Medical Imaging Apparatus Tissue Elasticity Quantification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging apparatuses lack the capability to accurately quantify tissue elasticity, which is crucial for effective diagnosis and differentiation between normal and lesion tissues.
Innovation Solution
A medical imaging apparatus and method that displays an elastic image with color mapping based on strain values, allowing users to set target and reference areas to calculate representative strain values and display them in color, enabling precise visualization and analysis of tissue elasticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ultrasonic imaging is used to acquire tissue images, then basic anatomical structure visualization is achieved, but accurate quantification of tissue elasticity is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tissue analysis into distinct functional components: a target area for lesion tissue evaluation and a reference area for normal tissue evaluation. This segmentation allows independent calculation of representative strain values for each area, enabling accurate elasticity quantification without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system maintains multi-functionality by integrating both traditional anatomical imaging capabilities and elastography functionality. The same ultrasonic imaging apparatus performs both structural visualization and elasticity measurement, avoiding the need for separate specialized equipment while achieving accurate tissue elasticity quantification.
2Loss of information
If color mapping is applied to elastic images to show strain values, then tissue elasticity visualization is improved, but interpretation difficulty increases without reference standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by displaying a color reference area that shows the distribution of representative reference area values using the same color scale as the target area. This provides immediate visual feedback to users, allowing them to interpret target area strain values by comparing them against the reference distribution, thereby eliminating interpretation difficulties without losing elasticity information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses color mapping to represent different strain values in both the target area and the reference area. By applying consistent color coding to both areas and displaying them together, the patent transforms abstract strain data into intuitive visual information that maintains clarity while improving interpretability through direct visual comparison.
3Measurement precision
If representative strain values are calculated for target and reference areas, then diagnostic accuracy is enhanced, but calculation and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and displaying the distribution of representative reference area values in a color reference area before final diagnosis. This preliminary processing organizes the reference data in an easily accessible visual format, allowing rapid comparison with target area values during clinical decision-making without requiring time-consuming manual calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically calculating representative strain values for both target and reference areas, and generating the color reference area display without user intervention. This automation eliminates manual processing time while maintaining high measurement precision, as the system independently completes all calculations and visualizations required for accurate diagnosis.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a medical imaging apparatus and a method of providing medical images which may more accurately quantify elasticity of tissues. The medical imaging apparatus includes a display unit displaying an elastic image in which different colors are mapped according to strain values of tissues within an object, and a controller, when a target area containing lesion tissues and a reference area containing normal tissues are set in the elastic image, calculating a representative target area value representing strain values of the target area and a representative reference area value representing strain values of the reference area, and displaying a color reference area, expressing distribution of the representative reference area value in the reference area in color, through the display unit.