Method and device for viewing ultrasound contrast image and dynamic image

Abstract

The invention relates to an ultrasonic contrast image and dynamic image viewing method and viewing device. The viewing method comprises the following steps: under the condition that to-be-viewed image data is opened for manual viewing, receiving a first operation of setting a first viewing range by a user through an interaction component at a multi-frame first browsing step length; in response to detecting the first operation, positioning the image data to a viewing neighborhood containing a first viewing range; receiving a second operation executed by the user on the viewing neighborhood through the interaction component at a single-frame second browsing step length; and in response to the detected second operation, determining a corresponding current image frame when the user executes the second operation in the viewing neighborhood, and further positioning the image data to an adjacent frame of the current image frame so that the user can view the image data frame by frame. The method can help doctors to remarkably improve browsing efficiency and accurately position expected image frames, is convenient to operate and high in user friendliness, and can save time of the doctors and remarkably reduce workload of the doctors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a medical imaging device, method, and medium; more specifically, to a method and apparatus for viewing ultrasound contrast images and dynamic images. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasound generation and detection are simple and inexpensive, and it can penetrate deep into tissues without causing damage, making it ideal for non-invasive biomedical imaging. Ultrasound waves are scattered when they encounter a scattering medium; the intensity of scattering depends on the size and shape of the scattering medium and its acoustic impedance difference with surrounding tissues. Blood scatters ultrasound waves very weakly, so it appears "echo-free" on ordinary ultrasound equipment. However, if a medium with a significantly different acoustic impedance (microbubbles) is added to the blood, the scattering within the blood is enhanced—this is the basic principle of contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Tissue contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging utilizes this principle. An ultrasound contrast agent, a solution containing microbubbles, is injected into the body. The contrast agent enters the organ or tissue, causing or enhancing the contrast, thus providing important evidence for clinical diagnosis.

[0003] In recent years, contrast-enhanced ultrasound has played an increasingly important role in the differential diagnosis and ablation assessment of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, thyroid diseases, and breast diseases. Taking liver tumors as an example, compared with normal tissue, malignant tumors often have richer microblood flow. A typical manifestation of this in contrast-enhanced ultrasound images is that microbubbles in the lesion area enter and recede more rapidly than in normal tissue. Generally, to distinguish this hemodynamic difference between normal and malignant lesions, a certain imaging frame rate is required for contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Currently, the commonly used 2D real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging frame rate is typically set to 10-15 fps. Recently introduced high-frame-rate contrast imaging technologies can increase the imaging frame rate to tens or even hundreds of frames per second.

[0004] Because ultrasound contrast agents have a limited survival time in the body, doctors often store all the contrast images during the examination. This allows for repeated review of the lesion data, enhancing diagnostic confidence. Furthermore, it can be used for clinical research, academic lectures, or clinical teaching. However, a problem arises when reviewing or replaying the data: because high-frame-rate contrast imaging involves a large number of frames, it often takes a long time to find the relevant information frames. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a method and device for viewing ultrasound contrast images and dynamic images that can help doctors significantly improve the browsing efficiency of high frame rate dynamic image data and accurately locate the single image frame or a small range of image frames that the doctor wants to view. Furthermore, the interactive operation used by the doctor should be similar to that of traditional browsing, making it convenient, user-friendly, and able to save doctors' time and significantly reduce their workload.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images is provided. The ultrasound contrast imaging image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in an imaging mode. The imaging mode includes a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the range of a first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is determined based on the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode, and the range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is positively correlated with the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode. The viewing method includes, by a processor, when the ultrasound contrast imaging image data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing: receiving a first operation by a user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range with a first browsing step size of multiple frames; in response to detecting the first operation, locating the ultrasound contrast imaging image data to a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; receiving a second operation by the user via an interactive component to perform a second browsing step size of a single frame on the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; and in response to detecting the second operation, determining the current image frame corresponding to the user's second operation within the viewing neighborhood of the first viewing range, and further locating the ultrasound contrast imaging image data to adjacent frames of the current image frame for the user to view frame by frame.

[0007] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images is provided, wherein the ultrasound contrast imaging image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in an imaging mode. The imaging mode includes a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the imaging speed is positively correlated with a first browsing step size. The viewing method may include, by a processor, when the ultrasound contrast imaging image data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing: receiving a first operation by a user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range in multiple frames of the first browsing step size; in response to detecting the first operation, positioning the ultrasound contrast imaging image data in a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; receiving a fifth operation by the user to set an automatic viewing mode; and in response to the fifth operation, causing the ultrasound contrast imaging image data to begin automatic playback in a single-frame manner within the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range, wherein the automatic playback speed is lower than the imaging speed of the second imaging mode.

