A method and apparatus for duplex measurement of sound velocity and sound attenuation

Abstract

The application provides a sound speed and sound attenuation duplex measurement method and a measurement device. According to the sound speed and sound attenuation duplex measurement method and the measurement device, a duplex ultrasonic emission-reception sequence is triggered by selecting a target region once, so that synchronous sound speed / sound attenuation measurement results can be obtained, and the sound speed measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results are displayed on the same screen. Therefore, more accurate sound attenuation measurement results can be obtained, the characteristics of the target region can be more comprehensively evaluated, and the operation is simple.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasound imaging technology, and more specifically to a duplex measurement method and device for sound velocity and sound attenuation. Background Technology

[0002] When ultrasound waves propagate within human tissues, their energy attenuates due to effects such as diffusion, scattering, reflection, and absorption. Generally, the deeper the propagation and the higher the ultrasound frequency, the faster the attenuation. Different tissues exhibit different degrees of sound attenuation. For example, the attenuation coefficient is smaller in water and larger in adipose tissue; therefore, the same ultrasound wave travels a greater distance in water than in adipose tissue. For soft tissues, the degree of sound attenuation may increase with increasing fat content. Therefore, after acquiring ultrasound echo signals, extracting tissue-related sound attenuation parameters can reflect the degree of fat accumulation in the tissue, such as the degree of fatty liver. Currently, sound attenuation parameters are mainly calculated by the differences between ultrasound echo signals at different depths.

[0003] Furthermore, the velocity of sound, another characteristic of ultrasound propagation, also changes when the tissue composition differs. Velocity of sound refers to the speed at which ultrasound waves propagate through a medium. For human tissues, different tissues have different velocities of sound. For example, the velocity of sound in soft tissue is approximately 1540 m / s, while it is relatively lower in fat (approximately 1500 m / s) and higher in muscle (approximately 1580 m / s). On one hand, during ultrasound imaging, information from tissues at various target locations needs to be estimated using ultrasound echo signals, and velocity of sound is a key influencing factor. Inaccurate use of velocity of sound leads to inaccurate calculations of tissue location information, further resulting in inaccurate estimation of sound attenuation parameters. On the other hand, many clinical studies have also found that the progression of diseases such as fatty liver and thyroid nodules is accompanied by significant changes in velocity of sound. Therefore, doctors can assess the degree of disease progression using the velocity of sound in tissues. For example, a lower velocity of sound indicates a more severe degree of fatty liver.

[0004] Currently, the calculation of sound attenuation parameters does not consider the influence of sound velocity, leading to insufficient accuracy. Furthermore, existing technology lacks a method to simultaneously estimate sound attenuation and sound velocity parameters. Users can only access the sound velocity calculation function or the sound attenuation calculation function separately, making it difficult to comprehensively describe changes in the target tissue and hindering doctors from making more accurate assessments. Even on some machines that integrate both functions for users to choose from, because the two examinations are performed separately, the target of interest can easily change, making it difficult to guarantee that the sound velocity and sound attenuation results originate from the same tissue target. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. The summary section of this invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] A first aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0007] The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0008] Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area;

[0009] In response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using a target transmit-receive sequence, and to receive a corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The sound velocity measurement result of the target region is determined based on the first ultrasound echo signal.

[0010] The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0011] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasonic image.

[0012] A second aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0013] The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0014] Obtain a transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements;

[0015] The ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region.

[0016] The sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target area are determined based on the first ultrasonic echo signal;

[0017] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results.

[0018] A third aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0019] The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0020] Determine a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement;

[0021] Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area;

[0022] In response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The sound velocity measurement result of the target region is determined based on the first ultrasound echo signal.

[0023] The ultrasonic probe is controlled to emit a second ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding second ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region is determined based on the second ultrasonic echo signal.

[0024] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasound image.

[0025] A fourth aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0026] An ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward a target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and a target region in the ultrasound image is determined. The target region includes a first region and a second region. The first region and the second region may partially overlap or not overlap.

[0027] Obtain a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement, and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement;

[0028] Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area;

[0029] In response to the operation command, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the first region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the first region, and to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the first region based on the first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0030] The ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the second region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding second ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the second region. The acoustic attenuation measurement result of the second region is determined based on the second ultrasonic echo signal.

[0031] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results for the first region and the sound attenuation measurement results for the second region.

[0032] A fifth aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0033] The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals;

[0034] The sound velocity measurement result of the target tissue is determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0035] The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target tissue are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the ultrasonic echo signal.

[0036] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasonic image.

[0037] A sixth aspect of this invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0038] The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals;

[0039] The sound velocity measurement results and sound attenuation measurement results of the target tissue are determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0040] The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasonic image.

[0041] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, the method comprising:

[0042] Ultrasonic probe;

[0043] A transmitting / receiving circuit is used to excite the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue based on a transmitting / receiving sequence, and to receive the corresponding ultrasound echo signal returned from the target tissue.

[0044] A processor for performing the method described in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

[0045] Memory for storing programs executed by the processor;

[0046] A display for showing the results of the processor's execution.

[0047] According to the duplex measurement method and device for sound velocity and sound attenuation of the present invention, by selecting a target area once and triggering a duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence, synchronous sound velocity / sound attenuation measurement results can be obtained, and the sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results can be displayed on the same screen. This not only provides more accurate sound attenuation measurement results, but also enables a more comprehensive evaluation of the characteristics of the target area, while being easy to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0048] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0049] In the attached image:

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a duplex measurement device for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0051] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0053] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a transmit and receive sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0054] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a transmit and receive sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0055] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a transmit and receive sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0056] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a transmit and receive sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0057] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0058] Figure 9 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0059] Figure 10 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0060] Figure 11 A schematic flowchart illustrating a duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0061] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0062] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0063] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0064] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of this application described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0065] The following description provides numerous specific details to offer a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with this application.

