorbs light energy, it will cause a rise in temperature and thermal expansion, thereby generating a second photoacoustic signal that propagates outward. The probe 210 detects the corresponding second photoacoustic signal. After receiving the second photoacoustic signal, a second photoacoustic image of the target body can be obtained based on the second photoacoustic signal. The process of obtaining the second photoacoustic image through the second photoacoustic signal is similar to the step of obtaining the first photoacoustic image through the first photoacoustic signal in the aforementioned step S6012, and will not be described in detail here.

[0169] It should be noted that this application does not limit the order in which the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image are acquired. Step S6012 can be executed first, or step S6013 can be executed first. The specific order can be adjusted according to the actual application scenario.

[0170] Step S6014: Obtain the blood oxygen image characterizing the blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue based on the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image.

[0171] After obtaining the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image, the blood oxygen saturation of each pixel corresponding to the target body can be calculated based on the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image to obtain the blood oxygen image.

[0172] Specifically, the blood oxygen saturation of each pixel can be calculated using the following formula:

[0173]

[0174]

[0175]

[0176] Wherein, A1 represents the relevant data for the first laser, and A2 represents the relevant data for the second laser. The relevant data for the first laser can be the amplitude of the corresponding pixel in the first photoacoustic signal, or the amplitude of any one of the multiple channels received by the ultrasonic array probe, or the value obtained by beamforming the amplitude received from each of the multiple channels. Similarly, the relevant data for the second laser can be the amplitude of the corresponding pixel in the second photoacoustic signal, or the amplitude of any one of the multiple channels received by the ultrasonic array probe, or the value obtained by beamforming the amplitude received from each of the multiple channels.

[0177] The extinction coefficient of the deoxyhemoglobin corresponding to the preset first laser is given. The extinction coefficient is the pre-set extinction coefficient of the oxygenated hemoglobin corresponding to the first laser. The extinction coefficient of deoxyhemoglobin corresponding to the preset second laser is given. The extinction coefficient is the pre-set extinction coefficient of the oxygenated hemoglobin corresponding to the second laser. Hb is the content of deoxygenated hemoglobin at the target pixel, HbO2 is the content of oxygenated hemoglobin at the target pixel, SO2 is the oxygen saturation at the target pixel, and the target pixel is any one of the pixels.

[0178] Based on the above formula, the blood oxygen saturation of each pixel in the target body can be calculated. Then, the blood oxygen saturation value of each pixel is used as the pixel value of the corresponding pixel, or the blood oxygen saturation value of each pixel is calculated according to a preset algorithm to obtain the pixel value of the corresponding pixel. Based on the pixel value of each pixel, the blood oxygen image of the target body can be obtained.

[0179] In some embodiments, when the blood oxygen parameter is the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, step S603, "determining the blood oxygen parameter within the target area based on the image data corresponding to the target area," can be implemented through the following steps S6031a to S6032a:

[0180] Step S6031a: Based on the image data corresponding to the target area, determine the target pixels in the target area whose blood oxygen saturation is greater than the second preset threshold.

[0181] Here, since the pixel value corresponding to each pixel in the blood oxygen image is the blood oxygen saturation value at the corresponding position of the pixel or is calculated according to the blood oxygen saturation value according to a preset algorithm, when implementing step S6031a, firstly, based on the image data corresponding to the target area, and further, based on the pixel value of each pixel in the target area, the blood oxygen saturation value corresponding to each pixel can be determined, and then based on the blood oxygen saturation value corresponding to each pixel, the target pixels with blood oxygen saturation greater than the second preset threshold can be determined.

[0182] The second preset threshold can be set by the user or by the system default. When the blood oxygen saturation of a pixel is lower than the second preset threshold, the pixel can be considered as noise and its pixel value does not represent blood oxygen saturation. When the blood oxygen saturation of a pixel is greater than the second preset threshold, the pixel value of the pixel is considered to represent blood oxygen saturation.

[0183] Step S6032a: Determine the average blood oxygen saturation in the target region based on the number of target pixels and the sum of the blood oxygen saturation corresponding to each target pixel.

[0184] Here, in implementing step S6032a, the sum of the blood oxygen saturation corresponding to each target pixel can be divided by the number of target pixels to obtain the average blood oxygen saturation in the target area.