[0008] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a method for viewing dynamic images is provided for viewing dynamic image data including multiple frames. The viewing method includes, by a processor, when dynamic image data including multiple frames to be viewed is opened for manual viewing: receiving a first operation by a user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range in a first browsing step of multiple frames; in response to detecting the first operation, positioning the dynamic image data to a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; receiving a second operation by the user via the interactive component to view the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range in a second browsing step of a second browsing step, the second browsing step being smaller than the first browsing step; and in response to detecting the second operation, determining, within the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range, the current image frame corresponding to the user's second operation, and further positioning the dynamic image data to an image frame forward or backward by a single second browsing step from the current image frame for the user to view.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a device for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images is provided, wherein the ultrasound contrast imaging image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in an imaging mode. The imaging mode includes a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the range of a first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is determined based on the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode, and the range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is positively correlated with the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode. The viewing device may include: an interactive component configured to: perform a first operation by a user setting a first viewing range with a first browsing step size of multiple frames; and perform a second operation by the user on a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range with a second browsing step size of a single frame; a processor configured to execute a method for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images according to various embodiments of this disclosure; and a display configured to present an image or interface corresponding to the located viewing range under the control of the processor.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for viewing ultrasound contrast images is provided, wherein the ultrasound contrast image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in an imaging mode. The imaging mode includes a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the imaging speed is positively correlated with a first browsing step size. The viewing apparatus includes an interactive component, a processor, and a display. The interactive component may be configured to: perform a first operation by a user to set a first viewing range in multiple frames of the first browsing step size; and perform a fifth operation by the user to set an automatic viewing mode. The processor may be configured to: receive the first operation by the user via the interactive component to set the first viewing range in multiple frames of the first browsing step size; in response to detecting the first operation, locate the ultrasound contrast image data in a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; receive the fifth operation by the user to set the automatic viewing mode; and in response to the fifth operation, cause the ultrasound contrast image data to begin automatic playback in a single-frame manner in the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range, wherein the automatic playback speed is lower than the imaging speed of the second imaging mode. The display may be configured to: present an image corresponding to the located viewing range under the control of the processor.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a device for viewing dynamic images is provided. The viewing device may include an interactive component, a processor, and a display. The interactive component may be configured to: perform a first operation by a user to set a first viewing range with a first browsing step of multiple frames; and perform a second operation by the user to perform a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range with a second browsing step of less than the first browsing step. The processor may be configured to: detect the first operation performed by the user; in response to detecting the first operation, locate the dynamic image data to the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; detect the second operation performed by the user; and in response to detecting the second operation, determine the current image frame corresponding to the user's second operation in the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range, and further locate the dynamic image data to an image frame one second browsing step forward or backward from the current image frame. The display may be configured to present the image corresponding to the located viewing range.

[0012] By utilizing the methods and apparatus for viewing ultrasound contrast images and dynamic images according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, doctors can significantly improve the browsing efficiency of high frame rate dynamic image data and accurately locate the single image frame or a small range of image frames that the doctor wants to view. Furthermore, the interactive operations required by the doctor are similar to those of traditional browsing, making the operation convenient and user-friendly, saving doctors' time and significantly reducing their workload. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein: Figure 1 A structural diagram of an ultrasound contrast imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 An exemplary flowchart of ultrasound contrast imaging examination according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating Example 1 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating Example 2 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 Illustrations of an interface for manually viewing and browsing ultrasound contrast images according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 6 The illustration shows an interface for automatically viewing and browsing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating Example 3 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating Example 4 of a method for viewing a moving image according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating Example 5 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 10 Illustrations show an interface for manually viewing and browsing ultrasound contrast images according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and Figure 11 An illustration shows an interface for setting a first viewing range according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will be described below; however, the invention is not intended to be limited to these embodiments. Not all components of these embodiments are always essential.

[0015] Figure 1 A structural diagram of an ultrasound contrast imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasound contrast imaging device 100 may include a probe 101, a transmitting circuit 102 for exciting the probe 101 to emit ultrasound waves toward the object 105, a receiving circuit 103 for controlling the probe 101 to receive ultrasound echo signals returned from the object 105, and a processor 104.

[0016] Various types of probes 101 can be used, such as, but not limited to, at least one of ultrasound volume probes, area array probes, and conventional ultrasound array probes (such as linear array probes, convex array probes, etc.). The ultrasound contrast imaging data is image data generated by the ultrasound contrast imaging device 100 in an imaging mode. This ultrasound contrast imaging device 100 can operate in at least two imaging modes, including a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, where the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than that in the second imaging mode. For example, the first imaging mode can be a high frame rate / high roll rate mode under 3D and / or 4D ultrasound contrast imaging to capture the complete perfusion process of microbubbles at small lesions, while the second imaging mode can be a conventional frame rate / conventional roll rate mode under 3D and / or 4D ultrasound contrast imaging, allowing physicians to freely choose according to their observation needs.

