US 11,896,424 B2 · Automated needle entry detection

Abstract

In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system is configured to receive a set of ultrasound images of a target anatomical region. The set of ultrasound images is combined to create a composite tissue frame. The ultrasound imaging system determines whether an interventional instrument is present within the ultrasound images based on a set of trained classification algorithms based on the set of ultrasound images and the composite tissue frame. If an interventional instrument is detected, the ultrasound imaging system further determines whether an additional ultrasound frame should be captured to image the interventional instrument, and the steer angle to be used for the additional ultrasound image. The ultrasound imaging system determines a linear structure corresponding to the interventional instrument, and creates a blended image showing the interventional instrument and the composite tissue frame.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An ultrasound imaging system comprising an image processor configured to:

create a composite tissue frame from ultrasound image frames wherein the ultrasound image frames are captured at a plurality of first steer angles;
determine that an interventional instrument is present in the ultrasound image frames based on one or more classifier algorithms trained to detect interventional instruments based at least in part on a detection of tissue warping within:
one or more of the ultrasound image frames;
or
the composite tissue frame;
determine that an additional image frame is required to depict the interventional instrument;
determine a second steer angle of the additional image frame and capture the additional image frame at the second steer angle, wherein the second steer angle is greater than each of the plurality of first steer angles;
based on the additional image frame, determine a linear structure corresponding to the interventional instrument;
and
compound the linear structure depicted in the additional image frame with the composite tissue frame to create a blended image frame depicting the interventional instrument.

7 more elements

One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by one or more computing devices of an ultrasound imaging system to:

create a composite tissue frame from ultrasound image frames wherein the ultrasound image frames are captured at a plurality of first steer angles;
determine that an interventional instrument is present in the ultrasound image frames based on one or more classifier algorithms trained to detect interventional instruments based at least in part on a detection of tissue warping within:
one or more of the ultrasound image frames;
or
the composite tissue frame;
determine whether an additional image frame is required to depict the interventional instrument;
determine a second steer angle of the additional image frame and capture the additional image frame at the second steer angle, wherein the second steer angle is greater than each of the plurality of first steer angles;
based on the additional image frame, determine a linear structure corresponding to the interventional instrument;
and
compound the linear structure depicted in the additional image frame with the composite tissue frame to create a blended image frame depicting the interventional instrument.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated needle entry detection

Life of this patent

Automated needle entry detection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22