Disease initial characteristic developing diagnosis method based on ultrasonic elastography

Abstract

The invention discloses a disease initial-stage characteristic developing diagnosis method based on ultrasonic elastography, and relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and the method comprises the following steps: scanning the tissue of a patient by using a conventional ultrasonic instrument; selecting a corresponding elastic imaging technology based on the examination part and the lesion type; the tissue of a patient is deformed by mechanically pressurizing the probe, and an elastic image of a diseased region is collected in real time; the tissue of the patient is deformed by using natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body, and an elastic image of a diseased region is collected in real time; performing quality evaluation on the acquired elastic image of the diseased region; evaluating the degree and the distribution condition of the lesion; identifying and diagnosing benign and malignant diseases; and sequentially analyzing the boundary, form and internal echo characteristics of the diseased region. The hardness information of the diseased tissue is disclosed by evaluating the elastic characteristics of the tissue, and the information has important significance in distinguishing benign and malignant lesions and evaluating the degree and distribution condition of the lesions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and in particular to an early characteristic development and diagnosis method of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging. Background Art

[0002] As an emerging imaging technology, ultrasound elastography has gradually shown its wide application value in modern medicine. This technology uses ultrasound to evaluate the elasticity of tissues, that is, the ability of tissues to deform under external forces. By analyzing the elastic characteristics of tissues, doctors can understand the hardness or softness of different tissues (such as muscle, fat, liver, etc.). When diseases occur, such as tumors or fibrosis, the elastic characteristics of these tissues will change significantly, providing doctors with important clues to judge health problems.

[0003] Traditional ultrasound imaging mainly obtains two-dimensional images of tissues or organs to show their structure and morphology, but it may be difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors. When acquiring elastic images of lesions, they may be affected by various artifacts and interference factors, such as equipment noise, motion artifacts, etc. These artifacts will reduce image quality and affect the doctor's accurate judgment of lesion characteristics. At present, the evaluation of hardness value mainly depends on the doctor's experience and subjective judgment, and lacks unified standards and objective indicators. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, a method for early characteristic development and diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging is provided. This technical solution solves the problems raised in the above background technology.

[0005] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] A method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging, comprising:

[0007] Use conventional ultrasound equipment to scan the patient's tissues, obtain two-dimensional images, and observe and record the location, size, and morphology of the lesions;

[0008] Based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected based on the examination site and the type of lesion, wherein the elastic imaging technology includes strain elastic imaging technology and shear wave elastic imaging technology;

[0009] Based on strain elastic imaging technology, the patient's tissue is deformed by mechanically pressurizing the probe, and elastic images of the lesion are collected in real time;

[0010] Based on shear wave elastic imaging technology, the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body are used to deform the patient's tissues and collect elastic images of the lesion in real time;

[0011] Evaluate the quality of the elastic images collected at the lesion site to eliminate artifacts and interference factors in the elastic images;

[0012] Based on the elastic images of the lesion, the hardness values ​​of different parts are recorded and compared to evaluate the extent and distribution of the lesion;

[0013] Based on the hardness value and hardness distribution map of the lesion and the patient's clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions can be performed;

[0014] Using ultrasound elastic imaging technology, the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion were analyzed in turn.

[0015] Preferably, based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and based on the inspection site and the lesion type, the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected, which specifically includes:

[0016] Based on the two-dimensional image of the lesion, the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is obtained;

[0017] Determine whether the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is higher than a preset distance threshold. If so, start the ultrasound elastic imaging mode based on the shear wave elastic imaging technology. If not, do not output.

[0018] Obtain a historical database of early symptoms and characteristics;

[0019] Based on the historical database, determine whether the lesion type requires a quantitative hardness value of the lesion site. If so, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the shear wave elastography technology. If not, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the strain elastography technology.

