Super-resolution contrast imaging method and ultrasonic imaging system

Abstract

The invention discloses a super-resolution contrast imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging system, and the method comprises the steps: controlling an ultrasonic probe to emit a first ultrasonic wave to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles, and receiving a returned first ultrasonic echo signal; generating a super-resolution contrast image according to a microbubble signal in the first ultrasonic echo signal; displaying a super-resolution contrast image, wherein the super-resolution contrast image comprises a blood vessel structure of a micro blood vessel; determining a first region of interest and a second region of interest in the super-resolution contrast image based on user operation; determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest; obtaining a blood vessel density ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density; and displaying the blood vessel density ratio. By providing the blood vessel density ratio of the first region of interest and the second region of interest, analysis of the disease development state or prognosis effect is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and more particularly to a super-resolution contrast imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging system. Background Art

[0002] Microcirculation refers to the blood circulation between arterioles and venules in the vascular network. It is not only the peripheral part of the circulatory system, but also an important component of the internal organs. Under normal circumstances, the blood flow of microcirculation is adapted to the metabolic level of human tissues and organs to maintain normal life activities and metabolism of the human body. When the metabolism and function of tissues and organs are abnormal, the microcirculation will change to a certain extent. Therefore, microcirculation is closely related to the occurrence and development of diseases. It has important physiological, pathological, pharmacological and clinical significance, and is of great value for the early diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Blockage, obstruction and lesions of microcirculation are precursors to many diseases. Observing changes in microvessels is conducive to the early diagnosis of diseases.

[0003] Ultrasound has the advantages of real-time, non-invasive, economical and portable. Ultrasound contrast imaging can evaluate the blood perfusion of lesions and their tissues. However, ultrasound faces a basic diffraction limit in the far field, that is, when the wave propagates between two objects, they can only be distinguished when the distance between them exceeds half a wavelength, which limits the imaging of many important tissues including microvessels.

[0004] Super-resolution contrast-enhanced ultrasound (SR-CEUS) is a new imaging method with ultra-high spatial resolution. It draws on the principle of fluorescence microscopy positioning technology in optical super-resolution imaging. It locates and tracks the position of contrast agent microbubbles flowing in the microvessels and draws microvascular images with a "microscopic" effect after a period of cumulative superposition. It overcomes the diffraction limit of traditional ultrasound imaging resolution and can obtain micron-level high-resolution images of tiny blood vessels in tissues under non-invasive conditions. It has important clinical value. However, there are currently few tools related to the clinical application of super-resolution contrast imaging. Summary of the invention

[0005] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in the Summary of the Invention, which will be further described in detail in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention does not mean to attempt to define the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor does it mean to attempt to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a super-resolution angiography method, the method comprising:

[0007] Controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles, and receiving a returned first ultrasonic echo signal;

[0008] generating a super-resolution contrast image according to the microbubble signal in the first ultrasonic echo signal;

[0009] displaying the super-resolution angiography image, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a blood vessel structure of microvessels;

[0010] determining a first region of interest and a second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0011] determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest;

[0012] Obtaining a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density;

[0013] The blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

[0014] In one embodiment, determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation includes:

[0015] determining a first region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0016] Reducing the first region of interest according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest inside the first region of interest;

[0017] Alternatively, the first region of interest is enlarged according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest.

[0018] In an embodiment, the first region of interest and the second region of interest are both circular regions, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are respectively a circular region and an annular region.

[0019] In one embodiment, determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation includes:

[0020] determining a first region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0021] Automatically generate the second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest, where the size of the second region of interest is adjustable;

[0022] Alternatively, the second region of interest is automatically generated inside the first region of interest, and the size of the second region of interest is adjustable.

[0023] In one embodiment, the first region of interest and the second region of interest are independently adjustable.

[0024] In one embodiment, determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation includes:

[0025] The first region of interest is determined in the super-resolution contrast image based on a first user operation, and the second region of interest is determined in the super-resolution contrast image based on a second user operation.

[0026] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0027] providing at least two modes for determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest, and determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on different user operations in different modes;

[0028] A currently applied mode is selected among the at least two modes based on a selection operation of a user.

[0029] In one embodiment, determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation includes:

[0030] Determine the first region of interest and the second region of interest of arbitrary shapes based on a tracing operation of a user,

[0031] Alternatively, the first region of interest and the second region of interest of a preset shape are determined based on a box selection operation of the user.

[0032] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0033] At least one of the following information is displayed: the first blood vessel density, the second blood vessel density, the area of ​​the first region of interest, and the area of ​​the second region of interest.

[0034] In one embodiment, the blood vessel density ratio includes a ratio of the first blood vessel density to the second blood vessel density, and / or a ratio of the second blood vessel density to the first blood vessel density.

[0035] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0036] A tissue image of the target tissue is acquired and displayed, and identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are displayed in the tissue image.

