Ultrasound imaging method and ultrasound device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of medical equipment, and discloses an ultrasonic imaging method and ultrasonic equipment. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams generated by ultrasonic emission of an ultrasonic probe each time for a target part; dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to a preset grouping mode to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set; performing non-coherent compound processing on the first echo beam set to obtain a non-coherent processing result, and performing coherent compound processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result; fusing the non-coherent processing result and the coherent processing result to obtain a target echo beam; and performing imaging processing on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasonic image. Through implementation of the technical scheme, image errors caused by phase problems near a transmission focal zone can be reduced to the maximum extent, and the accuracy of focused imaging is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, specifically to an ultrasound imaging method and ultrasound equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In an ultrasound imaging system, a two-dimensional ultrasound image is typically obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound echo signals at multiple locations. Specifically, an ultrasound probe is placed on the area to be examined, and ultrasound waves are transmitted at multiple locations on the area to be examined, while the echo signals returned from the area are received. The received ultrasound echo signals are then processed, and the echo signals obtained from multiple transmissions are coherently composited. Finally, the signals obtained after coherent composite processing are processed to generate an image, ultimately producing a two-dimensional ultrasound image.

[0003] However, the above methods all assume that ultrasound waves propagate as spherical waves. By coherently combining ultrasound echo signals from multiple locations, equivalent full-depth emission focusing can be achieved. However, the assumption of spherical wave propagation only holds true within a certain range. Near the emission focal zone, the spherical wave assumption does not hold true. If coherent combining is still performed at the emission focal zone, the actual generated ultrasound image will be inaccurate. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound imaging method and an ultrasound device to solve the problem of inaccurate ultrasound image generation.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound imaging method, comprising: acquiring multiple sets of ultrasound echo beams generated by an ultrasound probe each time it emits ultrasound at a target location; dividing the multiple sets of ultrasound echo beams according to a preset grouping method to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set, wherein the multiple sets of ultrasound echo beams in the first echo beam set are different from the multiple sets of ultrasound echo beams in the second echo beam set; performing incoherent composite processing on the first echo beam set to obtain an incoherent processing result, and performing coherent composite processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result; fusing the incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result to obtain a target echo beam; and performing imaging processing on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasound image.

[0006] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this invention divides multiple ultrasonic echo beams, performs incoherent composite on some ultrasonic echo beams and coherent composite on others, and then fuses the two to obtain the target echo beam. This can minimize image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area, and at the same time solve image problems at the emission focal area while placing the emission focus within the imaging area, thus ensuring image consistency and accuracy within the imaging range.

[0007] In one optional implementation, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to the transmission focal area, and dividing multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping method to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set, including: obtaining the transmission focal area of ​​the ultrasonic probe; and dividing multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams based on the transmission focal area to obtain a first echo beam set within the transmission focal area and a second echo beam set outside the transmission focal area.

[0008] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this invention can avoid image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area by dividing the ultrasonic echo beam according to the emission focal area and performing different composite processing on the ultrasonic echo beam.

[0009] In one optional implementation, obtaining the emission focal area of ​​the ultrasonic probe includes: obtaining imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasonic probe; determining the ultrasonic field distribution corresponding to the ultrasonic probe based on the imaging parameters; and delineating the emission focal area and non-emission focal area of ​​the ultrasonic probe according to the ultrasonic field distribution.

[0010] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention defines the corresponding emission focal zone and non-emission focal zone positions according to imaging parameters. This reduces the image quality loss in non-emission focal zone positions caused by erroneous incoherent compounding processing, thereby further improving the imaging accuracy and quality.

[0011] In one alternative implementation, acquiring imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe includes: determining the imaging parameters of the ultrasound probe based on the parameter setting operation in response to the parameter setting operation of the ultrasound probe.

[0012] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention supports flexible setting of imaging parameters, making it easy to adjust the imaging parameters according to actual usage conditions.

[0013] In one optional implementation, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to odd and even transmission times, and dividing multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping method to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set, including: obtaining the ultrasonic transmission time corresponding to each group of ultrasonic echo beams, wherein the ultrasonic transmission time is the odd number or the even number; and grouping multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams based on the odd number or the even number of ultrasonic transmission times to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set.

[0014] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention divides the ultrasound echo beam according to odd and even emission to perform different composite processing on the ultrasound echo beam. This allows the emission focus to be placed within the imaging area while avoiding image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area by combining coherent composite and incoherent composite.

[0015] In one optional implementation, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to the beam receiving position, and dividing multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping method to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set, including: obtaining the receiving position of each group of ultrasonic echo beams; and dividing multiple groups of ultrasonic echo beams into groups based on the receiving position to obtain a first echo beam set with different receiving positions and a second echo beam set with the same receiving position.

[0016] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this invention divides the ultrasonic echo beam according to the receiving position and performs different composite processing on the ultrasonic echo beam. This enables the acquisition of a strong echo signal by placing the emission focus within the imaging area. At the same time, it combines coherent composite and incoherent composite to solve image problems at the emission focal area and avoids image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area to the greatest extent.

