Contrast agent sensitive medical ultrasound imaging
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Duncan, Xiaozheng Zeng, Ismayil M. Guracar
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Abstract
In contrast agent imaging, a beamformer and transducer scan a region of a patient having contrast agents. A detector detects the contrast agents with at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques from ultrasound data resulting from the scanning. A processor compares responses of the contrast agents detected between the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques and selects a relative contribution of the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques. The selection is based on the comparing. Contrast agent imaging of the patient is performed using at least one of the contrast agent imaging techniques. The performance is based on the selected relative contribution.
Claims10
A method for medical ultrasound imaging of contrast agents, the method comprising:
- scanning, by a beamformer and transducer, a region of a patient having contrast agents;
- detecting, by a detector, the contrast agents with at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques from ultrasound data resulting from the scanning;
- comparing, by a processor, responses of the contrast agents detected between the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques;
- selecting, by the processor, a contribution of the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques, the selecting being based on the comparing;
- and
- performing contrast agent imaging of the patient using at least one of the contrast agent imaging techniques, the performing being based on the selected contribution,
- wherein comparing responses comprises comparing contrast sensitivity,
- wherein selecting comprises selecting the contribution as a ratio of the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques less than 1.0 and more than 0.0, and wherein performing comprises generating a contrast agent image as a combination of information from each of the at least two different contrast agent imaging techniques with the combination being a function of the contribution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.