Ultrasonic imaging system and ultrasonic image analysis method

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging system and ultrasonic image analysis method, the ultrasonic imaging system includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein the processor is used to: obtain an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​a measured object, the target area including a thyroid area or a breast area; detect lesions in the ultrasonic image and identify target lesion features of the lesions; control the display to display characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display the characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one area is used to display a character corresponding to a preset lesion feature; the preset lesion features include BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features. The present application displays the identified target lesion features in a graphical manner, thereby intuitively presenting the analysis results of the ultrasonic image and improving the analysis efficiency of the ultrasonic image.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and more specifically to an ultrasonic imaging system and an ultrasonic image analysis method. Background Art

[0002] Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the mammary epithelial tissue. In recent years, the incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer have continued to rise year by year, with the prevalence of the disease increasing from primarily urban areas to rural areas. Breast cancer has become a common threat to women's physical and mental health. Similarly, the incidence of thyroid disease has been increasing year by year. Ultrasound imaging, due to its non-invasive, simple, inexpensive, and repeatable nature, has become the preferred method for the clinical diagnosis of breast and thyroid diseases.

[0003] In 2013, the American College of Radiology proposed the latest version of the breast BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) evaluation criteria, which summarized the ultrasound manifestations of breast lesions. In addition, the American College of Radiology proposed the thyroid TI-RADS (Thyroid Imaging-Reporting And Data System) evaluation criteria in 2017, which summarized the ultrasound manifestations of thyroid lesions. As internationally authoritative breast evaluation standards and thyroid evaluation standards, the BI-RADS evaluation standards and TI-RADS evaluation standards are widely recognized and used in clinical practice at home and abroad. However, due to the large number of features involved in these two evaluation standards, doctors need to confirm one by one whether the lesion has the feature when analyzing the ultrasound image, which makes the diagnosis less efficient and poses a great challenge to the doctor's memory. It is also impossible to present the evaluation results to the user clearly and intuitively. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The Summary of the Invention introduces a series of simplified concepts that will be further described in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, a first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0006] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0007] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0008] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0009] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured, wherein the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area;

[0010] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0011] Controlling the display to display characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and displaying the characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features among the at least two preset lesion features in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one of the areas being used to display a character corresponding to one of the preset lesion features;

[0012] When the target area is a breast area, the preset lesion features include BI-RADS lesion features; when the target area is a thyroid area, the preset lesion features include TI-RADS lesion features.

[0013] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0014] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0015] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0016] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0017] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured, wherein the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area;

[0018] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0019] determining a lesion feature representing a specific lesion state among the lesion features of the lesion;

[0020] Controlling the display to display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and differentially displaying characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion state among the target lesion features of the lesion;

[0021] When the target area is a breast area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one BI-RADS lesion characteristics; when the target area is a thyroid area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one TI-RADS lesion characteristics.

[0022] A third aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0023] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0024] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0025] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0026] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured, wherein the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area;

[0027] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0028] Controlling the display to display an identifier corresponding to a target lesion feature of the lesion in a preset graphic;

[0029] When the target area is a breast area, the target lesion feature includes a BI-RADS lesion feature; when the target area is a thyroid area, the target lesion feature includes a TI-RADS lesion feature.

[0030] A fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0031] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0032] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0033] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0034] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0035] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0036] Control the display to display characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display the characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features among the at least two preset lesion features; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one of the areas is used to display a character corresponding to one of the preset lesion features.

[0037] A fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0038] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0039] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0040] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0041] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0042] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0043] determining a lesion feature representing a specific lesion state among the lesion features of the lesion;

[0044] The display is controlled to display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion state in the target lesion features of the lesion are differentiated and displayed.

[0045] A sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor, and a display, wherein:

[0046] The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test;

[0047] The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal;

[0048] The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image;

[0049] The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0050] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0051] The display is controlled to display an identifier corresponding to the target lesion feature of the lesion in a preset graphic.

[0052] A seventh aspect of the present application provides an ultrasound image analysis method, the method comprising:

[0053] Acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0054] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0055] Characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features are displayed in a preset graphic, and characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features among the at least two preset lesion features are displayed in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one of the areas being used to display a character corresponding to one of the preset lesion features.

[0056] An eighth aspect of the present application provides an ultrasound image analysis method, the method comprising:

[0057] Acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0058] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0059] Characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion are displayed in a preset graphic, and characters corresponding to the lesion features representing a specific lesion state in the target lesion features of the lesion are differentiated and displayed.

[0060] A ninth aspect of the present application provides an ultrasound image analysis method, the method comprising:

[0061] Acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured;

[0062] detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0063] Characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion are displayed in a preset graphic.

[0064] The ultrasound imaging system and ultrasound image analysis method of the embodiments of the present application can display the identified target lesion features in a graphical manner, thereby intuitively presenting the analysis results of the ultrasound image and improving the analysis efficiency of the ultrasound image. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0066] In the attached figure:

[0067] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0068] Figure 2 A table showing characters corresponding to all TI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] Figure 3 A table showing characters corresponding to all BI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] Figure 4 A pie chart showing characters corresponding to all TI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] Figure 5 A pie chart showing characters corresponding to all BI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Figure 6 A pie chart showing characters corresponding to TI-RADS lesion features representing the status of a specific lesion according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] Figure 7 A pie chart showing characters corresponding to BI-RADS lesion features representing the status of a specific lesion according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0074] Figure 8 A circular diagram showing characters corresponding to TI-RADS lesion features representing different lesion states in a partitioned block according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0075] Figure 9 A schematic flow chart illustrating an ultrasonic image analysis method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0076] Figure 10 1 is a schematic diagram of a display interface showing characters corresponding to target lesion features in TI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0077] Figure 11 1 is a schematic diagram of a display interface showing characters corresponding to target lesion features in BI-RADS lesion features according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0078] Figure 12 A schematic flow chart showing an ultrasonic image analysis method according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Figure 13 A schematic flowchart of an ultrasound image analysis method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more apparent, the following is a detailed description of example embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application, and it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the example embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present application described in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0081] In the following description, a large number of specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present application can be implemented without one or more of these details. In other examples, some technical features well known in the art are not described in order to avoid confusion with the present application.

[0082] It should be understood that the present application can be implemented in different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0083] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present application. When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are 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, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0084] In order to fully understand the present application, a detailed structure will be provided in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by the present application. The optional embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. However, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present application may also have other implementation methods.

[0085] Next, first refer to Figure 1 An ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present application is described. Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 100 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0086] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasound imaging system 100 includes a probe 110, a transmitting circuit 112, a receiving circuit 114, a processor 116, and a display 118. Furthermore, the ultrasound imaging system may further include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming circuit 122. The transmitting circuit 112 and the receiving circuit 114 may be connected to the probe 110 via the transmit / receive selection switch 120.

