Blood flow imaging method and ultrasound imaging device

Abstract

Disclosed are a blood flow imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging device. The method comprises: emitting ultrasonic waves to a target blood flow region along a first scanning angle and a second scanning angle; receiving ultrasonic echoes returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a first ultrasonic echo signal and a second ultrasonic echo signal; performing signal processing on the first ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a first color ultrasonic image and a first blood flow velocity; performing signal processing on the second ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a second blood flow velocity; synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of blood flow; and superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of blood flow and the first color ultrasonic image. By superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of blood flow on the color ultrasonic image, the habit of medical staff in drawing a color ultrasonic image is not changed, the traditional clinical diagnosis is not affected, more blood flow information provided by vector blood flow imaging is obtained, and more help is provided for the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of medical staff.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging and display, in particular to a blood flow imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Color Doppler ultrasound, referred to as color ultrasound, generally uses autocorrelation technology to process Doppler signals, and the blood flow signals obtained by the autocorrelation technology are superimposed on a two-dimensional image in real time after color coding, that is, a color Doppler ultrasound blood flow image is formed. Color ultrasound examination is non-invasive, and it can provide rich blood flow visualization information and is widely used in clinical examination and qualitative analysis.

[0003] The traditional color ultrasound calculates the velocity component of the blood flow along the ultrasonic propagation direction, and the red and blue color map in the color ultrasound only represents the size and sign of the velocity component in the direction. When medical personnel perform blood flow examination using the traditional color ultrasound, they can only roughly judge the actual direction of the blood flow according to experience and the setting of the color ultrasound deflection frame. For some blood vessels, for example, the bifurcation of the carotid artery or the blood vessels with plaques, there may be complex blood flow such as vortex flow or turbulent flow, and the traditional color ultrasound is difficult to determine the actual flow direction of these blood flows.

[0004] Ultrasonic vector blood flow imaging is a more advanced ultrasonic blood flow imaging technology, which can obtain the actual size and direction of the blood flow velocity, facilitate doctors to identify complex blood flow such as vortex flow or turbulent flow, and provide very effective support for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

[0005] However, the traditional color ultrasound imaging and ultrasonic vector blood flow imaging have some differences in operation mode and display mode. For experienced medical personnel, the operation mode of the traditional color ultrasound is very familiar, and the operation mode of the ultrasonic vector blood flow imaging may not be familiar. In addition, the diagnosis of many diseases is currently based on the traditional color ultrasound, and the ultrasonic vector blood flow imaging is in the early stage of clinical application due to its short development time. Medical personnel using the ultrasonic vector blood flow imaging may have low efficiency or fail to find key information due to lack of experience. Therefore, in clinical practice, medical personnel more often use the traditional color ultrasound for auxiliary diagnosis, but the blood flow information obtained is relatively less or not accurate. SUMMARY

[0006] In view of the above problems, embodiments of the present application provide a blood flow imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging device, which overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first aspect of the present application provides a blood flow imaging method, which comprises:

[0008] emitting ultrasonic waves to a target blood flow region along a first scanning angle;

[0009] receiving ultrasound echoes returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a first ultrasound echo signal;

[0010] processing the first ultrasound echo signal to obtain a first color Doppler image and a first blood flow velocity;

[0011] emitting ultrasound waves to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle;

[0012] receiving ultrasound echoes returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a second ultrasound echo signal;

[0013] processing the second ultrasound echo signal to obtain a second blood flow velocity;

[0014] combining the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of blood flow;

[0015] superimposing the vector velocity of blood flow on the first color Doppler image for display.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the second aspect of the present application provides a blood flow imaging method, which comprises:

[0017] in response to a color Doppler mode instruction, obtaining a first color Doppler image of a target blood flow region and displaying the first color Doppler image; wherein the first color Doppler image is obtained by processing a first ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves to the target blood flow region along a first scanning angle;

[0018] in response to a vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color Doppler, obtaining a vector velocity of blood flow; wherein the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by combining a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by processing a second ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by processing the first ultrasound echo signal; wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle;

[0019] superimposing the vector velocity of blood flow on the first color Doppler image for display, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of blood flow simultaneously displays at least a part of the first color Doppler image.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the third aspect of the present application provides a blood flow imaging method, which comprises:

[0021] in response to the gray scale mode instruction, to obtain a gray scale image of the target blood flow region, and to display the gray scale image; wherein the gray scale image is obtained by signal processing of fourth ultrasonic echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along a fourth scanning angle;

[0022] in response to the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with the color ultrasound, to obtain a first color ultrasound image and a vector velocity of blood flow; wherein the first color ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing of first ultrasonic echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along a first scanning angle, and the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of second ultrasonic echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of the first ultrasonic echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along the first scanning angle; wherein the fourth scanning angle is the same as the first scanning angle or the second scanning angle, and the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle;

[0023] superimposedly displaying the vector velocity of blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of blood flow simultaneously displays at least a part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the fourth aspect of the present application provides an ultrasonic imaging device, which comprises:

[0025] an ultrasonic probe;

[0026] a transmitting circuit configured to excite the ultrasonic probe to emit ultrasonic waves to a target blood flow region;

[0027] a receiving circuit configured to control the ultrasonic probe to receive ultrasonic echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain ultrasonic echo signals;

[0028] a processor configured to execute or control the transmitting circuit, the receiving circuit or the display to execute the steps in the method of the first aspect, the second aspect or the third aspect.

[0029] The embodiment of the present application displays the vector velocity of blood flow on the color ultrasound image, so that medical staff can obtain the vector velocity of blood flow without changing the operation habit of color ultrasound, does not affect the traditional clinical diagnosis, and at the same time, obtains more blood flow information based on vector blood flow imaging, which provides more help for the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of medical staff.