[0037] In one embodiment, the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are displayed in a superimposed manner, or the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are displayed independently.

[0038] In one embodiment, determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation includes:

[0039] The first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on a user operation performed on the super-resolution angiography image, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on a user operation performed on the tissue image, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on an overlay image of the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image.

[0040] In one embodiment, determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest comprises:

[0041] Determine the number of first pixel points where microvessels exist in the first region of interest, and obtain the first blood vessel density according to the ratio of the first pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the first region of interest; and

[0042] The number of second pixel points having microvessels in the second region of interest is determined, and the second blood vessel density is obtained according to a ratio of the second pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the second region of interest.

[0043] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0044] The method switches from a tissue imaging mode or a conventional contrast imaging mode to a super-resolution contrast imaging mode, and generates the super-resolution contrast image in the super-resolution contrast imaging mode.

[0045] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a super-resolution angiography method, the method comprising:

[0046] Acquiring and displaying a super-resolution angiography image, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a vascular structure of microvessels;

[0047] determining a first region of interest and a second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0048] determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest;

[0049] Obtaining a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density;

[0050] The blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

[0051] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasonic imaging system, comprising:

[0052] Ultrasound probe;

[0053] A transmitting circuit, used for stimulating the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles;

[0054] A receiving circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to receive the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0055] A processor, configured to execute the super-resolution angiography method as described above to obtain a blood vessel density ratio;

[0056] A display is used to display the blood vessel density ratio.

[0057] The super-resolution angiography method and ultrasound imaging system of the embodiments of the present invention provide a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest, which is helpful for analyzing the disease progression state or the prognosis effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the embodiments of the present invention in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0059] Figure 1 A structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0060] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart showing a super-resolution angiography method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 4 A schematic flow chart of a super-resolution angiography method according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present invention more obvious, the exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0064] In the following description, a large number of specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented without one or more of these details. In other examples, in order to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features well known in the art are not described.

[0065] It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in different forms and should not be interpreted as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0066] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. When used herein, the singular forms "one", "an" and "said / the" are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "consisting of" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0067] In order to fully understand the present invention, a detailed structure will be proposed in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by the present invention. The optional embodiments of the present invention are described in detail as follows, but in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other implementations.

[0068] The occurrence, development or outcome of a disease is first reflected at the microcirculatory level. Taking tumors as an example, the growth of solid tumors is mainly divided into two periods: the avascular period and the vascular period. Tumors in the avascular period mainly rely on diffusion transport to provide oxygen and nutrients to cells and excrete metabolic waste. Tumor invasion and metastasis mainly occur in the vascular period. When certain changes occur in the tumor, some cells in the tumor will transform into angiogenic phenotypes. Cells with angiogenic phenotypes secrete more angiogenic factors and inhibit the expression of anti-angiogenic factors. Angiogenic factors enter the surrounding normal host tissues, bind to receptors on the surface of vascular endothelial cells in the host tissues, and stimulate cell proliferation. At this time, cells in the tumor will also secrete proteases to degrade the basement membrane and extracellular matrix around the blood vessels, help new endothelial cells migrate out of the microvessels, form vascular sprouts, and eventually develop into new blood vessels in the tumor.

[0069] Although tumors in the vascular stage have blood vessels like normal tissues, the function and structural distribution of their blood vessels are often abnormal. After appropriate treatment, the vascular system can be restored to a more normal state, which can generally be reflected in the reduction of blood vessel density and volume, and the vascular system can be rebuilt into a normal vascular network.

[0070] Among them, blood vessel density is an important indicator for measuring tumor angiogenesis. Studies have shown that microvessel density is closely related to tumor grade, proliferation activity and other indicators. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention further quantifies the blood vessel density ratio at the relevant position of tumor blood vessels based on blood vessel density, which can help analyze the tumor development status or prognosis effect.

[0071] Next, first refer to Figure 1 An ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasound imaging system 100 includes an ultrasound probe 110, a transmitting circuit 112, a receiving circuit 114, a processor 116, and a display 118. Further, the ultrasound imaging system may also include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming module 122, and the transmitting circuit 112 and the receiving circuit 114 may be connected to the ultrasound probe 110 through the transmit / receive selection switch 120.

[0073] The ultrasonic probe 110 includes a plurality of transducer array elements, which are arranged in a two-dimensional array, or a convex array. The transducer array element is used to transmit ultrasonic waves according to an excitation electrical signal, or to convert received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals, so each transducer array element can be used to realize mutual conversion between electrical pulse signals and ultrasonic waves, thereby transmitting ultrasonic waves to tissues in a target area of ​​the object to be measured, and can also be used to receive ultrasonic echoes reflected by the tissues.

