Blood flow parameter measurement devices, equipment, storage media, ultrasound probes and systems

Abstract

This application relates to a blood flow parameter measurement device, equipment, storage medium, ultrasound probe, and system, belonging to the field of medical devices. The blood flow parameter measurement device includes: a first acquisition module for acquiring first measurement parameters obtained by a first transducer group in imaging mode; a second acquisition module for acquiring second measurement parameters obtained by a second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first and second measurement parameters include vessel location, vessel depth, vessel diameter, and Doppler angle; a correction module for combining and calculating the first and second measurement parameters to correct the vessel diameter and Doppler angle; and a monitoring module for monitoring the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected vessel diameter and Doppler angle. The technical solution of this application can output stable hemodynamic evaluation results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical devices, and in particular to a blood flow parameter measuring device, a computing device, a computer-readable storage medium, an ultrasound probe, and a blood flow parameter measuring system. Background Technology

[0002] In clinical and home health monitoring scenarios, continuous and non-invasive monitoring of hemodynamic parameters (such as blood flow velocity, vessel diameter, and volumetric flow rate) of superficial blood vessels (such as the radial and carotid arteries) is of great significance for assessing circulatory function, guiding fluid management, or providing early warning of vascular events. Ultrasound Doppler technology is widely used in these monitoring scenarios due to its advantages such as being non-invasive, real-time, and cost-effective.

[0003] However, in practical applications, especially under long-term continuous monitoring conditions, existing ultrasound blood flow monitoring devices often struggle to maintain the stability and consistency of measurement results, affecting their reliability in dynamic or unattended scenarios.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of this application and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above, this application provides a blood flow parameter measuring device, a computing device, a computer-readable storage medium, an ultrasound probe, and a blood flow parameter measuring system to solve at least one problem existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a blood flow parameter measuring device applied to a blood flow parameter measuring system. The system includes the blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart. At least one transducer group in the ultrasonic probe is an ultrasonic array comprising multiple array elements. The device includes:

[0008] The first acquisition module is used to acquire the first measurement parameters obtained by the first transducer group in imaging mode;

[0009] The second acquisition module is used to acquire the second measurement parameters obtained by the second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter include the vessel location, vessel depth, vessel diameter and Doppler angle;

[0010] The correction module is used to combine and calculate the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter to correct the blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle;

[0011] The monitoring module is used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, the first transducer group is an ultrasound array comprising no fewer than 32 elements, configured to perform an imaging mode to acquire a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of the target blood vessel, the two-dimensional cross-sectional image being elliptical.

[0013] In one optional embodiment, the second transducer group is an ultrasonic array or a single-cell Doppler unit; if it is a single-cell Doppler unit, the second transducer group includes a pair of elongated cells and is configured in continuous wave Doppler mode or pulse wave Doppler mode.

[0014] In an optional implementation, the monitoring module is further configured to:

[0015] At least one of the first transducer group and the second transducer group is switched to Doppler blood flow detection mode to monitor hemodynamic parameters.

[0016] In an optional implementation, the correction module is further configured to:

[0017] Based on the geometric features of the elliptical cross-section of the blood vessel in the first and second measurement parameters, and combined with the preset fixed angles of the two sets of transducers, the initial value of the actual Doppler angle between the ultrasound beam and the blood vessel axis is calculated, and the elliptical cross-section is inversely transformed into a circle to calculate the actual blood vessel diameter; the two sets of transducers include a first transducer set and a second transducer set.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the correction module is further configured to:

[0019] Switch both the first transducer group and the second transducer group to Doppler blood flow detection mode;

[0020] Formulas for calculating blood flow velocity in two sets of transducers are established based on Doppler's laws of physics.

[0021] Based on the principle that the blood flow velocity in the same blood vessel is consistent, the Doppler angle between the two sets of transducers in the calculation formula is deduced in reverse to correct the actual Doppler angle; the two sets of transducers include the first transducer set and the second transducer set.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus further includes:

[0023] The M-mode processing module is used to activate M-mode after determining the lateral position of the blood vessel to obtain the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, and dynamically calculate the depth of the blood vessel center based on the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, which is used to guide the sampling depth of subsequent Doppler measurements.

[0024] In an optional implementation, the monitoring module is further configured to:

[0025] When blood flow parameter fluctuations exceed the normal physiological range are detected within N consecutive sampling cycles, the correction module is automatically triggered to re-execute the correction of Doppler angle and vessel diameter, where N≥3;

[0026] And / or, during continuous monitoring, if the Doppler angle change is detected to exceed a preset threshold or the Doppler spectrum signal integrity is reduced, the first acquisition module and the second acquisition module are re-executed.

[0027] And / or, when the second transducer group is a single-cell Doppler unit, if the change in the Doppler spectrum acquired by the second acquisition module exceeds a preset threshold, a probe position adjustment prompt is generated.

[0028] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a computing device applied to a blood flow parameter measurement system. The system includes a blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart. At least one transducer group in the ultrasound probe is an ultrasound array comprising multiple array elements. The computing device includes: a storage component, a communication bus, and a processing component, wherein:

[0029] The storage component is used to store the operating program of the blood flow parameter measuring device;

[0030] The communication bus is used to enable communication between the storage component and the processing component;

[0031] The processing unit is used to perform the work of each module in any of the blood flow parameter measuring devices described above.

[0032] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium applied to a blood flow parameter measurement system. The system includes a blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart. At least one transducer group in the ultrasound probe is an ultrasound array comprising multiple array elements. An executable program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium.

[0033] When the executable program is executed by the processor, it enables the operation of each module in any of the blood flow parameter measurement devices described above.

[0034] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an ultrasonic probe, including:

[0035] Probe housing;

[0036] A transducer assembly is disposed within the probe housing and includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group arranged at intervals. One of the transducer assemblies is an ultrasonic array, and the other is an ultrasonic array or a single-crystal Doppler unit.

[0037] The interface unit is used to receive control commands and transmit ultrasound data back.

[0038] The first transducer group is used to obtain a first measurement parameter in imaging mode;

[0039] The second transducer group is used to obtain a second measurement parameter in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode;

[0040] The first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter are used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object using any of the blood flow parameter measurement devices described above.

[0041] In one optional embodiment, the first transducer group and the second transducer group are arranged at a preset angle of 15° to 45°, so that when the probe is placed above the blood vessel, the two sets of ultrasound beams are incident from both sides of the blood vessel cross section, forming a Doppler angle deviation with opposite deviation directions, which is beneficial to the correction of the Doppler angle.

[0042] In an optional embodiment, when the first transducer group and the second transducer group are ultrasonic arrays, the number of array elements is not less than 32.

[0043] In one alternative embodiment, the center frequency of the ultrasonic array is 1MHz-12MHz, and the frequency of the single-crystal Doppler unit is 2MHz-8MHz.

[0044] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a blood flow parameter measurement system, including:

[0045] Any of the blood flow parameter measuring devices described in the first aspect;

[0046] Any of the ultrasonic probes described in the fourth aspect.

[0047] In an alternative embodiment, the system further includes a monitoring device, in which the ultrasound probe is integrated; the monitoring device also includes a display screen and a wireless communication module.

