Ultrasound system imaging of blood flow

Abstract

An ultrasound system includes a transmitter configured to transmit ultrasound energy toward a region of interest of a patient; a receiver configured to receive the ultrasound signal reflected from the region of interest; a processor configured to: generate image data from the reflected ultrasound signal; determining a height map from the reflected ultrasound signal from the region of interest, and generating shaded image data by shading the image data from the height map such that a region of the image data including blood flow is shaded to simulate a 3D effect, where the shaded effect includes a transparent blood vessel traversed by the blood flow; and a display system configured to display the shadow image data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some implementations involve ultrasound imaging. More specifically, some implementations involve techniques for displaying blood flow. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasound image data (e.g., color Doppler image data) may include 2D scalar data (e.g., intensity values, power component values, etc.), which results in flat 2D images that may be more difficult to interpret, thereby increasing the difficulty of diagnosing patients using flat 2D images. For example, more complex body structures may be difficult to identify via 2D images. As an example, 2D color Doppler images of different body structures may be difficult to use for diagnosis.

[0003] Additionally, blood speckle imaging (BSI) can be used to obtain a 2D field of blood velocity within the patient's anatomy (such as in a graph).

[0004] Ultrasound Doppler imaging can help assess blood flow in the heart. Visualization of blood flow disturbances can be used to understand the hemodynamics of children, for example, with congenital heart disease, and for the diagnosis and treatment planning of children with both acquired and congenital heart disease. This type of technology can also help understand the hemodynamics of the fetal heart.

[0005] BSI using conventional color Doppler techniques can be limited by Doppler angle dependence (display of radial velocity only) and aliasing (e.g., due to Nyquist limitation). BSI is a visualization technique designed to address these limitations in conventional color flow imaging. Exemplary aspects of BSI are described in U.S. Patent No. 11,147,539, filed September 18, 2017, entitled “Methods and Systems for Blood Speckle Imaging,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0006] BSI is based on the speckle pattern generated by blood cells moving from one frame to the next using a "best-match" search algorithm. This allows for the evaluation of 2D blood velocity vectors without the need for contrast agent injection and without the mathematical assumptions based on conventional color Doppler methods. Due to the relatively high rate of decorrelation of moving blood speckle, the acquisition frame rate must be relatively higher than that used in myocardial speckle tracking. BSI acquisition frame rates can range from thousands of frames per second (FPS) but can be reduced to, for example, 60 FPS for display. To view the loop after acquisition, they can be displayed in slow motion.

[0007] To generate a frame for display on a screen, at least three different datasets can be processed. Exemplary datasets include (1) B-mode image data (e.g., data from one channel (intensity), where the intensity of the reflected signal is represented by levels in a grayscale image), (2) color flow mapping data (color Doppler or "CFM") with, for example, four channels, including power of the reflected signal, turbulence, detection velocity in the X dimension, and detection velocity in the Y dimension), and (3) BSI data (e.g., three channels, including velocity vectors in the X dimension, velocity vectors in the Y dimension, and scalar quality assessment). All of this data can be acquired at the same frequency. BSI data can be derived from CFM data. To obtain this data, the ultrasound system can alternate between B-mode data acquisition phases and CFM data acquisition phases in the patient—e.g., a first B-mode data acquisition phase, a first CFM data acquisition phase, a second B-mode data acquisition phase, a second CFM data acquisition phase, etc.

[0008] For each of the Mode B data acquisition phase and the CFM data acquisition phase, receive beamforming can be performed similarly for both to focus on the receive line. For a transmit / receive sequence in the phase used to acquire CFM data, a line can be repeated multiple times (to form a set) to achieve a higher pulse repetition frequency (RPF).

[0009] Subsequently, for data acquired during a given B-mode data acquisition phase, the processor can determine the intensity of the reflected signal. For data acquired during a given CFM data acquisition phase, the processor can perform high-pass filtering to filter reflections only from moving regions within the ROI, and can determine the corresponding Doppler frequency shift.

[0010] For BSI processing, the processor can perform block matching across all subframes of the CFM frame and can calculate the velocity vector (including the X-dimensional and Y-dimensional components) and quality based on it.

[0011] The three processed datasets (for B mode, CFM, and BSI) can then be saved to a cine buffer. For display on a monitor, a scan conversion can be used to transform the processed datasets from beamspace (which is specific to the probe's geometry) to Cartesian space (e.g., a space corresponding to the pixel grid of the display on the screen). The data can then be converted from the different channels using a red / green / blue (RGB) lookup table, and then displayed on the monitor.

[0012] One challenge is how to visually represent the blood velocity field, whether acquired through BSI or another technology, in an intuitive way for clinicians. Another challenge is visually representing blood vessels to provide clinicians with a clear and intuitive display. Summary of the Invention

[0013] According to an embodiment, an ultrasound system includes: a transmitter configured to emit ultrasound energy toward a region of interest (ROI) of a patient; a receiver configured to receive ultrasound signals reflected from the ROI; a processor configured to: generate image data from the reflected ultrasound signals; determine a height map based on the reflected ultrasound signals from the ROI; and generate shadowed image data by shadowing the image data according to the height map, such that regions of the image data including blood flow are shadowed to simulate a 3D effect, wherein the shadowed effect includes transparent blood vessels through which blood flow passes; and a display system configured to display the shadowed image data. The processor may also be configured to: determine a flow field of blood in the ROI, wherein the flow field includes multiple vectors corresponding to multiple flow pathways of blood flow in the transparent blood vessels; and display a representation of the flow field in the transparent blood vessels. The representation of the flow field may include multiple arrows corresponding to the multiple vectors. The representation of the flow field may include animation comprising multiple frames, wherein the progression of the frames indicates the movement of blood along flow pathways in the flow field. The representation of the flow field may include virtual particles moving across the multiple vectors. The processor can also be configured to display a flow field below the upper surface of the transparent blood vessel. The representation of the flow field may include different color information corresponding to different pathways along which the blood flows. The processor can also be configured to generate background ultrasound image data corresponding to tissue in the region of interest and display the shadow image data together with the ultrasound image data. The processor can also be configured to generate the transparent blood vessel based on a height map. The processor can also be configured to generate the transparent blood vessel based on a simulated light source and at least one of Snell's law and Beer's law. The processor can also be configured to generate the transparent blood vessel based on a Phong model.