[0074] When performing ultrasonic imaging, the transmitting sequence and receiving sequence can be used to control which transducer array elements are used to transmit ultrasonic waves and which transducer array elements are used to receive ultrasonic waves, or control the transducer array elements to transmit ultrasonic waves or receive ultrasonic echoes in time slots. The transducer array elements involved in ultrasonic emission can be excited by electrical signals at the same time, thereby simultaneously transmitting ultrasonic waves; or, the transducer array elements involved in ultrasonic beam emission can also be excited by several electrical signals with a certain time interval, thereby continuously transmitting ultrasonic waves with a certain time interval.

[0075] During the ultrasonic imaging process, the transmitting circuit 112 generates a transmission sequence according to the control of the processor 116, and the transmission sequence is used to control some or all of the multiple transducer array elements to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue. The transmission sequence parameters include the number of transducer array element positions used for transmission and the ultrasonic beam transmission parameters, such as amplitude, frequency, number of transmissions, transmission interval, transmission angle, waveform, etc. In some cases, the transmitting circuit 112 is also used to phase delay the transmitted beam so that different transducer array elements transmit ultrasonic waves at different times. The transmission sequence parameters corresponding to different imaging modes may be different. After the ultrasonic echo signal is received by the receiving circuit 114 and processed by subsequent modules and corresponding algorithms, ultrasonic images of different imaging modes can be generated.

[0076] The receiving circuit 114 may include one or more amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, etc. The amplifier is used to amplify the received ultrasonic echo signal after appropriate gain compensation, and the analog-to-digital converter is used to sample the analog echo signal at a predetermined time interval to convert it into a digitized signal. The digitized echo signal still retains amplitude information, frequency information, and phase information. The receiving circuit 114 sends the ultrasonic echo signal to the beamforming module 122 for processing.

[0077] The beamforming module 122 performs focusing delay, weighting and channel summing on the ultrasonic echo signal, and then sends it to the processor 116. The processor 116 performs signal detection, signal enhancement, data conversion, logarithmic compression and other processing on the ultrasonic echo signal to form an ultrasonic image. The ultrasonic image obtained by the processor 116 can be displayed on the display 118 or stored in the memory 124.

[0078] Optionally, the processor 116 may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof, and may use a single or multiple application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a single or multiple general purpose integrated circuits, a single or multiple microprocessors, a single or multiple programmable logic devices, or any combination of the aforementioned circuits and / or devices, or other suitable circuits or devices. Furthermore, the processor 116 may control other components in the ultrasound imaging system 100 to perform the corresponding steps of the methods in various embodiments of the present specification.

[0079] The display 118 is connected to the processor 116, and the display 118 may be a touch screen, a liquid crystal display, etc.; or, the display 118 may be an independent display such as a liquid crystal display, a television, etc., which is independent of the ultrasound imaging system 100; or, the display 118 may be a display screen of an electronic device such as a smart phone or a tablet computer, etc. The number of the display 118 may be one or more.

[0080] The display 118 can display the ultrasound image obtained by the processor 116. In addition, while displaying the ultrasound image, the display 118 can also provide the user with a graphical interface for human-computer interaction. One or more controlled objects are set on the graphical interface, and the user is provided with a human-computer interaction device to input operation instructions to control these controlled objects, thereby performing corresponding control operations. For example, an icon is displayed on the graphical interface, and the icon can be operated by the human-computer interaction device to perform a specific function, such as drawing a region of interest box on the ultrasound image.

[0081] Optionally, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include other human-machine interaction devices in addition to the display 118, which are connected to the processor 116. For example, the processor 116 may be connected to the human-machine interaction device via an external input / output port, and the external input / output port may be a wireless communication module, or a wired communication module, or a combination of the two. The external input / output port may also be implemented based on USB, bus protocols such as CAN, and / or wired network protocols.

[0082] The human-computer interaction device may include an input device for detecting user input information, which may be, for example, a control instruction for ultrasonic transmission / reception timing, an operation input instruction for drawing points, lines or frames on an ultrasonic image, or other instruction types. The input device may include a keyboard, a mouse, a scroll wheel, a trackball, a mobile input device (such as a mobile device with a touch screen, a mobile phone, etc.), a multi-function knob, etc., or a combination of multiple thereof. The human-computer interaction device may also include an output device such as a printer.

[0083] The ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a memory 124 for storing instructions executed by the processor, storing received ultrasound echoes, storing ultrasound images, etc. The memory may be a flash memory card, a solid-state memory, a hard disk, etc. It may be a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, a removable memory and / or a non-removable memory, etc.

[0084] It should be understood that Figure 1 The components included in the ultrasonic imaging system 100 are only exemplary, and the ultrasonic imaging system 100 may include more or fewer components, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0085] Next, we will refer to Figure 2 A super-resolution contrast imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 2 2 is a schematic flow chart of a super-resolution angiography method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] like Figure 2 As shown, a super-resolution angiography method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0087] In step S210, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles, and a first ultrasonic echo signal is received in return;

[0088] In step S220, a super-resolution angiography image is generated according to the microbubble signal in the first ultrasound echo signal;

[0089] In step S230, the super-resolution angiography image is displayed, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a vascular structure of microvessels;

[0090] In step S240, a first region of interest and a second region of interest are determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0091] In step S250, a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest are determined;

[0092] In step S260, a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest is obtained according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density;

[0093] In step S270, the blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

[0094] The super-resolution angiography method 200 of the embodiment of the present invention determines the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on user operation, and provides a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest, which is helpful for analyzing the disease progression state or prognosis effect.

