Adaptive image processing for spatial compounding
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorJames R. Jago
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Spatially compounded images are produced by combining signals from different look directions as a function of the received echo signals. In one embodiment the combinational processing of the echo signals is a function of the steering direction sensitivity of the echo signals. Adaptive variation in the combinational processing can be done on a pixel-by-pixel basis within a particular image, on an image-by-image basis, or in response to the diagnostic exam being performed.
Claims24
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system which receives echo signals from points in an image region from a plurality of different look directions and combines multiple echo signals received from a point to form spatially compounded images comprising:
- a receiver which receives echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- a processor, responsive to the echo signals received from multiple different look directions from a point in an image, which produces a control signal that is a function of the look direction sensitivity of the echo signals;
- and
- an adaptive echo combiner, responsive to echo signals, which combines echo signals from different look directions to produce an image signal value that is a function of the control signal.
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system which receives echo signals from points in an image region from a plurality of different look directions and combines multiple echo signals received from a point to form spatially compounded images comprising:
- a receiver which receives echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- a user interface, responsive to user input, which produces a control signal that is a function of the type of diagnostic exam which the user desires to perform;
- and
- an adaptive echo combiner, responsive to echo signals, which combines echo signals from different look directions to produce an image signal value that is a function of the control signal.
A method for producing ultrasonic spatially compounded images comprising:
- receiving echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- producing a control signal that is a function of the look direction sensitivity of the echo signals;
- and
- adaptively combining echo signals from different look directions to produce an image signal value that is a function of the control signal.
A method for producing ultrasonic spatially compounded images comprising:
- receiving echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- producing a control signal that is a function of the type of ultrasonic exam to be performed;
- and
- adaptively combining echo signals from different look directions to produce an image signal value that is a function of the control signal.
A method for producing ultrasonic spatially compounded images comprising:
- receiving echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- producing a control signal that is a function of at least one of the type of ultrasonic exam to be performed, the image processing of echo signals, and the look direction sensitivity of echo signal;
- and
- adaptively combining echo signals from different lock directions in response to the control signal to produce image signal values that are formed by different combining algorithms at different points in an ultrasonic image.
A method for producing ultrasonic spatially compounded images comprising:
- receiving echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- adaptively combining echo signals from different look directions to produce an image signal value for each of a plurality of points in the image region;
- analyzing echo signals received from different look directions to produce a control signal;
- and
- highlighting points in an image in response to the control signal.
A method for producing ultrasonic spatially compounded images comprising:
- receiving echo signals from points in an image region from different steering directions, wherein individual points in the image region return echoes from multiple different look directions;
- analyzing the echo signals received from different points to identify an image characteristic;
- adaptively combining echo signals from different look directions by use of a given combining algorithm to produce an image signal value at a point in the image region exhibiting the identified image characteristic;
- and
- adaptively combining echo signals from different look directions by use of a different combining algorithm to produce an image signal value at points in the image region which do not exhibit the identified image characteristic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.