[0017] In one optional implementation, the preset grouping method includes any two or three of the following: grouping by transmission focal area, grouping by odd and even transmission times, and grouping by beam receiving position.

[0018] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this invention solves the image problem at the emission focal zone by combining multiple grouping methods.

[0019] In one optional implementation, the first echo beam set is subjected to incoherent composite processing to obtain an incoherent processing result, and the second echo beam set is subjected to coherent composite processing to obtain a coherent processing result. This includes: obtaining a first weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set, and a second weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set; performing incoherent composite processing on each ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set according to each first weighting coefficient to obtain an incoherent processing result; and performing coherent composite processing on each ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set according to each second weighting coefficient to obtain a coherent processing result.

[0020] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention performs weighted coherent or incoherent composite of grouped ultrasound echo beams within the group, which can avoid grid line problems at the emission focal area due to inconsistent beam energy, and further improve the imaging quality of the image.

[0021] In one optional implementation, the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results are fused to obtain the target echo beam, including: stitching the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results together to generate the target echo beam.

[0022] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention obtains a complete target echo beam by connecting incoherent processing results and coherent processing results. The target echo beam includes echo beams from the emission focal region and non-emission focal regions, thereby simply and effectively solving the image problem at the emission focal region.

[0023] In one optional implementation, the incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are fused to obtain the target echo beam, including: obtaining the third weighting coefficient corresponding to the incoherent processing result and the fourth weighting coefficient corresponding to the coherent processing result; and weighting and fusing the incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result according to the third weighting coefficient and the fourth weighting coefficient to generate the target echo beam.

[0024] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this invention performs weighted fusion of incoherent processing results and coherent processing results to obtain a complete target echo beam, avoiding image problems caused by inconsistencies between incoherent and coherent processing results, and ensuring the imaging accuracy of the image.

[0025] In one optional implementation, acquiring the ultrasonic echo beam generated by the ultrasonic probe each time it emits ultrasound at the target site includes: acquiring ultrasonic echo channel data generated by the ultrasonic probe emitting ultrasound at different positions at the target site; parsing the ultrasonic echo channel data to determine the ultrasonic echo beam generated by each ultrasonic emission.

[0026] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this invention combines ultrasonic echo channel data to determine the ultrasonic echo beam generated by ultrasonic emission, ensuring accurate acquisition of the ultrasonic echo beam and improving the processing accuracy of the ultrasonic echo beam.

[0027] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound device, including: an ultrasound probe and a display; a processor, communicatively connected to the ultrasound probe and the display, the processor being used to execute the ultrasound imaging method of the first aspect or any corresponding embodiment; and the display being used to display a target ultrasound image.

[0028] The ultrasonic device provided in this invention divides multiple ultrasonic echo beams, performs incoherent composite on some ultrasonic echo beams and coherent composite on others, and then fuses the two to obtain the target echo beam. This can minimize image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area, and at the same time solve image problems at the emission focal area while placing the emission focus within the imaging area, thus ensuring image consistency and accuracy within the imaging range.

[0029] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for causing a computer to perform the ultrasound imaging method of the first aspect or any embodiment of the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of an ultrasound imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic echo beam according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of another ultrasound imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the firing focal zone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of ultrasonic signal composite according to the emission focal zone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of ultrasonic signal composite according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composite of ultrasonic signals according to the receiving position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic flowchart of another ultrasound imaging method according to some embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] In related technologies, to solve the problem of image errors in the focal area during domain focusing, the common methods are to place the emission focus outside the imaging area or to calculate the correct phase of the signal in the focal area using linear interpolation. The former, by placing the emission focus outside the imaging area, leads to a decrease in signal strength and image blurring within the imaging area; the latter, by using linear interpolation to obtain the correct phase in the focal area, involves a complex calculation process and requires significant hardware and time resources.

[0042] Based on this, the technical solution of the present invention can solve the image imaging problem at the emission focal area simply and effectively by grouping the beam data, performing coherent composite on some parts and incoherent composite on others, and then combining the two, while placing the emission focus within the imaging area, thus ensuring the consistency of image performance across the entire imaging range.

[0043] This invention provides an ultrasound device, including an ultrasound probe, a display, and a processor. The processor is communicatively connected to the ultrasound probe and the display. The processor is used to execute the guided ultrasound scanning method described in any of the following embodiments. The display is used to display a guidance area and an image display area. Of course, the function of the display is not limited to this; it can be configured according to actual needs.

[0044] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic device provided in an optional embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic device 100 includes an ultrasonic probe 110, a transmitting circuit 112, a receiving circuit 114, a processor 116, and a display 118. Further, the ultrasonic device may also include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming module 122. The transmitting circuit 112 and the receiving circuit 114 can be connected to the ultrasonic probe 110 via the transmit / receive selection switch 120.

[0045] Specifically, the ultrasound probe 110 is used to generate ultrasound waves that propagate within the target tissue of the target object; the transmitting circuit 112 is used to excite the ultrasound probe 110 to emit a first ultrasound wave toward the target tissue; the receiving circuit 114 is used to control the ultrasound probe 110 to receive the ultrasound echo returned by the target tissue to obtain a first echo signal of the first ultrasound wave; and the processor 116 is used to execute the guided ultrasound scanning method described in any of the following embodiments.

