Apparatus and method of frequency compounding to perform contrast imaging
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorGeorge A. Brock-Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method of imaging contrast agents within a patient's body. The apparatus includes an imaging system transmitting at multiple frequencies to elicit a response from the contrast agent at corresponding multiple frequencies, forms images corresponding to each frequency, and the combines the formed images.
Claims27
An ultrasound imaging system that produces an image of a body part into which contrast agent microbubbles of varying sizes have been introduced, wherein each size of microbubble has a corresponding resonant frequency, the device comprising:
- a means for transmitting signals at different frequencies, wherein, for each particular one of the different transmitted frequencies, microbubbles of a size having a corresponding resonant frequency closest to the particular transmitted frequency have the greatest response;
- a means for receiving echo signals corresponding to each transmitted frequency;
- and
- a means for combining the received echo signals to form a display image.
A method of producing an image of a body part into which contrast agent microbubbles of varying sizes have been introduced, wherein each size of microbubble has a corresponding resonant frequency, the method comprising:
- transmitting transmit signals at different frequencies, wherein, for each particular one of the transmitted frequencies, microbubbles of a size having a corresponding resonant frequency closest to the particular transmitted frequency have the greatest response;
- receiving echo signals signals corresponding to each transmitted frequency;
- and
- combining the received echo signals to form a display image.
A computer readable medium configured for performing a method of producing an image of a body part into which contrast agent microbubbles of varying sizes have been introduced, wherein each size of microbubble has a corresponding resonant frequency, the method comprising:
- transmitting transmit signals at frequencies, wherein, for each particular one of the transmitted frequencies, microbubbles of a size having a corresponding resonant frequency closest to the particular transmitted frequency have the greatest response;
- receiving echo signals signals corresponding to each transmitted frequency;
- and
- combining the received echo signals to form a display image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.