Abstract:
An ultrasonic imaging system uses a specially configured scanhead to provide ultrasound return signals that are processed by an imaging unit to generate a three-dimensional Doppler ultrasound image. One embodiment of the scanhead includes a first pair of apertures aligned along a first axis, and a second pair of apertures aligned along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. All of the apertures lie in a common plane. Respective signals from the apertures along each axis are processed to generate two-dimensional Doppler motion vectors. The resulting pairs of two-dimensional Doppler motion vectors are then processed to generate three-dimensional Doppler motion vectors that are used to generate a three-dimensional Doppler image. In another embodiment, three co-planar apertures are arranged equidistantly from each other about a common center, and the three-dimensional Doppler image is generated from respective signals from the apertures.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional ultrasonic Doppler images of moving sound reflectors in blood and tissues.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A variety of ultrasound imaging modalities have been developed to suit a variety of specific applications. For example, Doppler imaging has been developed to allow the imaging of moving ultrasound reflectors. Doppler ultrasound imaging systems detect a Doppler shift in the frequency of a transmitted signal reflected from ultrasound reflectors, and display returns only from such reflectors. The magnitude of the Doppler shift corresponds to the velocity of the ultrasound reflectors, and the polarity of the Doppler shift corresponds to the direction of movement. Conventional Doppler images are thus able to provide an indication of both blood flow velocity and blood flow direction, thereby allowing arterial blood flow to be differentiated from venous blood flow. Doppler imaging can also be used to visualize the movement of tissues, such as heart wall movement.  
           [0003]    Although Doppler imaging provides a great deal of clinically useful information, Doppler imaging is not without its problems and limitations. The magnitude of the Doppler shift corresponds to the projection of the velocity of the blood flow on the ultrasound beam. The Doppler shift from blood flowing at an angle to the axis of the ultrasound beam corresponds to the product of the blood flow velocity and the cosine of the angle between the direction blood flow direction and the axis of the beam. Therefore, the velocity of blood flow can be accurately determined and portrayed in an ultrasound Doppler image only if the angle between the blood flow and the axis of the ultrasound beam is known. Yet it can be difficult to make this determination.  
           [0004]    Even if the angle between the axis of the ultrasound beam and an artery or vein is known, it can still be difficult or impossible to accurately determine the velocity of blood flowing through the blood vessel because the flow of blood through a vessel is not always aligned with the axis of the vessel. Blood can flow through a blood vessel in a helical manner. Furthermore, the flow of blood in a blood vessel becomes even more irregular in the presence of bends, bifurcations or obstructions in the vessel. Thus, a single cosine correction angle cannot be used to accurately correct signals indicative of the velocity of moving reflectors in an artery or vein.  
           [0005]    In conventional Doppler imaging systems, a two-dimensional Doppler image is obtained by using an ultrasound transducer having a linear, one-dimensional array of transducer elements. Signals applied to or received from the array are combined to form a beam that is steered by phase-shifting the signals to sample locations in a two-dimensional plane. If each sample location in the two-dimensional plane is interrogated from two different apertures, i.e., by two different beams emanating from different locations, the absolute mean velocity of flow at that sample location can be determined in two dimensions. However, such systems are incapable of accurately portraying the true flow velocity because the true velocity may have a component that is perpendicular to the two-dimensional plane.  
           [0006]    One approach to determining blood flow in three dimensions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,393 to Philips et al., which discloses a system using a transducer having a non-planar phased array that interrogates each sample volume using three independently steered beams. Although the two-dimensional phased arrays taught by the Philips et al. patent are capable of accurately determining the velocity of blood flow in three dimensions, the structure of the transducers disclosed in the Philips et al. patent make them difficult to use. In particular, because the faces of the arrays are curved, it can be difficult to maintain good acoustic contact with the surface of tissues to be imaged unless the curvature of the surface is substantially the same as the curvature of the face of the array. However, the curvature of the array face will not generally match the curvature of the surface of tissues to be imaged. The approach described in the Philips et al. patent thus has a limited range of applications. Furthermore, the large number of elements in the array each located in a different three-dimensional position produce respective signals that can be combined only with a great deal of computational complexity.  
