Methods and systems for guiding the acquisition of ultrasound images
AssigneeElekta Limited
InventorsMartin Lachaine, Tony Falco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of presenting a suggested path for an ultrasound probe along a patient's surface includes obtaining a three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image of the patient and an ultrasound image of the patient. A treatment area is defined within the within the three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image, and using the images, defining a scanning site contour of an anatomical structure of interest within the patient and an external contour of the patient's surface. A preferred path of the ultrasound scan is projected onto the external contour such that an operator can reproduce the ultrasound scan without knowledge of the anatomical structure of interest.
Claims12
A method of presenting a suggested path for an ultrasound probe along a patient's surface, the method comprising:
- (a) obtaining a three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image of the patient;
- (b) defining a treatment area within the three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image;
- (c) obtaining an ultrasound image of the treatment area, and using the ultrasound image and three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image to define a scanning site contour of an anatomical structure of interest within the patient and an external contour of the patient's surface;
- and
- (d) displaying a preferred path of the previously acquired ultrasound scan onto the external contour such that an operator can reproduce the ultrasound scan without knowledge of the anatomical structure of interest.
A method of presenting a suggested path for an ultrasound probe along a surface of a patient, the method comprising:
- (a) obtaining a surface representation of the patient;
- and
- (b) superimposing a preferred ultrasound scanning path on the surface representation, thereby guiding an operator's use of an ultrasound probe in obtaining an ultrasound image.
A system for presenting a suggested path for an ultrasound probe along a patient's surface, the system comprising:
- (a) a register for (i) obtaining a three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image of the patient, (ii) obtaining an ultrasound image of the treatment area, and (iii) receiving, from an operator, a defined treatment area within the three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image;
- and
- (b) a processor configured to (i) define a scanning site contour of an anatomical structure of interest within the patient and an external contour of the patient's surface using the ultrasound image and three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image, and (ii) display a preferred path of the previously acquired ultrasound scan onto the external contour such that an operator can reproduce the ultrasound scan without knowledge of the anatomical structure of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.