Method and apparatus for recognizing moving anatomical structures using ultrasound

A computer program product comprising machine executable instructions for execution by a control system (312), the machine executable instructions comprising the steps of:

• receiving ultrasound data (100, 400), wherein the ultrasound data comprises Doppler shift information descriptive of the velocity of the at least one anatomical structure,
• dividing the ultrasound data (102, 404) into a series of time frames, assigning each of the time frames a classification (104) using the Doppler shift information, and
• recognizing the at least one anatomical structure (106) using the classification of each time frame.

The fetal monitor of claim 14, wherein the fetal monitor further comprises a labor contraction sensor (310), wherein the control system is further programmed for performing the steps of:

• constructing a feature vector (406) for each of the time frames and the measurement from the labor contraction sensor,
• wherein the classification is assigned using a pattern recognition module that recognizes a classification for each feature vector, and wherein the anatomical structure is determined using the pattern recognition module.

The fetal monitor of claim 15, wherein the fetal monitor is adapted for indicating the at least one anatomical structure on an indicator and/or wherein the fetal monitor is adapted for warning an operator with an alarm if the at least one anatomical structure does not include a fetal heart and/or wherein the fetal monitor is adapted for displaying a fetal heart rate and a measure of the confidence that the fetal heart rate is from a fetus. Method and apparatus for recognizing moving anatomical structures using ultrasound.