Functional ultrasonic imaging method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention is suitable for the technical field of medical imaging, and provides a functional ultrasonic imaging method and device, electronic equipment and a storage medium. Dividing the electrocardiosignal to obtain a cardiac cycle; and performing functional ultrasonic imaging by taking the cardiac cycle as gating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of medical imaging, and in particular, relates to a functional ultrasound imaging method and device, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Functional ultrasound imaging is a technology that uses ultrasound to observe vascular blood volume (CBV), and its principle is the Doppler effect. The ultrasound probe emits pulsed ultrasound of a certain frequency and intensity, which will be reflected when encountering human tissue. The moving parts in human tissue include moving structures (such as heart valves) and moving scattering subsets (such as red blood cells).

[0003] Taking energy Doppler imaging as an example, continuously acquired ultrasound images can be grouped, with the group including multiple ultrasound images having the same resolution, so that the pixel values ​​of each pixel in the multiple images in the group form a sequence. The sequence is subjected to high-pass filtering to filter out lower frequency signals, i.e., signals returned from the stationary part, thereby obtaining motion information of the moving part.

[0004] Functional ultrasound imaging generally combines the echo signals of multiple consecutive pulsed ultrasound waves to form a frame of functional image. The grouping method will affect the effect of functional imaging. In related technologies, there is no clear restriction on the grouping method. For example, simply grouping according to the number of pulses required for imaging has an adverse effect on the effect of functional imaging. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a functional ultrasound imaging method and device, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can solve the problem in the related art that the grouping method has an adverse effect on the effect of functional imaging.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a functional ultrasound imaging method, the method comprising: acquiring an electrocardiogram signal; dividing the electrocardiogram signal to obtain a cardiac cycle; and performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate.

[0007] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a functional ultrasound imaging device, which includes: an acquisition module for acquiring electrocardiogram signals; a division module for dividing the electrocardiogram signals to obtain cardiac cycles; and an imaging module for performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate.

[0008] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the processor implements the functional ultrasound imaging method described in the first aspect when executing the computer program.

[0009] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the functional ultrasound imaging method described in the first aspect.

[0010] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product. When the computer program product is run on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the functional ultrasound imaging method described in the first aspect above.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present application have the following beneficial effects: by acquiring an electrocardiogram signal; dividing the electrocardiogram signal to obtain a cardiac cycle; and performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate. Since the moving parts mainly detected by functional ultrasound imaging include blood flow in blood vessels and moving structures in the heart (including distal blood flow such as the brain), the movements of these parts are all affected by the periodic beating of the heart. Performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate, that is, controlling the ultrasound grouping based on functional ultrasound imaging to align with the cardiac cycle, reduces the error between different functional images caused by the periodic beating of the heart and improves the quality of functional ultrasound imaging. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0013] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a functional ultrasound imaging method provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of a functional ultrasound imaging device provided in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the following description, specific details such as specific system structures, technologies, etc. are provided for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the present application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted to prevent unnecessary details from obstructing the description of the present application.

[0017] It should be understood that when used in the present specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0018] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” used in the specification and appended claims refers to any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes these combinations.

[0019] As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the term "if" can be interpreted as "when" or "uponce" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting", depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "uponce it is determined" or "in response to determining" or "uponce [described condition or event] is detected" or "in response to detecting [described condition or event]", depending on the context.

[0020] In addition, in the description of the present application specification and the appended claims, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in the specification of this application mean that one or more embodiments of the present application include specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment. Therefore, the statements "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

[0022] The functional ultrasound imaging method provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to electronic devices, including but not limited to servers, server clusters, mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, personal digital assistants, wearable devices and other electronic devices with computing functions. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on the specific types of electronic devices.

[0023] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a partial structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1, the electronic device includes: a processor 10, a memory 20, a bus 30, an input device 40, an output device 50 and a communication device 60. The processor 10 and the memory 20 are connected to each other through the bus 30, and the input device 40, the output device 50 and the communication device 60 are also connected to the bus 30. Those skilled in the art can understand that Figure 1 The structure of the electronic device shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation of the electronic device, and may include more or less components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0024] Combine the following Figure 1 A detailed introduction to the various components of electronic equipment:

[0025] The processor 10 is the control center of the electronic device, and can run the program stored in the memory 20 to perform various functions and process data. The processor 10 can be a central processing unit (CPU), and the processor 10 can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 10 may include an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, which is used to process computing operations related to artificial intelligence.

