Ultrasonic imaging device and scanning prompt method thereof

Abstract

The ultrasonic imaging device and scanning prompt method provided by the present invention can provide corresponding teaching content according to the current section to be examined, which can not only assist doctors in learning, but also assist doctors in scanning operations, thereby improving the doctors' work efficiency. In addition, the scanning operation of the doctor can be judged, thereby outputting scanning feedback, which is conducive to the doctor adjusting the scanning operation technique, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of ultrasonic scanning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices, and in particular to an ultrasonic imaging device and a scanning prompt method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Compared with human doctors, veterinarians lack systematic professional training and have little knowledge on how to operate Doppler color ultrasound equipment (hereinafter referred to as "color ultrasound") to produce images of desired parts. It is difficult to master ultrasound imaging techniques simply by referring to textbooks, and veterinarians often need to find training courses and other relevant institutions to pay fees and study on their own.

[0003] First of all, the training courses are concentrated for several days, which takes up the veterinarian’s working time and costs extra money to study, which has a certain impact on the work. Not all veterinarians have the opportunity to attend the training courses.

[0004] Secondly, the study class has a limited time frame, and there is no teacher to provide guidance after the class ends, so there is a lack of follow-up learning unless additional investment is made.

[0005] Third, the learning class is generally based on lectures, supplemented by a small amount of practice. Veterinarians need to absorb a large amount of knowledge in a short period of time. Without a large amount of repeated practice of knowledge in a short period of time, it is impossible to achieve the purpose of consolidation, which will affect the learning effect. When they return to the clinic and have the conditions to repeat the practice, they lack the synchronous guidance of the teacher.

[0006] Fourth, training classes are time-limited, and the latest technologies and achievements cannot be obtained there. Repeatedly attending training classes will mean a large amount of repetitive knowledge learning, and the benefits will be relatively small.

[0007] The above problems result in low learning efficiency of doctors for ultrasound scanning, and difficulty in improving ultrasound scanning skills, thus making ultrasound scanning work inefficient. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present invention mainly provides an ultrasonic imaging device and a scanning prompt method thereof, aiming to improve the working efficiency of doctors' ultrasonic scanning.

[0009] An embodiment provides an ultrasonic imaging device, including:

[0010] An ultrasonic probe, used for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a region of interest in biological tissue and receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0011] A transmitting / receiving control circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the region of interest and receive echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0012] A human-computer interaction device, used to output visual information and receive user input;

[0013] A processor, the processor being configured to:

[0014] Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation;

[0015] The teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called according to the current section to be examined and displayed through the human-computer interaction device; the ultrasound teaching material includes teaching content of multiple sections; the teaching content is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image;

[0016] Controlling the ultrasonic probe to scan the scanned object through the transmitting / receiving control circuit, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data;

[0017] Acquiring a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, a scanning angle deviation, and a deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object;

[0018] Scanning feedback is generated and outputted according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

[0019] An embodiment provides an ultrasonic imaging device, including:

[0020] An ultrasonic probe, used for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a region of interest in biological tissue and receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0021] A transmitting / receiving control circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the region of interest and receive echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0022] A human-computer interaction device, used to output visual information and receive user input;

[0023] A processor, the processor being configured to:

[0024] Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation;

[0025] The teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called according to the current section to be examined and displayed through the human-computer interaction device; the ultrasound teaching material includes teaching content of multiple sections; the teaching content is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image;

[0026] The transmitting / receiving control circuit controls the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the scanned object and receive ultrasonic echoes, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data.

[0027] An embodiment provides an ultrasonic imaging device, including:

[0028] An ultrasonic probe, used for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a region of interest in biological tissue and receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0029] A transmitting / receiving control circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the region of interest and receive echoes of the ultrasonic waves;

[0030] A human-computer interaction device, used to output visual information and receive user input;

[0031] A processor, the processor being configured to:

[0032] Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation;

[0033] Controlling the ultrasonic probe to scan the scanned object through the transmitting / receiving control circuit, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data;

[0034] Acquiring a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, a scanning angle deviation, and a deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object;

[0035] Scanning feedback is generated and outputted according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

[0036] In an ultrasonic imaging device provided in an embodiment, the processor determines the current section to be inspected according to the user's operation, including:

[0037] According to the currently activated examination mode, determine the type of animal and the scanning part of the scanned object;

[0038] According to the body position diagram and / or annotation information set for the current scan, the current section to be inspected is determined from the multiple sections included in the type of animal to which the scanned object belongs and / or the scanned part; or, the multiple sections included in the type of animal to which the scanned object belongs and / or the scanned part are displayed through the human-computer interaction device, and an instruction for selecting a section is received through the human-computer interaction device, and the selected section is used as the current section to be inspected;

[0039] or,

[0040] Receiving a scanning start instruction through the human-computer interaction device;

[0041] activating a scanning protocol associated with the scanning start instruction according to the scanning start instruction; wherein the scanning protocol includes one or more pre-set sections;

[0042] Displaying one or more sections of the scanning protocol through the human-computer interaction device;

[0043] An instruction for selecting a section is received through the human-computer interaction device, and the selected section is used as the current section to be inspected.

[0044] In the ultrasonic imaging device provided by one embodiment, the processor is further used to: determine the image mode of the current section to be inspected according to the image mode currently set for scanning;

[0045] The processor calls the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material according to the current section to be examined, including:

[0046] According to the current section to be examined and its image mode, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in its image mode in the ultrasound teaching material is called.

[0047] In the ultrasound imaging device provided by one embodiment, the teaching content includes: images and / or videos of standard scanning operations, single-frame and / or multi-frame reference ultrasound images obtained based on standard scanning operations, a schematic diagram of a section corresponding to the teaching content, and at least one of a text description of the standard scanning operation; the schematic diagram is used to illustrate the anatomical structure contained in the section.

