Focus processing method based on ultrasonic image, ultrasonic imaging equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a focus processing method based on an ultrasonic image and ultrasonic imaging equipment, and the method comprises the steps: obtaining a first section image set which is obtained through the ultrasonic scanning of a current examination part and comprises a first focus, and the first section image set comprises at least one frame of section image; in response to a first association operation on the first focus, first association information corresponding to the first focus is displayed, the first association information comprises an identifier of the first focus and at least one standard section, and the standard section is used for indicating a section image, needing to be scanned, of the current examination part; and in response to a second association operation on the first focus, associating a first mark on the first body position map with the first focus, the first mark being used for indicating the position of the first focus on the first body position map. According to the embodiment of the invention, unified management of lesions can be realized.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application filed on May 20, 2020, with application number 2020104319280, entitled "A method for treating lesions based on ultrasound images, an ultrasound imaging device, and a storage medium". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of ultrasound imaging management technology, and more specifically to a lesion treatment method based on ultrasound images, an ultrasound imaging device, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0003] Ultrasound imaging is widely used in clinical examinations, and multiple lesions in the same location are a common clinical phenomenon. During ultrasound examinations, each lesion generally needs to be evaluated, especially those of different natures, requiring separate evaluation. This necessitates clear differentiation between lesions. Currently, ultrasound physicians have varying skill levels, heavy workloads, and significant memory burdens. Physicians typically differentiate lesions by memorizing images or adding annotations, and reviewing images based on continuous acquisition of different sections of the same lesion. Inaccurate memorization, missed annotations, or discontinuous sections from subsequent re-acquisitions can lead to incomplete lesion descriptions, misjudgments, and missed diagnoses, severely impacting clinical work. Furthermore, when examining multiple lesions, ultrasound physicians frequently need to switch between annotation, positional, measurement, and image browsing modes (each section of each lesion requires at least one switch), which is cumbersome and reduces work efficiency.

[0004] Currently, there is no ultrasound equipment that supports a unified management method for lesions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention is proposed to address at least one of the aforementioned problems. Specifically, one aspect of the present invention provides a lesion processing method based on ultrasound images, the method comprising:

[0006] Acquire a set of first cross-sectional images containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, wherein the first cross-sectional image set includes at least one cross-sectional image.

[0007] In response to a first association operation on the first lesion, first association information corresponding to the first lesion is displayed. The first association information includes an identifier of the first lesion, at least one standard section, and a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site. The standard section is used to indicate the section image to be scanned at the current examination site.

[0008] In response to a second association operation on the first lesion, a first marker on the first positional image is associated with the first lesion, the first marker indicating the location of the first lesion on the first positional image.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, an ultrasound imaging device is also provided, comprising:

[0010] Ultrasonic probe;

[0011] A transmitting circuit, which is used to excite the ultrasonic probe to emit ultrasonic waves toward the current examination site;

[0012] A receiving circuit is used to control the ultrasonic probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the current examination site to obtain ultrasonic echo signals.

[0013] A processor is configured to process the ultrasound echo signal to obtain a cross-sectional image of the currently examined site, and to execute the ultrasound image-based lesion processing method according to the present invention.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is also provided, wherein a computer program is stored on the storage medium, and the computer program executes the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images according to the present invention when it is run.

[0015] The lesion processing method, ultrasound imaging device, and storage medium based on ultrasound images of the present invention enable doctors to intuitively understand the number of lesions in the current examination site during scanning and evaluation by uniformly managing lesions in the same area. Furthermore, the name of each lesion, its location information, and cross-sectional images are centrally managed, which is very convenient for browsing and searching, thereby achieving the purpose of preventing missed evaluation and diagnosis. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example ultrasound imaging device for implementing the ultrasound image-based lesion treatment method of the present invention is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating a lesion treatment method based on ultrasound images according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Figure 3A schematic diagram of a lesion management interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a lesion management interface according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0023] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0024] It should be understood that the invention can be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0025] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including,” when used in this specification, identify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. When used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0026] To fully understand this invention, a detailed structure will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by this invention. Optional embodiments of the invention are described in detail below; however, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the invention may have other embodiments.