[0020] Preferably, the strain elastic imaging technology, using a mechanical pressure probe to deform the patient's tissue and collect elastic images of the lesion site in real time, specifically includes:

[0021] Use the probe to gently touch the patient's skin and apply mechanical pressure to deform the patient's lesion and surrounding tissues;

[0022] Using medical imaging technology to detect the behavior of soft tissue in the lesion site, the behavior includes static behavior and dynamic deformation behavior;

[0023] While applying mechanical pressure, the strain elastic imaging function is activated to scan the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles;

[0024] Ultrasound equipment collects and displays images of the patient's tissue elasticity in real time;

[0025] Based on the size and location of the lesion, adjusting the size and location of the sampling area, wherein the sampling area includes the lesion and the normal tissue surrounding it;

[0026] By comparing the deformation degree of the lesion site and the surrounding normal tissue within the sampling area, an elastic image of the lesion site reflecting the relative hardness of the tissue is drawn;

[0027] In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the hardened area is coded in blue.

[0028] Preferably, the shear wave elastic imaging technology uses the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body to deform the patient's tissue and collect elastic images of the lesion site in real time, specifically including:

[0029] Exciting the patient tissue by applying an acoustic radiation force pulse, the patient tissue generates a shear wave perpendicular to the acoustic radiation force pulse;

[0030] Using an ultrasonic probe to transmit at least one frame of ultrasonic signal;

[0031] Scanning the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles, and monitoring the propagation path and time of the shear wave in the patient's tissue in real time;

[0032] The velocity of the shear wave is calculated by using the ratio of the propagation distance of the shear wave in the tissue of the patient's lesion site to the time;

[0033] Obtain tissue density parameters of the lesion site;

[0034] The hardness value of the patient's lesion site is calculated using the hardness value formula;

[0035] Based on the hardness values ​​of different parts of the patient, draw the elasticity image of the lesion;

[0036] In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the sclerotic site is coded in blue;

[0037] The hardness value formula is:

[0038] α=3ρv 2 ,

[0039] Where α is the hardness value of the patient's lesion, ρ is the tissue density parameter of the lesion, and v is the velocity of the shear wave.

[0040] Preferably, the quality assessment of the acquired elastic image of the lesion site to eliminate artifacts and interference factors in the elastic image specifically includes:

[0041] Evaluate the resolution and contrast of elastic images of lesions;

[0042] Determine whether the resolution and contrast of the elastic image of the lesion are within the respective preset threshold ranges. If so, no output is made. If not, the output elastic image of the lesion is blurred and distorted, and the elastic image of the lesion is re-collected.

[0043] Identify and mark artifacts in the elastic image of the lesion, wherein the artifacts include metal artifacts, speckle artifacts and scattering artifacts;

[0044] Metal artifacts caused by metal implants or dental restoration materials are corrected using a metal artifact compensation algorithm;

[0045] Using image processing technology, metal objects in elastic images of lesions are automatically detected and marked as artifact areas in the images;

[0046] Based on the linear interpolation algorithm, the average pixel value of the surrounding normal tissue is calculated and output as the pixel value interpolation of the artifact area;

[0047] For speckle artifacts, the nonlinear response between detector units can be reduced by adjusting the scanning parameters, reducing the tube voltage and tube current;

[0048] To address scattering artifacts, the projection angle and scanning path are optimized to reduce the scattering of radiation at the patient's lesion site.

[0049] Preferably, the step of recording and comparing the hardness values ​​of different parts based on the elastic image of the lesion part to evaluate the extent and distribution of the lesion specifically includes:

[0050] The pixel values ​​in the elastic images of the lesion site are quantitatively analyzed to obtain the hardness values ​​of different sites reflecting the elasticity of the tissue;

[0051] The hardness values ​​of different measurement areas were compared to analyze the hardness differences between lesion sites;

[0052] Based on the hardness measurement results, combined with the characteristics of the lesion site and clinical knowledge, the extent of the lesion is evaluated;

[0053] By observing the distribution of hardness values ​​at the lesion site, the extension range and morphology of the lesion are evaluated, and a hardness distribution map of the lesion site is drawn.

[0054] Preferably, the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions based on the hardness value of the lesion, the hardness distribution map and the clinical manifestations of the patient specifically includes:

[0055] Obtain and analyze the hardness distribution map of the lesion site;

[0056] If all nodules are covered in green or the red area is lower than the preset area threshold, it means that the lesion is not deeply hardened and the output is benign;

[0057] Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, and the green area is larger than the blue area, indicating that the lesion is partially deeply hardened and the output is mainly benign;

[0058] Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, the blue area is larger than the green area, and the center is blue and the periphery is green, indicating that the hardness of the lesion site is increased, and the output is a borderline lesion;

[0059] The nodules and some surrounding tissues appear blue, indicating that the lesions are deeply hardened and the output is mainly malignant;

[0060] The sampling area is completely covered in blue, indicating that the lesion is deeply indurated and the output is malignant.

