Regional contrast enhancement based on complementary information to reflectivity information
AssigneeShenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsGlen W. McLaughlin, David J. Napolitano
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Abstract
Systems and methods for performing ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound information of a subject region in response to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward the subject region can be gathered. The ultrasound information can include reflectivity information and complementary information to the reflectivity information of the subject region in response to the ultrasound pulses. One or more ultrasound images of at least a portion of the subject region can be formed from the reflectivity information. Further, the one or more ultrasound images can be modified based on the complementary information to the reflectivity information to generate one or more enhanced ultrasound images from the one or more ultrasound images.
Claims13
A method for performing ultrasound imaging comprising:
- collecting ultrasound information of a subject region in response to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward the subject region, the ultrasound information including reflectivity information and sound speed information including propagation speeds of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- forming one or more B-mode ultrasound images of at least a portion of the subject region from the reflectivity information;
- calculating, from the sound speed information, a mean propagation speed of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- generating, from the sound speed information, a sound speed map of the propagation speeds of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- and
- automatically and selectively adjusting gain of different portions of the one or more B-mode ultrasound images in proportion to each portion's variation from the mean propagation speed according to the sound speed map to produce one or more contrast-enhanced B-mode ultrasound images.
A system for performing ultrasound imaging comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer configured to:
- collect ultrasound information of a subject region in response to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward the subject region, the ultrasound information including reflectivity information and sound speed information including propagation speeds of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- and
- a main processing console configured to:
- form one or more B-mode ultrasound images of at least a portion of the subject region from the reflectivity information;
- calculate, from the sound speed information, a mean propagation speed of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- generate, from the sound speed information, a sound speed map of the propagation speeds of the ultrasound pulses interacting with the subject region;
- and
- automatically and selectively adjusting gain of different portions of the one or more B-mode ultrasound images in proportion to each portion's variation from the mean propagation speed according to the sound speed map to produce one or more contrast-enhanced B-mode ultrasound images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.