[0027] Figure 1A schematic diagram of an example ultrasound imaging device 100 for implementing the ultrasound image-based lesion treatment method of the present invention is shown. The ultrasound imaging device 100 includes an ultrasound probe 101, a transmitting circuit 102, a receiving circuit 103, a beamforming module 104, a processor 105, and a human-computer interaction device 106. The transmitting circuit 102 and the receiving circuit 103 can be connected to the ultrasound probe 101 via a transmit / receive selection switch 107.

[0028] During ultrasound imaging, the transmitting circuit 102 sends a delayed-focused transmission pulse with a certain amplitude and polarity to the ultrasound probe 101 via the transmit / receive selection switch 107, thereby exciting the ultrasound probe 101 to emit an ultrasound beam toward the target tissue (e.g., organs, tissues, blood vessels, etc. in the human or animal body). In this embodiment of the invention, the ultrasound beam is emitted toward blood vessel tissue. After a certain delay, the receiving circuit 103 receives the echo of the ultrasound beam via the transmit / receive selection switch 107, obtains an ultrasound echo signal, and sends the echo signal to the beamforming module 104. The beamforming module 104 performs focusing delay, weighting, and channel summation on the ultrasound echo signal to obtain a beam-synthesized ultrasound echo signal. Then, the beam-synthesized ultrasound echo signal is sent to the processor 105 for related processing to obtain the desired ultrasound image or a video file composed of ultrasound images.

[0029] An ultrasonic probe 101 typically comprises an array of multiple elements. During each ultrasonic wave transmission, all or a portion of the elements in the ultrasonic probe 101 participate in the transmission. Each element or portion of these elements is excited by a transmission pulse and transmits an ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic waves emitted by these elements superimpose during propagation, forming a composite ultrasonic beam that is transmitted to the scanning target.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the processor 105 performs scanning control on the ultrasonic probe 101, which transmits and receives signals under scanning control. The beamforming module 104 performs corresponding beamforming on the received echo signals to reconstruct the image of the scanned area using multiple beamforming lines.

[0031] The processor 105 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or other form of processing unit with data processing and / or instruction execution capabilities, and may control other components in the ultrasound imaging device 100 to perform desired functions.

[0032] The human-computer interaction device 106 is connected to the processor 105. For example, the processor 105 can be connected to the human-computer interaction device 106 via an external input / output port. The human-computer interaction device 106 can detect user input information, which may include, for example, control commands for the timing of ultrasound transmission and reception, operation input commands for editing and annotating ultrasound images, or other command types. Typically, the operation commands obtained when the user inputs operations such as editing, annotating, and measuring ultrasound images are used for measurements of target tissues. The human-computer interaction device 106 may include one or more of the following: keyboard, mouse, scroll wheel, trackball, mobile input device (such as a mobile device with a touch screen, a mobile phone, etc.), multi-function knob, etc. Therefore, the corresponding external input / output port can be a wireless communication module, a wired communication module, or a combination of both. The external input / output port can also be implemented based on USB, bus protocols such as CAN, and / or wired network protocols.

[0033] The human-computer interaction device 106 also includes a display screen that can display ultrasound images acquired by the processor 105. Furthermore, while displaying the ultrasound images, the display screen can also provide a graphical interface for human-computer interaction. One or more controlled objects can be set on the graphical interface, allowing the user to input operation commands through the human-computer interaction device 106 to control these controlled objects and perform corresponding control operations. For example, icons can be displayed on the graphical interface, and the human-computer interaction device can be used to operate these icons to perform specific functions, such as annotating ultrasound images. In practical applications, the display screen can be a touchscreen display. Additionally, the display screen in this embodiment can include one display screen or multiple display screens.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 105 is configured to acquire a set of first cross-sectional images containing a first lesion obtained by performing an ultrasound scan on the current examination site, the set of first cross-sectional images including at least one frame of cross-sectional image; in response to a first association operation on the first lesion, displaying first association information corresponding to the first lesion, the first association information including an identifier of the first lesion, at least one standard cross-section, and a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site, the standard cross-section being used to indicate the cross-sectional image to be scanned at the current examination site; in response to a second association operation on the first lesion, associating a first mark on the first positional image with the first lesion, the first mark being used to indicate the position of the first lesion on the first positional image.

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating a lesion treatment method based on ultrasound images according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] like Figure 2As shown, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images disclosed in this embodiment includes:

[0037] S101, acquire a set of first cross-sectional images containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, the set of first cross-sectional images including at least one frame of cross-sectional image.

