Method and apparatus for generating an ultrasound image of moving objects using deformable models

A method for rendering a heart image, comprising:

• determining a deformable model that describes characteristics of a heart;
• insonifying regions of the heart with ultrasonic energy;
• receiving return echoes from the insonified regions;
• determining an error between image information that corresponds to at least the insonified regions of the heart and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from the deformable model;
• updating at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the heart based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the return echoes;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determining a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model so as to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object heart where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object heart and receiving further return echoes;
• and
• producing the heart image responsive to one or more of the updated model and the further return echoes.

A method for providing a three-dimensional image of an object, comprising:

• insonifying regions of the object using ultrasound energy;
• using a model of the object for imaging;
• determining an error between image information that corresponds to at least the insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from a deformable model corresponding to the object;
• updating at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the return echoes;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determining a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model so as to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object and receiving further return echoes;
• and
• generating a hybrid image of the object responsive to the updated model of the object or responsive to a combination of the further return echoes and the updated model.

A method for producing a three-dimensional image of an object, comprising:

• insonifying a first region of the object with ultrasonic energy;
• receiving return echoes from the first region of the object;
• determining an error between image information that corresponds to at least the insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from a deformable model corresponding to the object;
• producing an updated model, wherein at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object is updated based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model are updated based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the return echoes;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determining a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model to identify and insonify a second region of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object, and wherein the second region is insonified at a higher rate than the first region;
• receiving further return echoes from the second region of the object;
• and
• displaying an image of the object comprising the first region responsive to the updated model and the second region responsive to the further return echoes.

A method for providing a three-dimensional image of a moving object, comprising:

• insonifying regions of the object at a scan rate with ultrasonic energy;
• determining an error between image information that corresponds to at least the insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from a deformable model representative of at least a portion of the object;
• updating at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the return echoes;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determining a time derivative of motion of the object;
• modifying the scan rate responsive to the time derivative;
• determining a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object using the modified scan rate and receiving further return echoes;
• and
• generating an image of the object responsive to the updated model of the object or responsive to a combination of the further return echoes and the updated model.

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for producing an image of an object, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for generating ultrasonic energy, for receiving return echoes from the object and for generating signals responsive to the return echoes;
• a processor configured to:
• determine an error between image information that corresponds to at least the insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from a deformable model representative of the object;
• update at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive according to the signals;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determine a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object;
• and
• a display for displaying a hybrid image of the object responsive to one or more of the updated object model and signals responsive to return echoes received from the one or more regions of the object.

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for producing a sequence of images of an object, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for generating ultrasonic energy, for receiving return echoes from the object and for generating signals responsive to the return echoes;
• a processor configured to:
• generate a deformable model representing the object;
• determine an error between image information that corresponds to at least insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from the model;
• update the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the signals to produce an updated model;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determine a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object and receive further return echoes;
• and
• a display for displaying a first image of the object including a portion of the first image based on the updated model and a portion of the first image based on one or more of the signals and the further return echoes, and wherein at least a portion of a second image of the object comprises the updated model.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method for producing a real time image of an object, comprising:

• insonifying regions of the object using a source transducer with ultrasonic energy and receiving return echoes from the object using a receive transducer;
• determining an error between image information that corresponds to at least insonified regions of the object and is determined from the return echoes, and further image information that corresponds to the same regions and is derived from a deformable model;
• updating at least a portion of the model corresponding to the insonified regions of the object based on the return echoes and one or more other portions of the model based on a determined dynamics of the model responsive to the return echoes;
• wherein the dynamics of the deformable model provide an instantaneous condition of one or more mass elements and connectors between the mass elements in the deformable model based on the updates from the insonified regions;
• determining a beam steering direction using feedback from the updated model so as to identify and insonify one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object and receiving further return echoes;
• generating a hybrid image of the object comprising object regions responsive to the updated model of the object and object regions responsive to the further return echoes received from the one or more regions of the object where the determined error is higher than in other regions of the object.