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: transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a target tissue in a process of injecting a contrast agent microbubble into the target tissue, and receiving a first echo signal of the ultrasonic wave; obtaining concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different moments according to the first echo signal; according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different moments, generating a time-varying curve of the concentration of the contrast agent microbubbles, and according to the curve, determining a time period for collecting super-resolution data; controlling the ultrasonic probe to emit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue and receive a second echo signal of the second ultrasonic wave within the time period of collecting the super-resolution data; performing super-resolution data processing on the second echo signal to obtain a super-resolution contrast image; and displaying the super-resolution contrast image in a display interface. The time period for collecting the super-resolution data is determined according to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing along with time, and the success rate of super-resolution data collection can be increased.

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] However, due to the diffraction limit of ultrasound in the far field, the ability of conventional clinical ultrasound to display the details of microvascular structure is limited. Super-resolution contrast-enhanced ultrasound (SR-CEUS) is a new imaging method with ultra-high spatial resolution. It draws on the principles of fluorescence microscopy positioning technology in optical super-resolution imaging to locate and track the movement trajectory of isolated microbubbles, thereby constructing a vascular image with a spatial scale at the micrometer level. Therefore, super-resolution contrast imaging technology solves the problem of microvascular display and becomes a powerful tool for observing microblood flow. It is currently widely used in preclinical research in the fields of tumors, microblood perfusion of different tissues and organs, and plaque neovascularization.

[0004] The microbubble concentration of contrast agents is one of the key factors affecting the quality of super-resolution angiography. If the microbubble concentration is too high, it will be difficult to separate the microbubbles and accurately locate the microbubbles, affecting the accuracy of microbubble imaging tracking and microbubble speed and direction estimation; if the microbubble concentration is too low, it will be impossible to collect enough microbubbles in a short time, resulting in poor display of vascular continuity. 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] During the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue and receiving a first echo signal of the ultrasonic waves;

[0008] obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the first echo signal;

[0009] Generating a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and determining a time period for collecting super-resolution data according to the curve;

[0010] During the time period of collecting super-resolution data, controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue, and receiving a second echo signal of the second ultrasound wave;

[0011] performing super-resolution data processing on the second echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image;

[0012] The super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: displaying a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time in the display interface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further includes: in the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image, continuing to obtain the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the second echo signal; and continuing to generate a curve of the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: continuing to display the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time during the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image.

[0016] In some embodiments, the method further includes: displaying a first operation control in the display interface, and in response to a user's operation on the first operation control, entering the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue.

[0017] In some embodiments, after controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave toward the target tissue, the method further includes: displaying a second operation control in the display interface, and in response to the user's operation of the second operation control, ending the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave toward the target tissue; or, in response to the user's operation of the first operation control again, ending the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave toward the target tissue.

[0018] In some embodiments, when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, the first operation control is in a disabled state, and when the concentration information meets the preset conditions, the first operation control is in an available state; or, when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, the first operation control is in a hidden state, and when the concentration information meets the preset conditions, the first operation control is in a displayed state.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the concentration information meets a preset condition, displaying a prompt message for starting to collect super-resolution data.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the concentration information does not meet a preset condition, displaying a prompt message for ending the acquisition of super-resolution data; and / or, when the number of frames of the super-resolution angiography image reaches a preset number of frames, displaying a prompt message for ending the acquisition of super-resolution data.

[0021] In some embodiments, displaying prompt information includes: when the contrast agent microbubbles are in an inflow state and the concentration information reaches a first threshold, displaying prompt information for starting to collect super-resolution data; when the concentration information reaches a second threshold, displaying prompt information for ending to collect super-resolution data; when the contrast agent microbubbles are in a receding state and the concentration information reaches a third threshold, displaying prompt information for starting to collect super-resolution data; when the concentration information reaches a fourth threshold, displaying prompt information for ending to collect super-resolution data.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when it is detected that the concentration information meets a preset condition, automatically entering the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the concentration information does not satisfy a preset condition, automatically ending the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue; and / or, when the number of frames of the super-resolution angiography image reaches a preset number of frames, automatically ending the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue.

[0024] In some embodiments, the preset condition includes: the concentration information is within a first threshold range, or the change rate of the concentration information is within a second threshold range.

[0025] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, including: the concentration information of the current frame satisfies the preset condition, or the current frame and n frames before the current frame all satisfy the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; or, the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all satisfies the preset condition.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: displaying an indicator representing the first threshold range in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time.

