Method and system for enhancing visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging with graphical symbols

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging with graphical symbols presented in a hexagonal fill arrangement. The method includes emitting, by an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound beam into a region of interest. The method includes converting, by the ultrasound probe, the received echoes to generate an ultrasound signal corresponding to the ultrasound beam. The method includes processing, by a receive beamformer, the ultrasound signal to generate a beamformed signal. The method includes processing, by at least one processor, the beamformed signal to generate an ultrasound image. The method includes processing, by the at least one processor, the beamformed signal to generate velocity information for the region of interest. The method includes causing, by the at least one processor, a display system to present the ultrasound image overlaid with graphical symbols generated from the velocity information of the region of interest. The graphical symbols are presented in a hexagonal padding arrangement.

Description

[0001] Some implementations relate to ultrasound imaging. More specifically, some implementations relate to a method and system for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasound imaging is a medical imaging technique used to image organs and soft tissues in the human body. Ultrasound imaging uses real-time, non-invasive high-frequency sound waves to produce a range of two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and / or four-dimensional (4D) images.

[0003] Ultrasound imaging is an important diagnostic tool for assessing the cardiovascular system. For example, the distribution of blood flow velocity within vessels provides valuable diagnostic information. Visualization of blood flow information can be provided by: acquiring ultrasound image data in a region of interest containing blood flow; analyzing the ultrasound image data to estimate a blood flow velocity vector field containing information about the size and orientation of the blood flow; and displaying graphical elements that provide visual information about the size and orientation of the blood flow. This blood flow velocity vector field can be estimated using blood spotting, directional cross-correlation analysis, phase shift estimation, Doppler analysis, and / or any suitable flow vector estimation method. Graphical elements (such as arrows) can be overlaid on the ultrasound image using a grid, where the orientation of each arrow in the grid corresponds to the flow direction, and the size of the arrow corresponds to the flow magnitude. However, arrows or other graphical elements overlaid on the ultrasound image (referred to herein as graphical symbols) may not provide the desired amount of data points. Furthermore, these graphical symbols may be difficult to visualize, especially for slower-moving flows.

[0004] By comparing such systems with some aspects of this disclosure as set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings in the remainder of this application, further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional methods will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A system and / or method are provided for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal filled arrangement, the system and / or method being substantially as shown and / or described in conjunction with at least one of the accompanying drawings, as set forth more fully in the claims.

[0006] These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of this disclosure, as well as details of its illustrative embodiments, will be more fully understood from the following description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an exemplary ultrasound system, according to various implementation schemes, capable of operating to enhance the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement.

[0008] Figure 2 This is an exemplary display of graphic symbols using a grid layout according to various implementation schemes.

[0009] Figure 3 This is an exemplary imaging of graphic symbols overlaid on an ultrasound image using a grid layout, according to various implementation schemes.

[0010] Figure 4 This is an exemplary image of a graphic symbol using a hexagonal filling arrangement according to various implementation schemes.

[0011] Figure 5 This is an exemplary imaging of graphic symbols overlaid on an ultrasound image using a hexagonal filling arrangement, according to various implementation schemes.

[0012] Figure 6 This is an exemplary image of a linearly scaled graphic symbol overlaid on an ultrasound image, according to various implementation schemes.

[0013] Figure 7 It is an exemplary graph showing the linear scaling of the dimensions of the graphic symbols according to various implementation schemes.

[0014] Figure 8 It is an exemplary graph showing the non-linear scaling of the dimensions of the graphic symbols according to various implementation schemes.

[0015] Figure 9 This is an exemplary image of a droplet-shaped graphic symbol overlaid on an ultrasound image using a hexagonal filling arrangement, according to various embodiments.

[0016] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement, according to various implementation schemes. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Certain embodiments may exist in a method and system for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement. For example, aspects of this disclosure have the technical effect of densely covering vascular regions to provide enhanced understanding of small flow characteristics (such as turbulence) by placing graphic symbols with the densest possible filling arrangement (which is hexagonal filling). Furthermore, aspects of this disclosure have the technical effect of enhancing the visualization of blood flow with lower velocities by using a nonlinear function to dynamically compress velocity magnitudes to amplify graphic symbols representing lower-velocity blood flow.

[0018] The foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description of certain embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the functional blocks of various embodiments in the drawings, these functional blocks do not necessarily represent a division between hardware circuit systems. Thus, for example, one or more functional blocks (e.g., a processor or memory) may be implemented in a single piece of hardware (e.g., a general-purpose signal processor or a block of random access memory, a hard disk, etc.) or in multiple pieces of hardware. Similarly, a program may be a standalone program, may be included as a subroutine in an operating system, may be a function in an installed software package, etc. It should be understood that the various embodiments are not limited to the arrangements and tools shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that embodiments may be combined, or other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the various embodiments. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be considered limiting, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0019] As used herein, elements or steps listed in the singular and beginning with the word "a" or "an" should be understood to not exclude multiple said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to "exemplary embodiments," "various embodiments," "certain embodiments," "representative embodiments," etc., are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also include the described features. Additionally, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments that "comprise," "include," or "have" one or more elements having a particular attribute may include additional elements that do not have that attribute.

[0020] Additionally, as used herein, the term "image" broadly refers to both a visual image and the data representing that image. However, many implementations generate (or are configured to generate) at least one visual image. Furthermore, as used herein, the phrase "image" is used to refer to an ultrasound mode, which can be one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), or four-dimensional (4D), and includes brightness modes (B-mode or 2D modes), motion modes (M-mode), color motion modes (CM-mode), color flow modes (CF-mode), pulsed wave (PW) Doppler, continuous wave (CW) Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and / or sub-modes of B-mode and / or CF-mode, such as harmonic imaging, shear wave elastography (SWEI), strain elastography, tissue velocity imaging (TVI), power Doppler imaging (PDI), B-flow color (BFC), microvascular imaging (MVI), ultrasound-guided attenuation parameter (UGAP), etc.