[0061] Preferably, the use of ultrasound elastic imaging technology to sequentially analyze the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion site specifically includes:

[0062] The degree of infiltration of the lesion site was assessed by observing whether the lesion boundary in the elastography image was clear and comparing the difference between the lesion boundary in conventional ultrasound and elastography.

[0063] Analyze the morphological changes of the lesions in the elastic images of the lesion site, and combine with the conventional ultrasound results to comprehensively evaluate the morphological characteristics of the lesion site, including whether the morphological changes are regular and whether there are lobes;

[0064] Observe the echo distribution and intensity inside the lesion in the elastic image of the lesion;

[0065] Based on the echo distribution and intensity, abnormal areas in the echo inside the lesion are identified, wherein the abnormal areas include calcification areas and liquefaction areas.

[0066] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0067] By evaluating the elastic characteristics of tissues, the hardness information of diseased tissues is revealed. This information is of great significance for distinguishing benign and malignant lesions and evaluating the extent and distribution of lesions. This method combines conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography technology, which can comprehensively observe and record key information such as the location, size, morphology and hardness distribution of lesions, thereby significantly improving the development effect and diagnostic accuracy of the early characteristics of the disease, and providing strong support for clinical diagnosis and treatment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Figure 1 This is a flow chart of the early characteristic imaging diagnosis method of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging of the present invention;

[0069] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for selecting a corresponding elastic imaging technique based on the examination site and the lesion type of the present invention;

[0070] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a method for deforming a patient's tissue by mechanically pressurizing a probe according to the present invention;

[0071] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of the method of the present invention for utilizing the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body to deform the patient's tissues;

[0072] Figure 5 This is a flow chart of a method for evaluating the quality of elastic images of acquired lesion parts according to the present invention;

[0073] Figure 6 This is a flow chart of the method for evaluating the extent and distribution of lesions of the present invention;

[0074] Figure 7 The flowchart of the method for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors of the present invention is as follows;

[0075] Figure 8 This is a flow chart of the method for sequentially analyzing the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion part according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] The following description is used to disclose the present invention so that those skilled in the art can implement the present invention. The preferred embodiments described below are only examples, and those skilled in the art may think of other obvious variations.

[0077] Reference Figure 1 As shown, a method for early characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging comprises:

[0078] Use conventional ultrasound equipment to scan the patient's tissues, obtain two-dimensional images, and observe and record the location, size, and morphology of the lesions;

[0079] Based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected based on the examination site and the type of lesion, wherein the elastic imaging technology includes strain elastic imaging technology and shear wave elastic imaging technology;

[0080] Based on strain elastic imaging technology, the patient's tissue is deformed by mechanically pressurizing the probe, and elastic images of the lesion are collected in real time;

[0081] Based on shear wave elastic imaging technology, the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body are used to deform the patient's tissues and collect elastic images of the lesion in real time;

[0082] Evaluate the quality of the elastic images collected at the lesion site to eliminate artifacts and interference factors in the elastic images;

[0083] Based on the elastic images of the lesion, the hardness values ​​of different parts are recorded and compared to evaluate the extent and distribution of the lesion;

[0084] Based on the hardness value and hardness distribution map of the lesion and the patient's clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions can be performed;

[0085] Using ultrasound elastic imaging technology, the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion were analyzed in turn.

[0086] Reference Figure 2 As shown, based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected based on the examination site and lesion type, including:

[0087] Based on the two-dimensional image of the lesion, the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is obtained;

[0088] Determine whether the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is higher than a preset distance threshold. If so, start the ultrasound elastic imaging mode based on the shear wave elastic imaging technology. If not, do not output.

[0089] Obtain a historical database of early symptoms and characteristics;

[0090] Based on the historical database, determine whether the lesion type requires a quantitative hardness value of the lesion site. If so, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the shear wave elastography technology. If not, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the strain elastography technology.

[0091] If the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is not higher than the preset distance threshold, the ultrasound elastography mode will not be activated. This may be because the lesion is too shallow and the shear wave elastography technology may not be able to obtain accurate measurement results, and unnecessary damage to the superficial tissue is avoided for safety reasons.

