Ultrasonic Boundary Extraction Filter for Speckle Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonographic images often contain speckle noise, which causes blurring and inaccuracies in extracting organ boundaries, leading to incorrect size estimations due to the protrusion of higher pixel density areas into lower pixel density areas.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonographic device and method that calculates the blurring width in ultrasonic images and sets a boundary extraction filter with two areas spaced at this width, allowing for precise detection of boundary positions by analyzing pixel data and determining maximum intensity or gradient values, thereby accurately extracting organ contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If boundary extraction is performed using local maximum points of gradient scalar quantity, then boundary detection can be implemented, but measurement precision deteriorates due to speckle noise causing blurring and protrusion of higher pixel density areas into lower pixel density areas
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary extracting filter is divided into two distinct areas (first area and second area) spaced at a predetermined interval. This segmentation allows the filter to sample pixel data from both sides of the boundary separately, enabling accurate detection of the transition point between high and low pixel density regions despite speckle noise blurring. The segmented structure captures the boundary characteristics more reliably than a single continuous filter region.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional boundary extraction methods are used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but manufacturing precision of boundary extraction deteriorates due to inaccurate boundary position detection
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary extracting filter is divided into two distinct areas (first area and second area) spaced at a predetermined interval. This segmentation allows the filter to sample pixel data from both sides of the boundary separately, enabling accurate detection of the transition point between high and low pixel density regions despite speckle noise blurring.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter structure parameters are optimized by setting a specific interval between the two areas and defining their respective sizes. This parameter configuration enables the filter to achieve optimal balance between capturing boundary information and rejecting speckle noise, improving extraction accuracy without requiring complex adaptive adjustments.
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 enables high-precision extraction of organ boundaries, considering the blurring effect of speckle noise, resulting in accurate size and volume calculations of organs like the left ventricle, preventing underestimation of organ volumes.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic probe for transmitting/receiving an ultrasonic wave to an examinee
Implementation Method 2
information on a boundary (contour) of an organ or the like to which attention is paid is effective information
Implementation Method 3
the local maximum point of a scalar quantity representing the gradient of an image signal at each point in a tomogram is determined
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonographic device is equipped with selecting means for selecting a site for detecting the position of a boundary of an organ of the examinee on the ultrasonic image displayed on the display means, boundary extracting filter setting means for setting a boundary extracting filter comprising two areas which are spaced from each other at a predetermined interval on the ultrasonic image, and boundary position detecting means for analyzing pixel data within the boundary extracting filter set by the boundary extracting filter setting means in the neighborhood of the site selected by the selecting means to detect the position of the boundary, the boundary position detected by the boundary position detecting means being displayed on the display means under the control of the control means.