Elastic imaging method, system and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The embodiments of the present application disclose an elastic imaging method, system and computer-readable storage medium. The elastic imaging method includes: obtaining a motion parameter image of the tested tissue; determining the main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the tested tissue in the motion parameter image; and displaying the motion parameter image including the main propagation path. The embodiments of the present application display the motion parameter image including the main propagation path after obtaining the main propagation path of the shear wave in the motion parameter image. In this way, the influence of various interference information such as afterwaves and reflected waves caused by the vibration of the probe in the motion parameter image can be reduced, which makes it difficult for medical staff to accurately interpret the meaning displayed by the motion parameter image. This is also conducive to improving the comprehensibility of the elasticity test results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of medical technology, and in particular to an elastic imaging method, system, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Transient elastography uses probe vibration to generate shear waves that propagate through the tissue under test, emitting ultrasonic waves to detect internal tissue displacement, thereby calculating and displaying the elastic parameters of the tissue under test. In addition to elasticity measurement results, transient elastography generally also provides a motion parameter image of tissue displacement or strain. However, due to interference from various residual waves and reflected waves caused by probe vibration, clinical staff cannot accurately interpret the meaning of the motion parameter image. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present application provide an elasticity imaging method, system, and computer-readable storage medium, which can improve the comprehensibility of elasticity test results.

[0004] In one embodiment, an elastic imaging method is provided, which is applied to an elastic imaging system. The elastic imaging system includes a probe, a transmitting circuit connected to the probe, a receiving circuit connected to the probe, a beamformer connected to the receiving circuit, a processor connected to the beamformer, and a display screen for displaying image information transmitted by the processor. The elastic imaging method includes:

[0005] controlling the probe to transmit a first ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test upon receiving a first transmission timing of the transmission circuit, so as to track the shear wave propagating in the tissue under test;

[0006] Controlling the probe to receive a first ultrasonic echo returned by the tested tissue, and converting the first ultrasonic echo into an electrical signal and transmitting the electrical signal to the receiving circuit;

[0007] controlling the beamformer to perform beam synthesis on the electrical signal transmitted from the receiving circuit to obtain first ultrasonic echo data;

[0008] controlling the processor to obtain a motion parameter image of the measured tissue based on the first ultrasound echo data;

[0009] Controlling the processor to determine a main propagation path of the shear wave in the motion parameter image to obtain a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map represents a main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0010] controlling the processor to determine elastic information of the measured tissue according to the first ultrasonic echo data, the motion parameter image, or the main propagation path map;

[0011] The processor is controlled to display the main propagation path map and the elasticity information of the tested tissue on the display screen.

[0012] In one embodiment, a method for elastic imaging is provided, the method comprising:

[0013] transmitting a first ultrasonic wave to a tissue under test to track a shear wave propagating in the tissue under test;

[0014] receiving a first ultrasonic echo returned by the measured tissue to obtain first ultrasonic echo data;

[0015] obtaining, according to the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0016] determining a main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameters, and obtaining a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map represents the main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0017] determining elasticity information of the measured tissue according to the first ultrasonic echo data, the motion parameter, or the main propagation path;

[0018] The main propagation path map and the elasticity information of the tested tissue are displayed.

[0019] In one embodiment, a method for elastic imaging is provided, the method comprising:

[0020] transmitting a first ultrasonic wave to a tissue under test to track a shear wave propagating in the tissue under test;

[0021] receiving a first ultrasonic echo returned by the measured tissue to obtain first ultrasonic echo data;

[0022] obtaining, according to the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0023] determining a main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameters, and obtaining a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map represents the main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0024] Display the main propagation path diagram.

[0025] In one embodiment, a method for elastic imaging is provided, comprising:

[0026] acquiring motion parameter images of the tested tissue;

[0027] determining a main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue according to the motion parameter image;

[0028] The main propagation path is displayed.

[0029] In one embodiment, an elastic imaging system is provided, comprising:

[0030] a probe, configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to a tissue under test to track a shear wave propagating in the tissue under test, and further configured to receive a first ultrasonic echo returned by the tissue under test to obtain first ultrasonic echo data;

[0031] a processor connected to the probe, the processor being configured to obtain, based on the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue, determine a main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameters, obtain a main propagation path map, and determine elasticity information of the measured tissue according to the first ultrasonic echo data or the motion parameters or the main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map characterizes the main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue;

[0032] A display screen is connected to the processor, and the processor is used to display the main propagation path map and the elasticity information of the tested tissue on the display screen.

[0033] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program for electronic data exchange, wherein the computer program enables a computer to execute some or all of the steps described in any method of the foregoing embodiments.

[0034] The elastic imaging method, system and computer-readable storage medium of the embodiments of the present application obtain the main propagation path of the shear wave based on the motion parameters or motion parameter images, and display the main propagation path. In this way, the influence of various interference information such as afterwaves and reflected waves caused by the vibration of the probe in the motion parameter image can be reduced, which makes it difficult for medical staff to accurately interpret the meaning displayed by the motion parameter image. It is also beneficial to improve the comprehensibility of the elasticity test results. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0036] Figure 1Schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the elastic imaging system in one embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 2 1 is a flowchart of the steps of the elastic imaging method in one embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a motion parameter image in one embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a hardware structure block diagram of the probe in one embodiment of the present application.