[0030] The above description is only a summary of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in order to make the technical means of the embodiments of the present application more clearly understood, and can be implemented according to the content of the specification, and in order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present application are described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present application, and are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals and signs are used to represent the same elements throughout the several views. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of an ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of velocity synthesis provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A flow chart of a blood flow imaging method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a scanning mode provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0036] Figure 5 Another schematic diagram of a scanning mode provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 Another schematic diagram of a scanning mode provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] Figure 7 Another schematic diagram of a scanning mode provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 8 Another schematic diagram of a scanning mode provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0040] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a scanning line emission sequence provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 10 Another schematic diagram of a scanning line emission sequence provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 11 Another schematic diagram of a scanning line emission sequence provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0043] Figure 12 Another schematic diagram of a scanning line emission sequence provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0044] Figure 13 Another schematic diagram of the scanning line emission sequence provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0045] Figure 14 Another flowchart of the blood flow imaging method provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 15 This diagram illustrates a display effect of a color Doppler ultrasound image provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 16 This image shows a display effect diagram of vector velocity combined with color Doppler ultrasound provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 17 Another flowchart of the blood flow imaging method provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0050] like Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging device. The ultrasound imaging device 100 includes an ultrasound probe 110, a transmit / receive selection switch 120, a receiving circuit 130, a processor 140, a display 150, a transmitting circuit 160, and a memory 170. The transmit / receive selection switch 120 can activate the ultrasound probe 110 to transmit an ultrasonic beam towards a target area via the transmitting circuit 160, and the ultrasound probe 110 can receive the ultrasonic echo of the ultrasonic beam returning from the target area via the receiving circuit 130. The processor 140 can obtain the ultrasonic echo signal based on the ultrasonic echo of the ultrasonic beam and process the ultrasonic echo signal.

[0051] For example, the transmit / receive selection switch 120 can excite the ultrasound probe 110 to emit ultrasound waves toward the target blood flow region via the transmitting circuit 160, and receive the ultrasound echoes returning from the target blood flow region via the receiving circuit 130. The processor 140 can obtain the ultrasound echo signal based on the ultrasound echo; and perform signal processing on the ultrasound echo signal to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow.

[0052] The vector velocity of the blood flow can be calculated by the multi-angle deflection transmission / reception method. Taking the vector velocity obtained by the multi-angle deflection transmission / reception method as an example, the transmission / reception selection switch 120 can excite the ultrasonic probe 110 to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along a first scanning angle via the transmission circuit 160, and receive ultrasonic echoes of the ultrasonic waves returned from the target blood flow region by the ultrasonic probe 110 via the reception circuit 130. The processor 140 can obtain a first ultrasonic echo signal along the first scanning angle based on the ultrasonic echoes, and obtain a first blood flow velocity of a target position (also referred to as a target point) in the target blood flow region according to the first ultrasonic echo signal, which is actually a projection component (also referred to as a velocity component) of the vector velocity of the target position on the first scanning angle. Similarly, the ultrasonic probe 110 is excited to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle via the transmission circuit 160, and a second blood flow velocity of the target position can be obtained, which is actually a projection component (also referred to as a velocity component) of the vector velocity of the target position on the second scanning angle. The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity are angle-synthesized to obtain the actual velocity size and direction, i.e., the vector velocity. As shown in FIG. 1, the velocity component of the vector velocity of the target position on the first scanning angle is the first blood flow velocity v1, and the velocity component of the vector velocity of the target position on the second scanning angle is the second blood flow velocity v2. By angle-synthesizing the two velocity components, the vector velocity of the target position can be determined according to the intersection of the two perpendicular lines. Figure 2 The above angle-synthesis of the velocity components corresponding to two different scanning angles is only illustrative. The synthesis of the velocity components corresponding to different scanning angles can be understood with reference to the related description of FIG. 2. Figure 2 The number of scanning angles, i.e., the number of velocity components, is not limited in the present application. The angle-synthesis of the velocity components corresponding to three or more scanning angles can also be understood with reference to the related description of FIG. 2, which is not listed here.

[0053] It should be noted that the velocity components of the scanning angles can be obtained by the autocorrelation method.

[0054] The calculation formula of the velocity component can be referred to as follows:

[0055]

[0056]

[0057] wherein v i represents the velocity component calculated at different scanning angles (for example, when there are two different angles, such as Figure 2 ​where i = 1, 2, v1and v2denote the velocity components at two different scan angles, respectively, f0denotes the center frequency of the probe transmitted signal, f PRF denotes the transmitted PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) at the same scan angle, N denotes the number of transmissions, x(m) denotes the real part of the signal after the mthtransmission and reception processing, and y(m) denotes the imaginary part of the signal after the mthtransmission and reception processing, is an imaginary part taking operator, is a real part taking operator, and j is an imaginary unit.

[0058] The above-mentioned vector velocity has a velocity magnitude that is or is close to the actual velocity magnitude of the blood flow (e.g., red blood cells in the blood flow), and has a velocity direction that is or is close to the actual flow direction of the blood flow (e.g., red blood cells in the blood flow). The direction of the vector velocity can be in the range of 0° to 360° in the imaging plane, and the direction can represent the actual flow direction of the blood flow.

[0059] Exemplarily, the processor 140 can also obtain an ultrasound echo signal based on the ultrasound echoes, and obtain an ultrasound image of the target region according to the ultrasound echo signal. The ultrasound image can be an ultrasound gray-scale image (referred to as a B image) representing a blood vessel or other tissue structure, or a color Doppler blood flow image (referred to as a Color image) representing blood flow information. The signal processing manner of the ultrasound echo signal includes but is not limited to beamforming, quadrature demodulation, wall filtering, color encoding, etc. The ultrasound image obtained by the processor 140 can be stored in the memory 170. Moreover, the ultrasound image can be displayed on the display 150. The wall filtering step of the conventional color Doppler processing can use a conventional IIR or FIR filter to obtain a blood flow signal with high signal-to-noise ratio, and then process and calculate the blood flow signal to obtain a blood flow velocity.

[0060] Optionally, the display 150 in the ultrasound imaging device 100 can be a touch display screen, a liquid crystal display screen, etc. Alternatively, the display 150 can be a liquid crystal display, a television, etc. independent display device independent of the ultrasound imaging device 100. Alternatively, the display 150 can be a display screen of a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc. electronic device, etc. The number of the display 150 can be one or more.