[0046] The ultrasound probe 110 includes a transducer (not shown) composed of multiple array elements arranged in an array. The array elements are used to emit ultrasonic waves according to an excitation electrical signal, or to convert received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals. Therefore, each array element can be used to realize the mutual conversion between electrical pulse signals and ultrasonic waves, thereby enabling the emission of ultrasonic waves to the biological tissue of the target object, and also to receive the echo of ultrasonic waves reflected back from the tissue.

[0047] The transmitting circuit 112 is used to control the ultrasonic probe 110 to emit ultrasonic waves, for example, according to the control of the processor 116, to excite the ultrasonic probe 110 to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target object.

[0048] The receiving circuit 114 is used to control the ultrasonic probe 110 to receive the echo of ultrasonic waves. For example, the ultrasonic probe 110 receives the ultrasonic echo returned from the target object to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal, and can also process the ultrasonic echo signal. The receiving circuit 114 may include one or more amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), etc.

[0049] The display 118 is used for displaying or human-computer interaction, such as outputting visual information and receiving user input. The display 118 includes an input device and at least one display screen. The input device is used to receive user input and may be a keyboard, operation buttons, a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, or a touchscreen integrated with the display screen.

[0050] The memory 124 is used to store various types of data.

[0051] The ultrasound equipment may also include a beamforming module 122. The beamforming module 122 is signal-connected to the receiving circuit 114 and is used to perform beamforming processing on the echo signal, including delay and weighted summation. Because the distance from the ultrasound receiving point in the tested tissue to the receiving array elements varies, the channel data of the same receiving point output by different receiving array elements has delay differences, requiring delay processing to align the phases and perform weighted summation on the different channel data of the same receiving point to obtain the beamformed ultrasound image data. The ultrasound image data output by the beamforming module 122 is also called beam data. The beamforming module 122 performs focusing delay, weighted summation, and channel summation processing on the ultrasound echo data, and then sends it to the processor 116. The processor 116 performs signal detection, signal enhancement, data conversion, and logarithmic compression on the ultrasound echo signal to form an ultrasound image. The ultrasound image obtained by the processor 116 can be displayed on the display 118 or stored in the memory 124.

[0052] The processor 116 can be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, and can 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 can control other components in the ultrasonic device 100 to perform the corresponding steps of the methods in the various embodiments of this specification.

[0053] The display 118 is connected to the processor 116. The display 118 can be a touch screen, an LCD screen, etc.; or, the display 118 can be an independent display such as an LCD screen or a television, separate from the ultrasound device 100; or, the display 118 can be the screen of an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet, etc. The number of displays 118 can be one or more.

[0054] The display 118 can display the ultrasound images obtained by the processor 116. Furthermore, while displaying the ultrasound images, the display 118 can also provide a graphical user interface for human-machine interaction. One or more controlled objects can be set on the graphical interface, allowing the user to input operation commands using a human-machine 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-machine interaction device can be used to operate these icons to perform specific functions, such as drawing a region of interest bounding box on the ultrasound image.

[0055] Optionally, the ultrasound device 100 may also include other human-machine interface devices besides the display 118, which are connected to the processor 116. For example, the processor 116 may be connected to the human-machine interface device via an external input / output port, which may be a wireless communication module, a wired communication module, or a combination of both. The external input / output port may also be based on USB, bus protocols such as CAN, and / or wired network protocols.

[0056] The human-computer interaction device may include an input device for detecting user input information. This input information may be, for example, control commands for the timing of ultrasound transmission / reception, operational input commands for drawing points, lines, or boxes on an ultrasound image, or other types of commands. The input device may include one or a combination of several of the following: a keyboard, mouse, scroll wheel, trackball, mobile input device (e.g., a mobile device with a touchscreen, a mobile phone, etc.), a multi-function knob, etc. The human-computer interaction device may also include an output device such as a printer.

[0057] The ultrasound device 100 may also include a memory 124 for storing instructions executed by the processor, storing received ultrasound echoes, storing ultrasound images, etc. The memory may be a flash memory card, solid-state memory, hard disk, etc. It may be volatile and / or non-volatile memory, removable memory and / or non-removable memory, etc.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of an ultrasound imaging method is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0059] This embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging method that can be used in ultrasound equipment. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0060] Step S101: Obtain multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams generated by the ultrasonic probe emitting ultrasonic waves at the target area.

[0061] The target site is the location of the human tissue to be examined. The ultrasound echo beam is the echo beam composed of the ultrasound echo signals corresponding to each ultrasound transmission. The receiving position of the ultrasound beam is arbitrary; it can be symmetrical or asymmetrical relative to the ultrasound transmission beam. Specifically, the ultrasound equipment controls the ultrasound probe to transmit ultrasound waves to multiple locations at the target site each time and receives the ultrasound echo beams returned from each location. For example... Figure 3 As shown, by emitting ultrasonic waves to two different locations of the target area through an ultrasonic probe, two sets of ultrasonic echo beams can be received.

[0062] Step S102: Divide multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams according to a preset grouping method to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set.

[0063] Among them, the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams in the first echo beam set are different from the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams in the second echo beam set.

