Guided cardiac ultrasound imaging to minimize apical foreshortening

An ultrasound system for guiding a user to obtain optimized ultrasound images, comprising:

• a handheld ultrasound probe comprising a transducer array;
• a display;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured for communication with the transducer array, the display, and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
• control the transducer array to obtain a first plurality of ultrasound images corresponding to one or more views of a patient anatomy;
• calculate a foreshortening metric corresponding to one or more ultrasound images of the plurality of ultrasound images;
• output a foreshortening indicator representative of the foreshortening metric to the display;
• compare the foreshortening metric to one or more predetermined criteria;
• and
• in response to the foreshortening metric not satisfying the one or more predetermined criteria, iteratively output guidance to the user to adjust the orientation of the handheld ultrasound probe, obtain an additional plurality of ultrasound images, calculate an additional foreshortening metric corresponding to the additional plurality of ultrasound images, update the foreshortening indicator based on the additional foreshortening metric, and compare the additional foreshortening metric to the one or more predetermined criteria until the updated foreshortening metric satisfies the one or more predetermined criteria.