A method for computing a tissue reflectivity function (TRF) is provided. This method comprises accessing radio-frequency (RF) data and computing a point spread function (PSF), to obtain the TRF. The RF data accessed are data obtained by beamforming time signals from an array of transducers of an ultrasound device. Next, for each pair (r, s) of given pairs of points in the imaging plane, the PSF is computed as a sum of contributions from at least some of the transducers. Each contribution is computed by evaluating a transducer's transfer function, based on two outputs of a respective time-of-flight function. Such outputs are obtained by evaluating the time-of-flight function at a first point r and at a second point s of each pair, respectively. Finally, the RF function can be deconvoluted, based on the computed PSF, so as to obtain the TRF.

Systems can include an acoustic sensor array configured to receive acoustic signals, an illuminator configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, an electromagnetic imaging tool configured to receive electromagnetic radiation, a distance measuring tool, and a processor. The processor can illuminate the target scene via the illuminator, receive electromagnetic image data from the electromagnetic imaging tool representative of the illuminated scene, receive acoustic data from the acoustic sensor array, and receive distance information from the distance measuring tool. The processor can be further configured to generate acoustic image data of the scene based on the received acoustic data and received distance information and generate a display image comprising combined acoustic image data and electromagnetic image data. The processor can determine depths of various acoustic signals within a scene and generate a representation of the scene the shows the determined depths, including floorplan and volumetric representations.

Some systems include an electromagnetic imaging tool configured to receive electromagnetic radiation, a communication interface, a processor in communication with the electromagnetic imaging tool and the communication interface, and a housing. Systems can include a first sensor head having a first plurality of acoustic sensor elements arranged in a first acoustic sensor array. The communication interface can provide communication between the processor and the sensor head via wired or wireless communication. The communication interface can comprise a docking port in communication with the processor and configured to removably receive a corresponding docking mechanism of the first sensor head. Some systems may include a second sensor head having a second plurality of acoustic sensor elements. The second sensor head may be interchangeably connectable to the communication interface and/or the first sensor head.

Some systems include an acoustic sensor array configured to receive acoustic signals, an electromagnetic imaging tool configured to receive electromagnetic radiation, a position sensor configured to output position information, memory, and a processor. The processor can receive acoustic data from the acoustic sensor array and generate acoustic image data from the received acoustic data. The processor can receive electromagnetic image data from the electromagnetic imaging tool and combine the generated acoustic image data and the received electromagnetic image data to generate a display image. The processor can receive position information from the position sensor, and save the display image in memory associated with the received position information. Position information can be stored in metadata of the display image or displayed within the display image. The processor can be configured to link images stored in memory, such as based on position information associated with such images.

Some systems include an acoustic sensor array configured to receive acoustic signals, an electromagnetic imaging tool configured to receive electromagnetic radiation, a user interface, a display, and a processor. The processor can receive electromagnetic data from the electromagnetic imaging tool and acoustic data from the acoustic sensor array. The processor can generate acoustic image data of the scene based on the received acoustic data, generate a display image comprising combined acoustic image data and electromagnetic image data, and present the display image on the display. The processor can receive an annotation input from the user interface and update the display image based on the received annotation input. The processor can be configured to determine one or more acoustic parameters associated with the received acoustic signal and determine a criticality associated with the acoustic signal. A user can annotated the display image with determined criticality information or other determined information.

Disclosed herein are computer-implemented medical ultrasound imaging methods, and systems for performing the methods, that comprise forming a first frame of an ultrasound image sequence with high image quality; forming at least one frame of the ultrasound image sequence with reduced image quality; forming a second frame of the ultrasound image sequence with high image quality; and improving the quality of the at least one frame of the ultrasound image sequence with reduced image quality using the first and/or the second frames of the ultrasound image sequence with high quality. In some cases, the improvement of the quality of the at least one frame of the ultrasound image sequence with reduced image quality is achieved by application of machine learning.

Ultrasound adaptive imaging methods and/or systems provide for modification of waveform generation to drive a plurality of transducer elements. The modification may be based on at least one of contrast ratio or signal to noise ratio as determined with respect to control points in a region of interest. Further, image reconstruction may be performed upon separating, from pulse echo data received, at least a portion thereof received at each ultrasound transducer element from the region of interest in response to the delivered ultrasound energy corresponding to a single frequency of one or more image frequencies within a transducer apparatus bandwidth. The image reconstructed from the separated pulse-echo data corresponding to the single frequency of the one or more image frequencies may be used alone or combined with like image data (e.g., to provide an image representative of one or more properties in the region of interest).

Embodiments described provide an ultrasound method, and an ultrasound apparatus and computer program product operable to perform that method. In some embodiments, the method allows for provision of a multi-transducer ultrasound imaging system by providing a robust method to accurately localize the transducers in the system in order to beamform a final image. The method and apparatus described allow for improvements in imaging quality in terms of resolution, depth penetration, contrast and signal to noise ratio (SNR).

Acoustic imaging systems can include an acoustic sensing array, an electromagnetic imaging tool, a display, and an audio device. A processor can receive data from the acoustic sensor array and the electromagnetic imaging tool to generate a display image combining acoustic image data and electromagnetic image data. Systems can include an audio device that receives an audio output from the processor and outputs audio feedback signals to a user. The audio feedback signals can represent acoustic signals from an acoustic scene. Systems can provide a display image to a user including acoustic image data, and a user can select an acoustic signal for which to provide a corresponding audio output to an audio device. Audio outputs and display images can change dynamically in response to a change in pointing of the acoustic sensing array, such as by changing a stereo audio output.

A combination of an ultrasonic scanner and an omnidirectional receive transducer for producing a two-dimensional image from received echoes is described. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by additional transducers. These can be combined to produce images with better signal to noise ratios and lateral resolution. Also disclosed is a method based on information content to compensate for the different delays for different paths through intervening tissue is described. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging but are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces. Since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the aperture defined by the end elements, it is not necessary to fill the entire aperture with equally spaced elements. Multiple slices using these methods can be combined to form three-dimensional images.