Ultrasonic Imaging System Touchscreen Body Marker Annotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems are time-consuming and inefficient for annotating lesion locations on ultrasound images, especially when transferring results to non-specialized clinicians, as they require manual graphical manipulation on a template, which can be cumbersome and slow.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with a touchscreen display allows clinicians to annotate lesion locations directly on a body marker template while observing the ultrasound image, enabling quick and precise marking with one hand, allowing for real-time image acquisition and easy recording of probe position for subsequent sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If manual graphical manipulation on a template is used to annotate lesion locations, then the annotation can be clearly conveyed to non-specialized clinicians, but the annotation process becomes overly time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual graphical manipulation (mechanical cursor movement and clicking) with voice command recognition. The system captures voice commands through a microphone, processes them through natural language interpretation, and automatically updates the template annotations, eliminating the need for manual cursor control while maintaining annotation clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the user to perform annotations independently through voice commands without requiring manual interaction with the graphical interface. The voice-activated system interprets commands like 'move marker to location' and automatically executes the annotation updates, making the system self-serve the user's annotation needs.
2Manufacturing precision
If the ultrasonographer uses a cursor or graphic control to manipulate annotations on a template, then the lesion location can be marked, but the process becomes cumbersome and slows down examination completion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cursor manipulation with voice-based control. The system uses speech recognition to interpret commands such as 'move the marker to the lesion location' and automatically updates the template, eliminating the need for manual cursor control while preserving annotation precision through programmed coordinate mapping.
3Measurement precision
If the clinician freezes the ultrasound image to annotate the template, then accurate marking can be achieved, but real-time image acquisition cannot continue
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows simultaneous operation of real-time imaging and annotation through voice commands. The ultrasonographer can continue acquiring real-time images while issuing voice commands for template annotation, eliminating the need to freeze the image and maintaining both productivity and annotation accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to acquire an ultrasound image of a region of the body containing suspect anatomy such as a suspected lesion. A body marker template (104, 106) of the region of the body is displayed on a touchscreen display of the imaging system. The operator records the location of the suspect anatomy by touching a corresponding point on the body marker template displayed on the touchscreen display. The mark (120a, 120b) on the template can be finely adjusted by one or more controls on the imaging system control panel. The body marker template can also record a graphic indicating (120c) the orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to the body when the suspect anatomy was imaged. A report generator produces a report containing both the ultrasound image of the suspect anatomy and the body marker template with the indicated location of the suspect anatomy.