Ultrasound processing unit and method, and imaging system

US11583258B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Frank Michael Weber · Hamburg, DE
• Tilman Wekel · Santa Clara, US
• Balasundar Iyyavu Raju · Chester, US
• Jonathan Thomas Sutton · Boston, US
• Peter Bingley · Mierlo, NL

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 9, 2019
• Grant date: Feb 21, 2023
• Expiry date: Aug 24, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30048
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention provides an ultrasound processing unit. A controller (18) of the unit is adapted to receive ultrasound data of an anatomical region, for example of the heart. The controller processes the ultrasound data over a period of time to monitor and detect whether alignment of a particular anatomical feature (34) represented in the data relative to a field of view (36) of the transducer unit is changing over time. In the event that the alignment is changing, the controller generates an output signal for communicating this to a user, allowing a user to be alerted at an early stage to likelihood of misalignment and loss of imaging or measurement capability.