Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging with enhanced zoom
AssigneeAdvanced Technology Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsDavid N. Roundhill, David W. Rust
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided in which a portion of an ultrasonic image can be selected for enlarged display as a "zoom" image. When the image portion is displayed in its enlarged format, the bandwidth of a filter in the ultrasonic information path is extended to increase the information content of the image portion when displayed in its enlarged format. The bandwidth is continuously optimized to maximize information content in consideration of the characteristics of the display while preventing the generation of scintillation artifacts caused by attempts to display information of an excessive bandwidth.
Claims13
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system in which ultrasonic echo information is displayed on an image display comprising:
- a display exhibiting a given pixel density characteristic for displaying an ultrasonic image;
- means for selecting a portion of said displayed ultrasonic image which is to be displayed in an enlarged manner;
- means for displaying said selected portion of said displayed ultrasonic image in an enlarged manner on said display;
- and
- filter means, responsive to said selecting means, for varying the bandwidth of displayed ultrasonic information in correspondence with the enlargement of said selected portion and said display pixel density characteristic.
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system in which ultrasonic echo information is displayed on an image display comprising:
- means for processing received ultrasonic echo information to produce a plurality of sequences of ultrasonic information signals each received over a spatial dimension extending from a shallow depth to a relatively deeper depth of a subject;
- variable filter means, responsive to said sequences of ultrasonic information signals, for limiting the bandwidth of said signals;
- image processing means, coupled to said variable filter means, for processing said bandwidth limited ultrasonic information signals to produce an ultrasonic image spatially extending from said shallow to said deeper depth;
- display means, exhibiting a given pixel density characteristic, and coupled to said image processing means for displaying said ultrasonic image;
- image zoom means, coupled to said image processing means, for selecting an area of said ultrasonic image extending over a portion of the depth dimension of said image for display as an enlarged image portion;
- and
- filter control means, responsive to the selection of an area of said ultrasonic image and coupled to said variable filter means, for varying the bandwidth limitation of said variable filter means in correspondence with said selected area and said given pixel density characteristic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.