[0061] Optionally, the memory 170 in the ultrasound imaging device 100 can be a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, a hard disk, etc. It can be a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, a removable memory and / or a non-removable memory, etc.

[0062] Optionally, the processor 140 in the ultrasound imaging device 100 can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof, and can use circuits, single or multiple application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), single or multiple general purpose integrated circuits, single or multiple microprocessors, single or multiple programmable logic devices, or any combination of the foregoing circuits and / or devices, or other suitable circuits or devices, so that the processor 140 can perform the corresponding steps of the method in each embodiment of the present specification.

[0063] It should be understood that Figure 1 The components included in the illustrated ultrasound imaging device 100 are only schematic, and the ultrasound imaging device 100 can include more or fewer components. For example, the ultrasound imaging device 100 can also include input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a scroll wheel, a trackball, etc., and / or can include output devices such as a printer. The corresponding external input / output ports can be wireless communication modules, wired communication modules, or a combination of both. The external input / output ports can also be implemented based on a USB, a bus protocol such as CAN, a wired network protocol, etc. The present application is not limited in this regard.

[0064] In order to enable doctors to still apply the drawing experience of traditional color ultrasound while using vector blood flow imaging technology, the original color ultrasound operation habits and display mode are maintained as much as possible, and on this basis, the combination of the two further improves the diagnostic effect. The present application proposes a vector blood flow imaging combined with color ultrasound.

[0065] As Figure 3 The embodiment of the present application provides a blood flow imaging method, which comprises the following steps:

[0066] 310. Emitting an ultrasonic wave to a target blood flow area along a first scanning angle.

[0067] It should be noted that the scanning angle mentioned in the present application can represent the emission direction of the ultrasonic wave or the propagation direction of the ultrasonic wave. The emission direction or the propagation direction (which can also be referred to as the beam direction) is generally defined as the direction perpendicular to the synthetic wave plane based on the emission pulse. The scanning angle mentioned in the present application can be understood with reference to this.

[0068] 320. Receiving an ultrasonic echo returned from the target blood flow area to obtain a first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0069] 330. Signal processing the first ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a first color ultrasound image and a first blood flow velocity.

[0070] It should be noted that the color ultrasound image can be understood with reference to the aforementioned color Doppler blood flow image, and the first blood flow velocity can be understood with reference to the aforementioned projection component of the vector velocity on the first scanning angle, and details of how to obtain the same are not repeated here.

[0071] 340. Emitting an ultrasound wave to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle.

[0072] The second scanning angle can be understood with reference to the description of the scanning angle in step 310, and details are not repeated here. The second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle, that is, the direction of the emitted ultrasound wave or the direction of the propagated ultrasound wave is different.

[0073] 350. Receiving an ultrasound echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a second ultrasound echo signal.

[0074] 360. Processing the second ultrasound echo signal to obtain a second blood flow velocity.

[0075] The second blood flow velocity can be understood with reference to the aforementioned projection component of the vector velocity on the second scanning angle, and details of how to obtain the same are not repeated here.

[0076] 370. Synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow.

[0077] In one embodiment, the vector velocity can be calculated based on a target measurement point.

[0078] The step 370 of synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow can include:

[0079] Determining at least one target measurement point in the target blood flow region, the target measurement point being an intersection of the first number of scanning lines and the second number of scanning lines;

[0080] Synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point.

[0081] In combination with Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 4, the first number of scanning lines 410 and the second number of scanning lines 420 and 430 have at least one intersection, which can be used as a target measurement point of the vector velocity. In combination with Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 4, the target measurement point can be understood as Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 4, the target position (target point) can be understood as Figure 2The angle synthesis to obtain the vector velocity is understood in the related description, and will not be repeated here. Based on this method, the vector velocity of at least one target measurement point can be obtained.

[0082] In one embodiment, the vector velocity can be calculated based on the pixel point.

[0083] The step 370 of synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow can include:

[0084] Obtaining a second color Doppler image based on the second ultrasonic echo signal, wherein the second color Doppler image includes a second number of pixel points, and the first color Doppler image includes a first number of pixel points;

[0085] Determining at least one target pixel point corresponding to the first number of pixel points in the second number of pixel points;

[0086] Synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel point respectively to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel point.

[0087] It should be noted that the velocity synthesis based on the pixel point first needs to obtain the color Doppler images under at least two different scanning angles, and then perform the velocity synthesis of different velocity components on the pixel points to obtain the vector velocity on each pixel point. In combination with the above Figure 2 As shown, the pixel point can be understood as Figure 2 As shown, the target position (target point) is, for example, the pixel point A of the color Doppler image under the first scanning angle, and the pixel point A' of the color Doppler image under the second scanning angle at the same position. A and A' are pixel points at the same position, and the first blood flow velocity under the first scanning angle and the second blood flow velocity under the second scanning angle corresponding to the pixel points at the same position are synthesized to obtain the vector velocity. The velocity synthesis to obtain the vector velocity can refer to the foregoing Figure 2 The angle synthesis to obtain the vector velocity is understood in the related description, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] 380, superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow and the first color Doppler image.

[0089] In one embodiment, the step 380 of superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow and the first color Doppler image can include:

[0090] Marking the at least one vector velocity by using color and / or direction identifier, and superimposing and displaying with the first color Doppler image; wherein the different colors, the length or thickness of the direction identifier are used to indicate the size of the at least one vector velocity, and the pointing direction of the direction identifier is used to indicate the direction of the at least one vector velocity.

[0091] It should be noted that the direction marker can be an arrow, a triangular symbol, a directional bubble, a spot, etc. The application does not limit the form of the vector velocity marker. The direction of the marker can represent the direction of the vector velocity. When the conventional color ultrasound image is superimposed and displayed, the vector velocity can be distinguished by different colors. For example, the conventional color ultrasound uses red and blue display, the vector velocity uses green display, or other distinguishable colors, symbols, etc. Further, different colors or different shades of the same color can be used to represent different vector velocities. Alternatively, the length or thickness of the marker can be used to represent the size of the vector velocity. The application does not limit the form of the vector velocity representation.