[0027] In some embodiments, the concentration information is determined by any one of the following: determining the concentration information by weighted averaging the first echo signals collected within a preset time before a current moment; determining the concentration information by weighted averaging the first echo signals of a current frame and a preset frame before the current frame.

[0028] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after receiving the first echo signal of the ultrasound wave, generating a contrast image according to the first echo signal, and displaying the contrast image in the display interface.

[0029] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a region of interest for generating the super-resolution contrast image according to the contrast image, and obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at the different time instants according to the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest.

[0030] In some embodiments, the display interface includes a first display area and a second display area; the first display area is used to display a curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, and the second display area is used to display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image, or the second display area is used to display the contrast image or the super-resolution contrast image.

[0031] In some embodiments, obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the first echo signal includes: obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles according to an average signal intensity of the first echo signal corresponding to a plurality of position points.

[0032] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a super-resolution angiography method, the method comprising:

[0033] During the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue and receiving a first echo signal of the ultrasonic waves;

[0034] obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the first echo signal;

[0035] Generating a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and displaying the curve in a display interface, wherein the curve is used to determine a target time period for extracting super-resolution data;

[0036] extracting the first echo signal within the target time period;

[0037] Performing super-resolution data processing on the extracted first echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image;

[0038] The super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

[0039] In some embodiments, the method further includes: displaying a third operation control in the display interface, and determining the target time period in response to a user's operation on the third operation control.

[0040] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a time period during which the concentration information meets a preset condition, and prompting to use the determined time period as the target time period.

[0041] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a time period during which the concentration information meets a preset condition, and automatically using the determined time period as the target time period.

[0042] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, including: the concentration information is within a first threshold range, or the change rate of the concentration information is within a second threshold range.

[0043] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, including: the concentration information of the current frame satisfies the preset condition, or the current frame and n frames before the current frame all satisfy the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; or, the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all satisfies the preset condition.

[0044] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: displaying an indicator representing the first threshold range in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time.

[0045] In some embodiments, the target time period includes a first target time period and a second target time period; when the contrast agent microbubbles are in an inflow state, the first target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a first threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a second threshold; when the contrast agent microbubbles are in a subsidence state, the second target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a third threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a fourth threshold.

[0046] In some embodiments, the concentration information is determined by any one of the following: determining the concentration information by weighted averaging the first echo signals collected within a preset time before a current moment; determining the concentration information by weighted averaging the first echo signals of a current frame and a preset frame before the current frame.

[0047] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after receiving the first echo signal of the ultrasound wave, generating a contrast image according to the first echo signal, and displaying the contrast image in the display interface.

[0048] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a region of interest for generating the super-resolution contrast image according to the contrast image, and obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at the different time instants according to the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest.

[0049] In some embodiments, the display interface includes a first display area and a second display area; the first display area is used to display a curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, and the second display area is used to display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image, or the second display area is used to display the contrast image or the super-resolution contrast image.

[0050] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasonic imaging system, comprising:

[0051] Ultrasound probe;

[0052] A transmitting circuit, used for stimulating the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to a target tissue containing contrast agent microbubbles;

[0053] A receiving circuit, used for controlling the ultrasonic probe to receive the ultrasonic echo signal;

[0054] A processor, configured to execute the super-resolution angiography method as described above to generate a super-resolution angiography image;

[0055] A display is used to display the super-resolution angiography image.

[0056] The super-resolution contrast imaging method and ultrasound imaging system of the embodiments of the present invention determine the time period for collecting super-resolution data based on the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, so that the timing of super-resolution data collection can meet the requirements of the contrast agent microbubble concentration, thereby improving the success rate of super-resolution data collection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] 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.

[0058] Figure 1A structural block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0059] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart showing a super-resolution angiography method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a curve of contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a display interface according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 5 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] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] like Figure 2As shown, a super-resolution angiography method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0084] In step S210, during the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, the ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit ultrasound to the target tissue and receive a first echo signal of the ultrasound;

[0085] In step S220, the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times is obtained according to the first echo signal;

[0086] In step S230, a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time is generated according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and a time period for collecting super-resolution data is determined according to the curve;

[0087] In step S240, during the time period of collecting super-resolution data, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue, and a second echo signal of the second ultrasonic wave is received;

[0088] In step S250, super-resolution data processing is performed on the second echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image;

[0089] In step S260, the super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

[0090] The super-resolution angiography imaging method 200 of the embodiment of the present invention determines the time period for collecting super-resolution data based on the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, so that the timing of super-resolution data collection can meet the requirements of the contrast agent microbubble concentration, avoid the difficulty in separating microbubbles and accurately locating the microbubbles due to excessively high microbubble concentration, and avoid the poor display effect of vascular continuity due to excessively low microbubble concentration, thereby improving the success rate of super-resolution data collection.