[0038] For example, the current examination site may include body parts such as the breast, thyroid gland, or testis. The current examination site may include multiple lesions. To avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, this embodiment can acquire information for each lesion step-by-step, achieving unified management of multiple lesions. This document describes the process of acquiring information for the first lesion as an example; the process for acquiring information for other lesions is similar. Lesion information includes the lesion name, the cross-sectional image required for lesion detection, annotations, measurement information, and evaluation information, etc.

[0039] For example, the first set of cross-sectional images of the first lesion can be obtained by real-time scanning of the current examination site or from stored scan images of the current examination site. As an example, the process of obtaining the first set of cross-sectional images of the first lesion is as follows: The current examination site is scanned in real-time using an ultrasound probe. When the first lesion is detected, the probe is rotated while maintaining its position (the rotation corresponds to the direction of the subsequent marker probe) to obtain cross-sectional image 1 (e.g., a transverse section) of the first lesion. Then, the probe is rotated again to obtain cross-sectional image 2 (e.g., a longitudinal section), and so on, to obtain the first set of cross-sectional images of the first lesion. As another example, the process of obtaining the first set of cross-sectional images of the first lesion is as follows: The saved ultrasound image of the current examination site is opened, and the first set of cross-sectional images of the first lesion is obtained from it.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first cross-sectional image set of the first lesion includes at least one cross-sectional image frame. The number of cross-sections included in the first cross-sectional image set of the first lesion is related to the number of cross-sections required for examination of the first lesion. As an example, the first cross-sectional image set of the first lesion includes two cross-sections, such as a longitudinal section and a transverse section. As another example, the first cross-sectional image set of the first lesion includes five cross-sections, such as a longitudinal section, a transverse section, a section showing malignant symptoms, a section showing vascular distribution, and a distance measurement section.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when acquiring the first set of cross-sectional images by performing real-time ultrasound scanning on the current examination site, the required cross-sectional images for the current examination site are sequentially scanned based on the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section. The cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section is determined based on commonly used cross-sections required for scanning the current lesion, and can be added or removed based on user settings. As an example, if the current examination site is the breast, the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section is determined based on commonly used cross-sections required for standardized scanning of breast lesions.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when obtaining the first cross-sectional image set from the stored scan images of the current examination site, it can also be based on the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section, that is, according to the cross-sectional scanning order determined by the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section, the corresponding cross-sections are obtained from the stored cross-sectional images in sequence. For example, if the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section is longitudinal section, transverse section, and elastic section, then the longitudinal section, transverse section, and malignant symptom section of the first lesion are obtained from the stored cross-sectional images in the order of longitudinal section, transverse section, and malignant symptom section.

[0043] For example, the scanned cross-sectional images need to be further processed by frame selection to obtain cross-sectional images that conform to the standard cross-section. In one embodiment, this further includes:

[0044] Receive frame selection command; in response to frame selection command, determine the target cross-section image that matches the target standard cross-section from the scanned cross-section images.

[0045] For example, the cross-sectional images required for the current examination area correspond to 5 standard cross-sections (i.e., Figure 3 The five standard sections (sag, xs, malignant signs, vasculature, and distance measurement - Dist. to Nipple) can be used to find a suitable target section image that meets the requirements of these five standard sections from the section images of the first lesion that have been scanned.

[0046] For example, after obtaining a cross-sectional image that meets the standard cross-sectional requirements, the image can be stored. In one embodiment, it further includes:

[0047] Receive a save image command; in response to the save image command, save the target cross-section image; associate the target cross-section image with the target standard cross-section, and replace the displayed target standard cross-section with the displayed target cross-section image.

[0048] by Figure 3For example, after finding a cross-sectional image that meets the requirements of the standard longitudinal section sag from the cross-sectional image of the first lesion that has been scanned, the cross-sectional image corresponding to the standard longitudinal section sag is stored through the image saving operation; and the cross-sectional image corresponding to the standard longitudinal section sag is associated with the standard longitudinal section sag, and the standard longitudinal section sag previously displayed on the interface is replaced by the cross-sectional image corresponding to the standard longitudinal section sag. The size of the displayed image can be adaptively adjusted according to the display size of the standard section; for example, the cross-sectional image corresponding to the standard longitudinal section sag can be displayed in the form of a thumbnail, and the resolution can be appropriately reduced. After the user clicks, the original image can be enlarged and displayed.