           [0007]    There is therefore a need for a system and method for providing a three-dimensional Doppler image using an ultrasound transducer that can be used with relative ease and that produces signals that can be combined to create the image with relatively little computational complexity. Furthermore such a system should be capable of imaging both blood flow and tissue motion, in order to determine the true velocity of both heart and vessel wall motion. Delineation of the direction of motion will both make the diagnosis easier and allow better understanding of the source of the motion abnormality.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An ultrasonic imaging system for generating a three-dimensional Doppler image includes a scanhead and an imaging unit. The scanhead includes a transmit aperture, and at least three receive apertures arranged in a common plane. The imaging unit includes a beamformer coupled to the receive apertures. The beamformer combines signals from several transducer elements in each of the receive apertures to generate signals indicative of ultrasound Doppler returns from a selected volume adjacent the receive aperture. Respective Doppler processors for the receive apertures generate respective magnitude signals indicative of the Doppler flow magnitude of moving ultrasound reflectors in the selected volume and a direction signal indicative of the direction of the moving ultrasound reflectors in the selected volume. A velocity estimator is coupled to receive the magnitude and direction signals from each of the Doppler processors. The velocity estimator generates a magnitude signal indicative of the magnitude of a three-dimensional flow vector corresponding to the magnitude signals from the Doppler processors and a flow angle signal indicative of the direction of the three-dimensional flow vector corresponding to the direction signals from the Doppler processors. The imaging system also includes a display processor coupled to receive the magnitude signal and the angle signal from the velocity estimator. The display processor converts the magnitude and angle signals to display signals having a predetermined display format.  
           [0009]    The transmit aperture is preferably positioned symmetrically between the receive apertures and in the common plane of the receive apertures. In one aspect of the invention, the scanhead may include a first pair of receive apertures positioned in the common plane along a first axis, and a second pair of receive apertures positioned in the common plane along a second axis that is perpendicular to and intersects the first axis. In this configuration, the transmit aperture may be positioned in the common plane at the intersection of the first and second axes. In another aspect of the invention, the scanhead may include a plurality of receive apertures equally spaced from a center point of the scanhead and circumferentially spaced from each other. The receive apertures may have a hexagonal shape, and the transmit aperture may be centered at the center point between the receive apertures. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a three-dimensional Doppler ultrasound imaging system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a transducer face according to one embodiment of a scanhead that is may be used in the imaging system of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views and vector diagrams showing the two orthogonal planes in which blood flow is measured using the scanhead of FIG. 2.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 4A and 4B are vector diagrams illustrating the manner in which the Doppler flow vectors shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively, are resolved into composite vectors that may have two orthogonal components.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a vector diagram illustrating the manner in which the composite vectors shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, are resolved into a three-dimensional composite vector that may have three orthogonal components.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ultrasound imaging unit used in the ultrasound imaging system of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a plan view of a transducer face according to another embodiment of a scanhead that is may be used in the imaging system of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    One embodiment of a system  10  for producing a Doppler three-dimensional image is shown in FIG. 1. The ultrasound imaging system  10  includes a scanhead  20  having a transducer face  24  that will be described in greater detail below. Electric signals are coupled between the scanhead  20  and an imaging unit  30  through a cable  26 . The imaging unit  30  is shown mounted on a cart  34 . A display monitor  40  having a viewing screen  44  is placed on an upper surface of the imaging unit  30 .  
         [0018]    The transducer face  24  of the scanhead  20  is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The face  24  is planar, and it has a first pair of receive apertures  50 ,  52  extending along a first axis  54 , and a second pair of receive apertures  56 ,  58  extending along a second axis  60  that is perpendicular to the first axis  54 . Each receive aperture  50 - 58  is formed by a plurality of transducer elements  62  generating respective electrical signals responsive to received ultrasound returns. The phasing of the signals from the transducer elements  62  may be adjusted to effectively steer and focus the received ultrasound returns to various directions and depths. A transmit aperture  66  is located at the intersection of the two axes  54 ,  60 . Since the face  24  of the scanhead  20  is planar, it can maintain contact with the surface of tissues to be imaged (not shown) with substantially the same ease that a conventional one-dimensional transducer array (not shown) can maintain contact with the surface of tissues to be imaged. Furthermore, since only four apertures  50 ,  52 ,  56 ,  58  are used to generate signals from ultrasound returns, the signals can be combined to form signals indicative of a three-dimensional flow vector with relatively little computational complexity.  
