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US 9,538,982 B2Granted
User interface for ultrasound scanning system
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsBrian W. Anthony, Shih-Yu Sun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasound scanning system includes a graphical user interface that provides visually intuitive feedback to a user to assist the user in properly aligning an ultrasound scanner to a desired acquisition state. In addition to providing pose information, the feedback may direct the user as to a target contact force applied by the ultrasound scanner to a surface undergoing a scan.
Claims25
A method for providing feedback to an ultrasound probe user to recover an acquisition state, the method comprising:
- determining a current acquisition state of the ultrasound probe, the current acquisition state including current pose information for a current pose of the ultrasound probe relative to an object and further including a current instantaneous contact force between the ultrasound probe and a surface of the object;
- providing a target acquisition state of the ultrasound probe, the target acquisition state including target pose information;
- displaying a graphical representation of the target acquisition state relative to the current acquisition state, wherein the graphical representation includes a first graphic corresponding to the target acquisition state and a second graphic representing the current acquisition state, the second graphic geometrically similar to and superimposed on the first graphic, wherein the second graphic is geometrically transformed according to a difference between the current pose and the target pose information;
- obtaining a first ultrasound image from the ultrasound probe at the current pose and the current instantaneous contact force when the current pose is at or near the target pose;
- and
- normalizing the first ultrasound image to an estimate of the first ultrasound image at the current pose and a predetermined contact force different than the current instantaneous contact force and greater than zero Newton, wherein normalizing the first ultrasound image includes using a trajectory field that characterizes a displacement of one or more features within the first ultrasound image according to variations in a contact force applied by the ultrasound probe to the surface, thereby providing a normalized ultrasound image;
- and
- displaying the normalized ultrasound image to a user.
5 more elements
A device comprising:
- an ultrasound probe including one or more ultrasound transducers to capture an ultrasound image of a target through a skin surface;
- a sensor system configured to obtain current pose information for a current pose of the ultrasound probe relative to the skin surface;
- a force sensor configured to obtain a current instantaneous contact force between the ultrasound probe and the skin surface;
- a memory that stores a current acquisition state and a target acquisition state for the ultrasound probe, the target acquisition state including target pose information and the current acquisition state including the current pose information and the current instantaneous contact force;
- a processor configured to generate a graphical representation of a difference between the target acquisition state and the current acquisition state, the processor further configured to process a first ultrasound image obtained from the ultrasound probe at the current pose and the current instantaneous contact force when the current pose is at or near the target pose by normalizing the first ultrasound image to an estimate of the first ultrasound image at the current pose and a predetermined contact force different than the current instantaneous contact force and greater than zero Newton, wherein normalizing the first ultrasound image includes using a trajectory field that characterizes a displacement of one or more features within the first ultrasound image according to variations in a contact force applied by the ultrasound probe to the skin surface, thereby providing a normalized ultrasound image for viewing by a user;
- and
- a display coupled to the processor to display the graphical representation and one or more of the first ultrasound image and the normalized ultrasound image for a user of the ultrasound probe.
4 more elements
A method for providing feedback to an ultrasound probe user to recover an acquisition state, the method comprising:
- determining a current acquisition state of the ultrasound probe, the current acquisition state including a current pose of the ultrasound probe relative to an object and further including a current instantaneous contact force between the ultrasound probe and a surface of the object;
- providing a target acquisition state of the ultrasound probe, the target acquisition state including a target pose for capturing a region of interest within the object;
- displaying a graphical representation providing user feedback to direct a user to steer the ultrasound probe to the target pose;
- obtaining a first ultrasound image from the ultrasound probe at the current pose and the current instantaneous contact force when the current pose is at or near the target pose;
- normalizing the first ultrasound image to an estimate of the first ultrasound image at the current pose and a predetermined contact force different than the instantaneous contact force and greater than zero Newton, wherein normalizing the first ultrasound image includes using a trajectory field that characterizes a displacement of one or more features of the object within the first ultrasound image according to variations in a contact force applied by the ultrasound probe to the surface of the object, thereby providing a normalized ultrasound image;
- and
- displaying the normalized ultrasound image to a user.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.