[0021] Furthermore, as used herein, the term “processor” or “processing unit” refers to any type of processing unit capable of performing the required computations for various implementation schemes, such as a single-core or multi-core central processing unit (CPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof.

[0022] It should be noted that the various embodiments for generating or forming images described herein may include processing for forming the image, which in some embodiments includes beamforming, while in others does not. For example, an image may be formed without beamforming, such that the product is an image, by multiplying a matrix of demodulated data by a coefficient matrix, and wherein the process does not form any “beams.” Alternatively, image formation may be performed using a combination of channels that may originate from more than one transmission event (e.g., synthetic aperture technology).

[0023] In various implementations, for example, ultrasonic processing to form an image is performed in software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof, including ultrasonic beamforming, such as receive beamforming. One specific implementation of an ultrasonic system having a software beamformer architecture formed according to various implementations is... Figure 1 As shown in the image.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an exemplary ultrasound system 100, operable according to various embodiments, capable of enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement. Reference Figure 1 An ultrasound system 100 is shown. The ultrasound system 100 includes a transmitter 102, an ultrasound probe 104, a transmit beamformer 110, a receiver 118, a receive beamformer 120, an A / D converter 122, an RF processor 124, an RF / IQ buffer 126, a user input device 130, a signal processor 132, an image buffer 136, a display system 134, and a database 138. The ultrasound system 100 can be a standard console, a miniaturized ultrasound system, a wired or wireless ultrasound system, and / or any ultrasound system capable of transmitting and receiving acoustic energy from multiple transducer elements in multiple directions. In some embodiments, the transmitter 102 and / or the transmit beamformer 110 may be embedded in the ultrasound probe 104.

[0025] Transmitter 102 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that are operable to drive ultrasonic probe 104. Transmitter 102 may be configured to receive transmission settings from signal processor 132 for driving ultrasonic probe 104. For example, transmitter 102 may receive transmission settings such as transmission frequency, waveform shape, bandwidth, and / or any suitable transmission settings from signal processor 132. Ultrasonic probe 104 may be a phased array, linear array, curve array, or any suitable shape or combination of shapes. Ultrasonic probe 104 may include a series of transducer elements, such as piezoelectric elements, micromechanical elements, piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) elements, capacitive micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) elements, and / or any suitable transducer elements capable of converting control signals into acoustic energy and acoustic energy into ultrasonic signals. Ultrasonic probe 104 may include a set of transmitting transducer elements 106 and a set of receiving transducer elements 108 that generally constitute the same components. The set of transmitting transducer elements 106 can emit ultrasound signals that pass through the oil and probe cap and into the target. In a representative embodiment, the ultrasound probe 104 can be operated to acquire ultrasound image data covering at least most anatomical structures, such as the heart, fetus, blood vessels, pelvic region, or any suitable anatomical area.

[0026] The transmit beamformer 110 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to control the transmitter 102, which drives the set of transmit transducer elements 106 via the transmit sub-aperture beamformer 114 to transmit ultrasonic signals (i.e., transmit beams) to a region of interest (e.g., a person, animal, underground cavity, physical structure, etc.). In various embodiments, the transmit sub-aperture beamformer 114 may be omitted. The transmitted ultrasonic signal may be backscattered from structures (such as blood cells or tissue) within the object of interest to generate an echo. The echo is received by the receive transducer element 108.

[0027] The set of receiving transducer elements 108 in the ultrasonic probe 104 can be operated to convert the received echo into an analog signal, perform sub-aperture beamforming via the receiving sub-aperture beamformer 116, and then transmit it to the receiver 118. In various embodiments, the receiving sub-aperture beamformer 116 may be omitted. The receiver 118 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to receive signals from the receiving sub-aperture beamformer 116 and / or the receiving transducer elements 108. The analog signal can be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of A / D converters 122.

[0028] The ultrasound system 100 may also include a matching layer (not shown) having acoustic impedance. An exemplary matching layer embodiment is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,757,389, filed June 25, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The matching layer may be placed or positioned such that it is between the patient and the transducer elements 106, 108. The matching layer is configured to have an acoustic impedance between the impedance of blood flow or tissue in the anatomical region and the impedance of the material of the transducer elements 106, 108. The matching layer is configured to absorb waves reflected from the anatomical region due to the difference in acoustic impedance between the anatomical structure at the region of interest and the impedance of the transducer elements 106, 108.

[0029] The ultrasound system 100 may also include a damping block (not shown) configured to absorb ultrasound energy. The damping block may be positioned behind some or all of the transducer elements 106, 108. An exemplary damping block embodiment is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,378,554, filed September 27, 2019, entitled "Acoustic Backing Material 204," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The damping block may include various components having acoustic damping properties such that at least a portion of reflected ultrasound waves received at the ultrasound system 100 are absorbed by the ultrasound system 100 without being reflected back to the patient. For example, the damping block may comprise a cured blend of a backing polymer matrix, filler particles, and one or more additives (e.g., a hardener, a crosslinking agent), wherein the backing polymer matrix may be formed from a thermoplastic, thermosetting polymer precursor, or resin that may be selected in part for its acoustic damping properties.

[0030] Multiple A / D converters 122 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that are operable to convert analog signals from receiver 118 into corresponding digital signals. The multiple A / D converters 122 are disposed between receiver 118 and RF processor 124. However, this disclosure is not limited in this respect. Therefore, in some embodiments, the multiple A / D converters 122 may be integrated within receiver 118 or within probe 104.

[0031] RF processor 124 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to demodulate digital signals output from a plurality of A / D converters 122. According to an embodiment, RF processor 124 may include a demodulator (not shown) operable to demodulate digital signals to form I / Q data pairs representing corresponding echo signals. The RF or I / Q signal data can then be passed to RF / IQ buffer 126. RF / IQ buffer 126 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to provide temporary storage of the RF or I / Q signal data generated by RF processor 124.

