Liver capsule depth and angle detection

Abstract

An ultrasound system (100) includes a memory (151) storing instructions and a processor (152) executing the instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), cause the ultrasound system (100) to: obtain an ultrasound image from a transducer array (113) of an ultrasound probe (110); detecting a depth of a liver capsule relative to the transducer array (113) and an angle of the transducer array (113) relative to the liver capsule based on the ultrasound image; and generating feedback based on the depth and the angle.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] In the diagnosis of liver disease, examining the liver capsule is very useful. In a normal liver, the liver capsule appears as a linear structure with a uniform thickness on ultrasound images. In a diseased liver, the liver capsule appears as an uneven / wavy, and sometimes fragmented, outline on ultrasound images.

[0002] In ultrasound imaging, the liver capsule introduces undesirable acoustic effects with reverberation and aberrations. Reverberation occurs because the ultrasound signal propagates through the tissue between the liver capsule and the transducer surface, then bounces back and forth within the liver capsule. Aberrations arise from variations in sound velocity in different media. The sound velocity in the liver capsule, containing a mixture of fat and muscle tissue, and in various layers of the abdomen differs from the sound velocity within the liver itself. These artifacts lead to image quality degradation and inaccurate estimations of certain acoustic parameters used for liver disease assessment. For example, in attenuation imaging, the liver capsule causes estimation errors in the attenuation coefficient in reverberation-affected regions (typically up to twice the depth of the liver capsule). It is important to minimize the impact of these erroneous regions on quantitative measurements used for diagnosis. The imaging region of interest should be placed below the depth of the liver capsule (ideally twice the depth of the liver capsule in the case of attenuation imaging), but currently, there is no mechanism to determine the depth of the liver capsule.

[0003] Individually, elastography requires the emission of long acoustic pulses that generate shear waves propagating within the tissue. These waves are then tracked to calculate their velocity (m / s), which is subsequently converted into tissue stiffness in terms of shear or Young's modulus (kPa). The layered pattern of the liver capsule and abdominal tissues can potentially alter the way shear waves are generated, thus affecting the tracking velocity of these shear waves. One guideline for shear wave elastography recommends following three parallel lines, with the liver capsule parallel to the transducer surface. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an ultrasound system includes a memory storing instructions and a processor executing the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the ultrasound system to: acquire an ultrasound image from a transducer array of an ultrasound probe; detect, based on the ultrasound image, the depth of a liver capsule relative to the transducer array and the angle of the transducer array relative to the liver capsule; and generate feedback based on the depth and the angle.

[0005] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an ultrasound probe includes a transducer array, a memory storing instructions, and a processor executing the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the ultrasound probe to: acquire an ultrasound image from the transducer array; detect, based on the ultrasound image, the depth of a liver capsule relative to the transducer array and the angle of the transducer array relative to the liver capsule; and generate feedback based on the depth and the angle.

[0006] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an ultrasound probe includes a transducer array, a memory storing instructions, and a processor executing the instructions. A method of operating the ultrasound probe includes: acquiring an ultrasound image from the transducer array when the instructions are executed by the processor; detecting a depth of a liver capsule relative to the transducer array and an angle of the transducer array relative to the liver capsule based on the ultrasound image; and generating feedback based on the depth and the angle. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The exemplary embodiments can be best understood by reading in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. It should be emphasized that the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, dimensions may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. Similar reference numerals refer to similar elements, as long as they are applicable and useful.

[0008] Figure 1 The illustration shows a system for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2 The illustration shows an ultrasound probe for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0010] Figure 3 The illustration shows attenuation imaging artifacts caused by the depth of the liver capsule and the abdominal region during liver capsule depth and angle detection according to a representative embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 The illustration shows the positioning of the liver capsule and field of view (FOV) frame in liver capsule depth and angle detection according to a representative embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 The illustration shows the progress of an algorithm with a user feedback option for detecting liver capsule depth and angle, according to a representative embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 The illustration shows the progress of an algorithm with a user feedback option for detecting liver capsule depth and angle, according to a representative embodiment.

[0014] Figure 7The illustration shows a dedicated button in a user interface for detecting liver capsule depth and angle according to a representative embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8 The illustration shows suggested annotations in a user interface for detecting liver capsule depth and angle according to a representative embodiment.

[0016] Figure 9 The illustration shows a method for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0017] In the following detailed description, representative embodiments with specific details disclosed are set forth for purposes of explanation and not limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments according to this teaching. However, other embodiments consistent with this disclosure and departing from the specific details disclosed herein are still within the scope of the appended claims. Descriptions of known systems, devices, materials, methods of operation, and methods of manufacture may be omitted to avoid obscuring the description of representative embodiments. Nevertheless, systems, devices, materials, and methods that are within the scope of this teaching and can be used according to representative embodiments are available to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The definitions and interpretations of terms herein are beyond their scientific and technical meanings commonly understood and accepted in the art as described in this teaching.

[0018] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept, the first element or component discussed below may also be referred to as the second element or component.