[0092] In one embodiment, the step 380 of superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color ultrasound image can include:

[0093] superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0094] It should be noted that the vector velocity display can be added to the color ultrasound image while maintaining the color ultrasound mode (including operations such as adjustable sampling frame size and angle deflection, and blood flow image display such as color blood flow red-blue spectrum).

[0095] In one embodiment, the B image can be further combined for display. Before the step 310, the method further includes:

[0096] emitting an ultrasonic wave to the target blood flow area along a fourth scanning angle, wherein the fourth scanning angle is the same as the first scanning angle or the second scanning angle;

[0097] receiving an ultrasonic echo returned from the target blood flow area to obtain a fourth ultrasonic echo signal;

[0098] processing the fourth ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a gray-scale image of the target blood flow area, and displaying the gray-scale image.

[0099] It should be noted that the scanning angle of the ultrasound waves in the B-mode imaging can be the same as one of the scanning angles in the blood flow imaging. For example, the B-mode image can be obtained by using the first scanning angle, and then the color Doppler image can be obtained by using the first scanning angle, and then the vector blood flow image can be obtained by using the second scanning angle. Alternatively, the B-mode image can be obtained by using the first scanning angle, the color Doppler image can be obtained by using the second scanning angle, and then the vector blood flow image can be obtained by using the first scanning angle. The first scanning angle can be perpendicular to the array element. The application does not limit the order of the scanning angles. The process of obtaining the gray-scale image based on the echo signal can be understood with reference to the foregoing description of obtaining the ultrasound image, which will not be repeated here.

[0100] Further, in one embodiment, the step 380 of superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color Doppler image can include:

[0101] superimposing and displaying the gray-scale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color Doppler image.

[0102] It should be noted that generally, when color Doppler imaging is performed, the B-mode image representing the tissue structure is first scanned, and then the color Doppler image representing the blood flow information is obtained by switching to the Color mode. In the case of maintaining the color Doppler mode (including operations such as adjusting the size of the sampling frame, deflecting the angle, and displaying the blood flow image such as the color blood flow red-blue map), entering the vector blood flow mode combined with the color Doppler, the vector velocity display can be added on the color Doppler image, and the vector velocity is displayed on the color Doppler image at the same time, so as to provide tissue information and more blood flow information.

[0103] Further, in one embodiment, the gray-scale image includes a region of interest, and the step of superimposing and displaying the gray-scale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color Doppler image includes:

[0104] superimposing and displaying the first color Doppler image in the region of interest, and superimposing and displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color Doppler image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a part of the first color Doppler image.

[0105] It should be noted that after obtaining a B-image representing the tissue structure, switching to Color mode allows selection of a region of interest (ROI) based on the B-image (e.g., automatically generated or manually selected sampling frame), and displaying the color Doppler ultrasound image within that ROI. While maintaining the color Doppler ultrasound mode (including adjustable sampling frame size and angle, and display of blood flow images such as color Doppler flow maps), entering the vector blood flow mode combined with color Doppler ultrasound allows for the additional display of vector velocities on the color Doppler ultrasound image. In other words, vector velocities can be simultaneously displayed on the color Doppler ultrasound image within the ROI, providing more blood flow information.

[0106] The aforementioned blood flow imaging method displays the vector velocity of blood flow by superimposing it onto a color Doppler ultrasound image. This allows medical staff to obtain the vector velocity of blood flow without changing their ultrasound operating habits, without affecting traditional clinical diagnosis. At the same time, it provides more blood flow information (the actual magnitude and direction of blood flow velocity) based on vector blood flow imaging, thus providing more assistance to medical staff in diagnosis and treatment.

[0107] In one embodiment, the first scanning angle may include a first number of scan lines of ultrasound, and the second scanning angle may include a second number of scan lines of ultrasound, wherein the first number is less than or equal to the second number.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the array element 400 on the ultrasound probe emits a first number of scan lines 410 of ultrasonic waves along a first scanning angle, and the array element 400 on the ultrasound probe emits a second number of scan lines of ultrasonic waves along a second scanning angle. To distinguish the second number of scan lines at the second scanning angle from the second scan lines, [further details are needed for accurate translation]. Figure 4The shown scan lines 410 (vertical lines) only show the part of the sampling frame covered by the color ultrasound, and the length of the scan lines is only for distinguishing the display and has no special meaning, which does not affect the understanding of the direction of the ultrasound propagation. The first number of scan lines is less than or equal to the second number of scan lines, for example, the first number of scan lines 410 is equal to the second number of scan lines 420 (thin oblique lines), and for another example, the first number of scan lines 410 is less than the second number of scan lines 420 and 430 (thick oblique lines). The first number of scan lines 410 can be the scan lines emitted for traditional color ultrasound imaging, and the second number of scan lines 420 and 430 are different from the direction of the scan lines emitted for traditional color ultrasound imaging. The second number of scan lines 420 can be emitted immediately after the first number of scan lines 410, and the second number of scan lines 420 can be the same as the first number of scan lines 410, which can be based on the same array element emission or different array element emission. In order to cover the entire sampling frame of the color ultrasound, the second number of scan lines 430 can be considered to be added, which has the same direction as the second number of scan lines 420, so that the entire sampling frame can be covered by two different angle scan lines, and then the speed synthesis is performed to obtain the vector speed, i.e., the size and direction of the actual speed.

[0109] Figure 4 The directions of the shown second number of scan lines 420 and 430 are only exemplary and can be different from the direction of the first number of scan lines, which is not limited here. For example, as shown in Figure 5 The second number of scan lines 420 and 430 can also be in another direction. The vertical lines and thick and thin oblique lines shown in the present application and the scanning directions are only exemplary and are not limited to the shape and direction of the scan lines. For example, as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 The sampling frame can also be inclined, and the corresponding first number of scan lines 410 can be represented by an oblique line, and the second number of scan lines 420 and 430 can be represented by a vertical line. The related description of each scan line can be referred to Figure 4 for understanding, which is not repeated here.