[0032] The receiver beamformer 120 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that are operable to perform digital beamforming processing, such as summing a delayed channel signal received from the RF processor 124 via the RF / IQ buffer 126 and outputting a beam sum signal. The resulting processed information may be the beam sum signal output from the receiver beamformer 120 and transmitted to the signal processor 132. According to some embodiments, the receiver 118, multiple A / D converters 122, the RF processor 124, and the beamformer 120 may be integrated into a single beamformer, which may be a digital beamformer. In various embodiments, the ultrasound system 100 includes multiple receiver beamformers 120.

[0033] User input device 130 can be used to input patient data, scan parameters, settings, select protocols and / or templates, select and / or modify regions of interest, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, user input device 130 may be operable to configure, manage and / or control the operation of one or more components and / or modules in ultrasound system 100. In this regard, user input device 130 may be operable to configure, manage and / or control the operation of transmitter 102, ultrasound probe 104, transmit beamformer 110, receiver 118, receive beamformer 120, RF processor 124, RF / IQ buffer 126, signal processor 132, image buffer 136, display system 134 and / or archive 138. User input device 130 may include one or more buttons, one or more rotary encoders, touch screen, motion tracking, voice recognition, mouse device, keyboard, camera and / or any other device capable of receiving user commands. In some embodiments, for example, one or more user input devices in user input device 130 may be integrated into other components such as display system 134 or ultrasound probe 104. For example, user input device 130 may include a touchscreen display.

[0034] Signal processor 132 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to process ultrasound scan data (i.e., summed IQ signals) to generate an ultrasound image for presentation on display system 134. Signal processor 132 is operable to perform one or more processing operations based on multiple selectable ultrasound modalities on the acquired ultrasound scan data. In exemplary embodiments, signal processor 132 may be operable to perform display processing and / or control processing, etc. Acquired ultrasound scan data can be processed in real time during a scanning session as echo signals are received. Additionally or alternatively, ultrasound scan data may be temporarily stored in RF / IQ buffer 126 during a scanning session and processed in a less real-time manner during online or offline operation. In various embodiments, processed image data may be presented at display system 134 and / or stored at archive 138. Archive 138 may be a local archive, a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), or any suitable device for storing images and related information.

[0035] Signal processor 132 may be one or more processing units, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and / or graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. For example, signal processor 132 may be an integrated component or may be distributed in various locations. In an exemplary embodiment, signal processor 132 may include image processor 140, blood flow velocity processor 150, and graphic symbol visualization processor 160. Signal processor 132 may be able to receive input information from user input device 130 and / or archive 138, generate output that can be displayed by display system 134, and manipulate the output in response to input information from user input device 130, etc. For example, signal processor 132, image processor 140, blood flow velocity processor 150, and graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may be able to perform any of the methods and / or instruction sets discussed herein according to various embodiments.

[0036] The ultrasound system 100 is capable of operating to continuously acquire ultrasound scan data at a frame rate suitable for the imaging situation under consideration. Typical frame rates are in the range of 20 to 120, but may be lower or higher. The acquired ultrasound scan data may be displayed on the display system 134 at the same frame rate or at a display rate that is slower or faster than the frame rate. An image buffer 136 is included for storing frames of acquired ultrasound scan data that are not scheduled for immediate display. Preferably, the image buffer 136 has sufficient capacity to store frames of ultrasound scan data for at least several minutes, but it may also store fewer frames. Frames of ultrasound scan data are stored in a manner that facilitates retrieval from them according to their acquisition order or time. The image buffer 136 may be embodied in any known data storage medium.

[0037] Signal processor 132 may include image processor 140, which includes suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to process beamformed signals received from receiving beamformer 120 and / or any suitable ultrasound image data to generate an ultrasound image. For example, image processor 140 of signal processor 132 may receive beamformed signals output from receiving beamformer 120. Image processor 140 may be configured to process ultrasound scan data to generate an ultrasound image for presentation on display system 134. Image processor 140 may be operable to perform one or more processing operations based on multiple selectable ultrasound modes on the beamformed signal. For example, signal processor 132 may be operable to process the beamformed signal to generate a mode B image, color Doppler information, and / or any suitable ultrasound image information. In an exemplary embodiment, signal processor 132 may be operable to perform display processing and / or control processing, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, image processor 140 may be configured to overlay color Doppler information onto the generated B-mode image. The generated B-mode image, with or without the color Doppler information, may be displayed at display system 134 and / or stored in archive 138 and / or any suitable data storage medium.

[0038] Signal processor 132 may include blood flow velocity processor 150, which includes suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code capable of operating to analyze the beamformed signal provided by receiving beamformer 120 to generate velocity information of a region of interest, such as blood flow in a blood vessel and / or any suitable region of interest. For example, blood flow velocity processor 150 may be operable to analyze the ultrasound image data to estimate a blood flow velocity vector field having information about the magnitude and orientation of the blood flow. This blood flow velocity vector field may be estimated using blood spotting, directional cross-correlation analysis, phase shift estimation, Doppler analysis, and / or any suitable flow vector estimation method. For example, blood flow velocity processor 150 may perform blood flow estimation over the region of interest to obtain axial and lateral velocity information of the velocity vector at any given location within the region of interest, such as using synthetic aperture imaging, lateral oscillation methods, or any suitable method. Blood flow velocity processor 150 may be configured to determine the magnitude and orientation of the blood flow velocity at any given point within the region of interest based on the axial and lateral velocity estimates. Therefore, the blood flow velocity processor 150 can be configured to generate a blood flow velocity vector field having information about the magnitude and orientation of blood flow at any given point in the region of interest. This blood flow velocity vector field can be provided to the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 and / or stored in the archive 138 or any suitable data storage medium.