[0019] As used in the specification and appended claims, the singular forms of the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. Furthermore, when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” and / or similar terms are used herein, the terms “comprising” and / or “including” and / or similar terms specify the presence of the stated features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0020] Unless otherwise stated, when an element or component is referred to as "connected to," "coupled to," or "adjacent to" another element or component, it should be understood that the element or component can be directly connected to or coupled to the other element or component, or that intermediate elements or components may be present. That is, these and similar terms cover situations where one or more intermediate elements or components may be used to connect two elements or components. However, when an element or component is referred to as "directly connected to" another element or component, this only covers situations where two elements or components are connected to each other without any intermediate or intermediary elements or components.

[0021] Therefore, through various aspects, embodiments, and / or one or more of specific features or sub-components of this disclosure, this disclosure is intended to provide one or more advantages, as specifically pointed out below.

[0022] As described in this paper, feedback can be generated based on detecting the depth of the liver capsule relative to the transducer array and the angle of the transducers relative to the liver capsule. Depth detection can be used to ensure that the sonographer correctly positions the region of interest. Angle detection can be used to prompt the sonographer to improve the parallelism between the liver capsule and the transducer array, provided that the transducer array is ideally parallel to the liver capsule for elastography. When depth and angle are fed back in real time in this way, the design of a hierarchical estimation model that improves the accuracy of sound velocity estimation can benefit from detecting the liver capsule. The quality of liver B-mode images can also be improved by using sound velocities corrected based on more accurate sound velocity estimates obtained by taking into account liver capsule segmentation.

[0023] Figure 1 The illustration shows a system 100 for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0024] Figure 1 System 100 is a system for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule and includes components that can be supplied together or distributed components. System 100 includes an ultrasound probe 110, an ultrasound base 120, and a display 180. The ultrasound probe 110 includes a transducer array 113 and processing circuitry 115. The transducer array 113 includes individual transducer elements, including a first transducer element 1131, a second transducer element 1132, and an xth transducer element 113x. The ultrasound base includes a first interface 121, a second interface 122, a user interface 123, and a controller 150. The controller 150 includes a memory 151 for storing instructions and a processor 152 for executing instructions. The instructions stored in the memory 151 may include parameters and / or commands for operations performed by or at least using the ultrasound probe 110. In some embodiments, Figure 1The various components of system 100 may include a controller (e.g., controller 150). For example, the processing circuitry 115 of the ultrasound probe 110 may include a controller separate from controller 150. Display 180 includes a graphical user interface 181. One or more interfaces of the ultrasound base 120 and display 180 may include ports, disk drives, wireless antennas, or other types of receiver circuitry connected to other electronic components. One or more interfaces may also include a user interface (e.g., buttons, keys, a mouse, a microphone, a speaker, or other components that a user can use to interact with in order to input commands and receive output).

[0025] exist Figure 1 In this configuration, the ultrasound probe 110 can be wirelessly or wiredly connected to the ultrasound base 120 via a first interface 121. For example, the ultrasound probe 110 can be connected to the ultrasound base 120 via a cable. The display 180 can be wirelessly or wiredly connected to the ultrasound base via a second interface 122.

[0026] The ultrasound probe 110 includes a transducer array 113 that converts electrical energy into sound waves that bounce off body tissue and receives echoes of the sound waves, converting the echoes back into electrical energy. The transducer array 113 may include tens, hundreds, or thousands of individual transducer elements. The ultrasound probe 110 can emit a beam to generate an image and can detect the echoes. Processing circuitry 115 can control the emission operation of the beam emitted from the transducer array 113 and can be used to process the ultrasound images captured by the transducer array 113 of the ultrasound probe 110. For example, the processing circuitry 115 may include one or more beamformers for forming a beam to be emitted from the transducer array 113, and may include a emission controller and / or sensors for controlling, sensing, and recording the orientation of the beam relative to the ultrasound probe 110.

[0027] The ultrasound base 120 may be an ultrasound cart, or otherwise include an ultrasound cart. In addition to the controller 150, the ultrasound base 120 may also include buttons or other interactive media as a user interface 123. The user interface 123 may include multiple user interfaces (e.g., buttons), and the buttons may correspond to different functions of the ultrasound base 120. The ultrasound examiner can easily recognize which buttons to press to control the different functions of the ultrasound base 120 and the ultrasound probe 110. The user interface 123 may also be or include lights and / or signal devices to indicate liver capsule detection and correct angle, but such a user interface may also or alternatively be provided on the ultrasound probe 110.

[0028] The memory of the controller described herein may include one or more memories (e.g., main memory and / or static memory), wherein such memories may include instructions executed by a processor and may communicate with each other and with other elements of the controller via one or more buses. Memory is a tangible storage medium for storing data and / or executable software instructions, and is non-transient while the software instructions are stored therein. The term “non-transient” as used herein is not to be interpreted as a perpetual state characteristic, but rather as a state characteristic that will persist for a period of time. The term “non-transient” specifically denies transient characteristics, such as carrier or signal characteristics, or other forms of characteristics that exist only temporarily at any time and place. Memory used to store instructions for the controller may be used to implement some or all aspects of the methods and processes described herein, as well as data used in such methods and processes. For example, memory used to store instructions may be implemented by any number and type of random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM) and any combination thereof. In embodiments where the memory stores various types of instructions and information, the processor may cause the controller in processing circuitry 115 and / or the controller 150 in the ultrasonic base to perform various steps and methods using instructions and information according to this teaching. Furthermore, updates to the methods and processes described herein can also be stored in such a memory.