[0048] The blood flow parameter measuring device, computing device, computer-readable storage medium, ultrasound probe, and blood flow parameter measuring system provided in this application include: a first acquisition module for acquiring first measurement parameters obtained by a first transducer group in imaging mode; a second acquisition module for acquiring second measurement parameters obtained by a second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first and second measurement parameters include vessel location, vessel depth, vessel diameter, and Doppler angle; a correction module for combining and calculating the first and second measurement parameters to correct the vessel diameter and Doppler angle; and a monitoring module for monitoring the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected vessel diameter and Doppler angle. Therefore, the blood flow parameter measuring device provided in this application... ， By employing an ultrasound probe with spaced first and second transducer groups (at least one of which is an ultrasound array), the device can acquire two sets of measurement parameters, including vessel location, depth, diameter, and Doppler angle, through imaging. These two sets of parameters are then combined to correct for the vessel diameter and Doppler angle. This effectively mitigates the measurement drift problem caused by minute changes in the relative position of the probe and vessel during long-term continuous monitoring, without relying on external calibration or manual intervention. Since the two measurement information streams originate from spatially separated transducer groups, their error modes are uncorrelated. The correction module, through fusion processing, can cross-verify and reduce distortion or deviation in single-channel imaging or velocimetry. This allows the monitoring module to output stable hemodynamic assessment results based on more accurate geometric and angular parameters, improving the system's measurement reliability in dynamic or unattended scenarios.

[0049] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0050] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the blood flow parameter measuring device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0052] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of carotid artery non-angle imaging in the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0053] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of carotid artery tilt imaging in the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0054] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of carotid artery imaging using two ultrasound arrays in the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in this application embodiment;

[0055] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in this application embodiment;

[0056] Figure 6 A detailed flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 1 ;

[0057] Figure 7 A detailed flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measurement device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 ;

[0058] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of an ultrasonic probe provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the blood flow parameter measurement system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0061] Figure 11 A detailed structural diagram of the blood flow parameter measurement system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0062] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0063] 10. Blood flow parameter measuring device; 11. First acquisition module; 12. Second acquisition module; 13. Correction module; 14. Monitoring module; 50. Computing device; 51. Storage component; 52. Communication bus; 53. Processing component; 54. Input device; 55. Output device; 56. External communication interface; 61. Probe housing; 62. First transducer group; 63. Second transducer group. Detailed Implementation

[0064] To make the technical solutions and beneficial effects of this application more obvious and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application are clearly and completely described below by listing specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments of this application are not exhaustive, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments.

[0065] The exemplary embodiments disclosed in this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, providing detailed structures and steps to illustrate the technical solution of this application. Note that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and local features may be enlarged or reduced to more clearly show the details of the local features.

[0066] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and should not be construed as limiting the technical solutions of this application.

[0067] The following description provides numerous specific details to offer a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be practiced without one or more of these details. To clearly define the inventive concept of this application and avoid confusion with its content, technical features well-known in the art and conventionally understood by those skilled in the art are not elaborated upon. Specifically, this document does not fully list all features of actual embodiments, nor does it provide a detailed description of well-known functions and structures.

[0068] The inventors of this application discovered during the development of a long-term non-invasive blood flow monitoring device that, although existing ultrasound systems generally use B-mode or M-mode to assist in vascular localization and combine Doppler technology to measure blood flow velocity, in actual continuous monitoring (such as postoperative monitoring and home-based chronic disease management), even if the probe's external position appears stable, blood flow parameters often exhibit inexplicable slow drifts or abrupt changes. Initially, the team attributed such phenomena to conventional factors such as signal noise, patient physiological fluctuations, or device temperature drift, and attempted to suppress them through filtering, calibration, or increasing the sampling rate, but with limited effectiveness.

[0069] The B mode mentioned here refers to Brightness mode, a two-dimensional tomographic image in ultrasound imaging that displays tissue echo intensity in grayscale; M mode refers to Motion mode, a one-dimensional dynamic image that records echo changes over time along a fixed scan line, often used to observe vascular wall pulsation. Doppler technology broadly refers to techniques that measure blood flow velocity using the Doppler frequency shift principle, including Pulsed Wave Doppler (PW) and Continuous Wave Doppler (CW).

[0070] Through retrospective analysis and experimental verification of a large amount of clinical test data, the inventors unexpectedly observed that when there is a slight relative displacement or rotation between the probe and the skin, the morphology of the blood vessel cross-section and the derived Doppler angle obtained by single-channel ultrasound imaging systematically deviate from the true value, and this deviation cannot be effectively identified by traditional signal quality indicators (such as signal-to-noise ratio and spectral envelope integrity). More importantly, the error caused by this geometric mismatch has a slow cumulative trend over time, which is easily misinterpreted as real hemodynamic changes, thus leading to the risk of misdiagnosis. However, because this problem originates from the implicit change in the three-dimensional spatial relationship between the probe and the blood vessel, and existing equipment relies only on single-view observation and lacks redundant perception capabilities of spatial posture, it has long been not fully recognized by the industry, and there is no effective response mechanism.

[0071] The Doppler angle refers to the angle between the ultrasound beam and the blood vessel axis, and its sine value directly affects the accuracy of blood flow velocity calculation.

[0072] Therefore, through further research and development, the inventors proposed the following technical solution.

[0073] Example 1

[0074] This application provides a blood flow parameter measuring device 10, applied to a blood flow parameter measuring system. The system includes the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 and an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group arranged at intervals. At least one transducer group in the ultrasonic probe is an ultrasonic array including multiple array elements. (Reference) Figure 1 The device includes:

[0075] The first acquisition module 11 is used to acquire the first measurement parameters obtained by the first transducer group in imaging mode;

[0076] The second acquisition module 12 is used to acquire the second measurement parameters obtained by the second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters include blood vessel location, blood vessel depth, blood vessel diameter and Doppler angle;

[0077] Correction module 13 is used to combine and calculate the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter to correct the blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle;

[0078] The monitoring module 14 is used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle.

[0079] Here, the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 may include a processor. The ultrasound probe may be a hardware component that contacts human skin and emits and receives ultrasound waves.

[0080] An ultrasonic transducer assembly refers to a functional unit composed of one or more piezoelectric crystals. An ultrasonic array refers to a transducer composed of multiple transducers arranged according to a specific pattern, which can achieve beam focusing and deflection through electronic delay control. Spacing setting refers to the defined spatial separation of two groups of crystals within the probe housing, which can be lateral, longitudinal, or angular spacing. Specifically, the ultrasonic array in this embodiment is a linear array arranged in a linear pattern.

[0081] Understandingly, imaging modes can include B-mode and CF-mode. CF-mode refers to Color Flow mode, a composite imaging mode that overlays blood flow direction and velocity information onto a B-mode image. Doppler blood flow detection mode refers to the working mode of ultrasound equipment that uses the Doppler frequency shift effect to measure blood flow velocity and direction by emitting ultrasound waves and receiving the signals reflected back from flowing blood. It mainly includes two types: pulse wave Doppler (PW) and continuous wave Doppler (CW). PW can pinpoint depth but is prone to aliasing, while CW has no depth resolution but can accurately measure high-speed blood flow.

[0082] The first measurement parameter refers to the set of vascular features obtained from the image captured by the first transducer array. The second measurement parameter is similarly defined when using the imaging mode. Vessel position refers to the lateral coordinate of the vessel center in the probe coordinate system; vessel depth refers to the vertical distance from the vessel center to the probe surface; vessel diameter refers to the size of the vessel's cross-section; and the Doppler angle refers to the angle between the ultrasound beam of the transducer array and the vessel axis. Although both sets of parameters contain the same parameter types, their values ​​differ due to different observation angles. The second measurement parameter, when using the Doppler blood flow detection mode, is obtained according to the Doppler blood flow detection mode and will not be detailed further.

[0083] The correction module 13 is a functional unit for performing parameter fusion and error correction. The combined solution refers to the process of establishing a system of equations and solving for the actual blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle by utilizing the physical or geometric constraints between the first and second measurement parameters (such as the same blood vessel). In one specific embodiment, the constraint relationship can be that the two Doppler blood flow velocities should be equal, thereby inferring the Doppler angle (see the description below for details).