[0066] It should be understood that this application can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0067] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including,” when used in this specification, identify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. When used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0068] To fully understand this application, a detailed structure will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed in this application. Optional embodiments of this application are described in detail below; however, in addition to these detailed descriptions, this application may have other implementation methods.

[0069] Below, first refer to Figure 1 A duplex measurement device for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 A schematic structural block diagram of a duplex measurement device 100 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of this aspect is shown.

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown, the duplex measurement device 100 for sound velocity and attenuation includes an ultrasonic probe 110, a transmitting / receiving circuit 120, a memory 130, a processor 140, and a display 150. The transmitting / receiving circuit 120 may include a transmitting controller and a receiving controller. The transmitting controller is used to excite the ultrasonic probe 110 to emit ultrasonic waves towards the target tissue, and the receiving controller is used to receive the ultrasonic echoes returned from the target tissue via the ultrasonic probe 110. The processor 140 can obtain ultrasonic echo data based on the ultrasonic echoes, process the ultrasonic echo data, and obtain an ultrasonic image of the target tissue. For example, the ultrasonic echo data can be processed by a beamforming circuit. The ultrasonic image obtained by the processor 140 can be stored in the memory 130. Furthermore, the ultrasonic image can be displayed on the display 150.

[0071] In this embodiment of the invention, the type of ultrasonic probe 110 may include convex array probes, linear array probes, and phased array probes, etc. The specific type may be selected according to the actual situation, and this embodiment of the invention does not impose any specific limitations.

[0072] In this embodiment of the invention, the ultrasonic probe 110 is provided with multiple array elements (also called multiple transducers or multiple transducer array elements, including at least two), used to emit ultrasonic waves according to electrical signals, or to convert received ultrasonic echoes into electrical signals. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 110 has multiple array elements, thereby enabling the emission and reception of ultrasonic waves over a wider frequency band without switching probes. The multiple array elements can be arranged in a row to form a linear array, or arranged in a two-dimensional matrix to form a surface array. The multiple array elements can also form a convex array, a phased array, etc. This embodiment of the invention does not limit the arrangement of the multiple array elements. The array elements can emit ultrasonic waves according to excitation electrical signals, or convert received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals. Therefore, each array element can be used to emit ultrasonic waves to the tissue in the target area, or to receive ultrasonic echoes returned by the tissue. During ultrasonic measurement, the transmitter / receiver circuit 112 can control which array elements are used to emit ultrasonic waves and which array elements are used to receive ultrasonic waves, or control the array elements to be used for transmitting ultrasonic waves or receiving ultrasonic echoes in time slots. All array elements involved in ultrasonic wave emission can be simultaneously excited by an electrical signal, thereby emitting ultrasonic waves at the same time; or the array elements involved in ultrasonic wave emission can also be excited by several electrical signals with a certain time interval, thereby continuously emitting ultrasonic waves with a certain time interval.

[0073] In this embodiment of the invention, the transmitting / receiving circuit 120 is further configured to acquire a transmitting / receiving sequence. Based on the transmitting / receiving sequence, the transmitting controller excites the ultrasonic probe 110 to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the target tissue, and the receiving controller receives the ultrasonic echoes returned from the target tissue through the ultrasonic probe 110. The processor 140 can calculate the sound velocity measurement results and sound attenuation measurement results of the ultrasonic waves in the target area based on the ultrasonic echo data. A more detailed description can be found in the subsequent embodiments of this specification.

[0074] Optionally, the memory 130 can be a flash memory card, solid-state storage, hard disk, etc. It can be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, removable memory and / or non-removable memory, etc.

[0075] Optionally, the processor 140 may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, and may use circuits, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more general-purpose integrated circuits, one or more microprocessors, one or more programmable logic devices, or any combination of the foregoing circuits and / or devices, or other suitable circuits or devices, so that the processor 140 can perform the corresponding steps of the methods in the various embodiments of this specification.

[0076] Optionally, the display 150 can be a touch screen, an LCD screen, or a separate display device such as an LCD screen or a television, independent of the ultrasound device 100; or the display 150 can be the screen of an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet, etc. The number of displays 150 can be one or more.

[0077] In addition to displaying ultrasound images, sound velocity measurement results, and sound attenuation measurement results, the display 150 can also provide a graphical interface for human-computer interaction. One or more controlled objects can be set on the graphical interface, allowing the user to input operation commands via a human-computer interaction device to control these controlled objects and execute corresponding control operations. For example, icons can be displayed on the graphical interface, and the human-computer interaction device can be used to operate these icons to perform specific functions.

[0078] It should be understood that Figure 1 The components included in the illustrated measuring device 100 are merely illustrative and may include more or fewer components. For example, the measuring device 100 may also include input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, scroll wheel, trackball, etc., and / or output devices such as a printer, in addition to the display 150. The corresponding external input / output ports may be wireless communication modules, wired communication modules, or a combination of both. External input / output ports may also be implemented based on bus protocols such as USB, CAN, and / or wired network protocols. This invention is not limited in this respect.

[0079] Below, we will refer to Figure 2 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described, the method being applied to a duplex measurement device 100 for sound velocity and sound attenuation. Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 200 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] like Figure 2 As shown, the duplex measurement method 200 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0081] S210: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals, and determine the target area in the ultrasound image;

[0082] S220: Receive operation instructions to perform sound velocity measurement and sound attenuation measurement on the target area;

[0083] S230: In response to the operation command, control the ultrasound probe to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the target transmission and reception sequence, and receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region, and determine the sound velocity measurement result of the target region based on the first ultrasound echo signal;

[0084] S240: Determine the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal;

[0085] S250: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasonic image on the same screen.

