In a compression unit of a mammography apparatus, a breast is compressed between a first compression plane and a second compression plane. At least one of the first and second compression planes is formed by a fabric. The compression unit allows a breast to be maintained in a fixed, compressed state while acquiring an x-ray image of the compressed breast and the compressed state is maintained for subsequently acquiring an ultrasound image of the compressed breast.

Electromagnetic energy is deposited into a volume, an acoustic return signal from energy deposited in the volume is measured, and a parametric map that estimates values of at least one parameter as spatially represented in the volume is computed. A reference level of a region of interest is determined, and upper and lower color map limits are specified, with at least one of them being determined in relation to the reference level. The parametric map is then rendered in the palette of a color map by mapping the estimated values of the parametric map onto the color map according to the color map limits. Two wavelengths of energy can be applied to the volume, and the parametric map computation can be adapted by applying an implicit or explicit model of, or theoretical basis for, distribution of electromagnetic energy fluence within the volume pertaining to the two wavelengths. The actual electromagnetic energy fluence caused by each wavelength has a propensity, due to variability within the volume, to differ from the modeled or theoretical electromagnetic energy fluence.

Method for quantifying the elasticity of a material by ultrasounds, comprising the generation of one acoustic disturbance ultrasound beam (10) for the first excitation point (1), for generating a shear wave (11), a measurement of the shear wave (11) at a plurality of lines of sight placed in a region of interest (2) at different predetermined distances from the first excitation point (1), the calculation of the speed of the measured shear wave (11) and the assessment, by calculation, of a mean stiffness value of the material in the region of interest (2) on the basis of the measured speed of the shear wave (11). In the acquired image (3) a second excitation point (4) is defined, in such a position that the region of interest (2) is interposed between the first excitation point (1) and the second excitation point (4). The method for the second excitation point (4) is carried out, for calculating the speed of the shear wave (11) for the second excitation point (4), and the assessment by calculation of the mean stiffness value is carried out on the basis of the average between the speed of the shear wave measured for the first excitation point (1) and the speed of the shear wave measured for the second excitation point (4).

The technology relates to a methods and systems for improving medical imaging procedures. An example method includes receiving a first set of quality metrics for a plurality of medical images acquired at a first imaging facility; receiving a second set of quality metrics for a second plurality of medical images acquired at a second imaging facility; comparing the first set of quality metrics to the second set of quality metrics; based on the comparison of the first set of quality metrics to the second set of quality metrics, generating a benchmark for at least one metric in the first set of quality metrics and the second set of quality metrics; generating facility data based on the generated benchmark and the first set of quality metrics; and sending the facility data to the first imaging facility.

A method and system for processing and displaying breast ultrasound information is described. A 2D feature weighted volumetric coronal image as a “guide” or “road map” is generated from the 3D ultrasound data volume to represent the 3D dataset with the goal of emphasizing abnormalities within the breast while excluding non-breast structures, particularly those external to the breast such as ribs and chest wall.

A method is disclosed for generating sinograms by sampling a plurality of transducers acoustically coupled with the surface of a volume of tissue over a period of time after a light pulse at one wavelength, and after another light pulse at a different wavelength, and for processing those sinograms, reconstructing at least two optoacoustic images from the two sinograms, processing the two optoacoustic images to generate two envelope images and generating a parametric map from information in the two envelope images. In an embodiment, motion and tracking are determined to align the envelope images. In an embodiment, at least a second parametric map is produced from information in the same two envelope images. In an embodiment an ultrasound image is also acquired, and the parametric map is coregistered with and overlayed upon the ultrasound image, and then displayed.

Provided is an object information acquiring apparatus, having: an ultrasound transmitting element; a plurality of transducers each detecting a first acoustic wave generated by light, which is radiated into an object, and outputting a first electric signal, and detecting a second acoustic wave generated by an ultrasound wave, which is transmitted from the ultrasound transmitting element and which is scattered inside the object, and outputting a second electric signal; a support supporting the plurality of transducers so that directivity axes of the transducers are concentrated; and a processor acquiring property information on the object based on the first electric signal and the second electric signal respectively.

A method for monitoring a breast tissue examination is described. In the method, a completed diagnostic assessment of individual image slices of a slice image dataset to be examined in respect of breast tissue that is to be examined is registered automatically. In addition, information relating to the already assessed and the not yet assessed image slices is displayed to a user. An examination workflow monitoring device is also described. A diagnostic assessment station is described in addition.

An embodiment is for determining a region of interest to be rendered in an ultrasound volume data set of an interior of an object under examination. In an embodiment, the method includes: determining a projection position in a two dimensional X-ray projection image of the object under examination, wherein a projection ray correlated to the projection position passes through the region of interest; and extracting a partial data set encompassed by the ultrasound volume data set using the projection position determined and based upon geometrical information relating to the X-ray 3D ultrasound unit.

The present disclosure describes ultrasound imaging systems and methods that may be used to image, for example, breast tissue. An ultrasound imaging system according to one embodiment may include a probe, a sensor attached to the probe and operatively associated with a position tracking system, a processor configured to receive probe position data from the position tracking system. The user interface may be configured to provide instructions for placement of the probe at a plurality of anatomical landmarks of a selected breast of the subject and receive user input to record the spatial location of the probe at each of the plurality of anatomical landmarks. The processor may be configured to determine a scan area based on the spatial location of the probe at each of the plurality of anatomical landmarks and generate a scan pattern for the selected breast. The processor may be further configured to monitor movement of the probe. The user interface may be configured to display, prior to scanning, a visual representation of the scan and automatically update, during scanning, the visual representation of the scan pattern based on movement of the probe.