[0095] Specifically, first enter the super-resolution contrast imaging mode to generate and display super-resolution contrast images. Before super-resolution contrast imaging, a contrast agent can be injected into the target tissue. The contrast agent is a solution containing contrast agent microbubbles, which have high echogenicity, that is, have a strong ability to reflect ultrasound. There is a great difference in the echogenicity of the medium in the contrast agent microbubbles and that of human tissues. Therefore, the target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles can produce an ultrasound image with a high contrast due to the high echo difference.

[0096] Exemplarily, before entering the super-resolution contrast imaging mode, you can first enter the tissue imaging mode (i.e., B mode) or the conventional contrast imaging mode. After observing the target tissue in the tissue imaging mode or the conventional contrast imaging mode, start the super-resolution contrast imaging mode, inject a certain dose of pre-configured contrast agent into the target object, and wait for the contrast agent to be infused into the target tissue.

[0097] In the process of super-resolution contrast imaging, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to the target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles, and a first ultrasonic echo signal is received in return. After transmitting the first ultrasonic wave, the transducer array element in the ultrasonic probe receives the echo of the first ultrasonic wave from each receiving point in the target tissue, and converts it into an electrical signal to obtain the first ultrasonic echo signal. Exemplarily, after the transducer array element converts the received ultrasonic wave into an electrical signal, the electrical signal can also be subjected to gain amplification, filtering, analog-to-digital conversion and other processing. Among them, gain amplification is used to compensate for ultrasonic wave attenuation at different depths, filtering is used to filter out noise signals, and analog-to-digital conversion refers to converting analog signals into digital signals for subsequent digital signal processing.

[0098] Next, a super-resolution contrast image is generated based on the microbubble signal in the first ultrasonic echo signal, and the super-resolution contrast image is displayed. The super-resolution contrast image includes a blood vessel structure of microvessels.

[0099] Specifically, the first ultrasonic echo signal is first sent to the beamforming module for beamforming. Beamforming refers to the corresponding delay and weighted summation of signals of different channels in the first ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to each transmission angle, which is the process of transforming channel domain data to receiving imaging grid points.

[0100] Next, super-resolution data processing is performed on the first ultrasound echo signal after beam synthesis to obtain microbubble signals, and super-resolution angiography images are generated based on the microbubble signals. Super-resolution data processing locates and tracks a large number of contrast agent microbubbles contained in the target tissue one by one, thereby realizing microvascular imaging, which can display the overall situation of microblood flow and microcirculation, and overcome the diffraction limit of traditional ultrasound imaging resolution.

[0101] Specifically, super-resolution data processing mainly includes the following steps: First, extract the microbubble signal generated by the contrast agent microbubble from the first ultrasonic echo signal to separate the microbubble signal from the tissue signal. The signal component generated by the tissue reflection is the linear component in the composite signal, which reflects the characteristics of the tissue structure and is called the tissue signal. The signal component obtained by the contrast agent microbubble reflection is the nonlinear component in the ultrasonic echo signal, which reflects the information of the contrast agent microbubble and is called the microbubble signal. Exemplarily, the extraction methods of microbubble signals mainly include the following categories: the first category is based on the nonlinear scattering characteristics of the contrast agent microbubble, such as pulse reversal (PI), contrast pulse sequence (CPS), superharmonic, etc. to extract microbubble signals; the second category is based on the inter-frame difference caused by the dissolution or rupture of the contrast agent microbubble, such as differential imaging (DI), etc. to extract microbubble signals; the third category is based on the flow characteristics of the contrast agent microbubble, such as using singular value decomposition (SVD) spatiotemporal filtering to extract microbubble signals.

[0102] In order to ensure the positioning accuracy, the spatial distribution of contrast agent microbubbles in each frame of data must be sparse enough. Therefore, after extracting the microbubble signal, the microbubble signal is separated to reduce the spatial overlap of the microbubble signal. Specifically, the microbubble signal can be processed using bandpass filters of different frequencies so that the spatially overlapping microbubbles can be distinguished in the frequency domain; or, the microbubble data can be divided into multiple subsets based on the microbubble velocity to achieve the purpose of reducing the microbubble concentration.

[0103] Afterwards, the position of each contrast agent microbubble is determined based on the separated microbubble signal. Since each contrast agent microbubble covers multiple sampling points, the centroid position of each contrast agent microbubble can be used as the position of the contrast agent microbubble. Specifically, the centroid method can be used to obtain the precise centroid position of each contrast agent microbubble through point spread function deconvolution.

