H-Scan Echo Classification for Tissue Scatterer Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pulse-echo systems, such as ultrasound imaging, struggle to provide additional characteristics beyond greyscale images, necessitating improved methods for discriminating and visualizing echoes from different types of tissue scatterers.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing Hermite polynomials to classify echoes by comparing reflected echoes to transmitted pulses and their derivatives, generating images based on similarity to specific Hermite polynomial functions, such as GH4(t), GH5(t), and GH6(t), to identify and discriminate tissue scatterers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional pulse-echo systems are used to generate greyscale images, then the imaging process is simple and fast, but additional characteristics and quantitative information about tissue scatterers cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the echo signal analysis by comparing the received echo to multiple reference signals (transmitted pulse and its derivatives) to extract different characteristics. This segmentation of the analysis process enables extraction of quantitative information about scatterer properties without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step where the echo is compared to reference signals through correlation or matching operations. This intermediary comparison process extracts additional characteristics from the echo, providing quantitative information while maintaining the original pulse-echo system architecture.
2Measurement precision
If matched filters are created for different types of scatterers to add information to B-scan, then visualization of tissue scatterer types is improved, but small changes in scatterer size create shifts in scattering transfer function that reduce accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic reference signals including the transmitted pulse and its time derivatives. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to variations in scatterer size and properties, improving measurement precision while maintaining sensitivity to different scatterer types through the family of derivative-based reference signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter space by using multiple reference signals with different characteristics (the pulse and its derivatives of various orders). This parameter diversification allows the system to accurately identify scatterer types across a range of sizes, compensating for shifts in the scattering transfer function.
3Loss of information
If additional processing steps are added to discriminate echo characteristics, then quantitative information about tissue structure is obtained, but processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining the reference signals (transmitted pulse and its derivatives) before echo processing. This preparation allows for efficient real-time comparison and extraction of tissue characteristics during imaging, reducing processing time while maintaining information extraction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or hardware-based echo discrimination methods with signal processing and computational approaches. By using mathematical operations (correlation, matching) on the echo signals, the system extracts quantitative information efficiently without requiring additional physical components or time-consuming mechanical processes.
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
Enhances the visualization of tissue scatterers by providing quantitative information about tissue structure and cellular properties, improving the discrimination and classification of echoes in ultrasound imaging.
Implementation Method 1
The scattering of ultrasound from tissues forms the basis for the worldwide use of ultrasound imaging for diagnostic purposes
Implementation Method 2
The pulse then generates a reflected echo off of the region of interest, and the reflected echo is received back at the pulse-echo device
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming an image of a region of interest using a pulse-echo imaging device is described. The method includes the steps of generating a pulse using the pulse-echo imaging device, causing the pulse to be incident on the region of interest to generate a reflected echo, receiving the reflected echo in the pulse-echo imaging device, comparing a measure of frequency content of the reflected echo to the transmitted pulse, and frequency shifted replicas of the transmitted pulse, wherein each is associated with a unique label, selecting a label based on the comparison, and generating an image incorporating the selected label.