Devices, systems and methods for guiding repeated ultrasound examinations for continuous monitoring

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided to provide continuous monitoring of patients. An ultrasound system is provided that can include subdividing portions of a patient's anatomy into multiple zones. Imaging data can be received by an imaging device. This imaging data can be used to generate a severity score for each zone based on imaging parameters within the imaging data. Changes in the severity score for each zone can be displayed over time, allowing medical professionals to monitor each zone continuously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to providing continuous medical monitoring of a patient, and in particular, to guiding repeated ultrasound examinations of a patient in one or more specific anatomical regions. The monitoring may include receiving imaging data representing the anatomical region from one or more external ultrasound transducers, generating a severity score associated with the imaging data, and comparing the severity score to other severity scores associated with the anatomical region. Background Art

[0002] Non-invasive bedside acoustic imaging devices are used to diagnose a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. The devices may require scanning at several locations within the patient's anatomy. For example, an ultrasound transducer may be used to scan multiple locations within a patient's heart or lungs to evaluate for cardiovascular problems or pneumonia. In the case of heart failure, pulmonary edema may occur, resulting in reverberant features called B-lines. Because these B-lines may be located at different locations on the chest, a typical exam may include imaging multiple locations on the right and left sides of the patient's chest.

[0003] Another example is to assess consolidation within the lungs in the setting of pneumonia. This may require ultrasound imaging of various locations within the lungs. In a medical setting such as an intensive care unit (ICU), the patient may need to be continuously monitored to assess whether the condition of the heart or lungs is improving. This may need to be done in response to medication or interventions.

[0004] Repeating the complete monitoring procedure for all locations can be time consuming, especially in an intensive care unit, such as an ICU. For example, if several patients need to be monitored with limited instrumentation, the time allotted to each patient may be limited. Existing methods for tracking and analyzing ultrasound imaging data are often manual and inefficient in allowing physicians to synthesize and assess the complete health of a patient over time. Summary of the invention

[0005] Systems, devices and methods for performing ultrasound imaging are provided. The ultrasound imaging system may include an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer array, which is used to collect imaging data from a region of an anatomical structure of a patient. In some embodiments, the region of the anatomical structure is divided into a plurality of blocks or zones. The imaging data for each zone may be analyzed and a severity level for a particular time may be assigned to the block based on one or more parameters of the imaging data for the block. The system may be used to monitor the severity level for each zone over time. For example, a medical professional may be able to select a specific zone and access the time history for the zone over time. This can help medical professionals to continuously monitor patients over time and is particularly useful for patients with more than one physician. The system may also be used to assess the severity of medical conditions within each zone and highlight severe areas for further observation by medical professionals. This can allow medical professionals to focus on important areas of the anatomical structure and reduce the burden of assessment, especially in critical care situations.

[0006] An ultrasound imaging system is provided, which may include: an ultrasound transducer array, wherein the ultrasound transducer array is arranged to obtain imaging data associated with an anatomical structure of a patient, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient is spatially arranged in a plurality of zones; and a processor circuit in communication with the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to receive a first set of imaging data obtained by the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the first set of imaging data represents at least one zone of the plurality of zones, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to: determine, for the at least one zone of the plurality of zones, a first severity score associated with an anatomical parameter based on the first set of imaging data, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to receive a second set of imaging data obtained by the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the second set of imaging data represents the at least one zone of the plurality of zones, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to: determine, for the at least one zone of the plurality of zones, a second severity score associated with the anatomical parameter based on the second set of imaging data, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to output a visual representation of the plurality of zones including an indication of the first severity score and the second severity score to a display device in communication with the processor.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first set of imaging data represents a first zone at a first time, and the second set of imaging data represents a second zone at the first time. In other embodiments, the first set of imaging data represents a first zone at a first time, and the second set of imaging data represents the first zone at a second different time. The visual representation may illustrate a change in severity score over time based on the first severity score and the second severity score. The visual representation may include a plot of the change in severity score over time. The visual representation may include a temporal sequential representation of at least one of the first set of imaging data, the second set of imaging data, the first severity score, or the second severity score. The processor circuit may also be arranged to spatially correlate the first and second sets of imaging data with the plurality of zones.

[0008] In some embodiments, the visual representation of the plurality of zones comprises selectable representations of the plurality of zones such that selection of a zone by a user displays the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data associated with the selected zone. The ultrasound array may be arranged to obtain imaging data associated with a lung of a patient. The parameter may comprise at least one of a degree of consolidation, a measurement of fluid in the lung, a degree of lung collapse, a number of B-lines, a measurement of a bronchial air map, or a measurement of a pleural effusion. The ultrasound array may be arranged to obtain imaging data associated with a heart of a patient. The parameter may be one or more of a physical size of a ventricle, an ejection fraction, a degree of vascular obstruction, or a volume measurement.