[0040] Figure 5 2 is a schematic diagram of multiple strip-shaped areas in a motion parameter image in an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the binarization of the main propagation path graph in one embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the non-binarization of the main propagation path diagram in one embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the main propagation path in one embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Figure 9 1 is a flowchart of the steps of the elastic imaging method in one embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Figure 10 It is a block diagram of an elastic imaging system in one embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of a motion parameter image in one embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Figure 12 It is a schematic diagram of a motion parameter image in another embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Figure 13 It is a schematic diagram of a motion parameter image in yet another embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish between different objects, not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0051] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0052] See also Figure 1 , shown is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an elastic imaging system in one embodiment of the present application. The elastic imaging system 10 may include a probe 100, a transmitting circuit 102 connected to the probe 100, a receiving circuit 104 connected to the probe 100, a beam synthesizer 106, a processor 110 and a display 112, wherein the receiving circuit 104, the beam synthesizer 106, the processor 110 and the display 112 may be electrically connected in sequence. In this embodiment, the elastic imaging system 10 can obtain motion parameters or motion parameter images of the tested tissue, and obtain the main propagation path of the shear wave in the tested tissue based on the motion parameters or motion parameter images, and can display the main propagation path on the display 112. Since the main propagation path can be a single path that can accurately represent the propagation position of the shear wave at different depths, various interference information such as afterwaves and reflected waves can be excluded when obtaining the main propagation path. In this way, medical staff can intuitively make a diagnosis through the motion parameter image containing the main propagation path or through the main propagation path map, which is conducive to improving the comprehensibility of the elasticity test results. In one embodiment, the beamformer 106 and the processor 110 may be implemented by dedicated circuits or commercially available chips.

[0053] Please also refer to Figure 2 , shown is a flowchart of the steps of an elastic imaging method in one embodiment of the present application. The elastic imaging method includes the following steps:

[0054] Step 200: Acquire a motion parameter image of the tissue under test.

[0055] In this embodiment, the transmitting circuit 102 transmits a first transmission timing sequence to the probe 100, controlling the probe 100 to transmit a first ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test. The first ultrasonic wave is used to track shear waves propagating within the tissue under test. After the probe 100 transmits the first ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test, after a certain delay, the probe 100 receives a first ultrasonic echo reflecting from the tissue under test, which carries information about the target object. The probe 100 converts this ultrasonic echo into an electrical signal. The receiving circuit 104 receives the electrical signal generated by the probe 100, obtains first ultrasonic echo data, and transmits this first ultrasonic echo data to the beamformer 106. The beamformer 106 performs beamforming processing on the ultrasonic echo data, including focusing delay, weighting, and channel summing. The processed ultrasonic echo data is then transmitted to the processor 110. The processor 110 obtains motion parameters or a motion parameter image of the tissue under test based on the first ultrasonic echo data and displays it on the display screen 112.

[0056] Please also refer to Figure 3 , shown is a schematic diagram of a motion parameter image in one embodiment of the present application. This motion parameter image includes a transverse time attribute and a longitudinal depth attribute. In this embodiment, after a shear wave enters the tested tissue, as the shear wave propagates, vibrations occur within the tested tissue, causing the corresponding position of the tested tissue to shift. This is accomplished by continuously transmitting a first ultrasonic wave into the tested tissue for a period of time and receiving its echo.

[0057] The processor 110 obtains the motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue based on the first ultrasonic echo data, wherein the motion parameters here may include displacement, velocity or strain. For example, the processor 110 compares and analyzes the first ultrasonic echo data obtained at different times (such as a cross-correlation algorithm), and can calculate the displacement of the measured tissue at different times. The first echo data of the measured tissue from different depths are respectively calculated for displacement, and finally a displacement matrix corresponding to different depths and different times can be obtained. In the displacement matrix, each data represents the displacement information of the measured tissue at a certain depth at a certain time. When the gradient of the above displacement matrix is calculated along the depth direction, the strain matrix can be obtained accordingly. In the strain matrix, each data represents the strain information of the measured tissue at a certain depth at a certain time. In the above calculation process, in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, some filtering operations in the time direction or depth direction may also be added.

[0058] The processor 110 may determine a motion parameter image 150 of the measured tissue based on the motion parameters of the shear wave at different times and depths.

[0059] Please also refer to Figure 4, shown is a block diagram of the hardware structure of a probe in one embodiment of the present application. The probe 100 includes an array-type acoustic head 130, a vibrator 132, and a sensor 134 located between the array-type acoustic head 130 and the vibrator 132. Before the transmitting circuit 102 transmits a first transmission timing sequence to the probe 100, the transmitting circuit 102 may transmit an excitation timing sequence to the probe 100 to control the vibration of the vibrator 132 of the probe 100 and generate shear waves in the tissue under test. Thereafter, the array-type acoustic head 130 of the probe 100 tracks the shear waves propagating in the tissue under test according to the first transmission timing sequence. The array-type acoustic head 130 includes a preset number of array elements, and the array elements of the array-type acoustic head 130 are arranged in a linear arrangement or a fan-shaped arrangement, etc. The sensor 132 is used to sense the force with which the probe 100 presses the tissue under test. In one embodiment, the probe 100 may also not include the sensor 134.