[0185] In some embodiments, when the blood oxygen parameter is the maximum value and / or the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation, step S603, "determining the blood oxygen parameter in the target area based on the image data corresponding to the target area," can be implemented through the following steps S6031b to S6032b:

[0186] Step S6031b: Based on the image data corresponding to the target area, determine the target pixels in the target area whose blood oxygen saturation is greater than the second preset threshold.

[0187] Here, the implementation process of step S6031b can refer to the implementation process of step S6031a.

[0188] Step S6032b: Determine the maximum and / or minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target region from the blood oxygen saturation values ​​corresponding to each target pixel.

[0189] Here, after obtaining the blood oxygen saturation corresponding to each target pixel in the target area, the maximum and / or minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​in the target area are obtained by sorting the blood oxygen saturation values ​​corresponding to each target pixel.

[0190] In some embodiments, the display of blood oxygen parameters can be implemented in at least the following ways:

[0191] The first implementation method is to display at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target region corresponding to at least one frame of the blood oxygen image using a bar chart.

[0192] When using bar charts to display blood oxygenation parameters, the length of the bar chart can be determined based on at least one of the blood oxygenation parameters, namely the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values, and then the bar chart of that length can be displayed.

[0193] The second implementation method is to display at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target region corresponding to multiple frames of the blood oxygen image using a curve or line graph.

[0194] The third implementation method is to display the average blood oxygen saturation in a bar chart, and then overlay the maximum and / or minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​on the bar chart using a curve or line graph.

[0195] In implementation, the minimum blood oxygen value curve for each frame can be outlined in the bar chart using a first color different from the bar fill color, and the maximum blood oxygen value curve for each frame can be outlined above the bar chart using a second color different from the bar fill color.

[0196] In some embodiments, displaying the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameter can be achieved in at least the following ways:

[0197] The first implementation involves displaying the blood oxygen image and the histogram of the current frame, and highlighting or displaying, in different colors or with specific identifiers, at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0198] The second implementation involves displaying the blood oxygen image of the current frame and the curve or line graph, and highlighting or displaying, in different colors or with specific identifiers, at least one of the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0199] The third implementation method displays the blood oxygen image of the current frame, and the value corresponding to at least one of the mean, maximum and minimum blood oxygen saturation values ​​within the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

[0200] In some embodiments, the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart is used to display blood oxygen parameters within a target region corresponding to a preset number of blood oxygen images. These blood oxygen parameters include at least one of the mean blood oxygen saturation, the maximum blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum blood oxygen saturation. Correspondingly, the method further includes:

[0201] Step S605: When the number of frames of the blood oxygen image obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, the bar chart, curve chart or line chart is updated in real time as the number of frames of the blood oxygen image increases.

[0202] In practical implementation, as the number of frames in the blood oxygenation image increases, there are at least the following ways to update the bar chart, line chart, or graph in real time:

[0203] In the first implementation method, when the number of frames of the blood oxygen image obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, some historical data of the blood oxygen parameters displayed in the bar chart, curve chart or line chart is hidden in order to update the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image with the preset number of frames.

[0204] The update displays the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the preset number of frames, including the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the currently scanned blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters in the target area corresponding to the blood oxygen images of the previous M frames, where M is equal to the preset number of frames minus 1.

[0205] For example, when the preset frame number is 30 and the real-time scanned blood oxygen image frame number is 31, since 31 is greater than 30, then we need to obtain the blood oxygen parameters of the latest scanned preset frame number of blood oxygen images, that is, the currently scanned blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen images of the M frames before the currently scanned blood oxygen image. Since the currently scanned blood oxygen image is the 31st frame, then we need to obtain the currently scanned 31st frame blood oxygen image, the 30th frame blood oxygen image, the 29th frame blood oxygen image, ..., the 2nd frame image.

[0206] The second implementation method involves hiding the historical data of blood oxygen parameters displayed in the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart when the number of frames of the real-time scanned blood oxygen image reaches an integer multiple of the preset number of frames; obtaining the blood oxygen parameters of the currently scanned blood oxygen image; and displaying the blood oxygen parameters of the currently scanned blood oxygen image in a bar chart, curve chart, or line chart at the starting position of the display area used to display the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart.

[0207] The bar chart, curve chart, or line chart includes a display area of ​​a preset length, which includes a start position and an end position.