[0086] First, step S210 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0087] In this embodiment of the invention, the target tissue can be any human or animal organ, such as the liver, kidney, etc., according to... Figure 1 The measuring device 100 shown has a transmitting controller in its transmitting / receiving circuit 120 that excites an ultrasound probe 110 to emit ultrasound waves toward a target tissue. The receiving controller in the transmitting / receiving circuit 120 receives the ultrasound echoes returned from the target tissue via the ultrasound probe 110. A processor 140 obtains ultrasound echo data based on the echoes, processes the ultrasound echo data, and obtains an ultrasound image of the target tissue. For example, the ultrasound echo data undergoes beamforming processing via a beamforming circuit. The ultrasound image obtained by the processor 140 can be stored in a memory 130. Furthermore, the ultrasound image can be displayed on a display 150. The measuring device can determine a target region on the ultrasound image by receiving user instructions, or it can automatically identify the target region, which is a region determined from the ultrasound image that requires further measurement, such as measuring sound velocity and sound attenuation.

[0088] For example, the ultrasound images include B-mode ultrasound images and / or C-mode ultrasound images.

[0089] In this embodiment of the invention, the ultrasound image generation process includes signal processing for commonly used imaging modes such as B-mode imaging, color Doppler ultrasound imaging, and elastography, including various common steps such as beamforming, gain compensation, and quadrature demodulation, which will not be described in detail here.

[0090] Next, step S220 is executed: receiving operation instructions to measure the sound velocity and sound attenuation of the target area.

[0091] In existing technologies, where sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements are received separately and either the sound velocity calculation function or the sound attenuation calculation function is entered separately, resulting in two separate checks, the target of interest is prone to change, and it is difficult to guarantee that the sound velocity and sound attenuation results come from the same target. In this embodiment of the invention, the operation command for measuring sound velocity and sound attenuation in the target area is a single operation command. Based on this operation command, sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements are performed on the target area. By combining the sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results, the changes in the target area are comprehensively described, which helps users make more accurate evaluations.

[0092] Next, step S230 is executed: in response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the target transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region, and to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the target region based on the first ultrasound echo signal.

[0093] For example, determining the sound velocity measurement result within the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0094] Obtain multiple preset sound velocity values;

[0095] Beamforming is performed on the first ultrasonic echo signal based on the multiple preset sound velocity values ​​to obtain multiple enhanced signals reflecting the target region.

[0096] The various enhanced signals reflecting the target area are compared, and the sound velocity value corresponding to the optimal enhanced signal is selected as the sound velocity measurement result.

[0097] In this embodiment of the invention, multiple sound velocity values ​​are preset, and beamforming is performed on the first ultrasonic echo signal based on each of these different preset sound velocity values ​​to obtain various enhanced signals reflecting the target area (e.g., the beamformed signal). The process of obtaining the enhanced signal requires, on the one hand, weighted superposition of the echo signals received by multiple array elements; on the other hand, during weighted superposition, the echo signals of each array element must originate from the same local location of the target tissue as much as possible, so that the final result is accurate in location and has the highest signal-to-noise ratio. When determining whether the echo signals of each array element originate from the same local location in space, the arrival time of the local location signal at each array element needs to be calculated based on the sound velocity value. Therefore, if the sound velocity value is inaccurate, the effect of the enhanced signal will be affected, ultimately leading to problems such as inaccurate correspondence of the target tissue's location signal, unclear spatial resolution, and poor image quality. Therefore, the enhanced signals obtained under different preset sound velocity values ​​are compared, and the sound velocity value corresponding to the optimal result is selected as the sound velocity measurement result.

[0098] For example, before determining the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal, the method further includes:

[0099] Obtain a preset sound velocity value for a superficial region in the ultrasound image, wherein the depth of the superficial region is less than the depth of the target region;

[0100] The determination of the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0101] The first ultrasonic echo signal is processed based on the sound velocity value of the shallow region to obtain the sound velocity measurement result of the target region.

[0102] In this embodiment of the invention, since the propagation path of sound waves always travels from the shallowest to the deepest point, in order to increase the accuracy of the sound velocity measurement results within the target depth region, the sound velocity determination can also be performed in segments according to different depths. For example, the optimal sound velocity result within the shallower depth range can be determined first, and then the optimal sound velocity result within the deeper depth range can be determined based on the above sound velocity result.

[0103] In embodiments of the present invention, combined with Figure 12 As shown, the area between the ultrasonic probe and the target area can be called the shallow area. Before determining the sound velocity measurement result in the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal according to the method described above, the sound velocity measurement result in the shallow area can be determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal according to a similar method.

[0104] In an embodiment of the present invention, firstly, multiple preset sound velocity values ​​of the superficial region in the ultrasound image are obtained, and the sound velocity value of the superficial region is determined according to the method described above; then, the first ultrasound echo signal is processed according to the sound velocity value of the superficial region to obtain the sound velocity measurement result of the target region located below the superficial region and at a depth greater than the superficial region.

[0105] For example, before determining the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal, the method further includes:

[0106] Determine multiple lateral positions within the target area;

[0107] The determination of the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0108] The sound velocity values ​​at the plurality of lateral positions are obtained based on the first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0109] The sound velocity measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity values ​​at the multiple lateral positions.

[0110] In embodiments of the present invention, sound velocity determination can also be performed separately for different lateral ranges, ultimately obtaining sound velocity results for each lateral range, thereby revealing the distribution of sound velocity measurement results in different local regions within the target tissue. It is worth noting that the sound velocity estimation processes do not affect each other when estimated separately for different lateral ranges.

[0111] Next, step S240 is executed: the sound attenuation measurement result of the target area is determined based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0112] For example, determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0113] The first ultrasonic echo signal is processed based on the sound velocity measurement results to obtain a processed echo signal;

[0114] The acoustic attenuation of the echo processed signal is calculated to obtain the acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area.

[0115] For example, determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0116] The first ultrasonic echo signal is processed based on the sound velocity measurement results to obtain a processed echo signal;

[0117] The acoustic attenuation of the echo processed signal is calculated to obtain the acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area.

[0118] In this embodiment of the invention, beamforming is performed on the first ultrasonic echo signal based on the sound velocity measurement result to obtain beamformed signals at different locations in the target area, and the beamformed signals are used as the echo processing signals. It should be noted that the echo processing signals include, but are not limited to, the beamformed signals, and processing the first ultrasonic echo signal includes any processing method capable of obtaining echo processing signals for sound attenuation calculation; this embodiment of the invention does not impose any limitations on this.