[0087] The probe 110 includes multiple transducer elements. These elements can be arranged in a row to form a linear array, or arranged in a two-dimensional matrix to form a planar array. The transducer elements can also form a convex array. The transducer elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves based on excitation electrical signals, or to convert received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals. Therefore, each transducer element can be used to convert electrical pulse signals into ultrasonic waves, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves to the tissue in the target area of ​​the object being tested, and can also be used to receive ultrasonic echoes reflected from the tissue. During ultrasonic testing, the transmit and receive sequences can be used to control which transducer elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves and which are used to receive ultrasonic waves, or to control the time slots used to transmit ultrasonic waves or receive ultrasonic echoes. The transducer elements involved in ultrasonic transmission can be simultaneously excited by electrical signals, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves simultaneously; alternatively, the transducer elements involved in ultrasonic beam transmission can be excited by multiple electrical signals with a certain time interval, thereby continuously transmitting ultrasonic waves with a certain time interval.

[0088] During ultrasound imaging, the transmitting circuit 112 is used to excite the probe 110 to transmit ultrasound waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit 114 is used to control the probe 110 to receive ultrasound echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasound echo signals.

[0089] Specifically, during ultrasound imaging, the transmitting circuit 112 transmits a delayed, focused transmit pulse to the probe 110 via the transmit / receive selector switch 120. Energized by the transmit pulse, the probe 110 emits an ultrasonic beam toward the tissue in the target area of ​​the subject. After a certain delay, it receives the ultrasonic echo containing tissue information reflected from the tissue in the target area and reconverts the ultrasonic echo into an electrical signal. The receiving circuit 114 receives the converted electrical signal generated by the probe 110, obtains ultrasonic echo signals, and transmits these ultrasonic echo signals to the beamforming circuit 122. The beamforming circuit 122 performs processing such as focusing delay, weighting, and channel summing on the ultrasonic echo data before transmitting it to the processor 116. The processor 116 performs signal detection, signal enhancement, data conversion, and logarithmic compression on the ultrasonic echo signals to form an ultrasound image. The ultrasound image generated by the processor 116 can be displayed on the display 118 or stored in the memory 124. In addition to processing the ultrasonic echo signals to generate an ultrasonic image of the target area in real time, the processor 116 is also configured to obtain an ultrasonic image of the target area of ​​the subject by other means. For example, the processor 116 may retrieve a pre-stored ultrasonic image of the target area from the memory 124. The processor 116 may also control the reception of an ultrasonic image of the target area transmitted from another ultrasound system or network. The target area is the body region being imaged by ultrasound. For example, in a real-time scan, the target area refers to the body region being scanned by the doctor using a probe. In one embodiment, the target area of ​​the subject includes the thyroid region or the breast region.

[0090] After generating or acquiring an ultrasound image of the target area, the processor 116 is also used to detect lesions in the ultrasound image and identify target lesion features of the lesions. When the target area is the breast area, the target lesion features of the lesions include BI-RADS lesion features, i.e., the lesion features summarized for breast lesions in the BI-RADS evaluation criteria; when the target area is the thyroid area, the target lesion features of the lesions include TI-RADS lesion features, i.e., the lesion features summarized for thyroid lesions in the TI-RADS evaluation criteria. This application does not impose any restrictions on the versions of the BI-RADS evaluation criteria and the TI-RADS evaluation criteria. Regardless of which country or organization formulates the BI-RADS evaluation criteria and the TI-RADS evaluation criteria, whether the currently existing BI-RADS evaluation criteria and the TI-RADS evaluation criteria or the BI-RADS evaluation criteria and the TI-RADS evaluation criteria to be updated in the future should all be included in the scope of this application.

[0091] In one embodiment, the preset lesion features include multiple categories, wherein the preset lesion features of the same category are a collection of preset lesion features that characterize the same clinical indicators of the lesion, and the clinical indicators of the lesion include, for example, the shape, edge, and direction of the lesion. For example, when the target area is the breast area, the preset lesion features of the same category include, among the BI-RADS lesion features, a category of lesion features for characterizing the edge of the lesion, a category of lesion features for characterizing the direction of the lesion, a category of lesion features for characterizing the shape of the lesion, a category of lesion features for characterizing the blood flow of the lesion, a category of lesion features for characterizing the calcification of the lesion, a category of lesion features for characterizing the echo behind the lesion, and a category of lesion features for characterizing the echo inside the lesion.

[0092] Among them, the lesion characteristics characterizing the shape of the lesion include irregular, circular and elliptical; the lesion characteristics characterizing the direction of the lesion include parallel and non-parallel; the lesion characteristics characterizing the edge of the lesion include burrs, microlobes, angulation, blur and clarity; the lesion characteristics characterizing the echo inside the lesion include no echo, high echo, cystic and solid echo, low echo, equal echo and uneven echo; the lesion characteristics characterizing the echo behind the lesion include no change, enhancement, acoustic shadow and mixed change; the lesion characteristics characterizing the calcification of the lesion include extra-tumor calcification, intra-tumor calcification and intraductal calcification.

[0093] When the target area is the thyroid region, the preset lesion features of the same category include a lesion feature for characterizing lesion echogenicity, a lesion feature for characterizing lesion shape, a lesion feature for characterizing lesion margin, a lesion feature for characterizing localized hyperechoicity, and a lesion feature for characterizing lesion composition. Lesion features characterizing lesion composition include solid, cystic, mixed solid and cystic, and spongy; lesion features characterizing lesion echogenicity include extremely hypoechoic, hypoechoic, isoechoic or hyperechoic, and anechoic; lesion features characterizing lesion shape include wider than height and taller than width; lesion features characterizing lesion margin include smooth, irregular, extrathyroidal extension, and indeterminate; and lesion features characterizing localized hyperechoicity include peripheral calcification, microcalcification, no calcification, and coarse calcification.

[0094] In an embodiment of the present application, when the preset lesion features are lesion features specified in the TI-RADS or BI-RADS assessment standards, the target lesion features are the lesion features obtained by identifying the lesion therein, that is, the lesion features actually possessed by the lesion. In one example, for each category of BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features, the processor 116 respectively identifies the lesion features actually possessed by the lesion among the multiple preset lesion features of that category, that is, the target lesion features of the lesion under that category.

[0095] For example, when the target area is the breast area and the preset lesion characteristics are BI-RADS lesion characteristics, the preset lesion characteristics include three lesion characteristics for the shape of the breast lesion: irregular, circular, and elliptical. The target lesion characteristics are the actual shape characteristics of the target subject's breast lesion, such as elliptical. Similarly, when the target area is the thyroid area and the preset lesion characteristics are TI-RADS lesion characteristics, the preset lesion characteristics may include four lesion characteristics for the composition of the thyroid lesion: solid, cystic, mixed solid and cystic, and spongy. The target lesion characteristics are the actual composition characteristics of the target subject's thyroid lesion, such as solid.

[0096] In one example, the processor 116 may first detect the lesion in the ultrasound image based on a relevant machine recognition algorithm. For example, the processor 116 may detect the location of the lesion in the ultrasound image based on a deep learning neural network model, a machine learning model, or a traditional image processing method, for example, segmenting the specific boundary of the lesion from the ultrasound image.