[0208] For example, if the preset frame rate remains 30, when the number of real-time scanned blood oxygen images reaches 30, 60, 90, etc., the historical data of the bar chart, curve chart, or line chart will be hidden, and the blood oxygen parameters of the 31st, 61st, 91st, ... frames will be displayed in the first bar. This hidden display can be achieved by folding the historical data into an undisplayed area.

[0209] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0210] Step S606: Display the playback control;

[0211] Step S607: In response to a playback operation on the lever of the playback control, the blood oxygen parameter corresponding to the frame pointed to by the lever is highlighted or displayed in a different color or with a specific identifier on the bar chart, curve chart or line chart.

[0212] For example, if 35 blood oxygen images have been obtained, and the bar chart displays 30 bars, the bar chart currently shows the bars corresponding to blood oxygen images from frames 5 to 35, with the current frame (frame 35) highlighted. When the slider is moved back to frame 25, frame 25 is highlighted on the bar chart. In this embodiment, the highlighted image can be displayed in a distinct color such as yellow, green, or orange.

[0213] The following will describe an exemplary application of the embodiments of this application in a real-world application scenario.

[0214] This application provides a quantitative measurement method performed in dual-wavelength photoacoustic imaging mode. The display of dual-wavelength photoacoustic imaging is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, 701 is a B+C image, 702 is a B+ wavelength 1PA image, 703 is a B+ wavelength 2PA image, and 704 is a B+ blood oxygenation image.

[0215] Among them, the 702 (B+ wavelength 1 PA) image, the 703 (B+ wavelength 2 PA) image, and the 704 (B+ blood oxygenation) image all employ a fusion display of pseudo-color and grayscale images. Taking the PA image as an example, the fusion display method is based on a threshold V... th (This value is adjustable by the user on the interface), when the pixel value at a certain position in the final post-processed image is greater than V. th The corresponding position is displayed as the mapped PA image result; otherwise, the corresponding position is displayed as the grayscale image result.

[0216] The method for fusion display of blood oxygenation images is the same as that for fusion display of PA images, the difference being the display threshold S. th For blood oxygenation images only.

[0217] The quantitative measurement method provided in the embodiments of this application includes the following two aspects:

[0218] Firstly, quantitative measurement of photoacoustic images;

[0219] The second aspect is the quantitative measurement of blood oxygen saturation images.

[0220] The quantitative measurement function of the first aspect, photoacoustic image, mainly refers to the calculation of the average density of the photoacoustic signal.

[0221] The measurement method includes the following steps:

[0222] Step S801: On the photoacoustic image (either wavelength 1 image or wavelength 2 image), delineate the region of interest (ROI) using regular shapes such as circles, rectangles, and ellipses, or arbitrary curves and traces.

[0223] In step S802, the system synchronously marks the ROI curve on another unselected wavelength image that is exactly the same as the one on the selected wavelength image.

[0224] Step S803: Calculate the area S of the ROI;

[0225] Step S804: Calculate the sum of the pixel values ​​(ranging from 0 to 255, with higher values ​​indicating stronger signal strength) of the wavelength 1 photoacoustic image and wavelength 2 photoacoustic image within the ROI region, P_sum1 and P_sum2 respectively.

[0226] Step S805: Calculate the average signal strength within the ROI region.

[0227] In implementation, the average signal strength can be calculated using the following formula:

[0228] P_mean1=P_sum1 / S (3-1);

[0229] P_mean2=P_sum2 / S (3-2);

[0230] This value reflects the average intensity of the photoacoustic signal per unit area, and is used to indirectly reflect the magnitude of tissue blood flow density.

[0231] Another parameter that needs to be measured on the photoacoustic image is the proportion of photoacoustic signal (blood flow signal). The method for setting the ROI during the measurement process is the same as above, and the measurement method is as follows:

[0232] Step S901: Calculate the area S of the ROI region (i.e., how many pixels the ROI occupies);

[0233] Step S902: Count the number of pixels in the ROI region of the photoacoustic image that are greater than a certain set threshold V. th The number of pixels N;

[0234] Step S903: Calculate the proportion of photoacoustic signal (blood flow signal) in the ROI region according to formula (3-3):

[0235] P = N / S * 100% (3-3);

[0236] The proportion of photoacoustic signals can reflect the amount of blood flow signals within the ROI region.

