Large area ultrasound transducer assembly and sensor tracking for aperture control and image gneration

A method of ultrasound imaging during an intervention procedure, comprising:

• transmitting, using an ultrasound transducer assembly, ultrasound toward a region of interest (ROI) of a subject, the ROI including a vessel, wherein the ultrasound transducer assembly comprises a plurality of independently controllable apertures, and wherein the transmitting includes transmitting ultrasound with a first aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures;
• maintaining a position of the ultrasound transducer assembly with respect to the ROI;
• receiving echoes with the first aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures;
• receiving, by at least one processor operatively associated with the ultrasound transducer assembly, tracking information from a tracking sensor positioned on an interventional tool in the vessel;
• activating a second aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures based, on the tracking information, wherein the activating the second aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures includes receiving the tracking information by a multiplexer connecting each of the independently controllable apertures to the at least one processor, and communicatively coupling the second aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures to the at least one processor based on the tracking information;
• deactivating at least one aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures different from the second aperture based on the tracking information;
• and
• generating and displaying, responsive to the echoes, an ultrasound image of the ROI including the vessel.

An ultrasound imaging system comprising:

• an ultrasound transducer assembly comprising a plurality of independently controllable apertures, wherein each of the independently controllable apertures is configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from a region of interest (ROI) of a subject, the ROI having a length from about 10 cm or greater, wherein a position of the ultrasound transducer assembly is maintained with respect to the ROI;
• an ultrasound imaging apparatus coupled to each of the plurality of independently controllable apertures and configured to generate ultrasound images based on the received signals;
• a tracking sensor operatively associated with a tracking system and configured to be positioned on an interventional tool during an intervention procedure;
• and
• a multiplexer connecting each of the independently controllable apertures to the ultrasound imaging apparatus, wherein the multiplexer is configured to communicatively couple one or more of the plurality of independently controllable apertures to the ultrasound imaging apparatus based on tracking information received from the tracking system and activate at least one aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures and deactivate at least one other aperture of the plurality of independently controllable apertures, in response to the tracking information.