[0104] After obtaining the precise centroid position of each contrast agent microbubble, the centroid position of the same contrast agent microbubble at different times is tracked to obtain the positioning information of the contrast agent microbubble. By obtaining multi-frame pairing and tracking of the centroid position of the contrast agent microbubble, the microbubble trajectory of the contrast agent microbubble flowing with the blood can be obtained, which improves the fault tolerance of microbubble extraction and positioning processing. By tracking the contrast agent microbubble in the multi-frame composite signal, the distance and direction of movement of each contrast agent microbubble can be determined, and then the inter-frame displacement information generated by the microbubble signal in the multi-frame composite signal can be determined.

[0105] By locating and tracking the center of mass of contrast agent microbubbles flowing in the microvessels, and after a period of cumulative superposition, a frame of super-resolution angiography image with a microscopic effect can be drawn, thereby breaking through the original ultrasonic diffraction limit and achieving the purpose of super-resolution imaging that can distinguish micron-level microvessels and their blood flow information, thereby realizing super-resolution angiography imaging of microvessels.

[0106] Based on different information of contrast agent microbubbles, the super-resolution contrast image may include a super-resolution density image, a super-resolution velocity image, a super-resolution angle image, a super-resolution density direction image, etc. The super-resolution contrast image of the embodiment of the present invention may include at least one of the above image types. A plurality of super-resolution contrast images may be displayed simultaneously, or some of the super-resolution contrast images may be selected for display.

[0107] Exemplarily, while displaying a super-resolution contrast image, other ultrasound images of the target tissue may also be displayed simultaneously. Among them, other ultrasound images of the target tissue include conventional contrast images, tissue images, etc. By displaying multiple ultrasound images on the same screen, various ultrasound images can complement each other, make up for the limitations of a single ultrasound image, and provide all-round and multi-angle information of the target tissue. When displaying a super-resolution contrast image and other ultrasound images on the same screen, the super-resolution contrast image and other ultrasound images of the target tissue may be displayed separately on the same display interface, or the super-resolution contrast image may be superimposed and displayed on other ultrasound images of the target tissue.

[0108] After the super-resolution angiography image is generated and displayed, step S240 is performed to determine the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on the user operation. The positions of the first region of interest and the second region of interest may be mutually inclusive, mutually independent, or partially overlapping. When the first region of interest and the second region of interest are mutually inclusive, the two may correspond to the core region and the peripheral region of the tumor, respectively. When the first region of interest and the second region of interest are independent of each other, the two may correspond to the target area and the reference area, respectively, wherein the target area may be the tumor area and the reference area may be the normal tissue area.

[0109] Exemplarily, an embodiment of the present invention provides at least two modes for determining a first area of ​​interest and a second area of ​​interest, and selects a currently applied mode from the at least two modes based on a user's selection operation. Different modes determine the first area of ​​interest and the second area of ​​interest based on different user operation methods to meet different needs for the first area of ​​interest and the second area of ​​interest.

[0110] In the first mode, a first region of interest is first determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation, and then the first region of interest is reduced according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest inside the first region of interest, or the first region of interest is expanded according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest.

[0111] In this mode, the ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest is fixed, so it can be called the "VD Ratio-Fix" mode, or the fixed mode. For example, the user draws a circular area in the super-resolution angiography image as the outer edge of the first region of interest, and the circular area automatically shrinks to automatically form the outer edge of the second region of interest. The first region of interest is the annular area between the two circles, and the second region of interest is the circular area inside the annular area. By default, the areas of the first region of interest and the second region of interest are the same and cannot be adjusted. This mode is mainly used to evaluate the blood supply ratio between the peripheral area and the core area of ​​the tumor: if the first region of interest drawn by the user is the peripheral area of ​​the tumor, the shrunken second region of interest is the core area of ​​the tumor; if the first region of interest drawn by the user is the core area of ​​the tumor, the expanded second region of interest is the peripheral area of ​​the tumor.

[0112] It should be noted that in VD Ratio-Fix mode, the first region of interest may include the second region of interest or may not include the second region of interest. For example, if the region of interest drawn by the user is a circle, the first region of interest and the second region of interest are both circular regions, that is, the first region of interest is a larger circular region, and the second region of interest is a smaller circular region inside the first region of interest; or, the first region of interest and the second region of interest are a circular region and an annular region respectively, that is, the second region of interest is a smaller circular region inside, and the first region of interest is an annular region outside the second region of interest.

[0113] In the second mode, a first region of interest is first determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on user operation; then a second region of interest is automatically generated based on the first region of interest, the second region of interest surrounds the first region of interest, or the second region of interest is located inside the first region of interest, and the size of the second region of interest is adjustable.