[0092] Reference Figure 3 As shown, based on strain elastic imaging technology, the patient's tissue is deformed by mechanically pressurizing the probe, and elastic images of the lesion are collected in real time, including:

[0093] Use the probe to gently touch the patient's skin and apply mechanical pressure to deform the patient's lesion and surrounding tissues;

[0094] Using medical imaging technology to detect the behavior of soft tissue in the lesion site, the behavior includes static behavior and dynamic deformation behavior;

[0095] While applying mechanical pressure, the strain elastic imaging function is activated to scan the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles;

[0096] Ultrasound equipment collects and displays images of the patient's tissue elasticity in real time;

[0097] Based on the size and location of the lesion, adjusting the size and location of the sampling area, wherein the sampling area includes the lesion and the normal tissue surrounding it;

[0098] By comparing the deformation degree of the lesion site and the surrounding normal tissue within the sampling area, an elastic image of the lesion site reflecting the relative hardness of the tissue is drawn;

[0099] In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the hardened area is coded in blue.

[0100] Select a suitable probe, usually a probe that can cover the lesion, and ensure good contact between the probe and the skin. Apply an appropriate amount of coupling agent to the patient's lesion to reduce the air gap between the probe and the skin and improve imaging quality. By comparing the degree of deformation of the lesion and the surrounding normal tissue in the sampling area, an elastic image of the lesion reflecting the relative hardness of the tissue can be drawn. In the elastic image, red coding is usually used to represent soft tissue (softer), and blue coding is used to represent hardened areas (harder).

[0101] Reference Figure 4 As shown, based on shear wave elastic imaging technology, the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body are used to deform the patient's tissues, and elastic images of the lesion site are collected in real time. Specifically, it includes:

[0102] Exciting the patient tissue by applying an acoustic radiation force pulse, the patient tissue generates a shear wave perpendicular to the acoustic radiation force pulse;

[0103] Using an ultrasonic probe to transmit at least one frame of ultrasonic signal;

[0104] Scanning the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles, and monitoring the propagation path and time of the shear wave in the patient's tissue in real time;

[0105] The velocity of the shear wave is calculated by using the ratio of the propagation distance of the shear wave in the tissue of the patient's lesion site to the time;

[0106] Obtain tissue density parameters of the lesion site;

[0107] The hardness value of the patient's lesion site is calculated using the hardness value formula;

[0108] Based on the hardness values ​​of different parts of the patient, draw the elasticity image of the lesion;

[0109] In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the sclerotic site is coded in blue;

[0110] The hardness value formula is:

[0111] α=3ρv 2 ,

[0112] Where α is the hardness value of the patient's lesion, ρ is the tissue density parameter of the lesion, and v is the velocity of the shear wave.

[0113] The lesion site is scanned in at least two sections (such as cross-section and longitudinal section) and at least two angles (such as different inclination angles) to fully capture the propagation path and time of the shear wave. By adjusting the position and angle of the ultrasound probe, it is ensured that the shear wave information of the lesion site and its surrounding tissues can be accurately obtained. The data reflected by the ultrasonic signal is used to calculate the propagation distance and time of the shear wave in the patient's tissue.

[0114] Reference Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the quality of the elastic images of the lesion site is evaluated to eliminate artifacts and interference factors in the elastic images, including:

[0115] Evaluate the resolution and contrast of elastic images of lesions;

[0116] Determine whether the resolution and contrast of the elastic image of the lesion are within the respective preset threshold ranges. If so, no output is made. If not, the output elastic image of the lesion is blurred and distorted, and the elastic image of the lesion is re-collected.

[0117] Identify and mark artifacts in the elastic image of the lesion, wherein the artifacts include metal artifacts, speckle artifacts and scattering artifacts;

[0118] Metal artifacts caused by metal implants or dental restoration materials are corrected using a metal artifact compensation algorithm;

[0119] Using image processing technology, metal objects in elastic images of lesions are automatically detected and marked as artifact areas in the images;

[0120] Based on the linear interpolation algorithm, the average pixel value of the surrounding normal tissue is calculated and output as the pixel value interpolation of the artifact area;

[0121] For speckle artifacts, the nonlinear response between detector units can be reduced by adjusting the scanning parameters, reducing the tube voltage and tube current;

[0122] To address scattering artifacts, the projection angle and scanning path are optimized to reduce the scattering of radiation at the patient's lesion site.