[0060] In one embodiment, medical personnel may need to detect a target location range within the tissue under test. Therefore, they need to select a region of interest (ROI) corresponding to the target location range within the base image, where the base image includes one or more of a B image and a C image. While acquiring the base image of the tissue under test, the transmitting circuit 102 transmits a second transmission timing sequence to the probe 100 to control the probe 100 to transmit a second ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test. After the probe 100 transmits the second ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test, after a certain delay, the probe 100 receives a second ultrasonic echo reflecting from the tissue under test, which carries information about the test object. The probe 100 converts this ultrasonic echo into an electrical signal. The receiving circuit 104 receives the electrical signal generated by the conversion by the probe 100, obtains second ultrasonic echo data, and transmits this second ultrasonic echo data to the beamformer 106. The beamformer 106 performs beamforming processing such as focusing delay, weighting and channel summing on the ultrasonic echo data, and then sends the beam-processed ultrasonic echo data to the processor 110. The processor 110 processes the signal differently according to the different imaging modes required by the user to obtain tissue image data of different modes, and then forms ultrasonic tissue images of different modes through logarithmic compression, dynamic range adjustment, digital scan conversion and other processing, and displays them on the display 112. The ultrasonic tissue images of different modes may include M images, B images, C images, etc., or other types of two-dimensional ultrasonic tissue images or three-dimensional ultrasonic tissue images. In one embodiment, the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave emitted by the probe 100 may be the same, that is, the processor 110 can simultaneously obtain the parameter information corresponding to the shear wave, generate an instantaneous elastic map and generate ultrasonic tissue images of different modes after processing the ultrasonic echo received by the probe 100; in one embodiment, the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave emitted by the probe 100 may be different, that is, the probe 100 may emit the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave successively, or emit the second ultrasonic wave and the first ultrasonic wave successively, or emit the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave in an interspersed manner (such as emitting the second ultrasonic wave after emitting the first ultrasonic wave, and then emitting the first ultrasonic wave again, and repeating this interspersed cycle). In this way, the processor 110 can obtain the parameter information corresponding to the shear wave, generate an instantaneous elastic map after processing the first ultrasonic echo corresponding to the first ultrasonic wave received by the probe 100, and generate ultrasonic tissue images of different modes after processing the second ultrasonic echo corresponding to the second ultrasonic wave received by the probe 100.

[0061] When the basic image is displayed on the display screen 112, medical staff can determine the area of interest in the basic image; the processor 110 can obtain the target position range corresponding to the area of interest in the first ultrasonic echo data, and determine the elastic information of the tested tissue based on the first ultrasonic echo data within the target position range, such as the shear wave propagation velocity, shear modulus, Young's modulus, etc. within the target position range of the tested tissue.

[0062] Step 202: Determine the main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue in the motion parameter image, and obtain a main propagation path map.

[0063] In this embodiment, processor 110 determines the target region corresponding to the motion parameters within a preset range at each depth in motion parameter image 150, and may also determine a target time range for the target region in terms of temporal attributes, where the target time range includes a plurality of target time points. Processor 110 determines a strip region based on the continuous target regions in motion parameter image 150. Due to the influence of various interference information such as aftereffects and reflected waves caused by probe vibration, processor 110 may obtain one or more strip regions when acquiring the strip region based on the continuous target regions in motion parameter image 150.

[0064] Please also refer to Figure 5 , which is a schematic diagram of multiple strip-shaped areas in a motion parameter image in an embodiment of the present application. The motion parameter image 150 may include a first strip-shaped area S1, a second strip-shaped area S2, and a third strip-shaped area S3. In this embodiment, the motion parameter image 150 includes a plurality of pixels. Since the pixel value of each pixel in the motion parameter image 150 corresponds to the size of the motion parameter at the depth corresponding to the pixel. For example, when the motion parameter image 150 is a non-grayscale image (such as the motion parameter image 150 is a pseudo-color image), the processor 110 may perform grayscale processing on the motion parameter image 150. When the numerical value corresponding to the motion parameter is large, the pixel at the corresponding depth in the grayscale motion parameter image is close to white (such as the pixel value of the pixel is close to 255); when the numerical value corresponding to the motion parameter is small, the pixel at the corresponding depth in the grayscale motion parameter image is close to black (such as the pixel value of the pixel is close to 0). When determining the target area, the processor 110 may determine the maximum extreme value range or the minimum extreme value range as the preset range, wherein the maximum extreme value range may be a to 255, and the target area may be the motion parameter image 150 (e.g. Figure 3 ) in the bright band area; the minimum extreme value range may be 0 to b, and the target area may be the motion parameter image 150 (eg Figure 3 ) in the black belt area.

[0065] In other embodiments, the target area may also be the motion parameter image 150 (eg Figure 3) in the image. For example, at a set depth, when the pixel value of a pixel point is within the minimum extreme value range, and the pixel values of other pixels at a preset number of intervals from the pixel point are all within the maximum extreme value range, the processor 110 may use the pixel point and the other pixels at a preset number of intervals from the pixel point as the target area corresponding to the set depth; or, when the pixel value of a pixel point is within the maximum extreme value range, and the pixel values of other pixels at a preset number of intervals from the pixel point are all within the minimum extreme value range, the processor 110 may use the pixel point and the other pixels at a preset number of intervals from the pixel point as the target area corresponding to the set depth.

[0066] In this embodiment, when determining the first strip area S1, the second strip area S2, and the third strip area S3 in the motion parameter image 150, if the preset range is the minimum extreme value range, the processor 110 determines the target area corresponding to the depth V1, including the target area AB and the target area EF, wherein the target area AB is a set of pixel points (such as a line segment AB) in the motion parameter image 150 whose motion parameters are within the minimum extreme value range at the depth V1, and the target time range corresponding to the target area AB is the target time t1 to t2; the target area EF is a set of pixel points (such as a line segment EF) in the motion parameter image 150 whose motion parameters are within the minimum extreme value range at the depth V1, and the target time range corresponding to the target area EF is the target time t5 to t6; and other areas outside the target area AB and the target area EF in the motion parameter image 150 at the depth V1 do not meet the minimum extreme value range. The processor 110 can also determine the target area corresponding to the depth V2, including the target area CD, wherein the target area CD is a set of pixel points (such as line segment CD) in the motion parameter image 150 whose motion parameters are within the minimum extreme value range at the depth V2, and the target time range corresponding to the target area CD is the target time t3 to t4, and other areas outside the target area CD in the motion parameter image 150 at the depth V2 do not meet the minimum extreme value range.