[0064] The first echo beam set consists of ultrasonic beams participating in incoherent recombination; the second echo beam set consists of ultrasonic beams participating in coherent recombination; the preset grouping method is a pre-defined rule for grouping the echo beams. Specifically, the ultrasonic device can divide the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams it receives into a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set using the preset grouping method.

[0065] Step S103: Perform incoherent composite processing on the first echo beam set to obtain an incoherent processing result, and perform coherent composite processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result.

[0066] The ultrasonic echo signals contained in the first echo beamset are processed incoherently according to the incoherent composite method, yielding the corresponding incoherent processing results. Simultaneously, the ultrasonic echo signals contained in the second echo beamset are processed coherently according to the coherent composite method, yielding the corresponding coherent processing results.

[0067] Taking two ultrasonic echo signals as an example, assume that the expressions for the two ultrasonic echo signals are: s1(t) = A1(t) * cos(wt + φ1), s2(t) = A2(t) * cos(wt + φ2). Where t represents time, A1(t) represents the amplitude of ultrasonic echo signal s1(t), A2(t) represents the amplitude of ultrasonic echo signal s2(t), wt represents the angular frequency of the ultrasonic echo signal, φ1 represents the initial phase of ultrasonic echo signal s1(t), and φ2 represents the initial phase of ultrasonic echo signal s2(t).

[0068] The two ultrasonic echo signals s1(t) and s2(t) are combined to obtain the composite signal s(t) = s1(t) + s2(t) = A(t) * cos(wt + φ).

[0069] The amplitude of the signal after incoherent recombination is: noncoherent_A(t)=A1(t)+A2(t), that is, the incoherent recombination signal is:

[0070] The signal amplitude after coherent recombination processing is: That is, the coherent composite signal is:

[0071]

[0072] Therefore, it is evident that the amplitude of an incoherent composite signal is independent of the phase of the participating ultrasonic echo signals, while the amplitude of a coherent composite signal is related to the phase of the two participating ultrasonic echo signals. Thus, incoherent composite processing is used on a subset of ultrasonic echo signals to avoid errors in the focal area image caused by phase issues at the emission focal area when using coherent composite processing on all ultrasonic echo signals.

[0073] Step S104: The incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results are fused to obtain the target echo beam.

[0074] The target echo beam is the ultrasound echo data of the entire scanning area. Since both the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results are for a portion of the echo beams, after obtaining the incoherent processing results for the first echo beam set and the coherent processing results for the second echo beam set, it is necessary to fuse the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results to generate ultrasound echo data of the entire scanning area.

[0075] Step S105: Image processing is performed on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasound image.

[0076] A target ultrasound image is an ultrasound scan image corresponding to a target location. Specifically, the image processor of the ultrasound equipment performs signal and image processing on the target echo beam to generate the corresponding target ultrasound image, which is then displayed on the ultrasound equipment's monitor.

[0077] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this embodiment divides multiple ultrasonic echo beams, performs incoherent composite on some ultrasonic echo beams and coherent composite on others, and then fuses the two to obtain the target echo beam. This can minimize image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area, and at the same time solve image problems at the emission focal area while placing the emission focus within the imaging area, thus ensuring image consistency and image accuracy within the imaging range.

[0078] This embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging method that can be used in ultrasound equipment. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0079] Step S201: Obtain multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams generated each time the ultrasonic probe emits ultrasound at the target area. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0080] Step S202: Divide multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams according to a preset grouping method to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set.

[0081] Specifically, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to the emission focal area. Correspondingly, step S202 above may include:

[0082] Step S2021: Obtain the emission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe.

[0083] The emission focal zone is the area near the focal point of the ultrasonic emission, such as... Figure 5 As shown. Different ultrasound probes have different properties and parameters, resulting in variations in the intensity of the emitted ultrasound beam. Even the same ultrasound probe can be focused at different emission depths by setting different emission parameters. Consequently, the emission focal points of ultrasound probes are not all the same, and the emission focal areas corresponding to the emission focal points are also different.

[0084] In some alternative embodiments, step S2021 includes:

[0085] Step a1: Obtain the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe.

[0086] Step a2: Based on the imaging parameters, determine the ultrasonic field distribution corresponding to the ultrasonic probe.

[0087] Step a3: Determine the emission focal zone and non-emission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe based on the ultrasonic field distribution.

[0088] Imaging parameters characterize the imaging range of an ultrasonic probe emitting an ultrasonic beam for ultrasonic imaging. The emission focal zone can be defined by simulating the ultrasonic field distribution using pre-set imaging parameters. Specifically, this can be achieved through geometric calculations, simulations based on the linear / nonlinear superposition theory of sound fields, or determination using testing methods from testing equipment. The ultrasonic field distribution reveals both the emission focal zone and the non-emission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe; therefore, by combining the ultrasonic field distribution information, the emission focal zone and the non-emission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe can be determined.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the corresponding emission focal area and non-emission focal area positions are defined according to the imaging parameters. This reduces the image quality loss in the non-emission focal area caused by erroneous incoherent compounding processing, thereby further improving the imaging accuracy and imaging quality.