[0029] Various types of ROM and RAM can include any number and type of computer-readable storage media and any combination thereof, such as disk drives, flash memory, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable disks, magnetic tapes, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, Blu-ray discs, universal serial bus (USB) drives, or any other form of storage media known in the art. Computer-readable storage media is defined as any medium constituting the patentable subject matter according to 35U.SC §101, and excludes any medium that does not constitute the patentable subject matter according to 35U.SC §101. Examples of such media include non-transient media, such as computer memory devices that store information in a format readable by a computer or data processing system. More specific examples of non-transient media include computer disks and non-volatile memory.

[0030] The controller 150 and other controllers described herein represent one or more processing devices. In embodiments where the controller includes a memory storing instructions and a processor executing those instructions, the controller is configured to execute software instructions stored in such memory to perform the functions described in the various embodiments herein. The processor 152 and other processors and processing circuitry described herein may be implemented using any combination of hardware, software, firmware, hardwired logic circuitry, or a combination thereof, by a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), system-on-a-chip (SoC), central processing unit, computer processor, microprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU), microcontroller, state machine, programmable logic device, or a combination thereof. Additionally, any processing unit or processor herein may include multiple processors, parallel processors, or both. Multiple processors may be included in or coupled to a single device or multiple devices. As used herein, the term "processor" encompasses an electronic component capable of executing program or machine-executable instructions. References to devices including "processor" should be interpreted as including more than one processor or processing core, as is the case in a multi-core processor.

[0031] In system 100, display 180 can serve as a user interface to display the liver capsule in ultrasound images on display 180 and to mark the liver capsule in the ultrasound images displayed on the display. Display 180 can be used, for example, to mark the boundaries of the liver capsule and, in other ways, to display the angle between transducer array 113 and the liver capsule. The display can also be used to warn the user when a large angle exists between transducer array 113 and the liver capsule. Guidelines for liver elastography require parallelism between transducer array 113 and the liver capsule. The region of interest (ROI) that the sonographer uses as a target may include a trapezoid. In some ultrasound systems, guidelines require the sonographer to attempt and achieve three parallel lines that show the parallelism between the transducer array 113, the liver capsule, and the nearest horizontal edge of the RIO. Large angles can potentially affect quantization in shear wave elastography, therefore display 180 can be used to help minimize quantization reliability issues in shear wave elastography of interest.

[0032] Display 180 may be local to ultrasound base 120 or may be remotely connected to ultrasound base 120. Display 180 may be connected to ultrasound base 120 via a local wired interface such as an Ethernet cable or via a local wireless interface such as a Wi-Fi connection. Display 180 may interface with other user input devices (including a mouse, keyboard, thumbwheel, etc.) that a user can use to input instructions. Display 180 may be a monitor (e.g., a computer monitor, a display on a mobile device, an augmented reality display, a television, an electronic whiteboard, or another screen configured to display electronic images). Display 180 may also include one or more input interfaces (e.g., the aforementioned input interfaces that can be connected to other elements or components, and an interactive touchscreen configured to display prompts to the user and collect touch input from the user). Graphical user interface 181 may display any visual user interface described with respect to the embodiments herein.

[0033] Controller 150 can implement as follows Figure 9 As shown and about Figure 9 The methods described herein. Controller 150 may directly perform some of the operations described herein, and may indirectly implement other operations described herein. For example, controller 150 may indirectly control operations (e.g., by generating and transmitting content to be displayed on display 180). Controller 150 may directly control other operations (e.g., logical operations performed by processor 152 executing instructions from memory 151) based on input received via an interface from electronic components and / or a user. Therefore, when processor 152 executes instructions from memory 151, the process implemented by controller 150 may include steps not directly performed by controller 150.

[0034] As an example of an operation performed by or using controller 150, system 100 includes a memory 151 storing instructions and a processor 152 executing the instructions. When executed by processor 152, the instructions cause system 100 to: acquire an ultrasound image from transducer array 113 of ultrasound probe 110; detect the depth of the liver capsule relative to transducer array 113 and the angle of transducer array 113 relative to liver capsule based on the ultrasound image; and generate feedback based on the depth and angle. The feedback may be output by ultrasound probe 110, for example via tactile feedback, by ultrasound base 120, for example via auditory or visual feedback, and / or by display 180 on graphical user interface 181. Graphical user interface 181 may also be part of or separate from display 180. For example, in some systems, a touchscreen may be provided separately from display 180 for user adjustment of settings. In other systems, graphical user interface 181 is shown on display 180.

[0035] Figure 2 The illustration shows an ultrasound probe for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0036] The ultrasonic probe 210 includes a transducer array 213, a lens 214, a user interface 223, and a controller 250. The controller 250 includes a memory 251 for storing instructions and a processor 252 for executing instructions.

