US 5,111,696 A · Method of visualizing reflection characteristic in ultrasonic examination

Abstract

A prior art computerized ultrasonic examination is performed by moving an ultrasonic probe over the surface of an object, transmitting short pulses of ultrasonic energy into the material. Combined digital position and echo pulse signals are electronically stored, processed, and used for the display of a first video sectional flaw image of a selected sectional plane through the object. Representatives of reflected echo amplitudes from a chosen location are now shown, either in said first flaw image, or in at least one separate sectional view, as lengths of line segments originating at an image pixel representing said location, and drawn in the directions of the projections on said selected sectional plane of the incoming pulses at said location. In typical examples it is demonstrated, how reflected waves can be visualized and evaluated, and how the corresponding flaw images can be superimposed on said first video flaw image, thereby adding important information which is normally disregarded in the prior art. This visualization can be made on line during the examination or in later post processing and closer analysis of the results of the examination.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method of visualizing reflection characteristics of reflecting inhomogeneities located by pulse-echo ultrasonic examination of an otherwise homogeneous object, said method comprising the steps of:

moving at least one ultrasonic probe over the surface of an object, the probe transmitting at predetermined intervals of time at least one short pulse of ultrasonic energy in the form of a sound beam with a central axis into the object and receiving echo pulses reflected from internal inhomogeneities;
storing, with a digital computing system, digital signals containing information on the corresponding, successive positions of the point of incidence and directions of the central axis of the sound beam and, on receipt of an echo pulse, information on the amplitude of the echo pulse and on the length of the sound path from the point of incidence to the reflecting point causing the echo pulse;
using the digital signals to display a first video flaw image of a sectional plane through the object;
displaying in at least one second separate video sectional image line segments representing the echo amplitudes, wherein the line segments have the length thereof representing the amplitude of the echoes and originate at the image pixel;
placing the chosen image pixel at the center of the image;
and
forming the line segments in the directions corresponding to the projections on the sectional plane of the incoming ultrasonic pulses at the location.

4 more elements

A method of visualizing reflection characteristics of reflecting inhomogeneities located by pulse-echo ultrasonic examination of an otherwise homogeneous object, where representatives of the several possible, individual echo amplitudes from a chosen location are shown as lengths of line segments originating at an image pixel representing said location in a video image of a sectional plane through the object, characterized in that:

said lengths of line segments are drawn in the directions of the projections on said sectional plane of the incoming ultrasonic pulses at said location.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of visualizing reflection characteristic in ultrasonic examination

Life of this patent

Method of visualizing reflection characteristic in ultrasonic examination

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26