[0014] According to an embodiment, an ultrasound imaging method includes: transmitting ultrasound energy towards a region of interest (ROI) of a patient via a transmitter; receiving ultrasound signals reflected from the ROI via a receiver; generating image data from the reflected ultrasound signals via a processor; determining a height map by the processor based on the reflected ultrasound signals from the ROI, and generating shadowed image data by the processor through shadowing the image data based on the height map, such that regions of the image data including blood flow are shadowed to simulate a 3D effect, wherein the shadowed effect includes transparent blood vessels through which blood flows; and displaying the shadowed image data by a display system. The method may further include: determining a flow field of blood in the ROI via a processor, wherein the flow field includes multiple vectors corresponding to multiple flow pathways of blood flow in the transparent blood vessels; and displaying a representation of the flow field in the transparent blood vessels by the display system. The representation of the flow field may include multiple arrows corresponding to the multiple vectors. The representation of the flow field may include animation comprising multiple frames, wherein the progression of the frames indicates the movement of blood along flow pathways in the flow field. The representation of the flow field may include virtual particles moving across the multiple vectors. The method may further include displaying the flow field below the upper surface of the transparent blood vessel by the display system. The flow field representation may include different color information corresponding to different pathways among multiple pathways along which blood flows. The method may also include generating transparent blood vessels based on a height map. The method may further include generating transparent blood vessels by a processor based on an analog light source and at least one of Snell's law and Beer's law.

[0015] 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

[0016] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an exemplary ultrasound system, according to various implementation schemes, capable of operating in accordance with the techniques described herein.

[0017] Figure 2 These are exemplary ultrasound image data and the region of interest (or ROI) within them.

[0018] Figure 3 The blood flow was depicted using color Doppler image data and compared with... Figure 2 The ultrasound image data are presented in conjunction with each other.

[0019] Figure 4 Depicting Figure 3 The shadowing of the blood flow shown, and with Figure 2 The ultrasound image data are presented in conjunction with each other.

[0020] Figure 5 Depicting the implementation scheme and Figure 4 The shadowed blood flow corresponds to the transparent blood vessels, and with Figure 2 The ultrasound image data are presented in conjunction with each other.

[0021] Figure 6 It depicts a representation of the blood flow field through blood vessels, and is related to... Figure 3 Corresponding to the depiction of blood flow in the text, and with Figure 2 The ultrasound image data are presented in conjunction with each other.

[0022] Figure 7 Depicting the implementation scheme and Figure 5 The corresponding representation of the blood flow field through transparent blood vessels, all of which are related to Figure 2 The ultrasound image data are presented in conjunction with each other.

[0023] Figure 8 A virtual system for simulating transparent blood vessels, according to an implementation scheme, is described.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps that can be used to display an animation indicating at least one characteristic of blood flow in an anatomical region of a patient.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps that can be used to simulate transparent blood vessels according to an implementation scheme.

[0026] Figure 11A , Figure 11B and Figure 11C An example depicting the flow field of blood through transparent blood vessels according to the implementation scheme is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Some embodiments described herein involve shading 2D ultrasound images to simulate 3D views (such as 3D views of blood vessels in a region of interest), including embodiments involving simulating transparency effects in blood vessels within a region of interest. In the following text, unless otherwise stated, transparency effects in blood vessels may be referred to as transparent blood vessels, etc. While blood vessels are described herein, the techniques described herein are also applicable to other anatomical structures.

[0028] Shadowing can be performed using a gradient determined based on image values ​​from an ultrasound imaging dataset (which can be 1D, 2D, or 3D) used to generate 2D ultrasound images. Transparent blood vessel simulations can be generated using light propagation calculations, thereby giving the vessels a liquid-like appearance. Transparent blood vessel simulations can be generated by simulating external light sources (e.g., determined by height values) and applying different principles (such as Snell's law or Beer's law). Furthermore, reflective properties can be simulated using various techniques, such as applying illumination models like Phong, Cook Torrance, Blinn-Torrance-Sparrow, and He-Torrance-Sillion-Greenberg.

[0029] Using BSI, a 2D field of blood velocity at the ROI (hereinafter referred to as the "flow field") can be obtained. While BSI is described herein, other techniques for determining the flow field can also be used in conjunction with those described herein. According to an implementation, an animation is generated and displayed showing multiple paths of blood particles in the flow field. The animation may correspond to the flow field determined for a given ultrasound image frame. The data used to determine the flow field can be plotted over time spans across multiple frames—e.g., before, during, and / or after the frame in which the flow field will be determined. The animation can provide a sense of motion for the clinician. The animation can represent the direction and velocity of blood flow. The animation can be displayed or overlaid on a scene showing ultrasound image data of the patient's anatomy and the ROI (e.g., a B-mode image of the patient's heart). The image of the patient's anatomy can be a static image displayed along with the animation. However, the image of the patient's anatomy can change in consecutive ultrasound image frames.

[0030] Animation does not have to be the result of a continuous series of frames displayed in a cinematic style. Animation can be generated using "virtual particles" that travel along a given, defined flow path and propel the virtual particles along the path in successive animation frames. A given path can be determined based on a single flow vector, or it can be determined based on a combination of adjacent flow vectors (e.g., two, three, or more flow vectors arranged in series). Virtual particles can be placed at multiple random or pseudo-random locations along the path and can disappear (be removed) after a period of time (aging) (e.g., once the end of the path is reached, at a predetermined distance from the end, at a predetermined distance from the starting point, and / or at other distances). When a virtual particle disappears, it can be replaced by a new particle at the original starting position of the previous particle or at some other starting position. A given virtual particle can have a velocity corresponding to the magnitude of a given corresponding flow vector. Another given particle can have an orientation corresponding to the direction of a given corresponding flow vector. Virtual particles can travel at a constant velocity (consistently traveling a constant distance along the path between successive animation frames), or the velocity can vary depending on the particle or the path. Once the virtual particles have been repositioned, the display is updated with new animation frames. These animation frames can be looped to provide continuous animation effects.