[0039] Signal processor 132 may include a graphic symbol visualization processor 160, which includes suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code capable of operating to generate graphic symbols based on velocity information received from blood flow velocity processor 150 and / or retrieved from the archive and / or any suitable data storage medium. The graphic symbol is a graphic element configured to provide visualization of the size and orientation of blood flow at any point in a region of interest. For example, the graphic symbol may be an arrow, a droplet, and / or any suitable shape, icon, etc., capable of providing information on the size and orientation of blood flow velocity. For example, an arrow graphic symbol may point in a direction corresponding to the orientation of the blood flow, and its size may be determined to correspond to the size of the blood flow. Similarly, a droplet graphic symbol may have a thicker head portion (opposite to a thinner tail portion) pointing in a direction corresponding to the orientation of the blood flow, and its size may be determined to correspond to the size of the blood flow. The graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code operable to overlay graphic symbols arranged in a hexagonal fill pattern onto an ultrasound image generated by the image processor 140. This hexagonal fill pattern is the densest possible fill pattern. Therefore, the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced because the graphic symbols with this hexagonal fill pattern densely cover the vascular region to provide an enhanced understanding of small flow characteristics such as turbulence. The graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may be configured to directly overlay the graphic symbols with this hexagonal fill pattern onto the ultrasound image in the region of interest. Alternatively, the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may be configured to overlay the graphic symbols with this hexagonal fill pattern onto color Doppler information superimposed on the ultrasound image in the region of interest.

[0040] Figure 2 This is an exemplary image 200 of a graphic symbol 222 employing a grid layout according to various implementation schemes. (See reference) Figure 2 The image 200 of graphic symbol 222 is shown using a grid layout. Figure 2 The graphic symbol 222 illustrated herein is an arrow. The arrow graphic symbol 222 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction it points. The arrow graphic symbol 222 can provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each arrow graphic symbol within it. For example, a faster velocity can be represented by a larger arrow graphic symbol 222, and a slower velocity can be represented by a smaller arrow graphic symbol 222. Figure 2 As shown, this grid layout provides graphic symbols 222 that are vertically and horizontally aligned in rows and columns.

[0041] Figure 3 This is an exemplary image 300 of graphic symbols 322 overlaid on an ultrasound image 310, according to various embodiments. Reference Figure 3 The imaging unit 300 includes an ultrasound image display portion 302 that presents an ultrasound image 310. The ultrasound image 310 includes a region of interest 320, which may include, for example, blood vessels with blood flow. The ultrasound image 310 is overlaid with color Doppler information 326. The ultrasound image 310 and the color Doppler information 326 are overlaid with graphic symbols 322 arranged in a grid layout. Figure 3 The graphic symbol 322 illustrated herein is an arrow. The arrow graphic symbol 322 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction it points. The arrow graphic symbol 322 can provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each arrow graphic symbol within it. For example, a faster speed can be represented by a larger arrow graphic symbol 322, and a slower speed can be represented by a smaller arrow graphic symbol 322. Figure 3 As shown, this grid layout provides graphic symbols 322 that are vertically and horizontally aligned in rows and columns.

[0042] Figure 4 This is an exemplary image 400 of a graphic symbol 422 with a hexagonal filling arrangement according to various implementation schemes. (See reference) Figure 4 The image 400 of graphic symbol 422 is shown by a hexagonal filled arrangement. Figure 4 The graphic symbol 422 illustrated herein is an arrow. The arrow graphic symbol 422 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction it points. The arrow graphic symbol 422 can provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each arrow graphic symbol within it. For example, a faster speed can be represented by a larger arrow graphic symbol 422, and a slower speed can be represented by a smaller arrow graphic symbol 422. Figure 4 As shown, this hexagonal fill arrangement provides vertically overlapping rows of graphic symbols 422 that are laterally offset from adjacent rows to provide the densest fill arrangement. By providing graphic symbols 422 in a hexagonal fill arrangement, the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced because the graphic symbols 422 densely fill the image 400 to provide an enhanced understanding of small flow features such as turbulence. For example, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 The hexagonal fill arrangement of graphic symbol 422 in the image 400 covers the image 400 more densely, thus more than Figure 2 The graphic symbol 222, which uses a grid layout, provides more speed information.

[0043] Figure 5This is an exemplary imaging technique using hexagonal-filled graphic symbols overlaid on an ultrasound image, according to various implementation schemes. Reference Figure 5 The imaging unit 500 includes an ultrasound image display portion 502 that presents an ultrasound image 510. The ultrasound image 510 includes a region of interest 520, which may include, for example, blood vessels with blood flow. The ultrasound image 510 is overlaid with color Doppler information 526. The ultrasound image 510 and the color Doppler information 526 are overlaid with graphic symbols 522 arranged in a hexagonal fill pattern. Figure 5 The graphic symbol 522 illustrated herein is an arrow. The arrow graphic symbol 522 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction it points. The arrow graphic symbol 522 can provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each arrow graphic symbol within it. For example, a faster speed can be represented by a larger arrow graphic symbol 522, and a slower speed can be represented by a smaller arrow graphic symbol 522. Figure 5 As shown, this hexagonal fill arrangement provides vertically overlapping rows of graphic symbols 522 that are laterally offset from adjacent rows to provide the densest fill arrangement. By providing graphic symbols 522 in a hexagonal fill arrangement, the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced because the graphic symbols 522 densely fill the region of interest 520 in the ultrasound image 510 to provide an enhanced understanding of small flow features such as turbulence. For example, refer to... Figure 3 and Figure 5 , Figure 5 The hexagonal fill arrangement of the graphic symbol 522 in the ultrasound image 310 more densely covers the region of interest 520, thus more effectively than... Figure 3 The graphic symbols 322 arranged in a grid layout in the region of interest 320 of the ultrasound image 510 provide more velocity information.

