Systems and methods generally relate to identifying ultrasound images from multiple ultrasound exams. The systems and methods identify a first ultrasound image feature of a current ultrasound image of an anatomical structure during a current ultrasound exam based on ultrasound data received from an ultrasound probe, and accessing a plurality of prior ultrasound images that were acquired during a prior ultrasound exam. The systems and methods compare the first ultrasound image feature in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images to identify candidate ultrasound images. The systems and methods identify a resultant ultrasound image from the candidate ultrasound images based on the related ultrasound image features, and display the current and resultant ultrasound images on a display.

Methods and apparatus for treating a patient. The method includes acquiring a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals with an ultrasound transducer, each RF signal representing one or more return echoes from a scan line of a pulse-mode echo ultrasound scan. A position of the ultrasound transducer corresponding to each of the acquired RF signals is determined, and a plurality of contour lines generated from the plurality of RF signals. The method estimates a 3-D shape and position of an anatomical feature, such as a joint of patient based on the generated contour lines and corresponding ultrasound transducer positions. An apparatus, or computer includes a processor and a memory with instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform the aforementioned method.

Presented is a wireless portable ultrasound acquisition system for dental imaging, having an ultrasound probe with a control switch connected through a cable to a portable ultrasound acquisition system that communicates wirelessly with a smart tablet or a phone display to display the ultrasound images. The system uses ultrasound signals to create images of alveolar bone structure and boundaries of enamel, dentin and gingiva of a patient.

In some embodiments, a method comprises: obtaining a 2D ultrasound image of an imaged region of a subject, the imaged region comprising bone; identifying model template cross-sections of a 3D model of the bone corresponding to the 2D image at least in part by registering the 2D ultrasound image to the 3D model, wherein the model template cross-sections are defined prior to obtaining such 2D image, the model template cross-sections having size and shape representative of a population of potential subjects; identifying at least one location of at least one landmark feature of the bone in the 2D image based on results of the registration; and generating a visualization that includes: a visualization of the 2D image and a visualization of one of the identified cross-sections of the 3D model, wherein the visualization indicates the at least one location of the at least one landmark feature.

The invention relates to a method for characterising bone, the method comprising the steps of receiving (102) ultrasonic wave echo signals transmitted into a body, determining (104) a speed of sound in the body's non-bone biological tissue, locating (106) a first demarcation curve between non-bone biological tissue and bone in an image of the body constructed during said determining step, and determining (108) a speed of sound in bone. The steps of determining speed include constructing images from the signals, and a metric calculation indicative of a focus quality in the constructed images.

The invention relates to a molded gel body (1), the production thereof and the use thereof in ultrasonography in the medical or dental field. In particular, the molded gel body (1) is used to detect and localize dental cavities in the jawbone by means of through-transmission alveolar ultrasonography (TAU). The molded gel body (1) has a receptacle (2) for receiving an ultrasound transmitter and/or receiver (7). The molded gel body (1) and the receptacle (2) are preferably adapted to the shape of the ultrasound transmitter and/or receiver. For easier handling, the molded gel body (1) is inserted into a flexible, biocompatible protective cover (6) which, like the receptacle (2), can be filled with a non-dimensionally stable ultrasound gel. To produce the molded gel body (1), cuboids of a dimensionally stable gel of the appropriate size are preferably cut open over the narrow lateral surfaces of the cuboid, but preferably not completely cut through and only over three of the four sides to produce the receptacle (2) or, if not completely cut open, closed or glued on the edges only over two of the four sides.

An imaging method for obtaining a human skeleton, comprising the following steps: S1. determining a target region and fixing an object to be scanned; S2. determining an imaging region; S3. scanning the target region to obtain a series of section images that record spatial position coordinates and scanning angle of the imaging probe; S4. determining the position of bones in a three-dimensional space according to the features reflected on the surfaces of the bones in the section images and the spatial position coordinates and scanning angle of the imaging probe, and obtaining position information of the bones; S6. continuously scanning the target region till the position information and section images of the bones in the skeleton in the entire target region are completely collected; and S7. displaying the skeleton in the three-dimensional space. By means of the method, the human skeleton structure can be obtained without radiation.

Disclosed is a method and a device for characterizing, for example identifying at least one object depicted in a raster image (1) or determining the speed of sound of the object, the raster image (1) having pixel rows and pixel columns. In order to efficiently and accurately characterize the object, the invention provides that several pixel columns (Cn) are selected and each of the selected pixel columns (Cn) is converted into a line profile (L), the amplitude of the line profile (L) representing the value (V) of image information of selected pixels of the respective selected pixel column (Cn), wherein the method comprises determining characteristics of the line profiles (L) and using the characteristics to characterize the at least one object depicted in the raster image (1).

A method for diagnosing a joint condition includes in one embodiment: creating a 3d model of the patient specific bone; registering the patient's bone with the bone model; tracking the motion of the patient specific bone through a range of motion; selecting a database including empirical mathematical descriptions of the motion of a plurality actual bones through ranges of motion; and comparing the motion of the patient specific bone to the database.

Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for acquiring and providing information about orthopedic features of a body using acoustic energy. In some aspects, an acoustic orthopedic tracking system includes portable acoustic transducers to obtain orthopedic position information for feeding the information to an orthopedic surgical system for surgical operations.