Ultrasound imaging system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11399803-B2
Application number	US-201816058723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2018
Priority date	Aug 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A method and ultrasound imaging system includes displaying a plurality of steps of a workflow on a touchscreen, graphically indicating one of the plurality of steps in the workflow, displaying a text instruction describing the one of the steps in the workflow on the touchscreen at the same time as displaying the plurality of steps, and displaying an ultrasound image on the main display at the same time as displaying the plurality of steps and the text description on the touchscreen. The method and system includes implementing the step described in the text instruction on the ultrasound image displayed on a main display.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of ultrasound imaging performed with an ultrasound imaging system including both a touchscreen and a main display, the method comprising:
displaying a plurality of steps of a workflow on the touchscreen, wherein the plurality of steps includes a first step and a second step;
graphically indicating the first step in the workflow;
displaying a first text instruction describing the first step on the touchscreen at the same time as said displaying the plurality of steps;
displaying a first pictogram graphically illustrating the first text instruction at the same time as said displaying the first text instruction, wherein the first pictogram is displayed on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display, wherein the first pictogram comprises one of a representation of an M-mode tracing with a plurality of points marked on the representation of the M-mode tracing; and
displaying an ultrasound image on the main display at the same time as said displaying the plurality of steps on the touchscreen, the first text instruction on the touchscreen, and the first pictogram on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display;
receiving an input of a task described in the first text instruction;
determining that the workflow has not been completed after receiving the input of the task;
graphically indicating the second step in the workflow after determining that the workflow has not been completed;
displaying a second text instruction on the touchscreen describing the second step after determining that the workflow has not been completed;
displaying a second pictogram graphically illustrating the second text instruction at the same time as displaying the second text instruction, wherein the second pictogram is displayed on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display; and
displaying an updated ultrasound image on the main display at the same time as said displaying the plurality of steps on the touchscreen, the second text instruction on the touchscreen, and the second pictogram on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display.

2. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 1 , wherein graphically indicating the first step comprises highlighting the first step.

3. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 1 , further comprising graphically indicating that the first step has been completed after said receiving the input of the task described in the first text instruction.

4. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 1 , wherein the workflow is a cardiac workflow.

5. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 3 , wherein said graphically indicating that the first step has been completed comprises displaying a checkmark associated with the first step.

6. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 4 , further comprising determining that the workflow has been completed and automatically calculating a plurality of cardiac parameters after the completion of the workflow.

7. The method of ultrasound imaging of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cardiac parameters includes at least one of end diastolic diameter, end systolic diameter, fractional shortening, and sphericity.

8. An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
an ultrasound probe;
a touchscreen configured to receive touch inputs and display at least one of an image and graphical user interface;
a main display configured to display an ultrasound image acquired with the ultrasound probe; and
a processor connected to the ultrasound probe, the touchscreen and the main display, wherein the processor is configured to:
display a plurality of steps of a workflow on the touchscreen, wherein the plurality of steps includes a first step and a second step;
graphically indicate the first step in the workflow;
display a first text instruction describing the first step in the workflow on the touchscreen at the same time as displaying the plurality of steps;
display a first pictogram graphically illustrating the first text instruction at the same time as displaying the first text instruction, wherein the processor is configured to display the first pictogram on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display, wherein the first pictogram comprises a representation of an M-mode tracing with a plurality of points marked on the representation of the M-mode tracing;
display an ultrasound image on the main display at the same time as displaying the plurality of steps on the touchscreen, the first text instruction on the touch screen, and the first pictogram on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display;
receive an input of a task described in the first text instruction;
determine that the workflow has not been completed after receiving the input;
graphically indicate the second step in the workflow after determining that the workflow has not been completed;
display a second text instruction describing the second step on the touchscreen after determining that the workflow has not been completed;
display a second pictogram graphically illustrating the second text instruction at the same time as displaying the second text instruction, wherein the second pictogram is displayed on at least one of the touchscreen or the main display; and
display an updated ultrasound image on the main display at the same time as displaying the plurality of steps on the touchscreen, the second text instruction on the touchscreen, and the second pictogram on at least one of the touchscreen and the main display.

9. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to graphically indicate a current step in the workflow by highlighting one of the plurality of steps.

10. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to graphically indicate that the first step has been completed after the input of the task described in the first text instruction has been received.

11. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the workflow comprises a cardiac workflow and wherein the processor is further configured to automatically calculate one or more cardiac parameters after the completion of the workflow.

12. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to graphically indicate that the first step has been completed by displaying a checkmark associated with the first step.

13. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more cardiac parameters is selected from a list consisting of end diastolic diameter, end systolic diameter, fractional shortening, and sphericity.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Duda Walter
• Pintoffl Klaus
• Scharinger Simon

Classifications

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• A61B8/469

  for selection of a region of interest · CPC title

• A61B8/465

  adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus · CPC title

• A61B8/4405

  Device being mounted on a trolley · CPC title

• A61B8/461

  Displaying means of special interest · CPC title