[0009] Also provided is a method for performing ultrasound imaging, comprising: receiving, using a processor circuit, a first set of imaging data representing at least one of a plurality of zones, wherein the processor circuit communicates with an ultrasound transducer array, wherein the ultrasound transducer array is arranged to obtain imaging data associated with anatomical structures of a patient spatially arranged in the plurality of zones; determining, using the processor circuit, a first severity score associated with an anatomical parameter based on the first set of imaging data, wherein the first severity score is associated with at least one of the plurality of zones; receiving, using the processor circuit, a second set of imaging data representing the at least one of the plurality of zones, determining, using the processor circuit, based on the second set of imaging data, a second severity score associated with the anatomical parameter, wherein the second severity score is associated with at least one of the plurality of zones; and outputting a visual representation of the plurality of zones including an indication of the first severity score and the second severity score to a display device in communication with the processor circuit.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first set of imaging data represents a first zone at a first time, and the second set of imaging data represents a second zone at the first time. In other embodiments, the first set of imaging data represents a first zone at a first time, and the second set of imaging data represents the first zone at a second different time. The visual representation may illustrate a change in severity score over time based on the first severity score and the second severity score. The visual representation may include a plot of the change in severity score over time. The visual representation may include a temporal sequential representation of at least one of the first set of imaging data, the second set of imaging data, the first severity score, or the second severity score. In some embodiments, the method further includes spatially correlating, by the processor circuit, the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data to the plurality of zones. The visual representation of the plurality of zones may include a selectable representation of the plurality of zones, such that a user selection of a zone displays the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data associated with the selected zone.

[0011] Additional aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a processor circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 is an exemplary illustration of a screen display according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 4 is an exemplary illustration of another screen display according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5 is an exemplary illustration of another screen display according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method of ultrasound imaging according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] For the purpose of promoting understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specific language will be used to describe them. However, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As will be normally understood by those skilled in the art involved in the present disclosure, any changes and further modifications to the described equipment, systems and methods and any other application of the present disclosure are fully contemplated and included in the present disclosure. In particular, it is fully contemplated that the features, components and / or steps described about an embodiment can be combined with the features, components and / or steps described about other embodiments of the present disclosure. However, a large number of iterations of these combinations will not be described separately for the purpose of brevity.

[0020] Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an ultrasound imaging system 100 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The ultrasound imaging system 100 may include an imaging device 102, a processing system 106, and a display 108. The imaging system 100 may be used to provide non-invasive imaging of body anatomical structures. Such imaging may include 2D or 3D B-mode sonography and color flow mapping. For example, the imaging device 102 may be an ultrasound probe that is configured to visualize anatomical structures within a patient's body while the probe is positioned external to the patient. In some embodiments, the ultrasound imaging system 100 is a Doppler ultrasound imaging system. In some cases, the system 100 may include additional components and / or may be configured without Figure 1 one or more of the components shown may be implemented without

[0021] The ultrasound imaging system 100 can be used in cases of blunt chest trauma, pulmonary edema, heart failure, lung failure, and other medical conditions. The system 100 can be used in pre-hospitalization settings, initial assessments in emergency rooms, and subsequent treatments. The system 100 is applicable to all ultrasound systems, including point-of-care applications that include mobile platforms. The system 100 can also be used at home by patients who have been discharged from the hospital with remote guidance, such as after lung treatment or heart failure treatment.

[0022] In some embodiments, the imaging device 102 is sized and shaped, structurally arranged and / or otherwise configured to be placed on or near the anatomical structure of the object to perform an ultrasound imaging procedure. The imaging device 102 can be positioned outside the patient's body. In some embodiments, the device 102 is positioned close to and / or in contact with the patient's body. For example, the imaging device 102 can be placed directly on the object's body and / or adjacent to the object's body. For example, the imaging device 102 can be directly in contact with the object's body while obtaining imaging data. In some embodiments, the device 102 includes one or more imaging elements, which can be placed directly on the object's body or adjacent to the object's body. In other embodiments, the housing of the imaging device is placed in direct contact with the object's body so that the imaging element is adjacent to the object's body. The operator of the imaging device 102 can contact the distal portion of the imaging device to the patient's body so that the anatomical structure is compressed in an elastic manner. The anatomical structure view displayed in the ultrasound image depends on the position and orientation of the imaging device 102. To obtain imaging data of an anatomical structure, the imaging device 102 can be appropriately positioned manually by a clinician and / or automatically by an operator so that the transducer 124 transmits ultrasound and receives ultrasound echoes from an appropriate portion of the anatomical structure. The subject can be a human patient or an animal. The imaging device 102 can be portable and can be suitable for use by a user in a medical environment. For example, the imaging device 102 can be a Doppler ultrasound imaging probe.

[0023] The imaging device 102 is configured to obtain ultrasound imaging data associated with any suitable anatomical structure of the patient. For example, the device 102 can be used to examine any number of anatomical locations and tissue types, including, but not limited to, organs, including the liver, heart, kidneys, gall bladder, pancreas, lungs; ducts; intestines; nervous system structures, including the brain, dural sac, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves; urinary tract; and valves within blood vessels, blood, heart chambers, or other parts of the heart and / or other systems of the body. The anatomical structure can be a blood vessel, such as an artery or vein of the patient's vasculature, including the cardiovascular system, peripheral vascular system, neurovascular system, renal vasculature, and / or any other suitable lumen in the body. In addition to natural structures, the imaging device 102 can be used to examine artificial structures, such as, but not limited to, heart valves, stents, shunts, filters, and other devices.