[0119] In this embodiment of the invention, the sound velocity measurement result of the target area is determined based on the first ultrasonic echo signal, and the sound attenuation measurement result of the target area is further determined based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal. The sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result are both determined based on the first ultrasonic echo of the target transmission and reception sequence, which is used to determine that the target transmission and reception sequence of the sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result is the same transmission and reception sequence.

[0120] For example, the step of calculating the acoustic attenuation of the echo processed signal to obtain the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area includes:

[0121] The amplitude values ​​of multiple preset depths in the target region are obtained from the echo processing signal;

[0122] The sound attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the amplitude values ​​of the multiple preset depths.

[0123] In this embodiment of the invention, the amplitude values ​​of the echo signals corresponding to different depths are extracted, and then the sound attenuation coefficient is fitted according to the attenuation formula. For ultrasound of the same frequency, its sound energy in dB is approximately linearly related to the propagation depth. The slope of the straight line reflects the degree of sound attenuation; the larger the absolute value of the slope, the faster the sound attenuation. More simply, the echo amplitudes corresponding to two preset depths can be directly taken, and the difference in amplitude can be calculated. The larger the difference, the faster the sound attenuation. The sound attenuation coefficient can consider only the change with depth, for example, in dB / mm, or it can consider the changes with depth and frequency simultaneously, for example, in dB / mm / MHz, or even other nonlinear fitting relationships. It can be calculated by fitting ultrasound signals obtained under different frequencies, depths, and focusing conditions. These can all be collectively referred to as sound attenuation parameters.

[0124] In this embodiment of the invention, the sound attenuation measurement result can be a global sound attenuation measurement parameter within the target area, or an attenuation distribution result within the target area (local sound attenuation measurement parameters for different local locations), or a further obtained sound attenuation statistical parameter within the target area (such as calculating the average attenuation result, standard deviation, median, etc. within a certain area based on the above distribution result), or at least one of the following: a sound attenuation image encoded in grayscale or color.

[0125] In calculating acoustic attenuation parameters, it is necessary to know the corresponding ultrasonic intensity or amplitude at different depths or locations, so the positional correspondence of the ultrasonic signals needs to be as accurate as possible. In this embodiment of the invention, based on the sound velocity results obtained in step S230, the optimal enhanced signal (such as the signal after beamforming) that can accurately reflect different location information of the target tissue is obtained, forming an echo processing signal. Then, the acoustic attenuation parameters are calculated based on the above echo processing signal, making the acoustic attenuation calculation more accurate.

[0126] Next, step S250 is executed: the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image are displayed on the same screen.

[0127] In this embodiment of the invention, the sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result are displayed on the same screen as the ultrasound image of the target area in numerical and / or image form; further, when the sound velocity measurement result and / or the sound attenuation measurement result are images, they are superimposed on the ultrasound image of the target area.

[0128] In this embodiment of the invention, since the sound velocity measurement results and sound attenuation measurement results of the target tissue are obtained simultaneously, both results (including parameters or images) can be displayed simultaneously for doctors' diagnostic reference, providing more comprehensive information. The sound velocity measurement results / sound attenuation measurement results can be displayed on the same screen as conventional images (such as B-mode / C-mode images), and the location markers of the target tissue area on the conventional images (such as the location of the target area) can also be displayed simultaneously for user reference. Figure 12 As shown. When the display result is an image, the image can be color-coded and overlaid on a regular image, generally showing the location of the target tissue area on top of the regular image. If both sound velocity and sound attenuation are images, the two overlaid images can be displayed simultaneously, such as... Figure 13 As shown; if one result is an image and the other is a parameter, only one overlay image is displayed, and the other is directly output. In this case, the corresponding statistical results (such as the average value) within the above image distribution can also be output simultaneously, such as... Figure 14 As shown.

[0129] According to the duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation of this invention, an ultrasonic image of a target region is acquired, a duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence is triggered, and the sound velocity and sound attenuation results are determined and displayed simultaneously. The determination of the sound attenuation measurement result is influenced by the sound velocity measurement result, resulting in a more accurate sound attenuation parameter. Using this measurement method, the user only needs to select the target region once to obtain synchronous sound velocity / sound attenuation measurement results. Both results originate from the same target region, reflecting multiple dimensions of the target tissue's characteristics.

[0130] Below, we will refer to Figure 3 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 300 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0131] like Figure 3 As shown, the duplex measurement method 300 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0132] S310: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals, and determine the target area in the ultrasound image;

[0133] S320: Obtain a transmit / receive sequence suitable for sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements;

[0134] S330: Control the ultrasound probe to transmit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region;

[0135] S340: Determine the sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal;

[0136] S350: Controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results on the same screen.

[0137] First, step S310 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target area in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0138] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S310 is the same as that of step S210, and will not be repeated here.

[0139] Next, perform step S320: obtain a transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement and sound attenuation measurement.

[0140] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a transmission and reception sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the transmission and reception sequence for sound speed measurement and the transmission and reception sequence for sound attenuation measurement are the same transmission and reception sequence, which may also be referred to as a shared transmission and reception sequence.

[0141] For example, the transmit-receive sequence includes one or more of the following parameters: transmit waveform, frequency, focus, transmit interval, and scan range.

[0142] In this embodiment of the invention, the transmit-receive sequence used for sound speed measurement and the transmit-receive sequence used for sound attenuation measurement are the same transmit-receive sequence. Therefore, parameters such as transmit waveform, frequency, focus, transmit interval, and scan range are all from the same set.

[0143] Next, proceed with steps S330 to S350.

[0144] Step S330: Control the ultrasound probe to transmit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region.

[0145] Step S340: Determine the sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal.

[0146] Step S350: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result on the screen.

[0147] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S330 is the same as that of step S230, the description of step S340 is the same as that of step S240, and the description of step S350 is the same as that of step S250, and will not be repeated here.

