Segmented Flash Suppression in Ultrasound Color Flow

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional Fourier-based clutter filters are ineffective in suppressing flash artifacts in color ultrasound imaging, particularly those caused by tissue or probe motion, as they often result in low flow sensitivity and fail to address broader bandwidth and higher velocity artifacts from sources like a nearby beating heart or organ movement.

Innovation Solution

The method involves segmenting color flow ultrasound data into contiguous regions, categorizing each region by size, shape, and spatial variance to determine the likelihood of flash artifacts, and then altering motion information accordingly to suppress them, allowing for adaptive suppression strength based on local motion statistics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional Fourier-based clutter filters are used to suppress flash artifacts, then flash artifact suppression is achieved, but flow sensitivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflash artifact suppressionVSAvoidflow sensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The color flow image is segmented into multiple contiguous regions based on motion characteristics. Each region is independently analyzed and classified as containing flash artifact, true flow, or mixed content. This segmentation allows selective suppression strategies to be applied to different regions, preserving true flow while removing flash artifacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different suppression strengths are applied to different regions based on their classified content. Regions identified as containing flash artifacts receive stronger suppression, while regions identified as true flow receive minimal or no suppression. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by making suppression effectiveness and flow sensitivity both high in their respective regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If high-pass clutter filtering and low velocity thresholding are used, then flash artifacts are suppressed, but flow detection capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflash artifact removalVSAvoidflow detection sensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The suppression strength is dynamically adjusted based on the classified content of each region. Rather than applying a fixed threshold or filter strength across the entire image, the system adapts the suppression level to match the actual content of each region, preserving low-velocity true flow while removing flash artifacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the suppression parameter (filter strength) based on the classified region type. Regions classified as flash artifacts receive stronger suppression parameters, while regions classified as true flow receive weaker suppression parameters, thereby maintaining flow detection sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If traditional Fourier-based clutter filters are applied uniformly, then processing simplicity is maintained, but effectiveness against broader bandwidth artifacts deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidsuppression effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The image is segmented into regions with different characteristics, allowing the simple Fourier-based filter to be applied selectively only where needed (in flash artifact regions) rather than uniformly across the entire image. This maintains overall processing simplicity while improving effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying strong suppression uniformly across the entire image (excessive action), the system applies suppression only partially to regions identified as containing flash artifacts. This partial application maintains processing simplicity while achieving effective suppression where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

This approach effectively reduces flash artifacts while maintaining blood flow sensitivity, capable of handling artifacts of various shapes and strengths while minimizing impact on true flow, thereby improving the accuracy of motion imaging.

Implementation Method 1

Color flow ultrasound data representing a patient is acquired

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasound: Ultrasound

Implementation Method 2

A Doppler estimator is configured to estimate motion values representing samples of the scan region at different locations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDoppler effect: Doppler Effect

Data Source

PatentUS10945701B2Segment-based flash suppression in ultrasound color flow

Publication Date: 2021.03.16 SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA INC

AI summary

Flash suppression is provided in motion imaging. Separate regions of motion in a same frame or image are tested for flash independently. The size, shape, spatial variance, and/or location of a given region are used to categorize a level or likelihood of flash artifact for that region. Based on the level or likelihood, the motion information is altered to reduce flash.