[0024] The imaging device 102 may include a housing or handle 110 that is structurally arranged, sized, shaped, and / or otherwise configured for hand-held grasping by a user. The handle 110 may be configured to surround and protect various components of the imaging device 102, such as the electronic circuit 121 and the transducer array 124. The handle 110 may include internal structures, such as a space frame for securing the various components. For example, the transducer array 124 may be positioned at a distal portion of the handle 110.

[0025] The transducer elements of the array 124 may be configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal and receive an ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to the transmitted ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic echo signal may be processed by the electronic circuit 121 in the imaging device 102 and / or the processing system 106. The transducer array 124 may be part of an imaging assembly, including an acoustic lens and matching material on the transmitting side of the transducer array 124, and an acoustic backing material on the back of the transducer array 124. The transducer array 124 may include any number of transducer elements. For example, the array may include acoustic elements between 1 acoustic element and 10,000 acoustic elements, including values ​​such as 2 acoustic elements, 4 acoustic elements, acoustic elements, 64 acoustic elements, 128 acoustic elements, 500 acoustic elements, 812 acoustic elements, 3,000 acoustic elements, 9,000 acoustic elements, and / or other larger or smaller values. In some cases, the transducer elements of the array can be arranged in any suitable configuration, such as a linear array, a planar array, a curved array, a curved array, a circular array, an annular array, a phased array, a matrix array, a one-dimensional (1D) array, a 1.x-dimensional array (e.g., a 1.5D array), or a two-dimensional (2D) array. The array of transducer elements (e.g., one or more rows, one or more columns, and / or one or more orientations) can be uniformly or independently controlled and activated. The array can be configured to obtain a one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and / or three-dimensional image of the patient's anatomical structure. The ultrasonic transducer element can include a piezoelectric / piezoresistive element, a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) element, a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) element, and / or any other suitable type of ultrasonic transducer element.

[0026] The ultrasonic transducer elements of the transducer array 124 communicate with (e.g., are electrically coupled to) the electronic circuit 121. The electronic circuit 121 can be any suitable passive or active electronic component, including an integrated circuit (IC), for controlling the transducer array 124 to obtain ultrasonic imaging data. For example, the electronic circuit may include one or more transducer control logic dies. The electronic circuit may include one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In some embodiments, one or more ICs may include a microbeamformer (μBF). In other embodiments, one or more ICs include a multiplexer circuit (MUX). In some cases, the electronic circuit 121 may include a processor, a memory, a gyroscope, and / or an accelerometer.

[0027] In some embodiments, the imaging device 102 includes an intraluminal device that is sized and shaped, structurally arranged, and / or otherwise configured to be positioned within a patient's body lumen. For example, the imaging device 102 can be a guidewire, a catheter, or a guide catheter. In some cases, the imaging device 102 can include a gastroscope. The imaging device 102 can include a flexible, elongated member having a distal portion positioned within the body lumen and a proximal portion positioned outside the patient's body. The transducer array 124 can be coupled to the distal portion of the flexible, elongated member so that ultrasound data is obtained when positioned within the body lumen. For example, the imaging device 102 can be an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheter, an intracardiac echocardiogram (ICE) catheter, and / or a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) probe.

[0028] The processing system 106 is configured to perform one or more processing steps to generate an ultrasound image and output the ultrasound image for display on the display 108. One or more image processing steps are performed by a processor of the processing system 106 and / or the imaging device 102. The processing system 106 and / or the imaging device 102 may include one or more processor circuits that are arranged, operable, and / or otherwise configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0029] Figure 2 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example processor 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processor 200 may be used to implement one or more processors described herein, for example, the electronic circuit 121 of the imaging device 102 and / or Figure 1 The electronic circuitry of the processing system 106 shown in FIG. The processor 200 may be used to execute the electronic circuitry of the processing system 106 described herein. Figure 3-6 All or part of the processor steps described herein. The processor 200 can be any suitable processor type, including but not limited to a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable array (FPGA), wherein the FPGA has been programmed to form a processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC is designed to form a processor, a portion of a custom integrated circuit, or a combination thereof. The functions of one or more processors of the processors described herein, including the processor 200, can be incorporated into a smaller number or a single processing unit (e.g., a CPU), which can be programmed to perform the functions described herein in response to executable instructions. In particular, the functions of one or more processors can be provided by a non-transitory computer-readable medium including executable instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor circuit of the ultrasound imaging system to perform one or more methods as described herein.

[0030] Processor 200 may include one or more cores 202 (one shown). Core 202 may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs) 204 (one shown). In some embodiments, in addition to or in place of ALU 304, core 202 may include one or more floating point logic units (FPLUs) 206 (one shown) and / or one or more digital signal processing units (DPUs) 208 (one shown).

[0031] Processor 200 may include one or more registers 212 communicatively coupled to core 202. Registers 212 may be implemented using dedicated logic gates (e.g., flip-flops) and / or any suitable memory technology. In some embodiments, registers 212 may be implemented using static memory. Registers may provide data, instructions, and addresses to core 202.

