Patent ID: 6071241
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
In an ultrasound imaging system generating color flow signals in response to ultrasound signals backscattered from a subject under study and generating image signals based on the amplitude of ultrasound signals backscattered from the subject under study, improved apparatus for displaying images in response to the color flow signals comprising in combination:a terminal connected to receive a threshold signal;a memory connected to store a first set of data words in response to the color flow signals and a corresponding second set of data words in response to the image signals;a logic unit connected to adjust the threshold signal to a first threshold value, to analyze samples of the second set of data words to determine an initial count of data words having a first predetermined relationship with respect to the first threshold value, to adjust the threshold signal to one or more additional threshold values and to analyze samples of the second data words one or more additional times until the number of second set data words having the first predetermined relationship with respect to the additional threshold values reaches a target count having a second predetermined relationship with respect to the initial count and corresponding to a target threshold value, and to select data words from the first and second sets depending on a third predetermined relationship between the target threshold value and the values of the data words in the first and second sets; anda display connected to display a color flow image in response to the selected data words.