[0110] In one embodiment, three different scanning angles can also be used for emission. The blood flow imaging method further includes:

[0111] emitting an ultrasound wave to the target blood flow area along a third scanning angle, wherein the third scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle and the second scanning angle;

[0112] receiving an ultrasound echo returned from the target blood flow area to obtain a third ultrasound echo signal;

[0113] performing signal processing on the third ultrasound echo signal to obtain a third blood flow speed;

[0114] The synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow in the step 370 comprises:

[0115] The synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow in the step 370 comprises:

[0116] The synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity to obtain a second vector velocity of the blood flow;

[0117] The synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity to obtain a second vector velocity of the blood flow;

[0118] The synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity to obtain a second vector velocity of the blood flow;

[0119] The third scanning angle can be understood by referring to the related description of the scanning angle in the step 310, which will not be repeated here. The third scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle and the second scanning angle, that is, the directions of the transmission of the ultrasonic waves or the directions of the propagation of the ultrasonic waves are different.

[0120] The third blood flow velocity is a projection component of the vector velocity on the third scanning angle, which can be understood by referring to the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity, and the specific processing method will not be repeated here.

[0121] Further, the third scanning angle can include a third number of ultrasonic waves, and in the case that the first number of scanning lines and the second number of scanning lines are equal, the third number of scanning lines can be combined with the second number of scanning lines to cover the entire sampling frame region, or can be more number of scanning lines. Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 4, for the case that the sampling frame is relatively wide (almost equivalent to the probe aperture), if the entire sampling frame region is to be covered, the second number of scanning lines 420 and the third number of scanning lines 440 can be different scanning directions, and the related description of each scanning line can be understood by referring to the Figure 4 , which will not be repeated here.

[0122] The synthesizing of the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity, and the synthesizing of the first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity can be understood by referring to the related description of the angle synthesis to obtain a vector velocity in the foregoing Figure 2 , which will not be repeated here. The present application only lists the related embodiments of the first scanning angle, the second scanning angle, and the third scanning angle, and in fact, there can be more different scanning angles, and the present application does not limit the number of scanning angles. Similarly, the number of scanning lines listed in the present application is only for exemplary description, and the present application does not limit the number of scanning lines for each scanning angle.

[0123] It should be noted that for the scanning lines of blood flow imaging, the ultrasound waves need to be emitted at least twice or more times at the same position each time, so as to obtain the blood flow velocity according to the echo signals of the two or more times. The following will be described in combination with Figure 9 to Figure 13 The emission sequence of the scanning lines will be described in detail.

[0124] For example, the emission and reception of the scanning lines at each position are taken as an example for description. As shown in Figure 9 to Figure 13 The line segments and arrows in the figure represent the emission sequence of different scanning angles, for example, the line segments represent the 1st line, the 2nd line, the 3rd line, the 4th line, and so on in the first number of scanning lines 410 emitted along the first scanning angle, and the arrows represent the 1st line, the 2nd line, the 3rd line, the 4th line, and so on in the second number of scanning lines 420 and 430 emitted along the second scanning angle. The emission of each scanning line twice in the figure is only taken as an example for description, and in fact, each scanning line can be emitted and received at least twice. As shown in Figure 10 Each scanning line in the second number of scanning lines 420 and 430 can be scanned immediately after each scanning line in the first number of scanning lines 410. As shown in Figure 11 As shown in Figure 12 The first number of scanning lines 410 and the second number of scanning lines 420 and 430 can also be scanned alternately, as shown in Figure 13 In addition, two or more scanning lines at the same scanning angle can be emitted and received each time, and then the velocity components on the two or more scanning lines can be obtained through blood flow processing after multiple emissions, as shown in Figure 10 The scanning mode of obtaining two scanning lines through one scanning is changed. Similarly, Figure 11 And 12 The scanning mode shown in

[0125] In one embodiment, the user can enter the vector blood flow mode combined with color Doppler ultrasound in one key in the color Doppler ultrasound mode, and the original color Doppler ultrasound image, including the display color and the deflection box, is not affected. As shown in Figure 14 The embodiment of the present application provides another blood flow imaging method, which comprises the following steps:

[0126] 1410, in response to the color ultrasound mode instruction, obtaining a first color ultrasound image of the target blood flow region, and displaying the first color ultrasound image.

[0127] The first color ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing of first ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves to the target blood flow region along a first scanning angle. How to obtain the color ultrasound image can be understood with reference to the foregoing description of obtaining the ultrasound image, which will not be repeated here.

[0128] 1420, in response to the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color ultrasound, obtaining a vector velocity of the blood flow.

[0129] The vector velocity of the blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of second ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of the first ultrasound echo signals; wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle. How to obtain the vector velocity can be understood with reference to the foregoing description of synthesizing the vector velocity at different angles, which will not be repeated here. Figure 2

[0130] 1430, superimposedly displaying the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0131] The superimposed display can be understood with reference to the foregoing description of step 380, which will not be repeated here.

[0132] It should be noted that generally, when doing color ultrasound imaging, a B image representing tissue structure is first scanned, and then switched to Color mode to obtain a color ultrasound image representing blood flow information. In the case of maintaining the color ultrasound mode (including operations such as adjustable sampling frame size, angle deflection, and blood flow image display such as color blood flow red-blue map), entering the vector blood flow mode combined with color ultrasound, the display of the vector velocity can be further added on the color ultrasound image, and the vector velocity is simultaneously displayed on the color ultrasound image to provide tissue information and more blood flow information.

[0133] The following will be described in combination with Figure 15 and Figure 16 the operation and display of one-key entering the vector blood flow mode combined with color ultrasound.

[0134] For example, Figure 15 ​As shown, the user gets the color Doppler ultrasound image through the traditional color Doppler ultrasound mode. It includes the blood flow area 1530 displayed through the red-blue map in the sampling frame 1510, and the tissue area 1520 displayed in gray scale. After entering the color Doppler ultrasound mode, the user can trigger the vector blood flow mode combined with the color Doppler ultrasound through the button, touch screen, etc. For example, Figure 16 As shown, the vector velocity 1610 is displayed on the color Doppler ultrasound image without changing the color Doppler ultrasound display mode. The vector velocity can be represented by the vector arrow, triangle, etc. which can display the actual direction of the velocity. The actual size of the velocity can be represented by the length, thickness, color, etc. of the symbol.

