- Email: [email protected]
4412248 Ultrasonic image storage device and method
New Patents
Improvements are disclosed in an ultrasonic display and recording system of the type utilized in diagnostic medicine with particular applicability in cardiovascular diagnosis. The system includes a multi-element transducer for generating and receiving ultrasonic energy which is propagated into and reflected back from the cardiovascular region of the patient being examined, and also means for generating a twoincludes dimensional real time display and/or image of the zone of examination. TM recording means are associated with the system and may be actuated to effect a TM recording corresponding to a preselected region of the real time image being observed. An ECG output signal is also displayed in real time with the two-dimensional image, and photographs of the displays may be produced at selected points in the ECG cycle in accordance with a setting made by the system operator. The system includes provision for generating video recordings; and means for imposing various identification and time data upon the displays.
4412544
ULTRASONIC METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BODIES USING AMPLITUDE AND POLARITY DETECTION Irwi Beretsky, David Arnold, Bruno Pellegrini assigned to Chromasonics Inc As disclosed herein, a new and improved method and apparatus provides for the ensonification of at least a portion of a body part with acoustic energy pulses; detects the polarity and amplitude of the resultant echo pulse; and displays the detected data in a color television format to result in an improvement in resolution in indicia of tissue character. This improvement is accomplished by a process which simultaneously detects both the amplitude or strength of the echo pulse and the polarity sense of the echo pulse at the peak amplitude for each echo pulse. The improvement utilizes a general property of acoustical pulses to detect polarity and amplitude of the echo pulse. The amplitude and polarity measures of the echo pulse are used to produce intensity (luminance) and color (chrominance) throughout the body part for each individual picture element (pixel) forming the picture. Since multiple echoes and their corresponding polarities might correspond to a single pixel picture element, averaging of the polarity and amplitude information prior to display is required. Suitable averaging of the luminance and chrominance is provided to obtain the best measure of color within the picture element. Multiple lines ofecho pulse trains are then stored as image information and displayed as a final image in a standard color television format.
III
An improved ultrasonic imaging system and method are provided for medical diagnostic purposes. In order to store additional digital ultrasonic imaging information in a limited memory, a first digital signal representative of the ultrasonic image is provided. The first digital signal is companded to form a second digital signal, the second digital signal being stored. The companding provides a second digital signal which is a non-linear function of the first digital signal such that the granularity of the stored signal is increased in regions of high diagnostic interest at the expense of decreased resolution in areas of low diagnostic interest. When it is desired to display the stored digital image, the second digital signal is retrieved from the storage means and decompanded to provide the reconstituted first digital signal which is thereafter directed to a video display.
4412248 ULTRASONIC IMAGE STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD Ralph H Carmen assigned to Technicare poration
Cor-
An improved ultrasonic imaging system and method are provided for medical diagnostic purposes. In order to store additional digital ultrasonic imaging information in a limited memory, a first digital signal representative of a video input signal is provided. The first digital signal comprises a series of digital amplitude samples of the transverse component of the input signal. A second series of samples is provided from the first series. Each element of the second series is the arithmetic average of a group of elements of the first series. The second series of elements is stored. Since the number of elements of the second series is less than the number of elements of the first series, memory density of the transverse component of the input signal is decreased.
4409838 ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE
4412249 ULTRASONIC IMAGE STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD Ralph H Carmen poration
assigned to Technicare
Cor-
Hermann Schomberg, Hamburg, Federal Republic Of Germany assigned to U S Philips Corporation A device and method for the determination of the internal structure of a body by means of ultrasonic waves which penetrate the body. The
Improvements are disclosed in an ultrasonic display and recording system of the type utilized in diagnostic medicine with particular applicability in cardiovascular diagnosis. The system includes a multi-element transducer for generating and receiving ultrasonic energy which is propagated into and reflected back from the cardiovascular region of the patient being examined, and also means for generating a twoincludes dimensional real time display and/or image of the zone of examination. TM recording means are associated with the system and may be actuated to effect a TM recording corresponding to a preselected region of the real time image being observed. An ECG output signal is also displayed in real time with the two-dimensional image, and photographs of the displays may be produced at selected points in the ECG cycle in accordance with a setting made by the system operator. The system includes provision for generating video recordings; and means for imposing various identification and time data upon the displays.
4412544
ULTRASONIC METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BODIES USING AMPLITUDE AND POLARITY DETECTION Irwi Beretsky, David Arnold, Bruno Pellegrini assigned to Chromasonics Inc As disclosed herein, a new and improved method and apparatus provides for the ensonification of at least a portion of a body part with acoustic energy pulses; detects the polarity and amplitude of the resultant echo pulse; and displays the detected data in a color television format to result in an improvement in resolution in indicia of tissue character. This improvement is accomplished by a process which simultaneously detects both the amplitude or strength of the echo pulse and the polarity sense of the echo pulse at the peak amplitude for each echo pulse. The improvement utilizes a general property of acoustical pulses to detect polarity and amplitude of the echo pulse. The amplitude and polarity measures of the echo pulse are used to produce intensity (luminance) and color (chrominance) throughout the body part for each individual picture element (pixel) forming the picture. Since multiple echoes and their corresponding polarities might correspond to a single pixel picture element, averaging of the polarity and amplitude information prior to display is required. Suitable averaging of the luminance and chrominance is provided to obtain the best measure of color within the picture element. Multiple lines ofecho pulse trains are then stored as image information and displayed as a final image in a standard color television format.
III
An improved ultrasonic imaging system and method are provided for medical diagnostic purposes. In order to store additional digital ultrasonic imaging information in a limited memory, a first digital signal representative of the ultrasonic image is provided. The first digital signal is companded to form a second digital signal, the second digital signal being stored. The companding provides a second digital signal which is a non-linear function of the first digital signal such that the granularity of the stored signal is increased in regions of high diagnostic interest at the expense of decreased resolution in areas of low diagnostic interest. When it is desired to display the stored digital image, the second digital signal is retrieved from the storage means and decompanded to provide the reconstituted first digital signal which is thereafter directed to a video display.
4412248 ULTRASONIC IMAGE STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD Ralph H Carmen assigned to Technicare poration
Cor-
An improved ultrasonic imaging system and method are provided for medical diagnostic purposes. In order to store additional digital ultrasonic imaging information in a limited memory, a first digital signal representative of a video input signal is provided. The first digital signal comprises a series of digital amplitude samples of the transverse component of the input signal. A second series of samples is provided from the first series. Each element of the second series is the arithmetic average of a group of elements of the first series. The second series of elements is stored. Since the number of elements of the second series is less than the number of elements of the first series, memory density of the transverse component of the input signal is decreased.
4409838 ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE
4412249 ULTRASONIC IMAGE STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD Ralph H Carmen poration
assigned to Technicare
Cor-
Hermann Schomberg, Hamburg, Federal Republic Of Germany assigned to U S Philips Corporation A device and method for the determination of the internal structure of a body by means of ultrasonic waves which penetrate the body. The