Ultrasound system automatic adjustment method, device, medium, and product

Abstract

The application discloses an ultrasonic system automatic adjustment method, device, medium and product, and belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic probes. The ultrasonic system automatic adjustment method introduces an ultrasonic image to directly and visually monitor and evaluate the coupling state of a water bag and a target object in real time, and performs closed-loop automatic adjustment based on the same, thereby effectively overcoming the limitation of relying only on a water pressure signal. The application can accurately perceive the actual shape of the water bag and the contact state of the water bag and the target object, thereby realizing collaborative and accurate control of a focusing depth and a coupling state. The application significantly improves the consistency and efficiency of operation and reduces the dependence on the experience of an operator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ultrasonic probe technology, and in particular to automatic adjustment methods, equipment, media and products for ultrasonic systems. Background Technology

[0002] In focused ultrasound therapy, the ultrasound waves emitted by the treatment head need to be transmitted to human tissue through a coupling medium. A common treatment head structure includes a water bladder fixed to the ultrasound emitting surface, filled with degassed water or other media. The shape, pressure, and contact state of the water bladder with the body surface directly affect the ultrasound path, focus positioning accuracy, and energy transfer efficiency. Currently, the control of the water bladder mainly relies on closed-loop control by monitoring its internal pressure, i.e., starting, stopping, or adjusting the speed of the water pump based on the water pressure signal. However, this control method based on a single physical quantity has significant limitations: it cannot accurately sense and control the actual three-dimensional shape of the water bladder, leading to inaccurate focus depth adjustment; at the same time, it is difficult to assess the coupling quality between the water bladder and the skin surface in real time (such as the presence of gaps or air bubbles), which easily causes acoustic energy loss and treatment deviation. In addition, this method lacks effective tracking and compensation capabilities for physiological micro-movements caused by breathing, heartbeat, etc. during treatment, which may lead to focus shift. Crucially, adjusting the water volume directly alters the intracystic pressure, causing the two control objectives of "sound path adjustment" and "pressure stability" to interfere with each other and become difficult to decouple, thus limiting the final precision and stability of the treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems in existing focused ultrasound therapy that rely solely on water pressure control, such as inaccurate control of the water bladder shape, difficulty in real-time assessment of coupling status, and the mutual coupling between sound path and pressure regulation, this paper provides an automatic adjustment method, device, medium, and product for an ultrasound system that aims to achieve dynamic perception of water bladder shape and coupling status based on ultrasound imaging and perform closed-loop automatic adjustment accordingly.

[0004] This application provides an automatic adjustment method for an ultrasound system, including:

[0005] Ultrasonic images containing a water bladder were acquired using an ultrasonic probe;

[0006] Based on the ultrasound image, the coupling state between the water bag and the target object is obtained;

[0007] Determine whether the coupling state meets the preset coupling conditions;

[0008] When the coupling state does not meet the preset coupling conditions, the relative state between the water bag and the target object is adjusted according to a preset strategy so that the coupling state meets the preset coupling conditions.

[0009] Optionally, obtaining the coupling state between the water bag and the target object based on the ultrasound image includes:

[0010] The ultrasound image is processed to extract the water sac outline of the water sac;

[0011] The coupling state is determined based on the water bladder profile.

[0012] Optionally, processing the ultrasound image to extract the water sac contour includes:

[0013] The ultrasound image is preprocessed to enhance the contour features of the water bladder and obtain the information to be identified.

[0014] Edge detection is performed on the information to be identified to obtain the outline of the water bladder.

[0015] Optionally, determining the coupling state based on the water bladder contour includes:

[0016] Extract the echo lines from the surface layer of the target object from the ultrasound image;

[0017] The coupling state is determined based on the positional relationship between the water bladder contour and the echo line;

[0018] The preset coupling conditions include: within the acoustic channel range of ultrasound therapy, the water bag is in continuous contact with the surface of the target object;

[0019] When the deviation between the water bladder contour and the echo line within the acoustic channel range exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to be a probe angle deviation.

[0020] Optionally, determining the coupling state based on the water bladder contour further includes:

[0021] Obtain the curve shape of the water bladder contour;

[0022] If the curve appears as a wavy line or an irregular shape, it is determined that the water bladder is not fully filled.

[0023] Optionally, the preset strategy is at least one of the following:

[0024] Adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder; or,

[0025] Adjust the mechanical device that drives the ultrasonic probe or water bag to change the position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the target object.

