Kalman Filter Flash Artifact Suppression Ultrasound

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Solution Overview

Problem

In ultrasonic blood flow imaging, flash artifacts caused by insufficient suppression of tissue clutter lead to false velocity or power signals, masking true blood flow information and complicating visual assessment.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of Kalman filtering, which predicts velocity or power values based on past sequences and uses a model of system dynamics to define a confidence interval, allowing for the identification and suppression of flash artifacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If static intensity threshold is used for flash artifact detection, then computational efficiency is improved, but adaptability to dynamic environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoidadaptability to dynamic environments

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static intensity threshold to a dynamic threshold that adapts to changing environmental conditions. The system continuously adjusts the threshold based on real-time signal characteristics and clutter patterns, enabling the flash artifact detection to remain effective in dynamic environments while maintaining computational efficiency through optimized update mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If morphological filters are used for flash artifact detection, then adaptability to varying environments is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to varying environmentsVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential adaptive characteristics from complex morphological filters and implements only the necessary components. By selecting key adaptive features and removing redundant computational elements, the system achieves adaptability to varying environments while significantly reducing computational complexity compared to full morphological filter implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If regression techniques are used for flash artifact detection, then measurement precision is improved, but risk of overfitting increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection precisionVSAvoidrobustness against overfitting

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial regression techniques by using simplified regression models that capture the essential patterns without attempting to fit all data points. This partial action approach maintains measurement precision for flash artifact detection while reducing the risk of overfitting by deliberately limiting the model's complexity and generalization capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11141138B2Kalman filtering for flash artifact suppression in ultrasound imaging

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA INC

AI summary

Kalman filtering, including a model of system dynamics, is used to identify flash artifact. The Kalman filtering predicts the velocity or powers based on a past sequence of velocity or power. The prediction defines a confidence interval. Any current measures surpassing the confidence interval are identified as flash artifact and suppressed.