Systems and methods for increasing effective line density of volume compound ultrasound images while maintaining the frame rate, penetration depth, and other image characteristics are provided. The method includes acquiring a first lateral plane at a first elevational position. The first lateral plane includes a first set of receive lines at a first set of lateral positions. The method includes acquiring a second lateral plane at a second elevational position adjacent the first elevational position. The second lateral plane includes a second set of receive lines at a second set of lateral positions laterally offset from the first set of lateral positions. The method includes combining the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane to generate a compound image and presenting the compound image at a display system. The compound image may be a volume compound image in an A-plane generated based on volume compound imaging rendering algorithms.

A medical system includes an ultrasound probe configured for insertion into an organ of a body, and a processor. The probe includes a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound transducer array, and a sensor configured to output signals indicative of a position, direction and orientation of the 2D ultrasound transducer array inside the organ. The processor is configured to (a) using the signals output by the sensor, register multiple ultrasound images of a tissue region, acquired over a given time duration by the 2D ultrasound transducer array, with one another, (b) estimate, based on the ultrasound images acquired over the given time duration, three-dimensional displacements as a function of time for one or more locations in the tissue region, (c) estimate respective mechanical strains of the one or more locations in the tissue region, based on the three-dimensional displacements, and (d) present a time-dependent rendering of the mechanical strains to a user.

A medical system includes an ultrasound probe and a processor. The ultrasound probe is configured for insertion into an organ of a body and includes (i) a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound transducer array, and (ii) a sensor configured to output signals indicative of a position and orientation of the 2D ultrasound transducer array inside the organ. The processor is configured to (a) using the signals output by the sensor, register multiple ultrasound image sections, acquired by the 2D ultrasound transducer array, with one another, (b) produce a union of the multiple registered ultrasound image sections, to form a rendering of at least a portion of the organ, and (c) present the rendering to a user.

To provide a probe including a TGC circuit therein. The probe includes a plurality of receive circuits. Each receive circuit includes: an ultrasound transducer; a transmit/receive switch; a variable attenuator; a first capacitor; and an amplifier. The ultrasound transducer converts the receive signal into a ground level electric signal and outputs the ground level electric signal as a first output signal. The transmit/receive switch is connected to a first signal line, and switches depending on whether to output the first output signal output from the ultrasound transducer to the first signal line. The variable attenuator includes a control terminal and two terminals, and changes a resistance value between the two terminals other than the control terminal based on a control signal input to the control terminal. The amplifier has an input terminal connected to the first capacitor and includes at least an amplifier circuit configured to amplify an electric signal of the first signal line and output the amplified electric signal to a second signal line. In the variable attenuator, one of the two terminals other than the control terminal is connected to the first signal line, and the other terminal is connected to the ground via a second capacitor different from the first capacitor.

A deep finger ultrasonic sensor device includes an array of ultrasonic transducers and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for capturing a depth image of a finger, where the depth image includes a plurality of features inside the finger. The array controller is configured to control transmission of ultrasonic signals and receipt of reflected ultrasonic signals during the imaging operation, where the reflected ultrasonic signals are utilized in generating the depth image of the finger.

A system and method for presenting rotation previews of an object depicted in a volume rendering of 3D and/or 4D image data is provided. The method includes presenting a volume rendering of an object having an initial view at a display system. The method includes presenting volume rendering previews at the display system. Each of the volume rendering previews provides a different rotational view of the object and is located on the display system in relation to the volume rendering at a position associated with a directional directive of a user input device. The method includes receiving a directional directive from the user input device. The method includes presenting an updated volume rendering of the object at the display system. The updated volume rendering includes an updated view of the object rotated from the initial view based on the directional directive from the user input device.

According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe and control circuitry. The ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers two-dimensionally arranged along a first arrangement direction and a second arrangement direction. The control circuitry transmits first line delay data and second line delay data to the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe further comprises setting circuitry configured to set a delay amount for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, by using the transmitted first line delay data and second line delay data.

An underwater detection apparatus is provided which includes a transmission transducer, a reception transducer, and a motor. The transmission transducer transmits a transmission wave within a given fan-shaped transmission space, the fan-shaped transmission space having a first transmission width in a given first plane and a second transmission width in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. The reception transducer receives, as a reception wave, a reflection wave of the transmission wave within a given fan-shaped reception space, the fan-shaped reception space having a first reception width in the first plane and a second reception width in the second plane, the second reception width being wider than the second transmission width, and in the second plane, the fan-shaped transmission space being within the fan-shaped reception space. The motor rotates the fan-shaped transmission space and the fan-shaped reception space.

An ultrasound imaging catheter comprises an ultrasound transducer array provided at a distal end of an ultrasound imaging catheter. The ultrasound transducer array comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers and is adapted to transmit and receive ultrasound signals. The ultrasound imaging catheter includes a local memory provided at the distal end of the ultrasound imaging catheter. The local memory is adapted to store a plurality of activation patterns, each activation pattern corresponding to a number of transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements to be activated and a number of transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements to be deactivated. The ultrasound imaging catheter includes a control unit provided at the distal end of the ultrasound imaging catheter adapted to: access the local memory; select any one of the plurality of activation patterns; and generate a control signal to activate or deactivate the plurality of transducer elements of the transducer array according to the selected activation pattern during an imaging phase of the ultrasound imaging catheter.

An ultrasound imaging system probe comprises an imaging transducer head and a reception circuit for processing received reflected ultrasound signals. The reception circuit comprises an analogue to digital sigma delta converter which comprises a closed loop which comprises a tunable band pass filter. This enables the analog to digital converter to process only the desired frequency band. The ADC conversion bandwidth and ENOB are in this way programmable giving a more efficient probe design, and also enabling analog to digital conversion early in the signal processing chain.