Ultrasound image processing to render three-dimensional images from two-dimensional images

A method for processing ultrasound images obtained from an intracardiac ultrasound imaging catheter having a phased array ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of ultrasound image frames;
• detecting edges of tissue structures within each of the plurality of image frames;
• determining a spatial location of each of the detected edges in each of the plurality of image frames;
• statistically analyzing the spatial locations of detected edges among the plurality of image frames to determine representative spatial locations for the tissue structures;
• and
• generating a cartoon rendering of the tissue structures based upon the representative spatial locations.

A method for processing ultrasound images of tissue, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of ultrasound image frames;
• detecting edges of tissue structures within each of the plurality of image frames;
• determining a spatial location of each of the detected edges in each of the plurality of image frames;
• statistically analyzing the spatial locations of detected edges of tissue structures among the plurality of image frames to determine representative spatial locations for the tissue structures;
• and
• generating a cartoon rendering of the tissue structures based upon the representative spatial locations.

A computer for use in intracardiac ultrasound imaging, comprising:

• a processor configured with processor-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• storing a plurality of ultrasound image frames in memory;
• storing in memory a rotational orientation of the transducer corresponding to each of the plurality of ultrasound image frames;
• detecting edges of tissue structures within each of the plurality of image frames;
• determining a spatial location of each of the detected edges in each of the plurality of image frames;
• receiving and storing an electrocardiogram signal corresponding in time of recording to the plurality of ultrasound image frames;
• performing the operations of statistically analyzing the spatial locations of the detected edges among a subset of the plurality of image frames with an approximately equal transducer rotational orientation and generating a cartoon rendered image frame of the tissue structures based upon the representative spatial locations imaged from the approximately equal transducer rotational orientation for a subset of the plurality of image frames corresponding to a trigger event in the electrocardiogram signal;
• and
• combining the plurality of cartoon rendered image frames within the subset of the plurality of image frames corresponding to the trigger event in the electrocardiogram signal using their respective corresponding approximately equal transducer rotation orientations to generate a three-dimensional cartoon rendering of tissue structure corresponding to the trigger event.