Systems and methods are provided for the denoising of images in the presence of broadband noise based on the detection and/or estimation of in-band noise. According to various example embodiments, an estimate of broadband noise that lies within the imaging band is made by detecting or characterizing the out-of-band noise that lies outside of the imaging band. This estimated in-band noise may be employed for denoise the detected imaging waveform. According to other example embodiments, a reference receive circuit that is sensitive to noise within the imaging band, but is isolated from the imaging energy, may be employed to detect and/or characterize the noise within the imaging band. The estimated reference noise may be employed to denoise the detected in-band imaging waveform.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide ultrasound systems and devices that provide for reduction of reverberation artifacts in ultrasound images by automatically changing imaging settings such as PRI or transmit/receive configuration based on detected amounts of reverberation in ultrasound images. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor circuit in communication with an ultrasound probe. The processor circuit obtains a plurality of ultrasound images obtained using a plurality of different PRIs and/or pulse sequences, calculates an amount of reverberation artifacts in each of the plurality of ultrasound images, selects a pulse repetition interval and/or pulse sequence based on the amounts of reverberation artifacts in each of the plurality of ultrasound images, and controls the ultrasound transducer to obtain a reduced-reverberation ultrasound image using the selected pulse repetition interval or pulse sequence. The reduced-reverberation ultrasound image is then output to a display.

The invention relates to the field of ultrasonic imaging detection, and more particularly, to an ultrasonic system of a contact type flexible conformal ultrasonic probe and a method for the same. The ultrasonic system comprises: a flexible probe, comprising a flexible detection surface, a plurality of probe units, and a soft film sensing surface; a switch module; a control module, comprising: a transmitting control unit for sequentially controlling the probe units in the probe array to transmit the ultrasonic signal; a receiving control unit for sequentially controlling the probe units in the probe array to receive the ultrasonic signal, and for processing the ultrasonic signal to obtain a ultrasonic image. The present invention has the following beneficial effects: the use of a flexible probe for acquiring an ultrasonic image allows to solve the problem that the operation process and imaging steps are complicated when using a rigid probe.

An ultrasonic detection device, including a substrate, sensing elements, a first test element, a first dummy element, at least one first common signal line, sensing signal lines, and at least one test signal line, is provided. The sensing elements, the first test element, and the first dummy element are located on the substrate. The first test element is located between the sensing elements and the first dummy element. Each of the sensing elements, the first test element, and the first dummy element includes an array of capacitive microelectromechanical ultrasonic transducers. The first common signal line is electrically connected to the sensing elements and the first test element. The sensing signal lines are electrically connected to the sensing elements. The test signal line is electrically connected to the first test element.

Provided is an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus for obtaining a tomographic image of a subject by transmitting and receiving an ultrasound with an ultrasound probe, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including: a hardware processor that: causes transmission and reception of an ultrasound for a probe element check with respect to each of a plurality of piezoelectric elements included in the ultrasound probe; converts signal features of reception signals obtained respectively in the plurality of piezoelectric elements at the time of the probe element check into image information indicating deterioration degrees of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, separately; and displays, based on a result of the conversion, a probe-condition mapping image expressed in a bar form by mapping images indicating the deterioration degrees of the plurality of piezoelectric elements in a row according to an arrangement of the plurality of piezoelectric elements in the ultrasound probe.

An ultrasound probe including a probe body having a mounting area and a flexible lip around said mounting area for sealing a space between the mounting area and a subject contacted by the ultrasound probe; and a number of ultrasound transducer elements mounted in the mounting area. The probe body further includes an inlet to said space and an outlet from said space for facilitating a fluid flow through said space when sealed. Also included are an ultrasound system including such an ultrasound probe and a method of subjecting a subject to ultrasound waves generated with such an ultrasound probe.

During acquisition of an ultrasound image feed, ultrasound control data frames are acquired that may be interspersed amongst the ultrasound data frames. The control data frames may use consistent reference scan parameters, irrespective of the scanner settings, and may not need to be converted to image frames. The control data frames can be passed to an artificial intelligence model, which predicts the suitable settings for scanning the anatomy that is being scanned. The artificial intelligence model can be trained with a dataset containing different classes of ultrasound control data frames for different settings, where substantially all the ultrasound control data frames in the dataset are consistently acquired using the reference scan parameters.

A system for characterizing tissue includes a probe that delivers a continuous and periodic mechanical vibration to a tissue of a subject; an ultrasound emitter that emits a sequence of ultrasound shots and an ultrasound receiver that receives corresponding echo signals to track how the tissue is moved by the periodic mechanical vibration delivered to the tissue; and a control module programmed to provide homogeneity information to an operator of the system, the homogeneity information being determined from at least some of the echo signals and being representative of the ability of the tissue to transmit elastic waves and of the homogeneity of the tissue with respect to the propagation of elastic waves.

An ultrasonic imaging system including an array transducer that includes a plurality of elements each performing at least one of emission or reception of ultrasonic waves, at least some of the plurality of elements being disposed so as to face each other. The ultrasonic imaging system performs malfunction inspection including specifying one emitting element among emitting elements that emit ultrasonic waves and a group of receiving elements that are at least some of the plurality of elements and that receive transmitted waves emitted from the emitting element and transmitted through an imaging region; collecting measurement data of the transmitted waves via the group of receiving elements while switching the emitting element; calculating transfer characteristic values from the measurement data; and detecting a malfunctioning element among the plurality of elements on the basis of the transfer characteristic values.

A medical probe includes a shaft and a distal-end assembly. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a body. The distal-end assembly is fitted at a distal end of the shaft. The distal-end assembly includes (a) a substrate, (b) a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound transducer array located on the substrate, and (c) a sensor, which is also located on the substrate, the sensor configured to output signals indicative of a position and an orientation of the 2D ultrasound transducer array inside the organ.