[0044] Figure 6 This is an exemplary image 600 of a linearly scaled graphic symbol 622 overlaid on an ultrasound image 610 according to various embodiments. Reference Figure 6 The imaging unit 600 includes an ultrasound image display portion 602 that presents an ultrasound image 610. The ultrasound image 610 includes a region of interest 620, which may include, for example, blood vessels with blood flow. The ultrasound image 610 is overlaid with color Doppler flow information 626. The ultrasound image 610 and the color Doppler flow information 626 are overlaid with linearly scaled graphic symbols 622 arranged with hexagonal fill. Figure 6The linearly scaled graphic symbol 622 illustrated herein is an arrow. The arrow graphic symbol 622 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction it points. The arrow graphic symbol 622 can also provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each arrow graphic symbol within it. For example, a faster velocity can be represented by a larger arrow graphic symbol 622, and a slower velocity can be represented by a smaller arrow graphic symbol 622. Figure 7 This is an exemplary graph 700, linearly scaled according to the dimensions of the graphic symbol 622 of various embodiments. Reference Figure 7 The graph 700 illustrates how to determine the speed linearly based on the magnitude of the velocity. Figure 6 The graphic symbol 622 is sized. (Refer to again...) Figure 6 The hexagonal filling arrangement provides vertically overlapping rows of graphic symbols 622 that are laterally offset from adjacent rows to provide the densest filling arrangement. However, although the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced by the graphic symbols 622 densely filling the region of interest 620 in the ultrasound image 610 through the hexagonal filling arrangement, some graphic symbols in the graphic symbols 622 may be difficult to visualize because the size is determined based on linear scaling. In fact, graphic symbols 622 corresponding to slower-moving flows may be particularly difficult to visualize.

[0045] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that are capable of operating to determine the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, and 522 using a nonlinear function based on the speed magnitude. In an exemplary embodiment, the nonlinear function is a power function of the normalized speed magnitude. The exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range.

[0046] Figure 8 This is an exemplary graph 800 showing a non-linear scaling of the dimensions of graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, and 522 according to various implementation schemes. (Reference) Figure 8 The graph 800 illustrates how to determine the speed in a non-linear manner based on the magnitude of the velocity. Figures 2 to 5 The dimensions of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, and 522. For example... Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the nonlinear function 800 is based on the speed magnitude instead of... Figure 6The size of each of the graphic symbols 322 and 522 is determined by a linear function 700 of the velocity magnitude shown in graphic symbol 622. The visualization of blood flow with lower velocity is enhanced by dynamically compressing the velocity magnitude using a nonlinear function 800 to magnify the graphic symbols 322 and 522 representing lower velocity blood flow.

[0047] although Figures 2 to 6 Arrow-shaped graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 are illustrated, but in representative embodiments, graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 can be any suitable shape that provides information about the size and orientation of blood flow. As an example, graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 can be droplet-shaped instead of arrow-shaped. Figure 9 This is an exemplary image 900 of a droplet-shaped graphic symbol 924, arranged in a hexagonal filling pattern, overlaid on an ultrasound image 910, according to various embodiments. Reference Figure 9 The imaging unit 900 includes an ultrasound image display portion 902 that presents an ultrasound image 910. The ultrasound image 910 includes a region of interest 920, which may include, for example, blood vessels with blood flow. The ultrasound image 910 is overlaid with color Doppler information 926. The ultrasound image 910 and the color Doppler information 926 are overlaid with graphic symbols 924 arranged in a hexagonal fill pattern. Figure 9 The graphic symbol 924 illustrated herein is a droplet. The droplet graphic symbol 924 can provide information about the orientation of blood flow based on the direction pointed to by the thick head portion of the droplet graphic symbol 924. The droplet graphic symbol 924 can provide information about the magnitude of blood flow based on the size of each droplet graphic symbol within the droplet graphic symbol 924. For example, faster velocities can be represented by larger droplet graphic symbols 924, and slower velocities can be represented by smaller droplet graphic symbols 924. In a preferred embodiment, the size of the droplet graphic symbols 924 is based on a nonlinear function 800 of the velocity magnitude. By providing a nonlinear determination of the size of the graphic symbol 924, the visualization of blood flow with lower velocities is enhanced by dynamically compressing the velocity magnitude using a nonlinear function to amplify the graphic symbol 924 representing lower-velocity blood flow. Figure 9 As shown, the hexagonal fill arrangement provides vertically overlapping rows of graphic symbols 924 that are laterally offset from adjacent rows to provide the densest fill arrangement. By providing graphic symbols 924 in a hexagonal fill arrangement, the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced because the graphic symbols 924 densely fill the region of interest 920 in the ultrasound image 910 to provide an enhanced understanding of small flow features such as turbulence.

[0048] Refer again Figure 1The display system 134 can be any device capable of transmitting visual information to a user. For example, the display system 134 may include a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, and / or any suitable one or more displays. The display system 134 may be operable to present ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910, regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920, color Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926, graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924, and / or any suitable information.

[0049] Archive 138 may be one or more computer-readable storage devices integrated with and / or (e.g., communicatively coupled to ultrasound system 100 via a network), such as a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), server, hard disk, floppy disk, CD, CD-ROM, DVD, compact storage device, flash memory, random access memory, read-only memory, electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory, and / or any suitable memory. Archive 138 may include, for example, a database, library, information set, or other memory accessed by and / or combined with signal processor 132. For example, archive 138 may be able to store data temporarily or permanently. Archive 138 may be able to store medical image data, data generated by signal processor 132, and / or instructions readable by signal processor 132, etc. In various implementations, the archive 138 stores instructions for the following operations: generating velocity information for regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920; superimposing color Doppler information 326, 526, 626, and 926 onto ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910; determining the size and orientation of graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 based on the velocity information; and / or, for example, superimposing graphic symbols 522, 622, and 924 arranged in a hexagonal fill 400 onto regions of interest 520, 620, and 920.

[0050] The components of the ultrasound system 100 can be implemented in software, hardware, and / or firmware. The various components of the ultrasound system 100 can be communicatively connected. The components of the ultrasound system 100 can be implemented individually and / or integrated in various forms. For example, the display system 134 and the user input device 130 can be integrated into a touchscreen display.

