630 results about "Diagnostic ultrasound" patented technology

A handheld diagnostic ultrasound device is disclosed which is pocket sized, lightweight and is designed for clear imaging under adverse lighting conditions by utilizing a custom Head Mounted Display (HMD). The handheld diagnostic ultrasound device comprises a removable probe and a removable HMD that connects to the personal digital assistant (PDA) style control unit. The handheld diagnostic ultrasound device may be viewed on the VGA LCD Display on the diagnostic ultrasound device or on the HMD. Images obtained may be stored to a secure digital flash or transferred via USB (Universal Serial Bus) or wireless link to a remote computer system for further processing or archiving. The handheld diagnostic ultrasound device is based on a dual-core processor that achieves a level of integration not previously attainable in a handheld diagnostic ultrasound device.

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment is equipped with an ultrasonic probe that transmits/receives ultrasound to/from an examined body, a probe position sensor that detects the position and the direction of the ultrasonic probe, an image generator that generates image data based upon the output of the ultrasonic probe, a probe position sensor that detects the position and the direction of a puncture probe inserted into the examined body, a display image generator that generates the data of a display image in which the end position of the puncture probe is fixed to a specific position in an image display area according to the position and the direction of the ultrasonic probe and the position and the direction of the puncture probe based upon the image data and a display for displaying the display image in the image display area.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system has independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

An ultrasound imaging and therapy system is provided that includes an ultrasound probe and a diagnostic module to control the probe to obtain diagnostic ultrasound signals from a region of interest (ROI) of the patient. The ROI includes adipose tissue and the diagnostic module generates a diagnostic image of the ROI based on the ultrasound signals obtained. The system also includes a display to display the image of the ROI and a user interface to accept user inputs to designate a treatment space within the ROI that corresponds to the adipose tissue. The display displays the treatment space on the image. The system also includes a therapy module to control the probe to deliver, during a therapy session, a therapy to a treatment location based on a therapy parameter. The treatment location is within the treatment space defined by the user inputs.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system offers independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with, for example, internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

To carry out objective or definitive diagnosis on the basis of an elastic image regardless of experience and proficiency, a method of displaying an elastic image includes the steps of measuring ultrasound cross-section data of a cross-section region of a subject by applying pressuring to the subject, determining a physical value correlating with the elasticity of tissue in the cross-section region on the basis of the ultrasound cross-section data, generating an elastic image of the cross-section region on the basis of the physical value and displaying the elastic image on a display device, determine compression state information relating to the compression state of the cross-section region on the basis of the pressure applied to the subject, and displaying the compression state information together with the elastic image on the display device.

A diagnostic ultrasound system is provided for automatically displaying multiple planes from a 3-D ultrasound data set. The system comprises a user interface for designating a reference plane, wherein the user interface provides a safe view position option and a restore reference plane option. A processor module maps the reference plane into a 3D ultrasound data set and automatically calculates image planes based on the reference plane for a current view position and a prior view position. A display is provided to selectively display the image planes associated with the current and prior reference planes. Memory stores the prior reference plane in response to selection of the save reference plane option, while the display switches from display of the current reference plane to restore the prior reference plane in response to selection of the restore reference plane option. Optionally, the memory may store coordinates in connection with the current and prior reference planes.

An ultrasound transducer includes an array of PZT elements mounted on a non-recessed distal surface of a backing block. Between each element and the backing block is a conductive region formed as a portion of a metallic layer sputtered onto the distal surface. Traces on a longitudinally extending circuit board—preferably, a substantially rigid printed circuit board, which may be embedded within the block—connect the conductive region, and thus the PZT element, with any conventional external ultrasound imaging system. A substantially “T” or “inverted-L” shaped electrode is thereby formed for each element, with no need for soldering. At least one longitudinally extending metallic member mounted on a respective lateral surface of the backing block forms a heat sink and a common electrical ground. A thermally and electrically conductive layer, such as of foil, transfers heat from at least one matching layer mounted on the elements to the metallic member.

The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, ultrasound image generation apparatus and method transmit ultrasound waves to a subject into which a puncture tool is inserted, receive reflected waves reflected from the subject and the puncture tool, and generate echo signals of time-sequential frames based on the received reflected waves, and generate an ultrasound image of the subject based on the generated echo signals. These apparatus and method generate a differential echo signal between time-sequential frames from the echo signals, perform a tip detection process based on the differential echo signal to thereby detect at least one tip candidate including a tip end of the puncture tool, highlight a tip candidate of the puncture tool detected to thereby generate a tip image, and display the tip image of the highlighted puncture tool so as to be superimposed on the generated ultrasound image.

In a medical ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, a reference image and a guidance display are provided as probe operation support information. The reference image contains a recorded probe mark generated based on coordinate data recorded during a past diagnosis and a current probe mark generated based on current coordinate data. A user adjusts a position and an orientation of a probe so that these marks match. The guidance display has a plurality of indicators provided corresponding to a plurality of coordinate components. Each indicator displays proximity and match for each coordinate component. With the probe operation support information, it is possible to quickly and easily match a current diagnosis part to a past diagnosis part.