[0026] Optionally, after the coupling state meets the preset coupling condition, dynamic tracking is also included:

[0027] The relative displacement information between the water bag and the target object is acquired in real time or periodically.

[0028] Based on the relative displacement information, the internal pressure of the water bladder is adjusted or the robotic arm is controlled to move in the opposite direction to counteract the relative displacement, so that the coupling state is maintained in accordance with the preset coupling conditions.

[0029] This application provides an electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

[0030] One or more processors; and

[0031] A memory storing computer program instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps of the above method.

[0032] This application provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the above-described method.

[0033] This application provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the above-described method.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are as follows:

[0035] In this technical solution, the automatic adjustment method of the ultrasonic system of this application introduces ultrasonic imaging to perform real-time and direct visual monitoring and evaluation of the coupling state between the water bladder and the target object, and performs closed-loop automatic adjustment based on this, effectively overcoming the limitations of relying solely on water pressure signals. This application can accurately perceive the actual shape of the water bladder and its contact state with the target object, thereby achieving coordinated and precise control of the focusing depth and coupling state; the automated adjustment significantly improves the consistency and efficiency of operation, and reduces the reliance on operator experience. Attached Figure Description

[0036] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of one embodiment of the automatic adjustment method for the ultrasound system described in this application;

[0038] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for obtaining the coupling state between a water bladder and a target object according to an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 3This is a flowchart illustrating a method for extracting the contour of a water bladder according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining the coupling state in one embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the automatic adjustment method for the ultrasound system described in this application.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the gap between the water sac and the skin surface as seen in ultrasound imaging.

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the good adhesion between the water sac and the skin surface as displayed by ultrasound imaging;

[0044] Figure 8 This is an exemplary structural diagram of the electronic device of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The advantages of this application are further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0046] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0047] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0048] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the numerical labels before the steps do not indicate the order of the steps, but are only used to facilitate the description of this application and to distinguish each step, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0050] In existing ultrasound therapy, the method of controlling the water pump solely based on water pressure sensor signals lacks direct perception of the actual shape of the water sac, making it difficult to accurately control its shape and volume, thus limiting the control precision in focused ultrasound therapy. To address the above problem, the automatic adjustment method for the ultrasound system provided in this embodiment can directly extract multi-dimensional geometric information such as the contour, thickness, and position of the water sac by processing ultrasound images acquired by the ultrasound probe in real time. This provides the control algorithm with a richer visual feedback dimension beyond a single pressure signal, ultimately achieving more precise closed-loop adjustment of the water sac's shape.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, this application provides an automatic adjustment method for an ultrasound system, comprising the following steps:

[0052] S1. Acquire ultrasound images containing the water bladder using an ultrasound probe;

[0053] S2. Based on the ultrasound image, obtain the coupling state between the water bag and the target object;

[0054] S3. Determine whether the coupling state meets the preset coupling conditions;

[0055] The preset coupling condition is that the gap distance represented by the coupling state is less than or equal to a preset gap threshold (e.g., 0.3 mm).

[0056] S4. When the coupling state does not meet the preset coupling conditions, adjust the relative state between the water bag and the target object according to the preset strategy so that the coupling state meets the preset coupling conditions.

[0057] In this embodiment, the automatic adjustment method for the ultrasound system can be applied to focused ultrasound therapy scenarios. This method introduces ultrasound imaging to perform real-time, direct visual monitoring and evaluation of the coupling state between the water bag and the target object, and performs closed-loop automatic adjustment based on this, effectively overcoming the limitations of relying solely on water pressure signals. This application can accurately perceive the actual shape of the water bag and its contact state with the target object, thereby achieving coordinated and precise control of the focusing depth and coupling state; the automated adjustment significantly improves the consistency and efficiency of operation, reducing reliance on operator experience.

[0058] In an alternative embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, step S2 may include the following steps:

[0059] S21. Process the ultrasound image to extract the water sac outline of the water sac;

[0060] S22. Determine the coupling state based on the water bladder profile.