[0037] Transducer array 213 may correspond to transducer array 113 and may include an array of independently controllable transducer elements. Transducer array 213 converts electrical energy into sound waves that bounce off body tissue and receives the echoes of these sound waves, converting the echoes back into electrical energy. Transducer array 213 may include tens, hundreds, or thousands of individual transducer elements. Ultrasound probe 210 may emit a beam to generate an image and may detect the echoes.

[0038] Lens 214 can be used to focus the beam emitted by ultrasonic probe 210.

[0039] User interface 223 may include one or more user interfaces, including a screen, speaker, one or more buttons, or other types of user interfaces. The screen serving as user interface 223 may be used to mark the liver capsule boundary and angle, and to alert the user to large angles between the transducer array 213 and the liver capsule. Large angles can potentially affect shear wave elastography quantization, therefore display 180 may be used to help minimize shear wave elastography quantization reliability issues of concern. User interface 223 may also be or include lights and / or signalers to indicate liver capsule detection and the correct angle. Although in Figure 2 Not shown, but even when the ultrasound probe 210 is provided in the absence of an ultrasound base (e.g., Figure 1 In a system with an ultrasound base 120, a display 180 may also be provided with an ultrasound probe 210. The user interface 223 or the display (e.g., display 180) may be configured with indicator lights and / or signal transducers to show liver capsule detection and correct angle.

[0040] The controller 250 can process ultrasound images captured by the transducer array 213 of the ultrasound probe 210. Alternatively, the ultrasound images captured by the transducer array 213 may not be processed on the ultrasound probe 210, for example, by using an application on a separate mobile device that receives ultrasound images from the ultrasound probe 210. The controller 250 can be implemented as follows: Figure 9 As shown and about Figure 9 The methods described herein. Controller 250 can directly perform some of the operations described herein, and can indirectly implement other operations described herein.

[0041] As an example of an operation performed by or using controller 250, ultrasound probe 210 includes a memory 251 storing instructions and a processor 252 executing the instructions. When executed by processor 252, the instructions cause ultrasound probe 210 to: acquire an ultrasound image from transducer array 213 of ultrasound probe 210; detect the depth of the liver capsule relative to transducer array 213 and the angle of transducer array 213 relative to liver capsule based on the ultrasound image; and generate feedback based on the depth and angle. The feedback can be output by ultrasound probe 210, for example, via haptic or visual feedback when user interface 223 includes a screen, and / or via auditory feedback when user interface 223 includes a speaker. For example, ultrasound base 120 or ultrasound probe 210 of system 100 can be configured to output feedback for display on a display (e.g., display 180).

[0042] Although Figure 2 Not shown, but the ultrasound probe 210 can transmit image data to a smartphone or tablet, and the image data may include the liver capsule identified in accordance with the teachings herein. In some embodiments, warnings to adjust the position of the ultrasound probe 210 may be provided via a smartphone or tablet.

[0043] Figure 3 The illustration shows attenuation imaging artifacts caused by the depth of the liver capsule and the abdominal region during liver capsule depth and angle detection according to a representative embodiment.

[0044] In attenuation imaging, the liver capsule causes estimation errors in the attenuation coefficient in areas affected by reverberation (typically within regions less than twice the depth of the liver capsule). Attenuation introduces errors in the estimation of the attenuation coefficient in the region from which the arrow emanates on user interface 381. Figure 3 The artifacts shown are illustrated. For example, the area from which the arrow emanates can be shown in red, reflecting artifacts caused by reverberation from the liver capsule and abdominal region. Reverberation arises from signals bouncing back and forth between the transducer surface and the liver capsule, leading to artifacts in attenuated imaging modes.

[0045] It is important to minimize the impact of these erroneous regions on quantitative measurements used for diagnosis, and this is a key reason why the ultrasound technician can be guided to adjust the imaging depth and / or quantization region of the beam from ultrasound probe 110 or ultrasound probe 210, and / or to align the transducer array parallel to the liver capsule. Guidance can be provided via a screen on display 180, a screen on ultrasound probe 210, tactile feedback from ultrasound probe 110 or ultrasound probe 210, or auditory feedback from a speaker. The ultrasound technician can be guided to avoid placing the region of interest for quantization in areas where artifacts occur. Controls on ultrasound base 140 (e.g., user interface 123) or otherwise on a user interface on ultrasound probe 110 can be used to enable the ultrasound technician to adjust the imaging depth and region of interest (ROI). The user interface for adjusting imaging depth and ROI may include a touchscreen, knobs, and / or buttons.

[0046] Figure 4 The illustration shows the positioning of the liver capsule and field of view (FOV) frame in liver capsule depth and angle detection according to a representative embodiment.

[0047] Elastography requires the emission of long acoustic pulses that generate shear waves propagating within the tissue. These waves are then tracked to calculate their velocity (m / s), which is subsequently converted into tissue stiffness in terms of shear or Young's modulus (kPa). The layered pattern of the liver capsule and abdominal tissues can potentially alter the way shear waves are generated, thus affecting the tracking velocity of these shear waves. One guideline for shear wave elastography recommends following three parallel lines, with the liver capsule parallel to the transducer surface. Figure 4 The image shows three parallel lines.