[0084] The monitoring module 14 is responsible for calculating and outputting clinically relevant hemodynamic parameters, such as blood flow velocity and volumetric flow rate, based on the corrected geometric and angular parameters. It can also perform trend analysis and abnormal alarms. The target subjects refer to the patients or subjects being monitored.

[0085] The blood flow parameter measurement device 10 provided in this application embodiment, in conjunction with an ultrasound probe having a first and a second transducer group (at least one of which is an ultrasound array) with intervals, enables the device to acquire two sets of measurement parameters, including blood vessel position, depth, diameter, and Doppler angle, respectively, through imaging. Based on these two sets of parameters, a combined calculation is performed to correct the blood vessel diameter and Doppler angle. This effectively alleviates the measurement drift problem caused by minute changes in the relative position of the probe and blood vessel during long-term continuous monitoring in existing technologies, without relying on external calibration or manual intervention. Since the two measurement information sources originate from spatially separated transducer groups, their error modes are uncorrelated. The correction module 13, through fusion processing, can mutually verify and reduce distortion or deviation in single-channel imaging or velocimetry. This allows the monitoring module 14 to output stable hemodynamic evaluation results based on more accurate geometric and angular parameters, improving the measurement reliability of the system in dynamic or unattended scenarios.

[0086] External calibration refers to calibrating the system using a standard object of known size; manual intervention refers to the operator manually adjusting the probe or parameters. Measurement drift is the aforementioned slow deviation of parameters caused by minute displacements. Two-way measurement information refers to data from the first and second transducer groups respectively. Spatial separation refers to the different physical locations of the two transducer groups, resulting in different observation angles for the same blood vessel. Error modes are non-correlated because, due to differences in viewing angles, the two sets of measurements are affected by the same displacement in different ways, resulting in errors that are not entirely consistent, or even have opposite directions of deviation. Therefore, fusion can cancel out at least some systematic errors. Cross-validation refers to using one set of data to verify the rationality of another set. Reducing distortion or bias refers to reducing parameter errors caused by imaging angle shifts, compression deformation, etc. Dynamic scenarios refer to monitoring environments where patients can move slightly; unattended scenarios refer to home or remote monitoring that does not require continuous care from medical personnel.

[0087] In some other embodiments of this application, the first transducer group is an ultrasound array comprising no fewer than 32 elements, configured to perform an imaging mode to acquire a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of the target blood vessel, the two-dimensional cross-sectional image being elliptical. Here, no fewer than 32 elements are used to ensure that the imaging resolution is sufficient to distinguish the vessel boundary, but this value is only an example. It is understood that other values ​​are also possible, such as 128 elements.

[0088] A two-dimensional cross-sectional image refers to a cross-sectional image perpendicular to the long axis of the blood vessel. It appears elliptical because the ultrasound beam is not perpendicular to the blood vessel axis, causing the circular cross-section to be compressed into an ellipse in the projection. Its minor axis is perpendicular to the blood vessel axis, and its length is equal to the actual diameter. Its geometric features implicitly contain information about the spatial angle.

[0089] In some other embodiments of this application, the second transducer group is an ultrasonic array or a single-cell Doppler unit; if it is a single-cell Doppler unit, the second transducer group includes a pair of elongated cells and is configured in continuous wave Doppler mode or pulse wave Doppler mode.

[0090] Here, a single-chip Doppler unit refers to a transducer specifically designed for Doppler velocimetry, consisting of a single or a pair of fixed chips, and lacking electronic scanning imaging capabilities. A pair of elongated chips typically refers to a transmitting chip and a receiving chip, both being slender rectangles to form a wider sound beam covering superficial vascular areas. Continuous wave Doppler mode refers to the simultaneous and continuous transmission and reception of ultrasound waves, capable of measuring high-speed blood flow but lacking depth resolution; pulse wave Doppler mode refers to the intermittent transmission of short pulses and reception of echoes, allowing for selective depth velocimetry, but with a maximum measurable velocity limitation. The slender rectangle can be more than twice its width in length.

[0091] In other embodiments of this application, the monitoring module 14 is further configured to:

[0092] At least one of the first transducer group and the second transducer group is switched to Doppler blood flow detection mode to monitor hemodynamic parameters.

[0093] Here, switching to Doppler flow detection mode refers to changing the transducer's operating mode from B / CF imaging to PW or CW Doppler flow detection mode after imaging and localization are completed. Understandably, this switching operation applies to transducer groups with imaging capabilities; if it's a single-chip Doppler unit, it will always be in Doppler flow detection mode. It's directly used for flow detection and cannot be switched back and forth. Understandably, unlike correction module 13 which requires switching Doppler frequency shift modes on both channels, monitoring module 14 only needs one channel; monitoring only requires speed input and does not require correction. Understandably, using Doppler flow detection mode on both groups improves robustness.

[0094] In other embodiments of this application, the correction module 13 is further configured to:

[0095] Based on the geometric features of the elliptical cross-section of the blood vessel in the first and second measurement parameters, and combined with the preset fixed angles of the two sets of transducer groups, the initial value of the actual Doppler angle between the ultrasound beam and the blood vessel axis is calculated, and the elliptical cross-section is inversely transformed into a circle to calculate the actual blood vessel diameter.

[0096] Here, the geometric features of the elliptical cross-section of the blood vessel include the major axis, minor axis, aspect ratio, and orientation angle of the ellipse. The preset fixed angle refers to the relative angle between the two transducers, determined during probe manufacturing, and is a known constant. The inverse transformation refers to treating the minor axis of the ellipse as the true diameter based on the angle θ (since the minor axis is perpendicular to the vessel axis, it is not affected by projection compression), thus obtaining the accurate vessel diameter. For ease of understanding, several cross-sectional imaging images of the carotid artery are given below as examples. Figure 2 The image shows the carotid artery along its short axis with no angle (vertical), and the vessel diameter can be directly estimated from the image. Figure 3 An angled (tilted) imaging image of the carotid artery can also be used to estimate the direct direction of the blood vessel from the short axis. Figure 4 This is a dual-array imaging scheme. The initial value of the Doppler angle is calculated based on the acquired vascular morphology. Specifically, two elliptical vascular images can be used, and their respective angles can be calculated using a projection algorithm, then corrected for each other.

[0097] Specifically, the principle and process of inversely transforming the elliptical cross-section into a circle to calculate the true blood vessel diameter can be as follows: when an ultrasound beam is incident on a circular blood vessel at a certain angle, the cross-section of the blood vessel appears as an ellipse in the image. The minor axis of the ellipse is equal to the true diameter of the blood vessel, while the major axis is related to the incident angle.

[0098] Let the true diameter of the blood vessel be D, and the angle between the ultrasound beam and the blood vessel axis be θ (i.e., the angle between the imaging plane and the blood vessel axis). The length of the major axis of the ellipse measured on the image is L, and the length of the minor axis is S. Then we have:

[0099] S=D (1)

[0100] L=D / sinθ (2)

[0101] Therefore, if the minor axis S is known, then from (1) we can obtain:

[0102] D=S (3)

[0103] The diameter of the blood vessel can be obtained through expression (3).

[0104] If the major axis L and angle θ are known, then (2) can be obtained:

[0105] D=L*sinθ (4)

[0106] The diameter of the blood vessel can also be obtained through expression (4).

[0107] If the major axis L and minor axis S are measured simultaneously, then we can obtain:

[0108] θ=arcsin(S / L) (5).