[0017] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasound contrast imaging device 100 may further include (one or more) interactive components 106, which may be configured for various interactive operations performed by the user, and may include, for example, but not limited to, a trackball, knob, touch screen button, gesture sensing component, etc. The ultrasound contrast imaging device 100 may also include a display 107, which may be configured, under the control of the processor 104, to present one or more image frames that the user wants to view, and to present various interfaces during the process of performing the ultrasound contrast image viewing method according to this disclosure, to prompt the user to perform corresponding interactions. In some embodiments, the display 107 may be LED, OLED, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0018] In some embodiments, processor 104 may be a processing device including one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. More specifically, the processor may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a processor running other instruction sets, or a processor running a combination of instruction sets. The processor may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), system-on-a-chip (SoCs), etc. Processor 104 may be configured to perform methods for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Please note that this disclosure primarily uses ultrasound contrast images and ultrasound contrast equipment as examples to illustrate the viewing method, but is not limited thereto. The various methods described herein can be flexibly applied to various dynamic images and dynamic imaging devices that require reviewing and browsing through large amounts of image data to find target image data, such as, but not limited to, ordinary ultrasound images, laser ultrasound images, echocardiograms, optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, etc.

[0020] Figure 2 An exemplary flowchart of an ultrasound contrast imaging examination according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 2 As shown, after the doctor identifies the lesion or site to be observed, they can enter the ultrasound contrast imaging mode of the device (step 201), inject an appropriate amount of contrast agent microbubbles into the patient's body, and start the timer on the device (step 202), simultaneously initiating backward storage (step 203). The doctor can use the ultrasound probe to scan the target for contrast imaging (step 204), and the ultrasound contrast imaging data of the entire process is stored in the ultrasound contrast imaging device. After the contrast imaging scan is completed, backward storage can be ended (step 205). Afterward, the doctor can open the stored data to review the contrast imaging images (step 206) and finally make a differential diagnosis (step 207). Reviewing contrast imaging images generally includes two browsing methods: manual browsing, where the user uses interactive components such as a trackball, knob, or touchscreen button on the device panel to browse at a set manual browsing step size; and automatic browsing, where the user uses the device's "playback" function to automatically play the stored dynamic data at a set automatic browsing step size, like watching a movie. The two browsing methods can be switched at any time during the review of contrast imaging images.

[0021] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating Example 1 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Figure 3 As shown, this viewing method mainly consists of coarse positioning under the first browsing step of multiple frames and fine positioning under the second browsing step of a single frame, performed sequentially. (As described above...) Figure 1The ultrasound imaging equipment described herein can provide multiple imaging modes, such as, but not limited to, 3D and 4D imaging modes. Different imaging modes can be configured with corresponding first browsing step sizes; that is, the first browsing step size can vary with the imaging mode. Specifically, the range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode can be determined based on the imaging speed corresponding to that mode, making the range of the first browsing step size positively correlated with the imaging speed. For example, if the imaging speed of 3D imaging mode is faster than that of 4D imaging mode, then the range of the first browsing step size in 3D imaging mode is also larger than that in 4D imaging mode. This allows for a smaller first browsing step size to be automatically assigned to the user during the coarse localization phase of reviewing images with slower imaging speeds and greater information content. This meets the user's need for more "dense" coarse localization viewing and analysis, enabling more accurate coarse localization and avoiding the omission of image frames containing important information. Furthermore, the speed ratio is positively correlated with the step size ratio, wherein the speed ratio is the ratio of the imaging speed of the first imaging mode to the imaging speed of the second imaging mode, and the step size ratio is the ratio of the first browsing step size corresponding to the first imaging mode to the first browsing step size of the second imaging mode.

[0022] like Figure 2 As shown, the stored ultrasound contrast imaging data is first opened and the user sets the browsing mode (step 300). As mentioned above, the browsing mode can include at least manual browsing and automatic browsing. In step 301, it can be determined whether the ultrasound contrast imaging data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing. The determination in step 301 essentially includes two conditions: the ultrasound contrast imaging data to be viewed is opened, and the manual browsing mode is set (selected), thus entering the manual browsing process. If the ultrasound contrast imaging data to be viewed is opened but the manual browsing mode is not selected (the determination in step 301 is no), then the automatic browsing mode is entered.

[0023] When the ultrasound contrast imaging data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing (if the determination in step 301 is yes), the user performs a first operation (step 302) by setting a first viewing range in a first browsing step of multiple frames via an interactive component. Specifically, the setting of the first viewing range can be achieved, for example, by tossing a trackball, rotating a knob, or entering a numerical range (e.g., time range, frame number range) in an input box on the interface.

[0024] In step 303, in response to detecting the first operation, the ultrasound contrast image data can be located in a viewing neighborhood that includes a first viewing range. Thus, the user can quickly browse and locate the first viewing range of interest within a first browsing step of multiple frames, and the target image data to be located is located within this first viewing range, thereby achieving efficient coarse localization. Therefore, the user's filtering and verification of contrast image data is based on coarse localization, eliminating the need for inefficient browsing through large amounts of data.