[0114] In this mode, the ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest is adjustable, so it can be called the "VDRatio-Shell" mode, or the adjustable mode. For example, the user draws a circular area in the super-resolution angiography image as the outer edge of the first region of interest, and automatically generates another circular mark inside or outside the first region of interest. The mark can be displayed as a dotted line or flashing to prompt the user that the mark is adjustable; the user can adjust the circular mark inward or outward to obtain the outer edge of the second region of interest. This mode can be used to evaluate the blood supply ratio between the peripheral area and the core area of ​​the tumor, that is, the first region of interest and the second region of interest correspond to the peripheral area and the core area of ​​the tumor respectively; this mode can also be used for comparative evaluation of perfusion and tumor morphology. For example, the first region of interest and the second region of interest can be selected based on the super-resolution angiography image to characterize the perfusion state of the tumor; the first region of interest and the second region of interest are mapped to the tissue image, and the difference between the tumor morphology and the tumor perfusion state presented in the tissue image can be compared.

[0115] For example, in the VD Ratio-Shell mode, the first region of interest and the second region of interest can be adjusted independently. After the user selects the first region of interest, the size of the second region of interest can be adjusted arbitrarily without affecting the first region of interest; the size of the first region of interest can also be re-adjusted without affecting the second region of interest. In some embodiments, the center positions of the first region of interest and the second region of interest are always aligned.

[0116] In the third mode, a first region of interest is determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on a first user operation, and a second region of interest is determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on a second user operation. Exemplarily, in this process, the first region of interest and the second region of interest may be allowed to partially overlap, or may not be allowed to overlap.

[0117] In this mode, the user can freely draw the first region of interest and the second region of interest. The positions and sizes of the first region of interest and the second region of interest are independent of each other. Therefore, this mode can be called "VD Ratio-Free" mode or arbitrary mode. This mode is mainly used for comparative evaluation between the target area and the reference area, where the target area can be the tumor area and the reference area can be the normal tissue area.

[0118] Exemplarily, when determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on the user operation, the first region of interest and the second region of interest of preset shapes may be determined based on the user's selection operation. The preset shape may be an ellipse, a circle, a rectangle, etc. A plurality of options for preset shapes may be provided on the display interface, and the user may select a desired preset shape from them. In the first two modes, the shapes of the first region of interest and the second region of interest remain consistent; in the third mode, the shapes of the first region of interest and the second region of interest may be the same or different.

[0119] Alternatively, the first region of interest and the second region of interest of arbitrary shapes may also be determined based on the user's tracing operation. Similarly, a tracing option may be provided on the display interface, and after the user selects the tracing option, the first region of interest or the second region of interest may be traced along the tumor boundary so that the shape of the region of interest matches the actual shape of the tumor.

[0120] Exemplarily, the identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are at least displayed in the super-resolution angiography image; exemplarily, the identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest can also be synchronously displayed in the tissue image, so as to facilitate comparative analysis of the tissue morphology and microvascular morphology of the tumor. Taking the tissue image as an example, when the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are superimposed and displayed, the identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are displayed on the superimposed image of the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image. When the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are also displayed separately, the identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are respectively displayed on the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image.

[0121] When determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest in a super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation, the first region of interest and the second region of interest can be determined based on the user operation performed on the super-resolution angiography image, that is, the user can select the first region of interest and the second region of interest on the super-resolution angiography image, and the identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are synchronously displayed on the tissue image, so that the user can compare and analyze the tumor morphology and the microvascular boundary range in the tissue image.

[0122] Alternatively, since the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image have a corresponding relationship, the first region of interest and the second region of interest can also be determined based on the user operation on the tissue image, that is, the user can select the first region of interest and the second region of interest on the tissue image, and the super-resolution angiography image synchronously displays the marks representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest, and the user can compare and analyze the tumor morphology and the microvascular boundary range in the angiography image. If the super-resolution angiography image and the tissue image are displayed in a superimposed manner, the first region of interest and the second region of interest can be determined based on the superimposed image of the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image.

[0123] Next, in step S250, a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest are determined.

[0124] Vessel density (VD) is usually defined as the ratio of the number of microvascular labeled pixels in the region of interest to the total number of pixels in the region of interest, as shown in the following formula:

[0125]

[0126] Therefore, the number of first pixel points where microvessels exist in the first region of interest can be determined, and the first blood vessel density can be obtained according to the ratio of the first pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the first region of interest; and the number of second pixel points where microvessels exist in the second region of interest can be determined, and the second blood vessel density can be obtained according to the ratio of the second pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the second region of interest. Exemplarily, the pixel points where microvessels exist can be determined according to the positioning information of the microbubble signal, or the pixel points where microvessels exist can be determined according to the pixel value of each pixel point.

[0127] In step S260, the vascular density ratio (VD Ratio, VDR) between the first region of interest and the second region of interest is further calculated based on the first vascular density and the second vascular density. Specifically, the vascular density ratio VDR can be the ratio VD1 / VD2 of the first vascular density VD1 to the second vascular density VD2, or the ratio VD2 / VD1 of the second vascular density VD2 to the first vascular density VD1. The vascular density ratio can be used to describe the vascular distribution within and around the tumor, analyze the tumor development status or prognosis; it can also be used to compare the vascular density of the target area with that of the reference area, and measure indicators such as tumor grade and proliferation activity.