[0061] In this embodiment, the automatic adjustment method of the ultrasound system can be applied to an ultrasound therapy device. The ultrasound probe's water bladder is pressed against the human body surface. The ultrasound image acquired in real time by the ultrasound probe simultaneously includes the contours of the inner and outer membranes of the water bladder and the target object below (e.g., human tissue). The image is processed to extract the contour information of the water bladder. Then, based on this contour information, the coupling state between the water bladder and the skin is determined quantitatively or qualitatively (e.g., by calculating the distance or fit between the echo lines of the inner membrane of the water bladder and the skin surface to assess the gap or contact quality). In this way, the system can directly convert ultrasound image information into an objective evaluation of the actual shape of the water bladder and its contact with the body surface, thereby providing direct visual evidence for subsequent precise control. This effectively overcomes the limitations of relying solely on pressure signals to indirectly infer the shape and improves the accuracy and reliability of coupling state judgment.

[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, step S21 may include the following steps:

[0063] S211. Perform image preprocessing on the ultrasound image to enhance the contour features of the water bladder and obtain the information to be identified;

[0064] Specifically, the image preprocessing includes at least one of the following:

[0065] Noise reduction, grayscale normalization, contrast enhancement based on the echo characteristics of the water bladder membrane, and edge strength enhancement.

[0066] S212. Perform edge detection on the information to be identified to obtain the outline of the water bladder.

[0067] In this embodiment, step S211, the processing of the ultrasound image, includes a robust process: first, preprocessing is performed by selecting a region of interest (ROI) and applying morphological operations and filtering (such as Gaussian filtering, nonlocal mean denoising, or wavelet threshold denoising) to suppress noise and preserve structure; subsequently, local contrast is enhanced using gray-level normalization and contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) for the high echo characteristics of the water bladder membrane; and then edges are strengthened using operators such as the Sobel operator. In step S212, based on the processed image, the system can employ traditional edge detection algorithms such as the Canny edge detection algorithm, or introduce deep learning models such as U-Net convolutional neural networks and region-based masked convolutional neural networks (MaskR-CNN) to achieve accurate identification and contour extraction of the water bladder membrane. This embodiment, by integrating traditional image processing and advanced recognition technologies, significantly improves the ability to automatically and accurately extract the contour of the water bladder under different image quality and imaging conditions, providing a stable and reliable foundation for subsequent quantitative analysis.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, step S22 may include the following steps:

[0069] S221. Extract the echo lines of the surface layer of the target object from the ultrasound image;

[0070] S222. Determine the coupling state based on the positional relationship between the water bladder contour and the echo line.

[0071] The preset coupling conditions include: within the acoustic channel range of ultrasound therapy, the water bag is in continuous contact with the surface of the target object;

[0072] When the deviation between the water bladder contour and the echo line within the acoustic channel range exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to be a probe angle deviation.

[0073] In this embodiment, step S22 automatically assesses the coupling state of the water bladder and skin by processing ultrasound images: step S221 extracts the water bladder contour while identifying and extracting the echo lines on the skin surface; step S222 determines the coupling state by analyzing the positional relationship between the two. The preset coupling conditions include: within the acoustic channel range of ultrasound treatment, the water bladder and the target object surface are in continuous contact. To objectively identify decoupling, based on the principle that when the water bladder and skin are in close contact, the image shows continuous and uniform echoes, while the presence of air bubbles or gaps will form local low-echo dark areas, the image is quantitatively analyzed: first, a grayscale threshold is set, and pixel areas below the threshold are initially identified as potential decoupling areas; then, morphological dilation and erosion operations are applied to eliminate noise interference, forming connected low-echo patches; finally, by judging whether the area of ​​these patches exceeds a preset decoupling area threshold, it is automatically determined whether decoupling has occurred. Furthermore, when the deviation in the degree of contact between the water bladder contour and the echo lines within the acoustic channel range exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to be a probe angle deviation. This method transforms the judgment of coupling state into an objective and quantitative analysis based on image features, realizing the automatic and accurate identification of decoupling phenomena, significantly reducing the reliance on the operator's subjective experience, and improving the consistency and reliability of the evaluation results, providing an immediate and accurate decision-making basis for subsequent automatic adjustment.

