Disclosed are an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and an operating method thereof. The operating method includes displaying an ultrasound image of a target object, receiving an ultrasound signal obtained from a moving object of interest (OOI) included in the target object, setting a first reference region in the ultrasound image, acquiring first moving path information of the OOI passing through the first reference region, based on the received ultrasound signal, and displaying the first moving path in the ultrasound image, based on the first moving path information.

A Doppler measurement system includes a random generator outputting a control signal encoding a random selection, and an ultrasonic array transducer for emitting a sequence of transmit pulses at a target at either an adjustable steering angle (plane wave imaging) or from a selectable non-sequential transducer element order (synthetic aperture imaging) corresponding to the random selection and for receiving an echo of each transmit pulse reflected from the target. Each transmit pulse is independently adjusted to a steering angle (plane wave imaging) or selectable transducer element order (synthetic aperture imaging) corresponding to a unique random selection so that the sequence of transmit pulses is a random sweep. The system can also include a memory for storing echo data, and a processor connected to the memory for using transmit data and echo data to extract a Doppler parameter. Methods of Doppler measurement and computer-readable medium can incorporating the measurement system.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes an acquiring unit and a detecting unit. The acquiring unit acquires fluid volume data representing fluid information related to a fluid flowing through a scan region that is a region three-dimensionally scanned by ultrasonic. The detecting unit detects a region that is a fluid existing region in the scanned region using the fluid information, and detects an inner cavity region of a lumen in volume data to be applied with image processing using the region thus detected.

An ultrasound system performs duplex colorflow and spectral Doppler imaging, with the spectral Doppler interrogation performed at a sample volume location shown on the colorflow image. The colorflow image is displayed in a color box overlaid on a co-registered B mode image. A color box position and steering angle processor analyzes the spatial Doppler data and automatically sets the color box angle and location over a blood vessel for optimal Doppler sensitivity and accuracy. The processor may also automatically set the flow angle correction cursor in alignment with the direction of flow. In a preferred embodiment these optimization adjustments are made automatically and continuously as a user pauses at points for Doppler measurements along a length of the blood vessel.

First transmission information in which an optimum transmitting voltage and a transmitting waveform are associated with each other for each display mode, and second transmission information in which a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates and pulse-width modulation transmitting waveforms that are pulse-width-modulation controlled to respectively correspond to the plurality of transmitting voltage candidates are associated with each other for each display mode are used to extract a maximum transmitting voltage candidate that does not exceed an optimum transmitting voltage of a first display mode from a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates included in the second transmission information of a second display mode so as to determine a common transmitting voltage used in common for the first display mode and the second display mode based on the optimum transmitting voltage of the first display mode and/or the maximum transmitting voltage candidate.

An ultrasound system performs duplex colorflow and spectral Doppler imaging, with the spectral Doppler interrogation performed at a sample volume location shown on the colorflow image. The colorflow image is displayed in a color box overlaid on a co-registered B mode image. A color box position and steering angle processor analyzes the spatial Doppler data and automatically sets the color box angle and location over a blood vessel for optimal Doppler sensitivity and accuracy. The processor may also automatically set the flow angle correction cursor in alignment with the direction of flow. In a preferred embodiment these optimization adjustments are made automatically and continuously as a user pauses at points for Doppler measurements along a length of the blood vessel.

Method for ultrasound image acquisition includes defining a fixed frame of reference, with an origin of coordinates within a transmitter of a tracking system; detecting position and orientation of a probe relative to the frame of reference with a probe sensor of the tracking system coupled to the probe; detecting position and orientation of a body relative to the frame of reference with a reference sensor of the tracking system coupled to the body; calculating position and orientation of the probe with respect to the body; acquiring a set of 2D images constituting a 3D by transmitting an ultrasonic beam into the body and receiving echographic signals with the probe; iterating for a predetermined number of 3D image acquisitions; generating a panoramic 3D image by combining the 2D images based on information of position and orientation of the probe relative to the body for each 2D image acquisition.

An internal probe device for insertion into the body of a patient, comprises an elongate body with a plurality of EAP actuators mounted at the surface of the body. The EAP actuators are made to vibrate so that their position becomes visible in a Doppler ultrasound image. The use of EAP actuators to provide vibrations enables individual locations to be identified. In particular, the movement of the EAP actuator may be largely isolated from the main body of the probe. Furthermore, EAP actuators can be thin, lightweight and have a small form factor suitable for application to or within the surface of a probe, such as a catheter, needle or endoscope.

An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound transducer that receives an echo signal generated in response to an ultrasound signal transmitted by the system interacting with a moving material. Receive circuitry processes the echo signal and produces an electrical signal indicative thereof. Front end electronics amplify and digitize the electrical signal producing M-bit RF data. A beamformer that processes the M-bit RF data and generates N-bit high dynamic range beamformed data. N is greater than M. The system further includes pre-processing circuitry that converts the N-bit data RF to 2K-bit I/Q data. K is less than M. A velocity processor determines a phase estimate of the moving material from the I/Q data. A rendering engine visually presents the phase estimate.

A method for ultrasound imaging generates an interleaved ultrasound beam pattern that alternates transmission between a focused ultrasound signal and a plane wave ultrasound signal during a scan. Reflected signal data from the focused ultrasound signal is directed to a first signal processing path that executes delay/sum processing and generates successive lines of image data. Reflected signal data from the plane wave ultrasound signal is directed to a second signal processing path that generates a full plane of image data. Pixel location and timing for data from the first signal processing path are synchronized with location and timing for the second signal processing path. The combined, synchronized image data from the first and second signal processing paths can be displayed, stored, or transmitted.