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US 12,594,058 B2Granted
Method and systems for color flow imaging of arteries and veins
AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsRimon Tadross, Michael Ledwidge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various methods and systems for color flow ultrasound imaging of arteries and veins are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises acquiring a color flow image, automatically identifying an artery and a vein within the color flow image, and adjusting at least one imaging parameter responsive to the automatic identification of the artery and the vein. In this way, flow velocities and volume flow in arteries and veins may be measured with minimal adjustments or input by a user, thereby increasing the accuracy and consistency of measurements and reducing the time needed for blood flow measurements.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- receiving selection of a venous imaging application via a user interface;
- responsive to receiving the selection of the venous imaging application,
- acquiring a color flow image that comprises an aliasing portion;
- automatically identifying an artery and a vein within the color flow image based on the aliasing portion, wherein the vein is in contact with an other blood vessel, wherein the artery is automatically differentiated from the vein based on a processor identifying the aliasing portion, and wherein the artery is automatically identified by the processor as corresponding to the aliasing portion;
- and
- adjusting at least one imaging parameter responsive to the automatic identification of the artery and the vein using the aliasing portion, wherein adjusting the at least one imaging parameter includes:
- via the processor,
- both automatically positioning a color flow region of interest (ROI) on the vein and automatically positioning a pulsed wave (PW) cursor on the vein responsive to a condition despite the vein being in contact with the other blood vessel, wherein the condition includes both the venous imaging application being selected and the identification of the artery and the vein using the aliasing portion having been performed.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a user selection of a venous imaging application via a user interface;
- responsive to receiving the user selection of the venous imaging application,
- acquiring a color flow image according to the venous imaging application that comprises an aliasing portion;
- via a processor, using the aliasing portion to automatically distinguish an artery from a vein adjacent to the artery in the color flow image, wherein the artery is automatically identified by the processor as corresponding to the aliasing portion, wherein the vein is in contact with the artery in the acquired color flow image;
- and
- via the processor, both automatically positioning a color flow region of interest (ROI) on the vein and a display of a pulsed wave cursor on the vein in the color flow image responsive to a condition, despite the vein being in contact with the artery in the acquired color flow image, wherein the condition includes both the selected imaging application being the venous imaging application and the identification of the artery and the vein using the aliasing portion having been performed.
3 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an ultrasound probe;
- a user interface configured to receive input from an operator of the system;
- and
- a processor configured with instructions in non-transitory memory that when executed cause the processor to:
- receive, via the user interface, a selection of a venous imaging application or an arterial imaging application;
- and
- responsive to the selection of the venous imaging application,
- acquire, with the ultrasound probe, a color flow image according to the venous imaging application that includes an aliasing portion,
- automatically identify an artery and a vein adjacent to the artery, wherein the aliasing portion within the color flow image acquired according to the venous imaging application is used to differentiate the artery from the vein, the artery identified as corresponding to the aliasing portion, wherein the vein is in contact with the artery in the acquired color flow image, and
- both automatically adjust a steering angle to position a region of interest (ROI) of the color flow image on the vein and automatically position a pulsed wave cursor on the vein responsive to a condition, despite the vein being in contact with the artery in the acquired color flow image, wherein the condition includes both the venous imaging application being selected and the identification of the artery and the vein within the color flow image having been acquired according to the venous imaging application using the aliasing portion.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.