[0025] In this document, the term "viewing neighborhood including the first viewing range" is intended to encompass at least the viewing range of the first viewing range (which may be the first viewing range itself), and may also encompass a viewing range that is further extended in proximity relative to the first viewing range. Ultrasound contrast image data can be located within this extended viewing range, not just the first viewing range, thereby providing appropriate margin for positioning the final target image data within the viewing range that would actually be located due to the inertia of the user's first operation via the interactive component (e.g., the inertia of a trackball), the user's manual operation deviation, the user's judgment deviation, etc., to avoid missing the target image data due to these deviations in coarse positioning. In some embodiments, the viewing neighborhood including the first viewing range may be the viewing range between the start time of the first viewing range or earlier and the end time of the first viewing range or later. In some embodiments, the start time of the viewing neighborhood is advanced by a first threshold relative to the start time of the first viewing range, and the end time of the viewing neighborhood is delayed by a second threshold relative to the end time of the first viewing range, the first threshold and the second threshold being predefined and / or adjusted by the user. Thus, the first threshold and the second threshold can be appropriately predefined according to the imaging mode or the operational attributes of the interactive component. Furthermore, in addition to considering the operational attributes of the imaging mode or interactive components, users can adjust the first and second thresholds according to their own operating habits to set an appropriate deviation margin.

[0026] In step 304, the system can receive a second operation performed by the user on a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range via an interactive component with a second browsing step of one frame. In step 305, in response to detecting the second operation, the system can determine the current image frame corresponding to the user's second operation within the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range, and further locate the ultrasound contrast image data to adjacent frames of the current image frame for the user to view frame by frame. During microbubble perfusion observation of small, blood-rich objects, missing a single frame could mean missing crucial contrast image information. By providing frame-by-frame viewing after coarse localization, the system can prevent users from missing crucial contrast image information due to frame skipping, thereby ensuring that users can make more accurate diagnoses.

[0027] By utilizing this sequential execution process of coarse positioning followed by fine positioning, we can significantly reduce the user's workload and significantly improve browsing efficiency, while ensuring that the user does not miss key information during the microbubble perfusion observation process.

[0028] In some embodiments, various interactive components can be employed. In some embodiments, the interactive component used for the first operation may include a trackball, where the first operation is a user scrolling operation on the trackball; the interactive component used for the second operation may include a knob, where the second operation is a user rotating operation on the knob. In ultrasound contrast imaging equipment, the operation of the trackball and knob is familiar and user-friendly, and compatible with the trackball and knob settings of existing ultrasound contrast imaging equipment, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, performing the second operation with a second browsing step size of one frame via the knob allows for more accurate stepping. Specifically, for example, the knob rotation operation can also be discrete, with one rotation incrementing one frame, allowing the user to better control the precision of the second operation, thereby avoiding missing crucial contrast imaging information due to operational deviations.

[0029] In some embodiments, a single trackball can serve as an interactive component for both the first and second operations, where the first and second operations are user scrolling actions on the single trackball to achieve browsing steps of multiple frames and a single frame, respectively. For example, the first operation can be performed by rapidly scrolling the trackball, and the second operation can be performed by slowly scrolling the trackball. This allows for a more compact configuration of interactive components and avoids user distraction caused by switching between different types of interactive components, thereby improving user operational efficiency.

[0030] In some embodiments, the interactive components are implemented via touch buttons on the touchscreen. This eliminates the need for hardware configuration to implement the interactive components; users can perform the first and second operations by tapping the touch buttons on the touchscreen, allowing users to focus solely on the touchscreen and resulting in smoother operation. In some embodiments, the interactive components can also be implemented via gesture sensing components, thereby freeing the user's hands and preventing cross-infection.

[0031] In some embodiments, the interactive component used in the first operation may be a time input unit on a touch screen, and the first operation is for the user to set time information corresponding to a first viewing range via the time input unit.

[0032] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating Example 2 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided, wherein a trackball is used for a first operation and a knob is used for a second operation. Figure 4As shown, in step 401, a high frame rate animated motion picture file can be opened. In step 402, it is determined whether to enter manual browsing mode. If the determination is no, then automatic playback mode is entered (step 403).

[0033] When entering manual browsing mode (if the determination in step 402 is yes), the user can select (or set) the manual browsing step size (step 404). After selecting the manual browsing step size, the trackball can be used to quickly browse and coarsely locate the image (step 405). After achieving coarse image location, within the viewing range of coarse location, the user uses the knob to browse the image frame by frame (step 406), thereby accurately selecting the target image and avoiding omissions.

[0034] Figure 5 The illustration shows an interface for manually viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. After opening the contrast dynamic image data to be viewed, the contrast images can be viewed sequentially in multiple frames (coarse positioning) or frame by frame (fine positioning) using the trackball (not shown) of the ultrasound contrast device or the knob 503 on the panel.

[0035] By slowly moving the trackball or rotating knob 503, the image display area updates and displays adjacent frames of the current image. In manual browsing mode, the scrolling step of the knob or trackball is one frame of contrast image (one roll of contrast images for 3D mode, and one roll of contrast images for 4D mode). If the doctor needs to quickly browse the contrast images, this can only be achieved by rapidly moving the trackball or accelerating the rotation of knob 503. The system updates the displayed image of the corresponding frame according to the user's movement speed; the faster the movement, the faster the update. Figure 5 As shown, the contrast images can be selected frame by frame for review by rotating the knob 503 below the "Select Frame" 501.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first browsing step size used for coarse positioning can be selected by the user from multiple step size levels. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the knob 503 below the "Trajectory Ball Browsing Step Size" 502 can be used to select the step size for each trackball movement, such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc. For example, if a step size of 32 is selected, then each movement of the trackball will select the corresponding direction + 32 frames of image for display. When manually browsing high frame rate angiography data, doctors can first select a higher setting to quickly find the approximate location of the frame of interest. Then, using the knob 503 below "Select Frame" 501, the angiography images can be browsed and played back frame by frame in the vicinity of that location.

