Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus Heartbeat Variation Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses face challenges in generating practical three-dimensional moving images of the heart when the heartbeat cycle is disturbed, such as in arrhythmic patients, as it becomes difficult to synchronize data acquisition from different sub-volumes due to irregular heartbeats, leading to unsuitable data for image diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a heartbeat signal acquisition unit, diagnosis period setting unit, data acquisition unit, combining processing unit, and heartbeat variation detection unit, which allow for the detection of heartbeat variations and control the data acquisition and combining processing to ensure sub-volume data is acquired and combined in the same time phases, even if the heartbeat cycle is disturbed, using modes like the 'Delay Mode', 'First Correction Mode', 'Second Correction Mode', and 'Third Correction Mode' to adjust scan processing and image combining accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data acquisition is performed in synchronism with heartbeat using ECG signals for arrhythmic patients, then three-dimensional area moving images can be generated, but the heartbeat cycle disturbance causes time phase shifts in acquired data making it difficult to obtain practical images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by acquiring and storing sub-volume data for multiple heartbeats before generating the final three-dimensional area moving image. The system accumulates data from multiple cardiac cycles, allowing it to compensate for arrhythmia-induced timing variations. By preparing data in advance from multiple heartbeats and selecting/combining appropriate segments, the system ensures reliable image generation even when individual heartbeats vary in duration.
2Productivity
If the heartbeat cycle is disturbed as in arrhythmic patients, then it becomes difficult to synchronize data acquisition from different sub-volumes, but continuous scanning is needed to maintain productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback by continuously monitoring ECG signals during data acquisition and using this information to adjust the selection and combination of sub-volume data. The system detects heartbeat timing variations through ECG feedback and uses this information to identify appropriate time phases from multiple acquired heartbeats, ensuring that the final combined image maintains temporal coherence despite arrhythmia-induced variations in heartbeat duration.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple small area three-dimensional moving images are acquired and combined to generate overall heart images, then wide region visualization is achieved, but the complexity of synchronizing and combining data from multiple sub-volumes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the overall three-dimensional volume into multiple sub-volumes that are scanned and acquired separately. Each sub-volume corresponds to a specific spatial region and time phase. The system then combines these segmented sub-volume data sets to reconstruct the complete three-dimensional area moving image. This segmentation approach enables wide region visualization while managing data processing complexity through systematic organization and phase-matched combination of individual sub-volume segments.
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 solution enables the generation of three-dimensional area moving images by combining data in the same time phases for respective sub-volumes, allowing for real-time recognition of heartbeat disturbances and providing suitable full volume images for diagnosis, even in arrhythmic patients, with improved diagnostic performance and stability.
Implementation Method 1
receives reflected ultrasonic waves generated by differences in acoustic impedance of the tissues of the object
Implementation Method 2
a piezoelectric transducer which converts an electrical signal into a mechanical vibration
Implementation Method 3
converts a mechanical vibration resulting from the reflected ultrasonic wave into an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus sets a desired period with reference to a predetermined time phase in each heartbeat of the object, sequentially executes ultrasonic scanning on a plurality of sub-volumes in a period including the diagnosis period to acquire sub-volume data corresponding to a plurality of time phases, controls acquisition timing of the sub-volume data from a time point elapsed from the predetermined time phase by a predetermined period of time while switching the sub-volume, generates composite sub-volume data or a full volume data constituted by a plurality of sub-volume data by performing combining processing of the sub-volume data acquired in the different diagnosis periods, detects at least one of a cyclic change of a heartbeat signal and a change in the number of sub-volume data acquired in the one diagnosis period and performs combining processing of sub-volume data based on a detection result.