Ultrasonic Boundary Extraction Margin Region Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses face challenges in achieving real-time boundary extraction from dynamic ultrasonic images, leading to reduced frame rates and impractical processing times due to exhaustive threshold processing methods.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a boundary extraction unit that initializes boundary detection using operator input and tracks the boundary lines within defined margin regions, reducing the processing load by limiting the search range and enabling real-time extraction of contours during motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If exhaustive threshold processing is performed on entire sound ray data to extract contours, then measurement precision of boundary position is improved, but processing time increases and frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ultrasonic image into multiple regions of interest (ROIs) and performs boundary extraction processing only within these specific regions rather than exhaustively processing the entire image. This segmentation approach maintains measurement precision for clinically relevant boundaries while significantly reducing the total processing volume and improving frame rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing strategies to different regions of the image. High-precision threshold processing is applied only to regions containing suspected boundaries (regions of interest), while other regions receive minimal or no processing. This local quality approach ensures accurate boundary detection where needed while minimizing overall processing time.
2Reliability
If boundary extraction processing is performed on each frame of dynamic image, then real-time contour tracking is achieved, but processing load becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification of regions of interest in previous frames and uses this information to guide boundary extraction in current frames. By anticipating where boundaries are likely to be and preparing processing regions in advance, the system achieves reliable real-time tracking without excessive processing load at each frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the regions of interest and processing parameters based on the detected motion and characteristics of boundaries in previous frames. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliable tracking of moving boundaries while optimizing processing load by concentrating resources on regions where boundaries are actually present.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with a boundary extraction unit (2) that extracts boundaries between media appearing in an ultrasonic image based on the intensity of each of received signals. A boundary extraction unit performs boundary extraction processing on each of individual time series ultrasonic images sequentially generated while operating an ultrasonic probe to move, sets a target region (margin region) matched to a movement operation of the ultrasonic probe in an ultrasonic image being processed from a boundary extracted in an ultrasonic image preceding the ultrasonic image being processed, and performs processing of extracting a boundary in the ultrasonic image being processed by using received signals corresponding to the reflection waves reflected at an inner side of the target region thus set.