[0048] Figure 5 The illustration shows the progress of an algorithm with a user feedback option for detecting liver capsule depth and angle, according to a representative embodiment.

[0049] Figure 5 The progress in reflects, for example, Figure 1 Controller 150 or Figure 2 The steps of the algorithm implemented by the controller 250 in the middle.

[0050] At S510, image data is acquired using an ultrasound probe (e.g., ultrasound probe 110 or ultrasound probe 210). The image data can be cached in the device buffer of the ultrasound probe and then retrieved from the device buffer.

[0051] At S520, median filtering is performed on the image data to remove speckle variability in the liver capsule and liver parenchyma. Median filtering at S520 is a form of spatial filtering used to remove speckle appearance and smooth the liver capsule and liver parenchyma. For example, the ultrasound base 120 or ultrasound probe 210 of system 100 can be configured to filter the image data of the ultrasound image to remove speckle variability.

[0052] At S530, the first derivative of the median-filtered image data is calculated, and then applied to identify changes in signal intensity. Changes in signal intensity reflect the slope of the signal. In other words, large changes in signal intensity can be identified based on the first derivative calculated at S530. The first derivative can identify jumps in signal intensity and potential liver boundary points. For example, the ultrasound base 120 or ultrasound probe 210 of system 100 can be configured to generate the first derivative of the filtered image data to identify changes in signal intensity relative to depth.

[0053] At S540, thresholding is performed by applying a threshold to the first derivative to identify possible liver capsule boundaries. Throttling at S540 can be based on the assumption that the brightness of the liver capsule and liver parenchyma is significantly different. For example, thresholding at S540 can be performed based on the assumption of a 5 dB difference in brightness between the liver capsule and liver parenchyma. While a 5 dB threshold is robust for identifying liver capsule boundaries, the threshold can be adjusted in other embodiments (e.g., for cases where the contrast between the liver capsule and liver parenchyma is not significant). The ability to adjust the threshold can be discussed in relation to the following... Figure 7 Button 799, shown and described, is provided together. In some embodiments, instructions executed by the ultrasound base 120 or ultrasound probe 210 of system 100 can be configured to cause system 100 or ultrasound probe to adjust the threshold for detecting liver capsule based on user input.

[0054] At S550, for each image line, the point representing the liver capsule is identified as the last point that passes a threshold within the search window. This search window can be established based on the distribution of points that pass the threshold at S540. The first fit at S550 can find the liver boundary points, and outliers can be excluded based on, for example, the square root of the mean squared error (MSE). For example, the ultrasound base 120 or ultrasound probe 210 of system 100 can be configured to exclude outliers of possible capsule boundary points. Possible outliers of capsule boundary points can be excluded after the first linear fit Yfit = a1*X + b, where x and y are the horizontal and depth of the point, respectively. The criterion for outlier determination can be the squared error (y - yfit)².

[0055] At S560, a second linear fit is calculated. The second linear fit can be performed using the equation Y = a² * X + b² to plot the liver capsule. The angle of the liver capsule can be determined by the slope a², and the depth shown can be the average of Y. The result of the second linear fit can include the identification of the liver capsule, and this identification provides feedback to the ultrasound examiner. The relevant surface of the liver capsule plotted at S560 is the top surface between the underlying liver tissue and the overlying muscle and fat, but it can also be plotted at... Figure 5 The method identifies and maps the sides and bottom of the liver capsule.

[0056] Ultrasound images can be displayed on the user interface 581 after the second linear fit, showing the angle 582 of the liver capsule and the depth 583 calculated at S560. The ultrasound examiner can use the feedback provided on the user interface 581 to prompt adjustments to the position of the ultrasound probe. Additionally, in Figure 5 The liver capsule identified in the image can be shown (e.g., by overlay) in B-mode ultrasound.

[0057] While the embodiments described herein are primarily set in the context of real-time feedback, in some embodiments, an ultrasound session can be completed, and most or all ultrasound images from the session can subsequently be processed to identify ultrasound images with acceptable depth and angle. For example, ultrasound images from the session can be quantized after the session, and the liver capsule can be plotted in images where the region of interest is at an appropriate depth. Additional ultrasound images from the session can be discarded.

[0058] Figure 6 The illustration shows the progress of an algorithm with a user feedback option for detecting liver capsule depth and angle, according to a representative embodiment.

[0059] Figure 6 The illustration is similar to Figure 5 Another example of progress in [the context]. In [the context] Figure 6 In the example progression, the contrast between the fat / muscle layer and the liver parenchyma was not very obvious. However, in Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the robustness of the algorithm, which is sufficient to detect the liver capsule and its angle of 682° and depth of 683°.

[0060] Figure 6 The progress in China once again reflects the efforts made by, for example Figure 1 Controller 150 or Figure 2 The steps of the algorithm implemented by the controller 250 in the middle.