[0049] Furthermore, the probe direction can be marked on the body positioning diagram to indicate the probe direction corresponding to the currently scanned lesion in a specific cross-sectional image. For example, when scanning a transverse section, before scanning a transverse section, or after scanning a transverse section, the probe direction can be marked as the probe direction corresponding to the transverse section, and the probe direction can be displayed in the cross-sectional image as needed or by user operation. Figure 4 As shown, the probe direction for lesion 2 at the 1 o'clock position can be indicated by a horizontal bar mark 410. Figure 4 The probe direction shown is for illustrative purposes only; its direction can vary. Figure 4 The angle can be adjusted arbitrarily in the polar coordinate direction shown; there are no restrictions on this. Figure 4 The shape of the symbol 410 shown is for illustrative purposes only; it can be any shape or a symbolic sign, and is not limited here.

[0050] S102, in response to the first association operation on the first lesion, display the first association information corresponding to the first lesion, the first association information including the identifier of the first lesion, at least one standard section, and a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site, the standard section being used to indicate the section image to be scanned at the current examination site.

[0051] After a first lesion is detected during a scan of the current examination site, a first association operation is performed on the first lesion. This first association operation can be, for example, a click operation in the lesion management user interface. This first association operation can be performed automatically or manually by the user. Then, in response to the first association operation on the first lesion, first association information corresponding to the first lesion is displayed. This first association information includes the identifier of the first lesion, at least one standard section, and a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site. The standard section is used to indicate the section image that needs to be scanned for the current examination site.

[0052] For example, the first association information includes an identifier of the first lesion. The identifier of the first lesion includes the lesion name or lesion number. Figure 3As shown, taking a breast examination as an example, the first lesion is identified as Mass1. This identifier can be used to represent the name or number of the lesion. Mass1 is just an example, and various types of identifiers can be used to represent it.

[0053] For example, the first associated information also includes at least one standard section, which indicates the section images required to be scanned for the current inspection area. The number of standard sections corresponds to the number of section images required to be scanned for the current inspection area. For example, if the current inspection area requires 5 section images, then there are 5 standard sections. The number of standard sections can be increased or decreased based on user settings. The display order of the standard sections is consistent with the scanning order of the section images required to be scanned for the current inspection area. As an example, such as Figure 3 As shown, taking breast examination as an example, standardized scanning of breast lesions generally requires five standard sections. Therefore, in response to the first association operation on the first breast lesion, five standard sections corresponding to the required scanning images for the current examination site are displayed (i.e., the longitudinal section sag, transverse section xs, malignant signs section, vascularity section, and distance measurement section Dist.toNipple in the figure). These five standard sections are examples of the section images required for breast scanning; they can also be called section scanning guidance diagrams or section scanning instruction diagrams. These five standard sections not only indicate which sections need to be scanned but also the scanning order. In other words, these standard sections are actually a built-in automated workflow, prompting the user with a standardized scanning process. Each section can be activated sequentially. After the image is saved, the target section image focusing on the lesion area replaces the display of the section scanning guide image or section scanning indicator image. This allows users to focus on browsing lesion image information while also indicating which sections have not yet been scanned.

[0054] For example, the first associated information also includes a first body position diagram corresponding to the currently examined site, such as... Figure 3 The diagram shows a positional view of the right breast (R) and left breast (L). It could also be a positional view of the thyroid gland or other body parts; this application does not limit the shape of the positional view.

[0055] It should be understood that in step S101, during the process of obtaining the first cross-sectional image set containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, the process can be based on the standard cross-section. That is, the user can obtain the required cross-sectional images for scanning in real time or sequentially from the stored cross-sectional images according to the order indicated by the standard cross-section, based on at least one standard cross-section corresponding to at least one frame of cross-sectional image included in the first cross-sectional image set, and use the obtained cross-sectional images to replace the corresponding standard cross-sections for display.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the standard section is also used to indicate the information that the corresponding section image needs to be measured or annotated. Thus, in the process of obtaining the first section image set containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, the section image is measured and annotated according to the information that the standard section indicates that each section in the first section image set needs to be measured or annotated. This allows the user to complete the section scan without having to enter each application mode for each section.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after obtaining the cross-sectional image of the first lesion, the cross-sectional image can be magnified or displayed individually in response to the operation on each cross-sectional image, thereby facilitating the user to browse, measure, or annotate the cross-sectional image.