[0091] Exemplarily, in step S210, the conventional contrast imaging mode is first entered, the ultrasonic probe is controlled to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue, the first echo signal of the ultrasonic wave is received, a contrast image is generated according to the first echo signal, and the contrast image is displayed in the display interface. The contrast image can reflect the perfusion state of the contrast agent microbubbles, and the perfusion state of the contrast agent microbubbles reflected by the contrast image can be used to determine the time for collecting super-resolution data. Exemplarily, before entering the conventional contrast imaging mode, the grayscale imaging mode can be entered first. After the target tissue is observed in the grayscale imaging mode, the contrast imaging mode is started. At this time, a certain dose of pre-configured contrast agent is injected into the patient's body, and the contrast agent is waited for to be perfused into the target tissue.

[0092] Among them, the contrast agent is a solution containing contrast agent microbubbles, which has high echogenicity, that is, the ability to reflect ultrasound. There is a great difference between the echogenicity of the gas in the contrast agent microbubbles and that of human tissues. Therefore, the part containing contrast agent microbubbles can produce an ultrasound image with high contrast due to the high echo difference. Contrast imaging includes extracting the contrast agent echo component in the ultrasound echo signal and suppressing the echo component of the tissue. Among them, different filters can be used to extract different signal components. The signal component generated by tissue reflection is the linear component in the ultrasound echo signal, which reflects the characteristics of the tissue structure and is called the tissue signal. The signal component obtained by contrast agent reflection is the nonlinear component in the ultrasound echo signal, which reflects the information of the contrast agent microbubbles and is called the contrast signal; the first echo signal of the embodiment of the present invention can be a contrast signal and a tissue signal, or it can refer to a contrast signal alone. The tissue image and the contrast image can be obtained by demodulating the linear component and the nonlinear component, respectively, finding the envelope, and transforming the dynamic range. Exemplarily, while displaying the contrast image, the tissue image can also be displayed on the display interface.

[0093] In step S220, the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different moments is obtained according to the first echo signal. Exemplarily, the first echo signal at each moment is used to generate a frame of contrast image, and the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at the corresponding moment can be obtained according to the first echo signal corresponding to each frame of contrast image, or the first echo signal corresponding to some frames of contrast image can be extracted to obtain the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at the corresponding moment.

[0094] Since the first echo signal is an ultrasonic echo signal formed by the reflection of contrast agent microbubbles, the higher the concentration of contrast agent microbubbles, the higher the intensity of the first echo signal. Therefore, the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles can be obtained according to the average signal intensity of the first echo signals corresponding to multiple position points. Exemplarily, each position point corresponds to a pixel point in the contrast image.

[0095] Exemplarily, the region of interest for generating a super-resolution contrast image can be determined based on the contrast image, and the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times can be obtained based on the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest. For example, the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles can be obtained based on the average signal intensity of the first echo signals corresponding to multiple position points in the region of interest. This can eliminate the influence of the first echo signals of non-regions of interest on the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles, thereby ensuring that the concentration of the contrast agent microbubbles in the region of interest meets the requirements of super-resolution data acquisition.

[0096] In some embodiments, the concentration information may be determined based on a weighted average of the first echo signals collected within a preset time before the current moment, or based on a weighted average of the first echo signals of the current frame and a preset frame before the current frame. Obtaining the concentration information by weighted average of the first echo signals for a period of time or multiple frames can stabilize the concentration information, thereby avoiding starting super-resolution data acquisition at an inappropriate time due to abnormal fluctuations in the concentration information, and ensuring the success rate of super-resolution data acquisition.

[0097] In step S230, a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time is generated according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and a time period for collecting super-resolution data is determined according to the curve.

[0098] Furthermore, a curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time can also be displayed in the display interface, and the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time is updated and displayed in real time over time, so that the user can judge the contrast agent microbubble concentration at the current moment. The user can refer to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time to judge whether the contrast agent microbubble concentration at the current moment meets the requirements of super-resolution imaging, and manually start super-resolution data acquisition when the requirements are met. When the user manually starts super-resolution data acquisition, a first operation control can be displayed in the display interface, and super-resolution data acquisition is started in response to the user's operation on the first operation control.

