A method for providing information on whether microemboli exist within a subject using Doppler ultrasound, the method comprising:
- acquiring, by using a first probe on a measurement target area of the subject, first Doppler ultrasound measurement results;
- preprocessing, by a processor, the first Doppler ultrasound measurement results to obtain preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results;
- determining, by the processor, whether microembolic signals (MES, Microembolic Signal) are present in the preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results by using a first artificial intelligence algorithm;
- and
- providing, by the processor, information on microemboli within the subject according to whether the MES are present wherein the preprocessing the first Doppler ultrasound measurement results to obtain the preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results comprises:
- continuously acquiring, by the processor, the first Doppler ultrasound measurement results as a plurality of Doppler ultrasound images;
- and
- obtaining, by the processor, preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results from the plurality of Doppler ultrasound images,
- wherein the plurality of Doppler ultrasound images overlap each other so that no Doppler ultrasound signal is omitted between the images wherein obtaining the preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results from the plurality of Doppler ultrasound images comprises:
- extracting, by the processor, one or more signals from the plurality of Doppler ultrasound images;
- filtering, by the processor, signals having amplitudes less than or equal to a first amplitude threshold from the one or more signals;
- and
- obtaining, by the processor, preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results from the one or more signals from which signals having amplitudes less than or equal to the first amplitude threshold are filtered
- wherein obtaining the preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results from the one or more signals from which signals having amplitudes less than or equal to the first amplitude threshold are filtered comprises:
- additionally filtering, by the processor, signals having durations longer than a first duration threshold from the filtered one or more signals;
- and
- obtaining, by the processor, preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results from the one or more signals from which signals having durations longer than the first duration threshold are further filtered
- wherein, when it is determined by the first artificial intelligence algorithm that MES are present in the first Doppler ultrasound measurement results,
- by the processor, lowering the first amplitude threshold, or increasing the first duration threshold, or both lowering the first amplitude threshold and increasing the first duration threshold;
- and
- in subsequently performed preprocessing first Doppler ultrasound measurement results to obtain preprocessed first Doppler ultrasound measurement results, applying the varied first amplitude threshold, the varied first duration threshold, or the varied first amplitude threshold and the varied first amplitude threshold.