Ultrasound Image Processing for Puncture Needle Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasound diagnostic devices face challenges in visualizing puncture needles during ultrasound image diagnostics, particularly when the angle of insertion is acute, leading to weak reflected ultrasound signals and reduced visibility, especially with spatial compounding methods.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasound image processing method that compounds sub-frame reception signals from multiple scans with varying ultrasound beam steering angles, creating enhancement maps to amplify pixel region signals, thereby improving the visibility of the puncture needle by applying enhancement amounts based on calculated characteristic values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spatial compounding method is used to obtain wide field of view and high signal-to-noise ratio, then image quality is improved, but puncture needle visibility deteriorates when beam angle is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing strategies to different regions of the ultrasound image. Specifically, it identifies regions containing puncture needles and applies enhanced processing (such as coherence-based enhancement or adaptive filtering) to these specific regions while maintaining standard spatial compounding for other regions. This local differentiation allows the system to preserve overall image quality while specifically improving puncture needle visibility in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts processing parameters based on local image characteristics. It calculates coherence values or other metrics for different regions and modifies enhancement parameters accordingly. For regions with low coherence (indicating potential puncture needle presence), the system increases enhancement strength or applies different filtering parameters, thereby adapting the processing to local conditions and improving needle visibility without compromising overall image quality.
2Area of stationary object
If ultrasound beam steering angle is small to cover wide area, then field of view is improved, but reflected ultrasound signal strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification of puncture needle regions using initial image analysis or coherence calculation before final image formation. By detecting regions with characteristic low-coherence patterns or specific echo signatures, the system can pre-mark these areas for enhanced processing, ensuring that even weak reflected signals from puncture needles at small beam angles are identified and enhanced in subsequent processing stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces coherence calculation or intermediate processing metrics as a mediator between the raw ultrasound signals and the final displayed image. This intermediary step allows the system to distinguish puncture needle signals from background tissue signals based on their unique coherence characteristics, thereby enhancing needle visibility even when the reflected ultrasound signal strength is weak due to small beam angles.
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
The method enhances the visibility of the puncture needle in ultrasound images, even at acute insertion angles, by effectively compounding and amplifying signals, resulting in clearer and more reliable image diagnostics.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting an ultrasound beam from an ultrasound probe into the subject body and making a reflected ultrasound (i.e., an echo signal) visible
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound diagnostic device generates a frame reception signal by compounding sub-frame reception signals acquired from a subject body through an ultrasound probe. The sub-frame reception signals are generated through sub-scans composing an ultrasound scan. Between the sub-scans, a range in the scanned subject body differs due to a different ultrasound beam steering angle used. The diagnostic device includes a control circuit with a reception signal acquirer acquiring sub-frame reception signals, and a map creator creating sub-frame enhancement maps corresponding to the sub-frame reception signals, the maps created by calculating, for a pixel region reception signal, an enhancement amount according to a characteristic value calculated based on the pixel region reception signal. The diagnostic device also includes an enhancement-applied reception signal generator generating an enhancement-applied frame reception signal by compounding pixel region reception signals considering the enhancement amount included in at least one sub-frame enhancement map.