[0099] In order to assist the user in selecting the timing of super-resolution data acquisition, it is also possible to determine in real time whether the concentration information meets the preset conditions. When the concentration information meets the preset conditions, a prompt message for starting the acquisition of super-resolution data is displayed to prompt the user to choose to start super-resolution data acquisition. The prompt message may include text prompts, graphic prompts, etc. For example, a string of "Please start the acquisition of super-resolution data" may be displayed, or the first operation control may be highlighted or flashed, etc., so as to remind the user to start super-resolution data acquisition in time to avoid delaying the timing of super-resolution data acquisition.

[0100] Among them, the preset conditions satisfied by the concentration information include that the concentration information is within the first threshold range. When the concentration information is within the first threshold range, the microbubble concentration is moderate, and the microbubble separation will not be difficult due to the excessively high microbubble concentration, so the microbubble position can be accurately located to avoid affecting the accuracy of microbubble imaging tracking and microbubble speed and direction estimation; and, the microbubble concentration is too low, so that a sufficient number of microbubbles cannot be collected in a short time, thereby ensuring that the super-resolution angiography image has a good display effect of vascular continuity.

[0101] See also Figure 3, a mark representing the first threshold range can be displayed in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time. The mark of the first threshold range includes a mark representing the lower limit value of the first threshold range and a mark representing the upper limit value of the first threshold range, which can be a dotted line parallel to the horizontal axis. When the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time falls between the two dotted lines, it means that the concentration information at this time is suitable for super-resolution data acquisition. Therefore, when the curve rises or falls between the two dotted lines, the user can operate the first operation control to start super-resolution data acquisition.

[0102] Exemplarily, the preset condition satisfied by the concentration information may also include that the rate of change of the concentration information is within a second threshold range, which is reflected in the curve of the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time as the slope of the curve is within the second threshold range. The rate of change of the concentration information reflects the perfusion speed of the contrast agent microbubble, which can determine the concentration of the contrast agent microbubble, and therefore can also be used to determine the timing of super-resolution data acquisition.

[0103] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies the preset condition, which may be that the concentration information of the current frame satisfies the preset condition, or the concentration information satisfies the preset condition, which may be that the current frame and the n frames before the current frame all satisfy the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. Alternatively, the concentration information satisfies the preset condition, which may be that the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all satisfies the preset condition. Determining whether to start collecting super-resolution data based on concentration information within multiple frames or a period of time can avoid starting super-resolution data collection at an inappropriate time due to abnormal fluctuations in concentration information, thereby ensuring the success rate of super-resolution data collection.

[0104] Exemplarily, when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, the first operation control can be set to a disabled state, for example, the first operation control can be displayed in gray, or a disabled symbol can be displayed on the first operation control, thereby prompting the user that it is not suitable for super-resolution data acquisition at present, and avoiding user misoperation. When the concentration information meets the preset conditions, the first operation control is set to an available state, and when an operation on the first operation control is received, super-resolution data acquisition is started.

[0105] Alternatively, when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, the first operation control is set to a hidden state, and when the concentration information meets the preset conditions, the first operation control is set to a displayed state. That is, the first operation control is displayed in the display interface only when the concentration information meets the preset conditions, so as to avoid the user from misoperating the first operation control, thereby starting super-resolution data acquisition at an inappropriate time.

[0106] Continue to see Figure 3When the contrast agent microbubbles are in the inflow state, the concentration of the contrast agent microbubbles gradually increases until it reaches the maximum value; then the contrast agent microbubbles enter the outflow state, and the concentration of the contrast agent microbubbles gradually decreases. In the rising and falling stages of the contrast agent microbubble concentration, there is a time period when the contrast agent microbubble concentration is suitable for super-resolution imaging, so these two time periods can be used as time periods for collecting super-resolution data.

[0107] When super-resolution data acquisition is manually started by the user, the user can be prompted to start super-resolution data acquisition in the above two time periods: when the contrast agent microbubbles are in the inflow state and the concentration information reaches the first threshold, a prompt message for starting super-resolution data acquisition is displayed, and when the concentration information reaches the second threshold, a prompt message for ending super-resolution data acquisition is displayed; when the contrast agent microbubbles are in the disappearance state and the concentration information reaches the third threshold, a prompt message for starting super-resolution data acquisition is displayed, and when the concentration information reaches the fourth threshold, a prompt message for ending super-resolution data acquisition is displayed. Among them, the first threshold is less than the second threshold, and the fourth threshold is less than the third threshold; illustratively, the first threshold and the fourth threshold can be the same, and the second threshold and the third threshold can be the same.