[0058] For example, the first associated information also includes a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site. This first positional image can be determined based on the current scanning site; for example, if the current scanning site is the breast, then a positional image of the breast is displayed. As an example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the first positional diagram includes the positional diagrams of the left and right breasts.

[0059] S103, in response to a second association operation on the first lesion, a first mark on the first positional map is associated with the first lesion, the first mark being used to indicate the location of the first lesion on the first positional map.

[0060] The second association operation is, for example, a touch or click operation on the lesion management user interface. This second association operation can be performed automatically or manually by the user. In response to the second association operation on the first lesion, a first marker on the first positional diagram is associated with the first lesion. This first marker indicates the location of the first lesion on the first positional diagram. That is, through the second association operation, the location of the first lesion is marked on the first positional diagram with a first marker. By marking the lesion locations on the positional diagram, it is easier for the user to identify the location of each lesion in the current examination site, thus avoiding mismatches between lesions and their locations during evaluation, which could lead to misdiagnosis.

[0061] For example, the first marker may include numbers or letters. As an example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, in the left breast positional diagram, the first lesion is marked with the number 1 at its corresponding location, thus indicating the location of the first lesion on the left breast. For example, as... Figure 4 As shown, on the left breast positional image, different lesions are marked with numbers 1, 2, and 3, which can be used to indicate the approximate location of each lesion on the left breast positional image. Figure 4As shown, with the nipple as the center point, the exact clockwise direction of the lesion on the nipple can be marked, or the approximate direction of the lesion in a polar coordinate system with the nipple as the center can be marked. The positional diagram can correspond to the contour features, shape, and location of the area to be examined. The shape and symbols used to mark the lesion, as well as the specific form of the positional diagram, are not limited here.

[0062] Steps S101 to S103 above illustrate the process of acquiring relevant information about the first lesion and a method for unified management of this information. It should be understood that steps S101 to S103 are only used to illustrate the steps included in the ultrasound image-based lesion processing method disclosed in this embodiment, and are not intended to limit the execution order of these steps. For example, the first association operation in response to the first lesion can be performed before or after the set of first cross-sectional images is acquired. Similarly, the second association operation in response to the first lesion can be performed before or after the set of first cross-sectional images is acquired. In other words, the first lesion can be identified immediately after obtaining the first cross-section, or it can be identified after obtaining all scanning cross-sections of the first lesion.

[0063] After obtaining the information of the first lesion, the information of the second lesion at the current examination site can be obtained by following the steps described above. That is, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images in this embodiment may further include the following steps: obtaining a set of second cross-sectional images containing the second lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning the current examination site, the set of second cross-sectional images including at least one frame of cross-sectional image; in response to a first association operation on the second lesion, displaying second association information corresponding to the second lesion, the second association information including at least one standard cross-section identifying the second lesion, and a second positional image corresponding to the current examination site, the standard cross-section indicating the cross-sectional image to be scanned at the current examination site; in response to the second association operation on the second lesion, associating a second mark on the second positional image with the second lesion, the second mark indicating the position of the second lesion on the second positional image; repeating the above steps until all lesions at the current examination site have been processed.