[0061] At S610, image data is acquired using an ultrasound probe (e.g., ultrasound probe 110 or ultrasound probe 210). At S620, median filtering is applied to the image data to remove speckle variability in the liver capsule and liver parenchyma. At S630, the first derivative of the median-filtered image data is calculated and then applied to identify variations in signal intensity. At S640, thresholding is performed by applying a threshold to the first derivative to identify possible liver capsule boundaries. At S650, for each image line, points representing the liver capsule are identified as the last points within the search window that pass the threshold. At S660, a second linear fit is calculated. Figure 6 Details of the steps and Figure 5 The details of the steps are similar or identical, and therefore will not be repeated. However, the contrast between the fat / muscle layer and the liver parenchyma is... Figure 6 China and Belgium in Figure 5 The angle 682 and depth 683 of the liver capsule were still obtained, as shown on the user interface 681.

[0062] The ultrasound image can be displayed on the user interface 681 after the second linear fit, and the angle 682 of the liver capsule and the depth 683 calculated at S660 can be shown. The ultrasound examiner uses the feedback provided on the user interface 681 to prompt adjustments to the position of the ultrasound probe.

[0063] Figure 7 The illustration shows a dedicated button 799 in a user interface for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0064] Button 799 can be added to the current user interface on the ultrasound base 120, display 180, or ultrasound probe 210 to enable / disable the liver capsule angle and depth detection features described herein. Button 799 can be added to any ultrasound imaging modality where liver capsule artifacts (reverberation and aberrations) can affect quantitative measurements used for liver assessment.

[0065] In other embodiments, a rotary switch can be used instead of button 799 to allow the ultrasound examiner to select the liver capsule angle and depth detection. In some embodiments, multiple user interface mechanisms can be provided to enable the selection of liver capsule angle and depth detection.

[0066] Figure 8 The illustration shows suggested annotations in a user interface for detecting liver capsule depth and angle according to a representative embodiment.

[0067] In the user interface 881, add annotations for liver capsule depth 883 and angle 882. Feedback to the user can also be displayed on the user interface 881. Examples of feedback include: issuing an alert 884 to the ultrasound examiner when the liver capsule angle is greater than a certain threshold (e.g., degrees), and suggesting a deeper repositioning of one or more regions of interest (ROIs) 885 to avoid artifacts caused by the liver capsule.

[0068] Figure 9 The illustration shows a method for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule according to a representative embodiment.

[0069] Figure 9 The methods include algorithms for detecting the depth and angle of the liver capsule using image data, and Figure 9 The method can be derived from Figure 1 Ultrasonic base or Figure 2 The ultrasonic probe 210 in the middle is used to perform the operation. Figure 9 The method begins with S910: obtaining ultrasound images. Ultrasound images can be obtained through... Figure 1 The ultrasound probe 110 or Figure 2 The image data is acquired using an ultrasound probe 210. The image data can be initially cached and retrieved from the device cache for processing.

[0070] At S913, it is determined whether the user interface has been activated. The user interface can be a dedicated soft button (e.g., ...). Figure 7 Button 799 (or a dedicated hard button) or can be used for selection Figure 1 The controller 150 of the ultrasonic base 120 or Figure 2 Another type of user interface for the logic functions in the controller 250 of the ultrasound probe 110.

[0071] If the user interface is not activated (S913 = No), the method returns to S910. If the user interface is activated (S913 = Yes), the image data is filtered at S916. Filtering at S916 can be performed to remove speckle variability and can include filtering via a median filter.

[0072] At S919, Figure 9 The method involves generating the first derivative of the filtered image data. This first derivative can be used to identify variations in signal intensity relative to depth.

[0073] At S922, a threshold is applied to the first derivative of the filtered image data. This threshold can be used to identify possible liver capsule boundaries.

[0074] At S925, for each image line, the last point that passes the threshold is identified. The last point that passes the threshold can be identified for each image line, and it can be identified from candidates within a search window. The last point is identified as representing the liver capsule.

[0075] At S928, outliers are excluded. The excluded outliers are potential capsule boundary points identified at S925. For example, outliers can be identified for exclusion based on the square root of the mean square error (MSE).

[0076] At S931, linear fitting is used to generate data on the liver capsule.

[0077] At S934, the depth of the liver capsule and the angle of the transducer are measured. Detection at S934 is useful in liver disease diagnosis, provided that the thickness of the fat within the liver capsule can be used to monitor the extent of metabolic and / or cardiovascular diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, and heart disease). For example, the measured thickness of the liver capsule can be compared to a threshold to determine whether the thickness measurement indicates a relatively increased likelihood of disease. This can be achieved (e.g., at...) Figure 8 The user interface (881) displays an indication of the likelihood of a disease in real time, or later when a clinician is reviewing ultrasound reads acquired at one or more different times.

[0078] In some embodiments, it can be based on what is being executed over time. Figure 9 This method tracks longitudinal measurements of liver capsule thickness. Longitudinal measurements can be used to monitor changes in patient lifestyle and treatment effectiveness (e.g., obesity or metabolic disorders). It can (e.g., in...) Figure 8 The user interface (881) displays real-time indications of changes in patient lifestyle and / or the effectiveness of treatment, or later, when clinicians are reviewing ultrasound reads acquired at one or more different times.