[0108] In another embodiment, the ultrasonic imaging system can also automatically start collecting super-resolution data according to the concentration information to simplify the operation process and avoid delaying the super-resolution data collection opportunity. Specifically, when it is detected that the concentration information meets the preset conditions, the super-resolution data collection is automatically started.

[0109] In some embodiments, the preset condition for triggering super-resolution data acquisition includes that the concentration information is within the first threshold range. When the concentration information is within the first threshold range, the microbubble concentration is moderate and it is easy to separate the microbubbles, so the microbubble position can be accurately located, and then the microbubble imaging tracking and microbubble speed and direction estimation can be accurately performed; and the number of microbubbles is sufficient, so as to ensure that the super-resolution angiography image has a good display effect of vascular continuity. Exemplarily, the preset condition for triggering super-resolution data acquisition may also include that the rate of change of the concentration information is within the second threshold range, at which time the perfusion rate of the contrast agent microbubble meets the requirements of super-resolution angiography. The preset conditions for the concentration information to be satisfied can refer to the relevant description above, and will not be repeated here.

[0110] Exemplarily, determining the time period for collecting super-resolution data according to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time also includes determining the end time of super-resolution data collection. The super-resolution data collection can be manually ended by the user or automatically ended.

[0111] When the super-resolution data acquisition is manually ended, a second operation control may be displayed in the display interface, and the super-resolution data acquisition is ended in response to the user's operation on the second operation control. The second operation control may be displayed in parallel with the first operation control. Alternatively, the super-resolution data acquisition is ended in response to the user's operation on the first operation control again. For example, when the user clicks the first operation control for the first time, the first operation control lights up and the super-resolution data acquisition starts. When the user clicks the first operation control for the second time, the first operation control goes out and the super-resolution data acquisition ends.

[0112] In order to help the user determine the timing to end super-resolution data acquisition, a prompt message for ending super-resolution data acquisition may be displayed when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, so as to prompt the user to end super-resolution data acquisition. For example, in order to avoid collecting super-resolution data that does not meet the requirements, a prompt message for ending super-resolution data acquisition may be displayed when the concentration information is about to fail to meet the preset conditions. Alternatively, a prompt message for ending super-resolution data acquisition may be displayed when the number of frames of the super-resolution angiography image reaches the preset number of frames.

[0113] The conditions for automatically terminating super-resolution data acquisition may include: when the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, the super-resolution data acquisition is automatically terminated, for example, when the contrast agent microbubbles are in the inflow state, the contrast agent microbubble concentration rises to above the second threshold, and the super-resolution data acquisition is terminated; when the contrast agent microbubbles are in the outflow state, when the contrast agent microbubble concentration drops below the fourth threshold, the super-resolution data acquisition is terminated. Alternatively, when the number of frames of the collected super-resolution contrast image reaches the preset number of frames, the super-resolution data acquisition is automatically terminated. In addition, the duration of super-resolution data acquisition can also be pre-set, and the super-resolution data acquisition is automatically terminated when the duration of super-resolution data acquisition reaches the preset duration.

[0114] After starting super-resolution data acquisition, execute step S240 to control the ultrasonic probe to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue and receive a second echo signal of the second ultrasonic wave. After transmitting the second ultrasonic wave, the transducer array element in the ultrasonic probe receives the echo of the second ultrasonic wave from each receiving point in the target tissue and converts it into an electrical signal to obtain a second 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.

[0115] Exemplarily, the ultrasound imaging system switches the contrast imaging mode from the conventional contrast imaging mode to the super-resolution contrast imaging mode, and in the super-resolution contrast imaging mode, the second echo signal is collected at a higher frame rate. For example, the data acquisition frame rate at this time can reach about 500 frames per second, and thousands of frames of the second echo signal can be collected within a few seconds. By collecting the second ultrasound echo signal at a higher frame rate, more contrast agent microbubble positioning results can be obtained in a shorter time, and accumulated to obtain a super-resolution image, thereby reducing the time required for super-resolution contrast imaging and enhancing the temporal resolution of the super-resolution image.

[0116] Next, step S250 is executed to perform super-resolution data processing on the second echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image, which includes the vascular structure of microvessels. Specifically, 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.

[0117] Specifically, super-resolution data processing mainly includes the following steps: First, extract the microbubble signal generated by the contrast agent microbubble from the second echo signal to achieve the separation of the microbubble signal and 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.

[0118] 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.

[0119] 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.

[0120] 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.

[0121] 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.

[0122] 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. Multiple super-resolution contrast images may be generated simultaneously, or some of the super-resolution contrast images may be selected to be generated.