[0148] Exemplarily, the method further includes:

[0149] The sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results are used to generate comprehensive evaluation parameters for evaluating the tissue characteristics of the target tissue;

[0150] The control displays the comprehensive evaluation parameters.

[0151] In this embodiment of the invention, the sound attenuation measurement results are currently mainly used in clinical practice for the assessment of fatty liver, the optimization of B-image quality, or the assessment of fat content in other tissues (such as body surface tissue).

[0152] For example, big data models are used to establish the correlation between sound velocity measurement results, sound attenuation measurement results, and tissue characteristic results.

[0153] Furthermore, the tissue characteristics of the target tissue are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the correlation relationship;

[0154] The control displays the organizational characteristics results of the target organization.

[0155] In this embodiment of the invention, taking the assessment of fatty liver as an example, through a comparative study of big data and clinical gold standard results, the sound velocity measurement results can be converted into a score of 0-5 (Score-spd) according to the degree of fatty liver, and the sound attenuation measurement results can also be converted into a score of 0-5 (Score-att) according to the degree of fatty liver. Then, a new comprehensive evaluation parameter FLQ = a*Score-spd + (1-a)*Score-att is calculated, where a is a weighting coefficient between 0 and 1, which can be preset by the system based on big data results. This comprehensive evaluation parameter is displayed on the monitor.

[0156] In this embodiment of the invention, through comparative studies of big data with clinical gold standard results, the system can also directly establish a correspondence between the distribution range of sound velocity and sound attenuation results and liver fat content, and the system displays the range of fat content. For example:

[0157] The sound velocity range is a1-a2, and the sound attenuation result is b1-b2, with a fat content of <10%.

[0158] The sound velocity range is a3-a4, and the sound attenuation result is b3-b4; the fat content is >=10% and <34%.

[0159] The sound velocity range is a5-a6, and the sound attenuation result is b5-b6; the fat content is >=34% and <67%.

[0160] The sound velocity range is a7-a8, and the sound attenuation result is b7-b8; the fat content is >67%.

[0161] Among them, a1-a8 and b1-b8 can be preset based on big data results.

[0162] Below, we will refer to Figure 8 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 800 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0163] like Figure 8 As shown, the duplex measurement method 800 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0164] Step S810: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. Generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals and determine the target area in the ultrasound image.

[0165] Step S820: Determine a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement;

[0166] Step S830: Receive operation instructions to measure the sound velocity and sound attenuation of the target area;

[0167] Step S840: In response to the operation command, control the ultrasound probe to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region, and determine the sound velocity measurement result of the target region based on the first ultrasound echo signal;

[0168] Step S850: Control the ultrasound probe to emit a second ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding second ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region, and determine the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region based on the second ultrasound echo signal;

[0169] Step S860: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image on the same screen.

[0170] First, step S810 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined.

[0171] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S810 is the same as that of step S210, and will not be repeated here.

[0172] Next, step S820 is performed: determining a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound speed measurement and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement.

[0173] In this embodiment of the invention, the first transmit-receive sequence and the second transmit-receive sequence include at least one of the following parameters: transmit waveform, frequency, focus, transmit interval, and scan range.

[0174] In this embodiment of the invention, the frequency of the first transmit-receive sequence is less than the frequency of the second transmit-receive sequence; or, the wavelength of the first transmit-receive sequence is greater than the wavelength of the second transmit-receive sequence.

[0175] In this embodiment of the invention, the execution of the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence are triggered simultaneously by a single trigger operation.

[0176] For example, the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence are automatically and continuously transmitted, wherein the first transmit / receive sequence comes first and the second transmit / receive sequence comes later, or the second transmit / receive sequence comes first and the first transmit / receive sequence comes later.

[0177] Reference Figure 5 , Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a transmission and reception sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the signals used for sound speed calculation and sound attenuation calculation are respectively from two sets of sequences. Their respective transmission waveforms, frequencies, focuses, transmission intervals, scanning ranges and other parameters are independently controlled and may be the same or different. However, the two sets of sequences are automatically and continuously transmitted without requiring the user to perform additional triggering processing or reselect the target area of ​​interest.

[0178] In an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5The two sets of transmit and receive sequences shown can be arranged in either order: the first transmit / receive sequence first, followed by the second, or vice versa. In the latter case, the transmit sequence duration is relatively long, sacrificing acquisition time and frame rate, but providing greater flexibility. Different parameters can be selected to better match the requirements of sound velocity calculation and sound attenuation calculation. For example, sound velocity calculation may require more balanced signal energy and deeper penetration at different depths. Therefore, a lower frequency or longer waveform can be used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the far-field signal. Furthermore, the energy uniformity of the echo signal at different depths can be improved by amplifying the signal at greater depths. However, sound attenuation calculation focuses more on the attenuation of sound signal energy. Therefore, a slightly higher transmit frequency may be used, or the same amplification factor may be maintained at different depths to ensure true attenuation at different depths. Additionally, the focusing requirements for sound velocity calculation and sound attenuation calculation may differ, so the two sets of sequences may also use different focusing parameters.

[0179] For example, the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence are transmitted in a cross-transmission manner, wherein the first transmit / receive sequence includes a plurality of first sub-transmit / receive sequences, the second transmit / receive sequence includes a plurality of second sub-transmit / receive sequences, and the first sub-transmit / receive sequences and the second sub-transmit / receive sequences are transmitted in a cross-transmission manner.

[0180] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the transmission and reception sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the signals used for sound speed calculation and sound attenuation calculation still come from two sets of sequences respectively. Their respective transmission waveforms, frequencies, focuses, transmission intervals, scanning ranges and other parameters are independently controlled and may be the same or different. However, the two sets of sequences are automatically cross-transmitted without requiring the user to perform additional triggering processing or reselect the target area of ​​interest.

