Combined frequency and angle compounding for speckle reduction in ultrasound imaging

US12133771B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US
• Thorlabs, Inc. · DE

Inventors

• Yilei Li · Fremont, US
• Steven Chu · Menlo Park, US
• Noah Yuzo Toyonaga · Stanford, US
• James Jiang · Hackettstown, US
• Alex Ezra Cable · Newton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 21, 2019
• Grant date: Nov 5, 2024
• Expiry date: Jul 16, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2562/0247
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

This disclosure relates to combined frequency and angle compounding for speckle reduction in ultrasound imaging. Such combined frequency and angle compounding can result in a multiplicative speckle reduction compared to using either frequency compounding or angle compounding alone. Compounding methods of this disclosure can make use of the full aperture of the ultrasound probe when acquiring individual images, hence there can be no compromise in resolution. In disclosed embodiments, ultrasound images can be obtained while an ultrasound probe is moving and the relative position and orientation of the ultrasound images can be determined from a measurement of the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe. Certain embodiments can correct for the movement and distortion of an object being imaged during the image acquisition.