[0074] As an example, and not a limitation, in focused ultrasound ablation treatment of breast fibroadenomas, the ultrasound probe is attached to the patient's breast surface via a water-filled balloon. At the start of treatment, the system monitors the coupling status using real-time ultrasound imaging, automatically segmenting the boundaries of the inner and outer membranes of the water-filled balloon and the echo lines on the skin surface. If the water-filled balloon contour and the echo lines are tightly fitted on one side within the acoustic channel, while a significant gap appears on the other side, and the deviation exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to be a probe angle deviation. The system immediately instructs the robotic arm to perform a slight tilt rotation to adjust the ultrasound probe's posture until the fit within the acoustic channel is continuous and uniform. A continuous hypoechoic dark area appears between the outer membrane of the water-filled balloon and the skin echo lines; if the calculated average gap is greater than 0.3 mm, it is determined to be local decoupling (e.g., Figure 6 As shown, the hypoechoic / black area on the left side of the ultrasound image is decoupled. At this point, the system automatically triggers a compensation mechanism according to a preset strategy. If it is determined that the decoupling is due to insufficient local filling of the water bladder, a micro-pump is activated first to inject a small amount of coupling fluid into the bladder, causing a slight adjustment in the bladder's shape to re-adhere to the skin and eliminate the gap. If it is determined to be a slight deviation in the probe angle, the robotic arm is instructed to perform a small tilt rotation to adjust the ultrasound probe's posture. The entire adjustment process is performed in a closed loop under the feedback of real-time imaging until the hypoechoic area disappears from the ultrasound image, and the water bladder and skin regain uniform and continuous adhesion (e.g., Figure 7 As shown, A1 represents the depth of focus, A2 represents the depth of the water sac, and A3 represents the subcutaneous depth. Figure 7(This illustrates the relationship between the water bladder depth, subcutaneous depth, and focusing depth). This process enables automatic and rapid identification and compensation of coupling defects, ensuring stable transmission of ultrasound energy throughout the treatment.

[0075] In an optional embodiment, step S22 may further include the following steps:

[0076] Obtain the curve shape of the water bladder contour;

[0077] If the curve shape is wavy or irregular, rather than a U-shape that is symmetrical in the normal filling state, it is determined that the water bladder is not fully filled.

[0078] In this embodiment, the focused ultrasound therapy system monitors the inflation status of the water bladder using real-time ultrasound imaging. The system extracts the contour curve of the water bladder from the ultrasound image and compares it with a pre-stored standard U-shaped curve under normal inflation conditions. If the amount of fluid in the water bladder is insufficient due to prolonged use or insufficient water pump supply, the water bladder contour curve will appear wavy or irregular, rather than a normal symmetrical U-shape. In this case, the system automatically determines that the water bladder is underinflated and immediately triggers a water replenishment procedure: starting the water pump to slowly inject degassed water into the water bladder, while simultaneously tracking the contour curve changes in real time until the curve returns to a smooth, symmetrical U-shape. The entire determination and water replenishment process requires no manual intervention, effectively avoiding poor local contact or sound path calculation errors caused by water bladder collapse, ensuring stable adhesion between the water bladder and the skin surface and precise control of the focused depth, thereby guaranteeing efficient and safe transmission of ultrasound energy.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, the preset strategy is at least one of the following:

[0080] Adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder; or,

[0081] Adjust the mechanical device that drives the ultrasonic probe or water bag to change the position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the target object.

[0082] In this embodiment, the preset strategy is triggered when the coupling state is determined to be inconsistent with preset coupling conditions (e.g., decoupling is detected). This preset strategy may prioritize operations that adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder, such as activating a micro-pump to replenish water and change the shape and contact surface of the water bladder; and / or adjusting the mechanical devices driving the ultrasonic probe or the water bladder, such as controlling a robotic arm to perform minute translations or tilt rotations to adjust the position and orientation of the probe relative to the target object. Based on real-time image evaluation of the coupling state, this method automatically selects or combines pressure adjustment and pose adjustment, thereby enabling rapid and precise compensation for gaps or poor contact, achieving dynamic closed-loop optimization of the coupling state.

[0083] In an alternative embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, after the coupling state meets the preset coupling condition, dynamic tracking is also included:

[0084] S5. Acquire the relative displacement information between the water bag and the target object in real time or periodically;

[0085] Furthermore, the relative displacement information can be obtained by analyzing the displacement time series constructed from the water bladder contour and the echo line of the target object in continuously acquired ultrasound images.