         [0019]    The manner in which the scanhead  20  shown in FIG. 2 can determine flow vectors in three dimensions will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. After the transmit aperture  66  directs ultrasound to tissues adjacent the array face  24 , each of the receive apertures  50 ,  52  detects reflected ultrasound signals. Based on the time at which each portion of the ultrasound signal is received by the transducer elements  62  in each aperture  50 ,  52 , the distance and angle of a sample volume relative to the center of each receive aperture  50 ,  52  can be determined. Each aperture  50 ,  52  determines the magnitude of a Doppler flow vector from the sample volume based on the frequencies of the ultrasound returns from the sample volume. For example, with reference to FIG. 3A, the receive aperture  50  is first steered and focused to receive ultrasound returns along a beam  70 , and subsequently steered and focused to receive ultrasound returns along a beam  72 . With reference to the Doppler shift of the ultrasound returns received along the beam  70 , a flow vector  74  having a magnitude corresponding to the projection of the speed of the ultrasound reflectors along the beam  70  can be determined. Similarly, a vector  78  having a magnitude corresponding to the projection of the speed of the ultrasound reflectors along a beam  80  can be determined. Based on these two projected vectors  74 ,  78 , a composite two-dimensional flow vector can be determined by conventional means. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the projected flow vector  74  combined with the projected flow vector  78  results in a composite two-dimensional flow vector  90 . The sole component of the vector  90  is in a plane that is perpendicular to the transducer face  24  and containing the axis  54  (FIG. 3A). Any velocity component in a direction perpendicular to this plane cannot be detected by the receive apertures  50 ,  52 . The receive apertures  50 ,  52  are thus only capable of generating a two-dimensional Doppler image.  
         [0020]    As shown in FIG. 3B, ultrasound returns are received by the receive apertures  56 ,  58  in the same manner that the receive apertures  50 ,  52  receive ultrasound returns. In the example of FIG. 3B, the ultrasound returns received by the receive apertures  56  and  58  are “off-axis”, i.e., steered to one side. With reference to the Doppler shift of the ultrasound returns received along the beam  94  a flow vector  97  having a magnitude corresponding to the projection of the speed of the ultrasound reflectors along the beam  94  can be determined. Similarly, a vector  98  having a magnitude corresponding to the projection of the speed of the ultrasound reflectors along a beam  96  can be determined. Based on these two projected vectors  97 ,  98 , a composite two-dimensional flow vector we can be determined by conventional means. The composite flow vector  92  along the beam has a first component  100  that is perpendicular to the axis  60  (FIG. 3B) and a second component  102  that is parallel to the axis  60 , as shown in FIG. 4B. The composite vector  92  lies in a plane that contains the axis  60  and is perpendicular to the face  24  of the scanhead  20 . The vector components  100 ,  102  also lie in this plane. Any velocity component not in this plane cannot be detected by the receive apertures  56 ,  58 . The receive apertures  56 ,  58  are thus only capable of generating a two-dimensional Doppler image. The two-dimensional Doppler image is in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane in which a two-dimensional Doppler image can be generated by the receive apertures  50 ,  52  (FIG. 3A). It will be appreciated that the ultrasound beams can be steered in any direction relative to the scanhead face  24  and apertures  50 ,  52 ,  56 ,  58  and that the directions shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B are examples of only two planar directions which may be employed.  
         [0021]    The manner in which ultrasound returns from the four receive apertures  50 ,  52 ,  56 ,  58  can be used to provide a three-dimensional Doppler vector will now be explained with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows the planar face  24  of the scanhead  20  and the axes  54 ,  60  described above with reference to FIGS.  2 - 4 . A volume  110  is defined by a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system having a transverse dimension  112 , a longitudinal dimension  114 , and an axial dimension  116 . The axial dimension  116  and the longitudinal dimension  114  define a plane that includes the axis  54  and is perpendicular to the face  24  of the scanhead  20 . As explained above, the receive apertures  50 ,  52  (FIGS. 2 and 3A) are capable of detecting Doppler flow vectors to create a composite two-dimensional flow vector in this plane. As also explained above with reference to FIG. 4B, this composite two-dimensional flow vector can be divided into two vector components, one extending in the longitudinal dimension  114  and one extending in the axial dimension  116 . This composite two-dimensional flow vector may also be defined in a polar coordinate system by a two-dimensional flow vector  120  having a magnitude V 1  and an angle θ LONGITUDINAL  measured from the axial direction. Similarly, the axial dimension  116  and the transverse dimension  112  define a plane that includes the axis  60  and is perpendicular to the face  24  of the scanhead  20 . As also explained above, the receive apertures  56 ,  58  (FIGS. 2 and 3B) are capable of detecting Doppler flow vectors to create a composite two-dimensional flow vector in this plane. As also explained above with reference to FIG. 4A, this composite two-dimensional flow vector can be divided into two vector components, one extending in the transverse dimension  112  and one extending in the axial direction  116 . This composite flow vector may also be defined in a polar coordinate system by a two-dimensional flow vector  124  having a magnitude V 2  and an angle θ TRANSVERSE  measured from the axial direction  116 . The two-dimensional flow vectors  120 ,  124  may be further combined to create a three-dimensional flow vector  130  that may have components extending in the transverse direction  112 , the longitudinal direction  114 , and the axial direction  116 . This flow vector  130  is a true three-dimensional vector. Individual three-dimensional flow vectors may be obtained in this manner for a large number of sample volumes in the volume  110  being imaged. The true velocity of blood flowing through a vessel can therefore be determined and imaged even though the flow may be helical or in some other even more irregular pattern.  
