Method for generating a motion-corrected 3d image of a cyclically moving object

Computer program for generating a motion-corrected 3D image of a cyclically moving object, said computer program comprising instructions to cause a processor to carry out the following steps when the program is executed on the processor:

• a) accessing at least one 3D reference image of the object, the 3D reference image showing the object at one particular phase in its cyclic movement;
• b) accessing a set of sub-images of the object acquired by sweeping the ultrasound probe over the moving object;
• c) registering at least two, preferably each, of the sub-images accessed in step b) with the 3D reference image, thereby generating at least two motion-corrected sub-images;
• and
• d) reconstructing a motion-corrected 3D image from the motion-corrected sub-images.

Digital storage medium containing program code for generating a motion-corrected 3D image of a cyclically moving object, said program code comprising instruction to cause a processor to carry out the following steps:

• a) accessing at least one 3D reference image of the object, the 3D reference image showing the object at one particular phase in its cyclic movement;
• b) accessing a set of sub-images of the object acquired by sweeping the ultrasound probe over the moving object;
• c) registering at least two, preferably each, of the sub-images accessed in step b) with the 3D reference image, thereby generating at least two motion-corrected sub-images;
• and
• d) reconstructing a motion-corrected 3D image from the motion-corrected sub-images.

Device for generating a motion-corrected 3D image of a cyclically moving object, the 3D image covering at least a part of a 3D scan volume, comprising:

• an ultrasound probe adapted for acquiring a set of sub-images, each of the sub-images covering a 3D subset of the 3D scan volume;
• a data storage component adapted for storing image data acquired by the ultrasound probe, and adapted for storing at least one 3D reference image of the object, the 3D reference image showing the object substantially at one phase in its cyclic movement, and
• a control unit adapted to control the ultrasound probe to acquire a set of sub-images of the object by sweeping the ultrasound probe over the moving object;
• a processing unit adapted to register at least two, preferably all, of the sub-images with the 3D reference image, thereby generating at least two motion-corrected sub-images;
• and adapted to reconstruct a motion-corrected 3D image from the motion-corrected sub-images.