[0032] In some embodiments, the processor 200 may include one or more levels of cache memory 210 communicatively coupled to the core 202. The cache memory 210 may provide computer readable instructions to the core 202 for execution. The cache memory 210 may provide data for processing by the core 202. In some embodiments, the computer readable instructions may be provided to the cache memory 210 by a local memory (e.g., a local memory attached to the external bus 216). The cache memory 210 may be implemented with any suitable cache memory type, such as a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) memory, such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and / or any other suitable memory technology.

[0033] Processor 200 may include controller 214, which may control the processing of other processors and / or system 100 ( Figure 1 ) to the input of the processor 200 and / or the output from the processor 200 to other processors and / or components included in the system 100. The controller 214 can control the data paths in the ALU 204, the FPLU 206 and / or the DSPU 208. The controller 214 can be implemented as one or more state machines, data paths and / or dedicated control logic. The gates of the controller 214 can be implemented as independent gates, FPGAs, ASICs or any other suitable technology.

[0034] Registers 212 and cache 210 may communicate with controller 214 and core 202 via internal connections 220A, 220B, 220C, and 220D. The internal connections may be implemented as buses, multiplexers, crossbar switches, and / or any other suitable connection technology.

[0035] Input and output of the processor 200 may be provided via a bus 216, which may include one or more conductors. The bus 216 may be communicatively coupled to one or more components of the processor 200, such as the controller 214, the cache 210, and / or the registers 212. The bus 216 may be coupled to one or more components of the system, such as the electronic circuit 121, the device 102, the processing system 106, and / or the display 108. The bus 216 may be implemented as a bus, a multiplexer, a crossbar switch, and / or any other suitable connection technology.

[0036] The bus 216 may be coupled to one or more external memories. The external memory may include a read-only memory (ROM) 232. The ROM 632 may be a mask ROM, an electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) 235, or any other suitable technology. The external memory may include a random access memory (RAM) 233. The RAM 633 may be a static RAM, a battery-backed static RAM, a DRAM, a SRAM, or any other suitable technology. The external memory may include an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) 235. The external memory may include flash memory 234. The external memory may include a magnetic storage device, such as a disk 236. In some embodiments, the external memory may be included in the system, for example Figure 1 The system and / or ultrasound system 106 shown in .

[0037] Reference again Figure 1 , system 100 can be deployed in a medical environment, such as an operating room, a catheterization laboratory, an operating room, an emergency room, etc. Device 102 can be deployed near a patient or arranged in contact with a patient. Processing system 106 can be located near the patient, for example, in the same room as the patient. Processing system 106 can be remote from the patient, for example, in a different room or a different building. In some embodiments, imaging data from device 102 is uploaded to the cloud, where it can be downloaded and processed at a remote location. The medical environment can be used to perform any number of medical imaging procedures, such as Doppler ultrasound imaging, angiography, fluorescence imaging, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), virtual histology (VH), forward-looking IVUS (FL-IVUS), intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging, fractional flow reserve (FFR) determination, coronary flow reserve (CFR) determination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), intracardiac echocardiography (ICE), forward-looking ICE (FLICE), intravascular palpation, transesophageal ultrasound (TEE), and other medical imaging modalities, or combinations thereof.

[0038] The imaging device 102 and the display 108 can be directly or indirectly communicatively coupled to the processing system 106. For example, the imaging device 102 can be connected to the processing system 106 via a connection 132, and the display 108 can be connected to the processing system via a connection 107. Connections 107 and 132 can be connections of the same type or different types. Connections 107 and 132 can include wired connections, such as standard copper links or fiber optic links. For example, any suitable communication line, such as conductors and / or optical fibers, can allow data transmission between the processing system 106 and the imaging device 102 and / or the display 108. In some embodiments, the connections 107 and 132 can be cables. In such embodiments, the connector 130 at the distal portion of the connection cable 132 can be coupled to the proximal portion of the handle 110 of the imaging device 102. Connections 107 and 132 can include any suitable communication standards, such as Ethernet, a universal serial bus (USB), and / or a proprietary communication protocol. In some embodiments, connections 107 and 132 may be wireless connections using the IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standard, the ultra-wideband (UWB) standard, wireless FireWire, wireless USB, or another high-speed wireless networking standard. In such embodiments, the imaging device 102, the processing system 106, and / or the display 108 may include one or more wireless transmission devices, such as antennas. The processing system 106 may be communicatively coupled to one or more data networks, such as a TCP / IP-based local area network (LAN). In other embodiments, different protocols may be used, such as a synchronous optical network (SONET). In some cases, the processing system 106 may be communicatively coupled to a wide area network (WAN). The processing system 106 may utilize a network connection to access various resources. For example, the processing system 106 may communicate with a medical digital imaging and communications (DICOM) system, a picture archiving and communications system (PACS), and / or a hospital information system via a network connection. It should be understood that when separate imaging procedures are performed over time, connectors such as connector 130 enable one or more different imaging devices 102 (such as different ultrasound transducer arrays) to be used with the processing system 106. For example, the second imaging procedure may be performed using the same or a different ultrasound transducer array than was used in the first imaging procedure.