[0123] When X-rays pass through metal materials, most of the photons are absorbed due to the high density of metals, resulting in insufficient photons reaching the detector. This significant reduction in the number of photons is called the photon starvation effect, which will cause the projection data error to increase, resulting in the appearance of mixed light and dark striped artifacts on the image; improper performance, parameter settings or maintenance of CT scanning equipment may lead to the appearance of spot artifacts; when X-ray photons collide with the outer electrons of the atoms of the object being measured, the photons lose part of their energy and change their original path. This scattering phenomenon causes the energy distribution and path of the X-ray photons to change before they reach the detector, resulting in blurred and distorted artifacts on the image.

[0124] Reference Figure 6 As shown in the figure, based on the elastic images of the lesion, the hardness values ​​of different parts are recorded and compared to evaluate the extent and distribution of the lesion, including:

[0125] The pixel values ​​in the elastic images of the lesion site are quantitatively analyzed to obtain the hardness values ​​of different sites reflecting the elasticity of the tissue;

[0126] The hardness values ​​of different measurement areas were compared to analyze the hardness differences between lesion sites;

[0127] Based on the hardness measurement results, combined with the characteristics of the lesion site and clinical knowledge, the extent of the lesion is evaluated;

[0128] By observing the distribution of hardness values ​​at the lesion site, the extension range and morphology of the lesion are evaluated, and a hardness distribution map of the lesion site is drawn.

[0129] Observe the hardness distribution diagram, analyze the distribution of lesions in the tissue, pay attention to whether the lesions are diffuse, focal or band-like, etc., and combine the hardness value and distribution characteristics to evaluate the progression trend of the lesions and possible treatment response.

[0130] Reference Figure 7 As shown in the figure, based on the hardness value of the lesion, the hardness distribution map and the patient's clinical manifestations, the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions includes:

[0131] Obtain and analyze the hardness distribution map of the lesion site;

[0132] If all nodules are covered in green or the red area is lower than the preset area threshold, it means that the lesion is not deeply hardened and the output is benign;

[0133] Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, and the green area is larger than the blue area, indicating that the lesion is partially deeply hardened and the output is mainly benign;

[0134] Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, the blue area is larger than the green area, and the center is blue and the periphery is green, indicating that the hardness of the lesion site is increased, and the output is a borderline lesion;

[0135] The nodules and some surrounding tissues appear blue, indicating that the lesions are deeply hardened and the output is mainly malignant;

[0136] The sampling area is completely covered in blue, indicating that the lesion is deeply indurated and the output is malignant.

[0137] The preset area threshold is generally 10% of the total area. Based on the diagnosis results, follow-up treatment recommendations are given, such as regular follow-up, further examinations (such as puncture biopsy, imaging examinations, etc.), surgical treatment, etc.

[0138] Reference Figure 8 As shown in the figure, the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion are analyzed in sequence using ultrasound elastic imaging technology, including:

[0139] The degree of infiltration of the lesion site was assessed by observing whether the lesion boundary in the elastography image was clear and comparing the difference between the lesion boundary in conventional ultrasound and elastography.

[0140] Analyze the morphological changes of the lesions in the elastic images of the lesion site, and combine with the conventional ultrasound results to comprehensively evaluate the morphological characteristics of the lesion site, including whether the morphological changes are regular and whether there are lobes;

[0141] Observe the echo distribution and intensity inside the lesion in the elastic image of the lesion;

[0142] Based on the echo distribution and intensity, abnormal areas in the echo inside the lesion are identified, wherein the abnormal areas include calcification areas and liquefaction areas.

[0143] Calcification refers to the phenomenon of calcium salt deposits forming inside the lesion, which may be caused by a variety of reasons, such as calcium salt deposits after tissue necrosis, disintegration of inflammatory cells, etc. In ultrasound elastography, calcification usually appears as an area of ​​high hardness, because these calcium salt deposits make the tissue harder. The calcified area may appear as bright dot-like or patchy echoes on the ultrasound image, and these echoes are usually more significant than the surrounding tissue; liquefaction refers to the phenomenon of fluid accumulation inside the lesion, which may be caused by inflammatory response after tissue damage, vascular rupture, etc. In ultrasound elastography, the liquefied area usually appears as an area of ​​low hardness, because these fluids make the tissue softer. The liquefied area may appear as an echo-free or hypoechoic area on the ultrasound image, and these areas usually have a clear boundary with the surrounding tissue.

