Methods and systems for determining velocity of tissue using three dimensional ultrasound data

US6241675A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Volumetrics Medical Imaging, Inc. · US

Inventors

• David W. Smith · Scottsdale, US
• Donald K. McAlister · Apex, US
• Norman J. Bennett · Apex, US
• Paul John Hilts · Durham, US
• John Stefanski · Raleigh, US
• Steve E. Moore · Chapel Hill, US
• Richard Holloway · Chapel Hill, US
• John A. Schachte · Cary, US
• Ronald E. Hileman · Lewistown, US
• Olaf T. von Ramm · Durham, US
• John Oxaal · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 7, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 5, 2001
• Expiry date: Jun 7, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S128/916
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A volumetric ultrasound system is used to determine the velocity of tissue using 3D echo data. In particular, the velocity of tissue in a 3D volume is determined by steering ultrasound beams to the tissue in the 3D volume and forming 3D echo data from receive ultrasound beams formed from reflections of the steered ultrasound beams from the tissue in the 3D volume. The velocity of the tissue associated with the 3D echo data can be determined using velocity determination techniques. The velocity of the tissue can be displayed in real-time. For example, in one embodiment, a sub-volume of the 3D volume can be scanned and the determined velocity of the tissue displayed in about 50 milliseconds (ms).