Providing additional information corresponding to change of blood flow with a time in ultrasound system

There are provided embodiments for providing additional information. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to acquire first ultrasound data and second ultrasound data corresponding to a living body; and a processing unit configured to form a brightness mode image based on the first ultrasound data, set at least one sample volume on the brightness mode image, and form blood flow information corresponding to blood flow in the living body based on the second ultrasound data corresponding to the at least one sample volume, the processing unit being further configured to form additional information corresponding to a change of the blood flow with a time based on the blood flow information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0123899 filed on Dec. 7, 2010, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to ultrasound systems, and more particularly to providing additional information corresponding to a change of blood flow with a time in an ultrasound system.

BACKGROUND

An ultrasound system has become an important and popular diagnostic tool since it has a wide range of applications. Specifically, due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, the ultrasound system has been extensively used in the medical profession. Modern high-performance ultrasound systems and techniques are commonly used to produce two-dimensional or three-dimensional ultrasound images of internal features of a target object (e.g., human organs).

The ultrasound system may provide ultrasound images of various modes including a brightness mode (B mode) image representing reflection coefficients of the ultrasound signals reflected from a target object of a living body with a 2D (two-dimensional) image, a Doppler mode (D mode) image representing speed of a moving target object with spectral Doppler by using a Doppler effect, a color Doppler mode (C mode) image representing speed of a moving target object with colors by using the Doppler effect, and an elastic mode (E mode) image representing mechanical characteristics of tissues object before and after applying a pressure thereto. Particularly, the ultrasound system may transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from the living body to thereby form Doppler signals corresponding to a sample volume, which is set on a B mode image. The ultrasound system may further form the D mode image (i.e., Doppler spectrum image) that represents the speed of the moving target object such as blood flow, heart, etc. with Doppler spectrums based on the Doppler signals.

The ultrasound system may provide the Doppler spectrum image only based on the blood flow information. Thus, it is required to provide additional information corresponding to a change of the blood flow with a time to enhance the convenience of a user.

SUMMARY

There are provided embodiments for providing additional information corresponding to a change of blood flow with a time in an ultrasound system.

In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to acquire first ultrasound data and second ultrasound data corresponding to a living body; and a processing unit configured to form a brightness mode image based on the first ultrasound data, set at least one sample volume on the brightness mode image, and form blood flow information corresponding to blood flow in the living body based on the second ultrasound data corresponding to the at least one sample volume, the processing unit being further configured to form additional information corresponding to a change of the blood flow with a time based on the blood flow information.

In another embodiment, there is provided a method of providing additional information, comprising: a) acquiring first ultrasound data corresponding to a living body; b) forming a brightness mode image based on the first ultrasound data; c) setting at least one sample volume on the brightness mode image; d) acquiring second ultrasound data corresponding to the at least one sample volume; e) forming blood flow information corresponding to blood flow in the living body based on the second ultrasound data corresponding to the at least one sample volume; and f) forming additional information corresponding to a change of the blood flow with a time based on the blood flow information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description may be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings. One of ordinary skill in the art may realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the present invention may readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 1, an ultrasound system100in accordance with an illustrative embodiment is shown. As depicted therein, the ultrasound system100may include a user input unit110.

The user input unit110may be configured to receive input information. In the embodiment, the input information may include sample volume setting information for setting a sample volume SV on a brightness mode image BI, as shown inFIG. 2. However, it should be noted herein that the input information may not be limited thereto. InFIG. 2, reference numeral BV represents a blood vessel. The user input unit110may include a control panel, a trackball, a mouse, a keyboard and the like.

The ultrasound system100may further include an ultrasound data acquisition unit120. The ultrasound acquisition unit120may be configured to transmit ultrasound signals to a living body. The living body may include target objects (e.g., blood flow, a heart, etc.). The ultrasound acquisition unit120may be further configured to receive ultrasound signals (i.e., ultrasound echo signals) from the living body to acquire ultrasound data.

FIG. 3is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of the ultrasound data acquisition unit. Referring toFIG. 3, the ultrasound data acquisition unit120may include an ultrasound probe310.

The ultrasound probe310may include a plurality of transducer elements (not shown) for reciprocally converting between ultrasound signals and electrical signals. The ultrasound probe310may be configured to transmit the ultrasound signals to the living body. The ultrasound probe310may be further configured to receive the ultrasound echo signals from the living body to output received signals. The received signals may be analog signals. The ultrasound probe310may include a convex probe, a linear probe and the like.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit120may further include a transmitting section320. The transmitting section320may be configured to control the transmission of the ultrasound signals. The transmitting section320may be further configured to generate electrical signals (“transmitting signals”) for obtaining an ultrasound image in consideration of the elements and focusing points. The transmitting section320may include a transmitting signal generating section (not shown), a transmitting delay information memory (not shown), a transmitting beam former (not shown) and the like.

In the embodiment, the transmitting section320may generate first transmitting signals for obtaining the brightness mode image BI. Thus, the ultrasound probe310may convert the first transmitting signals into the ultrasound signals, transmit the ultrasound signals to the living body and receive the ultrasound echo signals from the living body to thereby output first received signals. The transmitting section320may further generate second transmitting signals for obtaining a Doppler spectrum image corresponding to the sample volume SV. Thus, the ultrasound probe310may convert the second transmitting signals into the ultrasound signals, transmit the ultrasound signals to the living body and receive the ultrasound echo signals from the living body to thereby output second received signals.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit120may further include a receiving section330. The receiving section330may be configured to convert the received signals into digital signals. The receiving section330may be further configured to apply delays to the digital signals in consideration of the elements and the focusing points to thereby output digital receive-focused signals. The receiving section330may include an analog-to-digital converter (not shown), a receiving delay time information memory (not shown), a receiving beam former (not shown) and the like.