[0067] Processor 110 determines one or more band-shaped regions based on the continuous target regions in motion parameter image 150. Because shear waves are continuous in the measured tissue, the target regions at different depths are also continuous. Thus, processor 110 determines the band-shaped regions composed of the continuous target regions in motion parameter image 150, such as first band-shaped region S1, second band-shaped region S2, and third band-shaped region S3 in motion parameter image 150.

[0068] Since the shear wave has a single propagation path when propagating in the measured tissue, if the processor 110 determines that there are multiple band-shaped regions in the motion parameter image 150, it indicates that there is interference information in the motion parameter image 150. Therefore, the processor 110 can determine that the target band-shaped region that meets the preset conditions among the multiple band-shaped regions is the main propagation path of the shear wave.

[0069] In one embodiment, since the shear wave is generated after the vibration of the probe 100 ends, the processor 110 can obtain the reference time corresponding to the end of the vibration of the probe 100, and determine that the strip area composed of the target areas whose target time is later than the reference time in the one or more strip areas is the main propagation path. For example, if the reference time corresponding to the end of the vibration of the probe 100 is t0, since the target time corresponding to the third strip area S3 is earlier than the reference time t0, the processor 110 determines the target areas whose target time is later than the reference time t0 in the first strip area S1 and the second strip area S2. Since the motion parameter image 150 also includes the first strip area S1 and the second strip area S2, the main propagation path of the motion parameter image 150 is a strip area. At this time, the processor 110 can determine that the strip area with the largest length or the largest area in the first strip area S1 and the second strip area S2 is the main propagation path of the shear wave, wherein each strip area includes a first hypotenuse and a second hypotenuse, and the length of the strip area can be expressed as the length of the first hypotenuse or the second hypotenuse, or the longer of the first hypotenuse and the second hypotenuse; the area of the strip area can be expressed as the area of a quadrilateral enclosed by the first hypotenuse, the second hypotenuse, the difference between the projections of the first end of the first hypotenuse and the first end of the second hypotenuse on the time axis, and the difference between the projections of the second end of the first hypotenuse and the second end of the second hypotenuse on the time axis. Since the length of the hypotenuse where AC is located in the first strip area S1 is greater than the length of the hypotenuse where E is located in the second strip area S2, the processor 110 can determine that the first strip area is the main propagation path of the shear wave.

[0070] In one embodiment, the processor 110 may directly determine that the strip region with the largest length or the largest area among the one or more strip regions is the primary propagation path of the shear wave. For example, among the first strip region S1, the second strip region S2, and the third strip region S3, the first strip region S1 has the largest length and the largest area. Therefore, the processor 110 may determine that the first strip region is the primary propagation path of the shear wave.

[0071] In one embodiment, when the processor 110 determines that the number of the one or more strip areas consisting of target areas whose target times are later than the reference time is one, the processor 110 may no longer need to determine the attribute information of the length or area of the strip area.

[0072] In one embodiment, when determining the region of interest of the tissue under test, the region of interest may be located at a preset depth. In this case, the processor 110 may determine that the target strip region located at the preset depth is the main propagation path. For example, when the preset depth is depth V1, the processor 110 may determine that the target region below the line segment AB in the first strip region S1 meets the conditions, the second strip region S2 meets the conditions, and the target region below the line segment EF in the third strip region S3 meets the conditions. The processor 110 may also obtain three strip regions. Since the motion parameter image 150 also includes the first strip region S1 and the second strip region S2, the main propagation path of the motion parameter image 150 is a strip region. In this case, the processor 110 may determine that the strip region with the largest length or the largest area among the target region below the line segment AB in the first strip region S1, the target region below the line segment EF in the second strip region S2, and the target region below the line segment EF in the third strip region S3 is the main propagation path of the shear wave. For example, the processor 110 may determine that the target region below the line segment AB in the first strip region S1 is the main propagation path of the shear wave.

[0073] In one embodiment, when it is determined that there are multiple target strip areas located at the preset depth, the processor 110 also determines the target strip area in combination with the reference time corresponding to the end of the vibration of the probe 100. For example, since the target time corresponding to the second strip area S2 is earlier than the reference time t0, the processor 110 can determine that the target area below the line segment AB in the first strip area S1 and the target area below the line segment EF in the third strip area S3 meet the conditions. Thereafter, the processor 110 can determine that the target area below the line segment AB in the first strip area S1 and the target area below the line segment EF in the third strip area S3 have the largest length or the largest area as the main propagation path of the shear wave, that is, the processor 110 can determine that the target area below the line segment AB in the first strip area S1 is the main propagation path of the shear wave.

[0074] In this article, the main propagation path map is a map that characterizes the actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue, which is obtained based on the motion parameters or motion parameter maps of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue.

[0075] Figure 11 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13 They are respectively motion parameters or motion parameter graphs of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of shear waves in the measured tissue in some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 11 In the figure, the strip extending to the upper right on the right is the reflected wave of the shear wave. Figure 12 The strip area to the right of the middle dotted line is the aftermath of the shear wave. Figure 13 The strip and oblong area to the right of the middle dashed line are the shear wave's reflected waves and afterwaves. As can be seen, the obtained motion parameters or motion parameter graphs contain interference information such as various shear wave afterwaves and reflected waves, which can affect the doctor's inspection and elastic parameter detection.