[0181] In this embodiment of the invention, since the target area has a certain lateral range, in order to obtain complete lateral range information, the lateral position of each ultrasound emission may be different, thus forming a scanning effect. Figure 6 The two sets of transmit and receive sequences shown in the cross-transmission diagram are... Figure 5The difference between the two consecutive transmit-receive sequences shown is that, for each lateral position, the transmission for sound velocity and the transmission for sound attenuation are as close in time as possible. This makes the sound velocity estimation results in each local lateral region more closely match the sound attenuation estimation. However, for a single transmission of the same type (such as a sound velocity sequence), the total time to obtain a full frame scan of the lateral range is longer, making it more susceptible to noise, and calculations can only be performed after all transmissions are completed. Of course, the crossover method is not necessarily limited to one sound velocity and one sound attenuation transmission; it could also be two sound velocity and one sound attenuation transmission, or two sound velocity and two sound attenuation transmissions, etc.

[0182] For example, the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence are transmitted simultaneously.

[0183] For example, the ultrasound probe includes multiple array elements. When the first transmit-receive sequence and the second transmit-receive sequence are transmitted simultaneously, the first transmit-receive sequence is completed by the first array element group of the ultrasound probe, and the second transmit-receive sequence is completed by the second array element group of the ultrasound probe. There is no overlap between the different transmit array element groups and receive array element groups.

[0184] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the transmission and reception sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the signals used for sound velocity calculation and sound attenuation calculation still come from two sets of sequences respectively. Their respective transmission waveforms, frequencies, focusing, transmission intervals, scanning ranges and other parameters are independently controlled and may be the same or different. However, each transmission and reception in the two sets of sequences is performed simultaneously and is completed by different array elements in the probe.

[0185] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, sound velocity transmission and reception are performed by array element A, and sound attenuation transmission and reception are performed by array element B. There is no overlap between the different transmitting and receiving array elements; they can be spaced a certain distance apart, for example, they can be set as the left and right sides of the probe, respectively. After reception, two different sets of echo signals can be obtained. The advantage of this transmission method is that the sequence is short, the frame rate is high, and the transmission parameters can be controlled independently. However, the sound field energy of each transmission may be limited to a certain extent. At the same time, interference between the two sets of sound energy should be avoided as much as possible; therefore, the arrangement of the transmitting / receiving array elements needs to be as separate as possible during each transmission.

[0186] Next, step S830 is executed: receiving operation instructions to measure the sound velocity and sound attenuation of the target area;

[0187] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S830 is the same as that of step S220, and will not be repeated here.

[0188] Next, step S840 is executed: in response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region, and to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the target region based on the first ultrasound echo signal.

[0189] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S840 is the same as that of step S230, and will not be repeated here.

[0190] Next, step S850 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and the corresponding second ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region is received, and the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region is determined based on the second ultrasound echo signal.

[0191] For example, determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region based on the second ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0192] The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the second ultrasonic echo signal.

[0193] In this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the second ultrasonic echo signal is similar to the method for determining the sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal in step S240. The specific process can be referred to step S240, and will not be repeated here.

[0194] In this embodiment of the invention, for Figure 4 The first and second transmit / receive sequences shown in the automatic continuous transmission diagram can either have the first transmit / receive sequence preceding the second, or vice versa. When the sound velocity sequence precedes the sound attenuation sequence, the sound velocity calculation can be performed immediately after the sound velocity sequence is transmitted and received, without waiting for all sequences to be transmitted and received, thus minimizing overall calculation time. Alternatively, the calculation can be performed only after all sequences have been transmitted and received. Figure 5 The cross-transmission of the first and second transmit / receive sequences shown can only be calculated after all transmissions have been completed.

[0195] Next, step S860 is executed: the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image are displayed on the same screen.

[0196] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S860 is the same as that of step S250, and will not be repeated here.

[0197] According to the duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation of this invention, an ultrasonic image of a target area is acquired, a duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence is triggered, and the measurement results of sound velocity and sound attenuation are determined and displayed simultaneously. With this measurement method, the user only needs to select the target area once and trigger the duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence once to obtain synchronous sound velocity / sound attenuation measurement results. The two results originate from the same target, reflecting the multi-dimensional characteristics of the target tissue.

[0198] Below, we will refer to Figure 9 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 9 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 900 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0199] like Figure 9 As shown, the duplex measurement method 900 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0200] Step S910: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. Generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals and determine the target region in the ultrasound image. The target region includes a first region and a second region. The first region and the second region may partially overlap or not overlap.

[0201] Step S920: Obtain a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement;

[0202] Step S930: Receive operation instructions to measure the sound velocity and sound attenuation of the target area;

[0203] Step S940: In response to the operation command, control the ultrasound probe to transmit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the first region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the first region, and determine the sound velocity measurement result of the first region based on the first ultrasound echo signal.

[0204] Step S950: Control the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the second region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding second ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the second region, and determine the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the second region based on the second ultrasound echo signal;

[0205] Step S960: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results of the first region and the sound attenuation measurement results of the second region on the same screen.

[0206] First, step S910 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined. The target region includes a first region and a second region. The first region and the second region may partially overlap or not overlap.

[0207] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of "controlling the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue and receiving the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, generating an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals, and determining the target region in the ultrasound image" is consistent with the description of step S250, and will not be repeated here.

[0208] In this embodiment of the invention, although only one full-duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence needs to be triggered, the target regions of interest (or the range of ultrasonic scanning) corresponding to the sound velocity and sound attenuation results can be different. This is equivalent to selecting two target regions of interest simultaneously (the user can select two different regions, or the user can select one and the system automatically sets the other according to preset rules, such as the other region being the middle 50% range of one region, or both regions being preset by the system). At this time, synchronous calculation of sound velocity / sound attenuation results can still be obtained, but the targets of the two results are not exactly the same, but the user's operation is simplified. For example, one region of interest may be inside the other region of interest, which can reduce the amount of computational data for one type of ultrasonic transmission and reception and reduce the scanning time.

[0209] Next, proceed with steps S920 to S960.

[0210] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S920 is the same as that of step S820, and the description of step S930 is the same as that of step S830, so they will not be repeated here.