[0097] Exemplarily, when the processor 116 uses a deep learning neural network model to detect lesions in ultrasound images, the neural network can be trained in advance based on the collected ultrasound image data with lesion annotation results. During the network training phase, the error between the detection result and the annotation result of the lesion is calculated during the iteration process, and the weights in the network are continuously updated with the purpose of minimizing the error until the detection result gradually approaches the annotation result of the lesion, and finally a trained deep learning neural network model is obtained.

[0098] When the processor 116 adopts an automatic lesion detection method based on machine learning, the machine learning model can be trained in advance based on the collected ultrasound images with lesion annotation results, and then the trained machine learning model is used to perform binary classification on the grayscale value or texture value of the pixel points in the ultrasound image to determine whether each pixel point belongs to the lesion area, thereby realizing automatic detection of lesions.

[0099] When traditional image processing methods are used for automatic detection of lesions, the processor 116 may extract image features such as gradient and texture of the ultrasound image, and determine the area where the lesion is located in the ultrasound image based on the extracted image features.

[0100] Several exemplary automatic lesion detection methods have been described above. In other implementations, a user may manually mark the lesion area in the ultrasound image. For example, the ultrasound image may be displayed on the display 118, and the location of the lesion may be determined based on the user's manual marking operation. Alternatively, the location of the lesion may be determined through semi-automatic detection. For example, the location of the lesion on the ultrasound image may be automatically detected based on a machine recognition algorithm, and then further modified or corrected by the user to obtain a more accurate location. The processor 116 may also use any other suitable method to detect lesions in the ultrasound image.

[0101] Next, the processor 116 identifies the target lesion features of the detected lesion. In one embodiment, the processor 116 can identify the target lesion features of the lesion based on a trained deep learning neural network. For example, when the target area is the thyroid area, a classification model can be trained for each category of TI-RADS lesion features, and the ultrasound image of the lesion area can be input into each classification model to obtain the target lesion features of the corresponding category; alternatively, a multi-task neural network can be used to input the ultrasound image of the lesion into the multi-task neural network and simultaneously output target lesion features of multiple categories. In another embodiment, the processor 116 can use a traditional image feature extraction algorithm combined with a machine learning method to identify the target lesion features of the lesion. For example, when the target area is the thyroid area, feature value extraction is performed for each TI-RADS category, and the extracted feature value is compared with a pre-set threshold to determine the target lesion features of the lesion. The processor 116 can also use any other suitable algorithm to extract the target lesion features of the lesion.

[0102] In other embodiments, the processor 116 may not identify the target lesion features according to the lesion category, but may identify each preset lesion feature separately. For example, the processor 116 may train a binary classifier for each preset lesion feature to determine whether the lesion has the corresponding lesion feature.

[0103] After acquiring the target lesion feature of the lesion, processor 116 controls display 118 to graphically display the target lesion feature. Specifically, processor 116 controls display 118 to display characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and to display the characters corresponding to the lesion feature that matches the target lesion feature among the at least two preset lesion features in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one area being used to display a character corresponding to each preset lesion feature. Thus, through the graphical display, the user can intuitively understand the target lesion feature of the lesion based on the differentiated display in the first manner of the characters corresponding to the lesion feature that matches the target lesion feature.

[0104] Illustratively, the first mode of differentiated display includes but is not limited to the following: highlighting or flashing the character corresponding to the lesion feature matching the target lesion feature or the area displaying the character; displaying additional symbols to the character, such as displaying a preset symbol around the character; displaying a differentiated background color for the area displaying the character corresponding to the lesion feature matching the target lesion feature, or displaying a differentiated font color for the character itself. The first mode of differentiated display may also include other differentiated display methods that can distinguish the character corresponding to the target lesion feature from the characters corresponding to other preset lesion features, such as shading the characters corresponding to other preset lesion features.

[0105] In one embodiment, when the target area is the thyroid area, the TI-RADS lesion features displayed in the preset graphic include all lesion features in the TI-RADS lesion features. Similarly, when the target area is the breast area, the BI-RADS lesion features displayed in the preset graphic may also include all lesion features in the BI-RADS lesion features. In this way, the user can not only understand all the preset lesion features summarized in the TI-RADS evaluation criteria or the BI-RADS evaluation criteria, thereby solving the problem of difficulty in memorizing due to too many lesion features, but also intuitively understand the target lesion features that the lesion actually has.

[0106] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific characters used to represent the preset lesion characteristics, as long as the characters can represent the corresponding preset lesion characteristics. For example, when the echo type of a thyroid lesion is anechoic, the characters displayed in the preset graphic can be "anechoic" or "echo is anechoic"; when the calcification type of a thyroid lesion is microcalcification, the characters displayed in the preset graphic can be "microcalcification" or "punctate strong echo."

[0107] In one embodiment, the target lesion features of the lesion can be displayed in a table format, which is relatively concise and easy to view. In this embodiment, the preset graphic is a table, and the area in the preset graphic displaying the characters corresponding to each preset lesion feature is a cell in the table.

[0108] See first Figure 2 , Figure 2The target lesion features of the thyroid lesion are shown in a table. In each cell of the table, a TI-RADS lesion feature is displayed, and the entire table shows all 18 TI-RADS lesion features in the TI-RADS evaluation criteria. The target lesion features identified by the processor 116 for the lesion in the ultrasound image are low echo, mixed cystic and solid, no calcification, wider than high, and extrathyroidal invasion. For the convenience of illustration, Figure 2 In the table shown, the shading of the cells where the characters corresponding to the above five target lesion features are located is displayed differently. Figure 2 From the table shown, users can learn about all TI-RADS lesion characteristics as well as the actual TI-RADS lesion characteristics of the thyroid lesions of the tested subjects.

[0109] Similarly, Figure 3 The target lesion features of a breast lesion are shown in a table, wherein each cell of the table displays a BI-RADS lesion feature, and the entire table displays all 26 BI-RADS lesion features in the BI-RADS evaluation criteria. Among them, the processor 116 identifies six target lesion features, namely irregular shape, parallel, microlobed, hypoechoic, acoustic shadow and no blood flow, so Figure 3 In the table, the background patterns of the cells where the characters corresponding to the six target lesion features identified by the processor 116 are located are displayed in a differentiated manner.

[0110] In another embodiment, the target lesion features of the lesion can be displayed in the form of a pie chart. In this embodiment, the preset graphic for displaying the characters corresponding to the preset lesion features is a pie chart, and the area in the pie chart for displaying the characters corresponding to each preset lesion feature is a sector divided in the pie chart.

