IP Library Granted Patent US 8,016,760
Granted Patent B2
US 8,016,760 · App. 12/764,791 · Granted Sep 13, 2011

Systems and methods for determining organ wall mass by three-dimensional ultrasound

Assignee: Verathon, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,016,760
App. No.
12/764,791
Granted
Sep 13, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ultrasound system and method to measure an organ wall weight and mass. When the organ is a bladder, a bladder weight (UEBW) is determined using three-dimensional ultrasound imaging that is acquired using a hand-held or machine controlled ultrasound transceiver. The infravesical region of the bladder is delineated on this 3D data set to enable the calculation of urine volume and the bladder surface area. The outer anterior wall of the bladder is delineated to enable the calculation of the bladder wall thickness (BWT). The UEBW is calculated as a product of the bladder surface area, the bladder wall thickness, and the bladder wall specific gravity.

Claims (18)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of determining ultrasound estimated bladder wall weight (UEBW), the method comprising:

acquiring ultrasound data depicting a bladder wall including a sub-serosal layer;

process the ultrasound data associated with the sub-serosal layer into a voxel assembly approximating an iso-surface of the sub-serosal layer;

defining the iso-surface as a plurality of voxel cubes having a plurality of vertices;

comparing pixel values of the vertices with a predetermined threshold intensity value;

based on the comparisons, determining a set of the voxel cubes that represent the sub-serosal layer; and

processing the set of the voxel cubes to obtain an accumulated surface area for the sub-serosal layer.

2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertices is eight vertices.

3. The medium of claim 1 , wherein processing the set of the voxel cubes comprises summing the voxel cubes.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of determining ultrasound estimated bladder wall weight (UEBW), the method comprising:

acquiring ultrasound data depicting a bladder wall including a sub-mucosal layer;

process the ultrasound data associated with the sub-mucosal layer into a voxel assembly approximating an iso-surface of the sub-mucosal layer;

defining the iso-surface as a plurality of voxel cubes having a plurality of vertices;

comparing pixel values of the vertices with a predetermined threshold intensity value;

based on the comparisons, determining a set of the voxel cubes that represent the sub-mucosal layer; and

processing the set of the voxel cubes to obtain an accumulated surface area for the sub-mucosal layer.

5. The medium of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of vertices is eight vertices.

6. The medium of claim 4 , wherein processing the set of the voxel cubes comprises summing the voxel cubes.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 15, 2012
From: DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND CORPORATION
To: VERATHON INC.
Reel/Frame 027712/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2012
From: CHALANA, VIKRAM; DUDYCHA, STEPHEN; YUK, JONGTAE; MCMORROW, GERALD
To: DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND
Reel/Frame 027697/0057 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 11295043 · Dec 6, 2005
Provisional Application 60633485 · Dec 6, 2004
Related Publication 20100204581A1 · Aug 12, 2010