Ultrasound Imaging Needle Tracking via Difference Map Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasound imaging systems face challenges in accurately tracking needles during interventional procedures like prostate brachytherapy and biopsies, especially when needles are inserted at oblique angles, leading to poor image resolution and difficulty in differentiating needles from complex backgrounds.
Innovation Solution
The method involves capturing initial and subsequent ultrasound images to generate a difference map, which is filtered to identify significant changes, allowing for precise needle localization by focusing on a segment of the operational scan range with increased density, enabling accurate needle tracking without sacrificing scanning speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ultrasound images are captured at high scan density across the entire operational scan range, then image resolution is improved, but scanning speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by capturing ultrasound images at high scan density only in a specific region of interest (segment of the operational scan range) where the needle is located, while using lower scan density in other areas. This allows high image resolution to be achieved locally around the needle without sacrificing overall scanning speed across the entire field of view.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the needle is inserted at oblique angles, then flexibility in procedure is improved, but needle detectability worsens as the needle appears as a point in 2D images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the needle detectability issue by transitioning from 2D ultrasound images to 3D volume data representation. By reconstructing the needle position in three-dimensional space using multiple 2D images captured at different angles, the system can accurately locate and track the needle even when it appears as a point in individual 2D slices, thereby maintaining both insertion flexibility and detectability.
3Measurement precision
If difference map filtering is applied to identify significant changes, then needle localization precision is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by using thresholding operations on the difference map to identify significant changes between sequential ultrasound images. By adjusting the threshold parameter, the system can filter out noise and background variations while highlighting the needle's position and movement, thereby improving localization precision without requiring overly complex processing algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of registering the position of an object moving in a target volume in an ultrasound imaging system includes capturing a first ultrasound image of a target volume. A second ultrasound image of the target volume is then captured after the capturing of the first ultrasound image. The position of the object in the target volume is identified using differences detected between the first and second ultrasound images. In another aspect, a region of interest in the target volume is determined. A segment of an operational scan range of a transducer of the ultrasound imaging system encompassing the region of interest is determined. The transducer is focused on the segment of the operational scan range during image capture.