[0111] In some embodiments, at least two of the areas in the preset graphic form a block, and each area of ​​the same block is used to display characters corresponding to preset lesion features of the same category, so that the user can understand the category to which the target lesion feature belongs based on the block where the target lesion feature is located. For example, BI-RADS lesion features are divided into seven categories: shape, direction, edge, internal echo, posterior echo, calcification, and blood flow, and each category includes at least two BI-RADS lesion features. When all BI-RADS lesion features are displayed in the preset graphic, the preset graphic can be divided into seven blocks, and each area of ​​each block displays characters corresponding to BI-RADS lesion features belonging to the same category. TI-RADS lesion features are divided into five categories: composition, echo, shape, edge, and focal hyperechoic. When all TI-RADS lesion features are displayed in the preset graphic, the preset graphic can be divided into five blocks, and each area of ​​each block displays characters corresponding to TI-RADS lesion features belonging to the same category.

[0112] For example, when the preset graphic is a table, at least two cells in the same row or column of the table form a block, that is, the same row or column of the table displays the same category of BI-RADS lesion features or the same category of TI-RADS lesion features. Alternatively, you can refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the characters corresponding to the preset lesion features belonging to the same category are displayed in adjacent cells in different rows or columns of the table in a more compact manner to save layout area.

[0113] When the preset graphic is a pie chart, at least two adjacent sectors in the pie chart form a block. For example, first refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 The target lesion features of thyroid lesions displayed in the form of a pie chart are shown. Among them, a TI-RADS lesion feature is displayed in each sector of the pie chart, and the entire pie chart is divided into 5 blocks. At least two sectors in each block display characters corresponding to the TI-RADS lesion features of the same category. The entire pie chart displays five blocks corresponding to the five categories of composition, echo, shape, edge and focal strong echo, as well as 18 sector areas corresponding to all 18 TI-RADS lesion features of the five categories. For example, the four sector areas in the upper right corner of the pie chart display characters: very low, low, equal or high, and none. The characters displayed in these four sectors correspond to the preset lesion features of the echo category, so these four sector areas can form a block representing the echo category. Among them, the target lesion features of the five categories identified by the processor 116 are low echo, cystic, no calcification, wider than high and extrathyroidal invasion. For the convenience of display, in Figure 4 In the pie chart, the background textures of the sectors where the characters corresponding to the above five target lesion features are located are displayed differently.

[0114] Similarly, Figure 5 The target lesion features of breast lesions are shown in the form of a pie chart, wherein a BI-RADS lesion feature is displayed in each sector of the pie chart, the entire pie chart is divided into 7 blocks, at least two sectors in each block display characters corresponding to the same category of BI-RADS lesion features, and the entire pie chart displays seven blocks corresponding to seven categories of shape, direction, edge, internal echo, posterior echo, calcification and blood flow, as well as 26 sector areas corresponding to all 26 BI-RADS lesion features in the seven categories. For example, the two sector areas in the upper right corner of the pie chart display characters: parallel and non-parallel. The characters displayed in these two sectors are preset lesion features of the corresponding direction categories, so these two sector areas can form a block representing the direction type. For the above seven categories, the target lesion features identified by the processor 116 are irregular, parallel, microlobed, low echo, acoustic shadow and internal blood flow, respectively. Figure 5 In the pie chart, the background patterns of the sectors where the characters corresponding to the seven target lesion features identified by the processor 116 are located are displayed in a differentiated manner.

[0115] In some embodiments, the processor 116 can control the display 118 to display each block differently to facilitate the distinction between the blocks. For example, the processor 116 can control the display 118 to display the various areas of the same block as the same color or pattern, or the processor 116 can control the display 118 to display the characters corresponding to the preset lesion features in the various areas of the same block as the same color. In addition, the processor 116 can also control the display 118 to display different blocks in a differentiated manner through other means, such as displaying bold dividing lines or dividing lines of different colors between blocks. In some embodiments, the characters corresponding to the category to which the preset lesion features in the block belong can also be displayed near each block to more clearly mark the lesion category corresponding to the block, for example, with reference to Figure 4 ,exist Figure 4 In the pie chart shown, the sectors of the block in the upper left corner show the preset lesion characteristics representing the components, namely solid, cystic, mixed solid and cystic, and spongy; therefore, the word "component" is displayed near the block to indicate that the preset lesion characteristics in the block represent the components of the lesion. Similarly, Figure 4 The characters “echo,” “shape,” “edge,” and “focal hyperechoic” are displayed near the other four blocks of the pie chart, respectively, to indicate the categories to which the preset lesion features displayed in each block belong.

[0116] In some embodiments, when all BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features are displayed in the preset graphic, the processor 116 is further configured to: when the target area is the breast area, control the display 118 to differentiately display characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion status in the BI-RADS lesion features in a second manner; and when the target area is the thyroid area, control the display 118 to differentiately display characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion status in the TI-RADS lesion features in a second manner, wherein the second differentiated display is different from the first differentiated display described above. The second differentiated display may include characters corresponding to all lesion features representing a specific lesion status in the preset lesion features, or characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion status in the target lesion features.

[0117] Among them, the lesion characteristics representing the status of a specific lesion may be lesion characteristics indicating a high probability of the lesion being a malignant lesion. Some lesion characteristics in the BI-RADS and TI-RADS assessment criteria are clinically more frequently found in malignant lesions. These lesion characteristics are defined as signs of malignancy and require the user's special attention. Therefore, the characters corresponding to these lesion characteristics can be displayed in a second differentiated manner in the preset graphic.

[0118] For example, the second differentiated display includes but is not limited to at least one of the following: highlight display, flashing display, additional symbol display, differentiated background color display or differentiated font color display. For example, when the first differentiated display is highlighted, the second differentiated display may be flashing display. Figure 2 , wherein the background texture of the cells where the characters corresponding to the target lesion features such as low echo, mixed cystic and solid, no calcification, wider than high and extrathyroidal invasion are located are displayed in a differentiated manner in the first way; since extrathyroidal invasion is a malignant sign, the cells corresponding to extrathyroidal invasion can be highlighted; optionally, the characters corresponding to the lesion features that represent the specific lesion status in the preset lesion features can also be highlighted, that is, all malignant signs in the table are highlighted.

[0119] In another embodiment, the preset graphic may not display all the characters corresponding to the BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features, but only display the characters corresponding to the lesion features that represent the specific lesion status, so as to provide more targeted information to the user. Specifically, when the target area is the breast area, the characters corresponding to the BI-RADS lesion features that represent the specific lesion status may be displayed in the preset graphic; when the target area is the thyroid area, the characters corresponding to the TI-RADS lesion features that represent the specific lesion status may be displayed in the preset graphic. Since users need to pay special attention to the lesion features that often appear in malignant lesions, the lesion features that represent the specific lesion status may be the lesion features that represent malignant signs in the BI-RADS lesion features or the TI-RADS lesion features.

[0120] For example, when the target area is the thyroid area, the lesion features that appear more frequently in malignant lesions and characterize the specific lesion status in the TI-RADS lesion features can be lesion features with a score of 2 or above in the TI-RADS standard, specifically including hypoechoic echo, very hypoechoic echo, shape that is taller than wide, lobulated or irregular margins, extrathyroidal invasion margins, peripheral calcification, punctate hyperechoic calcification, and solid composition. Figure 6 , where the characters corresponding to the above 8 TI-RADS lesion characteristics are shown in the pie chart; Figure 6 In the example, the areas corresponding to the two lesion characteristics of low echo and extrathyroidal invasion are displayed differently compared to other areas, indicating that low echo and extrathyroidal invasion are target lesion characteristics, that is, the processor 116 recognizes that the lesion actually has these two lesion characteristics.