[0128] Next, in step S270, the blood vessel density ratio is displayed. Among them, only the ratio VD1 / VD2 of the first blood vessel density VD1 to the second blood vessel density VD2 can be displayed, or only the ratio VD2 / VD1 of the second blood vessel density VD2 to the first blood vessel density VD1 can be displayed, or both can be displayed at the same time. Exemplarily, the blood vessel density ratio and the super-resolution angiography image can be displayed in the same display interface so that the user can view them at the same time. When the user adjusts the position or size of the region of interest, the blood vessel density ratio displayed in the display interface is also updated at any time. Optionally, the blood vessel density ratio and the super-resolution angiography image can also be displayed in different display interfaces.

[0129] Exemplarily, in addition to the vascular density ratio and the super-resolution angiography image, at least one of the following analysis results may be displayed: the first vascular density, the second vascular density, the area of ​​the first region of interest, and the area of ​​the second region of interest. The vascular density ratio and the above analysis results may be displayed in the same analysis result display area. Exemplarily, the display interface may include an image display area and a parameter display area, the image display area is used to display super-resolution angiography images, conventional angiography images, tissue images, etc., and the analysis result display area is used to display analysis results such as the vascular density ratio.

[0130] See also Figure 3 , which shows the display content at each stage of the display interface. First, three modes are provided in the display interface, and the differences between the three modes are prompted by graphics and text; the user selects the VDRatio-Shell mode among the three modes, in which the first region of interest and the second region of interest are in an inclusive relationship, and the ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest is adjustable; in addition, the display interface also displays options for the shape of the region of interest, and the user selects the "Trace" option, that is, the first region of interest is drawn by tracing.

[0131] Next, the user draws a first region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image in the image display area, and a second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest is automatically generated, and the size of the second region of interest is adjustable. Accordingly, the analysis result display area displays the area and / or blood vessel density of the first region of interest, the area and / or blood vessel density of the second region of interest, the area ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest, and the blood vessel density ratio of the first region of interest to the second region of interest.

[0132] In summary, the super-resolution angiography method 200 of the embodiment of the present invention determines the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on user operation, and provides a blood vessel density ratio of the first region of interest and the second region of interest, which is helpful for analyzing the disease progression status or prognosis effect.

[0133] Next, we will refer to Figure 4A super-resolution angiography method according to another embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 4 4 is a schematic flow chart of a super-resolution angiography method 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0134] like Figure 4 As shown, a super-resolution angiography method 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0135] In step S410, a super-resolution angiography image is acquired and displayed, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a vascular structure of microvessels;

[0136] In step S420, a first region of interest and a second region of interest are determined in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation;

[0137] In step S430, a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest are determined;

[0138] In step S440, a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest is obtained according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density;

[0139] In step S450, the blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

[0140] Similar to the super-resolution angiography method 200, the super-resolution angiography method 400 determines the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on user operation, and provides a vascular density ratio of the first region of interest and the second region of interest, which is helpful for analyzing the disease progression state or the prognosis effect. Among them, the super-resolution angiography image can be generated in real time in the super-resolution angiography mode, or it can be obtained from a storage medium or received through a network. This embodiment does not limit the method of obtaining the super-resolution angiography image. Many specific details of the super-resolution angiography method 200 can be applied to the super-resolution angiography method 400, which will not be repeated here.

[0141] The embodiment of the present invention further provides an ultrasound imaging system for implementing the above-mentioned super-resolution contrast imaging method 400. Figure 1 , the ultrasound imaging system can be implemented as follows Figure 1 The ultrasound imaging system 100 shown may include an ultrasound probe 110 , a transmitting circuit 112 , a receiving circuit 114 , a processor 116 , and a display 118 .

[0142] Among them, the ultrasonic probe 110 is used to transmit ultrasonic waves; the transmitting circuit 112 is used to excite the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles; the receiving circuit 114 is used to control the ultrasonic probe to receive ultrasonic echo signals of the ultrasonic waves; the processor is used to execute the super-resolution contrast imaging method 200 or the super-resolution contrast imaging method 400 to obtain the blood vessel density ratio; the display 118 is used to display the blood vessel density ratio.

[0143] Optionally, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a transmit / receive selection switch 120 and a beamforming module 122. The transmit circuit 112 and the receive circuit 114 may be connected to the ultrasound probe 110 via the transmit / receive selection switch 120. The relevant description of each component may refer to the relevant description above and will not be repeated here.

[0144] The above only describes the main functions of the components of the ultrasound imaging system. For more details, refer to the related description of the super-resolution contrast imaging method 200 or the super-resolution contrast imaging method 400. The ultrasound imaging system of the embodiment of the present invention determines the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on the user operation, and provides the blood vessel density ratio of the first region of interest and the second region of interest, which is helpful for analyzing the disease progression state or the prognosis effect.