[0037] In some embodiments, the sequential coarse positioning and fine positioning of this disclosure are not limited to manual browsing mode (also known as manual viewing mode), but can also be implemented in automatic browsing mode (also known as automatic viewing mode), or in a combination of automatic browsing mode and manual browsing mode (semi-automatic browsing mode).

[0038] Specifically, let's take coarse positioning as an example. The processor can perform the following steps to achieve coarse positioning in manual viewing mode: A prompt to the user to select manual viewing mode can be presented. In response to the user's fourth operation of selecting manual viewing mode, an interactive interface corresponding to the manual viewing mode can be presented to the user. Based on the interactive interface, a first operation by the user to set a first viewing range with a first browsing step size of multiple frames can be received.

[0039] For both coarse and fine positioning, the browsing step size can be set by selecting the playback speed in automatic viewing mode. Specifically, a prompt can be presented to the user to select automatic viewing mode. In response to the user's fifth operation of selecting automatic viewing mode, an interactive interface corresponding to that mode can be presented to the user. The interactive interface corresponding to automatic viewing mode can display selectable playback speed options for the user to choose from.

[0040] For example, coarse positioning can be achieved in automatic browsing mode, followed by fine positioning in manual browsing mode. Figure 6 As shown, after opening the dynamic contrast imaging data to be viewed, the automatic playback (automatic replay) of the dynamic contrast imaging image can be enabled via the touchscreen button "Movie" 600 on the ultrasound contrast imaging device. The playback speed can be selected; selecting 1x speed playback is equivalent to playing the image at the frame rate when the contrast imaging dynamic data was stored. Playback speeds greater than 1 and less than 1 produce effects similar to "fast-forward playback" and "slow-motion playback" respectively. The playback speed can be set via knob 603 or button. For example, pressing the knob 603 below "Automatic Replay" 602 selects whether to activate automatic playback, and rotating the knob 603 selects the playback speed. For example, in this example, the movie playback speed can be selected as 1 / 10, 1 / 5, 1 / 2, 1, 2, 4, etc. In some embodiments, if the "Loop Playback" button 604 on the touchscreen is pressed, the system will automatically jump to the starting frame each time the last frame is played, continuously looping the playback.

[0041] Users perform coarse localization by viewing dynamic contrast-enhanced image data played at a selected playback speed (as an example of "first viewing step"). For instance, when a user believes they have found the coarse localization area, they can press the knob 603 below "Auto Playback" 602 or the knob 603 below "Select Frame" 601 to end auto playback, displaying the image frames of the coarse localization area on the screen for subsequent frame-by-frame viewing. Subsequently, users can rotate the knob 603 below "Select Frame" 601 to step through single frames, thereby finding one or more target image frames containing key information, thus completing fine localization.

[0042] In some embodiments, coarse positioning can be achieved in manual browsing mode, followed by fine positioning in automatic browsing mode. Specifically, for ultrasound contrast imaging data, i.e., image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in imaging mode, the imaging mode may include a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the imaging speed is positively correlated with a first browsing step size. The viewing method may include, when the ultrasound contrast imaging data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing, receiving a first operation from a user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range in multiple frames of the first browsing step size. In response to detecting the first operation, the ultrasound contrast imaging data can be positioned in a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range. Then, a fifth operation from the user to set an automatic viewing mode can be received; and in response to the fifth operation, the ultrasound contrast imaging data can begin to play automatically in a single-frame manner in the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range. The playback speed of the automatic playback is lower than the imaging speed of the second imaging mode, so that the required information can be smoothly presented to the user during the automatic playback.

[0043] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating Example 3 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. The method is described with at least two imaging modes, including a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode. Accordingly, the ultrasound contrast image data may include first contrast image data acquired under the first imaging mode and second contrast image data acquired under the second imaging mode. For example, the first imaging mode may be a high frame rate / high roll rate imaging mode to acquire image data including microbubble diffusion processes, while the second imaging mode may be a conventional frame rate / conventional roll rate imaging mode.

[0044] like Figure 7As shown, in step 701, a first activation operation for activating the first imaging mode can be received, and in response to the first activation operation, image data including the microbubble diffusion process can be acquired using the first imaging mode to obtain the first contrast image data.

[0045] In step 702, a second startup operation for initiating the second imaging mode may be received, and in response to the second startup operation, the second contrast image data may be obtained.

[0046] In step 703, a first operation can be received from the user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range of the first contrast image data / the second contrast image data in a first browsing step of multiple frames; In step 704, in response to detecting the first operation, the ultrasound contrast image data can be located in a viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range of the first ultrasound contrast data / second ultrasound contrast data.