[0090] In some alternative implementations, the preset grouping method can also be to group the data arbitrarily along the imaging depth, and is not limited to the focal area and non-focal area.

[0091] In some alternative embodiments, step a1 above may include: determining the imaging parameters of the ultrasound probe based on the parameter setting operation in response to the parameter setting operation of the ultrasound probe.

[0092] The ultrasound equipment is connected to a monitor that displays the ultrasound probe's parameter settings interface. This interface includes multiple parameter settings, which medical personnel can configure using input devices (touchscreen, mouse, keyboard, etc.) according to their needs. The ultrasound equipment responds to these settings, determining the corresponding imaging parameters. This allows for flexible imaging parameter settings, facilitating adjustments based on actual usage conditions.

[0093] Step S2022: Based on the transmission focal zone, the ultrasonic echo beam is divided to obtain the first echo beam set within the transmission focal zone and the second echo beam set outside the transmission focal zone.

[0094] After determining the emission focal zone and non-emission focal zone corresponding to the ultrasonic probe, the received ultrasonic echo beams can be grouped according to whether they are within the emission focal zone, resulting in a first echo beam set within the emission focal zone and a second echo beam set outside the emission focal zone (i.e., outside the emission focal zone). Subsequently, the first echo beam set within the emission focal zone undergoes incoherent composite processing, while the second echo beam set outside the emission focal zone undergoes coherent composite processing.

[0095] like Figure 6 The diagram shows the composite of ultrasonic echo signals. 1 represents ultrasonic transmission signals from different locations; 2 represents ultrasonic echo beams r1, r2, r3, and r4 calculated from the ultrasonic echo channel data obtained from the first transmission location; and 3 represents ultrasonic echo beams r5, r6, r7, and r8 calculated from the ultrasonic echo channel data obtained from the second transmission location. The middle line represents the range of the transmission focal zone defined according to the simulated ultrasonic field distribution, and the lines on either side represent the range of the non-transmission focal zone defined according to the simulated ultrasonic field distribution. Incoherent composite is performed on the echo data at the transmission focal zone of r3 and r5, and coherent composite is performed on the echo data at the non-transmission focal zone. The composite results of the transmission focal zone and the non-transmission focal zone are then stitched together to obtain beam data b3. Correspondingly, r4 and r6 are processed to obtain beam data b4. r1 and r2 correspond to b1 and b2, respectively, and r7 and r8 correspond to b5 and b6, respectively. b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, and b6 are combined to form the final target echo data.

[0096] Specifically, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to odd and even transmissions. Correspondingly, step S202 above may include:

[0097] Step S2023: Obtain the number of ultrasonic emissions corresponding to each group of ultrasonic echo beams.

[0098] Among them, the ultrasonic emission number is either the odd number or the even number.

[0099] An ultrasonic probe emits multiple ultrasonic waves at a target location. The number of ultrasonic emission counts indicates whether the current emission is an odd or even number of times. Specifically, the number of ultrasonic emission counts can be determined based on the total number of ultrasonic emission counts.

[0100] Step S2024: Based on the odd or even number of ultrasonic transmissions, the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams are grouped and divided to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set.

[0101] In one specific implementation, multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams can be grouped and divided according to the alternation of odd and even ultrasonic transmissions to obtain corresponding first echo beam sets and second echo beam sets. For example, the first and second transmissions can be used as the first echo beam set, and the third and fourth transmissions as the second echo beam set. Alternatively, the first to fifth transmissions can be used as the first echo beam set, and the sixth to tenth transmissions as the first echo beam set. Or, the first to eighth transmissions can be used as the first echo beam set, and the ninth to tenth transmissions as the first echo beam set. This configuration can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs and is not specifically limited.

[0102] In one specific implementation, multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams can be grouped and divided according to the odd and even number of ultrasonic transmissions to obtain corresponding first echo beam sets and second echo beam sets. For example, the first and third transmissions can be used as the first echo beam set, and the second and fourth transmissions can be used as the second echo beam set.

[0103] like Figure 7The diagram shows a partial composite of ultrasonic echo signals. In this diagram, 'a' represents ultrasonic waves emitted from multiple locations, 'b' represents the ultrasonic echo beam calculated from the ultrasonic echo channel data obtained from ultrasonic waves emitted from different locations, and 'c' represents the output beam data after composite processing. Beams 13, 25, 37, and 49 are composited to obtain beam b1. Specifically, beams 13 and 25 can be divided into a first echo beam set, and beams 37 and 49 into a second echo beam set. Then, incoherent composite processing is performed on beams 13 and 25 to obtain result b11, coherent composite processing is performed on beams 37 and 49 to obtain result b12, and finally, incoherent composite processing is performed on b11 and b12 to obtain beam b1.

[0104] Of course, beams 13 and 25 can be divided into a second echo beam set, and beams 37 and 49 can be divided into a first echo beam set. Then, coherent composite processing is performed on beams 13 and 25 to obtain result b11, incoherent composite processing is performed on beams 37 and 49 to obtain result b12, and incoherent composite processing is performed on b11 and b12 to obtain beam b1.