[0031] The path itself can be included in the animation. Virtual particles can be overlaid or displayed in association with the path. Virtual particles and / or paths can be displayed in color. For example, the color scheme can be consistent with what is expected in a color Doppler specification. Virtual particles and / or paths can be overlaid on a color scheme, such as a color Doppler specification. Subsequent ultrasound image frame data can be displayed, and the animation of the new frame can be updated accordingly.

[0032] According to the implementation plan, animations or flow field representations can be displayed in the transparent area of ​​the blood vessel, thereby simulating the flow field actually inside the blood vessel and thus increasing the intuitive visualization of blood flow through the blood vessel.

[0033] The various aspects of this disclosure have the technical effect of enhancing the visualization of blood flow within a Region of Interest (ROI) of the patient's anatomy, allowing clinicians to more easily and intuitively understand the nature of blood flow. Various implementations have the technical effect of improving the visualization and intuitive understanding of the patient's anatomy within the ROI by creating a 3D shadow effect, where blood vessels are simulated to have a degree of transparency. Furthermore, various implementations have the technical effect of combining the dynamic simulation of blood flow movement within transparent blood vessels. Visualization can be targeted at a given time slot (e.g., for a frame duration) rather than across multiple time slots. In this way, clinicians can easily and intuitively understand the behavior of blood flow at a given point in time, e.g., the behavior of blood flow in the patient's heart at a given time during a cardiac cycle. Various implementations have the technical effect of displaying useful animations within the context of the patient's anatomy shown in static ultrasound images, allowing clinicians to understand the exact location where specific blood flow is occurring. Various implementations have the technical effect of providing animations within a context describing other information about blood flow, such as color information (e.g., color specifications used with known color Doppler imaging displays). Various implementation schemes have the technical effect of enhancing clinicians' understanding of blood flow in the patient's anatomy solely through color.

[0034] 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 incorporated as a subroutine into 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 respective 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] Additionally, as used herein, the term "image" broadly refers to both a visual image and the data characterizing the visual image (image data). However, many implementations generate (or are configured to generate) at least one visual image. Furthermore, as used herein, the phrase "image" refers 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 also called spatial B-mode), 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 submodes 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, microvascular imaging (MVI), ultrasound-guided attenuation parameter (UGAP), blood speckle imaging (BSI), etc.

[0037] Furthermore, as used herein, the term processor or processing unit refers to any type of processing unit capable of performing the required computations needed for various implementation schemes, such as a single-core or multi-core CPU, an accelerated processing unit (APU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof. A processor or processing unit may include multiple processors located in the same location (e.g., integrated together in a single ASIC) or distributed in different locations. When multiple processors are present, these processors can communicate and / or work together with other associated processors to perform processing and computation.

[0038] 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).

[0039] 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 the various implementations is... Figure 1 Example in.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an exemplary ultrasound system 100, according to various embodiments, capable of operating to identify features in image data obtained from a patient (including a fetus). The ultrasound system 100 includes a transmitter 102, an ultrasound probe 104, a transmit beamformer 110, a receiver 118, a receive beamformer 120, an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter 122, a radio frequency (RF) processor 124, an RF quadrature (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.

[0041] Transmitter 102 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be operated to drive ultrasound probe 104. Ultrasound probe 104 may be a linear, convex, intracavitary, or phased array transducer. Ultrasound probe 104 may include a two-dimensional (2D) array of piezoelectric elements or piezoelectric layers. 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 ultrasound signals that pass through oil and probe caps and into the target. In a representative embodiment, ultrasound probe 104 may be operable to acquire ultrasound image data covering at least a substantial portion of an anatomical structure, such as the liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, or any suitable anatomical structure. In an exemplary embodiment, ultrasound probe 104 may operate in a volume acquisition mode, wherein the transducer assembly of ultrasound probe 104 acquires multiple parallel 2D ultrasound slices forming an ultrasound volume.

[0042] The transmit beamformer 110 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can operate 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 to a region of interest (e.g., a person, animal, underground cavity, physical structure, etc.). The transmitted ultrasonic signals may be backscattered from structures (such as blood cells or tissue) within the object of interest to generate echoes. The echoes are received by the receive transducer element 108.

[0043] 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. The receiver 118 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be operated to receive the signal from the receiving sub-aperture beamformer 116. The analog signal can be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of A / D converters 122.

[0044] 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 the 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] Multiple A / D converters 122 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, and interfaces and / or code that can operate to convert analog signals from receiver 118 into corresponding digital signals. These 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, multiple A / D converters 122 may be integrated within receiver 118.

[0047] RF processor 124 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that are 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 that are operable to provide temporary storage of the RF or I / Q signal data generated by RF processor 124.

[0048] The receiver beamformer 120 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code capable of operating 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.

[0049] User input device 130 can be used to input patient data; scan parameters; settings; select protocols and / or templates; select target structures for image acquisition; input and / or select regions of interest; modify regions of interest; select regions of interest, focus / scaling volumes for image acquisition; and so on. 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, user input device 130, signal processor 132, image buffer 136, display system 134, and / or archive 138. User input device 130 may include buttons, rotary encoders, touchscreens, motion tracking, voice recognition, mouse devices, keyboards, cameras, and / or any other devices capable of receiving user commands. In some implementations, 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 touch screen display.

[0050] Signal processor 132 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that may be operable to process ultrasound scan data (e.g., summed IQ signals) to generate ultrasound images for presentation on display system 134. Signal processor 132 may be operable to perform one or more processing operations based on multiple ultrasound modes (such as B-mode, Doppler mode, and color Doppler mode) of 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, such as spatial B-mode data, may be processed in real time during a scanning session when an echo signal is 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.

[0051] Signal processor 132 may be one or more central processing units, microprocessors, microcontrollers, 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 blood speckle imaging (BSI) processor 140 and visualization processor 150. 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. Signal processor 132, BSI processor 140, and / or visualization processor 150 may be able to perform any of the methods and / or instruction sets discussed herein, for example, according to various embodiments.