[0109] The angle θ is the initial value of the estimated Doppler angle, which can be further corrected by the subsequent blood flow velocity.

[0110] Furthermore, the inverse transformation can also be combined with the cardiac cycle phase and performed at the end of diastole to reduce the deformation caused by probe pressure.

[0111] In other embodiments of this application, the correction module 13 is further configured to:

[0112] Switch both the first transducer group and the second transducer group to Doppler blood flow detection mode;

[0113] Formulas for calculating blood flow velocity in two sets of transducers are established based on Doppler's laws of physics.

[0114] Based on the principle that the blood flow velocity in the same blood vessel is consistent, the Doppler angle between the two sets of transducers in the calculation formula is deduced in reverse to correct the actual Doppler angle.

[0115] Specifically, by correcting the actual Doppler angle, a formula for calculating the true blood flow velocity can be established based on the Doppler laws of physics:

[0116] V=c*Δf / 2f0sinθ (6)

[0117] Where: V is the actual blood flow velocity (along the vessel axis); Δf is the measured Doppler frequency shift; θ is the angle between the ultrasound beam and the vessel axis; c is the speed of sound; and f0 is the transmission frequency.

[0118] During dual-channel detection, let the angles formed by the two transducer groups and the blood vessel be θ1 and θ2, respectively, and their sum be equal to the preset fixed angle α within the probe (since the blood vessel is a straight line, the two ultrasound beams are coplanar, and α is a known constant), that is:

[0119] θ1+θ2=α (7)

[0120] The blood flow velocities V1 and V2 are measured from two channels (actually calculated from Δf1 and Δf2). According to expression (6), we know that:

[0121] V1=c*Δf1 / 2f0sinθ1 (8)

[0122] V2=c*Δf2 / 2f0sinθ2 (9)

[0123] Wherein, Δf1 and Δf2 are the frequency shifts of the two chips, respectively.

[0124] Since the actual blood flow velocity is the same (in the same blood vessel at the same time), therefore:

[0125] Δf1 / sinθ1=Δf2 / sinθ2 (10)

[0126] By combining θ1+θ2=α, we can solve for unique θ1 and θ2, which allows us to correct the Doppler angle for more accurate blood flow detection.

[0127] It should be noted that the combined solution described in this invention relies on two independent Doppler frequency shift measurement results. If only the single-channel Doppler blood flow detection mode is enabled, the angle constraint equation cannot be established, and the system will not be able to perform self-correction of the vessel diameter and the Doppler angle. Therefore, in this embodiment, the correction module 13 is equipped with at least two transducer channels to participate in the Doppler blood flow velocity measurement, that is, both channels need to be switched to the Doppler blood flow detection mode.

[0128] In other embodiments of this application, the apparatus further includes:

[0129] The M-mode processing module is used to activate M-mode after determining the lateral position of the blood vessel to obtain the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, and dynamically calculate the depth of the blood vessel center based on the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, which is used to guide the sampling depth of subsequent Doppler measurements.

[0130] The M-mode processing module is the functional unit that performs M-mode signal processing. Determining the lateral position of the vessel refers to finding the vessel's coordinates along the probe width using the B-mode image. Activating M-mode means initiating a one-dimensional time-depth scan at that lateral position. The vessel wall pulsation curve refers to the trajectory of the anterior and posterior walls of the vessel during the cardiac cycle. Dynamically calculating the vessel center depth refers to real-time tracking of the vessel center position at end-diastole or systole. Guiding the sampling depth for subsequent Doppler measurements means automatically placing the PW Doppler sampling volume at this depth, ensuring the measurement point is always located at the vessel center. M-mode serves as a depth fine-tuning tool; its output vessel center depth can dynamically update the PW Doppler sampling volume position, improving the accuracy of velocity measurements. This feature effectively bridges imaging and Doppler, and has practical value.

[0131] In other embodiments of this application, the monitoring module 14 is further configured to:

[0132] When blood flow parameter fluctuations exceed the normal physiological range are detected within N consecutive sampling cycles, the correction module 13 is automatically triggered to re-execute the correction of Doppler angle and blood vessel diameter, where N≥3;

[0133] And / or, during continuous monitoring, if the Doppler angle change is detected to exceed a preset threshold or the Doppler spectrum signal integrity is reduced, the first acquisition module 11 and the second acquisition module 12 are triggered to be re-executed.

[0134] And / or, when the second transducer group is a single-cell Doppler unit, if the change in the Doppler spectrum acquired by the second acquisition module 12 exceeds a preset threshold, a probe position adjustment prompt is generated.

[0135] This section establishes a multi-level anomaly detection and self-recovery mechanism. "N consecutive sampling periods" refers to a time window of N consecutive parameter updates, with N≥3 ensuring the judgment is based on trend rather than instantaneous noise. "Normal physiological range" refers to the reasonable fluctuation range of blood flow parameters based on heart rate, age, and blood vessel type. "Doppler angle change exceeding a preset threshold" means a sudden change in angle exceeding the allowable range (e.g., >5°), indicating probe displacement. "Decrease in Doppler spectral signal integrity" includes spectral blurring, envelope breakage, and a sudden drop in signal-to-noise ratio. "Re-execution" refers to rerunning the entire imaging, localization, and computation process.

[0136] Changes in the Doppler spectrum include, but are not limited to: spectral signal amplitude falling below a preset threshold, decreased continuity of the spectral envelope, non-physiological abrupt changes in blood flow velocity, or abnormally increased spectral broadening. Specifically, generating probe position adjustment prompts can be done through visual prompts on the display interface.

[0137] To better understand the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment, the execution process of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment will be described below. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment, with reference to... Figure 5 As shown, the execution process may include:

[0138] Step 201: Obtain the first measurement parameters of the first transducer group in imaging mode;

[0139] Step 202: Obtain the second measurement parameters of the second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first and second measurement parameters include the vessel location, vessel depth, vessel diameter, and Doppler angle.

[0140] Step 203: Combine and calculate the first and second measurement parameters to correct the vessel diameter and Doppler angle;

[0141] Step 204: Monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected vessel diameter and Doppler angle.

[0142] Specifically, the ultrasound probe in the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment includes two types: one is that both sets of transducers are ultrasound arrays with multiple array elements (referred to as dual arrays), and the other is that one set is an ultrasound array and the other set is a single-crystal Doppler unit (array and single-crystal combination). The two types are described in detail below.

[0143] Figure 6 A detailed flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment. Figure 1 That is, an embodiment where the ultrasound probe is a dual-array probe, see reference. Figure 6 As shown, the execution process may include:

[0144] Step 301: Start. The system completes its power-on self-test and enters the blood flow monitoring initialization state, ready to execute the measurement procedure.

[0145] Step 302: Data Acquisition. The two ultrasonic arrays acquire data separately. Separate acquisition means that the first and second ultrasonic transducer groups independently transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, acquiring two channels of raw radio frequency echo data.

[0146] Step 303: Data preprocessing. For example, perform front-end processing such as amplification, time gain compensation, and quadrature demodulation on the two raw data streams to prepare for subsequent imaging.

[0147] Step 304: Digital Filtering. Apply bandpass or lowpass digital filters to suppress high-frequency electronic noise or low-frequency structural noise, thereby improving signal quality.

[0148] Step 305: Imaging Calculation. Beamforming, envelope detection, and grayscale mapping are performed on the two data streams respectively to generate two cross-sectional images of the blood vessel in two imaging modes.