[0047] Thus, switching between the first and second imaging modes can be performed as needed, and corresponding contrast image data can be obtained under the desired imaging mode. Coarse localization processing can then be specifically performed on this contrast image data. The implementation details of the coarse and fine localization according to the various embodiments of this disclosure can be incorporated herein as needed, and will not be elaborated here. Accordingly, the selection range of the first browsing step size can vary depending on the imaging mode. For example, the range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is positively correlated with the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode.

[0048] The above is an illustrative description of the viewing method using ultrasound contrast imaging data as an example. It should be noted that this viewing method can be extended to various dynamic images and dynamic imaging devices that require reviewing and browsing through large amounts of image data to find the target image data, such as, but not limited to, ordinary ultrasound images, laser ultrasound images, echocardiograms, optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, etc.

[0049] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating Example 4 of a method for viewing a moving image according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This viewing process is performed when moving image data comprising multiple frames is opened for manual viewing. When moving image data comprising multiple frames is opened for manual viewing, a first operation (step 801) can be received from the user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range in a first browsing step of multiple frames.

[0050] In step 802, in response to detecting the first operation, the dynamic image data can be located in a viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range.

[0051] In step 803, the user can be received to perform a second operation on the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range via the interactive component with a second browsing step size, where the second browsing step size is smaller than the first browsing step size. The first and second browsing step sizes can be appropriately set for dynamic data of different modalities. For example, the first browsing step size can be set according to the imaging speed of the modality to ensure smooth presentation of image information during coarse localization. Similarly, the second browsing step size can be set according to the user's observation needs. For instance, in ultrasound contrast imaging data, to capture the microbubble perfusion process, the second browsing step size can be set to a single frame. However, in other modalities and under other observation needs, the second browsing step size can be several image frames, etc., set according to specific requirements, or adjusted by the user to meet the user's needs in different application scenarios.

[0052] In step 804, in response to detecting the second operation, the current image frame corresponding to when the user performed the second operation can be determined in the viewing neighborhood including the first viewing range, and the dynamic image data can be further positioned to an image frame that is forward or backward by a single second browsing step of the current image frame for the user to view.

[0053] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating Example 5 of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Figure 9 Steps 401-406 in the process are similar to... Figure 4 The steps 401-406 in the process are not described in detail here. The difference lies in that, before detecting the user's first operation of setting the first viewing range with a first browsing step size of multiple frames via the interactive component, that is, before the user selects the manual browsing step size for coarse positioning (step 404), the starting position of the browsing is located using the cursor or touch screen (step 407). Figure 9 As shown, when a user opens a high frame rate imaging file, a cursor will appear, allowing the user to manipulate the progress bar (407'). The user can also directly click on a specific position on the progress bar to jump to that position.

[0054] Accordingly, the processor can detect the user's click operation on the progress bar, locate the ultrasound contrast image data to the third viewing area corresponding to the clicked position on the progress bar, and present the corresponding image of the third viewing area. This corresponding image can, for example, be displayed on the main screen. Figure 9 As shown.

[0055] After presenting the image corresponding to the third viewing area, the processor can receive a first operation from the user via an interactive component to set the first viewing area in multiple frames of the first browsing step, thereby completing coarse positioning. The user can then further perform fine positioning using a trackball or knob, for example, but not limited to, browsing the image frame by frame.

[0056] In addition to the progress bar, various methods can be used to coarsely locate high frame rate angiography images.

[0057] In some embodiments, the interactive component utilized by the first operation may be a time input unit (e.g., an input box) on a touchscreen, and the first operation involves the user setting time information corresponding to a first viewing area via the time input unit. Figure 10 As shown, the "Jump Back 10s" and "Jump Forward 10s" buttons on the touchscreen (1001) directly jump to a point 10 seconds later or earlier than the current image, while the main screen displays the image content at the new moment. Users can then further browse using the trackball or frame selection knob. For example, they can perform a quick browse of multiple frames in the first browsing step and then a detailed browse of a single frame in the second browsing step. Alternatively, they can use the surrounding area of ​​the time jump to 10 seconds later or earlier as the initial coarse-grained viewing range, followed by a detailed browse of a single frame in the second browsing step. The 10s here is just an example; the system allows users to define the actual jump range themselves in the system presets.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first viewing range is set in association with each of the diffusion process of the contrast agent to the target object and the microbubble decay process, the first operation utilizes interactive components that are correspondingly set phase buttons on a touch screen, and the first operation is the operation of pressing each phase button.

[0059] For example, for specific applications such as liver imaging mode, you can set the "arterial phase" button 1101, the "portal vein phase" button 1102, and the "delayed phase" button 1103, corresponding to 10S, 30S, and 60S respectively. Figure 11 As shown, the left side is the editing interface, and the right side is the touchscreen interface after editing. When the user clicks the "Artery Phase" button 1101, the image on the main screen jumps directly to the 10-second timeframe. The user can then further refine the viewing using the trackball or the frame selection knob. Specifically, this provides greater flexibility for coarse positioning, allowing users to edit and set the names and corresponding timeframes of the touchscreen buttons. By associating the initial viewing range of coarse positioning with various medical settings, the comprehensibility of the timeframe settings for doctors can be improved, further enhancing diagnostic efficiency.

