Ultrasound Elastography Frame Processing for Stable Strain Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasound elastography images suffer from instability due to varying stress levels during tissue compression, leading to inaccurate strain calculations and poor image contrast, which complicates clinical diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for ultrasound elastography that includes an elasticity processing apparatus with modules for detecting elasticity information and calculating quality parameters to determine whether to output elasticity images, ensuring they meet preset quality requirements, thereby stabilizing image display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If compression stress is increased to improve strain detection sensitivity, then image contrast is improved, but tissue deformation becomes too large causing inaccurate strain calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts compression stress levels based on real-time feedback from elasticity images. The controller modifies the compression force adaptively to maintain optimal strain detection while preventing excessive tissue deformation, resolving the contradiction between detection sensitivity and calculation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where elasticity images are evaluated and used to adjust compression parameters. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically optimize the balance between image contrast and strain calculation accuracy by learning from previous imaging results.
2Reliability
If compression stress is decreased to reduce tissue deformation, then strain calculation accuracy is improved, but image contrast becomes poor due to insufficient deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically optimizes compression stress levels based on real-time imaging feedback. When deformation is insufficient, the controller automatically increases compression to improve image contrast while maintaining accuracy through continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes compression parameters adaptively based on tissue response and imaging quality. By adjusting stress levels dynamically rather than using fixed parameters, the system maintains optimal balance between deformation magnitude for contrast and deformation control for accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If compression operation is performed manually without standardization, then operational flexibility is maintained, but image quality varies due to unfamiliar operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-adjustment and quality evaluation automatically. The controller monitors imaging parameters and adjusts compression settings without requiring operator intervention, enabling the system to maintain consistent image quality while preserving operational flexibility through automated optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time feedback from elasticity image quality evaluation is used to automatically adjust compression parameters. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent image quality across different operators by standardizing the compression process through automated control while maintaining the flexibility of manual operation.
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
Stabilizes ultrasound elastography images by ensuring only high-quality images are displayed, reducing variations in color due to stress differences and enhancing clinical interpretation.
Implementation Method 1
acquire two frames of an ultrasonic echo signal before and after the compression
Implementation Method 2
A strain is generated along the direction of the compression within the tissue when the tissue is compressed
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a system and a method for ultrasound elastography and a method for dynamically processing frames in real time. The system includes an elasticity processing apparatus having an elasticity information detecting module for extracting elasticity information representing the elasticity of a target to be detected; a quality parameter calculating module for calculating at least a quality parameter reflecting quality of each elasticity image corresponding to the elasticity information; and a frame processing module for determining whether to output corresponding elasticity image based on the quality parameter of each elasticity image. When calculating a strain of consecutive images, the parameter reflecting the quality of each image is also computed, through which, the current elasticity image is determined whether to be displayed, thus avoiding the situation that colors of acquired successive elasticity images may vary greatly due to large difference existing in stress.