Method and system for measuring amniotic fluid volume and/or assessing fetal weight

A system is described for measuring amniotic fluid volume and/or assessing fetal weight. The system includes an ultrasound apparatus to scan a pregnant uterus and to generate data representative of a three-dimensional construction of the scanned uterus, and a processor to compute a volume of amniotic fluid or weight of fetal tissue based on the three-dimensional construction of the scanned uterus. Also a method of computing a volume of amniotic fluid and/or a weight of fetal tissue.

BACKGROUND

Method and system for measuring amniotic fluid volume.

Amniotic fluid is the fluid within the pregnant uterus enclosed by the fetal membranes and placenta. Amniotic fluid helps protect and cushion the fetus and plays a role in the development of various fetal organs including the lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Too much or too little amniotic fluid may be associated with abnormalities in development of the fetus or other pregnant complications.

Currently, ultrasound techniques are used to provide a measurement of amniotic fluid volume referred to as the amniotic fluid index (AFI). AFI may be assigned by adding linear determinations of amniotic fluid pocket depths and/or two-dimensional assessments of amniotic fluid pocket dimensions. AFI data obtained may be compared to data listing normal values for the pregnancy stage of the patient for which an AFI is determined. AFI may provide a way to screen for certain abnormalities during pregnancy. However, AFI is not a good predictor of actual amount of amniotic fluid.

Accurate assessment of amniotic fluid volume may be important for various reasons. First, it provides an indication of fetal stress. Fetal stress may cause the amniotic fluid volume to decrease due to fetal renal metabolic changes and decreased urine output, which constitutes the main generator of amniotic fluid. Second, low amniotic fluid volume renders the fetus at risk for compression of the umbilical cord, which is often an emergency situation. Accordingly, an accurate assessment of amniotic fluid volume may be useful in screening for certain fetal stress conditions and/or other pregnant complications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, components, software programs, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail to avoid obscuring the understanding of this description.

FIG. 1depicts a block diagram of ultrasound system100for measuring amniotic fluid volume and/or assessing fetal weight according to one embodiment. System100includes an ultrasound apparatus to generate data representative of a three-dimensional construction of a pregnant uterus being scanned. In one embodiment, the ultrasound apparatus includes a handheld unit for use external to the patient. In one embodiment, the ultrasound apparatus includes a scanhead with transducer110that is moved within the scanhead to perform three-dimensional scanning.

It should be understood that system100may be implemented with many different ultrasound configurations for scanning a three-dimensional region within a patient being scanned. For example, system100may be implemented with an array of transducer elements which moves an ultrasound beam vertically and/or horizontally across a three-dimensional region by a manual or mechanical operation.

During the scanning process, transducer110transmits ultrasound energy into a region of a patient being scanned and receives reflected ultrasound energy, or echoes, from various structures within the patient's body, including uterus wall, various parts of the fetus, amniotic fluid, placenta, umbilical cord, etc. For example, by appropriately delaying the pulses applied to each transducer element, a focused ultrasound beam may be transmitted along a desired scan line. Reflected ultrasound energy from a given point within a body of a patient is received by the transducer elements at different points in time. Transducer110may convert the received ultrasound energy to a scanner signal that represents the reflected energy level along a given scan line. The process may be repeated for multiple scan lines to generate two-dimensional slices (also referred to as “scan planes”) of the target region of the body of the patient. The scan planes may have a conical shape115, wherein scan lines originate at the center of the transducer and are directed at different angles. A linear, curvilinear or any other scan pattern can also be utilized.

Ultrasound data120of a uterus acquired by scanning an abdomen of a pregnant women are collected in a memory for subsequent processing. Ultrasound data120generated by transducer110may be in the form of a series of data representing multiple scan planes of the scanned uterus. In accordance with one embodiment, ultrasound data120generated by transducer110is processed by amniotic fluid volume computation (AFVC) application105. AFVC application105may be executed within a processing element of the ultrasound apparatus. Alternatively, AFVC application105can be executed within a processing unit external to the ultrasound apparatus. Representatively, ultrasound data120may be generated in an examination room of a medical office or a hospital. That data may be transmitted directly from the examination room via, for example, Internet, wired communications network, or wireless communication network to AFVC application105located outside the examination room and, in another embodiment, outside the medical office or hospital. According to this embodiment, data regarding amniotic fluid volume may be received at a location remote to the patient. This allows someone, other than a treating physician or specialist to generate ultrasound data120. In another embodiment, ultrasound data120and/or an amniotic fluid volume result may be stored in a memory associated with ultrasound system100(memory located locally and/or remotely) for later evaluation or manipulation. For example, such data may be used to develop statistics regarding amniotic fluid volume based on an age, race or health history of a patient. Alternatively, the data may be used in teaching exercises to train physicians.