[0145] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made therein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as required by the appended claims.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0147] In the several embodiments provided by the present invention, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic, for example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed.

[0148] In the description provided herein, a large number of specific details are described. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0149] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present invention and help understand one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, the method of the present invention should not be interpreted as reflecting the following intention: the claimed invention requires more features than the features explicitly stated in each claim. More specifically, as reflected in the corresponding claims, the inventive point is that the corresponding technical problem can be solved with less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the specific embodiment are hereby expressly incorporated into the specific embodiment, wherein each claim itself serves as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0150] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, except for mutually exclusive features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstracts and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or device disclosed in this specification may be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstracts and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that provides the same, equivalent or similar purpose.

[0151] In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, the combination of features of different embodiments is meant to be within the scope of the present invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0152] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as a device program (e.g., a computer program and a computer program product) for executing part or all of the methods described herein. Such a program implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can have the form of one or more signals. Such a signal can be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0153] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference symbol between brackets shall not be construed as a limitation on the claims. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising a number of different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim enumerating a number of means, several of these means may be embodied by the same hardware item. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words may be interpreted as names.

[0154] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present invention or an explanation of a specific embodiment. The protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A super-resolution imaging method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit a first ultrasonic wave to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles, and receiving a returned first ultrasonic echo signal; generating a super-resolution contrast image according to the microbubble signal in the first ultrasonic echo signal; displaying the super-resolution angiography image, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a blood vessel structure of microvessels; determining a first region of interest and a second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation; determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest; Obtaining a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density; The blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

2. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determining of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation comprises: determining a first region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation; Reducing the first region of interest according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest inside the first region of interest; Alternatively, the first region of interest is enlarged according to a preset ratio to automatically generate the second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest.

3. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first region of interest and the second region of interest are both circular regions, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are respectively a circular region and an annular region.

4. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determining of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation comprises: determining a first region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation; Automatically generate the second region of interest surrounding the first region of interest, where the size of the second region of interest is adjustable; Alternatively, the second region of interest is automatically generated inside the first region of interest, and the size of the second region of interest is adjustable.

5. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first region of interest and the second region of interest are independently adjustable.

6. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determining of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation comprises: The first region of interest is determined in the super-resolution contrast image based on a first user operation, and the second region of interest is determined in the super-resolution contrast image based on a second user operation.

7. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: providing at least two modes for determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest, and determining the first region of interest and the second region of interest based on different user operations in different modes; A currently applied mode is selected among the at least two modes based on a selection operation of a user.

8. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The determining of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation comprises: Determine the first region of interest and the second region of interest of arbitrary shapes based on a tracing operation of a user, Alternatively, the first region of interest and the second region of interest of a preset shape are determined based on a box selection operation of the user.

9. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The method further comprises: At least one of the following information is displayed: the first blood vessel density, the second blood vessel density, the area of ​​the first region of interest, and the area of ​​the second region of interest.

10. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The blood vessel density ratio includes a ratio of the first blood vessel density to the second blood vessel density and / or a ratio of the second blood vessel density to the first blood vessel density.

11. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A tissue image of the target tissue is acquired and displayed, and identifiers representing the first region of interest and the second region of interest are displayed in the tissue image.

12. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are displayed in a superimposed manner, or the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image are displayed independently.

13. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: The determining of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation comprises: The first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on a user operation performed on the super-resolution angiography image, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on a user operation performed on the tissue image, or the first region of interest and the second region of interest are determined based on an overlay image of the tissue image and the super-resolution angiography image.

14. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The determining of a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest comprises: Determine the number of first pixel points where microvessels exist in the first region of interest, and obtain the first blood vessel density according to the ratio of the first pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the first region of interest; and The number of second pixel points where microvessels exist in the second region of interest is determined, and the second blood vessel density is obtained according to a ratio of the second pixel point number to the total number of pixels in the second region of interest.

15. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The method switches from a tissue imaging mode or a conventional contrast imaging mode to a super-resolution contrast imaging mode, and generates the super-resolution contrast image in the super-resolution contrast imaging mode.

16. A super-resolution imaging method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Acquiring and displaying a super-resolution angiography image, wherein the super-resolution angiography image includes a vascular structure of microvessels; determining a first region of interest and a second region of interest in the super-resolution angiography image based on a user operation; determining a first blood vessel density of the first region of interest and a second blood vessel density of the second region of interest; Obtaining a blood vessel density ratio between the first region of interest and the second region of interest according to the first blood vessel density and the second blood vessel density; The blood vessel density ratio is displayed.

17. An ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that: include: Ultrasound probe; A transmitting circuit, used for stimulating the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles; A receiving circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to receive the ultrasonic echo signal; A processor, configured to execute the super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 16 to obtain a blood vessel density ratio; A display is used to display the blood vessel density ratio.

Images