Patent ID: 6379304
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
A method of imaging a region of interest with ultrasound energy comprising of:providing a portable ultrasound imaging system including a transducer array within a handheld probe, an interface unit connected to the handheld probe with a first cable interface, the interface unit having a beamforming device and being connected to a data processing system with a second cable interface; providing output signals from the interface unit to the handheld probe to actuate the transducer array; delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest; collecting ultrasound energy returning to the transducer array from the region of interest; transmitting data from the handheld probe to the interface unit with the first cable interface; performing a beamforming operation with the beamforming device in the interface unit; transmitting data from the interface unit to the data processing system with the second cable interface such that the data processing system receives a beamformed electronic representation of the region of interest.