Ultrasound Volume Data Processing

1 . An ultrasound volume data processing device, comprising:

a volume data acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound volume data consisting of a plurality of image frames representing a periodically moving target object, wherein each of the frames includes a plurality of pixels;

a period setting unit configured to set a feature point for each of the frames and set a moving period of the target object based on the feature points set for the image frames; and

a volume data reconstructing unit configured to interpolate the ultrasound volume data to have the same number of the image frames within each moving period and reconstruct the interpolated ultrasound volume data into a plurality of sub volumes based on the moving period.

2 . The volume data processing device of claim 1 , wherein the period setting unit includes:

a feature point setting section configured to set the feature point at each of the frames based on values of the pixels included therein;

a feature point curve forming section configured to form a feature point curve based on the feature points; and

a period setting section configured to set the moving period of the target object based on the feature points set at the frames.

3 . The volume data processing device of claim 2 , wherein the feature point setting section is configured to set a centroid of the pixel values at each of the frames to the feature point.

4 . The volume data processing device of claim 2 , wherein the feature point curve forming section is configured to set a principle axis based on positions of the feature points and form the feature point curve based on distances between the feature points and the principle axis.

5 . The volume data processing device of claim 4 , wherein the period setting section includes:

a filter configured to perform filtering upon the feature point curve to reduce noises;

a gradient calculator configured to calculate gradients from the filtered feature point curve; and

a zero crossing point detector configured to detect zero crossing points changing a sign of the gradient from positive to negative and determine the moving period based on intervals between the detected zero crossing points.

6 . The volume data processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a motion compensation unit configured to estimate a motion of the target object in the volume data to compensate for the motion.

7 . A method of processing volume date, comprising:

a) acquiring volume data having a plurality of frames from a periodically moving target object, wherein each of the frames includes a plurality of pixels;

b) setting a feature point at each of the frames based on values of the pixels included therein;

c) setting a moving period of the target object based on the feature points set at the frames;

d) interpolating the ultrasound volume data to have the same number of the image frames within each moving period; and

e) reconstructing the interpolated ultrasound volume data into a plurality of sub volumes based on the moving period.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step c) includes:

c1) forming a feature point curve based on the feature points; and

c2) setting the moving period of the target object based on the feature points set at the frames.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a centroid of the pixel values at each of the frames is set to the feature point.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step c1) includes:

setting a principle axis based on positions of the feature points; and

forming the feature point curve based on distances between the feature points and the principle axis.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step c2) includes:

performing filtering upon the feature point curve to reduce noises;

calculating gradients from the filtered feature point curve; and

detecting zero crossing points changing a sign of the gradient from positive to negative and determining the moving period based on intervals between the detected zero crossing points.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising estimating a motion of the target object in the volume data to compensate for the motion.