Ultrasound field rapid calculation method and system
By pre-calculating and storing the transmission matrix, the problem of high computational complexity in traditional methods is solved, enabling rapid acoustic field calculation for transcranial focused ultrasound, meeting real-time adjustment requirements, improving calculation speed and operational flexibility, and supporting closed-loop control and medical image fusion.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511275303.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-08
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-16
AI Technical Summary
Traditional numerical simulation methods in transcranial focused ultrasound (TCU) technology are computationally complex and time-consuming, making it difficult to meet the requirements for real-time adjustment of ultrasound sensor position and parameters.
By pre-compiling and storing the transmission matrix characterizing sound propagation, real-time sound field calculations are transformed into matrix operations, including skull model preparation, numerical simulation of sound propagation, and construction of the transmission matrix, enabling rapid sound field calculations.
It significantly improves computing speed, supports real-time requirements, adapts to different sensor array configurations and orientation changes, enhances operational flexibility and practicality, and can be fused with medical imaging data to improve operational intuitiveness.
Smart Images
Figure CN121144656A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical ultrasound technology, and in particular to a method for rapid calculation of ultrasound sound field in transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation (tFUS). Background Technology
[0002] Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method. Its core challenge lies in overcoming the influence of the skull on ultrasound propagation to achieve precise and controllable intracranial focusing. Traditional numerical simulation methods (such as the finite element method and pseudospectral method) are computationally complex and time-consuming, making it difficult to meet the requirements for real-time adjustment of transducer position, orientation, or operating parameters. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can achieve rapid acoustic field calculation and visualization feedback while maintaining accuracy, to support real-time positioning and closed-loop control in ultrasound neuromodulation. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method and system for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound fields. By pre-calculating and storing the transmission matrix that characterizes the sound propagation properties, the real-time sound field calculation is transformed into matrix operations, which significantly improves the calculation speed and meets the real-time requirements.
[0004] This invention is achieved using the following technical solution: a method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound fields, comprising the following steps: S1: Pre-calculate the transmission matrix, including: skull model preparation and parameter setting, numerical simulation of sound propagation and construction of the transmission matrix; S2: Perform real-time sound field calculations, including: real-time data acquisition and preparation, sound field calculations, and sound field visualization.
[0005] Furthermore, the preparation and parameter settings of the skull model include: Read the patient's cranial CT images (or CT images generated by MRI through an AI generation network, or similar CT images obtained through MRI ultra-short echo imaging sequences), and extract the skull structure through threshold segmentation or image processing algorithms; The CT values are corrected and converted into acoustic parameters; Define the target focus area (ROI) and place virtual sensor points within that area; The skull region is divided into three-dimensional meshes, and the mesh size and simulation step size are set.
[0006] Furthermore, the numerical simulation of sound propagation includes: Sound field simulation was performed using the pseudospectral method. Set the sound source to a single element located at the transducer array position, and activate each element in turn; In each activation event, record the time-domain sound pressure signals received at all sensor points within the ROI; Repeat the above process for all array elements to obtain a complete sound pressure response dataset.
[0007] Furthermore, the construction of the transmission matrix includes: Perform a Fourier transform on the sound pressure time-domain signal of each sound source-sensor pair to extract the complex value at the target frequency: Calculate the elements of the transfer matrix; The final transmission matrix A is obtained, which has a dimension of M×N, where M is the number of sensors and N is the number of sound sources.
[0008] Furthermore, the real-time data acquisition preparation includes: Load the pre-calculated transmission matrix A; Based on the current position and orientation of the ultrasonic transducer, the sound source points covered by it in the computational grid are determined through coordinate transformation; Generate a sound source mask to identify which grid points belong to the currently active sound source; Based on the transducer type, set the amplitude, phase, and frequency parameters of each sound source point to construct the sound source vector x.
[0009] Furthermore, the sound field calculation includes: The complex sound pressure level at the sensor location is calculated using matrix multiplication: y = A * x; Where y is the sensor complex sound pressure vector and x is the sound source vector; Extract the amplitude of y to obtain the sound field intensity distribution within the ROI.
