An imaging device positioning system for monitoring an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system employs an imaging device (20) for generating an image (21) of an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system further employs an imaging device controller (30) for controlling a positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10). During a generation by the imaging device (20) of the image (21) of the anatomical region (10), the imaging device controller (30) adapts the positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10) to a physiological condition of the anatomical region (10) extracted from the image (21) of the anatomical region (10).

A system for detecting blood velocity within a blood vessel includes a piezoelectric transducer supported on a ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate supports the piezoelectric transducer at a fixed angle of incidence that is greater than 0° and less than 90°. The ceramic substrate is formed of steatite ceramic and is configured to couple an ultrasonic signal emitted by the transducer to skin underlying the substrate.

Methods and systems are provided for ultrasound imaging, and in particular, for controlling a position of an ultrasound probe. In one example, a probe guide comprises a body shaped to receive an ultrasound probe and including a first detent shaped to maintain the ultrasound probe in a first rotational position along an axis of the body and a second detent shaped to maintain the ultrasound probe in a second rotational position along the axis of the body.

There are provided an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and a control method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which can accurately specify an examination position of a subject by an examiner while ensuring a subject's privacy.

The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus for the examiner to perform ultrasonography on symmetrically disposed measurement sites of the subject by using an ultrasound probe includes a gel region detection unit that detects a temporal change of a gel region where gel is applied to the examination position of the subject; and an examination position estimation unit that estimates the examination position of the subject on the basis of a position where the temporal change of the gel region is detected by the gel region detection unit.

Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound device includes a first ultrasound component (210) configured to generate a first signal representative of a subject's anatomy along a first axis; a second ultrasound component (220) configured to generate a second signal representative of the subject's anatomy along a second axis, the first axis disposed at an angle with respect to the second axis; and a processing component (420) in communication with the first ultrasound component and the second ultrasound component, the processing component configured to determine an orientation of the ultrasound device with respect to the subject's anatomy based on the first signal and the second signal. In one embodiment, the processing component is further configured to indicate, via visual indicators (132, 240) on the ultrasound device, a direction to orient the ultrasound device based on the determined orientation for aligning the ultrasound device with the subject's anatomy.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to generate moving speed information indicating a moving speed of an ultrasound probe, on the basis of a predetermined number of pieces of medical image data among a plurality of pieces of medical image data in a time series obtained from an ultrasound scan performed by the ultrasound probe. The processing circuitry is configured to cause a display to display the moving speed information.

A probe head-cover applicator and method for applying a probe head-cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe. A probe head-cover applicator can include a tray including a cavity, an insert of a compressible material suspended over the cavity, and a probe head-cover adhered to the insert. The insert can include a first adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the insert facing away from the cavity. The probe head-cover can be adhered to the insert by the first adhesive. The probe head-cover can include a second adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the probe head-cover facing away from the insert. The second adhesive can be configured to adhere the probe head-cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe when the probe head is inserted into the cavity.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe that performs transmission and reception of an ultrasonic wave to and from a subject, a head-mounted display having a camera unit configured to acquire a camera image obtained by imaging a field of view in front of a user and a display unit, a measurement spot decision unit that, in a case where subject information including at least one of a symptom or a disease of the subject is input, decides a measurement spot where the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic wave is desired, based on the spot subject information, and a navigation image generation unit that recognizes the subject from the camera image, generates a navigation image indicating a position of the measurement spot decided by the measurement spot decision unit with respect to the recognized subject, and displays the generated navigation image on the display unit of the head-mounted display.

Ultrasound systems and methods for shear wave elastography (SWE) imaging are described which may improve the scan protocol for SWE imaging of anisotropic tissue. One or more initial measurements may be acquired to determine the orientation of the anisotropic tissue. The system acquires shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurements from at least two perpendicular intersecting planes through the anisotropic tissue and reports, a shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurement along the perpendicular intersecting planes and/or a composite measurement based upon the plurality of individual shear wave speed and/or stiffness measurement obtained at the different image planes. Improvements to the SWE imaging protocol may be achieved by providing guidance by way of an improved graphical user interface, to assist the sonographer in acquiring measurements at suitable imaging planes for more accurately characterizing the anisotropic tissue. The SWE imaging protocol may be an automatic or semi-automatic protocol.

The present invention comprises a novel method to utilize the diameter of the internal jugular vein, obtained using an ultrasound machine, to estimate a patient's volume status and cardiac ventricular function. In this technique, the ultrasound machine is used to measure the diameter of the internal jugular vein (IJV) lumen. In addition, the ultrasound machine is used to measure the respiratory variation in the IJV lumen diameter, measured as the difference between the maximum and minimum diameter divided by the maximum diameter and expressed as a percentage. The ultrasound machine is also used to identify a complete approximation of the IJV diameter into 0 millimeters with deep breathing and/or sniff. The above information is used to estimate the patient's volume and cardiac function status.