Methods and systems for display of shear-wave elastography and strain elastography images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9420996-B2
Application number	US-201414168559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems for displaying ultrasound images are provided. The method provides receiving a user input selecting a shear-wave mode for an ultrasound probe and obtaining shear-wave data of a region of interest (ROI) acquired by the ultrasound probe when in the shear-wave mode. The method further includes receiving a user input selecting a strain mode for the ultrasound probe and obtaining strain data of the ROI acquired by the ultrasound probe when in the strain mode. The method also includes generating an image of the shear-wave data and an image of the strain data and receiving a user input to display the shear-wave image and the strain image. Further, the method provides displaying the shear-wave image and the strain image concurrently.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual mode ultrasound imaging system comprising:
an ultrasound probe configured to acquire shear-wave data during a shear-wave mode and strain data during a strain mode for a region of interest (ROI), wherein the shear-wave data is acquired at a different time relative to the strain data by the ultrasound probe;
a diagnostic circuit configured to generate a shear-wave image and a strain image from the shear-wave data and the strain data, respectively; and
a display concurrently displays the shear-wave image and the strain image.

2. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a position tracking circuit configured to determine an ROI data acquisition location of the shear-wave data and the strain data, respectively, wherein the shear-wave image and the strain image are displayed in either a side-by-side configuration or overlaid to form a single displayed image, wherein the single displayed image is aligned using the ROI data acquisition location.

3. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 2 , further comprising a user interface to adjust the single displayed image by increasing or decreasing at least one of a contrast, a brightness, or a proportion of the shear-wave data with respect to the strain data of the single displayed image.

4. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 2 , further comprising a user interface to adjust the single displayed image by increasing or decreasing at least one of a contrast, a brightness, or a proportion of the strain data with respect to the shear-wave data of the single displayed image.

5. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to display the shear-wave image when the strain data is being acquired or display the strain image when the shear-wave data is being acquired.

6. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic circuit generates at least a second shear wave image or at least a second strain image when additional shear-wave data or strain data is acquired by the ultrasound probe, the display receives a user input that selects one of the shear-wave images and the strain images to display concurrently.

7. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein a position tracking circuit receives location data from a plurality of position devices, wherein at least one position device is coupled to the ultrasound probe.

8. The dual mode ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein a position tracking circuit determines the ROI data acquisition location based on a mechanical structure of the ROI.

9. A method for concurrently displaying ultrasound images, comprising:
receiving an input selecting a shear-wave mode for an ultrasound probe;
obtaining shear-wave data of a region of interest (ROI) acquired by the ultrasound probe when in the shear-wave mode;
generating at least one shear-wave image from the shear-wave data and displaying the at least one shear-wave image on a display;
receiving a user input selecting a compare mode;
switching to a side-by-side display mode, wherein the at least one of the shear-wave images is displayed on a first display portion of the display;
receiving an input selecting a strain mode for the ultrasound probe;
obtaining strain data of the ROI acquired by the ultrasound probe when in the strain mode, wherein the shear-wave data is acquired at a different time relative to the strain data by the ultrasound probe;
generating at least one shear-wave image from the strain data; and
displaying the at least one strain image on a second display portion of the display concurrently with the at least one shear-wave image.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receive a user input selecting an overlay mode, wherein the at least one shear-wave image and the at least one strain image are overlaid to form a single displayed image.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising using position tracking information with respect to the ultrasound probe to determine ROI data acquisition locations of the shear-wave data and strain data respectively, wherein the single displayed image is aligned at the ROI data acquisition locations, the position tracking information comprises location data outputted from a plurality of position devices, wherein at least one position device is coupled to the ultrasound probe.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a user input to increase or decrease at least one of a contrast, a brightness, or a proportion of the at least one shear-wave image with respect to the at least one strain image when displayed concurrently.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a user input to increase or decrease at least one of a contrast, a brightness, or a proportion of the strain image with respect to the shear-wave image when displayed concurrently.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a user input selecting the at least one shear-wave image and the at least one strain image to display from a series of shear-wave images and strain images.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein a position tracking information is determined based on a mechanical structure of the region of interest (ROI).

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasound probe acquires the strain data before the shear-wave data.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasound probe acquires the shear-wave data before the strain data.

18. A method for concurrently displaying dual mode ultrasound images on a display, comprising:
receiving user inputs from a user input device having user selectable elements to control a display, wherein the user inputs control the display to enter a side-by-side display mode or an overlay display mode;
defining, while the display is in the side-by-side display mode, a first screen portion to display a strain image and a second screen portion to display a shear-wave image, respectively, such that the strain image and the shear-wave image are displayed concurrently, wherein the shear-wave image is based on shear-wave data and the strain image is based on strain data, the shear-wave data being acquired at a different time relative to the strain data; and
overlaying, while the display is in the overlay display mode, the strain image and the shear-wave image to form a single image, wherein the single image is aligned using region of interest (ROI) data acquisition locations of the strain image and the shear-wave image.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising displaying a series of strain images or shear-wave images, wherein the user inputs select the strain image or shear-wave image from one of the images within the series of strain images or shear-wave images displayed, respectively.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving a user input to increase or decrease at least one of a contrast, a brightness, or a proportion of the strain image or shear-wave image.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Tsymbalenko Yelena Viktorovna

Classifications

• A61B8/5207

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title

• G01S15/899

  Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment · CPC title

• A61B8/469

  for selection of a region of interest · CPC title

• A61B8/4254

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title

• G01S7/52071

  Multicolour displays; using colour coding; Optimising colour or information content in displays, e.g. parametric imaging · CPC title