Method and apparatus for acquiring and fusing ultrasound images with pre-acquired images

A method of fusing ultrasound images with pre-acquired images, comprising the following steps:

• a) acquiring a first 3D ultrasound image in real-time;
• b) identifying at least one known reference pattern or object within a pre-acquired 3D image and the first 3D ultrasound image;
• c) registering the first 3D ultrasound image acquired in real-time with the pre-acquired 3D image by using the at least one known reference pattern or object;
• d) fusing 3D ultrasound images of a sequence of first 3D ultrasound images acquired in real-time with the pre-acquired 3D image by using data of a co-registration between said 3D ultrasound images and the pre-acquired 3D image;
• and
• e) displaying fusion tomographic images, each fusion image comprising a corresponding 3D ultrasound image acquired in real-time and the pre-acquired 3D image,
• wherein the co-registration between the 3D ultrasound images and the the pre-acquired 3D image is performed in a continuous manner in a background, by continuing to acquire, in the background, 3D ultrasound images and to register said 3D ultrasound images with the pre-acquired images by using said at least one known reference pattern or object,
• further comprising the following steps:
• identifying in the pre-acquired 3D image a volume or section plane comprising the at least one known reference pattern or object therein;
• acquiring at least one 3D ultrasound image by a quick acquisition and identifying, inside the at least one 3D ultrasound image, the at least one known reference pattern or object;
• performing a registration of the at least one 3D ultrasound image with the pre-acquired 3D image based on the at least one known reference pattern or said object;
• defining a plane or volume corresponding to a view of an object or to an anatomical district to be examined within at least one 3D ultrasound image acquired and in the pre-acquired 3D image registered with each other, the plane or volume not coinciding with the volume or section plane containing the at least one known reference pattern or object for performing the registration of the at least one 3D ultrasound image with the pre-acquired 3D image;
• continuing with acquisition of a 3D ultrasound image and reconstruction of a real-time ultrasound image in said plane or in said volume corresponding to the view of an object or to an anatomical district to be examined and performing a fusion with a corresponding image along said plane or in said volume of the pre-acquired 3D image;
• and
• continuing with the acquisition, in the background, of image data of the 3D ultrasound images and using, in the background, information or data of the 3D ultrasound images acquired in real-time to maintain the registration between the 3D ultrasound images with the pre-acquired images, wherein the registration between the 3D ultrasound images with the pre-acquired images is maintained by continuing to perform, in the background, a registration process for each 3D ultrasound image and the pre-acquired images by using the volume or section plane comprising the at least one known reference pattern or object therein.