Abstract:
A system and method is disclosed that examines Doppler spectrum signals output by an ultrasound system when measuring blood flow velocity to determine a proper Doppler gain and to suppress noise manifest in the Doppler spectrum. Noise present in the Doppler spectrum is examined and used as a criterion for optimal gain. If the Doppler gain is too high or too low in accordance with predetermined levels, overall gain is adjusted accordingly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to the field of ultrasound imaging. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for automatically adjusting the gain and suppressing noise manifest in Doppler signals used to measure flow velocity. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Ultrasound is used to image various organs, heart, liver, fetus, and blood vessels. For diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, spectral Doppler is usually used to measure blood flow velocity. The pulsed Doppler technique is often used due to its inherent spatial sampling capability which permits the sampling of velocity in a blood vessel compared with continuous-wave (CW) Doppler which does not have spatial discrimination capability and samples all signals along the ultrasound beam. CW Doppler is used especially when a high blood velocity is expected to be measured since CW Doppler is not limited by the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) limits (Nyquist sampling theorem). CW Doppler may still be limited in maximum velocity due to signal sampling when performing analyses such as FFT (fast Fourier transform) and others. 
         [0003]    A Doppler system typically transmits ultrasound and detects blood flow velocity as the shift in frequency (Doppler shift frequency) in the received ultrasound signal. The received ultrasound is demodulated with the reference signals as a complex signal having in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) at the same frequency as the transmitted frequency. After low-pass filtering, high frequency components such as the second harmonics are blocked, passing only baseband signals. Wall-filtering (i.e., high-pass filtering) is applied to the baseband signals to remove clutter noise manifest from stationary tissue and slowly moving tissues such as blood vessel walls, resulting in complex Doppler I-Q signals. The complex I-Q Doppler signals are input to a spectrum analyzer such as an FFT analyzer to obtain the Doppler frequency spectrum which represents blood velocities. Typically, 128-point, 256-point, and 512-point FFTs are used. 
         [0004]    The Doppler spectrum is generally displayed with time as shown in  FIG. 12  because of the time varying nature of blood flow. The horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is frequency. Spectrum power is displayed as the brightness as shown in  FIG. 12 . The spectrum power can be plotted as the spectrum power vs. frequency at a given time as shown in  FIG. 3 . The Doppler spectrum may exhibit noise due in part by the ultrasound system electronics and other sources.  FIG. 3  shows a Doppler spectrum having a noise floor which is indicative of random noise broadly distributed by an FFT. The noise may mask the true blood flow signal if the Doppler flow signal gain is too low. Conversely,  FIG. 1  shows a Doppler spectrum having a Doppler flow signal gain that is too high where the peak Doppler spectrum is clipped. 
         [0005]    The Doppler flow signal gain determines the amplitude of the Doppler signal input to an FFT spectrum analyzer. The output of the Doppler spectrum is usually compressed in dynamic range as 8-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit or other resolutions. It can be seen that a proper Doppler flow signal gain output to an ultrasound system improves the Doppler spectrum&#39;s SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), thereby improving the image quality when displayed. 
         [0006]    Most ultrasound systems today allow a user to manually adjust Doppler gain settings to obtain the best spectrum. However, in adjusting these settings, the user consumes time that could be better spent performing diagnosis. There exists a need to overcome these problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The inventor has discovered that it would be desirable to have a system and method that examines the Doppler spectrum signals output by an ultrasound system when measuring blood flow velocity to determine the proper Doppler gain and to suppress noise manifest in the Doppler spectrum. Noise present in the Doppler spectrum is examined and used as a criterion for optimal gain. If the Doppler gain is too high or too low according to predetermined levels, the overall gain is adjusted. 
         [0008]    One aspect of the invention provides methods for automatically controlling the gain from a Doppler signal processor during ultrasound imaging. Methods according to this aspect of the invention comprise inputting returned ultrasound signals, demodulating the returned ultrasound signals, wall-filtering the returned ultrasound signals producing Doppler flow signals, performing spectral analysis on the Doppler flow signals producing a Doppler spectrum, setting a high level signal threshold, setting a low level signal threshold, setting a noise floor level threshold, detecting a peak Doppler spectrum level and a Doppler spectrum maximum noise floor from the Doppler flow signals, increasing Doppler flow signal gain if the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude is less than the low level signal threshold until the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude equals the high level signal threshold or the maximum noise floor is equal to the noise floor level threshold, and decreasing the Doppler flow signal gain if the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude is greater than the high level signal threshold until the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude equals the high level signal threshold or the maximum noise floor is equal to the noise floor level threshold. 