[0086] Furthermore, step S5 obtains the relative displacement information between the water bag and the target tissue in real time by analyzing the continuously acquired ultrasound image sequence: Regions of interest (ROIs) or specific feature points containing typical motion characteristics are selected in the ultrasound images, and the motion trajectories of these feature points are tracked using optical flow or template matching algorithms, thereby constructing a displacement sequence over time. Then, by performing Fourier transform or spectral analysis on this displacement time sequence, the frequency components and amplitude information dominated by physiological activities such as respiration and heartbeat can be accurately extracted. This method achieves non-invasive, real-time monitoring of physiological micro-movements, providing direct and quantified motion input for subsequent adaptive dynamic compensation, thereby significantly improving the system's ability to maintain focal stability during treatment.

[0087] S6. Based on the relative displacement information, adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder or control the reverse displacement of the robotic arm to counteract the relative displacement, so that the coupling state remains in accordance with the preset coupling conditions.

[0088] In this embodiment, after the initial coupling is established, the automatic adjustment method of the ultrasound system enters the dynamic tracking stage: Step S5 analyzes the continuously acquired ultrasound image sequence in real time, extracts the relative positional changes of the water bladder contour and the target tissue echo line, constructs a displacement time series, and thus obtains micro-motion information caused by breathing, heartbeat, etc. Step S6 adjusts the internal pressure of the water bladder or controls the reverse displacement of the robotic arm according to the relative displacement information to counteract the relative displacement and maintain the coupling state in accordance with the preset coupling conditions. Specifically, based on the estimated physiological motion frequency, the water bladder pressure is slightly increased to a level higher than the initial value but still significantly lower than the pain threshold, thereby forming a "flexible constraint" to suppress the displacement amplitude of the subcutaneous tissue; at the same time, by coordinating the control of the water pump flow rate and the Z-axis displacement of the driving robotic arm, the thickness (i.e., sound path) of the water bladder is precisely adjusted while maintaining a constant water bladder pressure. This embodiment achieves active suppression of physiological micro-motion and decoupling control of sound path-pressure, thereby continuously stabilizing the coupling state within the preset range during treatment, ensuring the continuous accuracy of the focal position and the stable and efficient energy transfer.

[0089] In the dynamic tracking phase, to actively suppress lesion displacement caused by physiological movements such as breathing and heartbeat to improve focal stability, in step S5: First, a reference point (such as the upper edge of the lesion) is selected in the ultrasound image, which can be located using edge detection, deep learning methods, or grayscale detection-based methods; then, the displacement of the reference point in consecutive frames is tracked using optical flow or template matching (mainly focusing on the Z-axis direction); next, the acquired displacement and time data are subjected to Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or autocorrelation analysis to extract the dominant frequency of the displacement and calculate the displacement peak value; in step S6, based on the real-time displacement signal, the water bladder is inflated and deflated to achieve reverse pressure, thereby offsetting tissue fluctuations and ensuring the precise stability of the focal point.

[0090] Taking focused ultrasound ablation therapy for liver tumors as an example, the ultrasound probe is coupled to the patient's abdominal wall via a water-filled balloon. Initially, the balloon pressure is adjusted and maintained at approximately 8 kPa to establish a stable basic acoustic pathway. Once treatment begins and ultrasound energy is emitted, the system immediately enters dynamic tracking mode. At this point, to suppress periodic micro-movements in the liver and target tissues caused by respiration and heartbeat, the system gradually and gently increases the balloon pressure to approximately 15 kPa based on the real-time monitored physiological movement frequency. This pressure value is within the safe range of the human pain threshold (usually <20 kPa), creating a "soft constraint" by increasing the contact area and tightness between the balloon and the body surface. This constraint effectively limits the displacement of subcutaneous and deep tissues, significantly reducing the drift of the treatment focus due to physiological movement, ensuring that ultrasound energy continuously and accurately acts on the tumor target area, thus improving treatment stability while guaranteeing patient comfort and safety.

[0091] The automatic adjustment method of the ultrasound system calculates the thickness of the water-filled bladder and the depth of the target object (subcutaneous lesion) in real time based on ultrasound images. By simultaneously adjusting the water volume of the water-filled bladder and the Z-axis displacement of the robotic arm, the sound path is independently changed while maintaining a constant target pressure P. This ensures that the ultrasound energy focus is always accurately locked onto the lesion, effectively responding to depth changes caused by breathing or robotic arm movement. To achieve robust control, the system adopts multi-sensor fusion decision-making, integrating water pressure sensor readings, ultrasound image geometric features (such as thickness and curvature), and robotic arm force feedback to construct an anti-interference control strategy, avoiding malfunctions caused by the failure of a single sensor. Finally, a fully automated treatment closed loop is formed, achieving full automation from lesion AI identification, coupling quality assessment, sound path calibration, micro-motion suppression, energy focusing to treatment effect monitoring (based on echo changes), ensuring the accuracy and safety of treatment.