[0052] The ultrasound system 100 is operable to continuously acquire ultrasound scan data at a frame rate suitable for the imaging situation under consideration. Typical frame rates range from 20 to 120 per second, but can be lower or higher. As used herein, "time" or "time period" may correspond to one or more frames. 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. A series of images (e.g., patient blood flow) may be displayed simultaneously. An image buffer 136 is included for storing processed frames of acquired ultrasound scan data that are not scheduled for immediate display. Preferably, the image buffer 136 has sufficient capacity to store ultrasound scan data frames equivalent to at least several minutes. The 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.

[0053] Signal processor 132 may include BSI processor 140, which is adapted to perform BSI calculations to determine the blood flow field within a given portion of a patient's anatomy or a region of interest (ROI). BSI processor 140 may include suitable logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be operated to receive and process ultrasound image data corresponding to BSI and blood flow using ultrasound probe 104.

[0054] Signal processor 132 may include visualization processor 150 for generating shadow processing of blood vessels in the ROI, as will be further described. Visualization processor 150 may also generate the transparency of blood vessels, as will be further described. Visualization processor 150 may also generate a depiction of the flow field, including animations or other symbols, such as arrows representing blood flow through the blood vessels, as will be further described. Visualization processor 150 may receive information related to or about the flow field from BSI processor 140.

[0055] Display system 134 can be any device capable of transmitting visual information to a user. For example, display system 134 may include a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, and / or any suitable one or more displays. Display system 134 may be operable for presenting 2D ultrasound images, 2D sequential ultrasound images, biplane ultrasound images, biplane ultrasound slices extracted from 3D / 4D volumes, rendered 3D / 4D volumes, selectable target structures, and / or any suitable information.

[0056] Archive 138 may be one or more computer-readable storage devices integrated with and / or communicatively coupled (e.g., via a network) to ultrasound system 100, such as a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), server, hard disk, floppy disk, CD, CD-ROM, DVD, compact memory, 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 storage device accessed by and / or combined with signal processor 132. For example, archive 138 may be able to temporarily or permanently store data. 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, for example, file 138 stores 2D ultrasound images, 2D sequential ultrasound images, biplane ultrasound images, biplane ultrasound slices extracted from 3D / 4D volumes, rendered 3D / 4D volumes, instructions for acquiring ultrasound image data, instructions for generating sequential ultrasound images, instructions for generating sample sequential ultrasound images, instructions for classifying images as generated images or real images, instructions for providing feedback on image-based classification, instructions for determining that an objective function has been achieved, and instructions for generating enhanced sequential ultrasound images.

[0057] The components of the ultrasound system 100 can be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, etc. 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.

[0058] According to embodiments described herein, system 100 can be configured to perform BSI to determine fluid flow within a patient's body, such as blood flow in patient anatomical structures (e.g., the heart). Operation of system 100 can be controlled partially or for the entire system by BSI processor 140. BSI processor 140 can be configured to instruct probe 104 or cause the probe to emit a continuous transmit beam from transmit transducer element 106. Echoes from the area acoustically penetrated by the transmit beam can be acquired by receive transducer element 108 of ultrasound probe 104. The transmit beam is configured to acquire ultrasound data, including ultrasound data from a region of origin (ROI). The ROI may represent a portion of a patient's anatomical structure, such as the heart, for example covering the heart chambers and myocardium, or the ROI may cover other blood-containing parts of the venous system.

[0059] BSI processor 140 can process received ultrasound image data. The received ultrasound data may include, for example, B-mode type ultrasound data. Ultrasound data may be acquired over multiple time slots (such as frames). The ultrasound image data may be temporally clutter-filtered to enhance moving particles, even if they are weak, such as blood. For example, BSI processor 140 may generate sub-images based on the received ultrasound data. Sub-images may represent ultrasound data including a speckle pattern. BSI processor 140 may apply a clutter filter to the speckle pattern. Clutter filtering may occur during and / or after beamforming. Clutter filtering can extract the blood component from the sub-image and calculate the time delay between transmit and receive beamforming. BSI processor 140 may apply time delay correction to the speckle pattern within the sub-image to enhance speckle tracking motion. Clutter filtering may be performed on the sub-image before speckle tracking is identified. The speckle pattern can be used to track blood movement within the chambers of the heart or other parts of the region of interest (ROI), but it can also be used to track moving tissue, such as the myocardium of the heart. The motion of speckle over time can be tracked by a BSI processor to form a flow field, for example, including velocity data. For instance, the motion of speckle can represent a flow field indicating a 2D blood velocity field. Further details and embodiments of BSI are described in U.S. Patent No. 11,147,539, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0060] Figure 2This is an exemplary B-mode image data 200 and a region of interest 210 therein. The B-mode image data 200 shows a static image including a portion of a patient's heart. The B-mode image data 200 can be presented on a display system 134 for viewing by a user. The B-mode image data 200 can be displayed in association with other image data (e.g., color Doppler image data), for example, as a background. Because the techniques described herein enhance the visualization of blood flow through blood vessels, the B-mode image data 200 can provide a context of the location of blood vessels and blood flow by displaying images of surrounding and adjacent tissues (e.g., the muscle of the heart). The region of interest 210 defines a subset 220 of the B-mode image data 200. The region of interest 210 can be drawn and / or located in the B-mode image data 200 by a user for clinical purposes. The user can draw and / or locate the region of interest 210 via a user input device 130. As generally disclosed herein, the B-mode image data 200 is used as an example, but other types of image data can be used according to the techniques described herein. Other types of image data include Doppler image data or color Doppler image data. In multimodal systems (e.g., systems capable of acquiring both B-mode and Doppler image data), multiple types of image data can be combined.