[0064] For example, in this embodiment, the first body position diagram is the same as the second body position diagram, or the first body position diagram is different from the second body position diagram. As an example, such as... Figure 3As shown, the breast lesions include three lesions in both breasts. One lesion is marked on the right breast view R (number 1 on the R view diagram), and two lesions are marked on the left breast view L (numbers 1 and 2 on the L view diagram). Thus, different lesions are marked on different view diagrams. Alternatively, all lesions can be marked on the same view diagram; for example, only one view diagram can be displayed, with all lesions marked on that single diagram. In other words, all lesions can be marked on the same view diagram, or each lesion can be marked on its respective view diagram (e.g., lesions found in the left breast scan are marked on the left breast view diagram, and lesions found in the right breast scan are marked on the right breast view diagram). This application does not impose any limitations on this approach.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images may further include the following steps: In response to a selection operation on the lesion markers on the first or second positional image, displaying the associated information of the selected lesion. That is, after scanning all or part of the lesions in the current examination site, information about the corresponding lesion can be displayed in response to a selection operation on the lesion markers on the first or second positional image, such as a cross-sectional image of the scanned lesion or a standard cross-section of the unscanned lesion. Furthermore, to distinguish between currently selected and unselected lesions, the currently selected lesion markers are distinguished by color and / or marking. As an example, currently selected markers related to the lesion location are represented by colored numbers, while unselected markers related to the lesion location are represented by white numbers. By selecting different markers related to the lesion location, the currently displayed information can be switched to the corresponding lesion, thereby facilitating the user's evaluation or reverse investigation of the lesion. As an example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the breast lesions include markers associated with the locations of three lesions in both breasts. When the marker associated with the location of the first lesion on the right breast (R) is selected on the positional image, the cross-sectional image above displays the cross-sectional set of the first lesion on the right breast (R), and the lesion marker above also switches to the marker of the first lesion on the right breast (R). This cross-sectional set includes the cross-sectional images that have been scanned and / or the unscanned standard cross-sections used to indicate the cross-sectional images that need to be scanned.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images may further include the following steps: performing a comprehensive analysis of the features of at least one target section image of the first lesion based on deep learning to obtain a comprehensive analysis result; wherein, the comprehensive analysis result includes at least one of the following: lesion features, calcification status, structural features, and breast BI-RADS assessment classification. As an example, such as... Figure 3As shown, a lesion evaluation option, "Mass Analyze," is provided. Users can access the lesion evaluation interface by selecting "Mass Analyze." In this interface, each lesion can be evaluated individually, or the machine can automatically perform a comprehensive evaluation of the target cross-sectional images scanned for the current lesion.

[0067] For example, the user can also view the comprehensive analysis results. The user can input a viewing command for the comprehensive analysis results through a human-computer interaction device, such as by pressing a button or touching the screen. In response to the viewing operation, the machine displays the comprehensive analysis results, and correspondingly, it can also display the lesion corresponding to the comprehensive analysis results and at least one cross-sectional image of the lesion scanned. Furthermore, the user can also edit, modify, and save the comprehensive analysis results, etc.

[0068] For example, taking the breast as an example, lesion characteristics, also known as mass characteristics, may include at least one of the following: shape, orientation, margins, echo type, and posterior echo. Specifically, the mass shape may include at least one of oval, round, and irregular shapes; the mass orientation may include at least one of parallel and non-parallel shapes; the mass margins may be clear and / or unclear, where unclear margins may include at least one of blurred, angular, slightly lobulated, and spiculated shapes; the mass echo type may include at least one of anechoic, hyperechoic, cystic-solid mixed echo, hypoechoic, isoechoic, and heterogeneous echo; and the posterior echo may include at least one of no change, enhancement, acoustic shadowing, and mixed changes. The above is merely an illustrative example and does not constitute a limitation on the mass characteristics.

[0069] For example, the calcification state may include at least one of intramass calcification, extramass calcification, and intraductal calcification. The above is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the calcification state.

[0070] Exemplary features may include at least one of structural distortion, ductal alteration, skin alteration, edema, blood flow, and elasticity. Skin alteration may include skin thickening and / or skin retraction; blood flow may include at least one of no blood flow, internal blood flow, and peripheral blood flow; and elasticity may include at least one of soft, medium, and hard texture. The above is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the structural features.

[0071] For example, the BI-RADS assessment classification for breast cancer may include at least one of grades 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Grade 0 indicates the assessment is incomplete and further imaging is required; Grade 1 indicates negative; Grade 2 indicates benign; Grade 3 indicates possibly benign; Grade 4 indicates suspected malignancy; Grade 5 indicates highly suggestive of malignancy; and Grade 6 indicates biopsy-confirmed malignancy. Grade 4 may further include at least one of grades 4A, 4B, and 4C, where Grade 4A indicates low-grade suspected malignancy, Grade 4B indicates moderate-grade suspected malignancy, and Grade 4C indicates highly suspected malignancy. The above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation on the BI-RADS assessment classification for breast cancer.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images may also include the following steps: providing a global image display option, which, when operated by the user, displays all lesions in the current examination site and the corresponding target cross-sectional images, thereby allowing the user to browse all lesions in the current examination site and the corresponding cross-sectional images, facilitating the evaluation of the current examination site.