[0105] When b11 and b12 undergo incoherent recombination, corresponding weighting coefficients can be assigned, i.e., b1 = weighting coefficient 1 * b11 + weighting coefficient 2 * b12.

[0106] Of course, beams 13 and 37 can also be grouped together for coherent recombination, and beams 25 and 49 can be grouped together for incoherent recombination. Then, incoherent recombination of the two recombination results is performed to obtain beam b1. The grouping and recombination methods are flexible and not specifically limited here.

[0107] In the above embodiments, by dividing the ultrasonic echo beam according to odd and even emission, different composite processing is performed on the ultrasonic echo beam. This allows the emission focus to be placed within the imaging area while avoiding image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area by combining coherent composite and incoherent composite.

[0108] Specifically, the preset grouping method includes grouping according to beam receiving location. Correspondingly, step S202 above may include:

[0109] Step S2025: Obtain the receiving position of each group of ultrasonic echo beams.

[0110] The receiving position is the location of the ultrasonic echo beam corresponding to the ultrasonic transmission. The position of the ultrasonic echo beam obtained from each ultrasonic transmission can be arbitrary; it can be equally spaced and symmetrical about the transmission position, or it can be non-equally spaced and asymmetrical about the transmission position. Therefore, for each ultrasonic transmission, the ultrasonic equipment can receive the ultrasonic echo beam corresponding to each ultrasonic transmission according to the preset ultrasonic echo receiving parameters.

[0111] Step S2026: Based on the receiving position, the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams are grouped and divided to obtain a first set of echo beams with different receiving positions and a second set of echo beams with the same receiving position.

[0112] Based on the receiving location, beams at the same receiving location and beams at different receiving locations can be identified. By grouping multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams according to whether their receiving locations are the same, we can obtain the first set of echo beams with the same receiving location and the second set of echo beams with different receiving locations.

[0113] like Figure 8 The diagram shows a partial composite of ultrasonic echo signals. a represents the ultrasonic transmission signal, b represents the ultrasonic echo beam calculated from the ultrasonic echo channel data obtained from each transmission, and c represents the beam data output after composite processing.

[0114] Beams 13, 25, 37, and 49 are combined to obtain beam b1. Since beams 25 and 37 have the same receiving position, they can be grouped together and coherently combined to obtain b11. Since beams 13 and 49 have different receiving positions, they can be grouped together and incoherently combined to obtain beam b12. Incoherently combining beams b11 and b12 yields the output beam b1. When incoherently combining beams b11 and b12, corresponding weighting coefficients can be assigned, i.e., b1 = weighting coefficient 1 * b11 + weighting coefficient 2 * b12.

[0115] It should be noted that the echo signal is stronger closer to the center of the transmitting line and weaker further away from the center of the transmitting line. In order to obtain a stronger beam signal, the position and beam spacing of the receiving beam can be arbitrarily specified. Figure 8 Beam 13 is calculated from the echo channel data of transmit line t1, and it is located to the right of transmit line t1. Beam 49 is calculated from the echo channel data of transmit line t4, and it is located to the left of transmit line t4. To obtain a stronger beam signal, the receiving position of beam 13 can be set further to the left, closer to the center of transmit line t1; the receiving position of beam 49 can be set further to the right, closer to the center of transmit line t4.

[0116] In the above embodiments, by dividing the ultrasonic echo beam according to the receiving position and performing different composite processing on the ultrasonic echo beam, a stronger echo signal can be obtained by placing the transmission focus within the imaging area. At the same time, coherent composite and incoherent composite are combined to solve the image problem at the transmission focal area, and the image error caused by phase problem near the transmission focal area is avoided to the greatest extent.

[0117] In some optional implementations, the preset grouping method may include any two or three of the following: grouping by transmission focal area, grouping by odd and even transmission times, and grouping by beam receiving position.

[0118] Specifically, the ultrasonic equipment can divide the multiple sets of received ultrasonic echo beams into any two grouping methods. Taking grouping by transmission focal area and grouping by beam receiving position as examples, the ultrasonic equipment groups a portion of the ultrasonic echo beams by transmission focal area, obtaining a first echo beam subset that requires incoherent recombination processing and a second echo beam subset that requires coherent recombination processing. Another portion is grouped by beam receiving position, obtaining a third echo beam subset that requires incoherent recombination processing and a fourth echo beam subset that requires coherent recombination processing. Then, the first echo beam subset and the third echo beam subset are merged into a first echo beam set, and the second echo beam subset and the fourth echo beam subset are merged into a second echo beam set.

[0119] Specifically, the ultrasonic equipment can divide the received multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams according to the three grouping methods described above. A portion of the ultrasonic echo beams are grouped according to their transmission focal areas, resulting in a first echo beam subset requiring incoherent recombination processing and a second echo beam subset requiring coherent recombination processing. Another portion is grouped according to odd and even transmission orders, resulting in a third echo beam subset requiring incoherent recombination processing and a fourth echo beam subset requiring coherent recombination processing. The remaining portion is grouped according to the beam receiving position, resulting in a fifth echo beam subset requiring incoherent recombination processing and a sixth echo beam subset requiring coherent recombination processing. Subsequently, the first, third, and fifth echo beam subsets are merged into the first echo beam set, and the second, fourth, and sixth echo beam subsets are merged into the second echo beam set.