[0237] Regarding the second aspect, the quantitative measurement function of blood oxygen saturation image mainly measures parameters such as the average, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen distribution within the ROI region. The measurement method is as follows:

[0238] Step S1001: On the blood oxygenation image, use regular shapes such as circles, rectangles, and ellipses, or arbitrary curves and traces to delineate the region of interest (ROI);

[0239] Step S1002: Calculate the blood oxygen value (i.e., blood oxygen saturation) within the ROI region (distributed in the range of 0-100%). If it is greater than the set blood oxygen threshold S... th The maximum and minimum blood oxygen values ​​corresponding to all pixels;

[0240] Step S1003, the method for calculating the average value is to calculate the blood oxygen value in the ROI region that is greater than S th The sum of blood oxygen values ​​(SO2_sum) for all pixels in the region is calculated, and the blood oxygen value greater than SO2_sum within that region is calculated. th The sum of all pixels SO2_num is used to calculate the mean blood oxygen level within the ROI region:

[0241] SO2_mean=SO2_sum / SO2_num (3-5);

[0242] This application also provides a method for displaying blood oxygenation changes during real-time imaging, comprising the following steps:

[0243] Step S1101: First, set the ROI region on the blood oxygenation image, as described above;

[0244] Step S1102: During real-time imaging, because the blood oxygenation imaging frame rate is low, this bar chart method is used to display the changes in blood oxygenation in real time, such as... Figure 8 As shown in 801, the value of each bar in region 8011 is the mean (or minimum, maximum) blood oxygen value within the ROI region of that frame image.

[0245] Step 1103: Display the mean, maximum, and minimum blood oxygen levels within the ROI region in real time next to the bar chart.

[0246] In this embodiment, due to the limited length of the bar chart display area, a left-to-right refresh method is adopted. Assuming that the image area allows a maximum of 30 bars to be displayed at a time, after displaying the 30th frame in real-time imaging, the first bar on the left is updated, and then the refresh proceeds from left to right, while highlighting the bar corresponding to the current frame.

[0247] This application provides another photoacoustic imaging system, including: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, and a processor;

[0248] This laser is used to emit laser pulses toward the target tissue in order to obtain the photoacoustic signal returned by the target tissue;

[0249] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the photoacoustic signal returned from the target tissue;

[0250] The processor is used to execute the photoacoustic image-based measurement method or blood oxygen parameter display method provided in other embodiments of this application.

[0251] In this application embodiment, if the above method is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application embodiment, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), magnetic disks, or optical disks. Thus, this application embodiment is not limited to any specific hardware and software combination.

[0252] Accordingly, this application embodiment further provides a computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed, implement the steps of the method provided in the above embodiments.

[0253] It should be understood that the phrase "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" throughout the specification means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence numbers of the above-described processes do not imply a sequential order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. The sequence numbers of the above-described embodiments are merely descriptive and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0254] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0255] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as: multiple units or components can be combined, or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the various components shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0256] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units. They may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0257] In addition, each functional unit in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can be a separate unit, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit; the integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0258] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it performs the steps of the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as mobile storage devices, read-only memory (ROM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0259] Alternatively, if the integrated units described above are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as mobile storage devices, ROMs, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0260] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A measurement method based on a photoacoustic image, characterized by, The method comprises: controlling the laser to emit laser pulses to the target tissue to obtain photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue; controlling the probe to receive the photoacoustic signals and obtaining photoacoustic images based on the photoacoustic signals; determining a target region from the photoacoustic images and obtaining image data corresponding to the target region; the image data corresponding to the target region at least includes pixel values and a number of pixel points corresponding to pixel points in the target region; determining an attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signals based on the image data corresponding to the target region, wherein the attribute parameter includes a photoacoustic signal proportion, and the photoacoustic signal proportion is used to reflect how much blood flow signal is in the target region; wherein the determining the attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signals based on the image data corresponding to the target region comprises: determining an area of the target region; determining a number of target pixel points in the target region whose pixel values in the photoacoustic images are greater than a first preset threshold value; determining the photoacoustic signal proportion according to the number of target pixel points and the area of the target region.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling the laser to emit laser pulses to the target tissue to obtain photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue comprises: controlling the laser to alternately emit first laser pulses and second laser pulses to the target tissue to obtain first photoacoustic signals and second photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue, wherein the first laser pulses and the second laser pulses have different wavelengths; the controlling the probe to receive the photoacoustic signals and obtaining photoacoustic images based on the photoacoustic signals comprises: controlling the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signals and obtaining first photoacoustic images based on the first photoacoustic signals, and controlling the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signals and obtaining second photoacoustic images based on the second photoacoustic signals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, the determining a target region from the photoacoustic images and obtaining image data corresponding to the target region comprises: determining a first target region from the first photoacoustic images and obtaining first image data corresponding to the first target region; determining a second target region corresponding to the first target region from the second photoacoustic images and obtaining second image data corresponding to the second target region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the determining an area of the target region comprises: determining a total number of pixel points in the target region; the determining the photoacoustic signal proportion according to the number of target pixel points and the area of the target region comprises: determining the photoacoustic signal proportion according to the number of target pixel points and the total number of pixel points in the target region.

