Patent Publication Number: US-2011054319-A1

Title: Ultrasound system and method for providing a plurality of slice plane images

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0079732 filed on Aug. 27, 2009, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to ultrasound systems, and more particularly to an ultrasound system and method for providing a plurality of slice plane images by setting a plurality of slice planes on volume data. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An image processing system, which is an apparatus for visualizing an image of a target object through signal processing, has been utilized in various fields. An image processing system for ultrasound diagnosis (“ultrasound system”) will be described as an example of the image processing system. 
     The ultrasound system has become an important and popular diagnostic tool due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature. Modern high-performance ultrasound imaging diagnostic systems and techniques are commonly used to produce two or three-dimensional images of internal features of patients (target objects). 
     Conventionally, the ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe, a body, a control panel and a display unit. The ultrasound probe includes a plurality of transducer elements formed by using piezoelectric materials to transmit and receive ultrasound signals. The ultrasound probe forms the ultrasound signals by electrically stimulating the transducer elements to transmit the ultrasound signals into the target objects. Echo signals caused by reflection of the ultrasound signals from the target objects are converted into electrical signals by the transducer elements. The body applies delays to the electrical signals outputted from the probe in consideration of the distances between the transducer elements and focal points to thereby output receive-focused signals. The body forms an ultrasound image indicative of the target objects based on the receive-focused signals. The control panel includes a touch screen, a keyboard, a trackball and a plurality of buttons for allowing a user to input instruction for controlling functions of ultrasound image acquisition, menu control, measurement and annotation. 
     Conventionally, the ultrasound system displays at least one reference plane image, e.g., plane images corresponding to sagittal, coronal and axial views, respectively, from a three-dimensional ultrasound image formed based on the ultrasound echo signals. The ultrasound system may allow a user to draw an arbitrary line, e.g., a straight line or a curved line on the reference plane image through manipulation of the control panel. 
     A function of displaying a plane image in the ultrasound system, which is adopted from a function of displaying a plane image of a computerized tomography (CT) or a magnetic resonance imager (MRI), may merely provide plane images in parallel with the reference plane. Thus, there is a disadvantage in that a variety of plane images cannot be provided. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment for forming a plurality of three-dimensional ultrasound images is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system for providing a plurality of slice plane images, comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to form ultrasound data of a target object; a processor configured to form volume data based on the ultrasound data; and a user interface configured to allow a user to input a first user instruction for setting a reference plane in the volume data, a second user instruction for setting a reference point on the reference plane and a third user instruction for providing information on a plurality of slice planes, wherein the processor is further configured to set a plurality of slice planes, each being orthogonal to the reference plane and including the reference point, and form a plurality of slice plane images. 
     In another embodiment, a method of providing a plurality of slice plane images, comprises: a) forming ultrasound data of a target object; b) forming volume data based on the ultrasound data; c) receiving a first user instruction for setting a reference plane in the volume data; d) receiving a second user instruction for setting a reference point on the reference plane; e) receiving a third user instruction for providing information on a plurality of slice planes; f) setting a plurality of slice planes, each being orthogonal to the reference plane and including the reference point; and g) forming a plurality of slice plane images corresponding to the plurality of slice planes. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor performs a method of providing a plurality of slice plane images in an ultrasound system, cause the processor to perform the above-described steps. 
     The Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound system. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound data acquisition unit in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of a processor in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing an example of volume data and reference planes. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an example of volume data, reference planes and slice planes. 
     
    
    