[0026] The memory 20 is used to store an operating system, an application program, a boot loader, data, and other programs, such as program codes of computer programs. The memory 20 can also be used to temporarily store data required for executing the program and generated. The memory 20 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a hard disk, a multimedia card, a card-type memory, etc. The memory 20 may include a storage unit disposed inside the electronic device, such as a hard disk of the electronic device, and / or a removable external storage unit, such as a mobile hard disk, a USB flash drive, a smart memory card (Smart Media Card, SMC), a secure digital (Secure Digital, SD) card, etc.

[0027] The input device 40 may include at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a joystick, etc., and is used to collect user input operations to generate corresponding operation instructions.

[0028] The output device 50 is used to output information to be provided to the user. The output device 50 generally includes a display, and optionally, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), etc. can be used. In addition, the output device can further include a speaker.

[0029] The communication device 60 may include a modem, a network card, etc., for establishing a network connection with other electronic devices and communicating with each other.

[0030] Optionally, the electronic device further includes an ultrasonic acquisition device or is connected to the ultrasonic acquisition device via the communication device 60 to acquire ultrasonic images.

[0031] Optionally, the electronic device further includes an ECG acquisition device or is connected to the ECG acquisition device via the communication device 60 to acquire ECG signals.

[0032] The functional ultrasound imaging method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, the embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, and the computer program contains program code for executing the method shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from the network through the communication device 60, and / or installed from a removable external storage unit. When the computer program is executed by the processor 10, the various functions defined in the functional ultrasound imaging method provided in the embodiment of the present application are implemented.

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart of a functional ultrasound imaging method provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. As an example but not a limitation, the method can be applied to the above-mentioned electronic device.

[0034] S1: Obtain ECG signal.

[0035] The functional ultrasound imaging method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be real-time, that is, imaging is performed in real time during the ultrasonic examination of the detection object, specifically including the emission and reception of pulsed ultrasound waves; it can also be non-real-time, which can also be called offline, that is, imaging is performed after the ultrasonic examination of the detection object has been completed, and there is no limitation here.

[0036] The ECG signal of the test object can be acquired through the ECG acquisition device, and the process of acquiring the ECG signal is carried out synchronously with the process of ultrasonic examination.

[0037] S2: Divide the ECG signal to obtain cardiac cycles.

[0038] Since the ECG signal plays a gating role in the embodiment of the present application, we focus on the cardiac cycle itself rather than the details of the ECG signal. To improve efficiency and save resources, a trigger signal can be output when a fixed point in the cardiac cycle is detected. The trigger signal plays a role in dividing the boundaries of adjacent cardiac cycles, thereby locating each cardiac cycle. For ease of detection, the fixed point can be point R in the ECG signal.

[0039] A feasible way to identify the R point is to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the ECG signal before identification. The specific identification algorithm is not limited here. This method consumes high power because it needs to perform analog-to-digital conversion and storage on the ECG signal itself.

[0040] Since the details of the ECG signal are not required in the embodiment of the present application, it is only necessary to locate point R, that is, the maximum point in the cardiac cycle. Optionally, in order to reduce power consumption, an analog comparator can be used to replace the analog-to-digital converter and the R point identification part in the above method. Specifically, the input of the analog comparator includes a reference signal output by the calibration circuit and an ECG signal that has been high-pass filtered. The high-pass filter here is to eliminate possible misjudgments caused by T waves. The output result of the analog comparator is obtained, and a trigger signal is output when the output result indicates that the voltage value of the ECG signal is greater than the voltage value of the reference signal. Specifically, the output of the analog comparator can be connected to the input port of a processor, and the output trigger signal is determined according to the level value of the port.

[0041] It can be seen that the recognition effect of the above analog comparator on point R is determined by the voltage value of the reference signal. Theoretically, the voltage value should be lower than point R in the ECG signal, but higher than other parts. However, different detection objects, different ECG acquisition devices and methods may affect the voltage value of the ECG signal. Therefore, before outputting the trigger signal, the reference signal output by the calibration circuit can be self-calibrated.

