# US 2008/0187193 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Forming a Guide Image for an Ultrasound Image Scanner

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- Number: US 2008/0187193 A1
- Document ID: US20080187193A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/670,286
- Filed: 2007-02-01
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-01
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Ralph Thomas Hoctor; Mirsaid Seyed Bolorforosh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187193A1

## CPC

- G06V 30/142: using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
- A61B 8/00: Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
- A61B 8/483: {involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data}
- A61B 8/5246: {combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode}
- G06V 2201/12: Acquisition of 3D measurements of objects
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A method for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object to be scanned during an ultrasound scan. The method comprises insonifying the object, receiving return echoes from the object, processing the return echoes to generate a data set representing the object, comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models, selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the step of comparing and displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object to be scanned during an ultrasound scan, comprising:
insonifying the object;
receiving return echoes from the object;
processing the return echoes to generate a data set representing the object;
comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models;
selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the step of comparing; and
displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of insonifying the object comprises free hand motion of a transducer probe to insonify the object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of insonifying the object further comprises compensating for perturbations induced by non-uniform motion of the transducer probe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the return echoes further comprises producing a free hand scan model of the object responsive to the data set, and wherein the step of comparing the data set further comprises comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the step of comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models further comprises correlating the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models and the step of selecting further comprises determining one of the plurality of shape models with the highest correlation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
insonifying regions of the object;
receiving return echoes from the regions of the object; and
displaying a current scan plane responsive to the return echoes from the regions of the object on the guide image, wherein the guide image comprises a three dimensional image and the current scan plane comprises a plane intersecting the guide image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying a two-dimensional image of the current scan plane.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying the guide image further comprises displaying the guide image at a first resolution and the step of displaying the two-dimensional image of the current scan plane comprises displaying the image of the current scan plane separate from the guide image at a second resolution greater than the first resolution.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the step of displaying the current scan plane further comprises correlating the return echoes from the regions of the object and the return echoes from the object to determine a location of the current scan plane relative to the guide image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the return echoes further comprises correlating the return echoes from a plurality of substantially parallel scan planes.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the data set comprises a three dimensional data set.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of comparing further comprises generating a potential field responsive to the data set, applying the potential field to a model surface to conform the model surface to the potential field and comparing the model surface to the plurality of shape models.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the step of applying the potential field to the model surface further comprises filtering the data set.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the guide image further comprises displaying the guide image with labels identifying features thereof.

### Claim 17

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for generating ultrasonic energy during a first scan, for receiving first echoes from the object and for generating first signals responsive to the first echoes;
a processor for generating a data set according to the first signals, the data set representing the object, the processor for selecting a best fit shape model from among a plurality of shape models responsive to the data set; and
a first display for displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers comprise a one dimensional array of transducers or a two-dimensional array of transducers.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the model comprises a deformable model defined by mass elements and connectors between mass elements.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein responsive to the data set the processor generates a free hand scan model for correlating with the plurality of shape models to select the best fit shape model.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein during a second scan the plurality of ultrasonic transducers receive second echoes from scan planes of the object, wherein a location of the scan plane is displayed on the guide image.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first display depicts a three-dimensional image of the guide image and a two-dimensional indication of the location of scan plane.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 22 wherein a second display depicts a two-dimensional image responsive to the second echoes.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of shape models comprise at least one of static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects and static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first display further comprises labels identifying features of the guide image.

### Claim 26

A computer software code for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object responsive to insonifying the object during a first scan, comprising:
a software module for receiving first return echoes from the object responsive to insonifying the object during the first scan;
a software module for processing the first return echoes to generate a data set representing the object;
a software module for comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models;
a software module for selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the software module for comparing; and
a software module for displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 further comprising a software module for compensating perturbations induced by non-uniform motion of a transducer probe during insonifying the object.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for processing the return echoes further comprises producing a free hand scan model of the object responsive to the data set, and wherein the software module for comparing the data set further comprises comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for comparing the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models further comprises correlating the free hand scan model with the plurality of shape models and the software module for selecting further comprises determining one of the plurality of shape models with the highest correlation.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for receiving return echoes further receives second return echoes from the object responsive to a second scan, and wherein the software module for displaying further displays a current scan plane, responsive to the second return echoes, on the guide image, and wherein the guide image comprises a three dimensional image and the current scan plane comprises a plane intersecting the guide image.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The computer software code of claim 30 wherein the software module for displaying further generates a separate two-dimensional image of the current scan plane.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The computer software module of claim 30 wherein the software module for displaying further correlates the second return echoes and the first return echoes to display the current scan plane on the guide image.

### Claim 33 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for processing the first return echoes correlates the first return echoes from a plurality of substantially parallel scan planes.

### Claim 34 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 further comprising a computer software code database storing the plurality of shape models, wherein the plurality of shape modules comprise static shape models of different physiological shapes for one or more objects and static shape models of different scales for one or more objects.

### Claim 35 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for comparing further generates a potential field responsive to the data set, applies the potential field to a model surface to conform the model surface to the potential field and compares the model surface to the plurality of shape models.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The computer software code of claim 35 wherein the software module for applying the potential field to the model surface further comprises filtering the data set.

### Claim 37 (depends on 26)

The computer software code of claim 26 wherein the software module for displaying the guide image further displays guide image labels identifying features of the guide image.