Shape injection into ultrasound image to calibrate beam patterns in real-time

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016128668-A1
Application number	US-201414898648-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for highlighting an instrument in an image includes a probe ( 122 ) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy to and from a volume and a marker device ( 120 ) configured to respond to a received ultrasonic signal and emit an ultrasonic signal after a delay. The ultrasonic signal includes one or more pulses configured to generate a marker, when rendered, of a given size at a position within an image. A medical instrument ( 102 ) is disposed in the volume and includes the marker device. A control module ( 124 ) is stored in memory and is configured to interpret the ultrasonic energy received from the probe and from the marker device to determine a three dimensional location of the medical instrument and to highlight the three dimensional location of the marker device with the marker in the image.

First claim

1 . A system for injecting a shape in an image, comprising:
a probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy to and from a volume; a marker device configured to respond to a received ultrasonic signal and emit an ultrasonic signal after a delay, the ultrasonic signal including one or more pulses configured to generate a marker, when rendered, of a given size at a position within an image; a medical instrument disposed in the volume and including the marker device; and a control module stored in memory and configured to interpret the ultrasonic energy received from the probe and from the marker device to determine a three dimensional location of the medical instrument and to highlight the three dimensional location of the marker device with the marker in the image.

2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the marker device includes a transponder and the transponder includes a switch to change from a receive mode to a transmit mode.

3 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the marker device includes a transceiver having a receiver and a transmitter.

4 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic energy received from the marker device at the probe is injected at times t 0 +nT+S i , where t 0 is a temporal maximum of signals received by the marker device, T is frame rate, n is an integer and S i includes shape pulses.

5 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an image processing module configured to compare a position and shape of the injected signal to an on-screen video output of a position and shape of the marker to determine beamforming and scan conversion parameters.

6 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the marker changes one of shape, size and visual attributes over time.

7 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the marker is configured to indicate a position of the marker device.

8 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the marker is configured to indicate a reference position.

9 . A system for injecting a shape in an image, comprising:
a probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy to and from a volume; a marker device configured to respond to a received ultrasonic signal and emit an ultrasonic signal after a delay, the ultrasonic signal including one or more pulses configured to generate a marker, when rendered, of a given size at a position within an image; a medical instrument disposed in the volume and including the marker device; and a workstation including a processor and memory, the memory storing:
a control module configured to interpret the ultrasonic energy received from the probe and from the marker device to determine a three dimensional location of the medical instrument and to highlight the three dimensional location of the marker device with the marker in the image; and
an image processing module configured to compare a position and shape of the injected signal to an on-screen video output of a position and shape of the marker to determine beamforming parameters.

10 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the marker device includes a transponder and the transponder includes a switch to change from a receive mode to a transmit mode.

11 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the marker device includes a transceiver having a receiver and a transmitter.

12 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the ultrasonic energy received from the marker device at the probe is injected at times t 0 +nT+S i , where t 0 is a temporal maximum of signals received by the marker device, T is frame rate, n is an integer and S i includes shape pulses.

13 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the marker changes one of shape, size and visual attributes over time.

14 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the marker is configured to indicate a position of the marker device.

15 . The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the marker is configured to indicate a reference position.

16 . A method for providing a shaped marker in an image, comprising:
estimating a frame rate of an imaging probe; analyzing traces within a detection window to find a temporal maximum which best matches a position of a marker device mounted on an instrument to determine an arrival time; injecting an acoustic feedback signal into the imaging probe by emitting a delayed signal from the marker device to the imaging probe, the delayed signal including one or more timed pulses to simulate a marker shape in an echo back from the marker device; and displaying the marker shape in an image to identify the position of the instrument.

17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein injecting the acoustic feedback signal includes injecting the acoustic feedback signal in frames at t 0 +nT+S i , where t 0 is a temporal maximum of signals received by the sensor, T is frame rate, n is an integer and S i includes shape pulses.

18 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein displaying the marker shape includes changing one of shape, size and visual attributes over time of the marker.

19 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein displaying the marker shape includes selecting a shape, size and position of the marker to provide a reference.

20 . The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising: comparing a position and shape of the delayed signal to an on-screen video output of a position and shape of the marker to determine beamforming and scan conversion parameters of a scanner.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Jain Ameet Kumar
• Vignon Francois Guy Gerard Marie

Classifications

• A61B2090/3929

  Active markers · CPC title

• A61B8/08

  Clinical applications (A61B8/02, A61B8/04, A61B8/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B8/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• G01S7/52073

  Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means · CPC title

• A61B8/0841 Primary

  for locating instruments · CPC title