[0135] In one embodiment, the user can enter the vector blood flow mode combined with the color Doppler ultrasound in the B mode with one key, and the operation flow remains consistent with the traditional color Doppler ultrasound. For example, Figure 17 As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides another blood flow imaging method, which comprises:

[0136] 1710, in response to the gray scale mode instruction, acquiring a gray scale image of the target blood flow area and displaying the gray scale image.

[0137] The gray scale image is obtained by signal processing the fourth ultrasonic echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow area along the fourth scanning angle. How to obtain the gray scale image can be understood by referring to the foregoing related description of obtaining the ultrasonic image, which will not be repeated here.

[0138] 1720, in response to the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with the color Doppler ultrasound, acquiring a first color Doppler ultrasound image and a vector velocity of the blood flow.

[0139] The first color Doppler ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing the first ultrasonic echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow area along the first scanning angle, and the vector velocity of the blood flow is obtained by synthesizing the second blood flow velocity and the first blood flow velocity. The second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing the second ultrasonic echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow area along the second scanning angle, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing the first ultrasonic echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow area along the first scanning angle. The fourth scanning angle is the same as the first scanning angle or the second scanning angle, and the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle. How to obtain the color Doppler ultrasound image and the vector velocity can be understood by referring to the foregoing related description of obtaining the ultrasonic image and the related description of synthesizing the angle to obtain the vector velocity, which will not be repeated here. Figure 2

[0140] ​1730、In the first color ultrasound image, the vector velocity of the blood flow is superimposed and displayed, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow is simultaneously displayed with at least part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0141] The superimposed display can be understood with reference to the related description of step 380, which will not be repeated here.

[0142] For the operation and display of one-key entering the vector blood flow mode combined with color ultrasound in the B mode, the related description of Figure 15 and 16 can be understood, which will not be repeated here. It needs to be supplemented that when color ultrasound imaging is performed, the B image representing the tissue structure is first scanned, and then the color ultrasound image representing the blood flow information is obtained in the Color mode.

[0143] Now return to the ultrasound imaging device 100 shown in Figure 1 .

[0144] In an implementation, the transmission / reception selection switch 120 can stimulate the ultrasound probe 110 to transmit ultrasound waves to the target blood flow area along the first scan angle and the second scan angle via the transmission circuit 160, and receive ultrasound echoes returned from the target blood flow area by the ultrasound probe 110 via the receiving circuit 130. The processor 140 can obtain a first ultrasound echo signal along the first scan angle and a second ultrasound echo signal along the second scan angle based on the ultrasound echoes, obtain a first color ultrasound image in the target blood flow area and a first blood flow velocity of the target position (also called target point) in the target blood flow area according to the first ultrasound echo signal, obtain a second blood flow velocity of the target position (also called target point) in the target blood flow area according to the second ultrasound echo signal, and synthesize the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow. The display 150 is controlled to superimpose and display the vector velocity of the blood flow and the first color ultrasound image.

[0145] In an implementation, the transmission / reception selection switch 120 can also stimulate the ultrasound probe 110 to transmit ultrasound waves to the target blood flow area along the third scan angle via the transmission circuit 160, and receive ultrasound echoes returned from the target blood flow area by the ultrasound probe 110 via the receiving circuit 130. The processor 140 can obtain a third ultrasound echo signal along the third scan angle based on the ultrasound echoes, obtain a third blood flow velocity of the target position (also called target point) in the target blood flow area according to the third ultrasound echo signal, synthesize the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a first vector velocity of the blood flow, and synthesize the first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity to obtain a second vector velocity of the blood flow. The display 150 is controlled to superimpose and display the first vector velocity of the blood flow, the second vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color ultrasound image.

[0146] In one implementation, the synthesizing, by the processor 140, the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow comprises:

[0147] The processor 140 determines at least one target measurement point in the target blood flow region, the target measurement point being an intersection of the first number of scan lines and the second number of scan lines;

[0148] The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point are respectively synthesized to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point.

[0149] In one implementation, the synthesizing, by the processor 140, the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain a vector velocity of the blood flow comprises:

[0150] The processor 140 obtains a second color ultrasound image based on the second ultrasonic echo signal, wherein the second color ultrasound image comprises a second number of pixel points, and the first color ultrasound image comprises a first number of pixel points;

[0151] At least one target pixel point corresponding to the first number of pixel points in the second number of pixel points is determined;

[0152] The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel point are respectively synthesized to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel point.

[0153] In one implementation, the superimposing, by the processor 140, the vector velocity of the blood flow and the first color ultrasound image comprises:

[0154] The at least one vector velocity is marked by color and / or direction marker and superimposed with the first color ultrasound image; wherein different colors, lengths or thicknesses of the direction marker are used to indicate the magnitude of the at least one vector velocity, and the direction of the direction marker is used to indicate the direction of the at least one vector velocity.

[0155] In one implementation, the superimposing, by the processor 140, the vector velocity of the blood flow and the first color ultrasound image comprises:

[0156] The processor 140 controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein a display region corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0157] In one implementation, before emitting ultrasonic waves along the first scanning angle to the target blood flow region,

[0158] The transmission / reception selection switch 120 can also excite the ultrasonic probe 110 to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target blood flow region via the transmission circuit 160 along a fourth scan angle, wherein the fourth scan angle is the same as the first scan angle or the second scan angle;

[0159] The fourth ultrasonic echo signal is obtained by receiving, via the receiving circuit 130, ultrasonic echoes returned from the target blood flow region by the ultrasonic probe 110;

[0160] The processor 140 performs signal processing on the fourth ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a gray-scale image of the target blood flow region, and controls the display 150 to display the gray-scale image.

[0161] In one implementation, the processor 140 controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color Doppler image includes:

[0162] The processor 140 controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the gray-scale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color Doppler image.

