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US 8,045,777 B2Granted
Clutter suppression in ultrasonic imaging systems
AssigneeCrystalView Medical Imaging Limited
InventorGil Zwirn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for ultrasonic imaging includes transmitting ultrasonic radiation toward a target and receiving the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target. A main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal are defined. The reflected signals have different respective main and auxiliary beam patterns. A difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal is taken, so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal.
Claims40
A method for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- transmitting ultrasonic radiation toward a target and receiving the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target so as to define a main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal having different, respective main and auxiliary beam patterns;
- taking a difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal
- organizing a magnitude of each of the main reflected and output signals into two dimensional arrays;
- establishing a y axis of a cell range and an x axis of a cell angle;
- determining at least one two-dimensional block defined by at least three cells along the y axis and by at least three cells along the x axis;
- defining a center cell within each at the least one two dimensional block;
- and
- determining a mean magnitude of the at least one block and calculating a ratio between the mean magnitude of the at least one block and the magnitude of the center cell for each of the magnitude of the main reflected signal array and the magnitude of the output signal array.
5 more elements
A method for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- transmitting ultrasonic radiation toward a target and receiving the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target so as to define a main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal having different, respective main and auxiliary beam patterns;
- and
- taking a difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal;
- organizing a magnitude of each of the main reflected and output signals into two dimensional arrays;
- establishing a y axis of a cell range and an x axis of a cell cross range;
- determining at least one two-dimensional block defined by at least three cells along the y axis and by at least three cells along the x axis;
- and
- defining a center cell within each at the least one two dimensional block, and determining a mean magnitude of the at least one block and calculating a ratio between the mean magnitude of the at least one block and the magnitude of the center cell for each of the magnitude of the main reflected signal array and the magnitude of the output signal array.
5 more elements
A method for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- transmitting ultrasonic radiation toward a target and receiving the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target so as to define a main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal having different, respective main and auxiliary beam patterns;
- and
- taking a difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal;
- organizing a magnitude of each of the main reflected and output signals into three dimensional arrays;
- establishing a y axis of a cell range, an x axis of a cell angle in azimuth and a z axis of a cell angle in elevation;
- determining at least one three dimensional block defined by at least three cells along the x, y and z-axes;
- defining a center cell within each at least one three dimensional block;
- and
- determining a mean magnitude of the at least one three dimensional block and calculating a ratio between the mean magnitude of the at least one three dimensional block and the magnitude of the center cell for each of the magnitude of the main reflected signal array and the magnitude of the output signal array.
6 more elements
A method for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- transmitting ultrasonic radiation toward a target and receiving the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target so as to define a main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal having different, respective main and auxiliary beam patterns;
- and
- taking a difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal;
- organizing a magnitude of each of the main reflected and output signals into three dimensional arrays;
- establishing a y axis of a cell range, an x axis of a cell cross range in azimuth and a z axis of a cell cross range in elevation;
- determining at least one three dimensional block defined by at least three cells along the x, y and z-axes;
- defining a center cell within each at least one tree dimensional block;
- and
- determining a mean magnitude of the at least one three dimensional block and calculating a ratio between the mean magnitude of the at least one three dimensional block and the magnitude of the center cell for each of the magnitude of the main reflected signal array and the magnitude of the output signal array.
6 more elements
A computer software product for use in conjunction with a probe, which transmits ultrasonic radiation toward a target and generates signals in response to the ultrasonic radiation reflected from a region of the target, the product comprising a computer-readable non-transitory medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
- process the signals so as to define a main reflected signal and an auxiliary reflected signal having different, respective main and auxiliary beam patterns, to take a difference between the main reflected signal and the auxiliary reflected signal so as to generate an output signal containing a reduced level of clutter in comparison with the main reflected signal, to organize a magnitude of each of the main reflected and output signals into two dimensional arrays, to establish a y axis of a cell range and an x axis of a cell angle, to determine at least one two-dimensional block defined by at least three cells along the y axis and by at least three cells along the x axis, to define a center cell within each at the least one two dimensional block, and determine a mean magnitude of the at least one block and calculating a ratio between the mean magnitude of the at least one block and the magnitude of the center cell for each of the magnitude of the main reflected signal array and the magnitude of the output signal array.
A method for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- transmitting an ultrasonic radiation towards a target tissue;
- receiving reflections of the ultrasonic radiation from a region of the target in a main reflected signal and one or more auxiliary reflected signals, wherein each one of the reflected signals is associated with a different and distinct beam pattern, wherein all of the reflected signals have an identical frequency;
- determining a de-correlation time of at least one of:
- the main reflected signal and the one or more auxiliary reflected signals;
- applying a linear combination to the main reflected signal and the one or more auxiliary reflected signals, to yield an output signal with reduced clutter, wherein the linear combination comprises a plurality of complex numbers weights that are being determined for each angle and for each range within the target tissue, wherein each complex number weight is selected such that each estimated reflection due to the clutter is nullified, wherein a reflection is determined as associated with clutter if the determined de-correlation time is above a specified threshold.
2 more elements
An apparatus for ultrasonic imaging, comprising:
- a probe, which is adapted to transmit an ultrasonic radiation towards a target tissue, at a specific beam pattern;
- and
- a scanner adapted to:
- receive reflections of the ultrasonic radiation from a region of the target in a main reflected signal and one or more auxiliary reflected signals, wherein each one of the reflected signals is associated with a different and distinct beam pattern, wherein all of the reflected signals have an identical frequency;
- determine a de-correlation time of at least one of:
- the main reflected signal and the one or more auxiliary reflected signals;
- and
- apply a linear combination to the main reflected signal and the one or more auxiliary reflected signals, to yield an output signal with reduced clutter, wherein the linear combination comprises a plurality of complex numbers weights that are being determined for each angle and for each range, wherein each complex number weight is selected such that each estimated reflection due to the clutter is nullified, wherein a reflection is determined as associated with the clutter if the determined de-correlation time is above a specified threshold.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.