[0061] Figure 3 A B-mode image data 200 is depicted, wherein a subset 220 of the B-mode image data 200 is displayed in association with color Doppler image data 230. The color Doppler image data 230 can show blood flow in blood vessels flowing through the patient's body within the region of interest 210. The color Doppler image data 230 can be colored to indicate whether the blood flow is toward or away from the ultrasound probe 104. As shown, the direction and extent of blood flow toward the probe 104 are colored in red and yellow, and its shading varies according to the velocity of the blood flow toward the probe 104, such as... Figure 3 The legend in the upper left corner is shown. As shown, the direction and extent of blood flow away from probe 104 are colored in blue, and the shading varies according to the speed at which the blood flow moves away from probe 104. Figure 3 The legend in the upper left corner is shown. Different color schemes can be used to indicate the direction and velocity of blood flow relative to probe 104. Furthermore, color Doppler image data 230 may not be used, and different types of image data can be displayed (e.g., in areas where color Doppler image data 230 would otherwise be displayed). Such other types of image data can be generated by the ultrasound system 100 using modalities such as B-mode imaging or other modalities such as those described herein.

[0062] Figure 4 and Figure 3Similarly, the difference lies in that the color Doppler image data 230 has been shading processed to form shaded color Doppler image data 240. Likewise, other types of image data can be used, such as those generated from other ultrasound modalities. Shaded color Doppler image data 240 can provide a 3D effect from the underlying 2D data. Some techniques for shading processing are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,453,193, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Shaded color Doppler image data 240 can be generated by determining a height map of the shaded color Doppler image data 240.

[0063] To determine the height map (an example of which is shown in...) Figure 8 As shown in the diagram (which will be further described here), image values ​​of pixels in color Doppler image data 230 can be converted into corresponding height values ​​using a relation (e.g., a model). In one example, the relation used to convert each image value (e.g., power or raw intensity value) into a height value could be a linear relation. In another example, the relation or model used to convert each image value into a height value could be a monotonic function (such as a logarithmic or sigmoid function) that is a function of the image value and then outputs the height value. In some embodiments, the height values ​​can be used to create a height map or relief image representing the height field of the color Doppler image data 230. In this way, image values ​​can be represented as height values.

[0064] The gradient can then be calculated for each height value. An example equation for calculating the gradient (including the surface normal) is shown in Equation 1:

[0065] Equation 1

[0066]

[0067] Where x and y are the positions in the image data, and n(x,y) is the surface normal vector at the pixel. Let h(x,y) be the gradient, h(x,y) be the scalar height-valued function at position (x,y) (which represents a scalar-valued function, such as B-mode intensity, Doppler power, etc.), and r be a constant that defines the roughness of the resulting gradient field.

[0068] The normal to the height value h(x,y) at position (x,y) is calculated by computeding the norm of the gradient at that position. The gradient is defined by the partial derivatives in the x and y directions. The x-component is computed using the center difference in the x-direction. The y-component is computed using the center difference in the y-direction. The z-component is a constant r. In this way, the gradient for each height value h(x,y) is determined based on the difference in height values ​​between neighboring pixels in the 2D image data (e.g., h(x-1,y), h(x+1,y), h(x,y-1), and h(x,y+1)).

[0069] When calculating the norm of the gradient (length = 1), the effect of the roughness constant varies with different gradient lengths. For example, if the position (x, y) is in a homogeneous region (e.g., a region in an image where the height values ​​of adjacent pixels change little or nothing), the x and y components of the gradient are small, and r is the dominant factor, resulting in the normal vector pointing roughly in the z direction n = (0, 0, 1). In another example, if the position (x, y) is in a region with large variations (e.g., a region in an image where the height values ​​of adjacent pixels change significantly), the x and / or y components of the gradient are large, and r has a smaller effect, resulting in the normal pointing slightly upward in the direction of variation. As an example, by representing image values ​​as height values, calculating the gradient of a 2D image involves calculating the surface normals of the height field, which consists of the height values.

[0070] After calculating the gradient for each height value h(x,y), a shading process (e.g., surface shading) is applied to the 2D image data at each location (x,y) using the surface normal vector n(x,y). After applying surface shading using the gradient, the resulting image data is shaded color Doppler image data 240, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the shadow color Doppler image data includes shadow processing at each location. The shadow processing model used to generate the shadow color Doppler image data 240 can be one or more shadow processing models, such as a diffuse specular shadow processing model, a Phong reflection model, a Blinn-Phong shadow processing model, a specular highlight shadow processing model, etc. As an example, the Phong reflection model (also known as Phong illumination, Phong lighting, or Phong shadow processing) is a model of local illumination of points on a surface (e.g., pixels on a 2D image). The Phong reflection model describes the way light is reflected from a surface as a combination of diffuse reflection from a rough surface and specular reflection from a smooth surface. The model also includes an environment term to account for the small amount of light scattered around the entire scene.

[0071] Figure 5 Image data 200 showing a transparent blood vessel 250 is illustrated. The transparent blood vessel 250 is simulated based on color Doppler image data 230 or shaded color Doppler image data 240. Similarly, in addition to color Doppler image data, image data generated from other ultrasound modalities may also be used. The degree of transparency of the transparent blood vessel 250 can be changed, for example, by a user via user input device 130.

[0072] For illustrative purposes, a technique for generating transparent blood vessels 250 is described in... Figure 8 The figure shows an example of a cross-section of a blood vessel. Figure 8A virtual system is shown, comprising a portion of a height map 810, a representation of the flow field 820 of blood flowing through a blood vessel (as will be discussed in more detail below), a simulated light source 830, a simulated camera 840, and simulated fluid 850 within the blood vessel. The height map 810 virtually defines the extent of the upper portion of the cross-section of the blood vessel. The lower profile shown is a straight line and is the reference plane from which the height map 810 is generated. The height map can be determined according to the techniques described above. For simulation purposes, and for... Figure 8 In this example, the lower contour can be a straight line, but it should be understood that the cross-sectional contour of a blood vessel is usually not a straight line. Other shapes can be used for the lower contour.

[0073] The simulated light source 830 can be a point source, a directional source (e.g., parallel rays like the sun), a point source (ray cone), etc. Aspects of the simulated light source 830 include the position of the light source, the direction of the light, the color of the light, the intensity of the light, the cone opening angle, etc. A user can adjust one or more aspects of the simulated light source 830, for example, via a user input device 130. The simulated light source 830 emits virtual rays towards the blood vessel. The virtual rays are simulated to refract at the interface of the blood vessel (e.g., the location of the height map). The virtual rays can be simulated to refract according to Snell's law. To simulate refraction, the refractive index of the simulated fluid 850 in the blood vessel is, for example, a value between 1 and 2 (such as, for example, 1.33). The refractive index of the virtual medium outside the blood vessel is, for example, a value of 1. These indices can be adjusted by the user, for example, via the user input device 130.

