Device and method for determining actual tissue layer boundaries of a body
US9579079B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 27, 2011 |
| Grant date | Feb 28, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 29, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/46
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to a device (8) for determining tissue layer boundaries of a body (14), comprising a probe (10) for acquiring (S12) two or more ultrasound images (36) at adjacent positions of a surface (12) of the body (14), a converter (44) for converting (S14) said ultrasound images (36) separately to depth signals (46), wherein a depth signal (46) is obtained by summing intensities of one of said ultrasound images (36) along a line (66) of substantially constant depth in the body (14), a detector (48) for detecting (S16) a set of candidate tissue layer boundaries (50) for an ultrasound image (36) by thresholding the depth signal (46) obtained for said ultrasound image (36), a selection means (52) for selecting (S18) from a set of candidate tissue layer boundaries (50) a nearest candidate tissue layer boundary (54) that is nearest to the surface (12) of the body (14), and a processing means (56) for determining (S20) an actual tissue layer boundary (58) from the nearest candidate tissue layer boundaries (54) obtained for various ultrasound images (36).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.