[0076] In the embodiments of this article, as described above and below, a main propagation path map characterizing the actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue is obtained based on the motion parameter or motion parameter map. The main propagation path map can exclude interference information such as afterwaves and reflected waves in the motion parameter or motion parameter map, thereby more accurately reflecting the actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue, which is convenient for doctors to view.

[0077] Step 204: Display the motion parameter image including the main propagation path.

[0078] When the processor 110 obtains the main propagation path of the shear wave in the motion parameter image 150, the processor 110 displays the main propagation path diagram 160 (shown in FIG. Figure 6 ), wherein the main propagation path diagram is also a motion parameter image containing the main propagation path. Because the main propagation path diagram includes the display area corresponding to the main propagation path and other areas outside the main propagation path, the main propagation path diagram has eliminated the influence of interference information, improving the comprehensibility of the elasticity test results and allowing medical staff to make diagnoses intuitively based on the main propagation path diagram.

[0079] In one embodiment, the processor 110 may further determine elasticity information of the measured tissue based on the aforementioned first ultrasound echo data, the aforementioned motion parameter image, or the aforementioned main propagation path map. Here, the elasticity information of the measured tissue may include parameters such as shear wave propagation velocity, Young's modulus of the measured tissue, and shear modulus of the measured tissue.

[0080] Please also refer to Figure 6 , which is a schematic diagram of the binarization of the main propagation path diagram in one embodiment of the present application. After obtaining the main propagation path in the motion parameter image 150, the processor 110 may binarize the motion parameter image 150 so that the main propagation path in the motion parameter image 150 is displayed as a first color and the area outside the main propagation path is displayed as a second color, which is more convenient for medical staff to identify. For example, the processor 110 may set the target strip area corresponding to the main propagation path in the motion parameter image 150 to a first color (such as white), and set the area outside the target strip area corresponding to the main propagation path to a second color (such as black).

[0081] In one embodiment, if the influence of the interference information is relatively weak, after the processor 110 performs binarization processing on the motion parameter image 150, the main propagation path map obtained can distinguish between the display area of the main propagation path and other areas outside the main propagation path. For example, when the preset range is the minimum extreme value range, the processor 110 sets the pixel points in the motion parameter image 150 whose pixel values are greater than the preset threshold to the first color, that is, the color of the other areas outside the main propagation path is set to black; the processor 110 also sets the pixel points in the motion parameter image whose pixel values are not greater than the preset threshold to the second color, that is, the color of the display area of the main propagation path is set to white. In this way, after the processor 110 performs binarization processing on the motion parameter image 150, the main propagation path map 160 can be directly obtained.

[0082] Please also refer to Figure 7 , shown is a non-binary schematic diagram of the main propagation path map in one embodiment of the present application. In one embodiment, as the shear wave propagates in the measured tissue, the motion parameters (such as strain information or displacement information) or energy of the measured tissue gradually weakens as the propagation depth and propagation time increase. In order to more clearly display this change process, the processor 110 can display the main propagation path map 160 in a non-binary manner. The processor 110 can set the pixel value of the pixel point at each depth in the target strip area corresponding to the main propagation path to a third color with the corresponding motion parameter, wherein different motion parameters correspond to different third colors; and can set the area outside the target strip area corresponding to the main propagation path to a fourth color.

[0083] Please also refer to Figure 8 , which shows a schematic diagram of the main propagation path in another embodiment of the present application. When the processor 110 determines that the first strip area S1 is the main propagation path, the processor 110 can also simply display certain specific depth points on the main propagation path. For example, the processor 110 can only display the points on the display screen 112. Figure 8 The circle in the figure (excluding the two oblique sides of the first strip area S1) is omitted for easy display.

[0084] In one embodiment, when determining the main propagation path in the motion parameter image 150, the processor 110 may calculate elastic parameters of the tissue under test, including but not limited to shear wave velocity, Young's modulus, shear modulus, etc. Figure 5 As shown, processor 110 can fit a straight line (dashed line) based on the main propagation path. The slope of the dashed line can be used to represent the shear wave velocity. Processor 110 can calculate the Young's modulus of the measured tissue based on the shear wave velocity. In one embodiment, processor 110 also includes statistical results of multiple measurements of the above parameters, such as the median, quartiles, and ratio of the quartiles to the median of the Young's modulus obtained from 10 measurements.

[0085] In one embodiment, the processor 110 may control the display screen 112 to display the base image and the region of interest within the base image, the Young's modulus of the measured tissue, and / or the main propagation path diagram to facilitate diagnosis by medical personnel.

[0086] The above-mentioned elastic imaging method obtains the main propagation path of the shear wave in the motion parameter image and then displays the motion parameter image containing the main propagation path. In this way, it can reduce the influence of various interference information such as afterwaves and reflected waves caused by the vibration of the probe in the motion parameter image, which makes it difficult for medical staff to accurately interpret the meaning displayed by the motion parameter image. It is also beneficial to improve the comprehensibility of the elasticity test results.

[0087] In one embodiment, an elastic imaging method may include the following steps:

[0088] transmitting a first ultrasonic wave to the tissue under test to track the shear wave propagating in the tissue under test;

[0089] receiving an ultrasonic echo of the first ultrasonic wave returned by the measured tissue (referred to herein as a first ultrasonic echo) to obtain first ultrasonic echo data;

[0090] Obtaining, based on the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue, where the motion parameters may include displacement, velocity, or strain of the measured tissue;

[0091] determining a main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameter, and generating a main propagation path map based on the main propagation path;

[0092] Display the main propagation path diagram obtained.