In the embodiment, the receiving section330may convert the first received signals provided from the ultrasound probe310into first digital signals. The receiving section330may further apply delays to the first digital signals in consideration of the elements and the focusing points to thereby output first digital receive-focused signals. The receiving section330may further convert the second received signals provided from the ultrasound probe310into second digital signals. The receiving section330may further apply delays to the second digital signals in consideration of the elements and the focusing points to thereby output second digital receive-focused signals.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit120may further include an ultrasound data forming section340. The ultrasound data forming section340may be configured to form ultrasound data corresponding to the ultrasound image based on the digital receive-focused signals provided from the receiving section330. The ultrasound data forming section340may be further configured to perform a signal process (e.g., gain control, etc) upon the digital receive-focused signals.

In the embodiment, the ultrasound data forming section340may form first ultrasound data corresponding to the brightness mode image BI based on the first digital receive-focused signals provided from the receiving section330. The first ultrasound data may include radio frequency data. However, it should be noted herein that the first ultrasound data may not be limited thereto. The ultrasound data forming section340may further form second ultrasound data corresponding to the sample volume SV (i.e., Doppler spectrum image) based on the second digital receive-focused signals provided from the receiving section330. The second ultrasound data may include the radio frequency data or in-phase/quadrature data. However, it should be noted herein that the second ultrasound data may not be limited thereto.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the ultrasound system100may further include a processing unit130in communication with the user input unit110and the ultrasound data acquisition unit120. The processing unit130may include a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a graphic processing unit and the like.

FIG. 4is a flow chart showing a process of forming additional information. The processing unit130may be configure to form the brightness mode image BI based on the first ultrasound data provided from the ultrasound data acquisition unit120, at step S402inFIG. 4. The brightness mode image BI may be displayed on a display unit150. Thus, the user may set the sample volume SV on the brightness mode image BI by using the user input unit110.

The processing unit130may be configured to set the sample volume SV on the brightness mode image BI as shown inFIG. 2, based on the input information provided from the user input unit110, at step S404inFIG. 4. Thus, the ultrasound data acquisition unit120may acquire the second ultrasound data corresponding to the sample volume SV.

The processing unit130may be configured to form information (hereinafter, “blood flow information”) corresponding to a moving target object (i.e., blood flow) in the living body based on the second ultrasound data provided from the ultrasound data acquisition unit120, at step S406inFIG. 4. In the embodiment, the blood flow information may include blood flow velocity information, blood flow rate information, blood flow velocity distribution information and the like. The methods of forming the blood flow information are well known in the art. Thus, they have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

The processing unit130may be configured to form the Doppler spectrum image based on the blood flow information, at step S408inFIG. 4. The methods of forming the Doppler spectrum image are well known in the art. Thus, they have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

The processing unit130may be configured to form additional information based on the blood flow information, at step S410inFIG. 4. The additional information may be information for representing a change of the blood flow with a time.

As one example, the processing unit130may form a color map CM as the additional information based on the blood flow information, as shown inFIG. 5. The color map CM may be formed by mapping a plurality of blood flow velocities (i.e., height of Doppler spectrum) to colors.

As another example, the processing unit130may form a color Doppler spectrum image PWI as the additional information based on the blood flow information, as shown inFIG. 5. The color Doppler spectrum image PWI may be formed by mapping the colors corresponding to the color map CM to the Doppler spectrum image. That is, the color Doppler spectrum image PWI may be formed by applying the colors corresponding to the blood flow velocities to pixels of the Doppler spectrum image.

As yet another example, the processing unit130may form a color blood flow velocity image CI as the additional information based on the blood flow information, as shown inFIG. 5. The color blood flow velocity image CI may be formed by mapping the blood flow velocity to the color. That is, the color blood flow velocity image CI may be formed by mapping the blood flow velocity corresponding to current blood flow information to the color.

Although it is described that the processing unit130forms the color map, the color Doppler spectrum image or the color blood flow velocity image, the processing unit130may form at least one of the color map, the color Doppler spectrum image and the color blood flow velocity image.

As yet another example, the processing unit130may apply transparency corresponding to the blood flow rate to at least one of the color map, the color Doppler spectrum image and the color blood flow velocity image as the additional information, based on the blood flow information. That is, the processing unit130may apply the transparency to the colors corresponding to the blood flow velocities based on the blood flow rate.

As yet another example, the processing unit130may form a blood flow velocity distribution image610as the additional information based on the blood flow information, as shown inFIG. 6. The blood flow velocity distribution image610may be an image for representing blood flow velocity distribution based on distribution of spots (i.e., width of Doppler spectrum).

As yet another example, the processing unit130may form numeric information corresponding to the blood flow velocity and variance as the additional information based on the blood flow information.

Although it is described that the processing unit130forms the Doppler spectrum image with the additional information based on the blood flow information, the processing unit130may form the additional information based on the blood flow information.

Also, although it is described that the sample volume SV is set on the brightness mode image BI and the additional information corresponding to the sample volume is provided, at least one sample volume (e.g., two sample volumes SV1, SV2as shown inFIG. 7) is set on the brightness mode image BI and the additional information (e.g., color Doppler spectrum images PWI1, PWI2, color blood flow images CI1, CI2and the like) corresponding to each of the sample volumes SV1, SV2.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the ultrasound system100may further include a storage unit140. The storage unit140may store the ultrasound data (i.e., first ultrasound data and second ultrasound data) acquired by the ultrasound data acquisition unit120. The storage unit140may further store the input information received by the user input unit110.

The ultrasound system100may further include the display unit150. The display unit150may be configured to display the brightness mode image BI formed by the processing unit130. The display unit150may be further configured to display the Doppler spectrum image formed by the processing unit130. The display unit150may be further configured to display the additional information formed by the processing unit130.