[0051] Figure 10 Flowchart 1000 illustrates exemplary steps 1002 to 1012, according to various embodiments, for enhancing visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400. (See also...) Figure 10The diagram illustrates a flowchart 1000 including exemplary steps 1002 to 1012. Some embodiments may omit one or more steps, and / or perform the steps in a different order than listed, and / or combine certain steps discussed below. For example, some steps may not be performed in some embodiments. Also, some steps may be performed in a different chronological order than listed below, including simultaneous execution.

[0052] At step 1002, the ultrasound probe 104 of the ultrasound system 100 can transmit an ultrasound beam into regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920. For example, the transmit beamformer 110 of the ultrasound system 100 can be operable to control the transmitter 102 of the ultrasound system 100, which drives a set of transmit transducer elements 106 to transmit an ultrasound transmit signal (i.e., a transmit beam) into the region of interest (e.g., the heart and / or blood vessels). The transmitter 102 can be configured to receive transmit settings from the signal processor 132 of the ultrasound system 100 for driving the ultrasound probe 104. For example, the transmitter 102 can receive transmit settings such as transmit frequency, waveform shape, bandwidth, and / or any suitable transmit settings from the signal processor 132. The ultrasound probe 104 can be a phased array, a linear array, a curve array, or any suitable shape or combination of shapes. The ultrasound probe 104 may include a series of transducer elements, such as piezoelectric elements, micromechanical elements, piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) elements, capacitive micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) elements, and / or any suitable transducer element capable of converting a control signal into acoustic energy and the acoustic energy into an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound probe 104 may include a set of transmitting transducer elements 106 and a set of receiving transducer elements 108 that generally constitute the same elements. The set of transmitting transducer elements 106 may emit an ultrasound signal that passes through the oil and probe cap and enters the target. In a representative embodiment, the ultrasound probe 104 may be operable to acquire ultrasound image data covering at least a substantial portion of an anatomical structure, such as the heart, blood vessels, or any suitable anatomical region.

[0053] At step 1004, the ultrasound probe 104 of the ultrasound system 100 can convert the received echo to generate an ultrasound signal corresponding to the ultrasound beam. For example, the ultrasound beam emitted at step 1002 can be backscattered from a structure in the object of interest, and the echo is received by a receiving transducer element 108, which can be operated to convert the received echo into an analog signal. The analog signal can be converted into a digital signal, which is demodulated to form an I / Q data pair representing the corresponding echo signal. In various embodiments, the object of interest may include blood flow in a blood vessel. The I / Q data pair (i.e., the ultrasound signal) is provided to the receiving beamformer 120 of the ultrasound system 100.

[0054] At step 1006, the receiving beamformer 120 of the ultrasound system 100 can process the ultrasound signal to generate a beamformed signal. For example, the receiving beamformer 120 can be configured to perform digital beamforming processing to, for example, sum the delayed channel signal and output a beam sum signal. The resulting processed information can be the beam sum signal output from the receiving beamformer 120 and transmitted to the signal processor 132 of the ultrasound system 100.

[0055] At step 1008, the signal processor 132 of the ultrasound system 100 can process the beamforming signal to generate ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910. For example, the image processor 140 of the signal processor 132 can receive the beamforming signal output from the receiving beamformer 120 in step 1006. The image processor 140 can be configured to process ultrasound scan data to generate ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910 for presentation on the display system 134. The image processor 140 is operable to perform one or more processing operations based on multiple selectable ultrasound modes on the beamforming signal. For example, the signal processor 132 may be operable to process the beamforming signal to generate B-mode images 310, 510, 610, and 910, color Doppler information 326, 526, 626, and 926, and / or any suitable ultrasound image information. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal processor 132 may be operable to perform display processing and / or control processing, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the image processor 140 may be configured to overlay color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926 onto the generated B-mode images 310, 510, 610, 910. The generated B-mode images 310, 510, 610, 910, with or without color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926, may be displayed at a display system 134 and / or stored in a archive 138 and / or any suitable data storage medium.

[0056] At step 1010, the signal processor 132 of the ultrasound system 100 can process the beamforming signal to generate velocity information for regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920. For example, the blood flow velocity processor 150 of the signal processor 132 can be configured to analyze the beamforming signal provided by the receiving beamformer 120 at step 1008 to generate velocity information for the regions of interest, such as blood flow in blood vessels and / or any suitable region of interest. For example, the blood flow velocity process 150 can be operable to analyze the ultrasound image data to estimate a blood flow velocity vector field having information about the size and orientation of the blood flow. This blood flow velocity vector field can be estimated using blood spotting, directional cross-correlation analysis, phase shift estimation, Doppler analysis, and / or any suitable flow vector estimation method. For example, the blood flow velocity processor 150 can perform blood flow estimation over the region of interest to obtain axial and lateral velocity information of the velocity vector at any given location within the region of interest, such as using synthetic aperture imaging, lateral oscillation methods, or any suitable method. The blood flow velocity processor 150 can be configured to determine the magnitude and orientation of the blood flow velocity at any given point in the region of interest based on axial velocity estimation and lateral velocity estimation. Therefore, the blood flow velocity processor 150 can be configured to generate a blood flow velocity vector field having information about the magnitude and orientation of the blood flow at any given point in the region of interest. This blood flow velocity vector field can be provided to the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 and / or stored in the archive 138 or any suitable data storage medium.