[0079] At S937, it is determined whether the angle is greater than a threshold, and if it is greater than the threshold (S937 = Yes), a warning is generated at S940. The warning at S940 is used to improve and optimize the parallelism between the transducer array and the liver capsule, provided that the liver capsule introduces undesirable acoustic effects with reverberation and aberrations in ultrasound imaging. Reverberation is based on the ultrasound signal bouncing within the liver capsule, and aberrations are due to the different sound velocities in different media. Artifacts lead to image quality degradation and inaccurate estimations of certain acoustic parameters used for liver disease assessment; therefore, the warning at S940 is used to improve or even optimize parallelism.

[0080] If the angle is not greater than the threshold (S937 = No), feedback is generated at S950. The feedback can be tactile, visual, and / or auditory, and may include a warning if a warning is generated at S940. Otherwise, the feedback generated at S950 may include angle and / or depth readings as described herein. Although in Figure 9 Not shown in the diagram, but when a warning is generated at S940, Figure 9 The method can be to return the warning from S940 to S910 during and / or after the feedback generated at S950.

[0081] At S960, feedback and the liver capsule, along with warnings from S937 (if applicable), are displayed. For example, feedback and the liver capsule can be displayed... Figure 1 On the monitor 180. It can be on the monitor (e.g., Figure 1 The liver capsule and its feedback are displayed on the ultrasound image on a monitor (180). For example, the feedback and location of the liver capsule can be overlaid on the ultrasound image.

[0082] At S970, the liver capsule is marked on the display. Identifying and marking the liver capsule on the image at S970 helps guide the ultrasound operator in positioning the ultrasound probe and performing caliper placement for quantification, thereby improving the user's workflow and diagnostic accuracy. Displaying the liver capsule at S970 can include a quantifiable assessment of liver capsule thickness for monitoring obesity, metabolism, diabetes risk, and heart disease. This can be achieved (e.g., in...) Figure 8 The user interface (881) displays in real time an indication of a quantitative assessment of liver capsule thickness and its relationship with one or more diseases and conditions, or later when a clinician is reviewing ultrasound reads acquired at one or more different times.

[0083] In addition, Figure 6 The liver capsule identified in the image can be shown (e.g., by overlay) in B-mode ultrasound. The numbers on one side of the B-mode ultrasound image can indicate pixel depth, and the pixel depth can be automatically converted into the actual depth of the liver capsule in the B-mode ultrasound image.

[0084] Figure 9 The procedure does not particularly require the original ultrasound data. Figure 9 The method described herein can manipulate digital imaging and communication (DICOM) data in medicine, making it easy to deploy in live scanning mode as well as in review or offline mode. The steps described in this paper can be used for different imaging modalities, including elastography, attenuation imaging, and sound velocity imaging.

[0085] in addition, Figure 9This method allows ultrasound examiners to assess the current view based on warnings generated at S937 and / or feedback generated at S950, and to adjust the current view as needed. The improved parallelism allows for more accurate quantitative assessment of liver biomarkers, including more accurate elastography and more accurate sound velocity estimation.

[0086] While the teachings of this paper can assume uniform frequency usage for quantitative modes, high-frequency imaging can be used with broadband transducers, particularly for improving liver capsule detection, while maintaining the uniform frequency of the quantitative mode. High-frequency imaging can provide improved spatial resolution at the expense of penetration. High frequencies can be achieved using the same emission events as the quantitative mode via bandpass filters.

[0087] In embodiments, dedicated hardware implementations such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays, and other hardware components are configured to implement one or more of the methods described herein. One or more embodiments described herein may use two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices to implement functionality using associated control and data signals capable of communicating between and through modules. Therefore, this disclosure covers software implementations, firmware implementations, and hardware implementations. Nothing in this application should be construed as being implemented or feasible solely using software and not hardware (e.g., tangible non-transient processors and / or memory).

[0088] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the methods described herein can be implemented using a hardware computer system that executes software programs. Additionally, in exemplary non-limiting embodiments, implementations can include distributed processing, component / object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Virtual computer system processing can implement one or more of the methods or functions described or implemented herein, and the processor described herein can be used to support a virtual processing environment.

[0089] Therefore, the detection of liver capsule depth and angle enables the generation of feedback based on the detected depth of the liver capsule relative to the transducer array and the angle of the transducers relative to the liver capsule. This feedback can be used to prompt the ultrasound examiner to improve the parallelism between the liver capsule and the transducer array. When depth and angle are fed back in real time in this manner, the design of hierarchical estimation models that improve the accuracy of sound velocity estimation can benefit from the detection of the liver capsule. Furthermore, the quality of liver B-mode images can be improved using sound velocities corrected based on more accurate sound velocity estimates obtained by considering liver capsule segmentation.

[0090] While liver capsule depth and angle detection has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the terms used are descriptive and illustrative, not limiting. Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended (as stated and amended) claims without departing from the various aspects of liver capsule depth and angle detection. Although liver capsule depth and angle detection has been described with reference to specific means, materials, and embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the disclosed details; rather, it extends to all functionally equivalent (e.g., within the scope of the appended claims) structures, methods, and uses.