[0048] In the ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment, the processor obtains the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object, including:

[0049] Acquiring individual information of the scanned object;

[0050] Performing three-dimensional modeling on the scanned object to obtain original three-dimensional volume data;

[0051] Selecting volume data adapted to the scanned object from a preset first database, combining the volume data with the original three-dimensional volume data, and obtaining a three-dimensional model of the scanned object;

[0052] Obtaining a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the three-dimensional model according to data collected by a sensor disposed on the ultrasonic probe;

[0053] The ultrasonic echo data are matched with reference ultrasonic echo data stored in a preset second database; the second database stores a plurality of reference ultrasonic echo data obtained by scanning the current section to be inspected under different scanning angle deviations and deflection angle deviations; the scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation corresponding to the matched reference ultrasonic echo data are used as the scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation when the ultrasonic probe scans the section to be inspected; or, based on data collected by a sensor arranged on the ultrasonic probe, the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the three-dimensional model, the scanning angle and the deflection angle when scanning the section to be inspected are obtained, the scanning angle is compared with the reference scanning angle to obtain the scanning angle deviation, and the deflection angle is compared with the reference deflection angle to obtain the deflection angle deviation;

[0054] or,

[0055] The scanned object and the ultrasonic probe are photographed or scanned, and the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the scanned object, the scanning angle and the deflection angle when scanning the section to be inspected are determined based on the data obtained from the photographing or scanning; the scanning angle is compared with a reference scanning angle to obtain the scanning angle deviation, and the deflection angle is compared with a reference deflection angle to obtain the deflection angle deviation.

[0056] In the ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment, before the processor obtains the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object, it is also used to:

[0057] Performing quality assessment on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain an assessment value or grade reflecting the quality of the ultrasonic echo data;

[0058] Determine whether the evaluation value or grade meets the preset requirements;

[0059] If the evaluation value or level reaches a preset requirement, the ultrasonic echo data is saved as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be examined, or the user is prompted to save the ultrasonic echo data as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be examined;

[0060] If the evaluation value or level does not meet the preset requirement, the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe are obtained when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object.

[0061] In an ultrasonic imaging device provided by an embodiment, the processor generates and outputs scanning feedback according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe, including:

[0062] The scanning position of the ultrasound probe is compared with a preset reference scanning position of the current section to be inspected, and if the deviation between the two exceeds a first preset value, a first prompt message for indicating that the scanning position is abnormal is generated and output, or a guide for correcting the scanning position of the ultrasound probe is given according to the deviation between the two;

[0063] Determine whether the scanning angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a second preset value, and if so, generate and output second prompt information for indicating that the scanning angle is abnormal, or provide guidance for correcting the scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe according to the deviation between the two;

[0064] It is determined whether the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a third preset value. If so, a third prompt message for indicating abnormal deflection angle is generated and output, or guidance for correcting the deflection angle of the ultrasonic probe is given according to the deviation between the two.

[0065] An embodiment provides a scanning prompt method of an ultrasonic imaging device, comprising:

[0066] Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation;

[0067] According to the current section to be examined, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called and displayed; the ultrasound teaching material includes teaching content of multiple sections; the teaching content is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image;

[0068] Controlling the ultrasonic probe to scan the scanned object, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data;

[0069] Acquiring a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, a scanning angle deviation, and a deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object;

[0070] Scanning feedback is generated and outputted according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

[0071] According to the ultrasonic imaging device and the scanning prompt method of the above embodiment, the corresponding teaching content can be given according to the current section to be examined, which can not only assist the doctor in learning, but also assist the doctor in scanning operation, thereby improving the doctor's work efficiency. In addition, the doctor's scanning operation can be judged, so as to output scanning feedback, which is conducive to the doctor to adjust the scanning operation method, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of ultrasonic scanning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0072] Figure 1 A structural block diagram of an embodiment of an ultrasonic imaging device provided by the present invention;

[0073] Figure 2 A flow chart of an embodiment of using ultrasound teaching software in the ultrasound imaging device provided by the present invention;

[0074] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an interface of an embodiment of ultrasound teaching software in the ultrasound imaging device provided by the present invention;

[0075] Figure 4 A flow chart of an embodiment of a scanning prompt method provided by the present invention;

[0076] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Flow chart of step 4 of an embodiment;

[0077] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A flowchart of another embodiment of step 4;

[0078] Figure 7 for Figure 4 Step 4 is a flow chart of another embodiment;

[0079] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a scanning guide interface in the ultrasonic imaging device provided by the present invention;

[0080] Fig. 9 for Figure 4 Flow chart of step 7 of an embodiment;

[0081] Fig.10 for Figure 4 A flowchart of another embodiment of step 7;

[0082] Fig.11 A flowchart of another embodiment of the scanning prompt method provided by the present invention;

[0083] Fig.12 A flowchart of another embodiment of the scanning prompt method provided by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] The present invention is further described in detail below by specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Wherein similar elements in different embodiments adopt associated similar element numbers. In the following embodiments, many detailed descriptions are for making the present application better understood. However, those skilled in the art can easily recognize that some features can be omitted in different situations, or can be replaced by other elements, materials, methods. In some cases, some operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification, this is to avoid the core part of the present application being overwhelmed by too much description, and for those skilled in the art, it is not necessary to describe these related operations in detail, and they can fully understand the related operations according to the description in the specification and the general technical knowledge in the art.

[0085] In addition, the features, operations or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any appropriate manner to form various implementations. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can also be interchanged or adjusted in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and the drawings are only for the purpose of clearly describing a certain embodiment and are not meant to be a required sequence, unless otherwise specified that a certain sequence must be followed.

[0086] The serial numbers of the components in this document, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the objects described and do not have any order or technical meaning. The "connection" and "coupling" mentioned in this application, unless otherwise specified, include direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0087] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasonic imaging device provided by the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe 30, a transmitting / receiving control circuit 40 (i.e., a transmitting circuit 410 and a receiving circuit 420), a beamforming module 50, an IQ demodulation module 60, a processor 20, a human-computer interaction device 70 and a memory 80.

[0088] The ultrasonic probe 30 includes a transducer (not shown in the figure) composed of a plurality of array elements arranged in an array. The plurality of array elements are arranged in a row to form a linear array, or arranged in a two-dimensional matrix to form a surface array. The plurality of array elements can also form a convex array. The array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves according to the excitation electrical signal, or to convert the received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals. Therefore, each array element can be used to realize the mutual conversion between the electrical pulse signal and the ultrasonic wave, so as to realize the transmission of ultrasonic waves to the area of ​​interest in the biological tissue of the scanned object 10, and can also be used to receive the echo of the ultrasonic wave reflected back by the tissue. When performing ultrasonic detection, the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420 can be used to control which array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves and which array elements are used to receive ultrasonic waves, or control the array elements to transmit ultrasonic waves or receive ultrasonic waves in time slots. The array elements participating in ultrasonic emission can be excited by electrical signals at the same time, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves at the same time; or the array elements participating in ultrasonic emission can also be excited by several electrical signals with a certain time interval, thereby continuously transmitting ultrasonic waves with a certain time interval.