         [0022]    Using the techniques described above, an imaging system of the present invention can be used to provide a three-dimensional image of moving tissues, such as the movement of the heart wall. However, in being used for these applications, the system needs to be modified to selectively respond to lower Doppler frequencies when imaging tissues as compared to the Doppler frequency of interest when imaging blood flow. The likely range of angles of motion will also usually be different to those seen with flow.  
         [0023]    One embodiment of an imaging unit  30  (FIG. 1) that may be coupled to the scanhead  20  is shown in FIG. 6. The imaging unit  30  includes a beamformer  212  that effectively steers and focuses ultrasound beams received by the receive apertures  50 - 58  in the scanhead  20  to form scanlines of coherent echo signals. Output signals from the beamformer are applied to four Doppler processors  214  a-d, which perform Doppler estimations of the Doppler phase shift or signal intensity (power Doppler) and generate signals indicative of the velocity, both direction and magnitude, of ultrasound returns received by the respective receive apertures  50 ,  52 ,  56 ,  58 . More specifically, the first Doppler processor  214   a  determines velocity from ultrasound returns received by the receive aperture  50 , the Doppler processor  214   b  determines velocity from ultrasound returns received by the receive aperture  52 , the Doppler processor  214   c  determines velocity from ultrasound returns received by the receive aperture  56 , and the Doppler processor  214   d  determines velocity from ultrasound returns received by the receive aperture  58 . Conventionally this is done by Fourier transform or autocorrelation of Doppler signal data.  
         [0024]    Based on the outputs from the Doppler processors  214 , a velocity vector estimator  218  is able to determine the magnitude and direction of a composite Doppler motion vector in three dimensions. The velocity vector estimator produces a first signal V indicative of the magnitude of the flow vector, a second signal θ TRANSVERSE  indicative of the transverse angle, and a third signal θ LATERAL  indicative of the lateral angle. These signals are applied to a display processor  220 , which converts the signals to an appropriate format for subsequent display. For example, the display processor  220  may format the signals so that magnitude of flow velocity or tissue motion is portrayed by color or intensity. The signals from the display processor  220  are applied to a video processor  250 , which generates appropriate video signals, such as NTSC signals, for presentation on a suitable display  260 , which may be a cathode ray tube.  
         [0025]    The output signals from the beamformer  212  are also applied to a B Mode Processor  230 , which processes amplitude information of the output signals from the beamformer  212  on a spatial basis. The B Mode Processor  230  generates signals that are applied to the Video Processor  250  to provide a structural image, preferably in three dimensions, of the tissue in the volume from which a Doppler image is being obtained. The structural image is preferably overlaid in the display  260  on the three-dimensional Doppler image.  
         [0026]    A scanhead  20  having two pairs of receive apertures  50 ,  52  and  56 ,  58  arranged along axes  54 ,  60  that are perpendicular to each other is preferred for ease of processing the signals generated by the receive apertures. Specifically, the receive apertures  50 ,  52  and  56 ,  58  lying along the same axis  54  and  60 , respectively, can be processed together to obtain a composite two-dimensional motion vector in respective planes that are perpendicular to each other, as previously explained. These two-dimensional vectors can then be combined to create a three-dimensional flow vector, as also previously explained. However, the invention may be practiced with any scanhead having three or more receive apertures arranged in a common plane. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a scanhead  20 ′ has a transducer face  300  containing three receive apertures  310 ,  312 ,  314 . Located between the receive apertures  310 - 314  is a single transmitter aperture  320 . The scanhead  20 ′ has the advantage of using fewer receive apertures compared to the scanhead  20  of FIG. 2. However, it has the disadvantage of being computationally more difficult to combine the outputs from the receive apertures  310 - 314  because pairs of adjacent receive apertures  310 - 314  can determine a two-dimensional motion vector lying along each of three planes intersecting each other at 60 degrees.  
         [0027]    From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.