A shared-housing ultrasound transducer and machine-vision camera system is disclosed for registering the transducer's x, y, z position in space and pitch, yaw, and roll orientation with respect to an object, such as a patient's body. The position and orientation are correlated with transducer scan data, and scans of the same region of the object are compared in order to reduce ultrasound artifacts and speckles. The system can be extended to interoperative gamma probes or other non-contact sensor probes and medical instruments. Methods are disclosed for computer or remote guiding of a sensor probe or instrument with respect to saved positions and orientations of the sensor probe.

A method (100) for visualizing a section of a patient's vascular system (155) with an ultrasound image processing system (3) is disclosed. The method comprises receiving (103) ultrasound data generated by an ultrasound probe (10) being displaced across a part of the patients anatomy (150) containing the section of the patients vascular system, said ultrasound data comprising image data and Doppler data; generating (107) ultrasound images (170) from said image data, each ultrasound image corresponding to a subsection of the patients vascular system having a determined location within the patients vascular system and combining (109) said ultrasound images into a map (180) of said section of the patients vascular system; processing (111) the received Doppler data to obtain blood flow characteristics for the section of the patients vascular system; identifying (113) landmarks within the section of the patients vascular system based on the obtained blood flow characteristics; annotating (115) said map with said landmark identifications (181, 183); and generating (117) an output signal comprising said annotated map. Also disclosed are a computer program product and ultrasound image processing system for implementing this method.

A device and system for and methods of using an ultrasound probe housing containing ultrasound probes configured to produce images inside the body of a patient for procedures requiring needle or probe insertion. The ultrasound probe housing can be configured with a guide channel cut-out or aperture between the ambient side and body side of a patient. A needle guide assembly may be pivotally connect internal to the guide channel cut-out or aperture of the ultrasound probe housing at a pivot point such that during use the needle enters the patient through the needle guide assembly within the ultrasound probe housing so that the needle can be visualized by the ultrasonic probes in real time. The ultrasound probe housing may also provide an adhesion or suction quality to the body side of the device to facilitate aspects of the invention.

A system includes a processor circuit that receives intravascular imaging data from an intravascular imaging catheter, an x-ray image from an x-ray imaging device, and intravascular pressure data from an intravascular pressure-sensing guidewire. The processor circuit correlates the intravascular imaging data and the intravascular pressure data to locations along a body lumen shown in the x-ray image. The processor circuit generates a longitudinal view of the body lumen based on the intravascular imaging data and outputs a screen display including the longitudinal view of the body lumen with an overlaid graphical representation corresponding to the intravascular pressure measurements.

An ultrasonic probe apparatus includes an ultrasound transceiver adapted to receive ultrasonic echo signals reflected after transmitting unfocused or defocused ultrasonic signals having a first frame rate; a converter adapted to convert ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasound transceiver into digital signals; an image processor adapted to generate a plurality of image data by processing the digital signals; a combiner adapted to combine the plurality of image data having a first frame rate into a plurality of composite image data having a second frame rate; and a transmitter adapted to transmit the plurality of composite image data having the second frame rate.

Systems and methods for detecting changes to ultrasound scanning settings during an ultrasound examination and generating a record of the settings changes are provided. The method includes acquiring, by an ultrasound system, ultrasound image data according to ultrasound scanning settings during an ultrasound examination. The method includes monitoring, by at least one processor, the ultrasound scanning settings during the ultrasound examination and detecting a changed ultrasound scanning setting from the ultrasound scanning setting during the ultrasound examination. The method includes recording, by the at least one processor, the changed ultrasound scanning setting in a log file associated with the ultrasound examination. The method includes recording, by the at least one processor, a video clip of the ultrasound image data a predetermined period of time before and after the changed ultrasound scanning setting is detected. The video clip is associated with the ultrasound examination.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a present embodiment includes: a transmitting and receiving circuit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to an ultrasonic probe and receive a signal based on the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic probe; a generation circuit configured to generate multiple 2D image data in a chronological order based on the signal; an acquisition circuit configured to acquire three-dimensional multiple position data of the ultrasonic probe; an associating circuit configured to associate the multiple position data with the respective multiple 2D image data; and a correction circuit configured to correct the multiple position data associated by the associating circuit.

The ultrasound probe transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in different directions and the diagnostic apparatus body combines a plurality of images captured in the different directions of transmission and reception to produce an ultrasound image. In this process, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus measures the temperature of the ultrasound probe to change the ultrasound transmission and reception for producing a composite ultrasound image or makes the directions of transmission and reception in the last ultrasound image in one composite ultrasound image coincide with those in the first ultrasound image in its temporally adjacent composite ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus thus enables consistent ultrasound diagnosis against heat generated in the integrated circuit board of the ultrasound probe while simplifying the control of the ultrasound transmission and reception.

Systems, methods, and devices that perform flow scan sequences are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system includes an intraluminal catheter or guidewire, an annular array of acoustic elements positioned around a circumference of the catheter or guidewire, and a processor in communication with the annular array. The processor is configured to activate a first subaperture of the annular array at a first time, thereafter, activate a second interleaving subaperture, and activate the first subaperture again at a different, second time such that the scan sequence moves around the circumference of the catheter or guidewire. Temporal differences between the received ultrasound signals obtained by the first subaperture at the first and second times are determined to detect motion around the annular array. By interleaving subaperture firings, the total number of firings to form an image frame can be reduced.

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for mapping a section of a vasculature of a subject are described herein, including moving a probe to a first position at a body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature; transmitting, by the probe, a first ultrasound beam into a first portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving first ultrasound data including at least one imaging parameter of the first portion based on the first ultrasound beam; moving the probe to a second position at the body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature and different from the first position; transmitting, by the probe, a second ultrasound beam into a second portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving second ultrasound data including the at least one imaging parameter of the second portion based on the second ultrasound beam; and constructing a map of the section of the vasculature based on the first ultrasound data and the second ultrasound data.