[0149] Step 306: Vessel location identification, depth calculation, and initial Doppler angle estimation. Based on the two images, the vessel center location is identified, the vessel depth is calculated, and the initial value of the actual Doppler angle is estimated. This initial value is derived from the geometric relationship between the minor axis of the ellipse and the axis of the ultrasound beam, providing a reference for subsequent corrections, but is not used for the final blood flow parameter calculation.

[0150] Step 307: Measure blood flow velocity. Switch to Doppler blood flow detection mode (CW / PW) respectively and measure blood flow velocity. Switch both ultrasound arrays from imaging mode to Doppler mode (e.g., pulse wave PW) and measure blood flow velocity on their respective sound beam paths to obtain two independent velocity values.

[0151] Step 308: Correct Doppler Angle. The Doppler angle correction is calculated using two blood flow velocities. Specifically, the corrected actual Doppler angle is calculated by solving a physical constraint equation using the preset fixed angle between the blood flow velocity and the two transducer groups within the probe. This corrected actual Doppler angle is used for subsequent tube diameter and velocity calculations. This step can be an optional implementation of step 203 above. In the dual-array embodiment, at least one channel is pulse-wave Doppler, which has depth resolution, ensuring that the measurement point is always at the center of the blood vessel, improving the accuracy of the detection data. Furthermore, both channels can be pulse-wave Doppler modes. Both channels can perform independent imaging and velocity measurement, offering strong fault tolerance.

[0152] Step 309: Correct the calculated vessel diameter. Based on the corrected actual Doppler angle, inversely transform the minor axis length of the vessel cross-section ellipse to the true diameter to eliminate projection distortion. For example, the vessel diameter D = Lshort / sinθ, where θ is the Doppler angle and Lshort is the minor axis length of the ellipse in the vessel cross-section image acquired in imaging mode.

[0153] Step 310: Monitor blood flow parameters. This involves continuously measuring blood flow velocity using Doppler frequency blood flow detection mode (CW / PW). Once the system enters the steady-state monitoring phase, the blood flow velocity is calculated using the corrected actual Doppler angle.

[0154] Step 311: Spectrum Display. The Doppler spectrum (frequency-time graph) is plotted on the display screen in real time for the operator to observe the phase characteristics of blood flow. Understandably, a single-chip Doppler unit is preferred for display because: the pulsed wave Doppler mode used by the array provides depth-resolved velocities but may have aliasing, while the continuous wave Doppler mode used by the single chip provides aliasing-free velocities but without depth resolution; when high-speed blood flow is detected (such as when the spectrum is close to the Nyquist limit), the system automatically switches the display source, displaying the Doppler spectrum, velocity values, envelope, etc. on the screen from the single-chip channel;

[0155] Step 312: Envelope Display. Envelope lines are superimposed on the upper and lower boundaries of the spectrum to automatically extract parameters such as peak velocity.

[0156] Step 313: Blood flow data analysis and calculation. Based on the corrected actual Doppler angle and tube diameter, calculate hemodynamic parameters such as volumetric flow rate and drag index.

[0157] Step 314: Blood flow parameter display. Numerical parameters (such as PSV, EDV, Q) are displayed on the interface for clinical reference.

[0158] Step 315: Are the blood flow parameters abnormal? If yes, return to step 302; otherwise, return to step 310. Abnormalities include parameter mutations, Doppler angle drift exceeding the threshold, and decreased spectral integrity. Returning to step 302 triggers re-imaging and correction, achieving closed-loop self-calibration.

[0159] For the method of measuring blood flow velocity by switching Doppler blood flow detection modes on both channels, please refer to patent document CN115517708A. For the method of measuring blood flow velocity by switching Doppler blood flow detection modes on only one channel, please refer to patent document CN115770064B. Other existing technical content that has been disclosed in other prior art documents will not be listed here.

[0160] Figure 7 A detailed flowchart illustrating the execution process of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 This refers to an embodiment where the ultrasonic probe is an array or a combination of single crystals, see reference. Figure 7 As shown, the execution process may include:

[0161] Step 401: Start. System initialization complete, entering measurement preparation state.

[0162] Step 402: Data Acquisition. Ultrasonic array data acquisition, that is, only the first ultrasonic transducer group (ultrasonic array) performs data acquisition. Since the second transducer group is a single-cell Doppler unit, it usually does not have imaging capabilities, so it does not participate in this stage.

[0163] Step 403: Data Preprocessing. The raw data acquired by the array is amplified and time gain compensated.

[0164] Step 404: Digital filtering. Filter out noise and improve the imaging signal-to-noise ratio.

[0165] Step 405: Imaging calculation. Generate a single B / CF mode cross-sectional image of the blood vessel for localization.

[0166] Step 406: Vessel location identification and depth calculation. Extract the lateral position and center depth of the blood vessels from the image. The initial value of the actual Doppler angle is not calculated here because a single-chip imager has no imaging viewpoint, and the single-channel estimation error is large and does not contribute to subsequent corrections; omitting this step simplifies the process. Optionally, a step to estimate the initial value of the Doppler angle can be added, but this initial value is not used in the final parameter output.

[0167] Step 407: Single-chip blood flow velocity measurement. Switch to Doppler blood flow detection mode (CW / PW) to measure blood flow velocity. The single-chip Doppler unit can operate in continuous wave (CW) mode by default when started to support high-speed blood flow monitoring.

[0168] Step 408: Ultrasonic array measurement of blood flow velocity. The first transducer group (array) is also switched to Doppler mode (usually PW), forming a second velocity input, so that there are two independent velocities for Doppler angle calculation. Understandably, whether it's a dual array or an array / single-chip combination, both channels need to be switched to Doppler mode when measuring blood flow velocity. The difference is that in a dual array, both channels are switched together, while in an array / single-chip combination, they are switched separately (two steps).

[0169] Step 409: Correct Doppler Angle. The Doppler angle is corrected using the two blood flow velocities of the array and the single-cell Doppler unit. (Same as above) Figure 6Step 308: Calculate the corrected Doppler angle using the two velocities and a preset fixed angle. Understandably, a single-chip Doppler unit can be in continuous-wave Doppler mode. A single chip cannot form an image; alignment relies on array imaging, and depth resolution is lacking. However, its velocity value remains valid when alignment is good. The system achieves geometric self-correction through this step. Continuous-wave Doppler mode has no velocity upper limit, making it suitable for high-speed scenarios such as arterial stenosis, and it is less prone to aliasing.

[0170] Step 410: Correct the calculated vessel diameter. (Same as above) Figure 6 Step 309: Use the corrected actual Doppler angle to back-calculate the true pipe diameter.

[0171] Step 411: Monitor blood flow parameters. This involves using both array and single-chip Doppler units to continuously measure blood flow velocity in Doppler frequency blood flow detection mode (CW / PW). Enter steady-state monitoring. The system dynamically selects the display source based on the velocity: array PW data (with depth resolution) is used for low speeds, while single-chip display is preferred for high speeds (anti-aliasing).

[0172] Step 412: Spectrum Display. Display the Doppler spectrum of the currently active channel (array or single crystal).

[0173] Step 413: Envelope Display. Overlay the envelope onto the selected channel spectrum.

[0174] Step 414: Blood flow data analysis and calculation. Based on the corrected geometric parameters and the selected channel velocity, calculate the hemodynamic parameters.

[0175] Step 415: Blood flow parameter display. Display numerical results; the data source is consistent with the spectrum display channel, reflecting the preferred single-cell display strategy.

[0176] Step 416: Are the blood flow parameters abnormal? If yes, return to step 402; otherwise, return to step 411. The abnormality judgment logic is the same as above. Figure 6 Then return to step 402 to re-image and reposition, ensuring that the single-chip acoustic beam is aligned with the blood vessel.