[0089] The transmitting circuit 410 is used to generate a transmitting sequence according to the control of the processor 20. The transmitting sequence is used to control some or all of the multiple array elements to transmit ultrasonic waves to the scanned object. The transmitting sequence parameters include the array element position, the number of array elements and the ultrasonic beam transmission parameters (such as amplitude, frequency, number of transmissions, transmission interval, transmission angle, waveform, focus position, etc.) used for transmission. In some cases, the transmitting circuit 410 is also used to phase delay the transmitted beam so that different transmitting array elements transmit ultrasonic waves at different times so that each transmitted ultrasonic beam can be focused on a predetermined area of ​​interest. Different working modes, such as B image mode, C image mode and D image mode (Doppler mode), may have different transmitting sequence parameters. After the echo signal is received by the receiving circuit 420 and processed by subsequent modules and corresponding algorithms, a B image reflecting the anatomical structure of the tissue, a C image reflecting the blood flow information and a D image reflecting the Doppler spectrum image can be generated.

[0090] The receiving circuit 420 is used to receive the ultrasonic echo signal from the ultrasonic probe 30 and process the ultrasonic echo signal. The receiving circuit 420 may include one or more amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), etc. The amplifier is used to amplify the received echo signal after appropriate gain compensation, and the amplifier is used to sample the analog echo signal at a predetermined time interval to convert it into a digitized echo signal, and the digitized echo signal still retains amplitude information, frequency information, and phase information. The data output by the receiving circuit 420 can be output to the beamforming module 50 for processing, or output to the memory 80 for storage.

[0091] The beamforming module 50 is connected to the receiving circuit 420 signal, and is used to perform beamforming processing such as corresponding delay and weighted summation on the echo signal. Since the distances from the ultrasonic receiving point in the measured tissue to the receiving array element are different, the channel data of the same receiving point output by different receiving array elements have delay differences, and delay processing is required to align the phases and perform weighted summation on the different channel data of the same receiving point to obtain the ultrasound image data after beamforming. The ultrasound image data output by the beamforming module 50 is also called radio frequency data (RF data). The beamforming module 50 outputs the radio frequency data to the IQ demodulation module 60. In some embodiments, the beamforming module 50 may also output the radio frequency data to the memory 80 for caching or storage, or directly output the radio frequency data to the processor 20 for image processing.

[0092] The beamforming module 50 may perform the above functions in the form of hardware, firmware or software. The beamforming module 50 may be integrated in the processor 20 or may be separately provided, which is not limited in the present invention.

[0093] The IQ demodulation module 60 removes the signal carrier through IQ demodulation, extracts the tissue structure information contained in the signal, and performs filtering to remove noise. The signal obtained at this time is called a baseband signal (IQ data pair). The IQ demodulation module 60 outputs the IQ data pair to the processor 20 for image processing. In some embodiments, the IQ demodulation module 60 also outputs the IQ data pair to the memory 80 for caching or storage, so that the processor 20 reads the data from the memory 80 for subsequent image processing.

[0094] The IQ demodulation module 60 may also perform the above functions in the form of hardware, firmware or software. In some embodiments, the IQ demodulation module 60 may also be integrated with the beamforming module 50 in one chip.

[0095] The processor 20 is configured to be a central controller circuit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, a graphics controller circuit (GPU) or any other electronic component that can process input data according to specific logical instructions. It can control peripheral electronic components according to input instructions or predetermined instructions, or read and / or save data from the memory 80. It can also process the input data by executing the program in the memory 80, for example, performing one or more processing operations on the collected ultrasound data according to one or more working modes. The processing operations include but are not limited to adjusting or limiting the form of ultrasound waves emitted by the ultrasound probe 30, generating various image frames for subsequent display of the human-computer interaction device 70, or adjusting or limiting the content and form displayed on the display, or adjusting one or more image display settings displayed on the display (such as ultrasound images, interface components, and positioning areas of interest).

[0096] As echo signals are received, the acquired ultrasound data may be processed by the processor 20 in real time during scanning, or may be temporarily stored on the memory 80 and processed in quasi-real time in either on-line or off-line operation.

[0097] In this embodiment, the processor 20 controls the operation of the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420, for example, controls the transmitting circuit 410 and the receiving circuit 420 to work alternately or simultaneously. The processor 20 can also determine a suitable working mode according to the user's selection or the setting of the program, form a transmission sequence corresponding to the current working mode, and send the transmission sequence to the transmitting circuit 410, so that the transmitting circuit 410 uses the suitable transmission sequence to control the ultrasound probe 30 to transmit ultrasound waves.

[0098] The processor 20 is also used to process the ultrasound data to generate a grayscale image of signal strength changes within the scanning range, which reflects the anatomical structure inside the tissue, called a B image. The processor 20 can output the B image to the display of the human-computer interaction device 70 for display.

[0099] The human-computer interaction device 70 is used for human-computer interaction, such as outputting visual information and receiving user input. The user input can be received by a keyboard, operation button, mouse, trackball, touchpad, etc., or a touch screen integrated with a display; the visual information can be output by a display.

[0100] The memory 80 is used to store the above-mentioned data and also to store the teaching content of each section. The teaching content is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image.

[0101] The ultrasonic imaging device provided by the present invention provides a complete set of teaching functions organized according to the parts, sections, and image modes, and can provide drawing instructions based on the user's drawing data. Through the present invention, during the ultrasonic examination, the corresponding section teaching data can be automatically located after the teaching function is started. When the image printed by the user is significantly different from the standard image, drawing instructions will be provided to guide the user to print the correct high-quality sonogram. The present invention is conducive to improving the user's drawing skills and improving learning efficiency. The following is an explanation through specific embodiments.

[0102] Since veterinarians need to examine various types of animals, each type of animal is quite different, and the frequency of ultrasonic examination of animals is not very high, it is often difficult for veterinarians to fully master ultrasonic scanning of various animals. The present application can provide scanning prompts to help doctors improve scanning efficiency and quality, which is very suitable for the veterinary field. Therefore, this embodiment is described by taking veterinary ultrasonic imaging equipment as an example, and accordingly, the scanning object is an animal.