[0123] In step S260, the super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface. Exemplarily, in the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image, the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times can be continuously obtained according to the second echo signal, and the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time can be continuously generated according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times, so as to determine the time to stop collecting super-resolution data according to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time. Furthermore, in the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image, the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time can also be continuously displayed.

[0124] See also Figure 4In some embodiments, the display interface includes a first display area 410 and a second display area 420; the first display area 410 is used to display a curve of the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time, and the second display area 420 is used to display the ultrasound image. Specifically, before the super-resolution data acquisition is turned on, the second display area 420 is only used to display the contrast image. After the super-resolution data acquisition is turned on, the second display area 420 can display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image at the same time, or the second display area 420 no longer displays the contrast image, but only displays the super-resolution contrast image. Furthermore, the display interface may also include a third display area 430, which is used to display imaging parameter information, such as frequency, frame rate, etc.

[0125] In summary, the super-resolution angiography imaging method 200 of the embodiment of the present invention determines the time period for collecting super-resolution data based on the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, so that the timing of super-resolution data collection can meet the requirements of the contrast agent microbubble concentration. There is no need to dilute the collected data, thereby improving the success rate of super-resolution data collection.

[0126] Next, we will refer to Figure 5 A super-resolution angiography method according to another embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 5 4 is a schematic flow chart of a super-resolution angiography method 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0127] like Figure 5 As shown, a super-resolution angiography method 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0128] In step S510, during the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, the ultrasound probe is controlled to transmit ultrasound to the target tissue and receive a first echo signal of the ultrasound;

[0129] In step S520, the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times is obtained according to the first echo signal;

[0130] In step S530, a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time is generated according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different times, and the curve is displayed in a display interface, wherein the curve is used to determine a target time period for extracting super-resolution data;

[0131] In step S540, extracting the first echo signal within the target time period;

[0132] In step S550, super-resolution data processing is performed on the extracted first echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image;

[0133] In step S560, the super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

[0134] In the super-resolution contrast imaging method 500, the first echo signal within a relatively long period of time is first collected, and then the first echo signal within the target time period is extracted from the first echo signal according to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble changing with time, so that the extracted first echo signal meets the requirements of the super-resolution contrast imaging for the concentration of the contrast agent microbubble. Since the acquired first echo signal covers a relatively long time range, for example, from the beginning of perfusion to the end of perfusion, there is no problem of delaying the timing of super-resolution data collection, and the target time period can also be adjusted to improve the flexibility of imaging.

[0135] The target time period for extracting super-resolution data may be determined manually by the user. Specifically, a third operation control may be displayed in the display interface, and the target time period may be determined in response to the user's operation on the third operation control. Furthermore, a time period in which the concentration information meets a preset condition may be determined, and the user is prompted to use the time period in which the concentration information meets the preset condition as the target time period.

[0136] Alternatively, the target time period for extracting super-resolution data may be determined automatically by the system. Specifically, a time period in which the concentration information meets a preset condition is determined, and the determined time period is automatically used as the target time period.

[0137] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, including: the concentration information is within a first threshold range, or the rate of change of the concentration information is within a second threshold range. The preset condition can ensure that the contrast agent microbubble concentration is moderate, and the microbubble separation will not be difficult due to excessively high microbubble concentration, so the microbubble position can be accurately located to avoid affecting the accuracy of microbubble imaging tracking and microbubble speed and direction estimation; and, the microbubble concentration will not be too low, which will result in the inability to collect a sufficient number of microbubbles in a short time, thereby ensuring that the super-resolution angiography image has a good display effect of vascular continuity. In some embodiments, an identifier representing the first threshold range can also be displayed in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time to help the user select the target time period with reference to the identifier.

[0138] In some embodiments, the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, including: the concentration information of the current frame satisfies the preset condition, or the current frame and n frames before the current frame all satisfy the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; or the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all satisfies the preset condition. Determining whether to start collecting super-resolution data based on concentration information within multiple frames or a period of time can avoid determining an inappropriate time period as a target time period due to abnormal fluctuations in concentration information.

[0139] In some embodiments, the target time period includes a first target time period and a second target time period; when the contrast agent microbubble is in an inflow state, the first target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a first threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a second threshold; when the contrast agent microbubble is in a subsidence state, the second target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a third threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a fourth threshold. Thus, two super-resolution contrast imaging can be performed based on one perfusion.

[0140] In some embodiments, the concentration information is determined by any of the following: determining the concentration information by weighted average of the first echo signals collected within a preset time before the current moment; determining the concentration information by weighted average of the first echo signals of the current frame and the preset frame before the current frame. Obtaining the concentration information by weighted average of the first echo signals for a period of time or multiple frames can stabilize the concentration information, thereby avoiding the selection of an inappropriate target time period due to abnormal fluctuations in the concentration information.