[0057] At step 1012, the signal processor 132 of the ultrasound system 100 enables the display system 134 to display an ultrasound image overlaid with graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 arranged in a hexagonal fill arrangement 400, which are generated based on the velocity information of regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920. For example, ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910 generated by the image processor 140 of the ultrasound system 100 can be displayed on the display system 134. The graphic symbol visualization processor 160 of the signal processor 132 can be configured to generate the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 based on the velocity information received at step 1010 from the blood flow velocity processor 150 and / or retrieved from the archive and / or any suitable data storage medium. Graphical symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 are graphical elements configured to provide visualization of the size and orientation of blood flow at any point within the regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920. For example, graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 can be arrows 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622, droplets 924, and / or any suitable shape, icon, etc., capable of providing information on the size and orientation of blood flow velocity. For example, arrow graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 can point in a direction corresponding to the orientation of the blood flow, and their size can be determined to correspond to the size of the blood flow. Similarly, droplet graphic symbol 924 can have a thicker head portion (opposite to a thinner tail portion) pointing in a direction corresponding to the orientation of the blood flow, and its size can be determined to correspond to the size of the blood flow. The graphic symbol visualization processor 160 can be configured to overlay graphic symbols arranged in a hexagonal fill arrangement 400 onto ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910 generated by the image processor 140. The hexagonal fill arrangement 400 is the densest fill arrangement. Therefore, the visualization of blood flow velocity information is enhanced because the graphic symbols 422, 522, 622, and 924 with the hexagonal fill arrangement 400 densely cover the vascular region to provide an enhanced understanding of small flow characteristics such as turbulence. The graphic symbol visualization processor 160 can be configured to directly overlay the graphic symbols with the hexagonal fill arrangement 400 onto ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910 within regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920.Alternatively, the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may be configured to overlay graphic symbols 422, 522, 622, 924, arranged in a hexagonal fill 400, onto color Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926, which is superimposed on ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910 within regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. In a preferred embodiment, the graphic symbol visualization processor 160 may be configured to determine the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522 based on a nonlinear function of the velocity magnitude. In an exemplary embodiment, the nonlinear function is a power function of the normalized velocity magnitude. The exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range.

[0058] This disclosure provides a method 1000 and a system 100 for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400. According to various embodiments, method 1000 may include transmitting (1002) an ultrasound beam from an ultrasound probe 104 of ultrasound system 100 into regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. Method 1000 may include converting (1004) the received echo by ultrasound probe 104 to generate an ultrasound signal corresponding to the ultrasound beam. Method 1000 may include processing (1006) the ultrasound signal by a receiving beamformer 120 of ultrasound system 100 to generate a beamformed signal. Method 1000 may include processing (1008) the beamformed signal by at least one processor 132, 140 of ultrasound system 100 to generate ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910. Method 1000 may include processing (1010) the beamforming signal by at least one processor 132, 150 to generate velocity information of regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. Method 1000 may include causing (1012) a display system 134 of ultrasound system 100 to display ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910 overlaid with graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 generated based on the velocity information of the regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. The graphic symbols 422, 522, 622, 924 are presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920 include blood flow. In a representative embodiment, regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920 include blood vessels. In various embodiments, the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents a velocity magnitude, and the orientation of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents a flow direction. In some embodiments, the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 924 is determined by a nonlinear function 800 of the velocity magnitude. In an exemplary embodiment, the nonlinear function 800 is a power function of the normalized velocity magnitude. The exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range. In a representative embodiment, each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 is arrow-shaped. In various embodiments, each of the graphic symbols 924 is droplet-shaped. In some embodiments, method 100 includes superimposing (1012) color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926 onto ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910. Graphic symbols 322, 522, 622, 924 are presented on top of the color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926.

[0060] Various embodiments provide a system 100 for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400. The ultrasound system 100 may include an ultrasound probe 104, a receiving beamformer 120, at least one processor 132, 140, 150, 160, and a display system 134. The ultrasound probe 104 may be configured to transmit an ultrasound beam into a region of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. The ultrasound probe 104 may be configured to convert the received echo to generate an ultrasound signal corresponding to the ultrasound beam. The receiving beamformer 120 may be configured to process the ultrasound signal to generate a beamformed signal. At least one processor 132, 140 may be configured to process the beamformed signal to generate ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910. At least one processor 132, 150 may be configured to process the beamforming signal to generate velocity information for regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. A display system 134 may be configured to present ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910 overlaid with graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 generated based on the velocity information for the regions of interest 320, 520, 620, 920. The graphic symbols 422, 522, 622, 924 are presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400.

[0061] In representative embodiments, regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920 comprise blood flow. In various embodiments, regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920 are blood vessels. In some embodiments, the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents the velocity magnitude, and the orientation of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents the flow direction. In exemplary embodiments, the size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 924 is determined by a nonlinear function 800 of the velocity magnitude. In representative embodiments, the nonlinear function 800 is a power function of the normalized velocity magnitude. The exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range. In various embodiments, each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 is arrow-shaped. In some embodiments, each of the graphic symbols 924 is droplet-shaped. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one processor 132, 140 is configured to overlay color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926 onto ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, 910. Graphic symbols 322, 522, 622, 924 are presented over the color flow Doppler information 326, 526, 626, 926.

[0062] Some embodiments provide a system 100 for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924 presented in a hexagonal filled arrangement 400. The ultrasound system 100 may include an ultrasound probe 104, a receiving beamformer 120, at least one processor 132, 140, 150, 160, and a display system 134. The ultrasound probe 104 may include transducers 106, 108 configured to transmit an ultrasound beam into a region of interest 320, 520, 620, 920 including blood flow, and to convert the received echoes to generate an ultrasound signal corresponding to the ultrasound beam. Transducers 106, 108 may include a matching layer configured to have acoustic impedance between the blood flow in the region of interest 320, 520, 620, 920 and the material of the transducers 106, 108. Transducers 106 and 108 may include damping blocks configured to absorb ultrasonic energy. A receiving beamformer 120 may be configured to process the ultrasonic signal to generate a beamformed signal. At least one processor 132 and 140 may be configured to process the beamformed signal to generate ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910. At least one processor 132 and 150 may be configured to process the beamformed signal to generate velocity information of the blood flow. This velocity information may include the magnitude and direction of the blood flow. A display system 134 may be configured to present ultrasound images 310, 510, 610, and 910 overlaid with graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 generated based on the velocity information of regions of interest 320, 520, 620, and 920. The graphic symbols 422, 522, 622, and 924 may be presented in a hexagonal-filled arrangement 400. The size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents the velocity magnitude. The orientation of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 represents the flow direction. The size of each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, and 924 can be determined by a nonlinear function 800 of the velocity magnitude.