[0177] The modules included in this embodiment can be implemented using a processor in a computer; alternatively, they can be implemented using logic circuits in a computer. The processor can be a general-purpose processor, such as a CPU; an integrated system, such as a system-on-a-chip (SoC); an embedded control core, such as a microcontroller unit (MCU); a dedicated signal processing unit, such as a digital signal processor (DSP); a graphics rendering core, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU); a programmable logic device, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a field-programmable gate array (FPGA); or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates, transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components.

[0178] Example 2

[0179] This application provides a computing device 50 applied to a blood flow parameter measurement system. The system includes a blood flow parameter measurement device 10 and an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart. At least one transducer group in the ultrasonic probe is an ultrasonic array comprising multiple array elements. (Reference) Figure 8 The computing device 50 includes: a storage unit 51, a communication bus 52, and a processing unit 53, wherein:

[0180] The storage component 51 is used to store the operating program of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10;

[0181] The communication bus 52 is used to realize the connection and communication between the storage component 51 and the processing component 53.

[0182] The processing unit 53 is used to perform the work of each module in the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 described in Embodiment 1.

[0183] The type or structure of the storage component 51 can be found in the storage medium section below, and will not be repeated here.

[0184] The processing unit 53 can be a general-purpose processor, such as a CPU; an integrated system, such as a system-on-a-chip (SoC); an embedded control core, such as a microcontroller unit (MCU); a dedicated signal processing unit, such as a digital signal processor (DSP); a graphics rendering core, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU); a programmable logic device, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a field-programmable gate array (FPGA); or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates, transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components.

[0185] In some embodiments, the computing device 50 may further include an input device 54, an output device 55, and an external communication interface 56, which are interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanisms (not shown).

[0186] In some embodiments, the input device 54 may include, for example, a keyboard, mouse, microphone, etc. The output device 55 may output various information to the outside, including a display, speaker, printer, projector, and communication network and its connected remote output devices, etc. The external communication interface 56 may be wired, such as a standard serial port (RS232), a General-Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) interface, an Ethernet interface, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, or it may be wireless, such as wireless network communication technology (WiFi), Bluetooth, etc.

[0187] The descriptions of the above device embodiments are similar to those of the above apparatus embodiments, and have similar beneficial effects. For technical details not disclosed in the embodiments of this application, please refer to the descriptions of the apparatus embodiments in this application for understanding.

[0188] Example 3

[0189] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium for a blood flow parameter measurement system. The system includes a blood flow parameter measurement device 10 and an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart. At least one transducer group in the ultrasound probe is an ultrasound array comprising multiple array elements. An executable program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium.

[0190] When the executable program is executed by the processor, it enables the operation of each module in the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 described in Embodiment 1.

[0191] Exemplary examples show that a computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium is a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile discs (DVDs), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices, such as punch cards or recessed protrusions storing instructions thereon, and any suitable combinations thereof.

[0192] The RAM includes: Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Synchronous Static Random Access Memory (SSRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDRSDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (ESDRAM), SyncLink Dynamic Random Access Memory (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus Random Access Memory (DRRAM).

[0193] The ROM includes: Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM).

[0194] The description of the computer-readable storage medium embodiments above is similar to the description of the device embodiments above, and has similar beneficial effects. For technical details not disclosed in the embodiments of this application, please refer to the description of the device embodiments in this application for understanding.

[0195] Example 4

[0196] This application provides an ultrasonic probe, for reference... Figure 9 The ultrasonic probe includes:

[0197] Probe housing 61;

[0198] A transducer assembly is disposed within the probe housing 61, including a first transducer group 62 and a second transducer group 63 arranged at intervals. One of the transducer assemblies is an ultrasonic array, and the other is an ultrasonic array or a single-crystal Doppler unit.

[0199] The interface unit is used to receive control commands and transmit ultrasound data back.

[0200] The first transducer group is used to obtain a first measurement parameter in imaging mode;

[0201] The second transducer group is used to obtain a second measurement parameter in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode;

[0202] The first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter are used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object by the blood flow parameter measurement device as described above.

[0203] Here, "ultrasound probe" refers to a complete ultrasound sensing component, including acoustic elements and a packaging structure. "Probe housing 61" refers to the external packaging structure made of medical-grade plastic or composite material, used to protect the internal components and provide a human contact interface.

[0204] The first transducer group 62 and the second transducer group 63 refer to two independent ultrasonic transducer functional units inside the probe, which have a defined separation distance or angle in physical space. The interval setting refers to the non-overlapping and non-collinear arrangement of the two transducers within the housing, which can be lateral misalignment, longitudinal offset, or angular tilt. The ultrasonic array refers to a transducer composed of multiple piezoelectric crystals arranged in a regular pattern, supporting imaging functions such as B-mode and CF-mode. The single-crystal Doppler unit refers to a dedicated Doppler transceiver unit composed of one or a pair of fixed piezoelectric crystals; it typically does not have imaging capabilities but can be optimized for continuous wave (CW) or Doppler pulse wave (PW) velocimetry.

[0205] At least one of the ultrasound arrays can be configured as an array + array, or an array + a single-chip Doppler unit, so that at least one channel has imaging capability. The interface unit refers to an electrical connector (such as a miniature coaxial connector or a flexible circuit board interface) used to communicate with the external blood flow parameter measurement device 10, transmit control signals (such as transmission timing, gain) and receive raw radio frequency (RF) or beam-synthesized ultrasound data.

[0206] Specifically, refer to Figure 9 The probe housing 61 has three ramps for placing ultrasonic crystals (the angle of the ramps is related to the preset Doppler angle). For a dual-array structure, only two ramps need to be used, or the probe housing 61 can have only two ramps. Alternatively, for an array and single-crystal combination using pulsed wave Doppler, only two ramps can be used.

[0207] Furthermore, the interface unit supports plug-and-play identification, enabling the system to automatically identify the probe type (dual array or array + single crystal) and load the corresponding working mode.

[0208] In some other embodiments of this application, the first transducer group and the second transducer group are arranged at a preset angle of 15° to 45°, so that when the probe is placed above the blood vessel, the two sets of ultrasound beams are incident from both sides of the blood vessel cross section, forming a Doppler angle deviation with opposite deviation directions, which is beneficial to the correction of the Doppler angle.

[0209] Here, the preset angle refers to the relative angle between the two transducers determined during probe manufacturing and assembly. This angle is not adjustable during use and is a known constant. A range of 15° to 45° is preferred, ensuring that when the probe is placed above the blood vessel, the two ultrasound beams enter from opposite sides of the vessel's cross-section. The Doppler angle refers to the angle between the centerline of the ultrasound beam and the axis of the blood vessel. Opposite deviation directions mean that the angle of one transducer is greater than 90° (or its supplementary angle is less than 90° but biased to one side), and the other is less than 90° (biased to the other side). This ensures that the angular error caused by probe rotation has opposite deviation directions in the two paths, facilitating subsequent combination calculations to cancel out system deviations.

[0210] In some other embodiments of this application, when the first transducer group 62 and the second transducer group 63 are ultrasonic arrays, the number of array elements is not less than 32.

[0211] The requirement of at least 32 array elements means that when a transducer group uses an ultrasound array, it must contain at least 32 independently controllable piezoelectric crystals. This number is sufficient to support dynamic focusing, multi-line parallel processing, and high-resolution imaging, ensuring clear identification of vessel boundaries. If the number of array elements is too small, the lateral resolution will be insufficient, making it difficult to accurately extract the elliptical geometric features of the vessel cross-section. It is understood that the number of array elements can be 32, 64, or 128, etc., without specific limitations.

