Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Image Browsing with Dual-Step Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Doctors face inefficiencies when browsing high-frame-rate contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images, as it takes a long time to locate specific frames due to the large number of data frames, hindering diagnosis and clinical research.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allow for efficient browsing of CEUS images by implementing two imaging modes: a first mode with a faster imaging velocity and a second mode with a slower velocity, enabling users to set viewing ranges in multiple frames and switch to single-frame viewing, facilitating rough positioning and fine positioning through interactive operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high frame rate imaging is used to capture microbubble perfusion dynamics, then the imaging quality and diagnostic information are improved, but the time required to browse and locate specific frames increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the browsing process into two distinct phases: coarse browsing for rapid navigation through large ranges of frames, and fine browsing for precise localization of specific frames. This segmentation allows doctors to efficiently search through high-frame-rate CEUS data by first identifying approximate locations of interest, then zooming in for detailed examination, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining high imaging quality and reducing browsing time
2Loss of information
If all contrast-enhanced image data is stored during the limited survival time of the contrast agent, then complete diagnostic information is available for review, but the workload and time required to review the data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data review process into coarse and fine browsing modes, enabling doctors to quickly scan through stored contrast-enhanced image data to identify regions of interest, then focus detailed analysis only on those specific frames. This reduces the overall workload while maintaining access to complete diagnostic information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary coarse browsing to pre-identify frames containing diagnostic information before the doctor begins detailed review. This preliminary action filters out unnecessary frames, reducing the workload of reviewing all stored data while ensuring no diagnostic information is missed
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
Significantly improves browsing efficiency and accuracy in locating specific image frames, reducing the workload and time spent by doctors while ensuring key information is not missed during microbubble perfusion analysis.
Implementation Method 1
When encountering a scatterer, ultrasound may be scattered, and the scattering intensity thereof is related to the size and shape of the scatterer, as well as the difference of acoustic impedance between the scatterer and the surrounding tissue. The scattering of blood to ultrasound is very weak... If a medium (microbubbles) with different acoustic impedance from blood is added to the blood, the scattering in the blood will be enhanced
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for viewing a contrast-enhanced ultrasound image and a dynamic data. The method comprises: receiving a first operation, for setting a first viewing range by a first browsing step length that is multiple frames; in response to the first operation, positioning the image data to a viewing neighborhood containing the first viewing range; receiving a second operation, on the view neighborhood by a second browsing step length that is a single frame; in response to the second operation, determining a current image frame corresponding to when the second operation is performed in the viewing neighborhood, and further positioning the image data to an adjacent frame of the current image frame to the user to view frame by frame. As such, doctors are helped to accurately locate desired image frames to significantly improve browsing efficiency with convenient operation and high user-friendliness to save time and reduce workload.