[0039] The imaging system 100 can be used to provide non-invasive imaging of anatomical structures (e.g., the heart or lungs of a patient). For example, the imaging device 102 can be configured to emit ultrasonic energy to create an image of a vessel or lumen and / or surrounding anatomical structures in the patient's body. The ultrasound emitted by the transducer array 124 of the device 102 can be reflected by tissue structures and other features within the anatomical structure. The echo from the reflected wave is received by the imaging device 102 and transmitted to the processing system 106. The processing system 106 processes the received ultrasound echo to generate an image of the patient's anatomical structure based on the acoustic impedance associated with the ultrasound echo. The image can be a two-dimensional cross-sectional image or a three-dimensional image of a blood vessel. The imaging device 102 and / or the processing system 106 can include features similar to or identical to those found in commercially available ultrasound imaging elements (e.g., L12-4U Lumify probes and systems, EPIQ, Affiniti and / or CX50 ultrasound systems, each available from Royal Philips Ltd.).

[0040] The imaging device 102 can be positioned outside the patient's body. In some embodiments, the device 102 is positioned close to and / or in contact with the patient's body, near a blood vessel or lumen. The operator of the imaging device 102 can contact the distal portion of the imaging device to the patient's body so that the anatomical structure is compressed in an elastic manner. The view of the anatomical structure displayed in the ultrasound image depends on the position and orientation of the imaging device 102, and the imaging device 102 can be manually and / or automatically positioned appropriately by the clinician and / or by the operator so that the transducer array 124 transmits ultrasound and receives ultrasound echoes from the desired anatomical region.

[0041] The imaging may include dividing the imaging area into specific zones within the anatomical structure, such as 8-28 zones. Images for each zone may be monitored over time to provide a time history. In some embodiments, the imaging device 102 may be used to measure one or more imaging parameters, such as the number of B-lines, the size and severity of lesions, the volume and diameter of vessels, cardiac output, heart rate, lungs, the amount of collapse within the lungs, lung water content, and the degree of consolidation. Imaging data associated with these parameters may be received by the processing system 106 and output to the display 108 to display a visual representation of the anatomical structure, including B-mode ultrasound and color flow maps. The imaging procedure may include measuring parameters at multiple times, such as for every one or every two respiratory cycles. In some embodiments, the parameters for each zone are displayed independently so that a medical professional can monitor changes in the parameters for each zone over time, such as with reference to FIG. Figure 3 106 for analysis. In some embodiments, the imaging data and associated measurements are transmitted to the cloud and can be accessed remotely.

[0042] Figure 3 An exemplary display 300 produced by the imaging system 100 is shown. The display may be displayed on a screen of the display 108, such as Figure 1 The display 300 may include windows 308, 310 showing views of the patient's anatomy. These windows 308, 310 may include a plurality of regions 302 that may represent subdivisions of the anatomy. Figure 3 In the example of , eight zones 302 of approximately equal area are shown across the chest of the patient. Any suitable number of zones is contemplated, such as 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 and other numbers of zones, larger or smaller. The zones 302 may have different sizes. For example, the zones 302 may conform to portions of the patient's anatomical structure, such as the lungs. The zones 302 may be based on physiological properties associated with the anatomical structure (e.g., pulmonary edema of the lungs). The size, shape, number and / or position of the zones may be selected to obtain sufficient ultrasound data for different portions of the anatomical structure. The zones 302 may be selectable, such as an operator selecting the zones to access imaging data associated with the zones. In some embodiments, the operator may select one or more zones via an input device (e.g., clicking on them with a mouse). Zones of unequal size are also contemplated and may be shown in alternative embodiments.

[0043] In some cases, the number of zones corresponds to the ultrasound imaging protocol used by medical professionals to perform ultrasound examinations of patient anatomical structures. Intensive Care Ultrasound: III. Lung and Pleural Ultrasound for the Intensivist (Annals of the American Thoracic Society, December 2013, Vol. 10, No. 6, pp. 708–712) by Doerschug et al. and International evidence-based recommendations for point-of-care lung ultrasound (Intensive Care Medicine, April 2012, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 577–591) by Volpicelli et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some cases, a complete lung examination may include 12 zones, 6 zones on each side of the patient's body. Each hemithorax can be divided into anterior zone, lateral zone, and posterior zone, which are demarcated by anterior axillary line and posterior axillary line. Each of the anterior zone, lateral zone, and posterior zone can be divided into an upper zone and a lower / basal zone. In some cases, the lung examination includes 8 regions, omitting the two posterior regions on each side of the body described above. In some cases, the lung examination includes 2 zones. Although these examples specifically mention ultrasound examination of the lungs, it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates any suitable anatomical structure of the patient.

