Flexible geometry for real-time ultrasound volume imaging
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorXiang-Ning Li
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Abstract
An ultrasonic imaging method and apparatus are described for electronically scanning a volumetric region by means of a two dimensional array of transducer elements coupled to a beamformer, comprising: actuating elements of the array to transmit ultrasonic energy into the volumetric region; receiving echo signals by elements of the array in response to the transmitted ultrasonic energy; and forming beams which sample the volumetric region that allows choices of size, location and geometry shapes such as in one of a circular and elliptical beam pattern.
Claims23
A method for electronically scanning a volumetric region by means of a two dimensional array of transducer elements coupled to a beamformer, comprising:
- actuating elements of the array to transmit ultrasonic energy into the volumetric region;
- receiving echo signals by elements of the array in response to the transmitted ultrasonic energy;
- and
- forming beams which sample the volumetric region in a sub-division which comprises a sub-set of a beam pattern correspondingly to said volumetric region by limiting the arrangement of elements actuated.
A three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system comprising:
- a transducer including a two dimensional array of transducer elements which transmits beams of ultrasonic energy into a volumetric region and receives ultrasound signals in return;
- a beamformer coupled to the elements of the array which acts to spatially sample a sub-region of the volumetric region, wherein a beam pattern is generated by limiting the firing of elements in the array geometry which correspond to the sub-region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.