[0091] The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to be a complete description of all elements and features of the disclosure described herein. Many other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing this disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other embodiments may be derived from this disclosure, allowing structural and logical substitutions and changes to be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the illustrations are merely representative and may not be drawn to scale. Some scales in the illustrations may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized. Therefore, this disclosure and the accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0092] One or more embodiments of this disclosure may be referred to herein individually and / or collectively by the term "invention," merely for convenience and not intended to actively limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Furthermore, while specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that any subsequent arrangements designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may replace the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent modifications or variations of the various embodiments. Upon review of the specification, those skilled in the art will be able to readily conceive of combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein.

[0093] This abstract of the disclosure is provided to conform to 37C.FR §1.72(b), and is submitted so that it may not be construed as limiting the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the foregoing detailed description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure. This disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, the inventive subject matter may relate to fewer features than all of any of the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, the following claims are incorporated into the detailed description, wherein each claim serves independently as a definition of a separately claimed subject matter.

[0094] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the concepts described in this disclosure. Therefore, the subject matter disclosed above is to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments falling within the true spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the scope of this disclosure shall be determined by the widest permissible interpretation of the appended claims and their equivalents, and should not be limited or restricted by the foregoing detailed description.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system (100), comprising: Memory (151), which stores instructions; as well as A processor (152) executes the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (152), cause the ultrasound system (100) to: Ultrasonic images are obtained from the transducer array (113) of the ultrasonic probe (110); The depth of the liver capsule relative to the transducer array (113) and the angle of the transducer array (113) relative to the liver capsule are detected based on the ultrasound images; and Feedback is generated based on the depth and the angle.

2. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 1 further includes: The ultrasonic probe (110) includes the transducer array (113). as well as A display (180) is configured to display the feedback generated based on the depth and the angle.

3. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): The liver capsule is displayed (180) in an ultrasound image on the display (180); and The liver capsule is marked in the ultrasound image displayed on the display (180).

4. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): The image data of the ultrasound image is filtered to remove speckle variability; Generate the first derivative of the filtered image data to identify changes in signal intensity relative to depth; The threshold is applied to the first derivative of the filtered image data to identify possible liver capsule boundaries; For each image line, the last point of the threshold will be identified as representing the liver capsule within the search window; Exclude outliers at possible capsule boundary points; and The liver capsule was plotted using linear fitting.

5. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): Determine whether the user interface (123) has been activated; and The depth and angle are detected based on the determination that the user interface (123) has been activated.

6. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): The angle is compared with a threshold, wherein the feedback includes: the depth, the angle, and a warning when the angle is greater than the threshold.

7. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): The threshold used to detect the liver capsule is adjusted based on user input.

8. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound system (100): Measure the thickness of the liver capsule; and The measurement result of the thickness of the liver capsule is compared with a threshold.

9. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The memory (151) and the processor (152) are implemented in the ultrasonic base (120).

10. An ultrasonic probe (110), comprising: Transducer array (113); Memory (151), which stores instructions; as well as A processor (152) executes the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (152), cause the ultrasound probe (110) to: Ultrasonic images are obtained from the transducer array (113); The depth of the liver capsule relative to the transducer array (113) and the angle of the transducer array (113) relative to the liver capsule are detected based on the ultrasound images; and Feedback is generated based on the depth and the angle.

11. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 10, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processor (152), it causes the ultrasound probe (110) to: The feedback is output for display on the display (180).

12. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 11, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound probe (110): Accept input from the user interface (123); and The liver capsule is marked in the ultrasound image used for display (180) on the display (180).

13. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 10, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound probe (110): The image data of the ultrasound image is filtered to remove speckle variability; Generate the first derivative of the filtered image data to identify changes in signal intensity relative to depth; The threshold is applied to the first derivative of the filtered image data to identify possible liver capsule boundaries; For each image line, the last point of the threshold will be identified as representing the liver capsule within the search window; Exclude outliers at possible capsule boundary points; and The liver capsule was plotted using linear fitting.

14. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasonic probe (110) to: Determine whether the user interface (123) has been activated; and The depth and angle are detected based on the determination that the user interface (123) has been activated.

15. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 11, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound probe (110): The angle is compared with a threshold, wherein the feedback includes: the depth, the angle, and a warning when the angle is greater than the threshold.

16. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 11, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound probe (110): The threshold used to detect the liver capsule is adjusted based on user input.

17. The ultrasonic probe (110) according to claim 11, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the processor (152), also cause the ultrasound probe (110): Measure the thickness of the liver capsule; and The measurement result of the thickness of the liver capsule is compared with a threshold.

18. A method of operating an ultrasonic probe (110), the ultrasonic probe comprising a transducer array (113), a memory (151) storing instructions, and a processor (152) executing the instructions, the method comprising: When the instruction is executed by the processor (152), an ultrasound image is obtained from the transducer array (113); The depth of the liver capsule relative to the transducer array (113) and the angle of the transducer array (113) relative to the liver capsule are detected based on the ultrasound images; and Feedback is generated based on the depth and the angle.

Images