[0044] Based on one or more imaging parameters, the area 302 can be colored to provide an indication of the severity of the patient's physiological condition. For example, areas 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are not colored, indicating that they have not been imaged or have low severity, areas 1 and 2 are colored in light colors, indicating acceptable severity, and area 3 304 is colored in dark colors, indicating high severity. Colors can be accompanied by other visual or textual cues, such as images, alarms, measurements, or messages. Although colors are specifically mentioned in the above description, it should be understood that the screen display 300 can include any suitable visual representation of the area 302, including one or more shades, patterns, textures, or images. The area 302 can be shown in the anatomical structure reference window 302 with reference to the anatomical structure of the patient 306 (e.g., superimposed on a representation of the anatomical structure of the patient 306) and in a separate window 310 showing an overview of the area 302 and showing accompanying information, such as the measurement results of the imaging parameters. The windows 308 and 310 can be displayed on the display 108 at the same time. The zones 302 can be continuously updated throughout a medical procedure or across several procedures, such that a medical professional can view changes in a region over time. This can be helpful for patients supervised by multiple medical professionals, as the newly assigned professional can easily access the medical history of each zone 302 through the received imaging data.

[0045] Figure 4 An exemplary display 400 of the imaging system 100 is shown, which may also be shown on the display 108, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 . The display 400 may include an anatomical structure reference window 308 and a zone detail window 410 showing imaging information associated with the selected window. In some embodiments, a patient ID 413 is associated with all medical procedures for a particular patient. The patient ID 413 may be displayed on the display 400 and may be used to find all medical data associated with the patient. In some embodiments, when a patient associated with the patient ID 413 is scanned by the ultrasound imaging system 100, the system 100 may automatically display the location of the zone 302 (e.g., zone 3 304) that had the highest ultrasound feature score or severity score (one or more) in the last examination.

[0046] exist Figure 4 In the example of FIG. 4 , the region detail window 410 shows the severity scores over time, which are calculated by the processing system 106 based on the ultrasound imaging data received from the imaging device 102. Figure 43 in the example of , as shown by label 412) over time can be represented by a plot, chart, or graph 314. In some embodiments, the graph 314 of severity score over time can be based on one or more imaging parameters of the received imaging data, which are indicative of the severity of the patient's physiological condition. Typically, the severity score is a digital quantification of the imaging parameters. Evaluation of the severity score over time can provide an indication of whether the patient's condition is improving, worsening, or remaining the same. For example, imaging parameters may include the number of B-lines, the size and severity of lesions, the volume and diameter of vessels, cardiac output, heart rate, light and dark areas in the lungs, the amount of collapse within the lungs, the lung water content, and the degree of consolidation. The graph 414 of the severity score may include one or more reference locations 416 identifying previous treatment times. The reference locations 416 may represent a medical procedure, the administration of a medication, or an intervention, and may be represented by a symbol, shape, point, line, color, or other visual representation. In Figure 4 In the example of , a graph 414 of severity scores shows the extent of consolidation over time for a patient with pneumonia. The patient's disease is shown to be increasing until a reference point 416 (represented by a dotted line) at which the patient is administered medication. After this point, the extent of consolidation (and the associated severity score in graph 414) can be seen to steadily decrease over time. A medical professional can access a region detail window 410 corresponding to each of the zones 302, where the severity scores are similarly measured over time.

[0047] In some embodiments, a numerical value of a severity score at a particular time is provided on the screen display 300. In some embodiments, numerical values ​​of multiple severity scores at different times are provided. For example, multiple severity scores can be output in a table. The coloring of the region 3304 (e.g., a visual representation of severity) on the anatomy reference window 308 can be based on the severity score at the most recent time point, at a selected time point, or averaged across time.

[0048] In some embodiments, the medical professional may be able to select an imaging parameter on the display 400. In this case, the zone 302 will display the severity score associated with the parameter (e.g., the spatial distribution of the parameter across the various zones 202). In some embodiments, the medical professional manually adds the reference point 416 for each medical procedure. In other embodiments, the reference point 306 may be automatically added each time the processing system receives a patient ID 313 (in the current example, the patient ID has the value 402). In some embodiments, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may automatically mark the zone 302 with the highest severity score (e.g., Figure 4304 in the image processing system 106), so that the area 302 is automatically displayed on the display 108 in the next procedure. This can help the medical professional monitor the problematic area. The medical professional can also manually select one or more areas 302 for observation, such as using a mouse or a touch screen. The display 400 can also be used to monitor several areas 302 within the patient's anatomy. In this case, the time history of each area 302 is automatically stored by the processing system 106 and is easily available in the next process. In some embodiments, the ultrasound feature score of each area can be based on at least one common imaging parameter. In other embodiments, the ultrasound feature scores of two different areas can be based on different imaging parameters.

[0049] In some embodiments, the system 100 can generate a suggested location for further imaging procedures based on the results of the imaging analysis. For example, the processing system 106 can determine that zone 3 has the greatest severity score or a severity score above a selected threshold. The threshold can be selected by the operator or fixed according to medical provider policy. The display 108 can then include a prompt to place the probe of the imaging device 102 in zone 3 for further imaging procedures.

