Formation of a color map for an elastic image

Embodiments for forming a color map necessary for forming an elastic image in an ultrasound system. A transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) unit transmits ultrasound signals to a target object and receives ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby obtain receive signals. The receive signals include first receive signals obtained before applying a stress to the target object and second receive signals obtained after applying a stress to the target object. An ultrasound data forming unit forms first and second ultrasound data based on the first and second receive signals, respectively. A processing unit computes strains by using the first and second ultrasound data and form a histogram based on the computed strains. The processing unit further clusters the histogram for separation into a plurality of clusters and forms a color map including a plurality of color map regions corresponding to the respective clusters.

The present application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0076342 filed on Aug. 5, 2008, 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 the formation of a color map for forming an elastic image 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 or three-dimensional images of internal features of an object (e.g., human organs).

Generally, the ultrasound image is displayed in a Brightness-mode (B-mode) by using reflectivity caused by an acoustic impedance difference between the tissues of the target object. However, if the reflectivity of the target object is hardly different from those of the neighboring tissues such as tumor, cancer or the like, then it is not easy to recognize the target object in the B-mode image.

To resolve the problem of recognizing the tumor, cancer and the like in the B-mode, an ultrasound elastic imaging technology has been developed to visualize mechanical characteristics of the tissues such as the elasticity thereof in the ultrasound system. Such technology is very helpful for diagnosing lesions such as tumor and cancer, which are hardly recognized in the B-mode image. The ultrasound elastic imaging technology may utilize the scientific property that the elasticity of the tissues is related to a pathological phenomenon. For example, the tumor or cancer is relatively stiffer than the neighboring normal tissues. Thus, when stress is uniformly applied, a displacement of the tumor or cancer is typically smaller than those of the neighboring tissues. In order to form an elastic image, strains representing deformation of the tissues due to the application of the stress should be measured. The strains may be measured by using two ultrasound data obtained before and after compressing the tissues.

Further, the ultrasound system may provide a color map, which maps strains to pseudo colors. The elastic image may be colored according to the color map so that the tissues in the elastic image may be distinguished from each other. The conventional ultrasound system may provide a color map, which is formed by previously set colors, regardless of a portion subject to examination that is formed as an elastic image. For example, the conventional color map may be formed to map relatively large strains to a red color and relatively small strains to a black color. Thus, when the target object may include bones, fats, soft tissues and cancer tissues, a relatively soft portion, such as fats and soft tissues, may be mapped to the red color and a relatively hard portion, such as bones and cancer tissues, may be mapped to the black color. Thus, it may be difficult to separate boundaries and positions between the tissues.

SUMMARY

Embodiments for forming a color map of an elastic image in an ultrasound system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: a transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) unit operable to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object and receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby obtain receive signals, the receive signals including first receive signals obtained before applying a stress to the target object and second receive signals obtained after applying a stress to the target object; an ultrasound data forming unit operable to form first and second ultrasound data based on the first and second receive signals, respectively; and a processing unit operable to compute strains by using the first and second ultrasound data and form a histogram of the computed strains, the processing unit being further operable to cluster the histogram for separation into a plurality of clusters and form a color map including a plurality of color map regions corresponding to the respective clusters.

In another embodiment, a method of forming a color map for an elastic image in an ultrasound system, comprises: a) transmitting ultrasound signals to a target object and receiving ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby obtain receive signals, the receive signals including first receive signals obtained before applying a stress to the target object and second receive signals obtained after applying a stress to the target object; b) forming first and second ultrasound data based on the first and second receive signals, respectively; c) computing strains by using the first and second ultrasound data; d) forming a histogram of the computed strains; e) clustering the histogram for separation into a plurality of clusters; and f) forming a color map including a plurality of color map regions corresponding to the respective clusters.

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.

FIG. 1is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound system100. Referring toFIG. 1, the ultrasound system100may include an input unit110that may be operable to receive user inputs. In one embodiment, the input unit100may include a control panel, a mouse and a keyboard. However, it is certainly not limited thereto.

The ultrasound system100may further include a transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) unit120that may be operable to transmit ultrasound signals to the target object and receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby form receive signals. In one embodiment, the Tx/Rx unit120may include a transmission (Tx) pulse generator121, an ultrasound probe122and a beam former123.

The Tx pulse generator121may be operable to generate Tx pulses. In one embodiment, a Tx pattern of the Tx pulses may be formed for a B-mode image. The ultrasound probe122may include at least one transducer element for reciprocal conversion between electrical signals and ultrasound signals. The ultrasound probe122may be operable to receive the Tx pulses and transmit ultrasound signals into the target object in response thereto. The ultrasound probe122may be further operable to receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object and convert them into electrical receive signals. The electrical receive signals may be analog signals. In one embodiment, a stress may be applied to the target object by using the probe. The probe may include a compression plate at a front side for compression. The electrical receive signals may include first receive signals obtained before applying a stress to the target object and second receive signals obtained after applying a stress to the target object.

The beam former123may be operable to convert the electrical receive signals into digital receive signals and apply delays to the digital receive signals in consideration of distances between the transducer elements and focal points. The beam former123may be further operable to sum the digital receive signals with the delays applied, thereby outputting receive-focused digital signals. The receive-focused digital signals may include first digital signals corresponding to the first receive signals and second digital signals corresponding to the second receive signals.

The ultrasound system100may further include an ultrasound data forming unit130. The ultrasound data forming unit130may be embodied by a digital signal processor. The ultrasound data forming unit130may receive the first and second digital signals from the Tx/Rx unit120and perform signal processing thereupon such as gain adjustment, time gain compensation and the like, thereby forming ultrasound data. In one embodiment, the ultrasound data forming unit130may be operable to form first ultrasound data corresponding to a first frame based on the first digital signals. Also, the ultrasound data forming unit130may be further operable to form second ultrasound data corresponding to a second frame based on the second digital signals.

The ultrasound system100may further include a processing unit140. The processing unit140may be operable to compute strains by comparing the first and second ultrasound data. The processing unit140may be further operable to form a color map based on the computed strains. The processing unit140may be further operable to form an elastic image based on the computed strains and the color map.

The ultrasound system100may further include a display unit150. The display unit150may display the color map formed in the processing unit140. Also, the display unit150may further display the elastic image formed in the elastic image forming section147of the processing unit140.

The ultrasound system100may further include a control unit160that may be operable to control the display unit150to display the elastic image and the color map. Also, the control unit160may be operable to control entire operations of the ultrasound system100.

FIG. 2is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of the processing unit140. Referring toFIG. 2, the processing unit140may include a displacement computing section141. The displacement computing section141may be operable to compute displacements in a pixel unit between first and second frames. Also, the displacement computing section141may be operable to compute displacement in a block unit (e.g., 4×4, 8×8, etc.). In one embodiment, the displacements may be computed by using cross-correlation or auto-correlation. However, the computation of the displacements may not be limited thereto.

The processing unit140may further include a strain computing section142. The strain computing section142may be operable to compute local strains based on the displacement computed in a pixel unit or a block unit. The strains may be computed by one of the well-known strain computation methods. Thus, the detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein.

The processing unit140may further include a strain normalizing section143. The strain normalizing section143may be operable to normalize the computed strains. In one embodiment, the strain normalizing section143may be operable to detect maximum and minimum strains from the computed strains, and map the strains to values ranging from 0 to 255. In such a case, the minimum strain may be mapped to 0 and the maximum strain may be mapped to 255.

In one embodiment, the strain normalizing section143may be operable to compute a mean and standard deviation of the strains. The strain normalizing section143may be further operable to subtract standard deviation multiplied by 2 from the mean, i.e., perform an operation of (mean−2×standard deviation), and set the operation result as a minimum value. The strain normalizing section143may be further operable to add standard deviation multiplied by 2 to the mean, i.e., perform an operation of (mean+2×standard deviation), and set the operation result as a maximum value. The strain normalizing section143may be operable to map the strains to values ranging from 0 to 255. In such a case, the strains, which are equal to or greater than the maximum value, may be mapped to 255. Further, the strains, which are equal to or less than the minimum value, may be mapped to 0.

The processing unit140may further include a histogram forming section144. The histogram forming section144may be operable to form a histogram based on the normalized strains. In the histogram, a horizontal axis may represent a strain and a vertical axis may represent a frequency, as shown inFIG. 3.

The processing unit140may further include a clustering section145. The clustering section145may be operable to cluster the histogram for separation into a plurality of clusters. The number of clusters may be selected according to the type of the target object. For example, if the target object may include fats, soft tissues, muscles and bones, then a four number of the clusters may be selected.

In one embodiment, the clustering may be performed by using the Otsu algorithm. If a user input for selecting the number of the clusters (e.g., 2) is inputted through the input unit110, then the clustering section145may be operable to find a threshold by clustering the histogram using the Otsu algorithm. The clustering section145may be further operable to separate the histogram into two regions, i.e., a first cluster and a second cluster with reference to the threshold, as illustrated inFIG. 4. Further, if a user input for determining the number of the clusters (e.g., 4) is inputted through the input unit110, then the clustering section145may be operable to find three thresholds by clustering the histogram using the Otsu algorithm twice. The clustering section145may be further operable to separate the histogram into four regions, i.e., a first cluster, a second cluster, a third cluster and a fourth cluster with reference to the three thresholds, as illustrated inFIG. 5. In another embodiment, the thresholds may be found by using the k-means clustering algorithm.

Although it is described above that the Otsu algorithm and the k-means clustering algorithm may be adopted to cluster the histogram, the algorithms for clustering are certainly not limited thereto. Any algorithms capable of performing the clustering may be adopted.

The processing unit140may further include a color map forming section146. The color map forming section146may be operable to form a color map210that maps the strains to colors, as shown inFIG. 4. In one embodiment, the color map210may be divided into a plurality of color map regions according to the threshold found by the clustering section145. That is, the number of color map regions may be determined to be equal to the number of clusters. In one embodiment, colors at each of the color map regions may be independently mapped to the strains. For example, when there are first and second clusters, the color map210may be divided into a first color map region and a second color map region. In such a case, the color mapping in the first color map region may be carried out based on the strains included in the first cluster, while the color mapping in the second color map region may be carried out based on the strains included in the second cluster. Also, when there are four clusters, the color map forming section146may be operable to form a color map consisting of four color map regions, as shown inFIG. 5.

Although it is described above that the colors are differently mapped at each of the color map regions, the color mapping is certainly not limited thereto. In another embodiment, an identical color may be mapped to the color map regions, and brightness thereof may be differently adjusted for each of the color map regions. Also, the color at each of the color map regions may be mapped such that a region close to the threshold becomes dark and a region far to the threshold becomes light.

The processing unit140may further comprise an elastic image forming section147. In one embodiment, the elastic image forming section147may be operable to form an elastic image of the target object based on the strains computed by the strain computing section142and the color map formed by the color map forming section146. Also, the elastic image forming section147may be operable to form an elastic image of the target object based on the strains normalized in the strain normalizing section143.