[0141] In some embodiments, after receiving the first echo signal of the ultrasound wave, a contrast image is generated according to the first echo signal, and the contrast image is displayed in the display interface. Furthermore, a region of interest for generating a super-resolution contrast image can be determined according to the contrast image, and the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times can be obtained according to the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest, so as to avoid the first echo signal of the non-region of interest affecting the selection of the target time period.

[0142] In some embodiments, the display interface includes a first display area and a second display area; the first display area is used to display a curve of the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time, and the second display area is used to display the ultrasound image. Specifically, the second display area can display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image at the same time, or the second display area only displays the super-resolution contrast image.

[0143] Many specific details of the super-resolution contrast imaging method 200 can be applied to the super-resolution contrast imaging method 500, which will not be described in detail here. The super-resolution contrast imaging method 500 of the embodiment of the present invention determines the target time period for extracting super-resolution data according to the curve of the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time, extracts the first echo signal of the target time period to generate a super-resolution contrast image, and enables the first echo signal to meet the requirements of the super-resolution contrast imaging for the contrast agent microbubble concentration.

[0144] The embodiment of the present invention further provides an ultrasound imaging system for implementing the above-mentioned super-resolution contrast imaging method 500. Figure 1 , the ultrasound imaging system can be implemented as follows Figure 1The 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 .

[0145] 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 ultrasonic waves; the processor is used to execute the super-resolution contrast imaging method 200 or the super-resolution contrast imaging method 500 to obtain a super-resolution contrast image; and the display 118 is used to display the super-resolution contrast image.

[0146] 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.

[0147] 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 500. The ultrasound imaging system of the embodiment of the present invention acquires data for super-resolution contrast imaging according to the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time, so that the acquired data can meet the requirements of the super-resolution contrast imaging on the contrast agent microbubble concentration.

[0148] 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.

[0149] 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 the present invention.

[0150] 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.

[0151] 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.

[0152] 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.

[0153] 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.

[0154] 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.

[0155] 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.

[0156] 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.

[0157] 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: During the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue and receiving a first echo signal of the ultrasonic waves; obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the first echo signal; Generating a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and determining a time period for collecting super-resolution data according to the curve; During the time period of collecting super-resolution data, controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue, and receiving a second echo signal of the second ultrasound wave; performing super-resolution data processing on the second echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image; The super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

2. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time is displayed in the display interface.

3. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: In the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image, the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles at different times is continuously obtained according to the second echo signal; The curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time is continuously generated according to the contrast agent microbubble concentration information at different moments.

4. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: During the process of displaying the super-resolution angiography image, the curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time continues to be displayed.

5. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A first operation control is displayed in the display interface, and in response to a user's operation on the first operation control, the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue is entered.

6. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 5, characterized in that: After controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue, the method further includes: Displaying a second operation control in the display interface, and ending the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue in response to the user's operation on the second operation control; Alternatively, in response to the user operating the first operation control again, the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit the second ultrasound wave to the target tissue is ended.

7. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 5, characterized in that: When the concentration information does not meet the preset condition, the first operation control is in a disabled state, and when the concentration information meets the preset condition, the first operation control is in an enabled state; Alternatively, when the concentration information does not satisfy a preset condition, the first operation control is in a hidden state, and when the concentration information satisfies a preset condition, the first operation control is in a displayed state.

8. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the concentration information meets the preset conditions, a prompt message for starting to collect super-resolution data is displayed.

9. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the concentration information does not meet the preset conditions, a prompt message is displayed to end the acquisition of super-resolution data; And / or, when the number of frames of the super-resolution angiography image reaches a preset number of frames, a prompt message indicating that the acquisition of super-resolution data has ended is displayed.

10. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The displayed prompt information includes: When the contrast agent microbubbles are in an inflow state and the concentration information reaches a first threshold, a prompt message for starting to collect super-resolution data is displayed; when the concentration information reaches a second threshold, a prompt message for ending to collect super-resolution data is displayed; When the contrast agent microbubbles are in a disappearing state and the concentration information reaches a third threshold, a prompt message for starting to collect super-resolution data is displayed; when the concentration information reaches a fourth threshold, a prompt message for ending to collect super-resolution data is displayed.

11. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When it is detected that the concentration information meets a preset condition, the step of controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue is automatically entered.

12. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the concentration information does not meet the preset condition, automatically ending the step of controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit a second ultrasonic wave to the target tissue; And / or, when the number of frames of the super-resolution angiography image reaches a preset number of frames, the step of controlling the ultrasound probe to transmit a second ultrasound wave to the target tissue is automatically terminated.

13. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that: The preset conditions include: The concentration information is within a first threshold range, or the change rate of the concentration information is within a second threshold range.

14. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that: The concentration information meets the preset conditions, including: The concentration information of the current frame meets the preset condition, or the current frame and n frames before the current frame meet the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; Alternatively, the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all meets the preset condition.

15. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A marker representing the first threshold range is displayed in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time.

16. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The concentration information is determined by any of the following: Determine the concentration information according to a weighted average of the first echo signals collected within a preset time before the current moment; The concentration information is determined according to a weighted average of the first echo signals of a current frame and a preset frame before the current frame.

17. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that: The method further comprises: After receiving the first echo signal of the ultrasound wave, a contrast image is generated according to the first echo signal, and the contrast image is displayed on the display interface.

18. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A region of interest for generating the super-resolution contrast image is determined according to the contrast image, and concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different moments is obtained according to the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest.

19. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The display interface includes a first display area and a second display area; The first display area is used to display a curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time. The second display area is used to display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image, or the second display area is used to display the contrast image or the super-resolution contrast image.

20. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that: The obtaining, according to the first echo signal, the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times includes: The concentration information of the contrast agent microbubbles is obtained according to the average signal strength of the first echo signals corresponding to a plurality of position points.

21. A super-resolution imaging method, characterized in that: The method comprises: During the process of contrast agent microbubbles being infused into the target tissue, controlling the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target tissue and receiving a first echo signal of the ultrasonic waves; obtaining the concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different times according to the first echo signal; Generating a curve showing the change of the contrast agent microbubble concentration over time according to the concentration information of the contrast agent microbubble at different moments, and displaying the curve in a display interface, wherein the curve is used to determine a target time period for extracting super-resolution data; extracting the first echo signal within the target time period; Performing super-resolution data processing on the extracted first echo signal to obtain a super-resolution angiography image; The super-resolution angiography image is displayed in the display interface.

22. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 21, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A third operation control is displayed in the display interface, and the target time period is determined in response to a user's operation on the third operation control.

23. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 22, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Determine a time period in which the concentration information meets a preset condition, and prompt the determined time period to be used as the target time period.

24. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 21, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A time period in which the concentration information meets a preset condition is determined, and the determined time period is automatically used as the target time period.

25. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 23 or 24, characterized in that: The concentration information meets the preset conditions, including: The concentration information is within a first threshold range, or the change rate of the concentration information is within a second threshold range.

26. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 23 to 25, characterized in that: The concentration information meets the preset conditions, including: The concentration information of the current frame satisfies the preset condition, or the current frame and n frames before the current frame all satisfy the preset condition, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; Alternatively, the concentration information within a preset time period before the current moment all meets the preset condition.

27. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 25, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A marker representing the first threshold range is displayed in the curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing over time.

28. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 23 to 27, characterized in that: The target time period includes a first target time period and a second target time period; When the contrast agent microbubbles are in an inflow state, the first target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a first threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a second threshold; When the contrast agent microbubbles are in a disappearing state, the second target time period starts when the concentration information reaches a third threshold, and ends when the concentration information reaches a fourth threshold.

29. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 21 to 28, characterized in that: The concentration information is determined by any of the following: Determine the concentration information according to a weighted average of the first echo signals collected within a preset time before the current moment; The concentration information is determined according to a weighted average of the first echo signals of a current frame and a preset frame before the current frame.

30. The super-resolution angiography method according to any one of claims 21 to 29, characterized in that: The method further comprises: After receiving the first echo signal of the ultrasound wave, a contrast image is generated according to the first echo signal, and the contrast image is displayed on the display interface.

31. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 30, characterized in that: The method further comprises: A region of interest for generating the super-resolution contrast image is determined according to the contrast image, and concentration information of contrast agent microbubbles at different moments is obtained according to the first echo signal corresponding to the region of interest.

32. The super-resolution angiography method according to claim 30 or 31, characterized in that: The display interface includes a first display area and a second display area; The first display area is used to display a curve of the contrast agent microbubble concentration changing with time. The second display area is used to display the contrast image and the super-resolution contrast image, or the second display area is used to display the contrast image or the super-resolution contrast image.

33. 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 32 to generate a super-resolution angiography image; A display is used to display the super-resolution angiography image.

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