[0211] For example, determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the second region based on the second ultrasonic echo signal includes:

[0212] The sound attenuation measurement results of the second region are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results of the first region and the second ultrasonic echo signal.

[0213] In this embodiment of the invention, regarding steps S940 to S950, although the first region and the second region in steps S940 and S950 may partially overlap or not overlap, and the target region in steps S840 and S850 may completely overlap, the methods for determining the sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result are similar. The specific process can be referred to steps S840 to S850, and will not be repeated here.

[0214] In this embodiment of the invention, the description of step S960 is the same as that of step S860, and will not be repeated here.

[0215] In this embodiment of the invention, the first ultrasonic echo signal can be used not only to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the first region, but also to determine the sound attenuation measurement result of the first region; while the second ultrasonic echo signal can be used not only to determine the sound attenuation measurement result of the second region, but also to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the second region; and the sound attenuation measurement result of the first region and the sound velocity measurement result of the second region are displayed on the same screen.

[0216] Below, we will refer to Figure 10 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 10 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 1000 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0217] like Figure 10 As shown, the duplex measurement method 1000 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0218] Step S1010: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals;

[0219] Step S1020: Determine the sound velocity measurement result of the target tissue based on the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0220] Step S1030: Determine the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0221] Step S1040: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image on the same screen.

[0222] First, step S1010 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence, and the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals are received, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals.

[0223] In an embodiment of the present invention, the transmit-receive sequence includes, as follows: Figure 4 The transmit-receive sequences shown are the same as those used to generate ultrasound images of the target tissue, the transmit-receive sequences used for sound velocity measurement, and the transmit-receive sequences used for sound attenuation measurement.

[0224] Next, proceed with steps S1020 to S1040.

[0225] In the embodiments of the present invention, steps S1020 to S1030 are similar to the methods of "determining the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal" and "determining the sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal" in steps S230 to S240. The specific process can be referred to steps S230 to S240. The description of step S1040 is consistent with the description of step S250, and will not be repeated here.

[0226] Below, we will refer to Figure 11 A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 11 This is a schematic flowchart of a duplex measurement method 1100 for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0227] like Figure 11 As shown, the duplex measurement method 1100 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes the following steps:

[0228] Step S1110: Control the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence, and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and generate an ultrasound image of the target tissue based on the ultrasound echo signals;

[0229] Step S1120: Determine the sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target tissue based on the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0230] Step S1130: Control the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image on the same screen.

[0231] First, step S1110 is executed: the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence, and the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals are received, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals.

[0232] In the embodiments of the present invention, the description of step S1110 is consistent with the description of step S1010, and will not be repeated here.

[0233] Next, step S1120 is performed: the sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target tissue are determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal.

[0234] In the embodiments of the present invention, step S1120 is similar to the method of "determining the sound velocity measurement result and sound attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal" in step S240. The specific process can be referred to step S240, and will not be repeated here.

[0235] Next, step S1130 is executed: the sound velocity measurement result, the sound attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasound image are displayed on the same screen.

[0236] In the embodiments of the present invention, the description of step S1130 is consistent with the description of step S1040, and will not be repeated here.

[0237] Return to reference Figure 1 The duplex measurement device 100 for sound velocity and sound attenuation includes an ultrasonic probe 110, a transmitting / receiving circuit 120, a memory 130, a processor 140, and a display 150. Figure 1 The processor 140 shown can be used to implement the steps of the aforementioned methods 200, 300, 800, 900, 1000 or 1100 respectively. To avoid repetition, these steps will not be described again here.

[0238] Based on the above description, the duplex measurement method and measuring device for sound velocity and sound attenuation according to embodiments of the present invention can obtain synchronous sound velocity / sound attenuation measurement results by selecting a target area once and triggering a duplex ultrasonic transmission and reception sequence, and displaying the sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results on the same screen. This not only obtains more accurate sound attenuation measurement results, but also enables a more comprehensive evaluation of the characteristics of the target area, while being easy to operate.

[0239] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this application as claimed in the appended claims.

[0240] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0241] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0242] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of this application may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0243] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline this application and aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, features of this application may sometimes be grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of this application. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed application requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, its inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with features fewer than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of this application.

[0244] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or elements of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0245] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this application and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0246] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of this application and not limiting of it, and that those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. This application can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed acquisition machine. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

Claims

1. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined. Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area; In response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using a target transmit-receive sequence, and to receive a corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The sound velocity measurement result of the target region is determined based on the first ultrasound echo signal. The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the first ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the echo processing signal; The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasonic image.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal further includes: The acoustic attenuation of the echo processed signal is calculated to obtain the acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different locations of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal, and forming an echo processing signal, further includes: The enhanced signal is a beamforming signal. The first ultrasonic echo signal is beamformed based on the sound velocity measurement result to obtain the beamforming signals at different locations in the target area. The beamforming signals are then used as the echo processing signal.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of calculating the acoustic attenuation of the echo processed signal to obtain the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area includes: The amplitude values ​​of multiple preset depths in the target region are obtained from the echo processing signal; The sound attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the amplitude values ​​of the multiple preset depths.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes: Obtain multiple preset sound velocity values; Beamforming is performed on the first ultrasonic echo signal based on the multiple preset sound velocity values ​​to obtain multiple enhanced signals reflecting the target region. The various enhanced signals reflecting the target area are compared, and the sound velocity value corresponding to the optimal enhanced signal is selected as the sound velocity measurement result.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before determining the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal, the method further includes: Obtain a preset sound velocity value for a superficial region in the ultrasound image, wherein the depth of the superficial region is less than the depth of the target region; The determination of the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes: The first ultrasonic echo signal is processed based on the sound velocity value of the shallow region to obtain the sound velocity measurement result of the target region.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before determining the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal, the method further includes: Determine multiple lateral positions within the target area; The determination of the sound velocity measurement result of the target area based on the first ultrasonic echo signal includes: The sound velocity values ​​at the plurality of lateral positions are obtained based on the first ultrasonic echo signal. The sound velocity measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity values ​​at the multiple lateral positions.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The sound attenuation measurement results include at least one of global sound attenuation measurement parameters, local sound attenuation measurement parameters, sound attenuation statistical parameters, and sound attenuation images.

9. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined. Obtain a transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements; The ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The sound velocity measurement result of the target area is determined based on the first ultrasonic echo signal; The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the first ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the echo processing signal; and controlling the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result and the acoustic attenuation measurement result on the same screen.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results are displayed on the same screen in numerical and / or graphical form.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the sound velocity measurement result and / or the sound attenuation measurement result are images, they are superimposed on the ultrasound image for display.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The sound velocity measurement results and the sound attenuation measurement results are used to generate comprehensive evaluation parameters for evaluating the tissue characteristics of the target tissue; The control displays the comprehensive evaluation parameters.

13. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: A big data model was used to establish the correlation between sound velocity measurement results, sound attenuation measurement results, and tissue characteristic results.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: The tissue characteristics of the target tissue are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the correlation. The control displays the organizational characteristics results of the target organization.

15. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and the target region in the ultrasound image is determined. Determine a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement; Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area; In response to the operation command, the ultrasound probe is controlled to emit a first ultrasound wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasound echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The sound velocity measurement result of the target region is determined based on the first ultrasound echo signal. The ultrasonic probe is controlled to emit a second ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the target region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding second ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the target region. The acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region is determined based on the sound velocity measurement result and the second ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the second ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the first ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the echo processing signal and the second ultrasonic echo signal. The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasound image.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The first transmit-receive sequence and the second transmit-receive sequence are automatically and continuously transmitted, wherein the first transmit-receive sequence comes first and the second transmit-receive sequence comes later, or the second transmit-receive sequence comes first and the first transmit-receive sequence comes later; or, The first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence are transmitted in a cross-transmission manner, wherein the first transmit / receive sequence includes a plurality of first sub-transmit / receive sequences, the second transmit / receive sequence includes a plurality of second sub-transmit / receive sequences, and the first sub-transmit / receive sequences and the second transmit / receive sequences are transmitted in a cross-transmission manner; or, Simultaneously transmit the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, When the first transmit / receive sequence precedes the second transmit / receive sequence, the calculation of the sound velocity measurement result is performed immediately after the first transmit / receive sequence finishes transmitting and receiving; or, the calculation of the sound velocity measurement result and the sound attenuation measurement result is performed simultaneously after the first transmit / receive sequence and the second transmit / receive sequence finish transmitting and receiving.

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The ultrasound probe includes multiple array elements. When the first transmit-receive sequence and the second transmit-receive sequence are transmitted simultaneously, the first transmit-receive sequence is completed by the first array element group of the ultrasound probe, and the second transmit-receive sequence is completed by the second array element group of the ultrasound probe. There is no overlap between the different transmit-receive array element groups.

19. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that, The frequency of the first transmit-receive sequence is less than the frequency of the second transmit-receive sequence; or, the wavelength of the first transmit-receive sequence is greater than the wavelength of the second transmit-receive sequence.

20. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that, The first transmit-receive sequence and the second transmit-receive sequence include at least one of the following parameters: transmit waveform, frequency, focus, transmit interval, and scan range.

21. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: An ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves toward a target tissue and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals. An ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals, and a target region in the ultrasound image is determined. The target region includes a first region and a second region, wherein the first region and the second region partially overlap. Obtain a first transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound velocity measurement, and a second transmit-receive sequence suitable for sound attenuation measurement; Receive operation commands to perform sound velocity and sound attenuation measurements on the target area; In response to the operation command, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the first region using the first transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding first ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the first region, and to determine the sound velocity measurement result of the first region based on the first ultrasonic echo signal. The ultrasonic probe is controlled to emit a second ultrasonic wave to the tissue region corresponding to the second region using the second transmit-receive sequence, and to receive the corresponding second ultrasonic echo signal returned from the tissue region corresponding to the second region. The acoustic attenuation measurement result of the second region is determined based on the sound velocity measurement result of the first region and the second ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the second region based on the sound velocity measurement result of the first region and the second ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result of the first region and the first ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target region based on the echo processing signal and the second ultrasonic echo signal. The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results for the first region and the sound attenuation measurement results for the second region.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The method further includes: The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the first region are determined based on the first ultrasonic echo signal; The sound velocity measurement result of the second region is determined based on the second ultrasonic echo signal; The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound attenuation measurement results for the first region and the sound velocity measurement results for the second region.

23. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals; The sound velocity measurement result of the target tissue is determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal; The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target tissue are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the echo processing signal; controlling the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement result, the acoustic attenuation measurement result, and the ultrasonic image.

24. A duplex measurement method for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, include: The ultrasound probe is controlled to emit ultrasound waves to the target tissue using a transmit-receive sequence and receive the corresponding returned ultrasound echo signals, and an ultrasound image of the target tissue is generated based on the ultrasound echo signals; The sound velocity measurement results and sound attenuation measurement results of the target tissue are determined based on the ultrasonic echo signal; The acoustic attenuation measurement results of the target area are determined based on the sound velocity measurement results and the ultrasonic echo signal. The step of determining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the sound velocity measurement result and the ultrasonic echo signal includes: obtaining an enhanced signal that reflects different location information of the target tissue based on the sound velocity measurement result and the ultrasonic echo signal, forming an echo processing signal, and then obtaining the acoustic attenuation measurement result of the target area based on the echo processing signal; The system controls the simultaneous display of the sound velocity measurement results, the sound attenuation measurement results, and the ultrasonic image.

25. A duplex measuring device for sound velocity and sound attenuation, characterized in that, The device includes: Ultrasonic probe; A transmitting / receiving circuit is used to excite the ultrasound probe to emit ultrasound waves toward the target tissue based on a transmitting / receiving sequence, and to receive the corresponding ultrasound echo signal returned from the target tissue. A processor for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-24; Memory for storing programs executed by the processor; A display for showing the results of the processor's execution.

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