[0010] Furthermore, the sound field visualization includes: Sound field intensity data is mapped onto a three-dimensional skull model, CT, or MRI image in the form of a pseudo-color map, so as to realize the fusion display of sound field distribution and anatomical structure, and assist physicians in localization and assessment.
[0011] Furthermore, the acoustic parameters include one or more of density, sound velocity, porosity, and attenuation coefficient.
[0012] Furthermore, the method for calculating the elements of the transmission matrix is as follows: A ji = p ij / s i ; Where, p ij The complex sound pressure is obtained at the j-th sensor when the i-th sound source is activated; s i This is the complex amplitude of the sound source itself.
[0013] A rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation system, used to implement the aforementioned rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation method, includes: The parameter setting module is used for preparing and setting parameters for the skull model. The simulation module is used for numerical simulation of sound propagation; Modules for building the transmission matrix; The data acquisition module is used to acquire and prepare data in real time. The calculation module is used to perform sound field calculations; The visualization module is used for sound field visualization.
[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Speed: By transforming the complex sound propagation problem into matrix operations, the computation speed is significantly higher than that of traditional numerical methods; Flexibility: Adaptable to different transducer array configurations and pose variations; Practicality: Supports real-time dynamic adjustment of sound source parameters, suitable for closed-loop control scenarios; Compatibility: It can be integrated with medical imaging data to enhance the intuitiveness of operation. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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 the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.
[0016] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0018] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0019] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0020] See Figure 1 A rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation method is proposed. By pre-calculating and storing the transmission matrix characterizing sound propagation properties, the real-time sound field calculation is transformed into matrix operations, significantly improving the calculation speed and meeting real-time requirements. The method specifically includes the following steps: Pre-calculate the transmission matrix; Perform real-time sound field calculations.
[0021] The pre-calculation of the transfer matrix includes: Skull model preparation and parameter setting: Read the patient's cranial CT images (or CT images generated by MRI through an AI generation network, or similar CT images obtained through MRI ultra-short echo imaging sequences; such as NIfTI format), extract the skull structure through threshold segmentation or image processing algorithms; correct the CT values and convert them into acoustic parameters (density, sound velocity, porosity, attenuation coefficient); define the target focus area (Region of Interest, ROI) and place virtual sensor points within the area; perform three-dimensional meshing of the skull area and set the mesh size and simulation step size.
[0022] Numerical simulation of sound propagation is performed using the pseudospectral method for sound field simulation (e.g., using the k-Wave toolkit for sound field simulation). The sound source is set as a single element located at the transducer array position, and each element is activated sequentially. In each activation event, the time-domain sound pressure signal received at all sensor points within the ROI is recorded. The above process is repeated for all elements to obtain a complete sound pressure response dataset.
[0023] The transmission matrix is constructed by performing a Fourier transform on the time-domain signal of the sound pressure level for each sound source-sensor pair to extract the complex value at the target frequency (e.g., the fundamental ultrasonic frequency). Let the complex sound pressure level obtained at the j-th sensor when the i-th sound source is activated be: p ij The complex amplitude of the sound source itself is s i ; Calculate the elements of the transfer matrix: A ji = p ij / s i ; The final transmission matrix A is obtained, which has a dimension of M×N, where M is the number of sensors and N is the number of sound sources.
[0024] Real-time sound field calculations include: Real-time data preparation: Load the pre-calculated transmission matrix A; Determine the sound source points covered by the current ultrasonic transducer in the computational grid through coordinate transformation based on the current position and orientation of the transducer; Generate a sound source mask to identify which grid points belong to the currently active sound source; Set the amplitude, phase and frequency parameters of each sound source point according to the transducer type (single element or phased array) and construct the sound source vector x (length N, with zero for non-sound source points).
[0025] The sound field is calculated using matrix multiplication to determine the complex sound pressure level at the sensor location: y = A * x; where y is the complex sound pressure vector of the sensor. The amplitude of y is extracted to obtain the sound field intensity distribution within the ROI. Furthermore, the sound field of discrete sensor points can be reconstructed into a continuous distribution using interpolation methods.