[0074] Virtual rays are simulated as reflecting away from the lower contour or reflecting away from the flow field representation 820. After the virtual rays are simulated as reflecting away from the lower contour or reflecting away from representation 820, these virtual rays are again simulated as refracting as they leave the vessel (e.g., the top of the height map 810) and travel toward the camera 840.

[0075] like Figure 8 As shown, representation 820 may be located at or directly above the lower contour of the blood vessel. However, representation 820 may be located at one or more different heights, either below, at, or above height map 810. Representation 820 itself may be shaded to simulate a 3D appearance. Representation 820 may be opaque and / or have a degree of transparency. If transparent, the degree of transparency of representation 820 may correspond to aspects of the flow field, such as those described herein (e.g., volume or velocity).

[0076] The analog camera 840 can use either parallel projection or perspective projection. Parallel projection can be used to avoid any shortening effect. The position of the analog camera 840 can be adjusted.

[0077] The color of the light reaching the analog camera 840 can be adjusted based on the properties of the analog fluid 850 and / or the distance the light travels through the blood vessels. One such technique for adjusting the color of the light may involve calculations based on Beer's Law, where absorbance is a function of molar absorptivity, the path length through the medium, and the concentration of the chemical substance absorbing the light.

[0078] Generally speaking, simulated transparency can be generated based on various principles, including refraction as described by Snell's law, absorption as described by Beer's law, the amount of reflected and refracted light as described by Fresnel's law, caustics, subsurface scattering or similar principles, or a combination of two or more of the aforementioned principles.

[0079] The degree of transparency can be adjusted, for example, by the user via user input device 130. At the extremes of adjustable transparency, the blood vessel may be completely opaque (i.e., no transparency simulation) or completely transparent (i.e., the upper surface of the blood vessel is not visible).

[0080] Transparency can be depicted over time and can be displayed through cinematic animation that advances a sequence of ultrasound image data frames. For example, the shape or height map corresponding to a blood vessel can change over time, and cinematic animation can indicate to clinicians how these vessels change shape. Blood flow changes over time as the heart pumps blood. Additionally, the perceived shape and location of blood vessels change as the probe's position and angle relative to the body. These factors can cause changes in the height map of the blood vessels.

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown, the transparent blood vessel 250 can be displayed in association with background ultrasound image data, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The subject simulated below the transparent blood vessel 250 can be background image data, a constant pixel color across the region, or any pattern or depiction. Similarly, although color Doppler image data is shown as an example, other types of ultrasound image data (such as B-mode image data) can also be used to simulate transparent blood vessels.

[0082] Figure 6 An example of a flow field representation 260 combined with a background image according to an embodiment is illustrated. The representation can be similar to... Figure 8 The disclosed representation in the context is 820. As depicted, the background image includes B-mode image data, but image data from other ultrasound modalities (as described herein) may also be used for the background image. Figure 6No blood vessels with simulated transparency are shown. Representation 260 may be static or animated, such as the animation described in U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 736,060, filed June 6, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of static representation 260 include arrows showing the direction or magnitude of blood flow in a specific area near the representation. The width and / or length of the arrows may indicate other characteristics of the blood flow, including magnitude, velocity, or acceleration. Static representation 260 may be animated in a cinematic style across multiple ultrasound image data frames, thereby showing the dynamic properties of blood flow through the blood vessel over time.

[0083] The actual animation represented by 260 is in the animation representation. Figure 6 The image is not visible in the image; it is a static image. The shapes of the animated representation 260 each correspond to a sub-flow animation. A given sub-flow animation 260 in the animated representation animates the flow of blood according to one or more flow field vectors (e.g., only one flow field vector or two or more flow field vectors in series). Through the animation, the given sub-flow animation 260 indicates one or more characteristics of the blood flow in a finite region of the region of interest 210. One such characteristic is the pathway corresponding to the direction of blood flow. Another such characteristic is the volume of blood flowing along that pathway. Another such characteristic is the velocity of blood flowing along that pathway. Another such characteristic is the rate of acceleration or deceleration of blood flow along that pathway. Another such characteristic is the vorticity of the blood flow. Another such characteristic is the energy loss of the blood flow. Such characteristics(one or more) can be determined using blood speckle imaging data. Exemplary aspects of blood speckle imaging are described in U.S. Patent No. 11,147,539, filed September 18, 2017, entitled “Methods and Systems for Blood Speckle Imaging,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0084] Flow fields can be generated from blood speckle imaging data or through other imaging techniques. The flow field can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional (i.e., vectors can correspond to two-dimensional or three-dimensional regions of interest). The flow field can encode one or more characteristics of blood flow in a specific region of an anatomical structure (e.g., direction, volume, velocity, and / or acceleration / deceleration) for each of a plurality of vectors. The flow field can represent blood flow during a time slot (e.g., a frame). Such a time slot can have a duration between approximately 8 ms and 20 ms. While the flow field can represent blood flow during a time slot, it can also be generated from data obtained in earlier time slots (e.g., frames) or subsequent time slots (e.g., frames) in addition to the time slot that will determine the flow field.

[0085] The animation representation 260 corresponds to a single time slot, which in this example is a single frame. The animation is formed by multiple animation frames, which are distinct from ultrasound imaging frames. The animation may not be the result of a cinematic display of multiple consecutive ultrasound imaging frames or time slots. Animation can be generated using "virtual particles" that travel along a given, defined flow path and propel these virtual particles along the path in consecutive animation frames. Virtual particles can be placed at multiple random or pseudo-random locations along the path and can disappear (be removed) after a period of time (aging) (e.g., once they reach the end of the path, at a predetermined distance from the end, at a predetermined distance from the starting point, and / or other distances). When a virtual particle disappears, it can be replaced by a new particle at the original starting position of the previous particle or at some other starting position. Virtual particles can travel at a constant speed (consistently traveling a constant distance along the path between consecutive animation frames), or the speed can vary depending on the particle or the path. Once a virtual particle has been repositioned, the display is updated with a new animation frame. Animation frames can be looped to provide a continuous animation effect. Users can interact with the ultrasound system 100 (e.g., via user input device 130) to pause or start the animation. The rate at which the animation frames advance can be adjustable, for example, by the user via user interface device 130.