5. A display method of blood oxygen parameters, characterized by, The method comprises: obtaining a blood oxygen image representing blood oxygen saturation of a target tissue; determining a target region from the blood oxygen image and obtaining image data corresponding to the target region; the image data corresponding to the target region at least includes pixel values and a number of pixel points corresponding to pixel points in the target region; determine blood oxygen parameters in the target region based on image data corresponding to the target region, wherein the blood oxygen parameters include at least one of a mean value of blood oxygen saturation, a maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and a minimum value of blood oxygen saturation; display the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters; wherein the blood oxygen image representing blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue comprises: controlling the laser to alternately send first laser pulses and second laser pulses to the target tissue to obtain first photoacoustic signals and second photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue, wherein the first laser pulses and the second laser pulses have different wavelengths; controlling the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signals and obtain a first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signals, and controlling the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signals and obtain a second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signals; obtaining the blood oxygen image representing blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue according to the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image; the display of the blood oxygen parameters comprises: displaying at least one of the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region corresponding to at least one frame or multiple frames of the blood oxygen image in at least one of a column chart, a curve chart, or a line chart; wherein the determination of the blood oxygen parameters in the target region based on the image data corresponding to the target region comprises: determining, from the image data corresponding to the target region, each target pixel point in the target region corresponding to a blood oxygen saturation greater than a second preset threshold; determining the mean value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region according to the number of the target pixel points and the sum of the blood oxygen saturations corresponding to the target pixel points; determining the maximum value and / or the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region from the blood oxygen saturations corresponding to the target pixel points.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, the display of the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters comprises: displaying the blood oxygen image of the current frame and the column chart, and highlighting or displaying at least one of the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame in different colors or with specific identifiers on the column chart.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, the display of the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters comprises: displaying the blood oxygen image of the current frame and the curve chart or the line chart, and highlighting or displaying at least one of the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame in different colors or with specific identifiers on the curve chart or the line chart.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein, the display of the blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters comprises: displaying the blood oxygen image of the current frame, and at least one of the mean value of blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in the target region corresponding to the blood oxygen image of the current frame.

9. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The column chart, the line chart or the line chart is used to display blood oxygen parameters in a target region corresponding to a preset number of frames of blood oxygen images, the blood oxygen parameters including at least one of a mean value of blood oxygen saturation, a maximum value of blood oxygen saturation and a minimum value of blood oxygen saturation, and the method further includes: When the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, the column chart, the line chart or the line chart is updated in real time as the number of frames of the blood oxygen images increases.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The column chart, the line chart or the line chart is updated in real time as the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning increases when the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, and the updating includes: When the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, part of the historical data of the blood oxygen parameters displayed by the column chart, the line chart or the line chart is hidden to update the blood oxygen parameters in the target region corresponding to the preset number of frames of blood oxygen images; wherein the updating of the blood oxygen parameters in the target region corresponding to the preset number of frames of blood oxygen images includes displaying the blood oxygen parameters in the target region corresponding to the current scanned blood oxygen image and the blood oxygen parameters in the target region corresponding to M frames of blood oxygen images before the current scanned blood oxygen image, and M is equal to the preset number of frames minus 1.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The column chart, the line chart or the line chart includes a display region with a preset length, the preset length including a starting position and an ending position, and the column chart, the line chart or the line chart is updated in real time as the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning increases when the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning is greater than the preset number of frames, and the updating includes: When the number of frames of the blood oxygen images obtained by real-time scanning reaches an integer multiple of the preset number of frames, the historical data of the blood oxygen parameters displayed by the column chart, the line chart or the line chart is hidden; Obtaining blood oxygen parameters of a current scanned blood oxygen image; Displaying the blood oxygen parameters of the current scanned blood oxygen image in the column chart, the line chart or the line chart at the starting position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The method further includes: Displaying a review control; In response to a review operation of a dial lever on the review control, highlighting or displaying blood oxygen parameters corresponding to a frame pointed by the dial lever in a different color or with a specific identifier on the column chart, the line chart or the line chart.

13. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The displaying of the blood oxygen parameters includes: Displaying the mean value of blood oxygen saturation in a column chart; Displaying the maximum value of blood oxygen saturation and / or the minimum value of blood oxygen saturation in a line chart or a line chart superimposed on the column chart.

14. A photoacoustic image-based measurement system, characterized by It includes: A laser, a probe, a receiving circuit and a processor; The laser is used to emit laser pulses to a target tissue to obtain photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue; The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue; The processor is used to obtain a photoacoustic image based on the photoacoustic signals; The processor is further configured to determine a target region from the photoacoustic image, and acquire image data corresponding to the target region, the image data corresponding to the target region comprising at least pixel values and a number of pixel points corresponding to the target region; and determine an attribute parameter of the photoacoustic signal based on the image data corresponding to the target region, wherein the attribute parameter comprises a photoacoustic signal ratio of the photoacoustic signal, and the photoacoustic signal ratio is used to reflect how much blood flow signal is in the target region. The method comprises the following steps: determining an area of the target region; determining a number of target pixel points in the target region whose pixel values in the photoacoustic image are greater than a first preset threshold value; determining the photoacoustic signal ratio based on the number of target pixel points and the area of the target region.

15. A display system for blood oxygen parameters, characterized in that The method comprises the following steps: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, a display device, and a processor; the laser is configured to alternately send first laser pulses and second laser pulses to a target tissue to obtain first photoacoustic signals and second photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue, wherein the first laser pulses and the second laser pulses have different wavelengths; the receiving circuit is configured to control the probe to receive the first photoacoustic signals and control the probe to receive the second photoacoustic signals; the processor is configured to obtain a first photoacoustic image based on the first photoacoustic signals and obtain a second photoacoustic image based on the second photoacoustic signals, and obtain a blood oxygen image representing a blood oxygen saturation of the target tissue based on the first photoacoustic image and the second photoacoustic image; the processor is further configured to determine a target region from the blood oxygen image, and acquire image data corresponding to the target region; and determine a blood oxygen parameter in the target region based on the image data corresponding to the target region, wherein the blood oxygen parameter comprises at least one of a mean value of the blood oxygen saturation, a maximum value of the blood oxygen saturation, and a minimum value of the blood oxygen saturation; the display device is configured to display at least one of the mean value of the blood oxygen saturation, the maximum value of the blood oxygen saturation, and the minimum value of the blood oxygen saturation in at least one of a column chart, a curve chart, or a line chart in a target region corresponding to at least one frame or multiple frames of the blood oxygen image, and display the blood oxygen image; The method comprises the following steps: determine, based on the image data corresponding to the target region, each target pixel point in the target region whose corresponding blood oxygen saturation is greater than a second preset threshold value; determine the mean value of the blood oxygen saturation in the target region based on a number of the target pixel points and a sum of the blood oxygen saturations corresponding to the target pixel points; determine the maximum value of the blood oxygen saturation and / or the minimum value of the blood oxygen saturation in the target region from the blood oxygen saturations corresponding to the target pixel points.

16. A photoacoustic imaging system, characterized by The method comprises the following steps: a laser, a probe, a receiving circuit, and a processor; the laser is configured to emit laser pulses to a target tissue to obtain photoacoustic signals returned by the target tissue; The receiving circuit is configured to control the probe to receive photoacoustic signals returned from the target tissue. The processor is configured to perform the steps of the method of any one of claims 1-13.

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