[0026] Sound field visualization maps sound field intensity data into a three-dimensional skull model or MRI image in the form of a pseudo-color map; it realizes the fusion display of sound field distribution and anatomical structure to assist doctors in localization and assessment.
[0027] This invention also provides a rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation system to implement the aforementioned rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation method, comprising: The parameter setting module is used for preparing and setting parameters for the skull model. The simulation module is used for numerical simulation of sound propagation; Modules for building the transmission matrix; The data acquisition module is used to acquire and prepare data in real time. The calculation module is used to perform sound field calculations; The visualization module is used for sound field visualization.
[0028] This invention is a fast calculation method for ultrasonic sound fields based on the transmission matrix. Specifically, by pre-calculating and storing the transmission matrix that characterizes the sound propagation characteristics, the real-time sound field calculation is transformed into matrix operations, which significantly improves the calculation speed and meets the real-time requirements.
[0029] For the foregoing embodiments, in order to simplify the description, they are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, because according to this application, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions involved are not necessarily essential to this application.
[0030] The above embodiments describe the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Pre-calculate the transmission matrix, including: skull model preparation and parameter setting, numerical simulation of sound propagation and construction of the transmission matrix; S2: Perform real-time sound field calculations, including: real-time data acquisition and preparation, sound field calculations, and sound field visualization.
2. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The preparation and parameter settings of the skull model include: Read the patient's cranial CT images, which are CT images generated by magnetic resonance MRI through an AI generation network, or similar CT images obtained through MRI ultra-short echo imaging sequences; and extract the skull structure through threshold segmentation or image processing algorithms. The CT values are corrected and converted into acoustic parameters; Define the target focus area (ROI) and place virtual sensor points within that area; The skull region is divided into three-dimensional meshes, and the mesh size and simulation step size are set.
3. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The numerical simulation of sound propagation includes: Sound field simulation was performed using the pseudospectral method. Set the sound source to a single element located at the transducer array position, and activate each element in turn; In each activation event, record the time-domain sound pressure signals received at all sensor points within the ROI; Repeat the above process for all array elements to obtain a complete sound pressure response dataset.
4. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The construction of the transmission matrix includes: Perform a Fourier transform on the sound pressure time-domain signal of each sound source-sensor pair to extract the complex value at the target frequency: Calculate the elements of the transfer matrix; The final transmission matrix A is obtained, which has a dimension of M×N, where M is the number of sensors and N is the number of sound sources.
5. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The real-time data acquisition preparation includes: Load the pre-calculated transmission matrix A; Based on the current position and orientation of the ultrasonic transducer, the sound source points covered by it in the computational grid are determined through coordinate transformation; Generate a sound source mask to identify which grid points belong to the currently active sound source; Based on the transducer type, set the amplitude, phase, and frequency parameters of each sound source point to construct the sound source vector x.
6. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sound field calculation includes: The complex sound pressure level at the sensor location is calculated using matrix multiplication: y = A * x; Where y is the sensor complex sound pressure vector and x is the sound source vector; Extract the amplitude of y to obtain the sound field intensity distribution within the ROI.
7. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sound field visualization includes: Sound field intensity data is mapped onto a three-dimensional skull model, CT, or MRI image in the form of a pseudo-color map, so as to realize the fusion display of sound field distribution and anatomical structure, and assist physicians in localization and assessment.
8. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The acoustic parameters include one or more of density, sound velocity, porosity, and attenuation coefficient.
9. The method for rapid calculation of ultrasonic sound field as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The method for calculating the elements of the transmission matrix is as follows: A ji = p ij / s i ; Where, p ij The complex sound pressure is obtained at the j-th sensor when the i-th sound source is activated; s i This is the complex amplitude of the sound source itself.
10. A rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation system, used to implement the rapid ultrasonic sound field calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: The parameter setting module is used for preparing and setting parameters for the skull model. The simulation module is used for numerical simulation of sound propagation; Modules for building the transmission matrix; The data acquisition module is used to acquire and prepare data in real time. The calculation module is used to perform sound field calculations; The visualization module is used for sound field visualization.