Ultrasonic harmonic image segmentation
US6508767B2 · kind B2 · utility
21Cited by
7References
38Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S7/52046
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus and method are provided for segmenting signals from nonlinear targets such as microbubble contrast agents. Received echo signals are separated into their constituent linear and nonlinear components by a Doppler filter using pulse inversion separation. A threshold level is derived from an estimate made of the contributions to the echo signal from linear scattering and noise. Echo signals which exceed the threshold level are segmented as nonlinear (microbubble-originating) signals and displayed as such, whereas signals not exceeding the threshold are suppressed in the image display.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.