[0063] In various implementations, each of the graphic symbols 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, and 924 is one of the arrow shapes 222, 322, 422, 522, and 622 and the droplet shape 924.

[0064] As used herein, the term "circuit" refers to physical electronic components (i.e., hardware) and any software and / or firmware ("code") that is configurable hardware, executed by the hardware, and / or otherwise associated with the hardware. For example, as used herein, a particular processor and memory may include a first "circuit" when executing one or more lines of first code, and a particular processor and memory may include a second "circuit" when executing one or more lines of second code. As used herein, "and / or" refers to any one or more items in a list linked by "and / or". For example, "x and / or y" refers to any element in the three-element set {(x),(y),(x,y)}. As another example, "x, y and / or z" refers to any element in the seven-element set {(x),(y),(z),(x,y),(x,z),(y,z),(x,y,z)}. As used herein, the term "exemplary" means used as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the terms "for example" and "such" introduce a list of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. As used herein, a circuit system is “capable of operating” and / or “configured to” perform a function whenever the circuit system includes the necessary hardware and code to perform the function (if required), regardless of whether the execution of the function is disabled or not enabled by some user-configurable settings.

[0065] Other embodiments may provide a computer-readable device and / or a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and / or a machine-readable device and / or a non-transitory machine-readable medium, wherein the device and / or medium stores machine code and / or a computer program having at least one code segment that can be executed by a machine and / or a computer, thereby enabling the machine and / or the computer to perform the steps described herein for enhancing the visualization of blood flow ultrasound imaging using graphic symbols presented in a hexagonal filled arrangement.

[0066] Therefore, this disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. This disclosure may be implemented centrally in at least one computer system or distributed, wherein different elements are distributed across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus suitable for performing the methods described herein is appropriate.

[0067] Various implementation schemes may also be embedded in a computer program product that includes all the features that enable the implementation of the methods described herein and, when loaded into a computer system, enables the execution of those methods. As used herein, a computer program means any expression of a set of instructions represented in any language, code, or notation, which is intended to cause a system with information processing capabilities to directly perform a particular function or, after either or both of the following: a) being translated into another language, code, or notation; or b) being reproduced in a different material form.

[0068] While this disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and equivalents can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt particular situations or materials to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but rather to include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method (1000), the method comprising: The ultrasonic probe (104) of the ultrasonic system (100) emits an ultrasonic beam (1002) into the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920); The echo received by the ultrasonic probe (104) is converted (1004) to generate an ultrasonic signal corresponding to the ultrasonic beam; The ultrasonic signal is processed (1006) by the receiving beamformer (120) of the ultrasonic system (100) to generate a beamformed signal; The beamforming signal is processed (1008) by at least one processor (132, 140) of the ultrasound system (100) to generate an ultrasound image (310, 510, 610, 910). The beamforming signal is processed (1010) by the at least one processor (132, 150) to generate velocity information of the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920); as well as The at least one processor (132, 140, 160) causes the display system (134) of the ultrasound system (100) (1012) to display the ultrasound image (310, 510, 610, 910) covered with graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) generated based on the velocity information of the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920), wherein the graphic symbols (422, 522, 622, 924) are presented in a hexagonal filled arrangement (400).

2. The method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920) includes blood flow.

3. The method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein: The dimensions of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) represent the magnitude of velocity, and The orientation of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) indicates the direction of flow.

4. The method (1000) according to claim 3, wherein the size of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 924) is determined by a nonlinear function (800) of the speed magnitude.

5. The method (1000) according to claim 4, wherein the nonlinear function (800) is a power function of the normalized velocity magnitude, wherein the exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range.

6. The method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) is an arrow shape (222, 322, 422, 522, 622) or a droplet shape (924).

7. The method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: Color Doppler information (326, 526, 626, 926) is superimposed on the ultrasound image (310, 510, 610, 910), wherein the graphic symbols (322, 522, 622, 924) are presented on the color Doppler information (326, 526, 626, 926).

8. An ultrasound system (100), the ultrasound system comprising: Ultrasonic probe (104), the ultrasonic probe being configured as follows: The ultrasonic beam is emitted into the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920); and The received echoes are converted to generate an ultrasonic signal corresponding to the ultrasonic beam; A receiving beamformer (120) is configured to process the ultrasonic signal to generate a beamformed signal; At least one processor (132, 140, 150, 160), said at least one processor being configured to: The beamforming signals are processed to generate ultrasound images (310, 510, 610, 910); and The beamforming signal is processed to generate velocity information for the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920). and A display system (134) configured to present an ultrasound image (310, 510, 610, 910) covered with graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) generated based on the velocity information of the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920), wherein the graphic symbols (422, 522, 622, 924) are presented in a hexagonal filled arrangement (400).

9. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 8, wherein the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920) includes blood flow.

10. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 9, wherein the region of interest (320, 520, 620, 920) is a blood vessel.

11. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 8, wherein: The dimensions of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) represent the magnitude of velocity, and The orientation of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) indicates the direction of flow.

12. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 11, wherein the dimension of each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 924) is determined by a nonlinear function (800) of the velocity magnitude.

13. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 12, wherein the nonlinear function (800) is a power function of the normalized velocity magnitude, wherein the exponent of the power function is selected based on the desired compression of the dynamic range.

14. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 8, wherein each of the graphic symbols (222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 924) is an arrow shape (222, 322, 422, 522, 622) or a droplet shape (924).

15. The ultrasound system (100) according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor (132, 140) is configured to superimpose color Doppler information (326, 526, 626, 926) onto the ultrasound image (310, 510, 610, 910), wherein the graphic symbols (322, 522, 622, 924) are presented on the color Doppler information (326, 526, 626, 926).

Images