[0060] In some embodiments, a device for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images is provided, wherein the ultrasound contrast imaging image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in an imaging mode. Note that the viewing device can be integrated into the ultrasound contrast imaging device or implemented as another device capable of communicating with the ultrasound contrast imaging device to receive ultrasound contrast imaging image data from it. In some embodiments, the viewing device can be located at other terminals, such as, but not limited to, a user's portable terminal, an image station terminal, a cloud server, etc. The imaging mode may include a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, wherein the imaging speed in the first imaging mode is faster than the imaging speed in the second imaging mode, and the range of a first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is determined based on the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode, and the range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the imaging mode is positively correlated with the imaging speed corresponding to the imaging mode.

[0061] Specifically, the viewing device may include an interactive component, a processor, and a display. Implementations of the interactive component, processor, and display according to various embodiments of this disclosure can be incorporated herein, and will not be elaborated upon further.

[0062] In some embodiments, the interactive component may be configured to: perform a first operation by a user setting a first viewing range with a first browsing step of multiple frames; and perform a second operation by the user on a viewing neighborhood including the first viewing range with a second browsing step of a single frame. The processor may be configured to execute the ultrasound contrast imaging image viewing method and its various steps according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The display may be configured to present a corresponding image or interface of the located viewing range under the control of the processor.

[0063] In some embodiments, the interactive component may be configured to: allow a user to perform a first operation to set a first viewing range in a first browsing step of multiple frames; and allow a user to perform a fifth operation to set an automatic viewing mode. The processor may be configured to: receive the first operation by the user via the interactive component to set the first viewing range in a first browsing step of multiple frames; in response to detecting the first operation, locate the ultrasound contrast image data to a viewing neighborhood encompassing the first viewing range; receive the fifth operation by the user to set an automatic viewing mode; and in response to the fifth operation, cause the ultrasound contrast image data to begin automatic playback in the viewing neighborhood encompassing the first viewing range in a single-frame manner, wherein the automatic playback speed is lower than the imaging speed of the second imaging mode. The display may be configured to: present an image corresponding to the located viewing range under the control of the processor.

[0064] In some embodiments, a device for viewing dynamic images may be provided. The viewing device may include an interactive component, a processor, and a display. Implementations of the interactive component, processor, and display according to various embodiments of this disclosure can be combined with those described herein, and will not be elaborated further.

[0065] The interactive component can be configured as follows: the user performs a first operation to set a first viewing range with a first browsing step size of multiple frames; the user performs a second operation to view the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range with a second browsing step size, wherein the second browsing step size is smaller than the first browsing step size.

[0066] The processor can be configured to perform the following steps when dynamic image data comprising multiple frames is opened for manual viewing: A first user action can be detected. In response to detecting the first action, the dynamic image data is located in a viewing neighborhood encompassing a first viewing range. A second user action can be detected. In response to detecting the second action, the current image frame corresponding to the user's second action is determined within the viewing neighborhood encompassing the first viewing range, and the dynamic image data is further located in an image frame that is forward or backward by a single second browsing step from the current image frame.

[0067] The display can be configured to display the corresponding image for the positioned viewing area.

[0068] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement part or all of the processing of a method for viewing ultrasound contrast images or moving images according to various embodiments of this disclosure. This part or all of the processing can be implemented as a computer program. The program can be stored in various types of non-transitory computer-readable media and can be provided to a computer. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., floppy disks, magnetic tapes, and hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), flash memory ROM, and random access memory (RAM)). The program can be provided to a computer via various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of transient computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The transient computer-readable media can provide the program to a computer via a wired communication path (e.g., wires and optical fibers) or a wireless communication path.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as needed without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for viewing ultrasound contrast imaging images, wherein the ultrasound contrast imaging image data is image data generated by an ultrasound contrast imaging device in imaging mode, characterized in that, The imaging modes include a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, and the viewing method includes, by a processor, when the ultrasound contrast image data to be viewed is opened for manual viewing: When the ultrasound contrast image data to be viewed is the first contrast image data obtained by the first imaging mode, the first range of the first browsing step size is displayed; Receive a user’s first selection operation for the first range, determine a first target browsing step size for the first imaging mode in response to the first selection operation, and locate the first contrast image data to a viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range based on the first target browsing step size. When the ultrasound contrast image data to be viewed is the second contrast image data obtained by the second imaging mode, the second range of the first browsing step is displayed; Receive a second selection operation from the user for the second range, determine a second target browsing step size for the second imaging mode in response to the second selection operation, and locate the second contrast image data to a viewing neighborhood that includes the second viewing range based on the second target browsing step size; Wherein, the first imaging mode has a higher frame rate / roll rate than the second imaging mode, the first range is positively correlated with the imaging frame rate / roll rate corresponding to the first imaging mode, the second range is positively correlated with the imaging frame rate / roll rate corresponding to the second imaging mode, and the setting range of the first browsing step size corresponding to the first range is greater than the setting range of the first browsing step size in the second range.