[0212] In some other embodiments of this application, the center frequency of the ultrasonic array is 1MHz-12MHz, and the frequency of the single-crystal Doppler unit is 2MHz-8MHz.

[0213] The center frequency refers to the dominant frequency of the ultrasound transducer's transmission / reception spectrum. The 1MHz-12MHz range covers commonly used frequencies from deep tissues (low frequencies for deep penetration) to superficial blood vessels (high frequencies for high resolution), with 5MHz–10MHz being preferred for superficial blood vessel monitoring. 2MHz–8MHz is the typical operating frequency band for single-chip Doppler units, balancing penetration and Doppler shift sensitivity. Note that the frequency of single-chip Doppler units is usually slightly lower than that of the imaging array to enhance penetration and reduce attenuation.

[0214] Example 5

[0215] This application provides a blood flow parameter measurement system, with reference to... Figure 10 The blood flow parameter measurement system includes:

[0216] The blood flow parameter measuring device 10 described in Example 1;

[0217] The ultrasound probe described in Example 4. During measurement, the ultrasound probe is placed on the skin above the target blood vessel.

[0218] A blood flow parameter measurement system refers to a complete monitoring system consisting of a signal processing device and an ultrasound probe. The blood flow parameter measurement device 10 described in Embodiment 1 and the ultrasound probe described in Embodiment 4 are electrically connected through an interface unit to form a cooperating whole.

[0219] In other embodiments of this application, the system further includes a monitoring device, in which the ultrasound probe is integrated; the monitoring device also includes a display screen and a wireless communication module.

[0220] The display screen can be used to display ultrasound images or other monitoring data, such as ultrasound spectrum.

[0221] The wireless communication module can be used to connect to external networks, such as uploading monitoring data to a host computer or cloud server, or allowing doctors or patients' family members to view the monitoring data via mobile phone.

[0222] Here, the monitoring equipment can be an integrated monitor combining an ultrasound probe and a processing unit. "Integrated" means the ultrasound probe is fixed to the front of the monitoring equipment as a non-removable or semi-embedded component. The display screen is typically an LCD or OLED touchscreen, used to display real-time B-mode images, CF color Doppler flow maps, M-mode curves, Doppler spectrum, blood flow parameter values, and trend graphs. The wireless communication module includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G / 5G, and other radio frequency units, supporting data uploads to the Hospital Information System (HIS), cloud platforms, or mobile terminal apps for remote monitoring. The host computer refers to the hospital workstation or PC-based management software.

[0223] Specifically, refer to Figure 11 The monitoring device also includes:

[0224] The first acquisition module 11, also known as the color Doppler ultrasound module, is electrically connected to the ultrasound probe, and is the same as the first acquisition module 11 in Embodiment 1.

[0225] The second acquisition module 12 can be a color Doppler ultrasound module or a single-chip Doppler unit. It is electrically connected to the ultrasound probe, the same as the second acquisition module 12 in Embodiment 1.

[0226] The CPU, namely the processing unit 53 of the blood flow parameter measuring device 10 in Embodiment 1, is communicatively connected to the first acquisition module 11 and the second acquisition module 12.

[0227] Runtime memory is used to temporarily store intermediate data processed by the CPU.

[0228] Hard disk storage is used to store data processed by the CPU.

[0229] The display screen is used to show the detected data and the processed data.

[0230] The keyboard or keys are input components that serve as the channel for user commands.

[0231] Understandably, keyboards, buttons, and displays can be replaced by touchscreens, which can both display information and serve as input components.

[0232] A speaker is used to play device alerts or voice messages.

[0233] An audio amplifier is used to amplify the weak signals in the playback instructions output by the CPU so that the speakers can play with sufficient volume.

[0234] Here, the first acquisition module 11 refers to the signal processing circuit or software module that performs B / CF imaging; because it outputs color blood flow images, it is also called a color Doppler ultrasound module. The function of the second acquisition module 12 depends on the probe configuration: if the second transducer group 63 is an array, then it is also a color Doppler ultrasound module; if it is a single crystal, then it is a dedicated Doppler signal processing unit. The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the core computing unit of the blood flow parameter measurement device 10, executing algorithms such as imaging, calculation, and monitoring. The running memory refers to random access memory (RAM), used to cache raw ultrasound data, intermediate image frames, and algorithm variables. The hard disk storage refers to flash memory (such as eMMC) or solid-state storage, used for long-term storage of patient records, calibration parameters, and system logs. The keyboard or buttons are physical input devices 54, used to start measurements, switch modes, etc. The touch screen integrates display and input functions, improving human-computer interaction efficiency. The speaker outputs audio feedback, such as measurement completion prompts and abnormal alarm sounds. The audio amplifier amplifies the low-power audio signal generated by the CPU to the level required to drive the speaker.

[0235] The descriptions of the system embodiments above are similar to those of the device embodiments above, and have similar beneficial effects. For technical details not disclosed in the embodiments of this application, please refer to the descriptions of the device embodiments in this application for understanding.

[0236] It should be noted that the various embodiments provided in this application belong to the same concept; the technical features in the technical solutions described in each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments without conflict.

[0237] It should be noted that the various embodiments or implementation methods in this document can be described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the embodiment numbers are merely for descriptive purposes and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0238] Understandably, without conflict, the technical features in the technical solutions described in each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments. For example, each structure in each embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the structures can be arbitrarily combined; some or all of the structures in different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. Each step in each embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined; the order of the steps can be arbitrarily interchanged; some or all of the steps in different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, regarding the table in the embodiments, each element, each row, or each column in the table can be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0239] In this document, when references are made to embodiments, implementation methods, or examples, it means that the specific features described in connection with these implementation methods or examples are included in at least one implementation method, embodiment, or example of this application. It should be noted that the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same implementation method, embodiment, or example. Furthermore, the specific features described, such as structures or steps, can be appropriately combined in any one or more implementation methods, embodiments, or examples.

[0240] In some embodiments, prefixes such as "first," "second," etc., are merely used to distinguish different descriptive objects and do not impose restrictions on the position, order, priority, or value of the descriptive objects. The description of the descriptive objects is given in the context of the embodiments, and the use of prefixes does not constitute unnecessary limitations. For example, the numerical value of a descriptive object is not limited by ordinal numbers and can be one or more. Taking the first device as an example, the device's numerical value can be one or more. Furthermore, objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the descriptive object is a device, then the first device and the second device can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different. Describing "first" does not necessarily imply the existence of "second," and discussing "second" does not necessarily imply the existence of "first."

[0241] In some embodiments, unless otherwise stated, elements expressed in a singular form, such as "a," "the," "the," "described," "the foregoing," etc., may mean one and only one, or one or more, at least one, etc. For example, in translations using articles such as "a," "an," "the," etc. in English, the noun following the article can be understood as either a singular or a plural expression. In some embodiments, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0242] In some embodiments, the terms at least one of, one or more, a plurality of, and multiple can be used interchangeably.

[0243] In some embodiments, the description of at least one of A and B, A and / or B, A in one case and B in another, A in one case and B in another, etc., may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (A is executed regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed regardless of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, both A and B are executed. The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0244] In some embodiments, the recording method of A or B may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of A); in some embodiments, selective execution from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, and C.

[0245] In some embodiments, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms installation, connection, linking, fixing, setting, etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can also refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this embodiment according to the specific circumstances.

[0246] In some embodiments, specific operational steps, such as flowcharts, are provided. However, it should be noted that these operational steps may be added or removed based on conventional or non-creative effort. The order of steps listed in the embodiments is only one of many possible orders and does not represent the only order. When executed in actual devices, systems, or server products, the steps can be executed either in the order shown in the embodiments or the accompanying drawings, or in parallel in a parallel processor or multi-threaded processing environment.