[0103] The ultrasonic imaging device provided by the present invention can provide ultrasonic teaching materials for doctors (users) to learn. Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the process may include the following steps:

[0104] Step 1: The doctor issues an instruction for starting the teaching assistance through the input device. The processor 20 receives the instruction for starting the teaching assistance through the input device and displays the teaching assistance interface through the display in response to the instruction. Figure 3 As shown. Usually, ultrasound teaching software is provided in the ultrasound imaging device, and the instruction to start the ultrasound teaching software is the instruction to start the teaching help. The teaching help interface can present all existing sections (stored in the memory) for the doctor to select. These sections can be classified according to the part of the target object (such as tissue, organ, etc.). After the doctor selects the part, all the sections corresponding to the part are presented for the doctor to select; these sections can also be classified according to the scanning protocol. After the doctor selects the scanning protocol, all the sections corresponding to the scanning protocol are presented for the doctor to select. Of course, the probe type and animal type (type) can also be used as the first-level directory, the part or scanning protocol as the next-level directory, and the section as the next-level directory, such as Figure 3 As shown, after selecting the probe type and animal type, select the site or scanning protocol, and then select the section.

[0105] Step 2: The doctor selects a section through the input device. The processor 20 receives an instruction for selecting a section through the input device, and in response to the instruction, displays the teaching content of the selected section through the display. The teaching content of the section is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image. In this way, the doctor can learn the scanning operation of each section in the teaching help interface through the ultrasound teaching software.

[0106] The processor 20 can also present a teaching content import interface on the display based on the user's instructions, receive an operation for importing teaching content through an input device, and import teaching content from an external device based on the operation. Of course, the processor 20 can also provide a teaching content production interface through the display, receive an operation for producing teaching content through an input device, and produce teaching content based on the operation. Regardless of how the new teaching content is obtained, the processor can automatically determine the section to which the teaching content belongs based on the teaching content, or determine the section to which the teaching content belongs based on the user's operation, thereby adding the imported teaching content and the section to which it belongs to the ultrasound teaching material. Of course, the processor 20 can also determine the part or scanning protocol to which the teaching content further belongs based on the user's operation, and of course it can also automatically determine the part or scanning protocol to which the teaching content belongs based on the section to which the teaching content belongs, so as to better classify it in the ultrasound teaching material.

[0107] from Figure 3 It can be seen that a skilled doctor can find the section to be learned through multiple selection operations from the teaching help interface, but for an unfamiliar doctor, he is not even sure which ultrasound probe or which part of the menu the section is under, so it is time-consuming and laborious to find it. The teaching help interface is helpful for doctors to learn how to scan the section to obtain an ultrasound image. It is suitable for learning before scanning, but cannot provide help during the doctor's scanning process. For example, during the section scanning process, the doctor is not familiar with the current section and cannot get a suitable ultrasound image. To start the ultrasound teaching software, it is necessary to first switch to the teaching help interface, and then select the ultrasound probe → part / ultrasound protocol → section in sequence to see the corresponding teaching content. This is very time-consuming, and the doctor may not be able to find the desired section. Therefore, the ultrasound imaging device provided by the present invention further determines the current section based on the user's operation and then provides a scanning prompt. The specific method is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0108] Step 4: Determine the current section to be inspected according to the user's operation, which can be implemented in a variety of ways. The present invention lists several ways for illustration.

[0109] like Figure 5 As shown, step 4 can be implemented by the following steps:

[0110] Step 41, the processor 20 determines the type of animal and the scanning part to which the scanned object belongs according to the currently activated inspection mode. Ultrasonic imaging equipment is usually provided with a variety of inspection modes for users to choose, and the inspection mode is usually determined by the probe type, animal type and scanning part. For example, after starting the veterinary ultrasonic imaging equipment, the display interface of its display displays the probe type, animal type and scanning part for the user to select. The probe type of some equipment can be automatically identified. After the user selects the probe type, animal type (such as cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, mice, etc.) and scanning part (such as abdomen, heart, reproduction and small organs, etc.), the current inspection mode is determined, and the processor 20 activates the current inspection mode. Each inspection mode corresponds to a set of ultrasonic parameters, which allows the corresponding probe to better perform targeted ultrasonic scanning on the corresponding animal's part. Therefore, the processor 20 can in turn determine the animal type and scanning part of the scanned object according to the currently activated inspection mode.

[0111] Step 42, the processor 20 further determines the current section to be inspected from the multiple sections included in the animal type and / or the scanned part of the scanned object according to the body position map and / or annotation information set for the current scan. After the user determines the inspection mode, the scanned object will be scanned, and the ultrasound image obtained by the scan will be displayed on the display. The user can then set the body position map, annotation information, and measurement, etc. The body position map may not necessarily determine the section, but it can determine the inspected organ, and the annotation information can determine the section. Therefore, in this embodiment, after the processor 20 determines the animal type and the scanned part of the scanned object, it further determines the current section to be inspected according to the body position map and annotation information. For example, the current inspection probe is a linear array probe, the animal type is dog (<5kg), and the inspection mode is abdomen. If the body position map selects the left kidney and the annotation selects the longitudinal section, the processor 20 automatically locates to the dog-abdomen-kidney-left kidney longitudinal section.

[0112] like Figure 6 As shown, step 4 can also be implemented by the following steps:

[0113] Step 41': the processor 20 determines the type of animal and the scanning part of the scanned object according to the currently activated inspection mode. The specific process is the same as the above step 41, which will not be described in detail here.

[0114] Step 42', the processor 20 displays the type of animal to which the scanned object belongs and / or the multiple sections included in the scanned part through the display of the human-machine interaction device 70, receives an instruction for selecting a section through the input device of the human-machine interaction device, and uses the selected section as the current section to be inspected. That is, after the veterinary ultrasonic imaging device determines the animal type and the scanned part, it displays the corresponding multiple sections for the user to select, and uses the section selected by the user as the current section to be inspected.

[0115] like Figure 7 As shown, step 4 can also be implemented by the following steps:

[0116] Step 41", the processor 20 receives a scan start instruction through the input device of the human-computer interaction device 70. For example, the doctor operates the ultrasound imaging device through the input device to display one or more scan protocols (usually icons showing the scan protocols, with icons representing the scan protocols) on its display for the doctor to select. The scan protocol can be a workflow for typical diseases, lesions, physical examinations, trauma, tissues and organs, etc., to provide process guidance for doctors. The scan protocol includes one or more pre-set sections, usually including multiple sections. The doctor selects an icon, that is, selects the scan protocol corresponding to the icon, and at the same time issues a scan start instruction for the selected scan protocol. The processor 20 receives the scan start instruction through the input device.