2. The viewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The user performs a second operation on the viewing neighborhood containing the first / second viewing range with a second browsing step of a single frame; and In response to detecting the second operation, the current image frame corresponding to when the user performed the second operation is determined in the viewing neighborhood including the first / second viewing range, and the first / second contrast image data is further located to the adjacent frames of the current image frame for the user to view frame by frame.

3. The viewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The viewing neighborhood that includes the first / second viewing range is the viewing range between the start time of the first / second viewing range or an earlier time and the end time of the first viewing range or a later time.

4. The viewing method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The start time of the viewing neighborhood is advanced by a first threshold relative to the start time of the first / second viewing range, and the end time of the viewing neighborhood is delayed by a second threshold relative to the end time of the first / second viewing range. The first threshold and the second threshold are predefined and / or adjusted by the user.

5. The viewing method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The viewing range is set in relation to various stages of the contrast agent's diffusion process and microbubble decay process on the target object.

6. The viewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The viewing method also includes: Receive a first activation operation to initiate the first imaging mode, and in response to the first activation operation, acquire image data including the microbubble diffusion process using the first imaging mode to obtain the first contrast image data; and / or Receive a second activation operation to initiate the second imaging mode, and in response to the second activation operation, obtain the second contrast image data.

7. The viewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes, by the processor: Present the user with a prompt to select manual viewing mode; In response to the user's fourth action of selecting manual viewing mode, the interactive interface corresponding to the manual viewing mode is presented to the user.

8. The viewing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes, by the processor: Present the user with a prompt to select the automatic viewing mode; In response to the user's fifth operation of selecting the automatic viewing mode, the interactive interface corresponding to the automatic viewing mode is presented to the user; The interactive interface corresponding to the automatic viewing mode displays a selectable option for playback speed.

9. The viewing method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The ultrasound image data to be viewed is determined by scrolling the trackball to determine the first / second viewing range for manual viewing.

10. The viewing method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second operation is either a scrolling operation of the trackball or a rotation operation of the knob.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The ultrasound image data to be viewed can also be manually viewed by clicking on the touch buttons of the touch screen, or by receiving gestures from the gesture sensing component.

12. A method for viewing dynamic images, used to view dynamic image data including multiple frames, characterized in that, The viewing method includes, by a processor, when dynamic image data comprising multiple frames of images to be viewed is opened for manual viewing: The system receives a first operation from a user via an interactive component to set a first viewing range with a first viewing step size of multiple frames, wherein the first viewing step size of the multiple frames is selected from multiple step size levels corresponding to the dynamic image data. In response to detecting the first operation, the dynamic image data is located in a viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range; The user performs a second operation on a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range via an interactive component with a second browsing step size, wherein the second browsing step size is smaller than the first browsing step size; as well as In response to detecting the second operation, the current image frame corresponding to when the user performs the second operation is determined in the viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range, and the dynamic image data is further positioned to the image frame after moving forward or backward by a single second browsing step for the user to view.

13. The viewing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second browsing step size is the step size of a single frame, allowing the user to view the content frame by frame.

14. The viewing method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The viewing neighborhood that includes the first viewing range is the viewing range between the start time or earlier of the first viewing range and the end time or later of the first viewing range.

15. The viewing method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The start time of the viewing neighborhood is advanced by a first threshold relative to the start time of the first viewing range, and the end time of the viewing neighborhood is delayed by a second threshold relative to the end time of the first viewing range. The first threshold and the second threshold are predefined and / or adjusted by the user.

16. The viewing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first operation utilizes an interactive component including a trackball, and the first operation is a user's scrolling operation on the trackball. The second operation utilizes an interactive component including a knob, and the second operation is a user's rotation operation on the knob.

17. The viewing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, A single trackball serves as an interactive component for both the first and second operations, which are user scrolling operations on the single trackball to achieve browsing steps of multiple frames and a single frame, respectively.

18. The viewing method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each interactive component is implemented via touch buttons on the touchscreen and / or via gesture sensing components.

19. The viewing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first operation utilizes a time input unit on a touchscreen as the interactive component, and the first operation involves the user setting time information corresponding to a first viewing range via the time input unit.

20. The viewing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, It also includes, by the processor, prior to detecting a first operation by which the user sets a first viewing range via an interactive element in a first browsing step of multiple frames: The system detects user clicks on the progress bar, locates the dynamic image data to the third viewing area corresponding to the clicked position on the progress bar, and displays the corresponding image within the third viewing area. After presenting the image corresponding to the third viewing range, the first operation of receiving the user setting the first viewing range via the interaction component in multiple frames of the first browsing step is performed.

21. An ultrasonic device, characterized in that, The ultrasonic device includes: The interactive component is constructed as follows: a first operation is performed by the user to set a first viewing range with a first browsing step of multiple frames; and a second operation is performed by the user on the viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range with a second browsing step of a single frame. A processor configured to perform the image viewing method according to any one of claims 1-20; and A display configured to present a corresponding image or interface for the positioned viewing area under the control of the processor.

Images