Ultrasound Image Correction Using Reverse Mechanical Index Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasound images often suffer from non-uniform brightness and quality due to irregular dispersion of mechanical indices, acoustic pressure, and thermal indices along the depth of the ultrasound beam, leading to suboptimal image sensitivity and quality.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize interest index maps, such as mechanical index (MI), acoustic pressure, and thermal index (TI) maps, to adjust the gain values of ultrasound echo signals, ensuring virtually constant index values across depth, thereby correcting and uniforming ultrasound images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If transmission voltage of ultrasound signal is increased to improve image sensitivity, then image sensitivity is improved, but mechanical index (MI) and acoustic pressure are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting transmission voltage and gain values according to different depth regions and focus positions. The system divides the ultrasound field into multiple zones with different MI characteristics, and applies localized gain compensation and transmission power adjustment to each zone, allowing optimal image sensitivity in each region while maintaining safety constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts transmission voltage and gain values based on real-time MI map calculations. The focus positions and depth values are used to dynamically compute required gain adjustments, making the system adaptable to varying tissue depths and focal points, thereby optimizing image quality across different imaging conditions.
2Measurement precision
If focus forming method is used to concentrate ultrasound energy, then image quality at focus is improved, but irregular dispersion of mechanical index and acoustic pressure occurs across different depths
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by calculating MI maps based on actual transmission parameters and depth values, then using these calculated maps to determine appropriate gain adjustments. This closed-loop approach ensures that the transmitted ultrasound energy and received echo signals are balanced, compensating for the irregular dispersion caused by focus forming and achieving uniform image quality across different depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters (gain values and transmission voltage) as a function of depth and focus position. By dynamically adjusting these parameters based on the calculated MI map, the system compensates for the non-uniform energy distribution caused by focusing, thereby achieving consistent image quality across the entire field of view.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple foci are used to improve diagnostic coverage, then diagnostic coverage is improved, but uniformity of acoustic pressure and intensity across foci deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by calculating separate MI maps for each focus position and applying focus-specific gain adjustments. Each focal region is treated independently with customized gain values based on its depth and acoustic characteristics, ensuring uniform image quality across multiple foci while maintaining comprehensive diagnostic coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of correcting ultrasound images, the method including the operations of, by an ultrasound output unit, outputting an ultrasound signal to a target object; obtaining an mechanical index (MI) map indicating a correlation between depth values according to a travel direction of the ultrasound signal, and MI values by the ultrasound signal; and adjusting a gain value of an ultrasound echo signal corresponding to the ultrasound signal by using a reverse MI map that is obtained by reversing the MI map, so as to allow the MI values, which are displayed on the MI map, to be a virtually constant MI value with respect to the depth values.