[0120] Therefore, image problems in the emission focal area can be solved by combining various grouping methods.

[0121] Step S203: Perform incoherent recombination processing on the first echo beam set to obtain an incoherent processing result, and perform coherent recombination processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result. For detailed explanations, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0122] Step S204: The incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are fused to obtain the target echo beam. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0123] Step S205: Image processing is performed on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasound image. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0124] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this embodiment divides the ultrasonic echo beam and performs different composite processing on the ultrasonic echo beam. At the same time, it can place the emission focus within the imaging area and solve the image problems at the emission focal area by combining coherent composite and incoherent composite. This avoids image errors caused by phase problems near the emission focal area and improves the image accuracy of global focusing imaging.

[0125] This embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging method that can be used in ultrasound equipment. Figure 9 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0126] Step S301: Obtain multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams generated by the ultrasonic probe each time it emits ultrasonic waves at the target area.

[0127] Specifically, step S301 above may include:

[0128] Step S3011: Obtain ultrasonic echo channel data generated by the ultrasonic probe emitting ultrasonic waves at different positions on the target area.

[0129] Ultrasonic echo channel data refers to the echo data returned from each channel of the ultrasonic probe. Specifically, the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic probe are multi-channel, and correspondingly, the ultrasonic echo data is also multi-channel. After the ultrasonic probe emits ultrasonic waves at different locations targeting the target area, it can receive the ultrasonic echo data from each channel returned at those locations and transmit the ultrasonic echo data from each channel to the ultrasonic equipment. The ultrasonic equipment can then acquire the ultrasonic echo channel data generated by the ultrasonic probe emitting ultrasonic waves at different locations targeting the target area.

[0130] Step S3012: Analyze the ultrasonic echo channel data to determine the ultrasonic echo beam generated for each ultrasonic transmission.

[0131] The ultrasonic equipment analyzes the acquired ultrasonic echo channel data to determine the receiving position corresponding to the ultrasonic echo data of each channel. The ultrasonic echo data of each channel is arranged according to the receiving position to obtain the ultrasonic echo beam generated by the ultrasonic transmission.

[0132] Step S302: Divide the multiple sets of ultrasonic echo beams according to a preset grouping method to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0133] Step S303: Perform incoherent recombination processing on the first echo beam set to obtain an incoherent processing result, and perform coherent recombination processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result.

[0134] Specifically, step S303 above may include:

[0135] Step S3031: Obtain the first weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set, and the second weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set.

[0136] The first and second weighting coefficients are pre-set composite weights for each ultrasonic echo beam within the group, based on composite requirements. Specifically, the first and second weighting coefficients can be pre-set by technicians and stored in the ultrasonic equipment. Correspondingly, when the ultrasonic equipment performs weighted composite processing on each ultrasonic echo beam, the pre-set first and second weighting coefficients can be invoked.

[0137] Step S3032: Perform incoherent composite processing on each ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set according to each first weight coefficient to obtain the incoherent processing result.

[0138] Each first weight coefficient is multiplied by the corresponding ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set to obtain the multiplication result. Then, the multiplication result is subjected to incoherent composite processing to obtain the incoherent processing result.

[0139] Step S3033: Perform coherent composite processing on each ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set according to each second weighting coefficient to obtain the coherent processing result.

[0140] Each second weighting coefficient is multiplied by the corresponding ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set to obtain the multiplication results. Then, the multiplication results are coherently combined to obtain the coherent processing results.

[0141] by Figure 6Taking the example shown, beams r3, r5, r4, and r6 can be assigned corresponding weighting coefficients a1, a2, a3, and a4, respectively. Beam r11 is obtained by combining beams r3 and r5, and beam r12 is obtained by combining beams r4 and r6.

[0142] When different weighting coefficients are assigned during composite processing, then beam r11 = a1 * beam r3 + a2 * beam r5; beam r12 = a3 * beam r4 + a4 * beam r6.

[0143] Step S304: The incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results are fused to obtain the target echo beam.

[0144] In some optional implementations, step S304 may include: stitching together the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results to generate the target echo beam.

[0145] like Figure 5 The schematic diagram of ultrasonic echo information composite shown shows that the final composite result, i.e., the target echo beam, can be obtained by directly splicing the incoherent processing result corresponding to the emission focal area and the coherent processing result corresponding to the non-emission focal area.

[0146] In some optional implementations, step S304 may further include:

[0147] Step b1: Obtain the third weight coefficient corresponding to the incoherent processing result and the fourth weight coefficient corresponding to the coherent processing result.

[0148] The third and fourth weighting coefficients are the weights set for the incoherent and coherent processing results, respectively. Specifically, the third and fourth weighting coefficients can be preset and stored in the ultrasound equipment by technicians. Accordingly, when the ultrasound equipment performs weighted fusion processing, the preset third and fourth weighting coefficients can be invoked.

[0149] Step b2: According to the third and fourth weighting coefficients, the incoherent processing results and the coherent processing results are weighted and fused to generate the target echo beam.

