Patent ID: 7329225
Filing Date: 2008-02-12
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of scanning a shaft in vivo using a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound scanner, the method comprising: scanning an oscillating shaft to provide images including the oscillating shaft in vivo in real-time with a real-time three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound scanner, wherein scanning comprises: wherein the data comprises 3D Doppler data and echo image data, and providing the images comprises selecting first slice image data from the echo image data based on processing the 3D Doppler data corresponding to the oscillating shaft, the method further comprising: tracking a tip of the shaft in real-time by selecting second slice image data from the echo image data to provide second slice image data responsive to determining that the second slice image data includes a value of the 3D Doppler data corresponding to the oscillating tip of the shaft that is above a threshold value.