Ultrasound Stitching Order Optimization for 3D Image Seam Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasound imaging systems face challenges in reconstructing 3D ultrasound image data with minimal stitching areas when acquiring volumes with overlapping fields of view, as existing compounding techniques fail to adequately reduce the number of seams/stitches, leading to suboptimal image quality.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasound imaging system that includes an acquisition unit, a tracking unit to determine relative spatial positions, and a stitching unit to calculate an optimal stitching order based on these positions, minimizing overlapping areas between 3D ultrasound image data sets, thereby reducing the number of seams in the compounded image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple 3D ultrasound volumes are acquired with overlapping fields of view to achieve full organ visibility, then the coverage of the target organ is improved, but the number of stitching areas in the compounded volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary selection and ordering of ultrasound volumes based on their spatial positions and overlapping characteristics before compounding. By pre-identifying the optimal subset of volumes and their stitching sequence using the calculated overlap metrics, the system minimizes the number of stitching areas in the final compounded volume while maintaining complete organ coverage.
2Ease of manufacture
If volumes are selected based on acquisition time for compounding, then the processing simplicity is improved, but the number of stitching areas increases due to continuous acquisition creating many overlapping volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the selection parameter from acquisition time to spatial overlap characteristics. By calculating overlap metrics between volumes based on their spatial positions and field of view geometries, the system identifies and selects only the necessary volumes for compounding, thereby reducing the number of stitching areas while maintaining processing efficiency.
3Area of stationary object
If all acquired volumes are compounded to ensure complete coverage, then the coverage completeness is improved, but the image quality deteriorates due to increased number of seams
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes redundant volumes from the acquisition set by evaluating spatial overlap characteristics. By identifying volumes that provide minimal additional coverage or would contribute excessive stitching, the system selects only the essential subset of volumes for compounding, thereby maintaining complete organ coverage while preserving image quality through reduced seam formation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system (100) for producing spatially compounded 3D ultrasound image data, comprising: —an ultrasound acquisition unit (16) for acquiring a plurality of 3D ultrasound image data having different but at least partially overlapping field of views, —a tracking unit (62) adapted to determine a relative spatial position of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with respect to each other, and —a stitching unit (64) adapted to compound the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data by stitching them to each other in order to generate compounded 3D ultrasound image data, wherein the stitching unit (64) is adapted to calculate a stitching order of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined relative spatial position of the 3D ultrasound image data by minimizing an overlapping area of the different field of views of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, and wherein stitching unit (64) is adapted to stitch the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data according to said stitching order.