An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region which are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce a thick slice image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. Thick slice images are displayed at a high frame rate of display by combining a newly acquired slice with slices previously acquired from different elevational planes which were used in a previous combination. A new thick slice image may be produced each time at least one of the slice images is updated by a newly acquired slice. Frame rate is further improved by multiline acquisition of the slices.

The present invention is a method and an apparatus that can image objects immersed in optically opaque fluids using ultrasound in a confined space and in a harsh environment. If the fluid is not highly attenuating at frequencies above 1 MHz, where commercial ultrasound scanners are available, such scanners can be adapted for imaging in these fluids. In the case of highly attenuating fluids, such as drilling mud, then a low frequency collimated sound source is used.

A circuit and design for an analog front end is provided. The AFE includes a number of sub-stages each with multiple optional or alternative pathways to complete the circuit. These pathways can be dynamically set during runtime based on the type of imaging catheter used with the AFE or can be set at manufacturing.

Provided is an ultrasonic probe having a buffer structure capable of preventing internal components from being damaged by an external impact. The ultrasonic probe includes a transducer module transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, a case which has an opened one side and is configured to accommodate the transducer module, a lens provided at the one side of the case, and a protective member accommodated in the case and positioned to face at least one surface of the transducer module, wherein the protective member protrudes further forward compared to the piezoelectric layer.

A ultrasonic-oscillator unit including an ultrasonic-oscillator array in which a plurality of ultrasonic-oscillators are arranged in a semicylindrical shape; an electrode part of the ultrasonic-oscillator array provided on an end surface of the ultrasonic-oscillator array perpendicular to an arrangement surface of the plurality of ultrasonic-oscillators; and a backing material layer that is disposed on an inner back surface of the ultrasonic-oscillator array; and a cable wiring part in which a plurality of cables are respectively disposed on a plurality of wiring lines electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes of the electrode part. The width of the backing material layer perpendicular to the arrangement surface of the plurality of ultrasonic-oscillators becomes smaller toward a side opposite to the arrangement surface of the plurality of ultrasonic-oscillators. A cable wiring part electrically connected to the electrode part is provided along the width of the backing material layer.

The invention generally relates to intravascular ultrasound imaging and to systems and methods to improve line density and image quality. The invention provides an intravascular imaging system that uses a clock device to provide a set of trigger signals for each revolution of the imaging catheter and capture various patterns of scan lines for each set of trigger signals. The system can be operated to capture two scan lines of data for each trigger signal thereby doubling scan line density compared to existing systems. The clock device can be provided by hardware, such as a rotary encoder, that is configured to define a maximum number of trigger signals that the module can provide per rotation of the catheter.

An ultrasound imaging receiver circuit includes a plurality of amplifiers configured to receive input signals from a plurality of ultrasound transducer channels respectively; a plurality of ADCs connected with the amplifiers respectively; a switching circuit connected with the ADCs; an image signal processor connected with the switching circuit; and a control signal generator. Each amplifier includes a first input port configured for receiving one input signal from an ultrasound transducer channel, a second input port connected to the ground and an output port connected to one ADC, the first input port being connected to the output port through a first switch. The control signal generator is configured to compare the input signal with a first preset threshold and a second preset threshold and output control signals controlling the first switch and the second switch based on the comparisons.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, an imaging device is described. The imaging device includes an array of transducers. Each transducer includes an array of piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element transmits pressure waves towards an object to be imaged and receives reflections of the pressure waves off the object to be imaged. The imaging device also includes a transmit channel per one or more piezoelectric elements to generate the pressure waves and a receive channel per one or more piezoelectric elements to process the reflections of the pressure waves. The number of channels are selectively altered to control parameters such as power consumption and temperature.

The present disclosure relates to a wearable ultrasound device comprising a flexible body comprising a plurality of layers, a shape sensor integrated into a first layer of the flexible body, and an ultrasound transducer coupled to the shape sensor. The ultrasound transducer is configured for capturing images of a subject, and the shape sensor is configured for determining a location of the ultrasound transducer relative to the flexible body.

The invention is a method for generating ultrasound image, comprising the steps of: determining a plurality of recording locations (L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.k, L.sub.n?1, L.sub.n) separated from each other by a recording spacing (?y), recording a first data package (F.sub.1) placing the ultrasound transducer on a first recording location (L.sub.1) being on the investigation surface and assigning the first data package (F.sub.1) to a first image column (I.sub.1) of the ultrasound image corresponding to the first recording location (L.sub.1), repeating the following steps until loading at least one forthcoming image column: recording a subsequent data package (F.sub.2, F.sub.i, F.sub.a, F.sub.a+1, F.sub.b, F.sub.b+1) by moving the ultrasound transducer essentially along an image recording line being in an image recording direction, towards a forthcoming recording location, and evaluating a data package acceptance criterion based on comparing one or more actual image correlation value and corresponding correlation function value, investigating fulfillment of the acceptance criterion; and if the acceptance criterion is fulfilled, assigning, for the forthcoming recording location, the subsequent data package to a forthcoming image column (l.sub.2, l.sub.3, l.sub.k, l.sub.n?1, I.sub.n) of the ultrasound image loading the forthcoming image column (l.sub.2, l.sub.3, I.sub.k, l.sub.n?1, I.sub.n).