149 results about "Diagnostics ultrasound" patented technology

An automated three dimensional mapping and display system for a diagnostic ultrasound system is presented. According to the invention, ultrasound probe position registration is automated, the position of each pixel in the ultrasound image in reference to selected anatomical references is calculated, and specified information is stored on command. The system, during real time ultrasound scanning, enables the ultrasound probe position and orientation to be continuously displayed over a body or body part diagram, thereby facilitating scanning and images interpretation of stored information. The system can then record single or multiple ultrasound free hand two-dimensional (also “2D”) frames in a video sequence (clip) or cine loop wherein multiple 2D frames of one or more video sequences corresponding to a scanned volume can be reconstructed in three-dimensional (also “3D”) volume images corresponding to the scanned region, using known 3D reconstruction algorithms. In later examinations, the exact location and position of the transducer can be recreated along three dimensional or two dimensional axis points enabling known targets to be viewed from an exact, known position.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system has independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

A method of diagnosing a subject by delivering ultrasound signals using shear waves includes applying a portion of an ultrasound mainbeam to a bone surface at an incident angle relative to the surface of the bone to induce shear waves in the bone, energy in the shear waves forming a substantial part of energy of first ultrasound waves at a desired region in the subject through the bone, detecting at least one of reflected and scattered energy of the applied ultrasound mainbeam, and analyzing the detected energy for a diagnostic purpose.

An apparatus, system, and method where the ultrasound transducer position registration is automated, calculates the position of each pixel in the ultrasound image in reference to the predetermined anatomical reference points (AR) and can store the information on demand. The graphic interface associated with the ultrasound image allows for the instant display of selected targets position coordinates relative to anatomical reference points, in the ultrasound images. This system would significantly reduce the ultrasound examination time, by eliminating the time consuming manual labeling of images and speeding up the target finding at subsequent examinations, enhance correlation capability with other diagnostic imaging modalities like CT scans, MRI, mammograms, decrease human errors and fatigue, provide an easy, uniform, method of communicating the target position among healthcare providers.

An ultrasound probe comprises therapeutic transducers which include a plurality of arrayed first transducer elements and emit therapeutic ultrasounds to a subject, and diagnostic transducers which include a plurality of arrayed second transducer elements and emit diagnostic ultrasounds to the subject and receive the diagnostic ultrasounds, wherein the therapeutic transducers are stacked over the diagnostic transducers.

A diagnostic ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transmitting and receiving system for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a object to be examined 10, an elasticity image capturing system for capturing an elasticity image related to body tissue of the object to be examined on the basis of a signal output from the ultrasound transmitting and receiving system, and a controlling and displaying system for capturing the elasticity image. The elasticity image capturing system obtains compression data related to the compression state of the object to be examined 10, determines the compression state of the body tissue on the basis of the compression data, and includes a compression direction and range evaluation unit 115 as a compression state evaluating means for reflecting the determination result to the elasticity image. In this way, more accurate diagnosis by objectively and quantitatively grasping the compression state of the body tissue is possible.

In a diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, an ultrasound pulse signal is transmitted two times in each of the rasters on a region to be scanned. Subtraction between echo signals received at each time of transmission is made to obtain a difference signal. Either one of the echo signals and the difference signal are produced into individual tomographic images, independently of each other. The produced individual tomographic images are displayed with a superposed manner one on the other or parallel-arranged manner. This allows contrast echo imaging to be conducted on a rate subtraction imaging technique. Minute blood flows are depicted distinguishably from tissue surrounding those flows in a steady manner.

A method of displaying an elastic image according to the present invention includes the steps of measuring ultrasound cross-section data of a cross-section region of a subject while applying compression to the subject 1 (2, 3, 4), determining distortion of tissue in the cross-section region on the basis of the ultrasound cross-section data, generating an elastic image of the cross-section region on the basis of the distortion, displaying the elastic image on a display device (7), setting a plurality of ROIs on the elastic image displayed on the display device, converting the distortion of each ROI into an index value (12), and displays the index value on the display device (8). In this way, the method enables quantitative evaluation of the hardness of body tissue of a region to be diagnosed.

To carry out objective or definitive diagnosis on the basis of an elastic image regardless of experience and proficiency, a method of displaying an elastic image includes the steps of measuring ultrasound cross-section data of a cross-section region of a subject by applying pressuring to the subject, determining a physical value correlating with the elasticity of tissue in the cross-section region on the basis of the ultrasound cross-section data, generating an elastic image of the cross-section region on the basis of the physical value and displaying the elastic image on a display device, determine compression state information relating to the compression state of the cross-section region on the basis of the pressure applied to the subject, and displaying the compression state information together with the elastic image on the display device.

Practical diagnostic ultrasound arrays invariably exhibit a degree of unwanted inter-element cross coupling or cross talk. This results in degraded beam performance that in turn results in degraded image resolution (spatial resolution and contrast performance). Current approaches to reducing inter element coupling may be costly and may make the transducer array fragile. There is a need to overcome the cross talk problem with minimal expense and impact on reliability. The approach taken here overcomes a substantial component of the cross talk with minimal expense. The approach is versatile and has applicability in both transmit and receive. The approach improves image resolution. This technique has particular applicability in the field of silicon substrate based MEMS transducers in which the continuous, low loss, silicon wafer substrate gives rise to significant unwanted cross talk.

A modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus is provided comprising a core unit, system electronics and an I / O port. The core unit comprises a housing and a system electronics package within the housing. The system electronics has one or more concatenated filters, including a front end transmit / receive circuit, a processor, a back end circuit for scan conversion, a system clock and a programmable system memory device. There is at least one I / O port connected to the front end and the back end of the system electronics package and extending through the core unit housing wherein all system data processing information is transmitted or received through the I / O port.