Patent ID: 9366754
Filing Date: 2016-06-14
CPC Classification: A61B,G01S

Claim Text:
1. A method of ultrasound imaging comprising: dividing a region-of-interest into a plurality of partial volumes including a first partial volume and a second partial volume, wherein the first partial volume is different from the second partial volume; acquiring first 4D ultrasound data exclusively from the first partial volume with a probe during a first period of time that is longer than an estimated cardiac period, wherein acquiring the first 4D ultrasound data comprises making multiple sweeps of the complete first partial volume in order to acquire a first sequence of volumes of the entire first partial volume, where each of the multiple sweeps is of the entire first partial volume, wherein each volume in the first sequence of volumes is acquired by acquiring a first plurality of 2D image frames from the first partial volume and each of the first plurality of 2D image frames is acquired from a distinct position within the first partial volume, where ultrasound data is acquired from only the first partial volume, and not from any other of the plurality of partial volumes, during the first period of time; acquiring second 4D ultrasound data exclusively from the second partial volume with the probe during a second period of time that is longer than the estimated cardiac period, wherein the second period of time occurs after the first period of time, wherein acquiring the second 4D ultrasound data comprises making multiple sweeps of the complete second partial volume in order to acquire a second sequence of volumes of the entire second partial volume, where each of the multiple sweeps is of the entire second partial volume, wherein each volume in the second sequence of volumes is acquired by acquiring a second plurality of 2D image frames from the second partial volume and each of the second plurality of 2D image frames is acquired from a distinct position within the second partial volume, where ultrasound data is acquired only from the second partial volume, and not from any other of the plurality of partial volumes, during the second period of time, and where the probe is in a single stationary position during both the acquisition of the first 4D ultrasound data and the second 4D ultrasound data; combining with a processor the first 4D ultrasound data acquired from the first partial volume with the second 4D ultrasound data acquired from the second partial volume to generate 4D ultrasound data of the region-of-interest; generating an image based on the 4D ultrasound data of the region-of-interest; and displaying the image on a display device.