US 5,488,952 AGranted

Stereoscopically display three dimensional ultrasound imaging

AssigneeSchoolman Scientific Corporation

InventorArnold Schoolman

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Abstract

A stereoscopically displayed three dimensional ultrasound imaging system derives image data from an ultrasound imaging apparatus including a two dimensional ultrasound transducer array, reconstructs the image data into a three dimensional model, and displays right and left stereoscopic three dimensional image components of the model on corresponding right and left video display devices of a stereoscopic viewing unit. The system includes a system computer interfaced to the imaging apparatus and a pair of image channels, each including a three dimensional display processor, and a video display device. The three dimensional display processors receive polygon image data, reconstruct it into a three dimensional form, and select image data representing a three dimensional view from a selected perspective. The system computer controls the display processors to present mutually angularly displaced views of the same three dimensional image to form the stereoscopic image components.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A method of ultrasound imaging of anatomical structures of an organism comprising the steps of:

(a) providing ultrasound energy;
(b) propagating said energy through an organism having anatomical structures therein such that said energy is reflected from said anatomical structures;
(c) receiving said energy after reflection from said anatomical structures;
(d) measuring parameters of the reflected energy resulting from reflection from said anatomical structures;
(e) converting said parameters to three dimensional image data representing images of said anatomical structures, said three dimensional image data comprising a range of shades of display color;
(f) transforming said image data into independent, angularly displaced right and left three dimensional video signals representing right and left eye three dimensional stereoscopic components of an image of said anatomical structures from a first perspective, said transforming step including the steps of creating a three dimensional view from said first perspective of said three dimensional image data, said first perspective representing one of said right or left eye stereoscopic components and rotating said three dimensional image data from said first perspective to a second perspective and creating a second three dimensional view from said second perspective, said second perspective representing the other of said left and right eye stereoscopic components;
and
(g) displaying said right and left stereoscopic components of said image on respective separate, independent right and left video displays to thereby provide a stereoscopic three dimensional view of said anatomical structures.

5 more elements

A method of three dimensionally imaging anatomical structures of an organism using ultrasound energy and stereoscopically displaying images of said structures comprising the steps

(a) providing said ultrasound energy;
(b) propagating said ultrasound energy through an organism having anatomical structures therein such that said energy is reflected from said anatomical structures;
(c) receiving said energy after reflection from said anatomical structures;
(d) measuring parameters of said energy resulting from reflection from said anatomical structures;
(e) converting said parameters to image data representing images of said anatomical structures, said image data comprising a range of shades of display color;
(f) performing said propagating, receiving, measuring, and converting steps in such a manner as to obtain said image data in a form of a plurality of closely spaced and sequential two dimensional data arrays of spatially related image data points having values related to said parameters of said energy, said data arrays forming cross sectional images of a segment of said organism;
(g) assembling said image data in such a manner as to form a three dimensional model;
(h) transforming said three dimensional model into independent, angularly displaced right and left three dimensional video signals representing right and left eye three dimensional stereoscopic components of said three dimensional model from a first perspective, said transforming step including the steps of creating a three dimensional view from said first perspective of said three dimensional image data, said first perspective representing one of said right or left eye stereoscopic components and rotating said three dimensional image data from said first perspective to a second perspective and creating a second three dimensional view from said second perspective, said second perspective representing the other of said left and right eye stereoscopic components;
(i) providing a stereoscopic display unit including separate, independent right left video displays;
(j) displaying said right three dimensional model stereoscopic image component of a three dimensional image of said three dimensional model on said right video display;
and
(k) displaying said angularly displaced left three dimensional model stereoscopic image component of said three dimensional image of said three dimensional model on said left video display.

9 more elements

An apparatus for stereoscopic ultrasound imaging of anatomical structures and comprising:

(a) ultrasound imaging means propagating ultrasound energy through an organism, receiving said energy as reflected from anatomical structures of said organism, measuring parameters of said energy as reflected from said anatomical structures, and converting said parameters to image data, said image data comprising a range of shades of display color;
(b) image data storage means interfaced with said imaging means and storing said image data;
(c) computer means interfaced with said image data storage means for receiving said image data, assembling said image data in such a manner as to form a three dimensional model of said segment of said organism, generating independent right and left eye angularly displaced three dimensional stereoscopic image data representing respective right and left stereoscopic component images of said three dimensional model by rotating said three dimensional model to yield respective right and left eye perspective components from a selected perspective view of said three dimensional model;
and
(d) stereoscopic display means interfaced with said computer means and including separate, independent right and left video displays, said display means receiving said right and left stereoscopic image data and transforming said into right and left video signals which are applied respectively to said right and left video displays to display said right and left stereoscopic component images respectively thereon.

2 more elements

An apparatus for stereoscopic ultrasound imaging of anatomical structures and comprising:

(a) ultrasound imaging means propagating ultrasound energy through an organism, receiving said energy as reflected from anatomical structures of said organism, measuring parameters of said energy as reflected from said anatomical structures, and converting said parameters to image data, said image data being in a form of a plurality of closely spaced and sequential two dimensional data arrays of spatially related image data points having values related to said energy, said data arrays forming cross sectional images of a segment of said organism;
(b) image data storage means interfaced with said imaging means and storing said image data;
(c) computer means interfaced with said image data storage means for receiving said image data and forming a three dimensional model of said image data, said computer means also generating independent right and left eye angularly displaced three dimensional stereoscopic image data representing respective right and left stereoscopic component images of said three dimensional model by rotating said three dimensional model to yield respective right and left eye perspective components from a selected perspective view of said three dimensional model;
(d) stereoscopic display means interfaced with said computer means and including separate, independent right and left video displays, said display means receiving said independent, angularly displaced right and left stereoscopic component images and transforming same into right and left video signals which represent said right and left stereoscopic component images, respectively;
(e) a right stereoscopic image component of a three dimensional image of said three dimensional model being displayed on said right video display;
and
(f) an angularly displaced left stereoscopic image component of said three dimensional model being displayed on said left display.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/250,933Filed 31 May 1994 · continuation
Priority: 24 Feb 1982
Granted: 6 Feb 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

A61B 8/00
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
A61B 1/00048
Display arrangement: constructional features of the display
A61B 1/00193
Optical arrangements: adapted for stereoscopic vision
A61B 6/022
Arrangements for diagnosis sequentially in different planes; Stereoscopic radiation diagnosis: stereoscopic imaging

Family

Serial351,917Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Feb 1982
Serial616,385Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Jun 1984
Serial671,436Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Nov 1984
Serial935,066Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Nov 1986
Serial179,059Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Apr 1988
Serial229,472Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Aug 1988
Serial334,706Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Apr 1989
Serial615,216Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Nov 1990
Serial91,452Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jul 1993
US 4,737,972 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 4,559,555 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,488,952 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.