         [0009]    Another aspect of the invention provides systems for automatically controlling the gain of a Doppler spectrum processor during ultrasound imaging. Systems according to this aspect of the invention comprise a receiver configured to receive returned ultrasound signals and having an output, a Doppler signal processor having an input coupled to the receiver output and an output, the Doppler signal processor configured to demodulate and wall-filter the returned ultrasound signals and output Doppler flow signals, a variable gain amplifier having an input coupled to the Doppler signal processor output, a gain control signal input and an output, the variable gain amplifier configured to vary the gain of the Doppler flow signals, a spectrum analyzer having an input coupled to the variable gain amplifier output and an output, the spectrum analyzer configured to convert the Doppler flow signals into their corresponding frequency spectrum, and an automatic gain engine coupled to the spectrum analyzer output, the automatic gain engine configured to receive the Doppler spectrum and detect a peak Doppler spectrum amplitude and a maximum noise floor wherein a gain control signal is calculated and coupled to the variable gain amplifier gain control signal input based on the maximum noise floor present in the Doppler flow signals spectrum and predetermined high, low and noise floor signal level thresholds wherein if the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude is greater than the high level signal threshold, or less than the low level signal threshold, overall gain is adjusted to maintain the peak Doppler spectrum amplitude greater than the low level signal threshold and less than the high level signal threshold. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of the invention provides methods for suppressing noise manifest on Doppler spectrum signals. Methods according to this aspect of the invention comprise inputting the Doppler spectrum signals, receiving a Doppler gain control signal, using a noise suppression gain curve g(p) corresponding to the Doppler gain control signal, and processing the Doppler spectrum amplitudes with the noise suppression gain curve g(p) wherein each frequency of the Doppler spectrum amplitude is adjusted according to a response of the noise suppression gain curve. 
         [0011]    Another aspect of the invention provides systems for a noise suppressor for suppressing noise manifest on Doppler spectrum signals. Systems according to this aspect of the invention comprise an input configured to receive gain adjusted Doppler spectrum signals, a gain control signal input configured to receive a gain control signal that is used to adjust the gain for the gain adjusted Doppler spectrum signals to generate a noise suppression gain curve g(p), a gain function processor configured to process the gain adjusted Doppler flow signals with the noise suppression gain curve g(p), wherein each spectrum component of the Doppler spectrum signal input is adjusted in amplitude according to the response of the noise suppression gain curve g(p), and an output configured to output noise suppressed, gain adjusted Doppler flow signals. 
         [0012]    The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary high gain Doppler spectrum plot. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary low gain Doppler spectrum plot. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary Doppler spectrum with noise floor. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary noise suppression gain function g(p). 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  is an exemplary Doppler spectrum before noise suppression. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is an exemplary Doppler spectrum after noise suppression. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an exemplary Doppler spectrum processor with the automatic Doppler gain control system and the noise suppressor. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an exemplary flow chart to describe the automatic Doppler gain control method. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is an exemplary plurality of noise suppression gain curves. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an exemplary flow chart to describe the noise suppression method. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is an exemplary ultrasound imaging system with automatic Doppler gain control and noise suppression. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11A  is an exemplary gain function processor g(p) and a g(p) generator. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11B  is an exemplary gain function processor g(p) with generator. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is an exemplary Doppler spectrum with time. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing figures wherein like numbers represent like elements throughout. Before embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the examples set forth in the following description or illustrated in the figures. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of applications and in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “mounted,” “connected,” and “coupled,” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting, and coupling. Further, “connected,” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
         [0028]    It should be noted that the invention is not limited to any particular software language described or that is implied in the figures. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that a variety of alternative software languages may be used for implementation of the invention. It should also be understood that some of the components and items are illustrated and described as if they were hardware elements, as is common practice within the art. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would understand that, in at least one embodiment, components in the method and system may be implemented in software or hardware. 