[0050] Figure 5 An exemplary display 500 of the imaging system 100 is shown, which may also be shown on the display 108, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 . The display 500 may show various time representations of one or more zones 302. In particular, the display is used to highlight scan locations that have high severity scores in past scans. For example, a medical professional may select zone 3 304 on the anatomical reference window 308, which may display a time history window 510 associated with zone 3 on the display 108. The time history window 510 may include one or more visual representations of severity scores over time, such as a timeline 520. Figure 5In the example of , timeline 520 includes severity scores represented by various colors at time 1 (severe), time 2 (moderate), time 3 (severe), and time 4 (minimum). As described above, severity scores can be represented by other visual cues, such as shading, patterns, textures, images, text, or animation features. For example, a movie can be displayed using imaging data and color coding to show changes in imaging data of a particular area over time. Severity scores can be accompanied by corresponding imaging data. For example, severe ultrasound scores at times 1 and 3 (reference numerals 522, 523) can include ultrasound data corresponding to those areas. The time and date of these severity scores can also be displayed, as well as previous treatment information and annotations by medical professionals. In some embodiments, imaging data associated with high (i.e., "severe") severity scores can be automatically displayed on the time history window 510, while low severity scores are not automatically displayed. This can allow medical professionals to focus on important areas of the anatomical structure and reduce the burden of assessment, especially in critical care situations. In other embodiments, medical professionals can manually select imaging data for each severity score.

[0051] Medical information generated by imaging system 100 and displayed on display device 108 can be transmitted to a central location and can be accessed remotely. For example, a medical professional can access the data via a cloud location that is not located on-site at the hospital. In this case, the medical information can be displayed on a remote location (e.g., a computer monitor). Figure 3-5 Medical data is shown in FIG.

[0052] Figure 6 600 is a flow chart of a method 600 for ultrasound imaging. In some embodiments, the steps of the method 600 may be performed as follows: Figure 1 1 and associated components, such as the electronic circuitry 121 of the imaging device 102, the electronic circuitry of the processing system 106, and / or the display 108. For example, the processor 200 ( Figure 2 ) can implement all or part of the steps of method 600. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the steps of method 600 can be implemented in the same manner as Figure 6 The steps shown in the drawings may be performed in different orders, additional steps may be provided before, during, and after the steps, and / or some of the steps described may be replaced or eliminated.

[0053] In step 602, method 600 may include defining a plurality of zones within the patient's anatomical structure. These zones may regularly span the patient's anatomical structure, such as spanning the lungs or heart. The size and shape of the zones may be regular or irregular. The number of zones may include 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, and other numbers of zones. In some embodiments, the coordinates of each zone are also defined and stored in a memory so that the imaging data may be automatically spatially associated with its zone. For example, at the beginning, during, and / or at the end of an imaging procedure, a user may manually indicate which zone(s) are being imaged. In some cases, a processor circuit may automatically determine which zone is being imaged based on image processing of the acquired ultrasound data.

[0054] At step 604, method 600 may include performing a first imaging procedure for at least one of the plurality of zones. The imaging procedure may be performed using an imaging device such as imaging device 102. The imaging procedure may include ultrasound imaging, Doppler ultrasound imaging, angiography, fluorescence imaging, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), virtual histology (VH), forward-looking IVUS (FL-IVUS), intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT), intracardiac echocardiography (ICE), forward-looking ICE (FLICE), intravascular palpation, transesophageal ultrasound (TEE) and other medical imaging modalities, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the imaging procedure is performed on the heart or lungs of the patient. Imaging data from the imaging procedure may be transmitted to a processing system for analysis. The imaging data may be received by a processor that receives imaging data from a transducer array (e.g., during a first imaging procedure) or may be received from a processor from a memory (e.g., from a previously performed imaging procedure).

[0055] At step 606, method 600 may include determining a first severity score for at least one zone based on imaging data from a first imaging procedure. The first severity score may be determined by a processor circuit based on one or more parameters of the imaging data. For example, image processing of the acquired ultrasound data by a processor circuit may be used to determine identification and / or quantification of one or more parameters. For example, for an imaging procedure for the heart, these parameters may include the size and severity of lesions, the volume and diameter of blood vessels, cardiac output, and heart rate. For an imaging procedure for the lungs, the parameters may include the number of B-lines, light and dark areas in the lungs, the amount of collapse within the lungs, the amount of water in the lungs, and the degree of consolidation.

[0056] At step 608, method 600 may include displaying the first severity score on a chart of the patient having a plurality of zones. In some embodiments, the plurality of zones may be superimposed on an anatomical diagram so that a medical professional can easily understand the location and extent of each zone. The first severity score may be visually represented for each zone, such as a color, pattern, shading, texture, or image displayed on the zone. For example, a high severity score may be displayed with a darker color, while a lower severity score may be displayed with a lighter color, such as in Figure 3 In an example of FIG. 1 , the regions can be selected by medical personnel, such as via a touch screen or mouse. Selecting a region can display more information about the region, such as a previous severity score associated with the region. In some embodiments, selecting a region from the graph can display a timeline showing the time history of all medical data associated with the region.

