Partial rayline volumetric scanning ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorDerek Henderson
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Abstract
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are described for more uniformly sector scanning a volumetric or planar image region. The acquired data set comprises raylines extending over the full depth of field and raylines for which near-field image data is omitted. This results in a more uniform spatial sampling of both the near- and far-field regions when scanning with radially steered beams. Processing and storage requirements of the ultrasound system are correspondingly lessened.
Claims20
A method for reducing storage or processing requirements in ultrasonic imaging by sector scanning a region of interest comprising:
- scanning the region of interest with radially steered beams;
- acquiring rayline data from along at least a portion of the radially steered beams;
- image processing the rayline data in which the data for the near-field portion of some of the raylines has been omitted;
- and
- storing or displaying the processed rayline data.
A method of partial rayline imaging of a region of the body scanned by radially directed raylines comprising:
- acquiring full image data from both the near-field and far-field regions of a plurality of radially directed, spatially distinct raylines;
- and
- acquiring first partial image data from only the far-field regions of a plurality of radially directed, spatially distinct raylines which are interspaced between the raylines for which both near-field and far-field data was acquired;
- and
- forming an image using the full and first partial image data.
A method for acquiring multi-zone focused ultrasonic image data comprising:
- transmitting a first plurality of radially steered rayline segments over a near-field zone of an image field and receiving echo data from along the rayline segments;
- transmitting a second plurality of radially steered rayline segments over a far-field zone of an image field and receiving echo data from along the rayline segments, wherein the second plurality of rayline segments is at greater than the first plurality;
- and
- forming an image from the rayline segments of the first and second plurality.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.