Ultrasound imaging

Abstract

A mechanism for initiating ultrasound scanning in a way that reduces power consumption. An actuation mechanism (250) generates an actuation signal that indicates whether or not there is an interaction (between the actuation mechanism and an operator) that increases a force applied by an ultrasound probe (210) to a subject (290), e.g., from a baseline force. Ultrasound scanning is initiated responsive to the occurrence of such an interaction. In particular, an ultrasound processing system (220) initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject at an initial frame rate, using an ultrasound acoustic sensor (240) of the ultrasound probe, responsive to the actuation signal indicating that there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and the operator of the ultrasound probe; obtains ultrasound imaging data are acquired by the ultrasound acoustic sensor (240) at the initial frame rate; processes the ultrasound imaging data to determine a pressure exerted by the ultrasound probe on the subject; and initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject at a desired frame rate responsive to a determination that the pressure exceeds a full scan pressure threshold, wherein the desired frame rate is higher than the initial frame rate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.