[0121] When the target area is the breast area, the BI-RADS lesion features that appear more frequently in malignant lesions and characterize the status of specific lesions include at least one of the following: angular edge, blurred edge, burred edge, microlobulated edge, non-parallel direction, irregular shape, internal blood flow, intraductal calcification, extra-tumor calcification, intra-tumor calcification, mixed posterior echo, acoustic shadow, and heterogeneous internal echo. Figure 7 , in which the characters corresponding to the above 12 BI-RADS lesion characteristics are shown in the pie chart; Figure 7 In the example, the areas corresponding to the four lesion features of microlobulation, acoustic shadow, irregular shape and internal blood flow are displayed differently from other areas, indicating that these four lesion features are target lesion features, that is, the processor 116 recognizes that the lesion actually has these four lesion features.

[0122] Although Figure 6 and Figure 7The characters corresponding to the lesion characteristics representing the specific lesion status are displayed in the form of a pie chart. However, in other embodiments, other preset graphics may be used to display the characters corresponding to the lesion characteristics representing the specific lesion status, including but not limited to tables. Moreover, when the characters corresponding to the lesion characteristics representing the specific lesion status are displayed in the preset graphics, the characters corresponding to the preset lesion characteristics belonging to the same category may also be displayed in the same block for easy viewing, for example, Figure 6 The hypoechoic and very hypoechoic areas belonging to the echo category are displayed in the same block. Figure 7 The burrs, microlobes, angulations, and edge blurs belonging to the edge category are displayed in the same block.

[0123] In another embodiment, at least two areas in a preset graphic form a block, and each area of ​​the same block is used to display characters corresponding to preset lesion features representing the same lesion status, so that the user can understand the lesion status of the lesion based on the block where the target lesion feature is located. That is, in this embodiment, the same block is no longer used to display preset lesion features belonging to the same category, but is used to display preset lesion features representing the same lesion status. In some embodiments, the above two block division methods can be combined with each other, for example, the same row of a table displays preset lesion features of the same category, and the same column displays preset lesion features representing the same lesion status.

[0124] The lesion status can indicate whether the lesion is benign or malignant. For example, the TI-RADS assessment standard scores 18 features of thyroid lesions on a scale of 0 to 3. The higher the score, the greater the likelihood that the lesion feature will appear in a malignant lesion. Therefore, TI-RADS lesion features with the same score can be displayed in the same block of a preset graphic. Specifically, when the target area is the thyroid area, the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the same lesion status include the following TI-RADS lesion characteristics: 1) the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the first lesion status consisting of no calcification, no echo, spongy, wider than high, uncertain, smooth, and cystic, that is, the TI-RADS lesion characteristics with a score of 0; 2) the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the second lesion status consisting of coarse calcification, high or equal echo, and a mixture of cystic and solid, that is, the TI-RADS lesion characteristics with a score of 1; 3) the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the third lesion status consisting of low echo, lobed or irregular, peripheral calcification, and solid, that is, the TI-RADS lesion characteristics with a score of 2; 4) the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the fourth lesion status consisting of high greater than wide, extrathyroidal invasion, punctate strong echo, and extremely low echo, that is, the TI-RADS lesion characteristics with a score of 3.

[0125] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 8, the preset graphic can be a ring graph, the ring graph includes at least one ring, and one ring includes at least two fan-shaped rings; the area displaying the characters corresponding to each preset lesion feature is the fan-shaped ring in the ring graph, and the block composed of at least two fan-shaped rings is the ring in the ring graph. It can be understood that since the innermost ring of the ring graph is arranged around the center of the circle, the graphic at the center of the ring graph can be a fan-shaped; the ring graph with a fan-shaped center is also within the scope of the ring graph of this application. Figure 8 In the circular diagram, the characters corresponding to the TI-RADS lesion features with scores of 0-3 are displayed in sequence from the central sector to each outer ring, and the sectors or sector rings where the characters corresponding to the TI-RADS lesion features actually possessed by the lesions are displayed in a differentiated manner. In addition, Figure 8 The central sector of the donut chart and each ring also displays the score of the preset lesion characteristics displayed in the ring for user reference. For the breast area, since there is currently no BI-RADS lesion characteristic scoring standard, BI-RADS lesions can be classified according to their benign or malignant status based on clinical experience and displayed in the donut chart.

[0126] Optionally, the processor 116 may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, and may use 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. Furthermore, the processor 116 may control other components in the ultrasound imaging system 100 to execute the corresponding steps of the methods described in various embodiments of this specification.

[0127] The display 118 is connected to the processor 116. The display 118 may be a touch screen display, a liquid crystal display, or the like. Alternatively, the display 118 may be an independent display such as a liquid crystal display or a television, independent of the ultrasound imaging system 100. Alternatively, the display 118 may be a display of an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet computer. The number of displays 118 may be one or more. For example, the display 118 may include a main screen and a touch screen, with the main screen primarily used to display ultrasound images and the touch screen primarily used for human-computer interaction.

[0128] The display 118 can display the ultrasound image generated by the processor 116. In addition to displaying the ultrasound image, the display 118 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 operating instructions using a human-computer interaction device to control these controlled objects and perform 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, such as drawing a region of interest on the ultrasound image.

[0129] Optionally, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include other human-computer interaction devices in addition to the display 118, which are connected to the processor 116. For example, the processor 116 may be connected to the human-computer interaction device via an external input / output port. The external input / output port may be a wireless communication module, a wired communication module, or a combination of the two. The external input / output port may also be implemented based on USB, a bus protocol such as CAN, and / or a wired network protocol.

[0130] The human-computer interaction device may include an input device for detecting user input information. The input information may be, for example, a control instruction for the timing of ultrasonic transmission / reception, an operation input instruction for drawing a point, line, or frame on an ultrasonic image, or other instruction types. The input device may include one or a combination of a keyboard, a mouse, a scroll wheel, a trackball, a mobile input device (such as a mobile device with a touch screen display, a mobile phone, etc.), a multi-function knob, etc. The human-computer interaction device may also include an output device such as a printer.

[0131] The ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a memory 124 for storing instructions executed by the processor, storing received ultrasound echoes, storing ultrasound images, and the like. The memory may be a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, a hard disk, and the like. The memory may be a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, a removable memory and / or a non-removable memory, and the like.

[0132] It should be understood that Figure 1 The components included in the ultrasound imaging system 100 shown are merely exemplary, and the system may include more or fewer components, which is not limited in the present application.

[0133] The present application also provides an ultrasonic imaging system. Figure 1 The ultrasonic imaging system includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display. The relevant description of each component can refer to the relevant description of the ultrasonic imaging system 100 above. The following only describes the main functions of the ultrasonic imaging system, and omits the details described above.

