Ultrasonic Anechoic Imaging via Temporal Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical diagnostic ultrasound systems face challenges in effectively visualizing and differentiating between hypoechoic areas, such as breast cysts and vascular plaques, due to their similarity to surrounding tissues, which can lead to diagnostic dilemmas in cancer and vascular pathology management.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using temporal consistency of ultrasound signals by comparing data sets from the same region of interest at different times to enhance the visualization of hypoechoic areas by determining a temporal consistency value, which indicates the similarity of signal patterns, allowing for better differentiation between solid and fluid regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ultrasound imaging is used to visualize hypoechoic areas, then the imaging process is simple and fast, but the contrast between hypoechoic areas and surrounding tissues is poor, leading to difficulty in differentiation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of tissue regions into hypoechoic and echoic categories before final image rendering. By pre-identifying hypoechoic areas through temporal consistency analysis and applying specific enhancement processing to these regions, the system improves contrast resolution without requiring complete redesign of the imaging pipeline
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different image processing qualities to different regions of the ultrasound image. Specifically, hypoechoic areas receive enhanced contrast processing while echoic areas maintain standard processing, allowing optimal visualization characteristics for each tissue type without compromising overall image quality
2Measurement precision
If temporal consistency analysis is applied to differentiate hypoechoic areas, then the differentiation accuracy improves, but the processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies temporal consistency analysis selectively rather than uniformly across the entire image. By focusing computational resources on identifying and processing only hypoechoic regions that require differentiation, the system achieves high differentiation accuracy while minimizing unnecessary processing time spent on already-distinguishable echoic areas
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 improves the contrast and characterization of hypoechoic areas, enabling more accurate differentiation from echoic areas, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy in ultrasound imaging.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting ultrasound signals into the region of interest, receiving echoes from the ultrasound signals
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3b
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AI summary
This invention relates to a method of ultrasonically imaging a region of interest that may contain anechoic and/or hypoechoic echoes. The method comprises the steps of: • providing a first and a second set of ultrasound data, said two sets comprising information of the region of interest at two different instants of time respectively, • determining from the first and second data sets, a temporal consistency value of at least an area of the region of interest, and • producing an image indicating this area as being hypoechoic or anechoic in accordance with said temporal consistency value. Doing so, an anechoic image produced by the method of the invention emphazises the rendering of anechoic and/or hypoechoic areas over echoic ones.