[0117] In step 42", the processor 20 activates the scanning protocol associated with the scanning start instruction according to the scanning start instruction, that is, activates the scanning protocol selected by the user, thereby starting the workflow corresponding to the scanning protocol.

[0118] In step 43", the processor 20 displays one or more sections of the scanning protocol through the display of the human-computer interaction device 70. The sections displayed on the display are usually presented in the form of section identifiers, which may include section names, etc., to facilitate selection by doctors.

[0119] Step 44'': the processor 20 receives an instruction for selecting a section through the input device of the human-computer interaction device 70, and uses the selected section as the current section to be examined. After the section is selected, the doctor can operate the probe to scan the image.

[0120] Step 5, calling the teaching content of the current section to be inspected in the ultrasound teaching material according to the current section to be inspected and displaying it through the display of the human-computer interaction device. The ultrasound teaching material includes teaching content of multiple sections. The teaching content is used to teach the user how to scan the section to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image. In this embodiment, the ultrasound teaching material is ultrasound teaching software (iScanHelper). The processor 20 calls the teaching content of the section to be inspected in the ultrasound teaching software to present it to the doctor. There is no need to make additional teaching content, which is very convenient. In addition, the subsequent update, modification, addition, and editing of the teaching content of the ultrasound teaching software can correspond to the update, modification, addition, and editing of the teaching content of the section to be inspected, which has strong scalability.

[0121] The human-computer interaction device 70 may include a main display and a sub-display. The main display is mainly used to display ultrasound images, and the sub-display is usually smaller than the main display. For example, a touch display may be used to facilitate the display of some content and the input operation of the doctor. The teaching content of the current section to be examined may be displayed by the main display or by the sub-display. In order to facilitate the doctor to scan the image in real time with reference to the teaching content, in this embodiment, the teaching content of the current section to be examined is displayed by the sub-display, while the main display displays the ultrasound image.

[0122] In ultrasound teaching materials, the same section may correspond to teaching contents in multiple image modes. Therefore, in this embodiment, step 4 also includes: the processor 20 determines the image mode of the current section to be inspected according to the image mode set for the current scan. Image mode B image mode, C image mode, D image mode, etc. In this step, the processor 20 can call the teaching content of the current section to be inspected in its image mode in the ultrasound teaching materials according to the current section to be inspected and its image mode.

[0123] like Figure 8As shown, the teaching content includes: images and / or videos of standard scanning operations, single-frame and / or multi-frame reference ultrasound images obtained based on the standard scanning operations, schematic diagrams of sections corresponding to the teaching content, and at least one of text descriptions of the standard scanning operations; wherein the schematic diagrams of sections corresponding to the teaching content are used to illustrate the anatomical structures contained in the sections. This embodiment is described by taking the above four as an example.

[0124] For the convenience of description, the secondary display will be Figure 8 The interface shown is called a scanning guidance interface. That is, in response to an instruction for starting the scanning guidance, the processor 20 displays the scanning guidance interface through the secondary display, and calls the teaching content of the section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material to be displayed on the scanning guidance interface. The scanning guidance interface includes a video area a, which is used to display images and / or videos of standard scanning operations. The image and / or video can present a standard scanning operation, reflecting the position of the ultrasound probe scanning on the target object, the movement trajectory of the ultrasound probe, the angle of the ultrasound probe, etc. The scanning operation of an experienced doctor can be recorded in advance. When there are multiple videos of standard scanning operations, they can be displayed in the video area a at the same time, and the display area of ​​one video is significantly larger than that of other videos. The doctor clicks on one of the videos to play the video, that is, the processor 20 receives an instruction for selecting a video through an input device, and plays the selected video in response to the instruction. By playing the video, the doctor can quickly and intuitively learn how to correctly scan the current section, which is very convenient and fast, and improves the work efficiency of doctors, especially those with less experience.

[0125] The scanning guidance interface includes a first image area b, which is used to display a single frame or multiple frames of reference ultrasound images (e.g., ultrasound videos composed of multiple frames) obtained based on a standard scanning operation, that is, to display an ideal ultrasound image of the current section for the doctor's reference. When there are multiple frames of reference ultrasound images, they can be displayed simultaneously in the first image area b, wherein the display area of ​​one frame of reference ultrasound image is significantly larger than that of other frames of reference ultrasound images. The reference ultrasound image can be used by the doctor to determine whether the image obtained by his own scan is appropriate.

[0126] The image scanning guidance interface includes a second image area c, which is used to display a schematic diagram of the section corresponding to the teaching content, that is, to display a schematic diagram of the currently selected section. The schematic diagram is used to illustrate the anatomical structures contained in the section, and the names of the anatomical structures can also be marked and presented on the schematic diagram, which can prompt the doctor which anatomical structures need to focus on.

[0127] The scanning guide interface includes a text area d for displaying text instructions for standard scanning operations, and teaching doctors how to perform scanning operations through text to obtain the desired ultrasound image of the current section. A play button can also be displayed in the text area d, and the processor 20 receives an instruction for clicking the play button through an input device, and in response to the instruction, plays the voice corresponding to the text instructions, that is, reads out the text instructions, so that doctors do not need to view the text, which is more convenient.

[0128] The image scanning guidance interface may also include an image mode area e, which is used to present the image mode corresponding to the current teaching content. The image mode area e can also present all image modes that can be used for the current section. The above-mentioned display area ad can be associated with the image mode of the image mode area e. When the doctor selects an image mode in the image mode area e, the display area ad displays the content associated with the selected image mode. Doctors can see different image scanning guidance based on different image modes, so that the image scanning guidance interface can carry more teaching information.

[0129] Since the teaching content of the section in this embodiment is obtained from the ultrasound teaching materials, and the teaching content can be imported from the external device into the ultrasound teaching materials, the scanning protocol or the teaching content when scanning can be added later, just import it, and the data modularization is realized, which can be supplemented very conveniently. Therefore, the present invention is very suitable for veterinary ultrasound imaging equipment. In the veterinary field, the current ultrasound imaging equipment is not very targeted. At most, some targeted scanning protocols are set according to common pets such as cats and dogs. As we all know, there are tens of thousands of animal species in nature. The current veterinary ultrasound imaging equipment is difficult to meet the scanning work of various animals. The veterinary ultrasound equipment using the technical solution of the present invention can be prepared by senior doctors or authoritative doctors in the later stage. Teaching content of various sections, and then imported into the veterinary ultrasound equipment, so as to meet the scanning needs of different types of animals, which is very convenient and fast; and the teaching content of the section is an integration of the valuable experience of senior doctors or authoritative doctors, which can be well passed on to users around the world and has a wide range of applications.