[0042] The self-calibration may include the following processes: setting the voltage value of the reference signal to an initial value, and collecting output results, the output result corresponding to the initial value continues to be the first value; adjusting the voltage value of the reference signal according to a preset step length, and collecting output results until the output result continues to be the second value; calling back the voltage value of the reference signal by a preset step length to complete the self-calibration of the reference signal. The first value and the second value are different, one of which indicates that the voltage value of the electrocardiogram signal is greater than the voltage value of the reference signal, and the other indicates that the voltage value of the electrocardiogram signal is less than the voltage value of the reference signal.

[0043] S3: Functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as gating.

[0044] The collected ultrasound images can be grouped according to the trigger signal to obtain a grouping result, and then functional ultrasound imaging can be performed based on the grouping result.

[0045] One case is that the frame rate of ultrasound functional imaging is fixed, that is, ultrasound images are acquired at a fixed frame rate, and ultrasound images are grouped according to a fixed number, and functional ultrasound imaging is performed in groups. In this case, the trigger signal serves as an additional grouping marker, and when the trigger signal is received, a new grouping starts with the current ultrasound image as the starting point.

[0046] For example, without introducing a trigger signal, a current group can be set to temporarily store the acquired ultrasound images. When the number of images in the current group reaches the set number, the ultrasound images in the current group can be used for functional imaging and then the current group can be cleared. When a trigger signal is introduced, when a trigger signal is received, the current group can be cleared to start a new round of cache, so that the grouping of ultrasound functional imaging is aligned with the cardiac cycle as much as possible.

[0047] When a trigger signal is received, it can be determined whether it is necessary to first use the ultrasound images in the current group for functional imaging and then clear the current group based on the ratio of the number of images in the current group to the set number. Specifically, if the ratio is greater than or equal to 1, functional imaging can be performed directly without additional operations; if the ratio is greater than or equal to the set threshold and less than 1, the ultrasound images in the current group can be supplemented to the set number by filling frames (such as interpolation filling frames) and then functional imaging can be performed; if the ratio is less than the set threshold, functional imaging can be abandoned and the current group can be directly cleared.

[0048] In addition, there may be a situation where the ECG frequency is significantly greater than the frame rate of ultrasonic functional imaging, such as imaging of an embryo with a very fast heart rate. In this case, the length of the cardiac cycle is significantly less than the time required to collect the number of ultrasonic images required for functional imaging, resulting in the calculated ratio being less than the set threshold each time a trigger signal is received, and functional imaging cannot be performed. Therefore, additional judgments can be introduced to avoid the occurrence of the above-mentioned anomalies. Specifically, when a trigger signal is received, it can be determined whether the cache condition is met. If so, the currently collected ultrasonic image continues to be stored in the current group. The cache condition includes that no functional ultrasonic imaging is performed during the period when the trigger signal is received continuously for a set number of times.

[0049] In another case, for example, some cases where the sampling time nodes are not required to be strict, that is, strict equidistant sampling is not required, and considering that the ECG cycle is not completely fixed, it is possible to consider grouping completely based on the cardiac cycle and perform functional ultrasound imaging with non-fixed group length.

[0050] Specifically, it is possible to determine in real time whether a trigger signal is received during the process of acquiring ultrasound images. When no trigger signal is received, the currently acquired ultrasound images are stored in the current group; when a trigger signal is received, functional ultrasound imaging is performed on the ultrasound images in the current group and then the current group is cleared.

[0051] Through the implementation of this embodiment, an ECG signal is acquired; the ECG signal is divided to obtain the cardiac cycle; and functional ultrasound imaging is performed using the cardiac cycle as a gate. Since the moving parts mainly detected by functional ultrasound imaging include the blood flow in the blood vessels and the moving structures in the heart, the movements of these parts are all affected by the periodic beating of the heart. Functional ultrasound imaging is performed using the cardiac cycle as a gate, that is, the ultrasound grouping based on the functional ultrasound imaging is controlled to align with the cardiac cycle, thereby reducing the error between different functional images caused by the periodic beating of the heart and improving the quality of functional ultrasound imaging. Functional ultrasound imaging technology is mainly used for brain function imaging. Therefore, in periods when brain function and cardiac blood flow are highly correlated, such as the embryonic development stage, the effect of ECG gating on improving the quality of functional ultrasound imaging is particularly obvious.

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a functional ultrasound imaging device provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. The functional ultrasound imaging device includes an acquisition module 11, a division module 12 and an imaging module 13.