[0073] According to the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images of the present invention, after a lesion is detected based on an ultrasound image, the associated information of the lesion can be displayed in response to the associated operation of the lesion, the location of the lesion can be identified, and a set of cross-sectional images required for scanning the lesion can be obtained. The lesion and the current examination site can be evaluated. In this way, by uniformly managing lesions in the same area, doctors can intuitively understand the number of lesions in the current examination site during scanning and evaluation. Furthermore, the name of each lesion, its location information, and cross-sectional images are centrally managed, which is very convenient for browsing and searching, thereby achieving the purpose of preventing missed evaluation and missed diagnosis.

[0074] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0075] like Figure 5 As shown, the ultrasonic imaging device 500 of this embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe 510, a transmitting circuit 520, a receiving circuit 530, and a processor 540.

[0076] The ultrasound probe 510 is used to scan the examination area to obtain ultrasound images of the examination area.

[0077] The transmitting circuit 520 is used to excite the ultrasonic probe 510 to emit ultrasonic waves toward the current examination site.

[0078] The receiving circuit 530 controls the ultrasonic probe 510 to receive the ultrasonic echo returned from the current examination site to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal.

[0079] The processor 540 is used to process the ultrasound echo signal to obtain a cross-sectional image of the current examination site, to obtain a first cross-sectional image set containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning the current examination site, the first cross-sectional image set including at least one frame of cross-sectional image.

[0080] In response to a first association operation on the first lesion, first association information corresponding to the first lesion is displayed. This first association information includes an identifier of the first lesion, at least one standard section, and a first positional image corresponding to the current examination site. The standard section is used to indicate the sectional image to be scanned at the current examination site.

[0081] In response to a second association operation on the first lesion, a first marker on the first positional map is associated with the first lesion, the first marker indicating the location of the first lesion on the first positional map.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is used to obtain the first cross-sectional image set by performing real-time ultrasound scanning on the current examination site, or to obtain the first cross-sectional image set from the saved ultrasound images of the current examination site.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the first set of cross-sectional images is obtained by performing real-time ultrasonic scanning on the current examination site, the cross-sectional images to be scanned at the current examination site are sequentially scanned based on the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section.

[0084] In one embodiment of the present invention, the identifier includes the lesion name and / or lesion number.

[0085] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first mark includes numbers or letters.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is further configured to:

[0087] Acquire a set of second-section images containing a second lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, the set of second-section images including at least one frame of section image;

[0088] In response to the first association operation of the second lesion, second association information corresponding to the second lesion is displayed. The second association information includes the identifier of the second lesion, at least one standard section, and a second positional image corresponding to the current examination site. The standard section is used to indicate the section image to be scanned at the current examination site.

[0089] In response to a second association operation on the second lesion, a second marker on the second positional map is associated with the second lesion, the second marker indicating the location of the second lesion on the second positional map.

[0090] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first body position diagram is the same as the second body position diagram, or the first body position diagram is different from the second body position diagram.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is further configured to:

[0092] In response to a selection operation on the lesion markers on the first or second view, a set of cross-sectional images of the selected lesion is displayed.

[0093] In one embodiment of the present invention, the currently selected lesion marker on the first or second positional image is distinguished by color and / or marking from the unselected lesion marker.

[0094] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is further configured to:

[0095] Provides lesion evaluation options for the current examination site. When the user selects this lesion evaluation option, the lesion evaluation interface will be displayed.

[0096] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is further configured to:

[0097] A global image display option is provided. When this option is activated by the user, all lesions in the currently examined area and their corresponding cross-sectional images are displayed.

[0098] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor 540 is further configured to: mark the probe direction before acquiring each cross-section image in the first cross-section image set or the second cross-section image set, so as to indicate which standard cross-section corresponds to the cross-section image currently being scanned.

[0099] In addition, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer storage medium on which a computer program is stored. One or more computer program instructions may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and a processor may execute the program instructions stored in the storage device to implement the functions (implemented by the processor) in the embodiments of the present invention described herein, and / or other desired functions, such as performing corresponding steps of the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images according to embodiments of the present invention. Various application programs and various data may also be stored in the computer-readable storage medium, such as various data used and / or generated by the application programs.

[0100] For example, the computer storage medium may include a memory card, a storage component of a tablet computer, a hard disk of a personal computer, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a USB memory, or any combination of the above storage media.