         [0029]      FIG. 10  shows an ultrasound system including a Doppler spectrum processor  1010  with the automatic Doppler gain and noise suppression system.  FIG. 6  shows the Doppler processor  1010  with the automatic gain engine  619  and noise suppressor  617 .  FIG. 7  shows a flow chart to describe the automatic Doppler gain method.  FIG. 9  shows a flow chart to describe the noise suppression method. An ultrasound signal is transmitted from an ultrasound probe  1006  driven by a transmitter  1002  through a transmit/receive switch  1004 . A receiver  1008  receives the ultrasound signal from the probe  1006  through the switch  1004  and processes the signal  1009  (step  705 ). 
         [0030]    The receiver  1008  outputs the processed signal  1009  to the Doppler spectrum processor  1010 , a color flow processor  1012  and a B-mode image processor  1014 . The Doppler spectrum processor  1010  processes the signal  1009  and outputs a Doppler spectrum to a scan converter  1016 . The color flow processor  1012  processes the signal  1009  and outputs a color flow image to the scan converter  1016 . The B-mode image processor  1014  processes the signal  1009  and outputs a B-mode image to the scan converter  1016 . The scan converter  1016  receives one or more signals from the B-mode image, the color flow image and the Doppler spectrum and converts the images to a scan-converted image for output to a display monitor  1018 . 
         [0031]    The processed signal  1009  is coupled to a Doppler signal processor  611  for computing Doppler flow signals  612  in the time domain (step  710 ). The Doppler flow signals  612  are coupled to a variable gain amplifier (VGA)  613  for adjusting the gain of the Doppler signals. The gain adjusted Doppler signals  614  are coupled to a spectrum analyzer  615  that converts the time domain Doppler signals into their spectrum frequency components (step  715 ). The frequency components, or spectrum  616 , are coupled to the noise suppressor  617  and the automatic gain engine  619 . The noise suppressor  617  has an input-output relationship which may be a curve g(p) as shown in  FIG. 4 . The noise suppressor  617  may be implemented as a look-up table (LUT) with the input-output relationship g(p)  1102  or  1110 , or a calculator  1110  or a combination, and a gain curve generator  1104  which may also be a LUT or a calculator as shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . For the case of a LUT combined with a calculator as the generator  1104 , a noise suppression curve may be stored in the LUT, and the calculator receives the suppression curve and generates a curve corresponding to the gain control signal  642 . 
         [0032]    For the case of a LUT alone for the generator  1104 , a plurality of noise suppression curves are stored in the LUT and a noise suppression curve is selected corresponding to the gain control signal  642 . Alternately, a calculator alone as the generator  1104  can generate a noise suppression curve corresponding to the Doppler gain curve. The generator  1104  then transfers the curve to the gain function processor  1102  which may be a LUT and applies the noise suppression curve g(p) to the Doppler spectrum  616 . Alternately, the gain function g(p) processor  1102  and the noise suppression curve generator  1104  can be implemented as one device  1110  as shown in  FIG. 11B . A LUT with a Doppler spectrum  616  input and a gain control signal  642  input may be used. Alternately, the calculator  1110  may be used to generate a noise suppression curve as well as applying the gain function g(p) to the Doppler spectrum  616 . 
         [0033]    The noise suppressor  617  suppresses noise manifest on the Doppler spectrum  616 . The noise suppressor  617  outputs a noise suppressed Doppler spectrum (output  625 ). The automatic gain engine  619  includes a low-pass filter  626  and a signal threshold processor  629 . The low-pass filter  626  filters the spectrum frequency components  616  output by the spectrum analyzer  615 , producing a smoothed spectrum  627 , and outputs to the signal threshold processor  629 . The raw Doppler spectrum  616  is also coupled to the signal threshold processor  629  (step  720 ). 