[0247] The embodiments of this application may be methods, apparatus (systems), and / or computer-readable storage media. The computer-readable storage medium may carry an executable program for causing a processor to implement various aspects of this application. The executable program may be program code written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​for executing the embodiments of this application. Programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​or other programming languages ​​such as C. The program code may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or may be connected to an external computer. The network may be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0248] In some embodiments, electronic circuits, such as programmable logic circuits, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), are personalized by utilizing state information of an executable program. These electronic circuits can execute executable programs to implement various aspects of this application.

[0249] The executable program described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to various computing / processing devices, or downloaded via a network to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, fiber optic cables, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the executable program from the network and forwards it for storage on a computer-readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device.

[0250] Various aspects of this application are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and / or computer-readable storage media according to embodiments of this application. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by an executable program.

[0251] These executable programs can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These executable programs can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that cause a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture including instructions that implement aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. The executable programs can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device, implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. In some embodiments, the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in a variety of other ways. The described device embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. For example, the module division represents only one logical functional division method. In actual implementation, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or certain features may be ignored or specific operations may not be performed. The coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the components can be achieved indirectly through interfaces, devices, or modules. The connection form can be electrical, mechanical, or other types.

[0252] In some embodiments, the modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; the components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; these modules may or may not be concentrated in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. In practical applications, some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the objectives of this embodiment, depending on the requirements.

[0253] In some embodiments, the integration of functional modules is flexible and diverse: they can all be integrated into one processing module, each can be an independent module, or two or more functional modules can be integrated into one module. These integrated modules can be implemented in pure hardware or in a combination of hardware and software functional modules.

[0254] In some embodiments, all or part of the steps of the above method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The relevant program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disk, or optical disk, and implements the steps of the above method embodiments when executed. If the integrated modules of this application are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Therefore, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, in essence or contributing to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and contains several instructions for causing an electronic device (such as a personal computer, server, or network device) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited to any specific hardware and software combination.

[0255] It should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not intended to encompass all possible implementations of the technical solutions of this application. Various modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of this application. Similarly, the various technical features of the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined to form other embodiments of this application that may not be explicitly described. Therefore, the above embodiments only illustrate several implementations of this application and do not limit the scope of protection of this patent application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A blood flow parameter measuring device, applied to a blood flow parameter measuring system, the system comprising the blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasonic probe, the ultrasonic probe comprising a first transducer group and a second transducer group spaced apart, wherein at least one transducer group of the ultrasonic probe is an ultrasonic array comprising multiple array elements; characterized in that, The device includes: The first acquisition module is used to acquire the first measurement parameters obtained by the first transducer group in imaging mode; The second acquisition module is used to acquire the second measurement parameters obtained by the second transducer group in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; both the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter include the vessel location, vessel depth, vessel diameter and Doppler angle; The correction module is used to combine and calculate the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter to correct the blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle; The monitoring module is used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object based on the corrected blood vessel diameter and the Doppler angle.

2. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first transducer group is an ultrasound array containing no less than 32 elements, configured to perform an imaging mode to acquire a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of the target blood vessel, the two-dimensional cross-sectional image being elliptical.

3. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second transducer group is an ultrasonic array or a single-cell Doppler unit; if it is a single-cell Doppler unit, the second transducer group includes a pair of elongated cells and is configured in continuous wave Doppler mode or pulse wave Doppler mode.

4. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring module is also used for: At least one of the first transducer group and the second transducer group is switched to Doppler blood flow detection mode to monitor hemodynamic parameters.

5. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The correction module is also used for: Based on the geometric features of the elliptical cross-section of the blood vessel in the first and second measurement parameters, and combined with the preset fixed angles of the two sets of transducers, the initial value of the actual Doppler angle between the ultrasound beam and the blood vessel axis is calculated, and the elliptical cross-section is inversely transformed into a circle to calculate the actual blood vessel diameter; the two sets of transducers include the first transducer set and the second transducer set.

6. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The correction module is also used for: Switch both the first transducer group and the second transducer group to Doppler blood flow detection mode; Formulas for calculating blood flow velocity in two sets of transducers are established based on Doppler's laws of physics. Based on the principle that the blood flow velocity in the same blood vessel is consistent, the Doppler angle between the two sets of transducers in the calculation formula is deduced in reverse to correct the actual Doppler angle; the two sets of transducers include the first transducer set and the second transducer set.

7. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes: The M-mode processing module is used to activate M-mode after determining the lateral position of the blood vessel to obtain the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, and dynamically calculate the depth of the blood vessel center based on the pulsation curve of the blood vessel wall, which is used to guide the sampling depth of subsequent Doppler measurements.

8. The blood flow parameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The monitoring module is also used for: When blood flow parameter fluctuations exceed the normal physiological range are detected within N consecutive sampling cycles, the correction module is automatically triggered to re-execute the correction of Doppler angle and vessel diameter, where N≥3; And / or, during continuous monitoring, if the Doppler angle change is detected to exceed a preset threshold or the Doppler spectrum signal integrity is reduced, the first acquisition module and the second acquisition module are re-executed. And / or, when the second transducer group is a single-cell Doppler unit, if the change in the Doppler spectrum acquired by the second acquisition module exceeds a preset threshold, a probe position adjustment prompt is generated.

9. A computing device applied to a blood flow parameter measurement system, characterized in that, The system includes a blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group arranged at intervals. At least one transducer group in the ultrasound probe is an ultrasound array comprising multiple array elements. The computing device includes a storage component, a communication bus, and a processing component, wherein: The storage component is used to store the operating program of the blood flow parameter measuring device; The communication bus is used to enable communication between the storage component and the processing component; The processing unit is used to perform the operation of each module in the blood flow parameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium applied to a blood flow parameter measurement system, characterized in that, The system includes a blood flow parameter measuring device and an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group arranged at intervals. At least one transducer group in the ultrasound probe is an ultrasound array comprising multiple array elements. An executable program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium. When the executable program is executed by the processor, it enables the operation of each module in the blood flow parameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1-8.

11. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that, include: Probe housing; A transducer assembly is disposed within the probe housing and includes a first transducer group and a second transducer group arranged at intervals. One of the transducer assemblies is an ultrasonic array, and the other is an ultrasonic array or a single-crystal Doppler unit. The interface unit is used to receive control commands and transmit ultrasound data back. The first transducer group is used to obtain a first measurement parameter in imaging mode; The second transducer group is used to obtain a second measurement parameter in imaging mode or Doppler blood flow detection mode; The first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter are used for the blood flow parameter measuring device as described in any one of claims 1-8 to monitor the hemodynamic parameters of the target object.

12. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first transducer group and the second transducer group are arranged at a preset angle of 15° to 45°, so that when the probe is placed above the blood vessel, the two sets of ultrasound beams are incident from both sides of the blood vessel cross section, forming a Doppler angle deviation with opposite deviation directions, which is beneficial to the correction of the Doppler angle.

13. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the first transducer group and the second transducer group are ultrasonic arrays, the number of array elements shall not be less than 32.

14. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 11, characterized in that, The center frequency of the ultrasonic array is 1MHz-12MHz, and the frequency of the single-crystal Doppler unit is 2MHz-8MHz.

15. A blood flow parameter measurement system, characterized in that, include: The blood flow parameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1-8; The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 11-14.

16. The blood flow parameter measurement system according to claim 15, characterized in that, The system also includes a monitoring device, in which the ultrasound probe is integrated; the monitoring device also includes a display screen and a wireless communication module.

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