[0057] At step 610, method 600 may include performing a second imaging procedure for the at least one zone. The second imaging procedure may be performed at a later time than the first imaging procedure and may be any type of procedure as described above. In some embodiments, the second imaging procedure may be performed for a different zone than the first imaging procedure. For example, the first imaging procedure may include imaging zones 1-4, while the second imaging procedure includes imaging zones 5-8. In this case, the first and second imaging procedures may be performed simultaneously or at different times. Imaging data from the second imaging procedure may be transmitted to a processing system for analysis. It should be understood that the second imaging procedure may be performed with an ultrasonic transducer array that is the same as or different from the ultrasonic transducer array used in the first imaging procedure.

[0058] At step 612, method 600 can include determining a second severity score for the at least one zone based on imaging data from a second imaging procedure.The second severity score can be based on any of the parameters discussed above.

[0059] At step 614, method 600 may include updating the display using the second severity score. This step 514 may include updating the visual representation of the severity score, such as darkening the color of a region for a higher severity score or lightening the color of a region for a lower severity score.

[0060] At step 616, method 600 may optionally include displaying a timeline including the first and second severity scores. The timeline may include accompanying information from the first and second imaging procedures, such as time and location. The timeline may also include a graph, chart, or other visual representation that shows the two severity scores, as well as other severity scores if available. The steps of method 600 may enable a medical professional to view a patient's progress over time in a particular area of ​​the patient's anatomy. This may be helpful in coordinating care between physicians and providing special care for troublesome areas of the patient's anatomy.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the above-described devices, systems, and methods can be modified in many ways. Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments encompassed by the present disclosure are not limited to the specific exemplary embodiments described below. In this respect, although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, wide-ranging modifications, alterations, and substitutions are contemplated in the above disclosure. It is to be understood that such changes may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is appropriate that the appended claims be understood broadly and in a manner consistent with the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging system, comprising: a processor circuit in communication with one or more ultrasound transducer arrays, the one or more ultrasound transducer arrays being arranged to obtain imaging data associated with an anatomical structure of a patient, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient is spatially arranged in a plurality of zones, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to receive a first set of imaging data obtained by one of the ultrasound transducer arrays at a first time, wherein the first set of imaging data represents the plurality of zones, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to: for each zone of the plurality of zones, determine a first severity score associated with an anatomical parameter based on the first set of imaging data, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to receive a second set of imaging data acquired by one or the other of the ultrasound transducer arrays at a second time, wherein the second set of imaging data represents the plurality of regions, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to: determine, for each of the plurality of regions, a second severity score associated with the anatomical parameter based on the second set of imaging data, wherein the processor circuit is arranged to select one of the plurality of zones as a selected zone, wherein the second severity score of the selected zone is the highest among the plurality of zones; wherein the processor circuit is arranged to output a visual representation of the second severity scores of the plurality of zones and a temporal representation specific to the selected zone to a display device in communication with the processor circuit, wherein the temporal representation includes the severity scores over time only for the selected zone.

2. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The temporal representation includes a plot of severity scores over time.

3. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The temporal representation includes a chronological representation of at least one of the first set of imaging data, the second set of imaging data, the first severity score, or the second severity score.

4. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The visual representation of the plurality of zones includes a selectable representation of the plurality of zones such that selection of a zone by a user displays the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data associated with the selected zone.

5. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more ultrasound arrays are arranged to obtain imaging data associated with the patient's lungs.

6. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 5, wherein: The parameter includes at least one of the extent of consolidation, a measurement of fluid in the lung, the extent of lung collapse, the number of B-lines, a measurement of a bronchogram, or a measurement of a chest effusion.

7. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more ultrasound arrays are configured to obtain imaging data associated with the patient's heart.

8. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 7, wherein: The parameter is one or more of the physical dimensions of the ventricle, the ejection fraction, the degree of vascular obstruction, or a volume measurement.

9. A method for performing ultrasound imaging, comprising: receiving, with a processor circuit, a first set of imaging data representing a plurality of regions at a first time, wherein the processor circuit communicates with the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the ultrasound transducer array is arranged to obtain imaging data associated with anatomical structures of a patient spatially arranged in the plurality of zones; determining, with the processor circuit, for each of the plurality of regions, a first severity score associated with an anatomical parameter based on the first set of imaging data, receiving, with the processor circuit, a second set of imaging data representing the plurality of regions at a second time, determining, with the processor circuit, for each of the plurality of regions based on the second set of imaging data, a plurality of second severity scores associated with the anatomical parameter, selecting one of the plurality of zones as a selected zone, wherein the second severity score of the selected zone is the highest among the plurality of zones; and A visual representation representing the second severity scores for the plurality of zones and a temporal representation specific to the selected zone is output to a display device in communication with the processor circuit, wherein the temporal representation includes the severity scores over time for only the selected zone.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The temporal representation includes a plot of severity scores over time.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The temporal representation includes a chronological representation of at least one of the first set of imaging data, the second set of imaging data, the first severity score, or the second severity score.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The visual representation of the plurality of zones includes a selectable representation of the plurality of zones such that selection of a zone by a user displays the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data associated with the selected zone.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor circuit of an ultrasound imaging system to perform the method of claim 9.

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