Ultrasound Apparatus Detecting Fetal Heart Position via Spine Identification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current ultrasound diagnosis methods for fetal heart abnormalities rely heavily on user interpretation, leading to inaccuracies and inconvenience, as the interpretation of ultrasound images is dependent on medical professionals and lacks automation for determining heart position and size abnormalities.

Innovation Solution

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that detects the position of the fetal heart by identifying the chest and spine, receives user input for left and right chest directions, calculates the heart's position and size ratio, and uses machine learning to determine abnormality, displaying results through user interfaces with graphical and color-based information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ultrasound image interpretation is performed manually by medical professionals, then diagnostic accuracy can be maintained through expert judgment, but the process becomes time-consuming and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoiddiagnosis time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic heart position determination and abnormality detection without requiring manual measurement by medical professionals. The apparatus independently identifies heart location, calculates position parameters, and determines abnormalities, enabling the system to serve itself in the diagnostic process while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically performs preliminary measurements of heart position and size before final diagnostic interpretation. By pre-calculating heart location, area ratios, and position parameters, the system prepares diagnostic data in advance, reducing the time needed for manual assessment while preserving diagnostic reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If automatic heart position detection is implemented, then diagnostic efficiency and convenience are improved, but measurement precision may be compromised without manual verification

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic efficiencyVSAvoidheart position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the automatically determined heart position is used to guide further analysis and abnormality detection. The measured parameters feed back into the decision-making process, allowing the system to refine its measurements and improve precision through iterative evaluation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with automated image processing and calculation algorithms. By substituting human manual measurement with computational analysis of ultrasound images, the system maintains measurement precision while dramatically improving diagnostic efficiency and convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If detailed manual analysis of heart position and size is performed, then measurement precision is maintained, but the complexity of the diagnostic process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheart size accuracyVSAvoiddiagnostic process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple measurement functions into a single integrated process. Heart position determination, size measurement, area ratio calculation, and abnormality detection are combined into one automated workflow, maintaining measurement precision while reducing the perceived complexity for users

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The diagnostic process is segmented into distinct automated stages: heart identification, position parameter calculation, size measurement, and abnormality determination. Each segment handles a specific measurement task independently, maintaining precision for each parameter while organizing the overall process into manageable, automated steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Improves the accuracy and convenience of fetal heart abnormality detection by automating the analysis of heart position and size, providing intuitive visual feedback to users, thereby enhancing diagnostic reliability and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

an ultrasound signal generated by a transducer of an ultrasound probe is irradiated to a certain region of an object, an echo signal reflected from the region of the object is received to obtain an image of the region of the object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrasound generation and echo reflection: Ultrasound

Data Source

PatentEP3653131B1Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for determining abnormality of fetal heart, and operating method thereof
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 SAMSUNG MEDISON CO LTD
  • EP3653131B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3653131B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3653131B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for determining abnormality of a fetal heart, and an operating method thereof. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus detects the position of a heart in an ultrasound image of a heart of a fetus and determines abnormality of the heart of the fetus based on the detected position of the heart.