[0150] The third weighting coefficient is multiplied by the incoherent processing result, and the fourth weighting coefficient is multiplied by the coherent processing result to obtain the corresponding multiplication result. The two multiplication results are then incoherently combined to obtain the final composite result, which is the target echo beam.

[0151] Step S305: Image processing is performed on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasound image. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0152] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this embodiment combines ultrasonic echo channel data to determine the ultrasonic echo beam generated by the ultrasonic emission, ensuring accurate acquisition of the ultrasonic echo beam and improving the processing accuracy of the ultrasonic echo beam. Weighted coherent or incoherent composite of the grouped ultrasonic echo beams within each group avoids grid line problems at the emission focal area due to inconsistent beam energy, further improving image quality. Simultaneously, weighted fusion of the incoherent and coherent processing results yields the complete target echo beam, avoiding image problems caused by inconsistencies between the incoherent and coherent processing results, further improving imaging accuracy.

[0153] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium in which the methods described in this disclosure can be implemented in hardware or firmware, or implemented as recordable on a storage medium, or implemented as computer code originally stored on a remote storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and subsequently stored on a local storage medium after being downloaded over a network. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. The storage medium may be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium may also include combinations of the above types of memory. It is understood that computers, processors, microprocessor controllers, or programmable hardware include storage components capable of storing or receiving software or computer code that, when accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, implements the methods shown in the above embodiments.

[0154] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging method, characterized by, The method comprises: obtaining a plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams generated by ultrasonic emission of an ultrasonic probe on a target site; dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to a preset grouping manner to obtain a first echo beam set and a second echo beam set, the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams in the first echo beam set being different from the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams in the second echo beam set; performing non-coherent compounding processing on the first echo beam set to obtain a non-coherent processing result, and performing coherent compounding processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result; fusing the non-coherent processing result and the coherent processing result to obtain a target echo beam; performing imaging processing on the target echo beam to generate a target ultrasonic image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The preset grouping manner comprises grouping according to a transmission focal zone, and the dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping manner to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set comprises: obtaining a transmission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe; based on the transmission focal zone, dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams to obtain the first echo beam set within the transmission focal zone and the second echo beam set outside the transmission focal zone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The obtaining the transmission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe comprises: obtaining imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasonic probe; based on the imaging parameters, determining an ultrasonic field distribution corresponding to the ultrasonic probe; delineating the transmission focal zone and a non-transmission focal zone of the ultrasonic probe according to the ultrasonic field distribution.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The obtaining the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasonic probe comprises: in response to a parameter setting operation on the ultrasonic probe, determining the imaging parameters of the ultrasonic probe based on the parameter setting operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The preset grouping manner comprises grouping according to odd or even transmission, and the dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping manner to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set comprises: obtaining an ultrasonic transmission order corresponding to each group of ultrasonic echo beams, the ultrasonic transmission order being an odd order or an even order; based on the odd or even order of ultrasonic transmission, grouping and dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The preset grouping manner comprises grouping according to a beam receiving position, and the dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams according to the preset grouping manner to obtain the first echo beam set and the second echo beam set comprises: obtaining a receiving position of each group of ultrasonic echo beams; based on the receiving position, grouping and dividing the plurality of groups of ultrasonic echo beams to obtain a first echo beam set with the same receiving position and a second echo beam set with different receiving positions.

7. The method according to claim 2 or 5 or 6, characterized in that, The preset grouping manner comprises any two or three of grouping according to a transmission focal zone, grouping according to odd or even transmission, and grouping according to a beam receiving position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, The performing non-coherent compounding processing on the first echo beam set to obtain a non-coherent processing result, and performing coherent compounding processing on the second echo beam set to obtain a coherent processing result comprises: Obtain the first weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the first echo beam set, and the second weighting coefficient corresponding to each ultrasonic echo beam in the second echo beam set; The ultrasonic echo beams in the first echo beam set are incoherently combined according to each of the first weighting coefficients to obtain the incoherent processing result. The ultrasonic echo beams in the second echo beam set are coherently composited according to each of the second weighting coefficients to obtain the coherent processing result.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that, The incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are fused to obtain the target echo beam, including: The incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are spliced ​​together to generate the target echo beam.

10. The method of claim 1 or 8, wherein, The incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are fused to obtain the target echo beam, including: Obtain the third weighting coefficient corresponding to the incoherent processing result and the fourth weighting coefficient corresponding to the coherent processing result; The incoherent processing result and the coherent processing result are weighted and fused according to the third weighting coefficient and the fourth weighting coefficient to generate the target echo beam.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, The acquisition of the ultrasonic echo beam generated by the ultrasonic probe each time it emits ultrasound at the target area includes: Acquire ultrasonic echo channel data generated by the ultrasonic probe emitting ultrasonic waves at different positions on the target area; The ultrasonic echo channel data is analyzed to determine the ultrasonic echo beam generated for each ultrasonic transmission.

12. An ultrasound apparatus, characterized by include: Ultrasonic probe and display; A processor, communicatively connected to the ultrasound probe and the display, the processor being configured to execute the ultrasound imaging method according to any one of claims 1-11; The display is used to show the target ultrasound image.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions for causing the computer to perform the ultrasound imaging method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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