In a high-resolution flow mode, a diagnostic ultrasound apparatus and a diagnostic ultrasound method that provide an image of blood flow or perfusion is provided with higher sensitivity and high resolution, which makes it possible to precisely observe the presence of fine blood vessels. In this apparatus, by scanning means (81 to 83), with a ultrasound pulse having a wideband frequency characteristic transmitting at least two times in the same direction within an object, a cross section to be imaged therein is scanned to obtain an echo signal at each time of transmission. By processing means 84, highpass filtering or differential processing is performed with rows of data in the time axis direction of an echo signal acquired at each sample location in the cross section, so that signals from blood flow are extracted. By producing means 85, the processed signals are produced into data of luminance or power. This data is displayed by displaying means 86 as a high-resolution color (flow) image or grayscale flow image indicative of blood flow or perfusion.

A method for performing enhanced ultrasound diagnostic breast imaging includes using first and second compression plates (62,64) configured for receiving and compressing a breast between the same. The breast extends from a chest wall (118) of a patient at a proximate end to a nipple at a distal end. Portions of the breast proximate the nipple and proximate lateral edges of the breast are in non-contact with the second compression plate during breast compression. An ultrasound transducer array (68) moves along a path to scan the breast, the ultrasound transducer array being disposed adjacent a side of the second plate (64) opposite the breast. Image data representative of the breast is acquired as the ultrasound transducer array (68) traverses the path. Acquiring image data includes using electronic beam steering with the ultrasound transducer array to acquire image data in either or both (i) a portion (116) of the breast proximate the chest wall and (ii) a portion of the breast in non-contact with the second plate (122).

An ultrasound imaging and therapy system that includes an ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnostic module to control the probe to obtain diagnostic ultrasound signals from a region of interest (ROI). The ROI includes adipose tissue and non-adipose tissue. The diagnostic module analyzes the diagnostic ultrasound signals and automatically differentiates adipose tissue from non-adipose tissue. The system also includes an ultrasound therapy module to control the probe to deliver, during a therapy session, a therapy at a treatment location based on a therapy parameter to the adipose tissue differentiated by the ultrasound diagnostic module. A method for delivering therapy to a region of interest (ROI) in a patient is also provided.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the present invention has: an image generator configured to execute transmission/reception of ultrasound waves to chronologically generate ultrasound image data of plural frames; a multiresolution decomposition part configured to hierarchically perform multiresolution decomposition on the ultrasound image data to acquire first-order to n^th-order (n represents a natural number of 2 or more) low-band decomposition image data and first-order to n^th-order high-band decomposition image data; a feature amount calculator configured to calculate a feature amount based on the acquired low-band decomposition image data; a filtering processor configured to perform a filtering operation on the calculated feature amount; and a multiresolution composition part configured to execute multiresolution composition using the low-band decomposition image data and high-band decomposition image data to generate a composite image. Thus, the apparatus can efficiently reduce change in speckle/noise in the temporal direction and perform a process without a time phase delay.

We describe a method for opening the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using ultrasound and preformed microbubbles. With this method, diagnostic or therapeutic agents may be administered to the brain. This method can open a focal region of the BBB and administer agents in a targeted fashion or the method can open large regions (or the entirety) of the brain for more global administration of agents. In one embodiment, the method can be used to administer contrast agents (e.g., agents that increase or decrease the magnetic resonance imaging signal) to the brain and thereby improve the quality or information content of imaging data. In another embodiment, a standard clinical diagnostic ultrasound scanner can be used to open specific regions of the BBB and administer diagnostic or therapeutic agents. Importantly, this invention can open the BBB in a non-destructive/non-invasive fashion, allowing the subject to be awake and suffer no detectable side effects.

In a diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, an ultrasound pulse signal is transmitted two times in each of the rasters on a region to be scanned. Subtraction between echo signals received at each time of transmission is made to obtain a difference signal. Either one of the echo signals and the difference signal are produced into individual tomographic images, independently of each other. The produced individual tomographic images are displayed with a superposed manner one on the other or parallel-arranged manner. This allows contrast echo imaging to be conducted on a rate subtraction imaging technique. Minute blood flows are depicted distinguishably from tissue surrounding those flows in a steady manner.

The present invention describes a system for use with a core module for diagnostic ultrasound, the system comprising at least one core module having a housing, system electronics package and a I/O port and one or more docking station(s) in electronic communication with a plurality of peripheral devices, the docking station capable of releasable connection to the core module. The invention further details the individual modular components of the system, being a receptacle connector, a docking station, a multiple transducer adaptor and a mobile docking station.

An ultrasonic diagnosis system and strain distribution display method utilizing an ultrasonic probe for performing transmission/reception of ultrasonic signals to/from a subject, a storage arrangement for storing the properties of signals detected with the ultrasonic probe, a correlation computer for calculating a correlation coefficient between the properties with and without pressure applied to the subject, and a phase difference between the received signals with and without application of pressure, based upon the properties stored in the storage arrangement with and without pressure applied to the subject, a computer for calculating a displacement of each measurement point, and a strain distribution of tissue of the subject due to application of pressure, based upon the correlation coefficient and phase difference calculated by the correlation computer, and a display for displaying the strain distribution.

A protective thin film adhesive dressing 10 is disclosed for use during diagnostic ultrasound exams and therapeutic ultrasound treatments. Thin film dressing 10 accommodates and covers various shaped transducers 22 and provides a sterile contact surface between a transducer's acoustic window 24 and a body 34, human or animal. Thin film dressing 10 is transparent, ultra light weight and does not change the shape or dimensions of an ultrasound probe 22 during use. Ultrasound wave freely traverse thin film dressing 10 without have a contact media such a gel 20 between acoustic window 24 and the inner surface of thin film dressing 10.