In one embodiment, amniotic fluid volume computation (AFVC) application105includes 3D (three-dimensional) processing algorithm125, fluid differentiating algorithm130, 3D fluid construction algorithm135and fluid volume computation algorithm140. First, 3D processing algorithm125processes ultrasound data120by performing, among other things, operations necessary for organizing two-dimensional scan planes of data. For example, 3D processing algorithm125may be configured to align the two-dimensional scan planes of data to generate three-dimensional representation of the scanned region. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional representation may include data representing tissues (e.g., uterus wall and fetus parts) and fluid (e.g., amniotic fluid) contained within a pregnant uterus.

The data generated by 3D processing algorithm125is passed to fluid recognition algorithm130, which processes the data to differentiate data representing fluid from data representing tissues (e.g., fetus, uterine wall, etc.). Once fluid recognition algorithm130has differentiated fluid from tissues, 3D fluid construction algorithm135is used to provide data representing a three-dimensional construction of fluid distributed within pregnant uterus. The data generated by 3D fluid construction algorithm135is passed to fluid volume computation algorithm140to quantify amniotic fluid volume based on the three-dimensional representation of fluid contained within the uterus. Alternatively, in another implementation, amniotic fluid volume may be computed without generating a three-dimensional representation of fluid contained within the uterus. For example, in this implementation, amniotic fluid volume may be computed based on the number of ultrasound data (e.g., pixel data) representing amniotic fluid. In one embodiment, amniotic fluid volume result150computed by AFVC application105is provided to a user (e.g., physician) in actual fluid volume measurement, for example, in centiliters (cl), etc.

In another embodiment, the data generated by 3D processing algorithm130may be used to assess fetal weight. For example, fluid recognition algorithm130may, in one embodiment, differentiate not only fetal and maternal tissue from amniotic fluid, but also fetal tissue from maternal tissue. In this manner, a volume of fetal tissue may be determined from which an assessment of fetal weight may be determined (e.g., through fetal weight algorithm142). Fetal weight result155is provided to user as a weight measurement, for example, in grams or pounds.

To improve the accuracy of volume measurement of amniotic fluid contained within a uterus or weight of fetal tissue, in one embodiment, calibration data145may be used to calibrate the amniotic fluid volume or fetal tissue weight computed by algorithm140. Calibration data145may include information with regard to the position of the transducer relative to the scanned uterus. For example, the actual distance between the transducer and the scanned uterus may be used to calibrate the computed amniotic fluid volume or fetal tissue weight.

In one embodiment, ultrasound system100is used solely for the purpose of assessment of amniotic fluid volume and/or assessing fetal weight. Accordingly, AFVC application105is configured to provide amniotic fluid volume result150(and/or a fetal weight assessment) without providing a three-dimensional image of the fetal anatomy. When the determination of the amniotic fluid volume and/or fetal weight is the only objective, providing amniotic fluid volume and/or fetal weight measurement without visualization of the fetal anatomy enables physicians to focus solely on the evaluation of the amniotic fluid volume or fetal weight without having to assess other conditions of the fetus that may be visible on three-dimensional images generated by the ultrasound data.

In another embodiment, ultrasound system100provides a three-dimensional image of the uterus being scanned in a limited number of colors and/or gray scale values. For example, ultrasound system100may utilize one-bit pixel values, which uses two colors or two gray scale values to differentiate fluid and tissue of a scanned uterus; one color may be assigned to represent fluid and another color may be assigned to represent tissues. By doing so, it may be difficult or impossible to discern certain features or to differentiate between certain tissue types. Accordingly, the only information that may be learned from the scan is the volume and distribution of the amniotic fluid within the pregnant uterus and/or the fetal weight.

FIG. 2depicts a flowchart of operations of computing amniotic fluid volume according to one embodiment. In functional block210, an ultrasound apparatus is used to generate a series of data representing two-dimensional slices (“scan planes”) of the uterus being scanned. Because there is amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus, including above and below the fetus, multiple scan planes should include data representing all or substantially all of fluid surrounding the fetus. Once a scanning process has been completed, the two-dimensional scan planes are organized to render a three-dimensional representation of the scanned uterus in block220. This may be accomplished by aligning the scan planes of data to form a three-dimensional representation of the scanned region.

In functional block230, the three-dimensional representation of the scanned uterus is examined to differentiate fluid from tissue (e.g., fetal parts, umbilical cord, uterine walls and placenta) and, optionally, fetal tissue from maternal tissue. In one implementation, this is accomplished by classifying each ultrasound data, as a fluid or tissue (including soft tissue and bone) in order to differentiate tissues forming the uterus wall and fetus parts from the amniotic fluid distributed between the fetus and the uterus wall. In another implementation, amniotic fluid is differentiated from tissue by detecting outer surfaces of the fetus and inner surfaces of the uterine wall and identifying the amniotic fluid distributed therebetween.

Once data representing fluid has been differentiated from data representing tissue, three-dimensional representation of fluid contained within the scanned uterus may be constructed in block240. With the ability to differentiate fluid from other surrounding tissues within a uterus (e.g., fetal tissue) and to generate three-dimensional representation of fluid, the user may, for example, be able to view the three-dimensional representation of the fluid to examine the distribution of the amniotic fluid within the pregnant uterus.