[0163] In one implementation, the gray-scale image includes a region of interest, and the processor 140 controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the gray-scale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color Doppler image includes:

[0164] The processor 140 controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the first color Doppler image in the region of interest, and superimpose and display the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color Doppler image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a part of the first color Doppler image.

[0165] In one implementation, a color Doppler mode instruction is received through a human-computer interaction input device (such as a keyboard or a touch screen), and the processor 140 responds to the color Doppler mode instruction to obtain the first color Doppler image of the target blood flow region and controls the display 150 to display the first color Doppler image; a vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color Doppler is received through the human-computer interaction input device, and the processor 140 responds to the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color Doppler to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow; and controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the vector velocity of the blood flow on the first color Doppler image.

[0166] In one implementation, the gray scale mode instruction is received through a human-computer interaction input device (e.g., a keyboard or a touch screen), the processor 140 acquires a gray scale image of the target blood flow region in response to the gray scale mode instruction, and controls the display 150 to display the gray scale image; the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color ultrasound is received through the human-computer interaction input device, the processor 140 acquires a first color ultrasound image and a vector speed of blood flow in response to the vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color ultrasound, and controls the display 150 to superimpose and display the vector speed of blood flow on the first color ultrasound image.

[0167] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a computer storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is executed by a computer or a processor, the steps of the blood flow imaging method shown in the foregoing Figure 3 , Figure 14 or Figure 17 may be implemented. For example, the computer storage medium is a computer readable storage medium.

[0168] In one embodiment, the computer program instructions, when executed by a computer or a processor, cause the computer or the processor to perform the following steps: emitting an ultrasonic wave to a target blood flow region along a first scanning angle; receiving an ultrasonic echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a first ultrasonic echo signal; performing signal processing on the first ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a first color ultrasound image and a first blood flow speed; emitting an ultrasonic wave to the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; receiving an ultrasonic echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a second ultrasonic echo signal; performing signal processing on the second ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a second blood flow speed; synthesizing the first blood flow speed and the second blood flow speed to obtain a vector speed of blood flow; and superimposing and displaying the vector speed of blood flow and the first color ultrasound image.

[0169] In one embodiment, the computer program instructions, when executed by the computer or processor, cause the computer or processor to perform the following steps: in response to a color ultrasound mode instruction, acquire a first color ultrasound image of a target blood flow region, and display the first color ultrasound image; wherein the first color ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing of first ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle to the target blood flow region; in response to a vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color ultrasound, acquire a vector velocity of blood flow; wherein the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of second ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a second scanning angle to the target blood flow region, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of the first ultrasound echo signals; wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; and superimpose and display the vector velocity of blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of blood flow simultaneously displays at least part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0170] In one embodiment, the computer program instructions, when executed by the computer or processor, cause the computer or processor to perform the following steps: in response to a color ultrasound mode instruction, acquire a first color ultrasound image of a target blood flow region, and display the first color ultrasound image; wherein the first color ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing of first ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle to the target blood flow region; in response to a vector blood flow mode instruction combined with color ultrasound, acquire a first color ultrasound image and a vector velocity of blood flow; wherein the first color ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing of first ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle to the target blood flow region, and the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of second ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a second scanning angle to the target blood flow region, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing of the first ultrasound echo signals obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along the first scanning angle to the target blood flow region; wherein the fourth scanning angle is the same as the first scanning angle or the second scanning angle, and the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; and superimpose and display the vector velocity of blood flow on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of blood flow simultaneously displays at least part of the first color ultrasound image.

[0171] The computer storage medium may, for example, include a memory card of a smart phone, a storage component of a tablet computer, a hard disk of a personal computer, a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), a USB memory, or any combination of the above storage media. The computer readable storage medium can be any combination of one or more computer readable storage media.

[0172] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the blood flow imaging method shown in the above Figure 3 , Figure 14 or Figure 17 .

[0173] Therefore, the embodiment of the present application displays the vector velocity of blood flow on the color ultrasound image, so that medical staff can obtain the vector velocity of blood flow without changing the operation habit of color ultrasound, does not affect the traditional clinical diagnosis, and at the same time, obtains more blood flow information (actual size and direction of blood flow velocity) provided by the vector blood flow imaging, and provides more help for the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of medical staff.

[0174] Although the example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the example embodiments are only exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Those of ordinary skill in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present application as claimed in the appended claims.

[0175] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are performed by hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those of ordinary skill in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present application.

[0176] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described device embodiments are only illustrative, for example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and actual implementation can have another division manner, for example, a plurality of units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed.

[0177] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0178] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline the invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, its inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with fewer features than all of those in a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0179] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0180] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0181] The various component embodiments of the present application can be implemented in hardware, or as software modules running in one or more processors, or combinations thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that some or all of the functionality of some of the modules in the item analysis apparatus according to embodiments of the present application can be implemented in practice using a microprocessor or a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The present application can also be implemented as a program (for example, a computer program and a computer program product) for executing some or all of the methods described herein. Such a program implementing the present application can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can be in the form of one or more signals. Such a signal can be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or in any other form.

[0182] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the application, and that one skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. The word 'a' or 'an' preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The application can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unitary claim, several of the devices, apparatuses or means, if any, can be implemented by one and the same item of hardware. The use of the words 'first','second' and 'third', etc. do not imply any order but rather are used for identification purposes only. The word 'plurality' does not imply a specific number of elements.

