Ultrasonic Cardiac Wall Tracking via End-Systole Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic diagnostic methods face challenges in accurately evaluating radial strain of the endocardium and epicardium due to poor tracking accuracy when starting the tracking process from End-Diastole, leading to incorrect positioning of the middle layer and subsequent overvaluation of epicardial strain.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method that involves setting ROIs for the inner and outer halves of the tissue at a first time phase, performing a first tracking process using movement vectors, and then setting middle layers equally dividing the ROI at a second time phase as a reference for periodic movement, followed by a second tracking process to accurately track position information throughout the cardiac cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tracking process starts from End-Diastole to evaluate radial strain of endocardium and epicardium, then the diagnostic function is provided, but the tracking accuracy deteriorates leading to incorrect middle layer positioning and overvaluation of epicardial strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional tracking approach by starting the tracking process from End-Systole instead of End-Diastole. This reversal of the tracking direction fundamentally resolves the tracking accuracy problem that occurs when starting from End-Diastole, thereby enabling accurate middle layer positioning and reliable radial strain evaluation of both endocardium and epicardium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary positioning of the middle layer at End-Systole before conducting the tracking process. By establishing the correct middle layer position at the systolic phase as a reference point, the subsequent tracking through the cardiac cycle maintains accuracy, preventing the positioning errors that would otherwise occur.
2Ease of operation
If the middle layer is positioned at the initial contour, then the tracking process is simplified, but the middle layer positioning becomes incorrect causing strain measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the tracking direction to start from End-Systole, the patent ensures that the middle layer positioned at the initial contour corresponds to the correct anatomical position at systole. This inversion resolves the positioning inaccuracy that would otherwise result from starting at End-Diastole, maintaining both operational simplicity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal reference parameter from End-Diastole to End-Systole for middle layer positioning. This parameter change in the timing reference ensures that the middle layer is positioned at the correct anatomical location, thereby eliminating positioning errors while maintaining the simplicity of the tracking process.
3Productivity
If tracking is performed only in the tissue region, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the contour tracking fails due to low-correlation echo pattern at boundary portions
Solution Approach 1:
By reversing the tracking direction to start from End-Systole, the patent encounters fewer boundary tracking failures during the relaxation phase compared to the contraction phase. This inversion reduces the frequency of low-correlation echo patterns at boundaries, thereby maintaining both processing efficiency and tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different tracking strategies to different phases of the cardiac cycle. By starting tracking from End-Systole when the myocardium is relaxed, the boundary portions exhibit better echo correlation, allowing reliable tracking to proceed through the contraction phase without frequent failures, thus maintaining both efficiency and reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the accuracy of radial strain evaluation by maintaining the correct positioning of the middle layer and reducing errors in strain measurement, aligning with clinical knowledge of endocardial and epicardial contraction ratios.
Implementation Method 1
obtains two-dimensional or three-dimensional spatial receiving signals, obtained by scanning a periodically moving patient diagnosis portion through an ultrasonic wave
Data Source
AI summary
In the case where a tracking process of a moving tissue performing a contraction movement and an expansion movement and represented by a cardiac wall is performed for one heartbeat from the ED1 to the ED2, a contour position (tracking point) initially set at the ES (End-Systole) is tracked until ED1 in accordance with movement information, the tracking point is rearranged and a position of a middle layer is set at the ED (End-Diastole), the rearranged tracking point including the position of the middle layer is tracked in accordance with the movement information already obtained, and then the tracking point is further tracked in the normal direction until the ED2. Alternatively, an initial reverse tracking process is performed from the ES to the ED1 by using plural middle layer path candidates, and a path passing through the tracking point existing on the middle layer or contours of inner and outer layers and rearranged at the ED1 is searched, thereby accurately creating and evaluating movement information of each of an endocardium and an epicardium of a cardiac wall.