In functional block250, the three-dimensional representation of fluid contained within the scanned uterus is used to compute an actual amount of amniotic fluid contained within the scanned uterus. There may be a small amount of fluid in the fetus (e.g., fluid in bladder and stomach). In one implementation of amniotic fluid volume computation, the volume of fluid detected within the fetus is not accounted for in determining the amniotic fluid volume in order to obtain an accurate measurement of amniotic fluid. In another implementation, amniotic fluid volume computation involves quantifying the volume of fluid within the fetus in utero and subtracting such fluid volume from the total amount of fluid detected within the uterus.

In another embodiment, the amniotic fluid volume is computed by quantifying an interior volume of the scanned uterine volume and subtracting the volume of space occupied by the fetus in utero and other tissues within the scanned uterus, such as umbilical code and placenta. In yet another embodiment, amniotic fluid volume is computed without generating a three-dimensional representation of fluid contained within the uterus. In this embodiment, amniotic fluid volume is computed based on the number of ultrasound data (e.g., pixel data) representing amniotic fluid.

In operation, transducer110of ultrasound apparatus370may be placed at the uterine fundus and scanned in the direction of the feet of a patient, as shown inFIG. 3A. During scanning process, transducer110is used to transmit ultrasound energy into the abdomen region of a patient and receives reflected ultrasound energy from various parts of the body of the patient, including uterus wall300, various parts of the fetus310, amniotic fluid340, placenta380, umbilical cord320, etc. For example, by appropriately delaying the pulses applied to each transducer element, a focused ultrasound beam may be transmitted along a desired scan line. Reflected ultrasound energy from a given point within the body of the patient is received by the transducer elements at different points in time. Transducer110may convert the received ultrasound energy to a scanner signal that represents the reflected energy level along a given scan line. The process may be repeated by moving transducer elements in a pattern (e.g., arc) to generate multiple scan planes of data of the scanned uterus. Each scan plane may represent a two-dimensional slice, wherein scan lines originate at the center of the transducer and are directed at different angles. Once ultrasound apparatus370has completed its scanning process, AFVC application may be used to process the multiple planes of the data to compute an amount of amniotic fluid contained within the uterus.

In one example, the transducer is operated at a frequency such that generated waves travel through amniotic fluid without echoing or with a determined echo response frequency. Fetal tissue and maternal tissue (e.g., umbilical cord, placenta and uterine walls) each produce an echo response frequency different than the response frequency of amniotic fluid, if any. The fetal tissue and maternal tissue are classified, for example, in a memory, in one embodiment, based on a minimum response frequency value that is greater than a response frequency of the amniotic fluid. To determine an amount of amniotic fluid present in the uterus, the volume of the uterus or a scanned sector is defined based on scanned data. The fetal tissue volume and maternal tissue volume within the uterus is then determined by collecting the classified fetal tissue and maternal tissue and calculating a volume of the classified fetal tissue based on scanned data. The volume of the classified fetal tissue and maternal tissue is then subtracted from the volume of the uterus to obtain a sum equivalent to amniotic fluid volume. Alternatively, a software algorithm may be utilized to discriminate the borders of ultrasound frequency responses consistent with fluid, from responses consistent with that of maternal or fetal tissue. An analysis of the determined volume will yield amniotic fluid volume in a scanned sector. In either example, an assessment of fetal weight may also be made by determining a volume of fetal tissue (separate from maternal tissue) and calculating a fetal weight based on the fetal volume determination, for example, by multiplying the fetal volume by a density attributed to the fetal tissue.

It should be noted that a relatively wide scan angle is generally required to scan a substantial portion of a pregnant uterus from one transducer location since the length of a term uterus may be upwards of 35 to 40 cm. In one embodiment, a pillow, such as a pillow of water or gel pad360, is placed between transducer and an abdomen of a pregnant woman, as shown inFIG. 3B, in order to achieve a wider scan of the pregnant uterus.

In one embodiment, ultrasound apparatus370is capable of scanning a full term uterus that is about 35-40 cm in size, from a single scanning location (e.g., uterine fundus). Additionally, in one embodiment, ultrasound apparatus370is capable of generating and receiving ultrasound signals that are reflected from the uterus walls above the fetus as well as below the fetus.

In another embodiment, ultrasound apparatus370is used to scan different regions or sectors of the uterus (e.g., four quadrants of the uterus) from a number of different scanning locations. And, data representing different regions of the uterus are combined to construct a three-dimensional representation of the entire uterus. Any suitable method may be utilized to combined data representing different scanned regions. Once a three-dimensional representation of the entire uterus has been completed, the fluid volume computation application may used to quantify the amount of amniotic fluid volume based on the combined data representing the entire uterus.

While several embodiments are described, those skilled in the art will recognize that the spirit and scope of the claims are not limited to the embodiments described, but can be practiced with modification and alteration. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting.