Patent ID: 6730031
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
An ultrasound imaging system for generating a panoramic image, the system comprising:a scanhead structured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to ultrasound echoes; a beamformer coupled to the scanhead to generate electrical signals corresponding to ultrasound echoes from a beam beneath the scanhead; a scan converter coupled to the beamformer to generate data corresponding to a plurality of image frames as the scanhead is scanned across a field of interest; an image processor coupled to the scan converter, the image processor storing data corresponding to each of the image frames and retaining the image frame data after the panoramic image has been generated, the image processor being further structured to generate data corresponding to the panoramic image from data corresponding to selected image frames, the image processor comprising: an image frame buffer coupled to the scan converter, the image frame buffer being structured to store data corresponding to each of the image frames; a frame correlator coupled to the image frame buffer, the frame correlator being structured to determine the relative spatial relations of each of the image frames and to generation spatial relation data corresponding thereto; a history buffer coupled to the frame correlator, the history buffer being structured to store the data corresponding to each of the image frames and associated spatial position data; an image frame selector coupled to one of the image frame buffer and the history buffer, the image frame selector being structured to select data corresponding to image frames that are to be excluded from inclusion in the data corresponding to the panoramic image; an image memory coupled to the image frame selector, the image memory storing the data corresponding to the panoramic image; and a display coupled to the image memory, the display generating the panoramic image.