Systems and methods for remote graphical feedback of ultrasound scanning technique

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10646199-B2
Application number	US-201514887157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Oct 19, 2015
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing remote expert feedback to an operator of an ultrasound imaging machine. The remote feedback consists of graphical icons that are dragged and dropped onto a video stream of the patient being scanned or the ultrasound image being captured and shared in real-time with the local operator to help improve their scanning technique.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
a hand-holdable probe comprising:
a transducer;
transmit and receive circuits respectively operable to drive the transducer to transmit ultrasound energy to a patient and to receive signals generated by the transducer in response to ultrasound energy received from the patient; and
an image processing circuit comprising a beamformer configured to process the received signals to yield ultrasound image data; and

a local user interface device communicably coupled to the hand-holdable probe, the local user interface device configured to receive and display the ultrasound image data, and the local user interface device comprising:
an ultrasound image buffer configured to store a plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data;
a camera operable to generate a video stream;
a video stream buffer configured to store a plurality of frames of the video stream generated from the camera; and
a data interface connected to transmit, to a remote interface, the plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data and the plurality of frames of the video stream generated from the camera, wherein the remote interface is configured to display a user interface comprising:
a palette of selectable controls that correspond to movements of the probe, the remote interface being configured to receive input selecting a selectable control of the selectable controls from the palette, wherein upon selecting the selectable control, the remote interface transmits a position correction message corresponding to the selectable control to the data interface, the position correction message relating to positional correction for the probe, and
a freeze control, wherein upon actuation of the freeze control, the remote interface transmits to the data interface a freeze message that identifies both a selected one of the plurality of frames of the video stream generated by the camera and a selected one of the plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data; and

a display connected to:
upon receipt of the position correction message, display the ultrasound image data with a positional correction symbol, the positional correction symbol being determined by the position correction message received from the remote interface, and
upon receipt of the freeze message, display both the selected one of the plurality of frames of the video stream and the selected one of the plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data, so that a position and orientation of the probe for acquiring the selected one of the plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data is shown in the selected one of the plurality of frames of the video stream.

2. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein each of the selectable controls on the palette comprise a graphical element, the graphical element comprising a depiction of the probe and an arrow indicating a particular desired motion of the probe.

3. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the positional correction symbol displayed on the display correspond to the graphical element on the selectable control selected at the remote interface.

4. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical element comprises:
an icon depicting tilting the probe forward;
an icon depicting tilting the probe backward;
an icon depicting rocking the probe right;
an icon depicting rocking the probe left;
an icon depicting rotating the probe clockwise; or
an icon depicting rotating the probe counter-clockwise.

5. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical element comprises:
an icon depicting moving the probe to the left;
an icon depicting moving the probe to the right;
an icon depicting moving the probe forward; or
an icon depicting moving the probe backward.

6. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the local user interface device is configured to discontinue display of the positional correction symbol by fading the displayed positional control symbol a predetermined time after commencing display of the positional control symbol.

7. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the probe comprises a motion sensor and is configured to determine from the motion sensor whether or not the probe is being moved in a way corresponding to the displayed positional control symbol, and the local user interface is configured to discontinue display of the positional correction symbol in response to determining from the motion sensor that the probe has been moved in the way corresponding to the displayed positional control symbol.

8. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 7 wherein the probe or the local user interface device is configured to issue a warning signal in response to determining from the motion sensor that the probe has been not moved in the way corresponding to the displayed positional control symbol.

9. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical element comprises:
an icon depicting increasing pressure on the probe; or
an icon depicting decreasing pressure on the probe.

10. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 9 comprising a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure on the probe.

11. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the data interface is further configured: to receive a video freeze message by way of the remote interface, the video freeze message identifying a video frame of the plurality of frames of the video stream, and, in response to the video freeze message, the display displays the video frame.

12. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the video stream depicts the probe, and the data interface is further configured: to receive from the remote interface an indication of an ending position for the probe, and the display displays an animation illustrating a motion of the probe from a current position of the probe to the ending position.

13. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the data interface is further configured: to receive from the remote interface one or more annotations, and the display displays the one or more annotations.

14. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the local user interface comprises a plurality of stored annotations and the local user interface device is configured: to receive from the remote interface by way of the data interface an annotation message identifying a selected one of the stored annotations and, in response, to retrieve and display the selected annotation on the display.

15. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the probe comprises a directional indicator and the local user interface device is configured to operate the directional indicator on the probe to indicate a position correction corresponding to the position correction message.

16. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 15 wherein the directional indicator comprises a display on the probe.

17. An ultrasound imaging system according to claim 15 wherein the directional indicator comprises a plurality of indicator lights on the probe.

18. An ultrasound imaging device according to claim 1 wherein the data interface is further configured: to receive an ultrasound image freeze message by way of the remote interface, the ultrasound image freeze message identifying an ultrasound image frame of the plurality of frames of the ultrasound image data, and, in response to the ultrasound freeze message, the display displays the ult

Assignees

• Clarius Mobile Health Corp

Inventors

• Pelissier Laurent
• Hansen Trevor
• Mcivor Jacob
• KERBY Benjamin Eric
• WILLIS David Glenn
• Afsham Narges

Classifications

• A61B8/4254 Primary

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title

• G16H30/40

  for processing medical images, e.g. editing · CPC title

• G16H80/00

  ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring · CPC title

• A61B8/467

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B8/461

  Displaying means of special interest · CPC title