[0144] Furthermore, the present solution also proposes a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer-readable program is stored. When the computer-readable program is called, the above-mentioned early characteristic development and diagnosis method of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging is executed.

[0145] It is understandable that the storage medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a DVD; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid state drive (SSD).

[0146] In summary, the advantages of the present invention are: revealing the hardness information of the diseased tissue by evaluating the elastic characteristics of the tissue, which is of great significance for distinguishing the benign and malignant nature of the lesions and evaluating the extent and distribution of the lesions. This method combines conventional ultrasound and ultrasonic elastic imaging technology, and can comprehensively observe and record key information such as the location, size, morphology and hardness distribution of the lesions, thereby significantly improving the development effect and diagnostic accuracy of the early characteristics of the disease, and providing strong support for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

[0147] The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions only describe the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be subject to various changes and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. These changes and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed by the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastography, characterized in that: include: Use conventional ultrasound equipment to scan the patient's tissues, obtain two-dimensional images, and observe and record the location, size, and morphology of the lesions; Based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected based on the examination site and the type of lesion, wherein the elastic imaging technology includes strain elastic imaging technology and shear wave elastic imaging technology; Based on strain elastic imaging technology, the patient's tissue is deformed by mechanically pressurizing the probe, and elastic images of the lesion are collected in real time; Based on shear wave elastic imaging technology, the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body are used to deform the patient's tissues and collect elastic images of the lesion in real time; Evaluate the quality of the elastic images collected at the lesion site to eliminate artifacts and interference factors in the elastic images; Based on the elastic images of the lesion, the hardness values ​​of different parts are recorded and compared to evaluate the extent and distribution of the lesion; Based on the hardness value and hardness distribution map of the lesion and the patient's clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions can be performed; Using ultrasound elastic imaging technology, the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion were analyzed in turn.

2. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasound elastic imaging according to claim 1, characterized in that: Based on the two-dimensional image, the ultrasound elastic imaging mode is started, and the corresponding elastic imaging technology is selected based on the examination site and the type of lesion, which specifically includes: Based on the two-dimensional image of the lesion, the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is obtained; Determine whether the distance between the lesion and the skin tissue is higher than a preset distance threshold. If so, start the ultrasound elastic imaging mode based on the shear wave elastic imaging technology. If not, do not output. Obtain a historical database of early symptoms and characteristics; Based on the historical database, determine whether the lesion type requires a quantitative hardness value of the lesion site. If so, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the shear wave elastography technology. If not, start the ultrasound elastography mode based on the strain elastography technology.

3. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastography according to claim 2, characterized in that: The strain elastic imaging technology, which uses a mechanical pressure probe to deform the patient's tissue and collect elastic images of the lesion site in real time, specifically includes: Use the probe to gently touch the patient's skin and apply mechanical pressure to deform the patient's lesion and surrounding tissues; Using medical imaging technology to detect the behavior of soft tissue in the lesion site, the behavior includes static behavior and dynamic deformation behavior; While applying mechanical pressure, the strain elastic imaging function is activated to scan the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles; Ultrasound equipment collects and displays images of the patient's tissue elasticity in real time; Based on the size and location of the lesion, adjusting the size and location of the sampling area, wherein the sampling area includes the lesion and the normal tissue surrounding it; By comparing the deformation degree of the lesion site and the surrounding normal tissue within the sampling area, an elastic image of the lesion site reflecting the relative hardness of the tissue is drawn; In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the hardened area is coded in blue.

4. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasonic elastic imaging according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shear wave elastic imaging technology uses the natural factors of heartbeat and breathing in the body to deform the patient's tissue and collect elastic images of the lesion site in real time, specifically including: Exciting the patient tissue by applying an acoustic radiation force pulse, the patient tissue generates a shear wave perpendicular to the acoustic radiation force pulse; Using an ultrasonic probe to transmit at least one frame of ultrasonic signal; Scanning the lesion site in at least two sections and at at least two angles, and monitoring the propagation path and time of the shear wave in the patient's tissue in real time; The velocity of the shear wave is calculated by using the ratio of the propagation distance of the shear wave in the tissue of the patient's lesion site to the time; Obtain tissue density parameters of the lesion site; The hardness value of the patient's lesion site is calculated using the hardness value formula; Based on the hardness values ​​of different parts of the patient, draw the elasticity image of the lesion; In the elastic images of the lesion site, the soft tissue is coded in red, and the sclerotic site is coded in blue; The hardness value formula is: α=3ρv 2 , Where α is the hardness value of the patient's lesion, ρ is the tissue density parameter of the lesion, and v is the velocity of the shear wave.

5. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasound elastic imaging according to claim 4, characterized in that: The quality assessment of the acquired elastic images of the lesion site and the elimination of artifacts and interference factors in the elastic images specifically include: Evaluate the resolution and contrast of elastic images of lesions; Determine whether the resolution and contrast of the elastic image of the lesion are within the respective preset threshold ranges. If so, no output is made. If not, the output elastic image of the lesion is blurred and distorted, and the elastic image of the lesion is re-collected. Identify and mark artifacts in the elastic image of the lesion, wherein the artifacts include metal artifacts, speckle artifacts and scattering artifacts; Metal artifacts caused by metal implants or dental restoration materials are corrected using a metal artifact compensation algorithm; Using image processing technology, metal objects in elastic images of lesions are automatically detected and marked as artifact areas in the images; Based on the linear interpolation algorithm, the average pixel value of the surrounding normal tissue is calculated and output as the pixel value interpolation of the artifact area; For speckle artifacts, the nonlinear response between detector units can be reduced by adjusting the scanning parameters, reducing the tube voltage and tube current; To address scattering artifacts, the projection angle and scanning path are optimized to reduce the scattering of radiation at the patient's lesion site.

6. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasound elastic imaging according to claim 5, characterized in that: The method of recording and comparing the hardness values ​​of different parts based on the elastic images of the lesion parts and evaluating the extent and distribution of the lesions specifically includes: The pixel values ​​in the elastic images of the lesion site are quantitatively analyzed to obtain the hardness values ​​of different sites reflecting the elasticity of the tissue; The hardness values ​​of different measurement areas were compared to analyze the hardness differences between lesion sites; Based on the hardness measurement results, combined with the characteristics of the lesion site and clinical knowledge, the extent of the lesion is evaluated; By observing the distribution of hardness values ​​at the lesion site, the extension range and morphology of the lesion are evaluated, and a hardness distribution map of the lesion site is drawn.

7. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasound elastic imaging according to claim 6, characterized in that: The differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions based on the hardness value and hardness distribution map of the lesion and the clinical manifestations of the patient specifically includes: Obtain and analyze the hardness distribution map of the lesion site; If all nodules are covered in green or the red area is lower than the preset area threshold, it means that the lesion is not deeply hardened and the output is benign; Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, and the green area is larger than the blue area, indicating that the lesion is partially deeply hardened and the output is mainly benign; Both blue and green are visible in the nodule, the blue area is larger than the green area, and the center is blue and the periphery is green, indicating that the hardness of the lesion site is increased, and the output is a borderline lesion; The nodules and some surrounding tissues appear blue, indicating that the lesions are deeply hardened and the output is mainly malignant; The sampling area is completely covered in blue, indicating that the lesion is deeply indurated and the output is malignant.

8. The method for early-stage characteristic imaging diagnosis of a disease based on ultrasound elastic imaging according to claim 7, characterized in that: The use of ultrasound elastic imaging technology to sequentially analyze the boundary, morphology and internal echo characteristics of the lesion specifically includes: The degree of infiltration of the lesion site was assessed by observing whether the lesion boundary in the elastography image was clear and comparing the difference between the lesion boundary in conventional ultrasound and elastography. Analyze the morphological changes of the lesions in the elastic images of the lesion site, and combine with the conventional ultrasound results to comprehensively evaluate the morphological characteristics of the lesion site, including whether the morphological changes are regular and whether there are lobes; Observe the echo distribution and intensity inside the lesion in the elastic image of the lesion; Based on the echo distribution and intensity, abnormal areas in the echo inside the lesion are identified, wherein the abnormal areas include calcification areas and liquefaction areas.

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