[0092] The automatic adjustment method of the ultrasound system in this application is designed to precisely control the focusing depth of focused ultrasound energy within the human body. Since the entire device is mounted at the end of a robotic arm, the system can dynamically adjust the sound path of the ultrasound waves from the probe to the target tissue, while maintaining a relatively constant water pressure, in coordination with the movement of the robotic arm and the inflow / outflow of water from the water bladder. This ensures the focus remains accurately on the lesion. Combined with the automatic lesion identification function in ultrasound imaging, the system can achieve fully automated focused ultrasound operation from localization to treatment. Furthermore, ultrasound imaging is used to determine in real time whether the water bladder is completely adhered to the skin—i.e., whether there are air bubbles or gaps. Once decoupling (poor contact) is detected, the system automatically triggers water replenishment or fine-tunes the robotic arm posture to re-establish good acoustic coupling, thereby ensuring efficient transmission of ultrasound energy. The dynamic adjustment mechanism of this application can adapt to minor changes in the target position caused by physiological activities during treatment, helping to maintain stable focus tracking and ultimately improving the efficiency of ultrasound energy transmission and the accuracy and safety of treatment.

[0093] It is worth mentioning that all modules involved in this embodiment are logical modules. In practical applications, a logical unit can be a physical unit, a part of a physical unit, or a combination of multiple physical units. Furthermore, to highlight the innovative aspects of this application, this embodiment does not introduce units that are not closely related to solving the technical problems proposed in this application; however, this does not mean that other units are absent in this embodiment.

[0094] Furthermore, some embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device. The electronic device can be various forms of digital computer, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, etc. The electronic device can also be various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and other similar computing devices.

[0095] The electronic device includes: one or more processors; and a memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps of the methods provided in any one or more of the above embodiments. Figure 8An exemplary structural diagram of the electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes one or more processors 1101, a memory 1102, and interfaces for connecting the components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. The components are interconnected via different buses and can be mounted on a common motherboard or otherwise installed as needed. The processors can process instructions executed within the electronic device, including instructions stored in or on memory to display graphical information of a GUI on an external input / output device (such as a display device coupled to the interface). In some other embodiments, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used with multiple memories and multiple memory modules, if desired. Similarly, multiple electronic devices can be connected, each providing some of the necessary operations. The components, their connections and relationships, and their functions shown herein are merely examples and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present application described and / or claimed herein.

[0096] The electronic device may further include an input device 1103 and an output device 1104. The processor 1101, memory 1102, input device 1103 and output device 1104 may be connected by a bus or other means, as shown in the figure, which is connected by a bus.

[0097] Input device 1103 can receive input numerical or character information, and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the electronic device, such as a touch screen, keypad, mouse, trackpad, touchpad, joystick, one or more mouse buttons, trackball, joystick, etc. Output device 1104 may include a display device, auxiliary lighting device (e.g., LED), and haptic feedback device (e.g., vibration motor). The display device may include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, and a plasma display. In some embodiments, the display device may be a touch screen.

[0098] To provide interaction with the user, the electronic device can be a computer. The computer has: a display device (e.g., a cathode ray tube or LCD monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (e.g., voice input or tactile input).

[0099] In this embodiment, a computer-readable medium stores a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the methods provided in any one or more of the above embodiments. This computer-readable medium may be included in the electronic device described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into that device. The aforementioned computer-readable medium carries one or more computer-readable instructions.

[0100] The memory 1102 can serve as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, used to store non-transitory software programs, non-transitory computer-executable programs, and modules. The processor 1101 executes various functional applications and data processing of the server by running the non-transitory software programs, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 1102, thereby implementing the program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods provided in any one or more of the embodiments described above in this application.

[0101] The memory 1102 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the electronic device. Furthermore, the memory 1102 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1102 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor 1101, and these remote memories can be connected to the electronic device via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0102] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium described in this application can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. Computer-readable media can be, for example, but not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory, read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this application, a computer-readable medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0103] Computer-readable media include permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media, which can store information by any method or technology. Information can be computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory, static random access memory, dynamic random access memory, other types of random access memory, read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, flash memory or other memory technologies, read-only optical discs, digital versatile optical discs or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transfer medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device.