[0093] In this embodiment, elasticity information of the tested tissue can also be determined based on the aforementioned first ultrasound echo data, the motion parameters, or the main propagation path map, and the elasticity information of the tested tissue can also be displayed to the user. This elasticity information can be displayed simultaneously with the main propagation path map, or it can be displayed separately from the main propagation path map.

[0094] In this embodiment, a motion parameter that satisfies a preset condition (referred to herein as a "target motion parameter") can be determined from these motion parameters, and the main propagation path of the shear wave can be obtained based on the depth and time corresponding to the target motion parameter. The preset condition can be any suitable condition and can be set according to actual needs. For example, the preset condition can be greater than a preset threshold, within a preset range, etc.

[0095] In this embodiment, the confidence level of the elastic information of the measured tissue can also be determined based on the obtained main propagation path. For example, one or more confidence parameters corresponding to the main propagation path can be determined based on the main propagation path, and the confidence level of the elastic information of the measured tissue can be determined based on the one or more confidence parameters. Here, the confidence parameters can include one or more of the linearity parameter of the main propagation path, the error parameter when calculating the shear wave propagation velocity by linear fitting of the main propagation path, the length parameter of the main propagation path, the area parameter of the main propagation path, and the like.

[0096] In this embodiment, a base image of the tested tissue can also be acquired and displayed simultaneously with the aforementioned main propagation path map and elasticity information of the tested tissue. Here, the base image can be one or more of a B-image, a C-image, or an image of another mode of the tested tissue. This base image can be acquired in real time by an ultrasound imaging system, i.e., by transmitting ultrasound waves to the tested tissue through an ultrasound probe and receiving ultrasound echoes, thereby obtaining ultrasound echo signals and obtaining the base image of the tested tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals. Alternatively, the base image of the tested tissue can be acquired and stored in advance from another device.

[0097] In this embodiment, the confidence level of the elasticity information of the tested tissue may also be displayed.

[0098] See also Figure 9 , shown is a flowchart of the steps of an elastic imaging method in another embodiment of the present application. The elastic imaging method includes the following steps:

[0099] Step 300: Acquire a motion parameter image of the tissue under test.

[0100] Step 300 in this embodiment is similar to step 200 in the above embodiment. Please refer to the above step 200 for details.

[0101] Step 302: Determine the main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue in the motion parameter image.

[0102] Step 302 in this embodiment is similar to step 202 in the above embodiment. Please refer to the above step 202 for details.

[0103] Step 304: Display the motion parameter image including the main propagation path.

[0104] Step 304 in this embodiment is similar to step 204 in the above embodiment. Please refer to the above step 204 for details.

[0105] Step 306: Control the processor to determine the confidence level of the elasticity information of the tested tissue.

[0106] When acquiring the main propagation path of the shear wave in the motion parameter image 150, the processor 110 may calculate the elasticity information of the measured tissue based on the main propagation path. Furthermore, the reliability of the main propagation path affects the elasticity information of the measured tissue. Therefore, the processor 150 may determine the confidence level of the elasticity information of the measured tissue based on one or more confidence parameters corresponding to the main propagation path and based on the one or more confidence parameters, wherein the confidence parameters include one or more of a linearity parameter of the main propagation path, an error parameter when calculating the shear wave propagation velocity by linear fitting of the main propagation path, a length parameter of the main propagation path, and an area parameter of the main propagation path.

[0107] For example, the main propagation path diagram can easily determine the length of the main propagation path, the strength of the energy, and whether the main propagation path is linear. In clinical liver fibrosis testing, the Young's modulus of liver tissue is calculated by determining the average propagation velocity of shear waves in liver tissue, thereby reflecting the degree of liver fibrosis. Generally speaking, the larger the Young's modulus, the stiffer the liver tissue and the higher the degree of liver fibrosis. Because liver fibrosis is primarily a diffuse lesion, the shear wave propagates at a uniform velocity, and the main propagation path appears as a straight path, with the slope of the straight path corresponding to the shear wave velocity. In some examinations, if the main propagation path is too short (for example, it only propagates to a depth of 50mm), it indicates that the shear wave energy is weak or attenuated, resulting in insufficient penetration. If the main propagation path appears as a curve or a not-so-straight line, it indicates that the shear wave propagation is uneven, and the calculated slope, shear wave propagation velocity, or tissue Young's modulus may be inaccurate. If the main propagation path is not calculated at all, the data quality of the examination is too poor, making it difficult to obtain valid results.

[0108] The confidence level may be a linearity parameter of the above-mentioned main propagation path (such as determining the degree of linearity of the main propagation path). The better the linearity of the main propagation path, the higher the reliability of the processor 110 in determining the elasticity information of the tested tissue. Alternatively, the confidence level may be the error corresponding to the processor 110 performing a straight line fitting on the main propagation path (such as fitting by the least squares method) and calculating the slope of the fitted straight line. The smaller the error, the higher the reliability of the processor 110 in determining the elasticity information of the tested tissue. Alternatively, the confidence level may be a length parameter of the main propagation path that the processor 110 can determine. The longer the length parameter of the main propagation path, the higher the reliability of the processor 110 in determining the elasticity information of the tested tissue. Alternatively, the confidence level may be an area parameter of the main propagation path that the processor 110 can determine. The larger the area, the higher the reliability of the processor 110 in determining the elasticity information of the tested tissue.

[0109] In one embodiment, the confidence level may be a comprehensive scoring parameter obtained by the processor 110 based on a weighted balance of the aforementioned multiple confidence parameters. A higher comprehensive scoring parameter indicates a higher reliability of the elasticity information of the tested tissue determined by the processor 110.

[0110] Step 308: Control the output of prompt information corresponding to the confidence level of the elasticity information of the tested tissue.