[0134] Specifically, the transmitting circuit is used to excite the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasonic echo signals; the processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signals to obtain ultrasonic images; the processor is also used to: obtain an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test; detect lesions in the ultrasonic image, and identify target lesion features of the lesions; control the display to display characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display the characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features among the at least two preset lesion features; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one of which is used to display a character corresponding to one of the preset lesion features.

[0135] The ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment is generally similar to the ultrasound imaging system 100 described above. The main difference between the two is that the target area of ​​the subject being measured is not limited to the breast and thyroid regions, but also includes the liver region or other target regions. Accordingly, different target regions correspond to different evaluation criteria, and the preset lesion characteristics and target lesion characteristics are the lesion characteristics under the corresponding evaluation criteria. For example, when the target region is the liver region, the processor accordingly analyzes the ultrasound image using the evaluation criteria specific to the liver.

[0136] Below, we will refer to Figure 9 A method for analyzing an ultrasound image according to an embodiment of the present application is described. Figure 9 It is a schematic flowchart of the ultrasound image analysis method 900 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0137] like Figure 9 As shown, the ultrasound image analysis method 900 of the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0138] Step S910, acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test;

[0139] Step S920, detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0140] Step S930, displaying characters corresponding to at least two preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and displaying the characters corresponding to the lesion features that match the target lesion features among the at least two preset lesion features in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least two areas, one of the areas being used to display a character corresponding to one of the preset lesion features.

[0141] Exemplarily, the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area. When the target area is a breast area, the preset lesion feature includes a BI-RADS lesion feature. When the target area is a thyroid area, the preset lesion feature includes a TI-RADS lesion feature.

[0142] For other specific details of the ultrasound image analysis method 900 in the embodiment of the present application, please refer to the relevant description above and will not be repeated here.

[0143] The ultrasound imaging system and ultrasound image analysis method of the embodiments of the present application display preset lesion features in a preset graph, and differentiate and display the target lesion features identified therein, thereby intuitively presenting the preset lesion features and the target lesion features actually possessed by the lesion, thereby improving the analysis efficiency of ultrasound images.

[0144] The second aspect of the embodiment of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system. Figure 1 The ultrasonic imaging system includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display. The relevant description of each component can refer to the relevant description of the ultrasonic imaging system 100 above. The following only describes the main functions of the ultrasonic imaging system, and omits the details described above.

[0145] Specifically, the transmitting circuit is used to excite the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasonic echo signals; the processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signals to obtain ultrasonic images; the processor is also used to: obtain an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test, the target area including a thyroid area or a breast area; detect lesions in the ultrasonic image and identify target lesion characteristics of the lesions; determine lesion characteristics in the lesion characteristics of the lesions that characterize a specific lesion state; control the display to display characters corresponding to the target lesion characteristics of the lesion in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display characters corresponding to the lesion characteristics in the target lesion characteristics of the lesion that characterize a specific lesion state; when the target area is the breast area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one of the BI-RADS lesion characteristics, and when the target area is the thyroid area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one of the TI-RADS lesion characteristics.

[0146] The main difference between the ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment and the ultrasound imaging system 100 described above is that in the ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment, the preset graphics display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion, without having to display lesion features that the lesion does not have. The target lesion features representing the status of a specific lesion in the target lesion features may be malignant signs in the BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features, i.e., hypoechoic, very hypoechoic, taller than wide, lobulated or irregular margins, extrathyroidal invasion, peripheral calcification, punctate hyperechoic calcification, and solid composition in the TI-RADS lesion features, as well as angulated margins, blurred margins, burred margins, microlobulated margins, non-parallel orientation, irregular shape, internal blood flow, intraductal calcification, extra-mass calcification, intra-mass calcification, mixed posterior echogenicity, acoustic shadowing, and heterogeneous internal echogenicity in the BI-RADS lesion features. Differentiated display includes, but is not limited to, highlighting, flashing, additional symbol display, differentiated shading color display, or differentiated font color display.

[0147] See also Figure 10 、 Figure 11 ,in Figure 10 The display interface shown shows an ultrasound image 1010 of the thyroid region and TI-RADS lesion features of the thyroid lesions identified based on the ultrasound image 1010. Figure 11 The display interface shown shows an ultrasound image 1020 of the breast region and BI-RADS lesion features of the breast region identified based on the ultrasound image 1010. Figure 10 and Figure 11 In the display mode shown, the preset graphic is a box, and the characters of each target lesion feature are displayed in a box. Figure 10 and Figure 11 In the display mode shown, the target lesion features are displayed according to the category to which they belong, that is, for each category of BI-RADS lesion features or TI-RADS lesion features, the target lesion features under that category are identified and displayed in the corresponding box, and the category to which the current target lesion features belong is displayed above the box. Figure 10 In the display interface shown, the TI-RADS lesion features displayed in the box represent the actual target lesion features of the lesion, including the height being greater than the width, the cystic nature of the lesion components, the hypoechoic nature of the lesion echo, and the extrathyroidal invasion of the lesion edge; the lesion has no focal strong echoes; among them, hypoechoic and extrathyroidal invasion are malignant signs under the TI-RADS assessment criteria, so the areas where the characters corresponding to these two lesion features are located are displayed separately. Figure 11In the display interface shown, the BI-RADS lesion features displayed in the box represent the actual target lesion characteristics of the lesion, including irregular shape (characterizing lesion shape), parallel orientation (characterizing lesion orientation), angulation (characterizing lesion margins), hypoechoic (characterizing lesion echogenicity), unchanged posterior echogenicity (characterizing lesion calcification), intra-mass calcification (characterizing lesion calcification), and internal blood flow (characterizing lesion blood flow). Irregular shape, angulation, intra-mass calcification, and internal blood flow are malignant signs under the BI-RADS assessment criteria, and therefore the areas corresponding to the characters for these four lesion features are displayed separately.

[0148] Continue to refer to Figure 10 、 Figure 11 In some embodiments, the box can be implemented as a drop-down box, and the user can modify the target lesion feature. Specifically, when the user selects the arrow on the right side of the drop-down box, a drop-down menu listing other lesion features under the current category can be displayed. The user can select other lesion features according to actual conditions to replace the target lesion feature automatically identified by the machine.

[0149] In some embodiments, the characters or character regions corresponding to target lesion features representing different lesion states may be displayed in different colors. Alternatively, target lesion features of different categories may be displayed in different colors to facilitate user differentiation.