[0086] The path itself may or may not be included in the animation. The path can be straight or can have other shapes, such as curved shapes. A given path can correspond to a single direction vector from the flow field, or it can correspond to multiple adjacent vectors from the flow field.

[0087] Virtual particles can be overlaid or displayed in association with a path, or displayed without a path. Virtual particles and / or paths can be displayed in color, as shown in the figure. For example, the color scheme can be consistent with that expected in color Doppler specifications (e.g., blue for movement away from the transducer, where lighter shades of blue correspond to faster flow away from the transducer, and red for movement towards the transducer, where lighter shades of red correspond to faster flow towards the transducer). Virtual particles and / or paths can be overlaid on a color scheme such as color Doppler specifications, but otherwise have a different color scheme (e.g., a grayscale scheme or a black / white scheme). Animations of subsequent ultrasound image frames can be displayed and updated accordingly for new frames. A series of animations corresponding to a series of frames can be displayed over time. In this case, at least a portion of the animation can be displayed before automatically moving to the next frame (e.g., a loop of animation frames). Therefore, the display rate of frames can be slowed down from the acquisition rate. The display duration of each frame can be long enough to allow clinicians to understand the nature of the animated blood flow (e.g., presenting each frame over a time period of at least two seconds). The frame advance rate can be adjustable, for example, by the user through the user interface device 130.

[0088] In addition to the direction of the animated flow along the path, different animation aspects can be used to animate other characteristics of the flow field. These aspects include the size of virtual particles, the shape of virtual particles, the changing shape of virtual particles, the number of visual particles traveling along the path simultaneously, the spacing (density) of virtual particles, the color of virtual particles (a static color or changing color for a given virtual particle), the velocity of virtual particles, and / or the acceleration / deceleration of a given virtual particle's velocity (e.g., as evaluated based on a previous time slot). For example, velocity characteristics can be represented by one or more of the following: the size of virtual particles (e.g., a faster flow can be indicated by virtual particles that are larger in length and / or width), the shape of virtual particles (e.g., a faster flow can be indicated by particles with a longer cone shape at their tails), the number or density of virtual particles traveling along a given path or within a given sub-region (e.g., a faster flow can correspond to more or denser virtual particles), the color of virtual particles (e.g., a faster flow can correspond to a darker color), and / or the velocity of virtual particles (e.g., a faster flow can correspond to faster virtual particles). As another example, volumetric properties can be represented by one or more of the following: the size of the virtual particles (e.g., a larger flow can be indicated by larger virtual particles), the shape of the virtual particles (e.g., a larger flow can be indicated by particles with longer lengths), the number or density of virtual particles traveling along a given path or within a given sub-region (e.g., a larger flow can correspond to more or denser virtual particles), the color of the virtual particles (e.g., a larger flow can correspond to a darker color), and / or the velocity of the virtual particles (e.g., a larger flow can correspond to faster virtual particles). As another example, in addition to the other techniques described above, the acceleration / deceleration of virtual particles can be indicated by changes in the velocity of the virtual particles.

[0089] For illustrative purposes, Figure 7 Will Figure 5 250 transparent blood vessels and Figure 6 The flow field is represented by 260 combinations. Figure 7 Some principles are also relative to Figure 8 Describe, Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the principle of a cross-section of a given blood vessel 250. For example, it shows that 260 can be located at any given height within or along the outer contour of the blood vessel 250. (The above text is incomplete and requires further context.) Figure 8 Other potential implementations related to representation 260 are described in the context. Figure 11A , Figure 11B and Figure 11C An additional example is depicted with a transparent blood vessel 250, represented by 260.

[0090] Figure 9This is a flowchart 900 illustrating exemplary steps that can be used to generate and display animations illustrating blood flow in an anatomical region within a static image context. Flowchart 900 is described within the context of ultrasound system 100 and the foregoing embodiments, but is not limited thereto. These steps can be performed in different orders or can overlap in time. Some steps may be omitted. Some of these steps may be performed by, for example, signal processor 132 (e.g., any of steps 910, 920, 930, 940, 950, 960, or 970), including blood speckle imaging processor 140 (e.g., any of steps 930, 940, or 950) and / or visualization processor 150 (e.g., any of steps 960 or 970). Furthermore, while flowchart 900 describes blood flow, it can also be applied to other types of fluid flow.

[0091] At step 910, ultrasound waves are emitted (transmitted) from ultrasound system 100. These waves are emitted from transducer array 106 toward a patient anatomical region including blood flow. At step 920, after the emitted waves are reflected by blood flow within the patient's anatomical structure, the reflected waves are received by ultrasound system 100. The reflected waves are received by transducer array 108. The reflected waves can originate from the anatomical region and from blood flow therein. The reflected waves can be received to obtain an imaging signal. Transducer arrays 106 and 108 may include a piezoelectric layer that emits ultrasound waves and generates signals based on the reflected ultrasound waves. The transducers may also include a matching layer configured to have acoustic impedance between the tissue of the anatomical region and the transducer material. The transducers may also include a damping block configured to absorb ultrasound energy. At step 930, upon receiving the reflected waves, ultrasound imaging data is obtained from the signal generated by transducer array 108. The obtained ultrasound imaging data may be B-mode image data. Ultrasound imaging data (e.g., B-mode image data) may be a static image used in step 970. The ultrasound imaging data may include blood speckle imaging data. The blood speckle imaging data may correspond to a time slot (e.g., a frame) in which the static image was obtained. At step 940, an anatomical region in the ultrasound image data is identified. Such an anatomical region may be the patient's heart. Such an anatomical region can be identified by specifying a region of interest 210 in the ultrasound image data 200.