[0130] Step 6: The processor 20 controls the ultrasonic probe 30 to scan the scan object 10 through the transmitting / receiving control circuit 40. For example, the transmitting / receiving control circuit 40 controls the ultrasonic probe 30 to transmit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echoes, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data. That is, after the doctor sees the teaching content, he scans according to the teaching content to obtain ultrasonic echo data, such as an ultrasonic image, and then displays it on the main display. It doesn't matter if the doctor is not familiar with the scanning steps of the section. The device can automatically display the teaching content of the current section for the doctor's reference, assisting the doctor in efficient and high-quality scanning.

[0131] Step 7: The processor 20 obtains the scanning position, scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object. There may be many specific processes, and several examples are given below for illustration.

[0132] like Fig. 9 As shown, step 7 may specifically include:

[0133] Step 71: The processor 20 obtains individual information of the scanned object, including data such as animal type, breed, weight, height, length, etc. The individual information may be input into the ultrasonic imaging device in advance by a doctor.

[0134] Step 72, the processor 20 performs three-dimensional modeling on the scanned object to obtain original three-dimensional volume data. For example, a sensor can be clamped / attached to a preset position of the scanned object (such as the neck, under the xiphoid process, near the anus at the tail end, etc.), and the processor 20 performs three-dimensional modeling based on the data collected by the sensor. Since it is only a rough modeling, the original three-dimensional volume data may only reflect the outer contour of the scanned object. Therefore, a first database can be pre-set, and the first database stores volume data of animals corresponding to multiple animal types, multiple breeds, multiple weight ranges, and multiple height or length ranges. The volume data can be three-dimensional volume data reflecting all organs of the animal, or it can be three-dimensional volume data reflecting some organs, which can be obtained by scanning the animal by ultrasound, DR, CT, etc.

[0135] Step 73, the processor 20 selects volume data that matches the scanned object from the preset first database according to the individual information of the scanned object, combines the volume data with the original three-dimensional volume data, and obtains a three-dimensional model of the scanned object. The volume data in the first database may not be very comprehensive, so the volume data closest to the scanned object is usually selected from the first database. For example, if the scanned object is a 4kg X breed dog, the volume data of the X breed dog with the weight closest to 4kg is selected from the first database, and then the selected volume data is processed (such as enlarged, reduced, etc.) according to the difference in individual information between the scanned object and the selected volume data (such as weight, body length, etc.), so that the selected volume data is as compatible as possible with the original three-dimensional volume data. In short, it can be used to locate the scanning position of the ultrasound probe.

[0136] Step 74, the processor 20 obtains the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the three-dimensional model based on the data collected by the sensor set on the ultrasonic probe. The above steps have performed three-dimensional modeling of the animal, and then it is necessary to determine the relative position relationship between the probe and the model. In this example, one or more sensors (such as a gyroscope, etc.) are set on the ultrasonic probe to determine the direction of the probe. The processor 20 obtains the direction of the ultrasonic probe based on the data collected by the sensor on the ultrasonic probe, and then combines the three-dimensional model to determine the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe.

[0137] For the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation, a second database can be pre-set, and the second database stores multiple reference ultrasonic echo data obtained by scanning each section (including the current section to be inspected) under different scanning angle deviations and deflection angle deviations. For example, the ultrasonic probe scans a section, and its reference scanning angle (standard scanning angle) and reference deflection angle (standard deflection angle) are known. The ultrasonic probe scans the section at these two angles to obtain ultrasonic echo data and store them in the second database. The scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation corresponding to the ultrasonic echo data are both 0. Then, the scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe is deviated by a preset angle (such as 1 degree) on the basis of the reference scanning angle, and the deflection angle remains unchanged, and then the section is scanned to obtain ultrasonic echo data and store them in the second database. The scanning angle deviation corresponding to the ultrasonic echo data is the preset angle, and the deflection angle deviation is 0. By analogy, the ultrasonic echo data corresponding to multiple scanning angle deviations and multiple deflection angle deviations are obtained and stored in the second database. The above operations are performed on multiple sections to establish a second database. The scanning angle usually refers to the rotation angle of the probe tip when the ultrasonic probe vertically scans the surface of the object. The deflection angle usually refers to the angle between the ultrasonic probe and the surface of the scanned object, that is, the angle between the ultrasonic emission direction and the surface of the scanned object.

[0138] Step 75, the processor 20 matches the ultrasonic echo data with the reference ultrasonic echo data stored in the preset second database; and uses the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation corresponding to the matched reference ultrasonic echo data as the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation when the ultrasonic probe scans the section to be inspected. Since it involves the comparison of two ultrasonic echo data, the ultrasonic echo data of this embodiment is the data after the ultrasonic echo is processed by beamforming, such as the above-mentioned radio frequency data, baseband signal, ultrasonic image, etc., and this embodiment is described by taking the ultrasonic image as an example.

[0139] Of course, in some embodiments, the processor 20 may not adopt the method described in the previous paragraph, but instead directly obtain the scanning angle and deflection angle of the ultrasonic probe when scanning the section to be inspected based on the data collected by the sensor set on the ultrasonic probe, and compare the scanning angle with the reference scanning angle corresponding to the section to be inspected to obtain the scanning angle deviation, and compare the deflection angle with the reference deflection angle corresponding to the section to be inspected to obtain the deflection angle deviation.

[0140] like Fig.10 As shown, step 7 may also specifically include:

[0141] Step 71", photographing or scanning the scanned object and the ultrasound probe.

[0142] Step 72", the processor 20 obtains the data obtained by shooting or scanning, and determines the scanning position of the ultrasound probe relative to the scanned object, the scanning angle and the deflection angle when scanning the section to be inspected according to the data obtained by shooting or scanning. For example, a camera is used to shoot a process of scanning the scanned object with an ultrasound probe, and the processor 20 recognizes the shot video or image to obtain the scanning position, scanning angle and deflection angle.