[0150] It should be noted that the preset graphics showing the characters corresponding to the lesion target features are not limited to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The form shown, for example, the preset graphic can also be a table, a pie chart, a donut chart or other suitable forms. For example, when the preset graphic is a table, a target lesion feature can be displayed in each cell of the table, and the characters corresponding to the malignant signs therein can be displayed separately, or the characters or character areas corresponding to the target lesion features of different lesion states can be displayed in different colors; illustratively, the category to which the target lesion feature belongs can also be displayed in the table at the same time. When the preset graphic is a sector graph, a target lesion feature can be displayed in each sector of the sector graph, and the category to which the target lesion feature belongs can be displayed outside the sector. When the preset graphic is a donut chart, the target lesion features can be arranged according to the lesion state they represent. For example, when the target lesion feature is a TI-RADS lesion feature, the TI-RADS lesion features with scores from high to low or from low to high can be displayed in each ring from the inside to the outside of the donut chart.

[0151] An embodiment of the present application also provides an ultrasonic imaging system, comprising a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein the transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasonic echo signals; the processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signals to obtain ultrasonic images; the processor is also used to: obtain an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test; detect lesions in the ultrasonic image and identify target lesion features of the lesions; determine lesion features in the lesion features of the lesion that characterize a specific lesion state; control the display to display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display characters corresponding to the lesion features in the target lesion features of the lesion that characterize a specific lesion state.

[0152] The ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment is generally similar to the ultrasound imaging system described above. The main difference between the two is that the target area of ​​the subject being measured is not limited to the breast and thyroid regions, but also includes the liver region or other target areas. Accordingly, different target areas correspond to different evaluation criteria, and the target lesion characteristics are the lesion characteristics under the corresponding evaluation criteria.

[0153] Below, we will refer to Figure 12 A method for analyzing an ultrasound image according to an embodiment of the present application is described. Figure 12 It is a schematic flowchart of the ultrasound image analysis method 1200 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0154] like Figure 12 As shown, the ultrasound image analysis method 1200 of the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0155] Step S1210, acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test;

[0156] Step S1220, detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion;

[0157] Step S1230 : Displaying characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and differentially displaying characters corresponding to lesion features representing specific lesion states among the target lesion features of the lesion.

[0158] Exemplarily, the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area. When the target area is a breast area, the preset lesion feature includes a BI-RADS lesion feature. When the target area is a thyroid area, the preset lesion feature includes a TI-RADS lesion feature.

[0159] For other specific details of the ultrasound image analysis method 1200 in the embodiment of the present application, please refer to the relevant description above and will not be repeated here.

[0160] The ultrasound imaging system and ultrasound image analysis method of the embodiments of the present application display characters corresponding to the target lesion features in a preset graphic, and differentiate and display the target lesion features representing the specific lesion state, thereby intuitively presenting the target lesion features and prompting the user of the target lesion features representing the specific lesion state, thereby improving the analysis efficiency of ultrasound images.

[0161] The third aspect of the present application provides an ultrasound imaging system. Figure 1 The ultrasound imaging system includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: the transmitting circuit is used to excite the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasonic echo signals; the processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signals to obtain an ultrasound image; the processor is also used to: obtain an ultrasound image of a target area of ​​the object under test, the target area including a thyroid area or a breast area; detect lesions in the ultrasound image and identify target lesion features of the lesions; control the display to display an identifier corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic; when the target area is the breast area, the target lesion features include BI-RADS lesion features, and when the target area is the thyroid area, the target lesion features include TI-RADS lesion features.

[0162] The difference between the ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment and the ultrasound imaging system provided in the second aspect of the embodiment of the present application is mainly that: first, in the ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment, the specific form of the preset graphics is not limited, for example, the preset graphics may not be partitioned, or multiple target lesion features may be displayed in each area of ​​the preset graphics; second, the identification of the target lesion feature is not limited to characters, but can also be graphics or text, as long as it can represent the corresponding target lesion feature; finally, the display only needs to display the identification corresponding to the target lesion feature to prompt the user of the lesion features actually possessed by the lesion, without the need to differentiate and display the lesion features representing the specific lesion state.

[0163] An embodiment of the present application also provides an ultrasonic imaging system, including a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: the transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; the receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the object under test to obtain ultrasonic echo signals; the processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signals to obtain ultrasonic images; the processor is also used to: obtain an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object under test; detect lesions in the ultrasonic image and identify target lesion features of the lesions; and control the display to display an identifier corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic.

[0164] The ultrasound imaging system of this embodiment is generally similar to the ultrasound imaging system described above. The main difference between the two is that the target regions of the subject being measured are not limited to the breast and thyroid regions but also include other target regions. Accordingly, different target regions correspond to different evaluation criteria, and the target lesion characteristics are the lesion characteristics under the corresponding evaluation criteria.

[0165] Below, we will refer to Figure 13 A method for analyzing an ultrasound image according to an embodiment of the present application is described. Figure 13 It is a schematic flowchart of the ultrasound image analysis method 1300 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0166] like Figure 13 As shown, the ultrasound image analysis method 1300 of the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0167] In step S1310, an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object is acquired;

[0168] In step S1320, a lesion is detected in the ultrasound image, and a target lesion feature of the lesion is identified;

[0169] In step S1330, characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion are displayed in a preset graphic.

[0170] Exemplarily, the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area. When the target area is a breast area, the target lesion feature includes a BI-RADS lesion feature. When the target area is a thyroid area, the target lesion feature includes a TI-RADS lesion feature.

[0171] For other specific details of the ultrasound image analysis method 1300 in the embodiment of the present application, please refer to the relevant description above and will not be repeated here.

[0172] The ultrasound imaging system and ultrasound image analysis method of the embodiments of the present application display the identifier corresponding to the target lesion feature in a preset graphic, thereby intuitively presenting the target lesion feature and improving the analysis efficiency of the ultrasound image.

[0173] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Various changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present application as required by the appended claims.

[0174] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel 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.

[0175] 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 example, the division of the units described is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used, such as combining or integrating multiple units or components into another device, or ignoring or not performing some features.

[0176] In the description provided herein, a large number of specific details are described. However, it is understood that the embodiments of the present application can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0177] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present application and aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present application, the various features of the present application are sometimes grouped together into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this approach of the present application should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the application claimed for protection requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. More precisely, as reflected in the corresponding claims, the inventive point is that the corresponding technical problem can be solved with fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim itself serving as a separate embodiment of the present application.

[0178] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, except where mutually exclusive, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus disclosed herein may be combined in any combination. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature providing the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0179] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this application and to form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0180] The various component embodiments of the present application can be implemented in hardware, or in a software module running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to the embodiments of the present application. The application can also be implemented as a part or all of a device program (e.g., a computer program and a computer program product) for performing the method described herein. Such a program implementing the present application can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can have the form of one or more signals. Such a signal can be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0181] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the present application, and that those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference symbols placed between brackets should not be construed as limiting the claims. The present application may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim 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 may be interpreted as names.

[0182] The above description is merely a specific embodiment or illustration of a specific embodiment of the present application, and the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. The scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: It includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image; The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured, wherein the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; Controlling the display to display characters corresponding to preset lesion features in the same preset graphic, and to display characters corresponding to lesion features that match the target lesion features in the preset lesion features in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes different areas, and different areas are used to display characters corresponding to different preset lesion features; When the target area is the breast area, the preset lesion features include all lesion features in the BI-RADS lesion features or lesion features in the BI-RADS lesion features that characterize a specific lesion state; when the target area is the thyroid area, the preset lesion features include all lesion features in the TI-RADS lesion features or lesion features in the TI-RADS lesion features that characterize a specific lesion state.

2. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: When the target area is a breast area, the lesion features characterizing a specific lesion state in the BI-RADS lesion features include at least one of: an angular edge, a blurred edge, a burred edge, a microlobulated edge, a non-parallel direction, an irregular shape, an internal blood flow, an intraductal calcification, an extratumor calcification, an intratumor calcification, a mixed rear echo, an acoustic shadow, and an inhomogeneous internal echo. When the target area is the thyroid area, the lesion characteristics characterizing the specific lesion status in the TI-RADS lesion characteristics include: at least one of the following: low echo, very low echo, shape higher than wide, lobed or irregular edge, extrathyroidal invasion of the edge, peripheral calcification, punctate strong echo, and solid composition.

3. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: At least two of the areas form a block, and the areas of the same block are used to display characters corresponding to the same category of preset lesion features; The preset lesion features of the same category include a set of preset lesion features that characterize the same clinical indicators of the lesions.

4. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 3, wherein: The preset lesion characteristics representing the same clinical indicators of the lesions include: When the target area is a breast area, the preset lesion features of the same category include at least one of a type of lesion feature for characterizing the edge of the lesion, a type of lesion feature for characterizing the direction of the lesion, a type of lesion feature for characterizing the shape of the lesion, a type of lesion feature for characterizing the blood flow of the lesion, a type of lesion feature for characterizing the calcification of the lesion, a type of lesion feature for characterizing the echo behind the lesion, and a type of lesion feature for characterizing the echo inside the lesion in the BI-RADS lesion features; When the target area is the thyroid area, the preset lesion features of the same category include at least one of a type of lesion features used to characterize lesion echoes, a type of lesion features used to characterize lesion shapes, a type of lesion features used to characterize lesion edges, a type of lesion features used to characterize local strong echoes of lesions, and a type of lesion features used to characterize lesion components in the TI-RADS lesion features.

5. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The preset graphic includes a table, the area includes cells, and at least two cells in the same row or column of the table form a block.

6. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The preset graphic includes a pie chart, the area includes sectors, and at least two adjacent sectors in the pie chart form a block.

7. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: At least two of the areas form a block, and the areas in the same block are used to display characters corresponding to preset lesion features representing the same lesion state.

8. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein: When the target area is the thyroid area, the preset lesion features characterizing the same lesion state include the following TI-RADS lesion features: The preset lesion characteristics characterizing the first lesion state are composed of no calcification, no echo, spongy, wider than high, uncertain, smooth, and cystic; the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the second lesion state are composed of coarse calcification, high or equal echo, and a mixture of cystic and solid; the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the third lesion state are composed of low echo, lobed or irregular, peripheral calcification, and solid; the preset lesion characteristics characterizing the fourth lesion state are composed of high than wide, extrathyroidal invasion, punctate strong echo, and extremely low echo.

9. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The preset graph includes a ring graph, the ring graph includes at least one ring, and one ring includes at least two sector rings; the area includes the sector ring, and the block includes the ring.

10. The ultrasound imaging system according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that: The processor is further configured to control the display to display the respective areas of the same block in the same color or pattern, or to display the characters corresponding to the preset lesion features in the respective areas of the same block in the same color.

11. The ultrasonic imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The first manner of differentiated display includes: highlight display, flashing display, additional symbol display, differentiated background color display or differentiated font color display.

12. The ultrasonic imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 3-11, characterized in that: The processor is also used to: when the target area is the breast area, control the display to display the characters corresponding to the lesion features representing the specific lesion status in the BI-RADS lesion features in a differentiated manner; when the target area is the thyroid area, control the display to display the characters corresponding to the lesion features representing the specific lesion status in the TI-RADS lesion features in a differentiated manner, and the first differentiated display method is different from the second differentiated display method.

13. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: It includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image; The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured, wherein the target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; determining a lesion feature characterizing a specific lesion state among the lesion features of the lesion, wherein the lesion feature characterizing the specific lesion state is a lesion feature characterizing a high possibility that the lesion is a malignant lesion; Controlling the display to display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and differentially displaying characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion state among the target lesion features of the lesion; When the target area is a breast area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one BI-RADS lesion characteristics; when the target area is a thyroid area, the target lesion characteristics include at least one TI-RADS lesion characteristics.

14. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: It includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image; The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; Controlling the display to display characters corresponding to preset lesion features in the same preset graphic, and to display characters corresponding to lesion features that match the target lesion features in the preset lesion features in a differentiated manner; wherein the preset graphic includes at least different areas, and different areas are used to display characters corresponding to different preset lesion features; The preset lesion features include all lesion features in the evaluation criteria corresponding to the target area or lesion features that characterize a specific lesion state in the evaluation criteria corresponding to the target area.

15. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: It includes a probe, a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a processor and a display, wherein: The transmitting circuit is used to stimulate the probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the object under test; The receiving circuit is used to control the probe to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; The processor is used to process the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain an ultrasonic image; The processor is further configured to: acquire an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; determining a lesion feature characterizing a specific lesion state among the lesion features of the lesion, wherein the lesion feature characterizing the specific lesion state is a lesion feature characterizing a high possibility that the lesion is a malignant lesion; The display is controlled to display characters corresponding to the target lesion features of the lesion in a preset graphic, and characters corresponding to lesion features representing a specific lesion state in the target lesion features of the lesion are differentiated and displayed.

16. An ultrasonic image analysis method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; Displaying characters corresponding to preset lesion features in a preset graphic, and displaying characters corresponding to lesion features among the preset lesion features that match the target lesion features in a differentiated manner in a first manner; wherein the preset graphic includes different areas, and different areas are used to display characters corresponding to different preset lesion features; The preset lesion features include all lesion features in the evaluation criteria corresponding to the target area or lesion features that characterize a specific lesion state in the evaluation criteria corresponding to the target area.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that The target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area. When the target area is the breast area, the preset lesion characteristics include BI-RADS lesion characteristics. When the target area is the thyroid area, the preset lesion characteristics include TI-RADS lesion characteristics.

18. An ultrasonic image analysis method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Acquiring an ultrasonic image of a target area of ​​the object being measured; detecting a lesion in the ultrasound image and identifying target lesion features of the lesion; Characters corresponding to the target lesion characteristics of the lesion are displayed in a preset graphic, and characters corresponding to the lesion characteristics representing a specific lesion state in the target lesion characteristics of the lesion are differentiated and displayed, wherein the lesion characteristics representing a specific lesion state are lesion characteristics that are more likely to represent a malignant lesion.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that The target area includes a thyroid area or a breast area. When the target area is the breast area, the target lesion feature includes a BI-RADS lesion feature. When the target area is the thyroid area, the target lesion feature includes a TI-RADS lesion feature.

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