Patent ID: 6814703
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for obtaining an ultrasonic image of an object having an ultrasonic contrast medium containing microbubbles injected in a blood flow, comprising:a probe configured to transmit an ultrasonic beam and to receive an echo signal; a probe driver configured to drive said probe to transmit the ultrasonic beam with a mechanical index value such that the microbubbles are collapsed to the extent that the echo signal contains at least one of velocity or direction information of the blood flow; a separation unit configured to separate a harmonic signal from the echo signal; a signal processing unit configured to obtain velocity and power values from the separated harmonic signal; an image processing unit configured to produce an ultrasonic image from the echo signal wherein each pixel in the ultrasonic image has a color and brightness, wherein the color and brightness are determined according to the velocity and power values; and a display unit configured to display the ultrasonic image, wherein the color is at least one of a first color, a second color, and a third color, and wherein the imaging processing unit is further configured to assign the first color to a pixel if a corresponding echo signal represents a relatively fast motion and a first direction of the motion, the second color if the corresponding echo signal represents the relatively fast motion and a second direction of the motion, and the third color if the corresponding echo signal represents a relatively slow motion.