[0143] In step 73", the processor 20 compares the scanning angle of the section to be inspected with the reference scanning angle to obtain a scanning angle deviation, and compares the deflection angle with the reference deflection angle to obtain a deflection angle deviation.

[0144] In some embodiments, before executing step 7, the processor 20 may further perform a quality assessment on the ultrasonic echo data. If the assessment meets the preset requirements, there is no need to execute step 7, and a prompt indicating that the ultrasonic echo data quality is qualified is given. If the preset requirements are not met, the processor 20 executes step 7 again.

[0145] Specifically, before executing step 7, the processor 20 performs a quality assessment on the ultrasound echo data to obtain an assessment value or grade reflecting the quality of the ultrasound echo data. For example, an ultrasound image database is constructed, and each ultrasound image is marked with the section information, image quality, and anatomical structure area corresponding to the ultrasound image. Through the deep learning classification method, the deep learning model is trained with the constructed ultrasound image database, and then an ultrasound image is input to determine the section information, image quality, whether it contains a specific anatomical structure, and the specific location of the anatomical structure. Through the image quality and anatomical structure information obtained above, through a preset weighted calculation (different anatomical structures have different weights, and the weights of image quality and anatomical structure are also different), an assessment value or grade reflecting the quality of the ultrasound image is obtained.

[0146] The processor 20 determines whether the evaluation value or level meets the preset requirements; if the evaluation value or level meets the preset requirements, the ultrasonic echo data is saved as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be inspected, or the user is prompted to save the ultrasonic echo data as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be inspected; if the evaluation value or level does not meet the preset requirements, execute step 7.

[0147] Step 8: The processor 20 generates and outputs scanning feedback according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe. The processor 20 outputs the scanning feedback, for example, by displaying the scanning feedback on a display. The scanning feedback may be prompt information, scanning guidance information, etc.

[0148] Specifically, the processor 20 compares the scanning position of the ultrasound probe with the preset reference scanning position (i.e., the standard or correct scanning position) of the current section to be inspected. If the deviation between the two exceeds a first preset value, a first prompt message for indicating an abnormal scanning position is generated and output, for example, the first prompt message is displayed on a display. The processor 20 can also provide guidance for correcting the scanning position of the ultrasound probe based on the deviation between the two. For example, if the scanning position of the ultrasound probe is below the reference scanning position, guidance is provided to prompt the user to move the ultrasound probe up. The first preset value is set as needed. The guidance can be text content, or it can be a picture (such as an arrow), animation, or even a video.

[0149] The processor 20 determines whether the scanning angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a second preset value. If it exceeds the second preset value, a second prompt message for indicating an abnormal scanning angle is generated and output, for example, the second prompt message is displayed on a display. The processor 20 can also provide guidance for correcting the scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe based on the deviation between the two. For example, if the scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe deviates by 5° in the clockwise direction compared to the reference scanning angle, guidance is provided to prompt the user to rotate the ultrasonic probe 5° counterclockwise in the horizontal plane. The second preset value is set as needed. Similarly, the guidance can be text content, or it can be a picture (such as an arrow), animation, or even a video.

[0150] The processor 20 determines whether the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a third preset value. If it exceeds the third preset value, a third prompt message for indicating an abnormal deflection angle is generated and output, for example, the third prompt message is displayed on a display. The processor 20 can also provide guidance for correcting the deflection angle of the ultrasonic probe based on the deviation between the two. For example, if the deflection angle of the ultrasonic probe is 5° to the left of the probe compared to the reference deflection angle, guidance is provided to prompt the user to deflect the ultrasonic probe 5° to the right. The third preset value is set as needed. Similarly, the guidance can be text content, or it can be a picture (such as an arrow), animation, or even a video.

[0151] It can be seen that after the doctor scans the image with reference to the teaching content, it does not matter if there are still deviations in the technique. The ultrasonic imaging equipment can point out the problems in the doctor's scanning and provide corresponding solutions (guidance). It is very suitable for inexperienced doctors and can help them improve the efficiency and accuracy of scanning.

[0152] In some embodiments, the ultrasound imaging device may not have all of the above functions. For example, a scanning prompt method for an ultrasound imaging device, such as Fig.11 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0153] Step 4: Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation.

[0154] Step 5: According to the current section to be examined, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called up and displayed through the human-computer interaction device.

[0155] Step 6: Control the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the scanned object and receive ultrasonic echoes through the transmitting / receiving control circuit, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data.

[0156] The specific process of the above three steps is Figure 4 The above has been described in detail in the illustrated embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0157] For example, in some embodiments, a scanning prompt method of an ultrasound imaging device, such as Fig.12 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0158] Step 4: Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation.

[0159] Step 6: Control the ultrasonic probe to scan the object through the transmitting / receiving control circuit to obtain ultrasonic echo data.

[0160] Step 7: Obtain the scanning position, scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object.

[0161] Step 8: Generate and output scanning feedback according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

[0162] The specific process of the above four steps is Figure 4 The above has been described in detail in the illustrated embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0163] This document is described with reference to various exemplary embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of this document. For example, various operating steps and components for performing the operating steps may be implemented in different ways (e.g., one or more steps may be deleted, modified, or incorporated into other steps) depending on the specific application or considering any number of cost functions associated with the operation of the system.

[0164] In addition, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the principles of the present invention may be reflected in a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium, which is pre-installed with a computer-readable program code. Any tangible, non-temporary computer-readable storage medium may be used, including magnetic storage devices (hard disks, floppy disks, etc.), optical storage devices (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu Ray disks, etc.), flash memory, and / or the like. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to form a machine, so that these instructions executed on a computer or other programmable data processing device may generate a device that implements a specified function. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory, which may instruct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory may form a manufactured product, including an implementation device that implements a specified function. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device, so that a series of operating steps are performed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device may provide steps for implementing a specified function.

[0165] Although the principles of this invention have been shown in various embodiments, many modifications of structures, arrangements, proportions, elements, materials and components particularly suitable for specific environments and operational requirements can be used without departing from the principles and scope of this invention. The above modifications and other changes or amendments will be included in the scope of this invention.