[0053] An acquisition module 11, used for acquiring an electrocardiogram signal;

[0054] A division module 12, used for dividing the ECG signal to obtain cardiac cycles;

[0055] The imaging module 13 is used to perform functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate.

[0056] It should be noted that the information interaction, execution process, etc. between the above-mentioned devices / modules / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiment of the present application. Their specific functions and technical effects can be found in the method embodiment part and will not be repeated here.

[0057] It should be understood that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the above embodiments does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0058] The technicians in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional units and modules is used as an example for illustration. In practical applications, the above-mentioned function allocation can be completed by different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiment can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units. In addition, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for the convenience of distinguishing each other, and are not used to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above-mentioned system can refer to the corresponding process in the aforementioned method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0059] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps in the above-mentioned method embodiments can be implemented.

[0060] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the present application implements all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment method, which can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the above-mentioned various method embodiments can be implemented. Among them, the computer program includes computer program code, and the computer program code can be in source code form, object code form, executable file or some intermediate form. The computer-readable medium may at least include: any entity or device that can carry the computer program code to the camera / electronic device, recording medium, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, RandomAccess Memory), electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal and software distribution medium. For example, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a magnetic disk or an optical disk. In some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media cannot be electric carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0061] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described or recorded in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0062] Those of ordinary skill 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 to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0063] In the embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices / network equipment and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device / network equipment embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules or units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0064] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0065] The embodiments described above are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some of the technical features may be replaced by equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A functional ultrasound imaging method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Obtain ECG signals; Dividing the electrocardiogram signal to obtain cardiac cycles; Functional ultrasound imaging was performed using the cardiac cycle as a gate.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The dividing the electrocardiogram signal to obtain the cardiac cycle comprises: A trigger signal is output when a fixed point in the cardiac cycle is detected.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate comprises: When the trigger signal is not received, the currently acquired ultrasound images are stored in the current group, and when the number of the ultrasound images in the current group is greater than or equal to the set number, the ultrasound images in the current group are subjected to the functional ultrasound imaging and then the current group is cleared; When the trigger signal is received, the current group is cleared after processing according to the number of the ultrasound images in the current group.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The processing according to the number of the ultrasound images in the current group comprises: Calculating a ratio of the number of the ultrasound images in the current group to the set number; When the ratio is greater than or equal to 1, performing the functional ultrasound imaging on the ultrasound images in the current group; When the ratio is greater than or equal to a set threshold and less than 1, performing the functional ultrasound imaging on the ultrasound images in the current group after supplementing the ultrasound images in the current group to the set number; When the ratio is less than the set threshold, the functional ultrasound imaging is not performed.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate also includes: When the trigger signal is received, it is determined whether a cache condition is met. If so, the currently acquired ultrasound image continues to be stored in the current group. The cache condition includes that the functional ultrasound imaging is not performed during the period when the trigger signal is received continuously for a set number of times.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate comprises: When the trigger signal is not received, storing the currently acquired ultrasound image into the current group; When the trigger signal is received, the functional ultrasound imaging is performed on the ultrasound images in the current group and then the current group is cleared.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The fixed point is point R.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The outputting of a trigger signal when a fixed point in the cardiac cycle is detected comprises: Obtaining an output result of an analog comparator, wherein the input of the analog comparator includes a reference signal output by a calibration circuit and the electrocardiogram signal after high-pass filtering; The trigger signal is output when the output result indicates that the voltage value of the electrocardiographic signal is greater than the voltage value of the reference signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that Before outputting the trigger signal when the output result indicates that the voltage value of the electrocardiogram signal is greater than the voltage value of the reference signal, the method further includes: Setting the voltage value of the reference signal as an initial value, and collecting the output result, wherein the output result corresponding to the initial value continues to be a first value; Adjusting the voltage value of the reference signal according to a preset step size, and collecting the output result until the output result is continuously a second value; The voltage value of the reference signal is adjusted back to the preset step size to complete the self-calibration of the reference signal.

10. A functional ultrasound imaging device, characterized in that: The device comprises: An acquisition module, used for acquiring electrocardiogram signals; A division module, used for dividing the electrocardiogram signal to obtain cardiac cycles; An imaging module is used for performing functional ultrasound imaging using the cardiac cycle as a gate.

11. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, characterized in that: When the processor executes the computer program, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is implemented.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is implemented.

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