         [0034]    The signal threshold processor  629  includes high  631 , low  633  and noise floor  635  level thresholds for detecting the levels of the smoothed spectrum  627  and a frequency bin counter  637  for detecting frequency components. Likewise, the signal threshold processor  629  includes high  631 , low  633  and noise floor  635  level thresholds for detecting the levels of the raw Doppler spectrum  616  and a frequency bin counter  637  for detecting frequency components (step  725 ).  FIG. 3  shows an exemplary smoothed Doppler spectrum with the high  631 , low  633  and noise floor  635  level thresholds against a maximum spectrum amplitude level. The maximum spectrum amplitude level is typically 255 (8-bit), 511 (9-bit), 1023 (10-bit), or other levels. The high signal level threshold  631  may be, for example, 255, 250, 225 or 200 for a maximum of 255. The low signal level threshold  633  may be, for example, 128, for the maximum spectrum level of 255, and the noise floor level threshold  635  may be, for example, 16 for the maximum spectrum level of 255. 
         [0035]    The automatic gain engine  619  optimizes the Doppler flow signal gain by comparing the peak Doppler spectrum output  616  by the spectrum analyzer  615  to the high  631  and low  633  signal level thresholds. The frequency bin counter  637  counts a number of consecutive Doppler spectrum frequencies  616  whose amplitudes are greater than the high signal level threshold  631 . The frequency bin counter  637  also counts a number of consecutive Doppler spectrum frequencies whose amplitudes are greater than the low signal level threshold  633 . The frequency bin counter  637  also detects the maximum level of noise floor  301  which is a flat part in the Doppler spectrum. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  shows a Doppler spectrum  101  exhibiting a clipped  103  peak Doppler spectrum  627 . Clipping occurs when the Doppler spectrum amplitude exceeds the maximum spectrum level. Clipping indicates that the Doppler gain is too high. In this invention, the Doppler gain  613  is considered too high if a number of consecutive spectrum frequencies (or frequency bins), whose amplitudes are greater than the high signal level threshold  631 , is greater than a predetermined number, for example, 10. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows a Doppler spectrum exhibiting a low  201  peak Doppler spectrum  627  or  616  amplitude (or power) which indicates a Doppler gain that is too low. In this invention, the gain (Doppler gain) of the variable gain amplifier  613  is considered too low if a number of consecutive spectrum frequencies (or frequency bins), whose amplitudes are greater than the low signal level threshold  633 , is less than a predetermined number, for example, 10. 
         [0038]    Instead of a raw (i.e. single) Doppler spectrum  616 , a smoothed (low-pass filtered) Doppler spectrum  627  may be used with a smaller preset (count) number and/or a lower high signal level. 
         [0039]    The automatic gain engine  619  detects a noise floor which may be spread across the entire frequency range since most electronic noise is random. When the Doppler spectrum is calculated, noise spreads over the entire frequency range due to its wideband nature. Noise is easily detected if the blood flow velocity is smaller than the maximum velocity or the Doppler spectrum bandwidth is smaller than the PRF.  FIG. 3  shows a maximum noise floor  301  in conjunction with a Doppler spectrum and a deadband  303  between the high signal level  631  and low signal level  633  thresholds. A frequency band which consists of only the noise floor can be easily recognized as shown in  FIG. 3  (low level ripple) and the maximum level  301  of the noise floor is determined in this frequency range. For example, an average amplitude of a predetermined number, for example, 10, of consecutive frequency components (bins) may be calculated for all spectrum frequency components excluding near the baseline (0 frequency) because the noise is absent in this area due to the wall filter&#39;s effects. The average amplitude from the noise floor region will be much smaller than that of the spectrum frequency components for blood flow as can be seen in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the noise floor area is determined in comparison to the blood flow area. The minimum average amplitude is obtained and is multiplied by a predetermined factor to estimate the maximum noise floor. Blood flow velocity changes with time as the blood velocity is high during systole and is low during diastole. Therefore, during diastole, the noise floor usually appears in high frequency region because the blood flow is low and high frequencies are absent (i.e. showing only noise floor). This can be further used to identify the noise floor. 
         [0040]    If the peak Doppler spectrum  627  or  616  is less than the low signal level threshold  633 , the automatic gain engine  619  generates a gain control signal  630  which is output to the variable gain amplifier  613  (step  730 ). The gain control signal  630  is coupled to the variable gain amplifier  613  through an automatic/manual Doppler gain mode switch  639 . The switch  639  allows a user to select between the automatic gain control and the user gain control by switching between derived gain control signal  630  and a user adjusted manual gain control signal  641 . The gain control signal  630  may be derived from several control strategies and corresponds to an amount of correction necessary to elevate the peak Doppler spectrum until a correct gain is achieved, i.e. the number of consecutive spectrum frequencies  627  whose amplitudes exceed the high level threshold  631 , equals the predetermined number or the predetermined number minus a small preset number. If a noise floor  301  is present and rises commensurately above the noise floor level threshold  635  with the peak Doppler spectrum  627 , the gain control signal  630  is adjusted, reducing the Doppler gain such that the noise floor is equal to or less than the noise floor level threshold  635  (step  735 ). 