[0101] In summary, the lesion processing method based on ultrasound images, the ultrasound imaging device, and the storage medium of the present invention can achieve the following effects: when scanning images, lesions can be added or deleted as needed, and the scanning status of each lesion can be checked at any time, so as to have a clear understanding of the current scanning status at all times; the patient's real condition is presented to the doctor in an intuitive graphical way, and the cross-sectional image information can be retrieved by location information, making it very convenient to browse lesions.

[0102] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0103] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0104] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0105] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0106] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline the invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, its inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with fewer features than all of those in a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0107] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or elements of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0108] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0109] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or as software modules running on one or more processors, or a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as an apparatus program (e.g., a computer program and computer program product) for performing some or all of the methods described herein. Such programs implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can be in the form of one or more signals. Such signals can be downloaded from an Internet website, provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0110] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not restrictive, and that those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

Claims

1. A method for lesion processing based on ultrasound images, characterized in that, include: Acquire a set of first cross-sectional images containing the first lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, wherein the first cross-sectional image set includes at least one cross-sectional image. In response to a first association operation on the first lesion, first association information corresponding to the first lesion is displayed. The first association information includes an identifier of the first lesion and at least one standard section, wherein the standard section is used to indicate the section image to be scanned at the current examination site. In response to a second association operation on the first lesion, a first marker on the first positional image is associated with the first lesion, the first marker indicating the location of the first lesion on the first positional image.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first set of cross-sectional images can be obtained by performing real-time ultrasound scanning on the current examination site, or by obtaining the first set of cross-sectional images from saved ultrasound images of the current examination site.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When acquiring the first set of cross-sectional images by performing real-time ultrasound scanning on the current examination site, the cross-sectional images to be scanned at the current examination site are sequentially scanned based on the cross-sectional sequence of the at least one standard cross-section.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The identifier includes the lesion name and / or lesion number.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first marker includes numbers or letters.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Also includes: Acquire a set of second-section images containing a second lesion obtained by ultrasound scanning of the current examination site, wherein the set of second-section images includes at least one frame of section image; In response to the first association operation on the second lesion, second association information corresponding to the second lesion is displayed. The second association information includes the identifier of the second lesion, at least one standard section, and a second positional image corresponding to the current examination site. The standard section is used to indicate the section image to be scanned at the current examination site. In response to a second association operation on the second lesion, a second mark on the second positional image is associated with the second lesion, the second mark indicating the location of the second lesion on the second positional image.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first body position diagram is the same as the second body position diagram, or the first body position diagram is different from the second body position diagram.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive frame selection command; In response to the frame selection command, a target cross-section image matching the target standard cross-section is determined from the scanned cross-section images.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive image saving command; In response to the image storage command, the target cross-section image is stored; The target cross-section image is associated with the target standard cross-section, and the displayed target standard cross-section is replaced with the displayed target cross-section image.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to the selection operation of the first marker corresponding to the first body position image, a set of cross-sections of the first lesion is displayed; wherein the set of cross-sections includes scanned cross-section images and / or unscanned standard cross-sections, the standard cross-sections being used to indicate the cross-section images to be scanned.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The color and / or markings of the currently selected lesion location-related markers on the first body position map are distinguished from those of the unselected lesion location-related markers.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: Based on deep learning, the features of at least one target section image of the first lesion are comprehensively analyzed to obtain the comprehensive analysis results; The comprehensive analysis results include at least one of the following: lesion characteristics, calcification status, structural characteristics, and breast BI-RADS assessment classification.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to a viewing operation of the comprehensive analysis results, the first lesion, at least one target cross-sectional image of the first lesion, and the comprehensive analysis results are displayed.

14. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: A global image display option is provided. When the global image display option is activated by the user, all lesions in the currently examined area and the corresponding target cross-sectional images are displayed.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to a third association operation on the first lesion, a third mark on the first positional image is associated with the first lesion, the third mark being used to indicate the direction of the probe.

16. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that, The ultrasound imaging device includes: Ultrasonic probe; A transmitting circuit, which is used to excite the ultrasonic probe to emit ultrasonic waves toward the current examination site; A receiving circuit is used to control the ultrasonic probe to receive ultrasonic echoes returned from the current examination site to obtain ultrasonic echo signals. A processor for processing the ultrasonic echo signal to obtain a cross-sectional image of the currently examined site, and for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-15.

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