[0092] At step 950, at least one characteristic of blood flow in the anatomical region is determined. Such characteristic(s) can be determined using blood speckle imaging data. Such characteristic can be specified in a flow field derived from the blood speckle imaging data. Examples of characteristics include pathway (direction), velocity, volume, and / or acceleration / deceleration. At step 960, an animation indicating at least one characteristic of blood flow in the anatomical region is generated. The animation can indicate blood flow over a single time slot. At step 970, a static image including the anatomical region and the animation within that region is displayed on display 134.

[0093] Figure 10 This is a flowchart 1000 illustrating exemplary steps for generating and displaying shadowed and transparent patient anatomy in ultrasound image data according to an embodiment. The flowchart 1000 is described within the context of an ultrasound system 100 and the foregoing embodiments, but is not limited thereto. These steps can be performed in different orders or can overlap in time. Some steps may be omitted. Some of these steps may be performed by, for example, a signal processor 132 (e.g., any of steps 1010, 1020, 1030, 1040, 1050, or 1060), including a blood speckle imaging processor 140 (e.g., any of steps 1050, 1060) and / or a visualization processor 150 (e.g., any of steps 1010, 1020, 1030, 1040, 1050, or 1060). Furthermore, the flowchart 1000 is described in relation to blood vessels and blood flow, but may also be applied to other types of anatomical structures and / or fluid flow.

[0094] At step 1010, ultrasound image data 200 is generated from the reflected ultrasound signal. Ultrasound waves are emitted (transmitted) from ultrasound system 100. These waves are emitted from transducer array 106 toward a patient anatomical region including blood vessels and blood flow. After the emitted waves are reflected by blood flow within the patient's anatomical structure, the reflected waves are received by ultrasound system 100. The reflected waves are received by transducer array 108. The reflected waves may originate from blood vessels and blood flow therefrom. The reflected waves can be received to obtain an imaging signal. Transducer arrays 106, 108 may include a piezoelectric layer that emits ultrasound waves and generates signals based on the reflected ultrasound waves. The transducer may also include a matching layer configured to have acoustic impedance between the tissue of the anatomical region and the transducer material. The transducer may also include a damping block configured to absorb ultrasound energy. When the reflected waves are received, ultrasound image data 200 is obtained from the signal generated by transducer array 108. The obtained ultrasound image data 200 may include, for example, color Doppler image data and B-mode image data. Ultrasound imaging data 200 (e.g., B-mode image data) may include blood speckle imaging data. The blood speckle imaging data may correspond to time slots (e.g., frames) in which static images are acquired. Anatomical regions may be identified in the ultrasound image data 200. Such anatomical regions may be the patient's heart, including blood vessels. Such anatomical regions may be identified by specifying a region of interest 210 in the ultrasound image data 200.

[0095] At step 1020, a height map is determined based on reflected ultrasound signals from different parts of the region of interest, such as blood vessels in a patient's heart. The height map can be determined from ultrasound image data 200, such as color Doppler image data. Exemplary details for determining the height map have been described above.

[0096] At step 1030, shadow image data is generated by shading the ultrasound image data 200 (e.g., color Doppler image data) according to a height map. Shadow image data can be generated based on a height map. Exemplary details of generating shadow image data have been described above.

[0097] At step 1040, a transparent blood vessel is generated through which blood flows. The transparent blood vessel can be generated using shadow image data. Exemplary details of generating the transparent blood vessel have been described above. The transparent blood vessel can be displayed on display system 134. The transparent blood vessel can also be displayed in a context of other image data, such as B-mode image data.

[0098] At step 1050, the flow field of blood flow in the region of interest is determined. The flow field can be determined from BSI data. Exemplary details for determining the flow field have been described above.

[0099] At step 1060, a representation of the flow field within the transparent blood vessel is displayed. The representation can be displayed within the transparent blood vessel. Exemplary details for displaying the representation have been described above.

[0100] As used herein, the term "circuit system" 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" means any one or more items in a list linked by "and / or". For example, "x and / or y" means any element in the three-element set {(x),(y),(x,y)}. Similarly, "x, y and / or z" means 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 “as” 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.

[0101] 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 executable by a machine and / or a computer program having at least one code segment, thereby enabling the machine and / or computer to perform the steps described herein for using deep learning to enhance sequential ultrasound images.

[0102] 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.

[0103] Various implementation schemes may also be embedded in a computer program product that includes all the features capable of implementing the methods described herein and is capable of executing those methods when loaded into a computer system. 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 to perform a particular function after being: a) translated into another language, code, or notation; or b) reproduced in a different material form.

[0104] While this disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and substitutions 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 the scope of this disclosure. 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. An ultrasound system comprising: a transmitter configured to emit ultrasound energy toward a region of interest of a patient; a receiver configured to receive ultrasound signals reflected from the region of interest; a processor configured to: generate image data from the reflected ultrasound signals; determine a height map from the reflected ultrasound signals from the region of interest, and generate shaded image data by shading the image data according to the height map such that regions of the image data that include blood flow are shaded to simulate a 3D effect in which a transparent blood vessel is traversed by the blood flow; and a display system configured to display the shaded image data.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a flow field of blood in the region of interest, wherein the flow field includes a plurality of vectors corresponding to a plurality of flow pathways of the blood flow in the transparent blood vessel; and display a representation of the flow field in the transparent blood vessel.

3. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the representation of the flow field includes a plurality of arrows corresponding to the plurality of vectors.

4. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the representation of the flow field includes an animation that includes a plurality of frames, wherein a progression of the frames indicates movement of the blood along the flow pathways in the flow field.

5. The ultrasound system of claim 4, wherein the representation of the flow field includes a virtual particle that moves across the plurality of vectors.

6. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to display the flow field below an upper surface of the transparent blood vessel.

7. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the representation of the flow field includes different color information corresponding to different pathways of the plurality of pathways along which the blood flows.

8. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate background ultrasound image data corresponding to tissue in the region of interest and display the shaded image data with the ultrasound image data.

9. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the transparent blood vessel according to the height map.

10. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the transparent blood vessel according to at least one of Snell’s law and Beer’s law and a simulated light source.

11. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the transparent blood vessel according to a Phong model.

12. A method of ultrasound imaging with the ultrasound system of any one of claims 1-11.

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