[0183] The above description is only specific embodiments of the present application or specific explanations of specific embodiments, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed by the present application, and all of them should be covered within the protection scope of the present application. The protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A blood flow imaging method, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to the color Doppler ultrasound mode command, a first ultrasound echo signal is obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle toward the target blood flow region; The first ultrasound echo signal is processed to obtain a first color Doppler ultrasound image. While maintaining the color Doppler ultrasound mode, in response to the vector blood flow mode command combined with the color Doppler ultrasound, a first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing the first ultrasound echo signal, and a second ultrasound echo signal is obtained by emitting ultrasound waves towards the target blood flow region along a second scanning angle, wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; The second ultrasound echo signal is processed to obtain the second blood flow velocity; The vector velocity of the blood flow is obtained by combining the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity; The display of the blood flow vector velocity superimposed on the first color ultrasound image specifically includes superimposing the blood flow vector velocity on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the blood flow vector velocity simultaneously displays at least a portion of the first color ultrasound image, and the first color ultrasound image is displayed by maintaining the color ultrasound mode to keep the size of the color ultrasound sampling frame adjustable, the angle of the sampling frame deflectable, and the color blood flow red-blue spectrum.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first scanning angle includes a first number of ultrasonic waves scanning lines, and the second scanning angle includes a second number of ultrasonic waves scanning lines; wherein the first number is less than or equal to the second number.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Ultrasound waves are emitted toward the target blood flow region along a third scanning angle, wherein the third scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle and the second scanning angle; Receive the ultrasound echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a third ultrasound echo signal; The third ultrasound echo signal is processed to obtain the third blood flow velocity; The process of synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow includes: The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity are combined to obtain the first vector velocity of the blood flow. The first blood flow velocity and the third blood flow velocity are combined to obtain the second vector velocity of the blood flow. The step of superimposing the vector velocity of the blood flow onto the first color ultrasound image includes: The first vector velocity of the blood flow and the second vector velocity of the blood flow are superimposed on the first color ultrasound image for display.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first scanning angle includes a first number of ultrasonic waves, the second scanning angle includes a second number of ultrasonic waves, and the third scanning angle includes a third number of ultrasonic waves; wherein the first number is equal to the second number.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first scanning angle includes a first number of scan lines of ultrasound, the second scanning angle includes a second number of scan lines of ultrasound, and the synthesis of the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow includes: At least one target measurement point is determined within the target blood flow region, and the target measurement point is the intersection of the first number scan line and the second number scan line; The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point are synthesized to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target measurement point.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of synthesizing the first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity to obtain the vector velocity of the blood flow includes: A second color Doppler ultrasound image is obtained based on the second ultrasound echo signal, wherein the second color Doppler ultrasound image includes a second number of pixels, and the first color Doppler ultrasound image includes a first number of pixels; Determine at least one target pixel among the second number of pixels that corresponds to the first number of pixels; The first blood flow velocity and the second blood flow velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel are synthesized to obtain at least one vector velocity corresponding to the at least one target pixel.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The step of superimposing the vector velocity of the blood flow onto the first color ultrasound image includes: The at least one vector velocity is marked with color and / or directional markers and displayed overlaid on the first color ultrasound image; wherein the different colors, the length or thickness of the directional markers are used to indicate the magnitude of the at least one vector velocity, and the direction of the directional markers is used to indicate the direction of the at least one vector velocity.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before emitting ultrasound waves toward the target blood flow region along the first scanning angle, the method further includes: Ultrasound waves are emitted toward the target blood flow region along the fourth scanning angle; Receive the ultrasound echo returned from the target blood flow region to obtain a fourth ultrasound echo signal; The fourth ultrasound echo signal is processed to obtain a grayscale image of the target blood flow region, and the grayscale image is displayed.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of superimposing the vector velocity of the blood flow onto the first color ultrasound image includes: The grayscale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color ultrasound image are superimposed and displayed.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The grayscale image includes a region of interest, and the superposition and display of the grayscale image, the vector velocity of the blood flow, and the first color Doppler ultrasound image includes: The first color ultrasound image is superimposed on the region of interest, and the vector velocity of the blood flow is superimposed on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a portion of the first color ultrasound image.

11. A blood flow imaging method, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to a color Doppler ultrasound mode command, a first color Doppler ultrasound image of a target blood flow region is acquired and displayed; wherein the first color Doppler ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing a first ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves toward the target blood flow region along a first scanning angle. In response to a vector blood flow mode command combined with color Doppler ultrasound, the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained; wherein the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity, the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing a second ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a second scanning angle toward the target blood flow region, and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing a first ultrasound echo signal; wherein the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; While maintaining the color ultrasound mode, the vector velocity of the blood flow is superimposed on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a portion of the first color ultrasound image. Maintaining the color ultrasound mode includes maintaining the size of the color ultrasound sampling frame as adjustable, maintaining the angle of the sampling frame as deflectable, and maintaining the display of the first color ultrasound image in a color blood flow red-blue spectrum mode.

12. A blood flow imaging method, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to a grayscale mode command, a grayscale image of the target blood flow region is acquired and displayed; wherein the grayscale image is obtained by signal processing of a fourth ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves toward the target blood flow region along a fourth scanning angle. In response to a vector blood flow mode command combined with color Doppler ultrasound, a first color Doppler ultrasound image and a vector velocity of blood flow are acquired; wherein, the first color Doppler ultrasound image is obtained by signal processing a first ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle toward a target blood flow region; the vector velocity of blood flow is obtained by synthesizing a second blood flow velocity and a first blood flow velocity; the second blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing a second ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a second scanning angle toward the target blood flow region; and the first blood flow velocity is obtained by signal processing a first ultrasound echo signal obtained by emitting ultrasound waves along a first scanning angle toward the target blood flow region; wherein, the fourth scanning angle is the same as the first scanning angle or the second scanning angle, and the second scanning angle is different from the first scanning angle; While maintaining the color ultrasound mode, the vector velocity of the blood flow is superimposed on the first color ultrasound image, wherein the display area corresponding to the vector velocity of the blood flow simultaneously displays at least a portion of the first color ultrasound image. The maintaining the color ultrasound mode includes maintaining the size of the color ultrasound sampling frame as adjustable, maintaining the angle of the sampling frame as deflectable, and maintaining the display of the first color ultrasound image in a color blood flow red-blue spectrum mode.

13. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that, include: Ultrasonic probe; A transmitting circuit, which is used to excite the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target blood flow region; A receiving circuit is used to control the ultrasound probe to receive ultrasound echoes returning from the target blood flow region to obtain an ultrasound echo signal. A processor, the processor being configured to execute or control the transmitting circuit, receiving circuit, or display to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-12.

Images