[0111] The processor 110 can display the confidence level of the elastic information of the tested tissue based on one or more of the above-mentioned confidence parameters on the display screen 112. The numerical value corresponding to each confidence parameter has a corresponding confidence level, such as a confidence level of 90%. In this way, medical staff can determine the reliability of the calculated elastic information of the tested tissue based on the displayed confidence level.

[0112] In one embodiment, after the processor 110 obtains the basic image of the measured tissue, the processor 110 may display the basic image of the measured tissue, the confidence level, and the main propagation path map on the display screen 112 .

[0113] In one embodiment, the processor 110 may further display a region of interest determined by the medical staff on the basic image, and may also display the Young's modulus of the measured tissue calculated based on the calculated shear wave velocity.

[0114] The elastic imaging method described above determines the confidence level of the elastic information of the tested tissue through the main propagation path diagram. Medical personnel can conveniently determine the reliability and comprehensibility of the elastic information of the tested tissue based on the displayed confidence level.

[0115] See also Figure 10 , which is a block diagram of an elastic imaging system 80 in another embodiment of the present application. Figure 10 As shown, the elastic imaging system 80 can apply the above-mentioned embodiments. The elastic imaging system 80 provided in this application is described below. The elastic imaging system 80 may include a processor 800, a storage device 802, a probe 100, a control circuit 804, and a display screen 112, as well as a computer program (instructions) stored in the storage device 802 and executable on the processor 800. The elastic imaging system 80 may also include other hardware components, such as a communication device, a button, a keyboard, etc., which are not described in detail here. The processor 800 can exchange data with the probe 100, the control circuit 904, the storage device 802, and the display screen 112 via a signal line 808.

[0116] The processor 800 can be a central processing unit (CPU), other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The processor serves as the control center of the elastic imaging system 80, connecting the various components of the elastic imaging system 80 via various interfaces and circuits. In this embodiment, the processor 800 can be used to implement all the functions of the aforementioned image processing module 110 and can also integrate the functions of components such as the beamformer 106. The specific functions of these components can be found in the aforementioned embodiments. For example, the processor 800 can generate a first transmission timing to control the probe 100 to generate a first ultrasonic wave; the processor 800 can generate a second transmission timing to control the probe 100 to generate a second ultrasonic wave; the processor 800 can generate an excitation timing and control the probe 100 to vibrate and generate shear waves in the tested tissue.

[0117] The control circuit 804 may include the functions of the transmitting circuit 102, receiving circuit 104, and / or beamformer 106 in the above-described embodiments. For details on the functions of these components, please refer to the above-described embodiments. For example, the control circuit 804 may generate a first transmission timing sequence to control the probe 100 to generate a first ultrasonic wave; the control circuit 804 may generate a second transmission timing sequence to control the probe 100 to generate a second ultrasonic wave; and the control circuit 804 may generate an excitation timing sequence to control the probe 100 to vibrate and generate shear waves within the tissue being tested.

[0118] The storage device 802 can be used to store the computer program and / or module. The processor 800 realizes the various functions of the above-mentioned elastic imaging method by running or executing the computer program and / or module stored in the storage device 802, and calling the data stored in the storage device 802. The storage device 802 can store ultrasonic echo data, and the processor 800 can determine the main propagation path of the shear wave based on the ultrasonic echo data. The storage device 802 can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area can store an operating system, at least one application required for a function, etc. In addition, the storage device 802 can include a high-speed random access storage device, and can also include a non-volatile storage device, such as a hard disk, a memory, a plug-in hard disk, a smart memory card (Smart Media Card, SMC), a secure digital (Secure Digital, SD) card, a flash card (Flash Card), at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device.

[0119] The display screen 112 can display a user interface (UI) or a graphical user interface (GUI). The display 112 may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor LCD (TFT-LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) touch display, a flexible touch display, a three-dimensional (3D) touch display, etc.

[0120] The processor 800 reads the executable program code stored in the storage device 802 to run a program corresponding to the executable program code, so as to execute the elasticity imaging method in any of the above embodiments.

[0121] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant description of other embodiments. The above embodiments of the present application are described in detail. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core ideas of the present application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the ideas of the present application, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scopes. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present application.

Claims

1. A method for elastic imaging, characterized in that: The elastic imaging method comprises: acquiring motion parameter images of the tested tissue; Determining a target area corresponding to a motion parameter within a preset range at each depth in the motion parameter image, and determining one or more strip areas based on continuous target areas in the motion parameter image; Determining a target band region that meets preset conditions among the one or more band regions as a main propagation path of the shear wave, and obtaining a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map represents an actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue; Displaying the main propagation path diagram; Wherein, determining the target strip area satisfying the preset conditions among the one or more strip areas as the main propagation path of the shear wave includes any of the following methods: Determine a target area in the one or more strip-shaped areas where the target time is later than the reference time, and determine a strip-shaped area composed of the target areas in the one or more strip-shaped areas where the target time is later than the reference time as the main propagation path, wherein each target area corresponds to a target time range, each target time range includes a plurality of target times, and the reference time is the time corresponding to the end of the probe vibration; determining a target strip area located at a preset depth as the main propagation path; A target strip region having the largest length or the largest area among the one or more strip regions is determined as the main propagation path.

2. An elastic imaging method, characterized in that: The elastic imaging method comprises: acquiring motion parameter images of the tested tissue; Automatically determining a main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue in the motion parameter image, and obtaining a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path is a strip-shaped area, and the main propagation path map represents the actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue; The main propagation path diagram is displayed, wherein the strip area corresponding to the main propagation path in the main propagation path diagram is displayed in one color, and other areas outside the main propagation path in the main propagation path diagram are displayed in another different color.

