Ultrasound imaging system with intrinsic doppler capability
US6520915B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S7/52026
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasound imaging system capable of generating a flow image from B-mode echo frames. For each location in a target region, phase information is derived from the B-mode echo frames, and frame-to-frame changes in the phase information are processed to detect the presence of fluid flow at that location. A demodulator receives the B-mode echo frames and demodulates them into baseband signal components from which the phase information is derived. Preferably, the demodulator is highly accurate and robust, such that frame-to-frame changes in the phase information are reliably measured. From the reliably measured phase information, a phase shift metric is then computed and thresholded by a user-adjustable threshold value. Flow is present if the phase shift metric is greater than the threshold value and is absent otherwise. The user may adjust the threshold value in real time through an input device, such as a knob or keyboard, to increase or decrease the flow sensitivity as desired and/or to eliminate the slow-moving clutter. Together with a B-mode image, the flow image is provided to an ultrasound display. For further clutter removal, the flow image may be suppressed for those locatio…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.