     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. 1  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound system which embodies the methods of the present invention. The ultrasound system  100  may include an ultrasound data acquisition unit  110 , a user interface  120 , a processor  130  and a display unit  140 . 
     The ultrasound data acquisition unit  110  may be configured to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object (not shown) and receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby acquire ultrasound data. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound data acquisition unit  110 . The ultrasound data acquisition unit  110  may include a transmit (Tx) signal generating section  111 , an ultrasound probe  112  including a plurality of transducer elements (not shown), a beam former  113  and an ultrasound data forming section  114 . 
     The Tx signal generating section  111  may generate Tx signals according to an image mode set in the ultrasound system  100 . The image mode may include a brightness (B) mode, a Doppler (D) mode, a color flow mode, etc. In one exemplary embodiment, the B mode may be set in the ultrasound system  100  to obtain a B mode ultrasound image. 
     The ultrasound probe  112  may receive the Tx signals from the Tx signal generating section  111  and generate ultrasound signals, which may travel into the target object. The ultrasound probe  112  may further receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object and convert them into electrical receive signals. In such a case, the electrical receive signals may be analog signals. The ultrasound probe  112  may include at least one of a three-dimensional probe, a two-dimensional probe, a one-dimensional probe and the like. 
     The beam former  113  may convert the electrical receive signals outputted from the ultrasound probe  112  into digital signals. The beam former  113  may further apply delays to the digital signals in consideration of the distances between the transducer elements and focal points to thereby output receive-focused signals. 
     The ultrasound data forming section  114  may form a plurality of ultrasound data by using the receive-focused signals. In one embodiment, the plurality of ultrasound data may be radio frequency (RF) data or in-phase/quadrature (IQ) data. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the user interface  120  may include at least one of a control panel (not shown), a mouse (not shown), a keyboard (not shown) and the like. The user interface  120  may be operable to allow a user to input user instructions. The user instructions may include first, second and third user instructions. The first user instruction may be for setting a reference plane in a volume data. The second user instruction may be for setting a reference point on the reference plane. The third user instruction may be for providing information on a plurality of slice planes. The information on a plurality of slice planes may include the number of slice planes or an angle between the slice planes. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting examples, the reference planes may include an A plane  221 , a B plane  222  and a C plane  223 , being orthogonal to each other in a volume data  210 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The volume data  210  may be formed by arraying a plurality of frames based on the ultrasound data and interpolating between the plurality of frames. 
     The processor  130  may be configured to form volume data based on ultrasound data provided from the ultrasound data acquisition unit  110 . The processor  130  may be further configured to form a plurality of slice plane images based on the user instructions provided from the user interface  120 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of the processor  130  in  FIG. 1 . The processor  130  may include a volume data forming section  131 , a reference plane setting section  132 , a reference point setting section  133 , a slice plane setting section  134 , an image forming section  135  and a display region setting section  136 . 
     The volume data forming section  131  may be configured to form the volume data  210  based on the ultrasound data provided from the ultrasound data acquisition unit  110 . The volume data may include a plurality of frames and voxels. Each voxel may have a brightness intensity. 
     The reference plane setting section  132  may set the reference plane in the volume data according to the first user instruction provided from the user interface  120 . In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting examples, the A plane  221  may be set as the reference plane. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an example of volume data, reference planes and reference point. The reference point setting section  133  may set a reference point RP on the reference plane  221  according to the second user instruction provided from the user interface  120 . 
     The slice plane setting section  134  may set a plurality of slice planes  231 - 234  according to the third instruction provided from the user interface  120 . Each of the slice planes  231 - 234  may be set to be perpendicular to the reference plane  221  and include the reference point RP. 
     If the third user instruction includes the angle between neighboring slice planes, then the slice plane setting section  134  calculates the number of slice planes according to the following equation (1). 
         n= (360°/θ)/2  (1)
 
     wherein n denotes the number of slice planes and θ denotes the angle between the neighboring slice planes. The slice plane setting section  134  may set the slice planes  231 - 234  in the volume data  210  according to the calculated number of slice planes, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     If the third user instruction includes the number of slice planes, then the slice plane setting section  134  sets the slice planes  231 - 234  in the volume data  210  according to the number of slice planes through the reference point RP. 
     Although it is described above that the slice planes  231 - 234  are set to have the same angle between neighboring slice planes, the angle in-between is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the slice planes may be set differently from each other. 
     The image forming section  135  may form a plurality of slice plane images corresponding to the plurality of slice planes  231 - 234  by using the volume data. Further, the image forming section  135  may form a reference plane image corresponding to the reference plane  221  by using the volume data. 
     The display region setting section  136  may set display regions of the display unit  140  to display the slice plane images based thereon. The display region setting section  136  may set the display regions as many as the number of slice plane images. Furthermore, the display region setting section  136  may set the display regions to display the slice plane images together with the reference plane image. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the display unit  140  may display the slice plane images at the relative display regions. Further, the display unit  140  may display the reference plane images at the display regions. The display unit  140  may include a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diodes (OLED) display and the like. 
     As described above according to one embodiment, the plurality of slice plane images may be set such that the angle between the neighboring slice plane images is identically or differently. Thus, since the slice plane images can be acquired at various directions, it may be easy and useful to compare and analyze the slice plane images. 
     In one embodiment, instructions for performing the above method of providing the slice plane images may be recorded in a computer readable medium using computer-readable instructions. The computer readable medium may include any type of record media, which can be read by a computer system. The computer readable medium may include read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical-data recording apparatus and the like. The computer readable medium comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor performs a method of providing a plurality of slice plane images in an ultrasound system, cause the processor to perform the following steps: a) forming ultrasound data of a target object; b) forming volume data based on the ultrasound data; c) receiving a first user instruction for setting a reference plane in the volume data; d) receiving a second user instruction for setting a reference point on the reference plane; e) receiving a third user instruction for providing information on a plurality of slice planes; f) setting a plurality of slice planes, each being orthogonal to the reference plane and including the reference point; and g) forming a plurality of slice plane images corresponding to the plurality of slice planes. 
     Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “illustrative embodiment,” etc. means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments. 
     Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, numerous variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.