3. An elastic imaging method, characterized in that: The elastic imaging method comprises: acquiring motion parameter images of the tested tissue; Automatically determine a main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue in the motion parameter image, and obtain a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path is a strip-shaped area, the main propagation path map represents the actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue, and the main propagation path map only includes the main propagation path; Display the main propagation path diagram.

4. The elastic imaging method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The acquiring of the motion parameter image of the tested tissue comprises: When the probe receives the first transmission timing sequence, transmitting a first ultrasonic wave toward the tissue under test to track the shear wave propagating in the tissue under test; The probe receives a first ultrasonic echo returned by the measured tissue and converts the first ultrasonic echo into an electrical signal; performing beam synthesis on the electrical signal to obtain first ultrasonic echo data; A motion parameter image of the measured tissue is obtained based on the first ultrasound echo data.

5. The elastic imaging method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The obtaining of the motion parameter image of the measured tissue based on the first ultrasonic echo data includes: Obtaining, based on the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue, wherein the motion parameters include displacement, velocity, or strain; The motion parameter image of the measured tissue is determined based on the motion parameters of the shear wave at different times and depths.

6. The elastic imaging method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The automatically determining the main propagation path of the shear wave propagating in the measured tissue in the motion parameter image comprises: Determine the area corresponding to the pixel points whose pixel values in the motion parameter image are greater than a preset threshold as the main propagation path by using a binarization process, wherein the motion parameter image includes a plurality of pixel points, and the pixel value of each pixel point corresponds to the magnitude of the motion parameter at the depth corresponding to the pixel point; or The region in the motion parameter image where the motion parameter is greater than a preset threshold is determined as the main propagation path by using a binarization process.

7. The elastic imaging method according to claim 6, wherein: The displaying of the main propagation path comprises: Setting the main propagation path in the main propagation path map to a first color; The area outside the main propagation path in the main propagation path map is set to a second color.

8. The elastic imaging method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The displaying of the main propagation path diagram comprises: Setting the pixel value of each pixel at each depth in the strip area corresponding to the main propagation path to have a third color corresponding to the motion parameter, wherein different motion parameters correspond to different third colors; The area outside the strip area corresponding to the main propagation path is set to a fourth color.

9. The elastic imaging method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The elastic imaging method further comprises: Determining one or more confidence parameters corresponding to the main propagation path; The confidence level of the elasticity information of the measured tissue is determined based on the one or more confidence parameters.

10. The elastic imaging method according to claim 9, wherein: The confidence parameters include one or more of the linearity parameter of the main propagation path, the error parameter when calculating the shear wave propagation velocity by straight line fitting of the main propagation path, the length parameter of the main propagation path, and the area parameter of the main propagation path.

11. The elastic imaging method according to claim 4, wherein: The method further comprises: Acquiring a basic image of the tested tissue and / or elasticity information of the tested tissue; The basic image of the tested tissue and / or the elasticity information of the tested tissue are displayed, wherein the basic image, the elasticity information and the motion parameter image are scanned using the same ultrasound probe or different ultrasound probes.

12. An elastic imaging system, characterized in that: The elastic imaging system comprises: a probe, configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to a tissue under test to track a shear wave propagating in the tissue under test, and further configured to receive a first ultrasonic echo returned by the tissue under test to obtain first ultrasonic echo data; a processor connected to the probe, the processor being configured to obtain, based on the first ultrasonic echo data, motion parameters of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue, determine a main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameters, and obtain a main propagation path map, wherein the main propagation path map represents an actual main propagation path of the shear wave in the measured tissue; A display screen is connected to the processor, and the processor is used to display the main propagation path map on the display screen.

13. The elastic imaging system according to claim 12, characterized in that: The processor is further configured to determine one or more confidence parameters corresponding to the main propagation path, and determine the confidence of the elasticity information of the measured tissue based on the one or more confidence parameters.

14. The elastic imaging system according to claim 13, wherein: The confidence parameters include one or more of the linearity parameter of the main propagation path, the error parameter when calculating the shear wave propagation velocity by straight line fitting of the main propagation path, the length parameter of the main propagation path, and the area parameter of the main propagation path.

15. The elastic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The main propagation path map excludes the motion parameters or interference information in the motion parameter map.

16. The elastic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The motion parameters include the displacement, velocity or strain of the measured tissue at different times and depths caused by the propagation of the shear wave in the measured tissue.

17. The elastic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The processor determines the main propagation path of the shear wave according to the motion parameter, specifically including: determining a motion parameter image of the measured tissue based on the motion parameters of the shear wave at different times and depths; Determining a target area corresponding to a motion parameter within a preset range at each depth in the motion parameter image, and determining one or more strip areas based on continuous target areas in the motion parameter image; A target strip area that meets a preset condition among the one or more strip areas is determined as a main propagation path of the shear wave.

18. The elastic imaging system according to claim 17, wherein: The determining of the target strip area in the one or more strip areas that meets the preset conditions as the main propagation path of the shear wave includes any of the following methods: Determine a target area in the one or more strip-shaped areas where the target time is later than the reference time, and determine a strip-shaped area composed of the target areas in the one or more strip-shaped areas where the target time is later than the reference time as the main propagation path, wherein each target area corresponds to a target time range, each target time range includes a plurality of target times, and the reference time is the time corresponding to the end of the probe vibration; determining a target strip area located at a preset depth as the main propagation path; A target strip region having the largest length or the largest area among the one or more strip regions is determined as the main propagation path.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, characterized in that: When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the elasticity imaging method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is implemented.

Images