[0104] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can 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 can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs), or it can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0105] In the above embodiments, all or part of the implementation can be achieved through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, it can be implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a general-purpose computer, or any other similar hardware device. In some embodiments, the software program of this application can be executed by a processor to implement the above steps or functions. Similarly, the software program of this application (including related data structures) can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium, such as RAM memory, magnetic or optical drives, floppy disks, and similar devices. In addition, some steps or functions of this application can be implemented in hardware, for example, as circuitry that cooperates with a processor to perform the various steps or functions.

[0106] The computer program product provided in this application includes one or more computer programs / instructions. When executed by a processor, these computer programs / instructions generate, in whole or in part, the processes or functions described in this application. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state drive), etc.

[0107] The flowcharts or block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-specific system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0108] The scope of this application is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and is therefore intended to encompass all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple units or devices recited in a device claim may also be implemented by a single unit or device in software or hardware. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and do not indicate any particular order, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0109] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims, and the above embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting.

Claims

1. An automatic adjustment method for an ultrasonic system, characterized in that, include: Ultrasonic images containing a water bladder were acquired using an ultrasonic probe; Based on the ultrasound image, the coupling state between the water bag and the target object is obtained; Determine whether the coupling state meets the preset coupling conditions; When the coupling state does not meet the preset coupling condition, the relative state between the water bag and the target object is adjusted according to the preset strategy so that the coupling state meets the preset coupling condition. The step of obtaining the coupling state between the water bag and the target object based on the ultrasound image includes: The ultrasound image is processed to extract the water sac outline of the water sac; The coupling state is determined based on the water bladder profile; Determining the coupling state based on the water bladder contour includes: Extract the echo lines from the surface layer of the target object from the ultrasound image; The coupling state is determined based on the positional relationship between the water bladder contour and the echo line; The preset coupling conditions include: within the acoustic channel range of ultrasound therapy, the water bag is in continuous contact with the surface of the target object; When the deviation between the water bladder outline and the echo line within the acoustic channel range exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to be a probe angle deviation. The preset strategy is at least one of the following: Adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder; or, Adjust the mechanical device that drives the ultrasonic probe or water bag to change the position of the ultrasonic probe relative to the target object; After the coupling state meets the preset coupling condition, dynamic tracking is also included: The relative displacement information between the water bag and the target object is acquired in real time or periodically. Based on the relative displacement information, adjust the internal pressure of the water bladder or control the robotic arm to move in the opposite direction to counteract the relative displacement and maintain the coupling state in accordance with the preset coupling conditions. The relative displacement information is obtained by analyzing the displacement time series constructed from the water bladder contour and the echo line of the target object in continuously acquired ultrasound images. In the dynamic tracking phase, a region of interest or a specific feature point containing typical motion characteristics is selected in the ultrasound image. The motion trajectory of the feature point in the region of interest or the specific feature point is tracked using optical flow or template matching algorithm, thereby constructing a sequence of displacement changes over time. By performing Fourier transform or spectral analysis on the displacement-time sequence, frequency components and amplitude information dominated by physiological activities such as breathing and heartbeat can be extracted. Based on the real-time displacement signal obtained from the sequence of displacement changes over time, the water bladder is inflated and deflated to achieve reverse pressure, thereby counteracting tissue undulations. Based on the real-time calculation of the water bladder thickness and the target object depth using the ultrasonic images, the sound path can be independently changed while maintaining the target pressure P of the water bladder constant by simultaneously adjusting the water volume of the water bladder and the Z-axis displacement of the robotic arm.

2. The automatic adjustment method for an ultrasonic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of processing the ultrasound image to extract the contour of the water sac includes: The ultrasound image is preprocessed to enhance the contour features of the water bladder and obtain the information to be identified. Edge detection is performed on the information to be identified to obtain the outline of the water bladder.

3. The automatic adjustment method for an ultrasonic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the coupling state based on the water bladder contour further includes: Obtain the curve shape of the water bladder outline; If the curve appears as a wavy line or an irregular shape, it is determined that the water bladder is not fully filled.

4. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: One or more processors; and A memory storing computer program instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A computer-readable medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer program / instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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