Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Decoupling for Sparse Microbubble Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) methods face challenges in accurately localizing microbubbles due to high microbubble concentration and interference from tissue motion, leading to poor precision in microbubble localization and background noise.
Innovation Solution
An image processing method involving first and second decoupling operations on contrast-enhanced ultrasound images to improve spatial and temporal sparsity of microbubbles, enhancing signal-to-noise ratio and facilitating super-resolution reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If high concentration microbubbles are used in contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, then the signal strength is improved, but the accuracy of microbubble localization deteriorates due to overlapping signals and reduced spatial sparsity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the ultrasound image sequence into multiple sub-sequences through temporal decoupling operations. By segmenting the continuous image sequence into discrete temporal segments, the method isolates individual microbubble signals that would otherwise overlap in high-concentration scenarios, thereby maintaining localization accuracy while preserving signal strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from spatial domain analysis to temporal domain analysis by introducing time-based decoupling operations. This dimensional shift allows the method to separate microbubble signals that are spatially overlapping but temporally distinct, resolving the localization accuracy problem caused by high microbubble concentration.
2Device complexity
If traditional ultrasound imaging methods are used, then the imaging process is simple, but the precision of microbubble localization is poor due to interference from tissue motion and background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts microbubble signals from the complex ultrasound image sequence by performing decoupling operations that separate microbubble-related signals from tissue motion and background noise. This extraction process isolates the target signals of interest, significantly improving localization precision while adding manageable computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing steps including decoupling operations and sparsity-promoting regularization as mediators between the raw ultrasound images and the final localization results. These intermediate operations filter out interfering signals and enhance microbubble signal quality, bridging the gap between simple imaging and precise localization.
3Length of stationary object
If microbubbles in deeper tissues are imaged, then the imaging depth is improved, but the precision of microbubble localization deteriorates due to susceptibility to tissue motion interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing temporal decoupling operations that adapt to the dynamic nature of tissue motion. The method processes ultrasound image sequences in temporal segments, allowing it to track and compensate for time-varying tissue motion effects, thereby maintaining localization precision at deeper imaging depths where tissue motion interference is more significant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic decoupling operations applied to sequential ultrasound frames. By periodically processing consecutive frames with the same decoupling algorithm, the method consistently removes tissue motion artifacts across multiple time points, improving the reliability of deep tissue microbubble localization.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are an image processing method and an apparatus based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound images, a computer readable storage medium and an electronic device. The image processing method based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound images includes: performing a first decoupling operation on a first contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence to generate a second contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence corresponding to the first contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence, the first decoupling operation being used to improve spatial sparsity of microbubbles; and performing a second decoupling operation on the second contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence to generate a third contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence corresponding to the second contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence, the second decoupling operation being used to improve temporal sparsity of the microbubbles. The image processing method based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound images not only improve a signal-to-noise ratio of a contrast-enhanced ultrasound image sequence, but also improves a degree of spatial-temporal sparsity of the microbubbles.