         [0041]    If the number of consecutive Doppler spectrum frequencies (i.e. frequency bins) whose amplitudes exceed the high level threshold  631  is more than the predetermined number, a high gain is detected and the automatic gain engine  619  generates a gain control signal  630  which is output to the variable gain amplifier  613  (step  740 ). The gain control signal  630  corresponds to an amount of correction necessary to decrease the peak Doppler spectrum  627  until a correct gain is achieved, i.e. the number of consecutive spectrum frequencies  627  or  616 , whose amplitudes exceed the high level threshold  631 , equals the predetermined number or the predetermined number minus a preset number. If a noise floor  301  is present and is greater than the noise floor level threshold  635 , the gain control signal  630  is adjusted, reducing the Doppler gain such that the noise floor is equal to or less than the noise floor level threshold  635  (step  745 ). 
         [0042]    If the peak Doppler spectrum  627  or  616  is less than or equal to the high signal level threshold  631  condition (i.e. if the number of consecutive spectrum frequencies, whose amplitudes exceed the high level, exceeds the predetermined number), and if a maximum noise floor  301  is greater than the noise floor level threshold  635 , the gain control signal  630  is adjusted. The Doppler gain is reduced such that the maximum noise floor is equal to or less than the noise floor level threshold  635 . 
         [0043]    The noise suppressor  617  suppresses noise manifest on the Doppler signal  616 .  FIG. 9  shows a flow chart which describes the noise suppression method. The noise suppressor  617  is dependent on the gain control signal  642  since the noise floor varies with gain (Doppler gain) (steps  905 ,  910 ). If the Doppler gain is increased, the noise suppressor  617  receives the gain control signal  642  and selects a noise suppression gain curve from a plurality of gain curves stored or generated in the gain curve generator  1104  or  1110  (step  915 ). 
         [0044]      FIG. 8  shows an example of three noise suppression gain curves for low gain, mid gain, and high gain conditions stored or generated in the generator  1104  or  1110 . The suppression gain curves stored or generated in the gain curve generator  1104  or  1110  correspond with a gain setting. If the Doppler gain is low as indicated by the gain control signal, the “low gain” noise suppression curve is selected or generated as shown in  FIG. 8 . If the Doppler gain is middle, the “mid gain” noise suppression curve is selected or generated. If the gain is high, the “high gain” noise suppression curve is selected or generated. The selected noise suppression gain curve is loaded as the gain function g(p) in the gain function processor  1102  or  1110  (step  920 ). In another example, if the Doppler gain control signal  642  is set at 1, the #1 suppression curve is selected or generated. If the Doppler gain control signal  642  is set at 2, the #2 suppression curve is selected or generated. Likewise, if the Doppler gain control signal is N, the N th  suppression curve is selected or generated. The selected noise suppression gain curve is loaded as the gain function g(p)  1102  or  1110  (step  920 ). The noise suppressor  617  may comprise a calculator alone, a calculator with a LUT, or a plurality of LUTs, and uses the gain control signal  642  as shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . 
         [0045]    The noise suppressor  617  receives the Doppler spectrum  616  and converts each spectrum magnitude p using the response g(p)  1102  or  1110 . The gain function g(p)  1102  or  1110  is the gain curve from the gain curve generator  1104  or  1110 .  FIG. 4  shows a gain function g(p) that is a curve. 
         [0046]      FIG. 5A  shows a Doppler spectrum with noise.  FIG. 5B  shows the result of the noise suppressor  617  (step  925 ). The noise suppressor  617  applies a noise suppression curve technique, which lowers the noise floor. 
         [0047]    One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The processing order of signals in this invention may be changed. The order of the system processors in this invention may be also changed. Each processor may be also replaced by another processor. The order of method steps may be changed. Methods may be modified. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.