Patent ID: 6589179
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: A61B,G01S,Y10S

Abstract:
An ultrasonic imaging system for generating a three-dimensional Doppler image, comprising:a scanhead comprising: at least three receive apertures each of which includes a plurality of transducer elements that steer and dynamically focus received signals; and a transmit aperture separate from and centrally located with respect to the receive apertures, the transmit aperture including a plurality of transducer elements that steer and focus transmitted signals; and an imaging unit comprising: a beamformer coupled to the receive apertures, the beamformer being structured to combine signals from at least three of the receive apertures to image an area adjacent the scanhead; a Doppler processor coupled to receive signals from the beamformer and being structured to generate a magnitude signal indicative of the Doppler motion magnitude of moving ultrasound reflectors in the imaged area and a direction signal indicative of the direction of the moving ultrasound reflectors in the imaged area; a velocity estimator coupled to receive the magnitude and direction signals from the Doppler processor, the velocity estimator operating on at least two combinations of signals, each from at least two receive apertures, and being structured to generate a magnitude signal indicative of the magnitude of a three dimensional motion vector corresponding to the magnitude signals from the Doppler processor and a motion angle signal indicative of the direction of the three dimensional motion vector corresponding to the direction signals from the Doppler processor; a display processor coupled to receive the three-dimensional magnitude signal and the three-dimensional motion angle signal from the velocity estimator, the display processor converting the three-dimensional magnitude and motion angle signals to a display signals having a predetermined display format; and a display coupled to receive the three-dimensional magnitude and motion angle signals from the display processor, the display providing a three-dimensional image of motion in a volume adjacent the scanhead.