[0166] The foregoing specific description has been described with reference to various embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the consideration of the present disclosure will be illustrative rather than restrictive, and all these modifications will be included in its scope. Similarly, the advantages, other advantages and solutions to the problems of various embodiments have been described above. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to the problems and any elements that can produce these, or make them more clear, should not be interpreted as critical, necessary or necessary. The term "include" and any other variants used in this article are all non-exclusive inclusions, so that the process, method, article or device including the list of elements not only includes these elements, but also includes other elements that are not explicitly listed or do not belong to the process, method, system, article or device. In addition, the term "coupled" and any other variants used in this article refer to physical connections, electrical connections, magnetic connections, optical connections, communication connections, functional connections and / or any other connections.

[0167] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the basic principles of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that: include: An ultrasonic probe, used for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a region of interest in biological tissue and receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves; A transmitting / receiving control circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the region of interest and receive echoes of the ultrasonic waves; A human-computer interaction device, used to output visual information and receive user input; A processor, the processor being configured to: Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation; According to the current section to be examined, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called and displayed through the human-computer interaction device; the ultrasound teaching material includes teaching content of multiple sections; The teaching content is used to teach the user how to perform a scanning operation on a section to obtain a corresponding ultrasound image; the teaching content includes: an image and / or video of a standard scanning operation, a single-frame and / or multi-frame reference ultrasound image obtained based on the standard scanning operation, a schematic diagram of a section corresponding to the teaching content, and at least one of a text description of the standard scanning operation; the schematic diagram is used to illustrate the anatomical structure included in the section; Controlling the ultrasonic probe to scan the scanned object through the transmitting / receiving control circuit, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data; Acquiring a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, a scanning angle deviation, and a deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object; Scanning feedback is generated and outputted according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

2. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor determines the current section to be inspected according to the user's operation, including: According to the currently activated examination mode, determine the type of animal and the scanning part of the scanned object; According to the body position diagram and / or annotation information set for the current scan, the current section to be inspected is determined from the multiple sections included in the type of animal to which the scanned object belongs and / or the scanned part; or, the multiple sections included in the type of animal to which the scanned object belongs and / or the scanned part are displayed through the human-computer interaction device, and an instruction for selecting a section is received through the human-computer interaction device, and the selected section is used as the current section to be inspected; or, Receiving a scanning start instruction through the human-computer interaction device; activating a scanning protocol associated with the scanning start instruction according to the scanning start instruction; wherein the scanning protocol includes one or more pre-set sections; Displaying one or more sections of the scanning protocol through the human-computer interaction device; An instruction for selecting a section is received through the human-computer interaction device, and the selected section is used as the current section to be inspected.

3. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The processor is also used to: determine the image mode of the current section to be inspected according to the image mode currently set for scanning; The processor calls the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material according to the current section to be examined, including: According to the current section to be examined and its image mode, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in its image mode in the ultrasound teaching material is called.

4. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor obtains the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanning object, including: Acquiring individual information of the scanned object; Performing three-dimensional modeling on the scanned object to obtain original three-dimensional volume data; Selecting volume data adapted to the scanned object from a preset first database, combining the volume data with the original three-dimensional volume data, and obtaining a three-dimensional model of the scanned object; Obtaining a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the three-dimensional model according to data collected by a sensor disposed on the ultrasonic probe; The ultrasonic echo data are matched with reference ultrasonic echo data stored in a preset second database; the second database stores a plurality of reference ultrasonic echo data obtained by scanning the current section to be inspected under different scanning angle deviations and deflection angle deviations; the scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation corresponding to the matched reference ultrasonic echo data are used as the scanning angle deviation and deflection angle deviation when the ultrasonic probe scans the section to be inspected; or, based on data collected by a sensor arranged on the ultrasonic probe, the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the three-dimensional model, the scanning angle and the deflection angle when scanning the section to be inspected are obtained, the scanning angle is compared with the reference scanning angle to obtain the scanning angle deviation, and the deflection angle is compared with the reference deflection angle to obtain the deflection angle deviation; or, The scanned object and the ultrasonic probe are photographed or scanned, and the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the scanned object, the scanning angle and the deflection angle when scanning the section to be inspected are determined based on the data obtained from the photographing or scanning; the scanning angle is compared with a reference scanning angle to obtain the scanning angle deviation, and the deflection angle is compared with a reference deflection angle to obtain the deflection angle deviation.

5. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before the processor obtains the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object, the processor is further used to: Performing quality assessment on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain an assessment value or grade reflecting the quality of the ultrasonic echo data; Determine whether the evaluation value or grade meets the preset requirements; If the evaluation value or level reaches a preset requirement, the ultrasonic echo data is saved as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be examined, or the user is prompted to save the ultrasonic echo data as the ultrasonic echo data of the current section to be examined; If the evaluation value or level does not meet the preset requirement, the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe are obtained when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object.

6. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor generates and outputs scanning feedback according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe, including: The scanning position of the ultrasound probe is compared with a preset reference scanning position of the current section to be inspected, and if the deviation between the two exceeds a first preset value, a first prompt message for indicating that the scanning position is abnormal is generated and output, or a guide for correcting the scanning position of the ultrasound probe is given according to the deviation between the two; Determine whether the scanning angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a second preset value, and if so, generate and output second prompt information for indicating that the scanning angle is abnormal, or provide guidance for correcting the scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe according to the deviation between the two; It is determined whether the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe exceeds a third preset value. If so, a third prompt message for indicating abnormal deflection angle is generated and output, or guidance for correcting the deflection angle of the ultrasonic probe is given according to the deviation between the two.

7. A scanning prompt method for ultrasonic imaging equipment, characterized in that: include: Determine the current section to be inspected based on the user's operation; According to the current section to be examined, the teaching content of the current section to be examined in the ultrasound teaching material is called and displayed; the ultrasound teaching material includes the teaching content of multiple sections; The teaching content is used to teach the user how to perform a scanning operation on a section to obtain a corresponding ultrasound image; the teaching content includes: an image and / or video of a standard scanning operation, a single-frame and / or multi-frame reference ultrasound image obtained based on the standard scanning operation, a schematic diagram of a section corresponding to the teaching content, and at least one of a text description of the standard scanning operation; the schematic diagram is used to illustrate the anatomical structure included in the section; Controlling the ultrasonic probe to scan the scanned object, thereby obtaining ultrasonic echo data; Acquiring a scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, a scanning angle deviation, and a deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic probe scans the scanned object; Scanning feedback is generated and outputted according to the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe, the scanning angle deviation and the deflection angle deviation of the ultrasonic probe.

Images